Halloween fun in Freeport

Trick-or-treaters are invited to visit local merchants in downtown Freeport to collect treats from 4-6 p.m. on Oct. 31. Participants should dress up in Halloween costumes and watch for the pumpkin signs in the windows.

Ghosts make appearances at tour

Ghosts of Freeport’s Past Walking Tours will be led by lantern-carrying Freeport Historical Society docents through the dark paths of historic Woodlawn Cemetery on West Street in Freeport, Oct. 27, 28, 29 and 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. or earlier.

Groups of 10 will visit specific locations at the burial ground where a range of prominent, former Freeporters will share fascinating stories from their past. Groups will be ”pulsed” into the cemetery every 10 minutes with a tour expected to take about 45 minutes.

The Woodlawn Cemetery is the resting place of some of Freeport’s most prominent past residents, including shipbuilders, industrialists, maritime captains and wives, clergy and others.

Tickets for the tours are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 years and younger. Members are $5 (Sunday night tours are half-price). All tour participants must bring a flashlight, dress for the outdoors and be prepared for walking on somewhat uneven ground. Reservations are urged as previous year’s tours have all sold out.

For more information, call 865-3170, email info@freeporthistoricalsociety.org or see www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org. Information is also available on the historical society’s Facebook page.

Chocolate demo at Wilbur’s

Joe Sofia from Cargill, owners of Peter’s Chocolate and Wilbur’s Chocolate in Pennsylvania, will be performing a live chocolate demonstration Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10:30 a.m.-noon, at Freeport Seafood Company restaurant, 175 Lower Main St. in Freeport. Participants can learn the theory of chocolate tempering, how to properly handle chocolate and get a few recipes, including homemade marshmallow and ganache. here will be samples and a brief question-and-answer period following the demo.

The event is free, but call to reserve a seat, 865-4071.

Freeport Players commission feasibility study

The board of the Freeport Players has commissioned local consultant Gar Roper, also part of the Tri-Town Weekly’s Freeport news column team, to conduct a feasibility study to determine possible opportunities and avenues for further growth. Freeport Players will be celebrating its 25th anniversary year in 2014 and is looking to develop its plans for securing its future and gaining more community support and involvement.

Roper, who is doing this work pro bono, has worked with organizations throughout the country, including the Boston Public Health Commission, American Red Cross, American Heart Association, and many other nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

The study will focus on questions including Freeport’s commitment to having its hometown theater, the question of how the group may establish a permanent home, and the kind of community involvement that residents would desire. He will be conducting interviews with businesses, organizations and individuals throughout the Freeport community. Those with ideas or suggestions can email him at all4omni@aol.com.

Think-Local meetings

The Freeport chapter of Think-Local meets weekly from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Thursdays at Linda Bean’s Topside Tavern. They are a group of professionals whose goal is to help each other leverage their resources to create business success, to bring resources to improve the local economy and to have fun in the process.

The Oct. 31 meeting falls on Halloween morning. Those attending are invited to come in costume, with the theme being someone you are outside your business life, someone you’d like to be when your business has reached great success, or someone you’d like to be when you grow up. There will be a Halloween-themed menu and donations for a Freeport food bank will be collected.

Think-Local meetings are open to all.

New stairs at Winslow Park

The Sandy Beach stair replacement project is moving along at Winslow Park. The stairs have been completed; however, additional work installing granite steps at the bottom of the new aluminum steps will be required before the project is finished. The work is being completed by Falls Point Marine and funded primarily by a Small Harbors Improvement Program grant, with a match from the town of Freeport.

The new aluminum steps are expected to be an improvement over the former decaying wood steps that had been in place for many years.

Tickets on sale for wood raffle

Again this year, a firewood raffle is being held to raise awareness about epilepsy and raise funds for Alexandra Daniel, who was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 9, and still struggles daily with seizures and medication side effects The Daniel family of Freeport is spearheading the one-cord firewood raffle event.

The firewood is on display at Doherty’s North Freeport General Store, where raffle tickets are for sale at $1 for one or six tickets for $5. The wood is fully seasoned and ready for this year’s winter season. For more information and to purchase tickets, contact Becky Daniel, 865-0645 or 504-4406.

Trivia Challenge this week

Several teams are ready to compete in the Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce Trivia Challenge,Thursday, Oct, 24, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Freeport Community Center, 53 Depot St. The emcee for the evening will be Cole Tamminen, president of the board of directors for the Freeport Players. The public is invited to attend and cheer on their favorite trivia teams as they compete to answer trivia questions about Freeport. Some of the teams already in place are Houses and Barns by John Libby, L.L. Bean, Norway Savings, Tri-Town Weekly and others. Admission is $10. A raffle will also take place with raffle proceeds to benefit Freeport Community Services.

Coffee House welcomes entertainers

The Open Stage Coffee House will take place Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m., in the Community Room of the Freeport Public Library. The event is free and open to the public. Any and all entertainers are invited to perform for 10-15 minutes. The coffee house has been described as a “safety zone for creativity” and all levels of ability and talent are encouraged. Goodies and coffee are provided by “Eat My Shortbread” for a modest fee.

