Inside New Gloucester

Vintage town maps on exhibit

“New Gloucester Maps” is the title of the new exhibit at the New Gloucester History Barn located behind Town Hall on Route 231 open on Saturday, June 2, from 9 a.m. to noon. The exhibit, sponsored by the New Gloucester Historical Society, will showcase previously undiscovered Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps of New Gloucester in 1892, 1907 and 1927. Admission is free and the public is invited.

Gospel and mountain music

You won’t want to miss the last Village Coffeehouse until September, which offers a great feel-good evening of guitar, banjo, mandolin and tight harmony by Mac McHale and Carolyn Hutton. You may remember Mac from the Old Time Radio Gang. He’s back on stage as half of this well-reviewed duo, “Taylor’s Grove.”

The concert gets underway at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, in the community room of the New Gloucester Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and children under 12. Coffee and tea are free, while munchies are available for a small donation. For more information, call the church office at 926-3260.

Rooting for Democracy plant sale

The fifth annual “Rooting for Democracy” plant sale, hosted by the New Gloucester Democratic Committee, will be held on Saturday, June 9, from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Lil’ Mart (formerly Cloutier’s Market), Route 100, New Gloucester. Plants of all varieties including perennials, annuals, house plants, vegetables and herbs from committee members’ personal gardens will be offered at bargain prices.

Two $50 gift certificates to an area seafood retail store will be raffled off at the plant sale. The drawing will be held at noon; you need not be present to win. For more information, call Mary Duggan at 926-4448.

Warming up ?to energy ?efficient homes

Builders and homeowners will benefit from a talk by energy trainer David Johnston on the new statewide energy code on Saturday, June 9, 1-4 p.m. at AmVets Hall, 1095 Lewiston Road (Route 100), New Gloucester. Learn about the latest in solar technology, pellet and wood systems, energy audits, and lighting from area vendors. Enjoy live bluegrass music performed by New Gloucester’s own Bald Hill Boys and delicious locally baked food. This event is sponsored by the New Gloucester Economic Development Committee. For more information, contact the Town Planning Department, 926-4126 x4.

Can you help Whoo?

Whoo the Owl is out of sliding hinges. He needs them because he is building a device that will shelve books away properly. He reluctantly had to ask his nemesis Great Horns to give him some hinges. Great Horns agreed provided that Whoo and his crew read 2,770 books within the time frame of June 5 to Aug. 21. The New Gloucester Public Library is hosting the summer reading program to help Whoo. Readers can sign up from June 5 through June 30. If you want to participate, talk to Sue or Carla at the library or call them at 926-4840. You will have to sign a contract and then read as many books as possible until Aug. 21 when the final celebration will occur.

Varied activities ?at Shaker Village

Come to Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, located off Route 26 in New Gloucester, on Saturday, June 2, to observe the R & R Spinners in action beginning at 10 a.m., and listen to a regional group of shape note singers from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. Additionally, a calligraphic card workshop will be held that day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tim Greene will be performing a blacksmithing demonstration on Saturday, June 9, beginning at 10 a.m., which is free and open to the public. Workshops on caning hand-woven chairs and the basics of canning fresh ingredients will be conducted that day.

Fees are charged and pre-registration is required for all workshops. See www.shaker.lib.me.us or call 926-4597 for more information.

Lions dedicate memorial tree

Lions International President Wing-Kun Tam challenged Lions worldwide to plant a million trees this year. The Gray-New Gloucester Lions took it one step further and dedicated their tree in memory of two prominent New Gloucester residents with connections to the local Lions club: Wayne Cobb and Bob Leighton.

Cobb was a charter member and second generation Lion. His son, Steve, represents the third generation of this Lion family. Leighton was an active supporter of all things Lion. His daughter, Linda, and her husband, John, are both club members, and John was recently awarded a prestigious Melvin Jones Fellowship.

Members of the Cobb and Leighton families, library and town officials, plus some other Lions gathered at the New Gloucester Public Library on Saturday, May 19, to officially dedicate a beautiful flowering crabapple tree planted in the library garden.

Election Day

Voting will be held at Memorial School, 86 Intervale Road, New Gloucester on Tuesday, June 12, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for school, town, county, state and national offices. See www.newgloucester.com “Elections” sidebar for sample ballots.

Contact Patti Mikkelsen with happenings at:

mikks@maine.rr.com

(207) 926-5660