Generous gardeners

The “Veggie Connection” is a project that has been taking place during the height of growing season during the past two years. Local vegetable gardeners who have been inundated with crops when they ripen have shared their bounty with the New Gloucester Food Pantry during the months of August and September.

Due to a sign-up sheet at the June election polls, the number of contributing gardeners doubled this year compared to 2006. Many thanks to go out to our 2007 produce donors: Beth Birch, Rosemarie Fitch, Johanna Flath, Bob Fowler, Bunny Gelberg, Penny Hilton, Kathryn and Keith Larson, Caroline Loupe and Glenn Turner, Linda Sarkisian, Marion Turner, and Betty and Connie Wurtz.

So much produce was collected on Aug. 25 and Sept. 8 that there was an abundance remaining after the food pantry closed down. Jason Hall, a representative from the Good Shepherd Food Bank, came to the rescue and claimed the remainder for his clientele. The Good Shepherd Food Bank is very efficiently run. As its web site www.gsfb.org points out, “For $1 donated, GSFB can provide over $12.50 worth of food through a member agency near you. This is your best investment for feeding Maine’s hungry.”

Storage space needed

The New Gloucester Historical Society is in desperate need of storage space for four of its largest museum collection items: the town hearse, a pung, a mail wagon and a sled. These pieces represent almost the full span of the town’s long history. The society is looking for a generous person or company that will donate space for these items in a barn, garage or other suitable area. If you are that person or company, please contact historical society President Nancy Wilcox at 926-4213.

Village Coffee House concert

Mountain Avenue, a local band playing a jambalaya of blues, bluegrass, folk, rock and jazz, will perform at the New Gloucester Village Coffee House on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door. Suggested donations: adults $10; seniors and children under 12, $5.

The Coffee House features local, up-and-coming musical artists on the first Saturday of every month. Proceeds benefit the New Gloucester Congregational Church. The church is located near the corner of Route 231 and the Gloucester Hill Road in the hub of the Lower Village. For more information, contact Julie or Michael Fralich at 926-3161 or the church office at 926-3260.

Shaker Village nature walk

Pre-registration is required for the Saturday, Oct. 6 guided tour of the Shaker fields, forests, Loon’s Point on Sabbathday Lake and the footbridge over Aurelia’s Cascade. Your guide is Carol Beyna, a trained naturalist.

Two nature walks will be available that day: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 1:30-4 p.m. At the time of this writing, slots were still available for both sessions. However, there are more spaces open for the afternoon walk. The walks occur rain or shine, although if the inclement weather is persistent, then they would be postponed to a later hour or canceled.

Fees are $5 for adults; $2 for children; under 6 free. To make reservations, call 926-4597 or email usshakers@aol.com. Please specify if you plan to participate in the morning or afternoon walk.

Annual book and bake sale

The Friends of the New Gloucester Library are once again having their annual book and bake sale, Saturday morning, Oct. 6 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the library. Now that the children are back in school, why not check out the best place in town for books? Where else can you find children’s good used hard cover books for 25 cents and soft cover books selling for two for 25 cents?

And if anything can top that, children even have their own night to shop on Friday night, Oct. 5, from 5:30 to 7:30. It’s called “First Dibs for Kids.” The children’s section is just one part of the sale; the main book room is filled with a wide variety of wonderful books that are very well priced and organized. There is also a video section of DVD and VCR tapes, along with a table of specially priced books.

Annemarie Salzberg who is affiliated with the public library states, “We are looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.”

Town board and committee meetings

Oct. 2, Community Fair Committee, 7 p.m., Library

Oct. 2, Planning Board, 7 p.m., Meetinghouse

Oct. 4, Public Safety Committee, 7 p.m., Meetinghouse

Oct. 4, Arts and Creative Economy, 7 p.m., Fire Station

Oct. 4, Gazebo Committee, 7 p.m., Library

Copy the Story Link