Raffle winner ?pays it forward

The winner of the firewood raffle at Doherty’s General Store to raise money and awareness for the Epilepsy Foundation is the very same person who donated the prize.

Chris Stilkey, of D.C. Stilkey and Sons, who donated the cord-and-a-half of firewood and purchased $20 in tickets, won the prize. Stilkey, who also lives with epilepsy, has contacted the Freeport Community Services to donate the wood to a family in the community that needs firewood to heat for the rest of the winter. The raffle was made possible by D.C. Stilkey & Sons, Merton Curtis and Mike McCrillis and Doherty’s North Freeport General Store. The raffle raised $591 for the 2013 Walk for Epilepsy that will take place in May.

Music, dinner at Freeport First Friday

Freeport First Friday at the Freeport Community Center on March 1, starting at 6 p.m., will present world-renowned musicians Laura Kargul on piano and Ronald Lantz on violin performing a short classical program featuring Romantic French works including “Sonata for Violin and Piano” by Jacques de la Presle. Dinner will feature the romantic spirit of French cuisine with boeuf bourguignon and gateau au fromage (beef stew and cheesecake).

Tickets are $18 and seating is limited. Call Kim at 865-3985, ext. 202 for tickets.

Candidates’ reception for District 2 seat

The Freeport Save our Neighborhoods Coalition will be hosting a candidates’ reception for the District 2 Town Council seat on Monday, March 4, from 7-9 p.m. Candidates will speak briefly about themselves, followed by a question-and-answer period from the audience facilitated by a moderator A reception with coffee and desserts and an opportunity to speak further with the candidates will follow. Invited candidates are Sarah Tracy and Joyce Clarkson-Veilleux.

Freeport Lioness-Lions set variety show

The Freeport Lioness-Lions will present its 27th annual variety show on Saturday, March 16, at 7 p.m., at the Freeport Performing Arts Center. This year’s theme is “Thank You for Being a Friend.”

Tickets are $10 for adults, $3 for 12 and under. Profits from the show will benefit the community. For tickets or information, call 865-9523 or email at [email protected] .

Thrift Shop Estate ?Sale moved

The Freeport Community Center Thrift Shop Estate Sale Annex has moved to a new location at 48B West St. The annex is open Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 1-4 p.m. The original thrift shop is located at 53 Depot St. and is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Freeport Players ?to hold auditions

The Freeport Players have announced auditions have been scheduled for the production of “The 39 Steps,” a fast-paced, comedic adaptation of the Alfred Hitchcock classic that will run from July 19- Aug. 4. The auditions are for one woman and three men and will take place on Sunday, April 7 and Monday, April 8, from 6:30-8 p.m., at the Freeport High School cafeteria.

Appointments are not required, but actors are recommended to notify Elizabeth Guffey at [email protected] .

Auction to benefit Dominican Republic trip

The Freeport Interact Club will host an auction on Friday, March 15, at 6 p.m., at the Freeport Community Center. The Freeport Interact Club is a community-service club whose members work with the Rotary Club to bring aid and service to other countries. The club will be taking a service trip to the Dominican Republic to install water filters, teach residents how to maintain the filters, donate money to hospitals, and bring shoes

Seeking volunteers

Freeport Community Services is in need of volunteers to work with customers at the new Estate Furniture Annex, at 2 Depot St. The group is also looking for drivers to offer rides to medical appointments on a flexible basis. To volunteer, call Debbie at 865-3985.

Free tax help

AARP will be providing free tax preparation assistance for low- to moderate-income households with special attention to those 60 or older from through April 10 on Wednesday mornings at the Freeport Community Center. Assistance is available by appointment only. Call 865-4743 ext. 120 to schedule an appointment.

‘Lunch with Locals’ series

The Freeport Historical Society is hosting a series of lunchtime meetings to assess the strengths and weaknesses of its collections with input from the community. The “Lunch with Locals” series will take place on Friday, March 22 and Tuesday, April 16 from noon-1:30 p.m. The meetings will be at the historical society’s headquarters at the Harrington House, 45 Main St. The public is invited to bring a brown bag lunch for informal discussions about particular aspects of the collection, as well as a rare close-up view of the society’s collections. The project is funded by a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services. For more information or to RSVP, contact the historical society at 865-3170 or [email protected].

Historical society ?hosts presentation, ?rum tasting

The Freeport Historical Society will host “Peddling Your Wares: A Look at Itinerant Merchants in Early 19th Century New England” presentation and rum tasting,” Sunday, March 10, at 1:30 p.m., at the Freeport Community Library.

Tom Kelleher, curator of Historic Trades, Mills and Mechanical Arts at Old Sturbridge Village, will present a first-person visit to learn how a wide variety of goods reached settlements and the importance of the exchange of news. The presentation will be followed with questions and answers and a tasting of Eight Bells rum from New England Distilleries. The program is funded in part by the Maine Humanities Council. Tickets are $5 at the door. For more information, contact the Freeport Historical Society at 865-3170, www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org or on Facebook.

Library news and notes

The GWC (Giving Children Warmth) program will be making blankets for children in Afghanistan by knitting squares and sewing them together. The group meets on Mondays from 2:45 – 4 p.m. to teach volunteers from age 11 through adult to knit.

Story time for toddlers and preschoolers takes place every Tuesday morning. There are two 15-minute story times at 9:30 and 9:45 a.m. for younger kids with shorter attention spans. At 10, there is a 30-minute story time for preschoolers. The morning features songs and a small snack.

This month’s Tech Talk, Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 1 p.m., will focus on how to use Ancestry.com for free at the library and other Maine genealogy resources.

The library presents the Armchair Travel Series. Friends of the library share travels abroad with digital photos and personal stories. The tour guides on Wednesday Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. will be Burt Brewer and Chris Hastedt, who will present a sailing trip to Newfoundland, St. Pierre and Miquelon.

The Thursday midday movie on March 7 at 1 p.m. is “To Kill a Mockingbird,” starring Gregory Peck. The film is not rated.

Upcoming Meeting

March 5 – Town Council, 6:30 p.m., Freeport Town Hall