‘August Gale’ author talk Oct. 24

Barbara Walsh, author of “August Gale: A Father and Daughter’s Journey into the Storm,” will speak Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m., at the Freeport Community Library, co-hosted by Merrill Memorial Library in Yarmouth as part of a joint “Community Read” program.

Her book talk and signing is the culminating event of a joint Yarmouth/Freeport community reading. In her memoir, Walsh takes readers on two heartrending odysseys: one into a deadly Newfoundland hurricane and the lives of schooner fishermen; the other, into a squall stirred by a grandfather with many secrets who took these mysteries to his grave.

Free e-books to borrow

Those with a Freeport Community Library card can begin borrowing free e-books from the Maine Download Library. Go to www.freeportlibrary.com, look on the left side of the library’s home page and click on the link that says, “How to get ebooks & audiobooks from the Download Library onto your device” and follow the instructions.

Book group meets Nov. 6

Freeport Community Library’s Book Group meets on the first Wednesday of each month beginning at 6 p.m. The group’s selection for the Nov. 6 meeting is “The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse,” by Louise Erdrich.

Huge turnout at fall fest

Wolfe’s Neck Farm had a record turnout of 2,000 people, and more than 50 volunteers at its Fall Festival on Oct. 12. “We were absolutely thrilled with the large turnout of people and the wonderful weather,” said Executive Director Dave Herring. “We exist to connect people of all ages to sustainable agriculture, farming and the source of their food. To be able to showcase everything that the farm has to offer on a beautiful fall day to more than 2,000 people was truly special for all of us and a sign that Wolfe’s Neck Farm is an important place to a lot of people.”

Organizations that participated included Garbage to Garden, Shift Sustainable Home Goods, Abbott Farm Alpacas, Coastal Studies for Girls, USM Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County Beekeeper’s Association and ReVision Energy.

Crafters/vendors wanted

The Freeport Fire Rescue Auxiliary will host a craft fair on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Freeport Fire Station.

Those interested in reserving a table should call 865-6568 for more information.

Community Services partners with toy fund

Freeport Community Services’ 2013 Holiday Helpline Program has joined forces with the Bruce Roberts Toy Fund for the winter holiday gift-giving season. The Bruce Roberts fund has been supporting families by providing toys for children since 1949. The new partnership supports Freeport Community Services’ mission of helping families in Freeport and Pownal by expanding services, avoiding duplications, and giving local families a “one-stop” destination for assistance.

Freeport and Pownal families can apply at FCS. Applications must be submitted no later than Oct. 29. The Bruce Roberts Toy Fund will provide four new, preselected, age-appropriate toys for each child up to his/her 19th birthday. All toys through the FCS Holiday Helpline Program will now be provided through the Bruce Roberts Toy Fund.

Community volunteers are essential to the success of the Holiday Helpline Program. Here’s how to help:

1. Adopt a family: While the toys come from the Bruce Roberts Toy Fund, Freeport Community Services still hopes to supply two articles of warm clothing per child, and one one gift for each adult in the family.

2. Adopt an adult: Freeport Community Services provides one gift per adult; for some elderly, disabled, ill or unemployed adults, this may be the only gift they receive this holiday season.

3. Provide cash donations to the Holiday Helpline: Donations are used for items such as Bow Street Market gift cards and gas cards. Each family or adult, in addition to the gifts provided by donors, will receive a “Fund-a-Feast” Box from Hannaford and a Bow Street Market gift card.

4. Donate time: Help with gift wrapping, sorting and delivering gifts and food boxes.

To volunteer, contact Debbie Daggett, FCS volunteer coordinator, at 865-3985, ext. 206. To adopt a family, make a contribution or apply for help, contact Sue Mack, FCS family service coordinator, 865-3985, ext. 205, as soon as possible.

Police schedule drug take-back day

The Freeport Police Department is participating in the National Drug Take Back Initiative on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Residents can bring unused, unwanted or expired medications to the Freeport Public Safety Building for proper disposal.

Items can include controlled, non-controlled and over-the-counter substances. Medications may be disposed of in their original container, but it is recommend that labels be removed from the container, or that a black line be drawn through the information. Intravenous solutions, injectibles or syringes cannot be accepted. Liquid products such as cough syrup should remain sealed in their original containers if possible. Otherwise the item should be placed in a sealed plastic bag.

Election information

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, the polls will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. in the gymnasium at Freeport High School, 30 Holbrook St., for the state referendum and municipal election.

Absentee ballots are available at the Freeport Town Clerk’s Office. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Thursday, Oct. 31, at 6 p.m.

Those who have moved since the last time they voted should stop by the Town Clerk’s office by Oct. 31 with proof of residency so that your name will appear on the correct district voting list. For those who cannot make it to Town Hall by Oct. 31, there will be a voter registrar available at the polls on Election Day to make address changes and direct voters to the correct district table.

Sample ballots are available at www.freeportmaine.com.

Upcoming meetings

Project Review site walk, Oct. 24, at 5 p.m., 41 Prout Road, to visit the site of the proposed Thomas Prout Road subdivision. The walk will begin at the existing driveway entrance on the property. The public is invited. Those with questions can call the Freeport Planning Department at 865-4743 (option 5).

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