Greater Portland

Benefits

Friday 9/7

Art auction, 5-8 p.m., to benefit Grace Street Ministry, Hope.Gate.Way Church, 185 High St., Portland, gracestreetministry@gmail.com.

Saturday 9/8

Lucidfest, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., to benefit Lucid Stage, 29 Baxter Blvd., Portland, 807-7320. 

Walk for Recovery, registration 8:30 a.m., walk begins at 10 a.m., Monument Square, Portland, Catholic Charities, to register: 775-5671, suggested $10 per participant.

Walk to Defeat ALS, 9 a.m. registration, 10:30 a.m. walk begins, to benefit The ALS Association, Payson Park, Baxter Blvd., Portland, register online: alsanne.org.

Sunday 9/9

Sandsations Sand Sculpting Contest, 12-3 p.m., to benefit Birth Roots, Pine Point Beach, Scarborough, 252-9660.

Bulletin Board

Sunday 9/2

Backpack giveaway, 10:30 a.m., Next Level Church, 1053 Forest Ave., Portland, register: nlc.tv/freebackpacks, 878-8002.

Wednesday 8/29 

Open House, Justice in the Body, 5:30-8 p.m., 47 Portland St., Portland, justiceinthebody@gmail.com.

Friday 8/31 

Portland Brew Festival, 5:30-9 p.m., Portland Company Complex, 58 Fore St., Portland, 615-419-3753. 

Saturday 9/1

Atlantic CannaFEST, 1-5 p.m., Piefer Patients Alliance, Deering Oaks Park, Portland, asamaine@gmail.com.

Portland Brew Festival, 12-4 p.m. and 5:30-9 p.m., Portland Company Complex, 58 Fore St., Portland, 615-419-3753.

Wednesday 9/5

Candidates are people, too- come meet them, 5:30-7:30 p.m., League of Young Voters, 533 Congress St., Portland, 772-3207.

Thursday 9/6

Language Exchange, open house, 5:30-7 p.m., 80 Exchange St., Portland, 772-0405.

Saturday 9/8 

Bayside Block Party, 1-5 p.m., Bayside Neighborhood Association, parking lot by Dyer’s variety store, 45 Portland St., Portland, bayside_neighbors@msn.com. 

Fun day, 9 a.m., Village Green, Route 115, North Yarmouth, jess@pawsandplay.biz.

Call for Volunteers

Cumberland County Extension Association is looking for volunteers to serve on board of directors, 781-6099.

Dining Out

Saturday 9/1

Bean supper, 5-6:30 p.m., The Triangle Club of Casco Lodge No. 36 A.F. & A. M. Yarmouth, 20 Mill St., Yarmouth, adults: $8, children 5-12 $5, children 5 and younger free.

Friday 9/7

Friday lunch, 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m., North Yarmouth Congregational Church, 3 Gray Road, North Yarmouth, 829-3644.

Saturday 9/8

Lobster Roll Meal, First United Methodist Church, 4:30 p.m., 179 Ridgeland Ave., South Portland, 767-2688, $10. 

Fresh from the farm, dinner, 6-9 p.m., To benefit Scarborough Land Trust’s Broadturn Farm Maintenance Fund, 388 Broadturn Road, Scarborough, $50 adult, $15 children 13 and under, children under 5 free, 289-1199.

Getting Smarter

Wednesday 9/5

Franchising 101: From A to Z, 2-4 p.m., SCORE, 100 Middle St., Portland, register: scoremaine.com.

Parenting Teens- One Mantra at a Time, 7-8:30 p.m., The Woodlands, 39 Woods Road, Falmouth, 450-4277.

Health & Support

Wednesday 8/29 

Meaningful moments in the home for those living with dementia, presentation, 6-7:30 p.m., Genesis HealthCare, 22 Northbrook Drive, Falmouth, 781-5775 x 227.

Just for Seniors

Cards & Coffee, 10 a.m., Tuesdays, Casco Bay YMCA, 14 Old South Freeport Road, Freeport, 865-9600.

The Retired & Senior Volunteer Program of Southern Maine Agency on Aging is looking for people age 55 and over to volunteer; local opportunities include an arts center in Portland; school mentoring or tutoring; spending time with residents in long term care facilities; volunteering as a tax aide or at a nonprofit. FMI, Priscilla Greene, 396-6521 or 800-427-7411, ext. 521.

Mid Coast

Benefits

Silent auction to benefit the Coastal Humane Society, beginning Aug. 1, list of items at At Last… Salon & Day Spa, 185 Park Row, Brunswick, and online, atlast2010.webstore.com

Bulletin Board

Saturday 9/1

Music and fireworks, 6-8 p.m., George J. Mitchell Field, Route 123, Harpswell, Rain date Sunday, Sept. 2. harpswellfestival.org, 833-0562.

50/50 Bingo, 1-3 p.m., Bath Senior Center, 45 Floral St., Bath, 443-4937. 

Call for Volunteers

Ongoing

Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice has a growing need for hospice volunteers in the Brunswick area, training, call 777-7740, AHCH.org.

ArtVan Program seeks volunteers to help with art therapy programming with children and teens, promotional support and fundraising efforts, contact 371-4125 or visit artvanprogram.org.

Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks volunteer mentors (must be 18+) willing to commit one year and spend eight hours a month with a child 6-14 who lives in a single parent home, contact Brunswick office at 729-7736 or bigbbigs@bbbsbathbrun.org.

Chocolate Church Arts Center seeks volunteers for the art gallery and more, 798 Washington St., Bath, 442-8455.

The Greater Bath Elder Outreach Network, a program of Catholic Charities Maine, is looking for volunteers a few hours a week to assist seniors by providing companionship, transportation, assistance with errands and telephone reassurance for elderly and disabled people who live in Sagadahoc County and the Brunswick area, Martha Cushing, 837-8810; meetings 6-7:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month, Patten Free Library, Bath, 837-8810.

Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine needs volunteers at ReStore in Bath, minimum four-hour shift commitment, 386-5081 or michele@habitat7rivers.org.

Home to Home, an organization providing a safe place for parents to exchange children for visitations, needs volunteers, commitment of 1-2 hours per exchange period, police check and training required, Mid-Coast Hospital, Brunswick, Rich Siegel, 837-4894, mainehometohome.org.

Meals on Wheels drivers urgently needed, Wednesdays and Fridays, information, 729-0475, Spectrum Generations, 12 Main St., Topsham.

Mid Coast Hospital, dozens of positions at the café, gift shop, or greeting patients, 123 Medical Center Drive, Brunswick, 373-6015.

Mid Coast Senior Health Center needs volunteers for various activities with seniors Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, welcome desk openings, 373-3646.

Parkview Adventist Medical Center, gift shop needs volunteers, four-hour shifts mornings, afternoons and early evenings Monday through Friday, every other Sunday 1-4 p.m., will train, 373-4518 or visit the gift shop at 329 Maine St., Brunswick.

Pejepscot Historical Society needs volunteer tour guides for Skolfield-Whittier House and Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum and volunteer staff for Chamberlain Museum gift shop, 729-6606.

People Plus Center, ongoing opportunities, 6 Noble St., Brunswick, 729-0757.

Red Cross training, Disaster Action Team, free, basic classes provide foundation for delivering assistance in emergency situations, weekday evenings, course schedules at midcoast.redcross.org, register on line or call 729-6779, 563-3299, MidCoastRedCross.net, 16 Community Way, Topsham.

Road to Recovery, American Cancer Society’s transportation program seeks volunteers to help cancer patients get to their treatment appointments, call Janice Staples, 373-3715, janice.staples@cancer.org, American Cancer Society, One Bowdoin Mill Island, Topsham.

Spectrum Generations has volunteer opportunities in program development, outreach, and reception at its new Community Center at 12 Main St., Topsham, Dave, 729-0475.

Sexual Assault Support Services of Mid Coast Maine needs volunteers to provide support and information to callers on 24-hour hotline, 725-2181.

Dining Out

Wednesday 9/5

Lunch and Learn: chowder, 11:15 a.m., Spectrum Generations Coastal Community Center, 521 Main St., Darimiscotta, call 563-1363 by noon on Monday for reservation and entrée selections, $6.

Garden & Outdoors

Cathance River Educational Alliance, series for adults, CREA Adult Class second Saturday of each month, 9 a.m. – noon, the Ecology Center, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham; “Ecology Lecture Series,” last Tuesday each month, 6:30-8 p.m., Topsham Public Library; 12 participants, cost per class, $15 members/$20 non-members, register, creamaine.org, click on “Programs,” 798-1913 or e-mail cathanced@gwi.net.

Topsham Garden Club, noon lunch, 1 p.m. speaker and business meeting; call Marie 729-1295 or Jane 721-8675 for location and membership info; new members/guests always welcome; mainegardenclubs.org (select GCFM Districts and Clubs, Medomak District, Topsham Garden Club), meets second Wednesday from March to December.

Getting Smarter

Aging Workers Initiative of Coastal Counties Workforce Inc., holds classes/forums for those over 55; if interested in short-term certificate training in certain fields contact Barry Peaco, 319-8436, Barry.Peaco@goodwillnne.org; FMI, visit seasonedworkforce.com.

ArtWorks, Creative Arts Night, 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays, Bath Recreation Center, 4 Sheridan Road, Bath, $8; 443-8360.

ESOL, English as a Second Language classes, free, Mondays and Wednesdays 9 a.m. – noon, Tuesdays and Thursdays 6-9 p.m., basics of English and class trips to learn about Maine, to register or FMI, 729-7323 ext. 1, Merrymeeting Adult Education, 35 Republic Ave., Topsham, Michael Myers, myersm@link75.org.

International Association of Administrative Professionals, Mid Coast Area Chapter meets third Wednesday of the month, September-May, 5:15-7:30 p.m., Mid Coast Pizza and More, Bath, monthly speakers, networking, mcac-iaap.org/index.

Joshua L. Chamberlain Civil War Round Table monthly meeting and speaker, every third Thursday, free, open to public, 7 p.m., Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St., Brunswick, information, Dan Cunningham 729-9520, or Jay Stencil 721-0235.

Merrymeeting Regional Adult Education, various courses available, 35 Republic Ave., Topsham, 729-7323.

Sagadahoc History & Genealogy Room, focusing on communities in Sagadahoc County, Patten Free Library, 33 Summer St., Bath, 443-5141.

Spectrum Generations, Southern Midcoast Community Center, 12 Maine St., Topsham, call or visit for list of classes and events, southernmidcoast@spectrumgenerations.org, 729-0475.

University College at Bath/Brunswick hosts career and academic program information sessions, free, Mid-Coast Center for Higher Education, 9 Park St., Bath, schedule at 442-7736.

Wife of Bath hosts monthly day-long creative writing retreats, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., $25, Linden Tree Meeting House, Phippsburg Congregational Church UCC, 10 Church Lane, Phippsburg, month-by-month or pre-register, 751-2414, editor@wifeofbath.net, visit wifeofbath.net.

Health & Support

Creating Meditation in Action, five week class, Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., starting Sept. 4, Shambhala Meditation Center 19 Mason St., Brunswick, 617-308-8637, register online: shambhalabp.org, $55.

Kids and Family

Monday 8/27

Hootenanny, 9 a.m., music and movement, Spectrum Generations Coastal Community Center, 521 Main St., Darimiscotta, 563-1788.