WELLS

Conference on child abuse

Additional Photos

Equest Therapeutic Riding Center is holding an orientation training for potential volunteers on May 26. Sidewalkers, shown here on the ground, do not need previous experience but do need to be in fairly good shape. Press Herald file/2002

The Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County will host its 2010 Pathways to Prevention conference from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday at York County Community College on College Drive.

The daylong conference, “Why Do You Hurt Me? Connecting Child Abuse and Animal Abuse,” provides the latest child abuse and neglect prevention strategies and explores the relationship between child abuse and animal abuse. Participants may select three of 15 workshops to attend.

Keynote speakers are author Ellen Zimmerman and Virginia Marriner LSW. The $35 fee includes breakfast and lunch. To register, call 985-5975 or go to www.kidsfreetogrow.org.

KENNEBUNKPORT

Legion fundraising dance

The Kennebunkport American Legion Post No. 159, on Route 9, will host a fundraising dance from 8 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, featuring the music of Tina & Flash Allen and Shadow Play. For details, call 967-5685.

Organists guild concert

The American Guild of Organists, Portland Chapter, will perform a recital at 4 p.m. Sunday at South Congregational Church, 2 North St.

The performance will be a combination hymn-sing and recital with works by Bach, Held, Wood, Maxwell and others. Admission is free. Contributions to the chapter’s scholarship fund will be accepted. For more details, go to www.agoportlandmaine.com.

SPRINGVALE

Native plants program

The Southern Maine Garden Club will meet at 6:45 p.m. today at the Springvale Library for a program detailing native plants.

New and potential members are welcome to attend.

For more information, call Kathie Bate at 324-0181.

BETHEL

Book publication event

The Bethel Historical Society will offer a presentation and book signing from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Dr. Moses Mason House exhibit hall, celebrating the publication of “Write Quick: War and a Woman’s Life in Letters, 1836-1867,” a book based on Civil War era documents and artifacts in the collections of the Bethel Historical Society.

Book co-authors Roberta Gibson Pevear and Eliza Bean Foster will discuss their work. Admission is free and books will be available for purchase and autographing. For more details, call 824-2908.

SACO

Gardening club plant sale

The Saco Bay Gardening Club will hold its spring plant sale from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday at the Dyer Library/Saco Museum grounds, 371 Main St. For more information, visit www.sacobaygardenclub.com or call Cathleen Fejedelem at 286-2711.

BRUNSWICK

Humane Society plant sale

Coastal Humane Society’s annual plant sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the shelter, 30 Range Road.

Local greenhouses and volunteers will donate flowers, bushes and vegetables. Rabbit expert Quan Myers will give a workshop on rabbit care from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, and a rabbit adoption center will be set up, offering half-price adoptions.

For more information, call 725-5051, ext. 10, or go to www.coastalhumanesociety.org.

KENNEBUNK

‘Helping Homeless’ walk

The third annual York County Shelter Programs’ “Helping the Homeless” Walk-a-thon will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, starting at Mother’s Beach. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Forms may be downloaded on the agency’s website, www.york countyshelterprograms.org. For more information, call Joan Sylvester at 324-1137 ext. 105.

LYMAN

Equest volunteer training

Equest Therapeutic Riding Center will offer Volunteer Orientation and Training from 6 to 8 p.m. May 26.

The event will include an introduction to therapeutic riding, a facility tour, an overview of the benefits of therapeutic riding, disabilities awareness, safety, horse behavior and scheduling.

Sidewalker training includes a hands-on session with Equest staff and horses in a simulated lesson. As a sidewalker, vigorous walking beside the horse and spotting the rider is required. Prior horse experience is not necessary. For more information, call Kristen Gould at 985-0374 or e-mail kgould@equestmaine.org

SANFORD

Farmers market opening

Sanford Farmers Market will open for the 2010 season Saturday at Main Street and Gowen Park Drive.

The market will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, through Columbus Day weekend. For more details, go to www.sanfordfarmersmarket.org.

TOPSHAM

Teen idol auditions

Auditions for the fifth annual Topsham Teen Idol will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday and 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Topsham Public Library.

Ages 11-18 are welcome to audition individually or in groups of up to four. Talent slots may include singing, instrumental performance, comedy or magic.

The top 10 finalists will compete before an audience June 26 at the Highlands Community Room at the Topsham Public Library. For details or to schedule an audition, call Cyndi Burne at 725-1727 or e-mail cyndi@topshamlibrary.org.

CAMDEN

Coastal Opportunities sale

The semi-annual Cash for Clothes Sale, benefitting Coastal Opportunities, will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and 7 to 11 a.m. Monday at the American Legion Hall on Pearl Street. For details, call Nancy Wolfertz at 594-5429.

WELLS

‘Wheels Around Us’ event

The Wells Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association and several local businesses will sponsor a “Wheels Around Us” family event at Wells Harbor Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, giving children a chance to explore a wide assortment of trucks, vehicles and equipment, including a fire truck, police car, an 18-wheeler, wrecker, trolley, trash truck, school bus, several construction vehicles and some antique trucks.

Admission is $5, $12 per family. Children also are invited to decorate their bicycles and bring their helmets to ride in a children’s bicycle parade scheduled for 11 a.m. A tire obstacle course, raffle prizes, bake sale and barbecue lunch also will be offered. For more details, call Stacy at 251-3467.

ELIOT

Chorus annual plant sale

About 500 perennials, including ground covers, herbs, shade and sun plants, shrubs and antique roses, will be sold during the Community Chorus at South Berwick’s annual plant sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, rain or shine, at 266 Bolt Hill Road, just off Route 236.

AUGUSTA

Slide show about coyotes

Maine Conservation Biologist Geri Vistein will present a free interactive slide show program about coyotes at 6:15 p.m. today in Lithgow Public Library’s reading room, 45 Winthrop St. For more information, call 626-2415 or go to www.lithgow.lib.me.us.

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