Class reunion

The South Portland High School class of 1989 is celebrating its 25th reunion on Saturday, July 26, 6-11 p.m. at the Holiday Inn By The Bay in Portland.

The cost is $25 per person or $40 per couple. Tickets are available at the door only. Cash or checks should be made out to SPHS Class of 1989. Parking is $10 at Holiday Inn.

Highlights of the reunion include music, food and a cash bar. In addition, members of the class are invited to take a tour of the newly renovated high school beginning at 3 p.m. Meet in the parking lot adjacent to the football stadium.

Summer fun for teens

This summer the South Portland Parks and Recreation Department is offering a variety of outdoor adventure programs designed for young teens in grades 6-9. Call 767-7650 or find the department’s page on the city website, at www.southportland.org, to register or for more information.

Advertisement

• Aug. 1 – Bike and swim on Peaks Island

• Aug. 8 – Kayaking in Casco Bay

• Aug. 14 – Whitewater rafting. Participants must register by July 25.

Tri for a Cure road closures

Residents of South Portland should be aware that during the annual Tri for a Cure event on Sunday, July 20, several local roads will be closed to traffic and there are likely to be traffic delays. Also, drivers are cautioned to watch out for runners and bicyclists, between 6 a.m. and noon.

Fort Road, Surfsite Road and Benjamin Pickett Street will all be closed, and traffic delays are anticipated for Broadway, Ocean Street, Cottage Road and Willard Square.

Advertisement

Upcoming library events

The Scarborough Public Library continues to offer a variety of fun summer programs. All are free and open to the public. Call 883-4723 or see www.scarboroughlibrary.org for more information.

• Storywalk, through Saturday, July 19. Enjoy a storywalk of “Scoot,” by Cathryn Falwell. Event combines reading with fun, physical challenges.

• Storyteller Michael Parent, Tuesday, July 22, 6:30 p.m. Parent is a world-traveled storyteller and has been featured at many events including the National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee, and at international events in France, England, Ireland, Poland and New Zealand.

• Classic Tales Puppet Theater, Wednesday, July 23, 3:30 p.m. Mrs. C and Marilyn always find a fun way to bring classic stories to life with their animated performances and puppets. Pre-registration is required.

• Medieval Maps & Monsters, Wednesday, July 30, 3:30 p.m.

Advertisement

This program is designed for grades 2-5. What monsters roamed the earth in the Middle Ages and Renaissance? This unique program uses medieval maps, an activity book and a fun game to reveal distant parts of the earth – and the creatures and monstrous people that seafarers feared. Pre-registration is required.

• Summer Reading Finale, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 4-6 p.m. All readers who complete the reading program will receive a free book and the Friends of the Scarborough Library will host an ice cream social.

Eastern Trail closure announced

A section of the Eastern Trail in Scarborough will be closed starting Monday, July 21, in order to allow for the replacement of a culvert. The section of trail affected is the one that runs from

Black Point Road to Evergreen Farms Road. The closure is expected to last approximately two weeks. Signs will be placed in the area to direct users to a temporary trail passage.

Intersection roadwork

Advertisement

Starting on Tuesday, July 21, the intersection of Gorham Road and Wentworth Drive in Scarborough will be under construction. The project, which is scheduled to run through Aug. 15, includes the installation of new traffic islands and a crosswalk.

These improvements are associated with the new Wentworth School project and will change the primary access to the school campus to Quentin Drive.

Maine Veterans Homes awarded

The Maine Veterans Homes in Machias, Scarborough and South Paris are recipients of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living’s 2014 Silver National Quality Award, an honor recognizing select long-term care facilities that serve as models of excellence in providing high-quality, long-term care. The three homes are the only facilities in Maine to receive Silver Awards this year.

“These recipients have demonstrated strong approaches that will lead them to improved performance,” said Ed McMahon, chairman of the award’s board of overseers. “I congratulate all of them for being on this quality improvement path.”

The program has three levels: Bronze, silver and gold. As a recipient of the Silver – Achievement in Quality Award, these centers and their staff have demonstrated systematic advancements in quality, plans for continual improvement and sustainable organizational goals.

Advertisement

“This is an incredible accomplishment for the three Homes and is a reflection of how our staff is dedicated to our mission of ‘caring for those who served’,” said Deb Fournier, Maine Veterans Homes’ chief operations officer. “All six of our Homes recently received Bronze Awards and I know the other three Homes are ideal candidates to receive the Silver Award in the very near future.”

Only seven other long-term care facilities in Maine have received the Silver Award since its inception. The Caribou and Scarborough Homes each received Bronze Awards in 2012, while Augusta, Bangor, Machias, and South Paris received theirs in 2010.

$25K designated for Family Hope

Gov. Paul LePage last week designated $25,000 from his contingency funds to support services offered by Family Hope in Scarborough. Founded in 2012, Family Hope serves the needs of those struggling with mental illness by providing resources to their families and caregivers.

“Family Hope is an excellent example of Mainers working together to fulfill an unmet need in their community,” said LePage. “I commend the community of stakeholders who have dedicated themselves to supporting those who care for mentally ill loved ones.”

Family Hope’s services include recommendations for therapists and counselors, as well as phone support and one-on-one consultations. Their Family Support Navigator Program is equipped with licensed clinical social workers who connect families with resources, answers to questions and a “next steps” plan.

Advertisement

“Family Hope is dedicated to educating, providing encouragement and suggesting resources to aid family members of people living with mental illness in Maine,” said Donna Betts, founder and executive director of Family Hope. “We are very grateful for this generous designation from Gov. LePage to support our Family Support Navigator Program, an innovative, new model of support for these families.”

According to Betts, 265,000 Maine families are affected by mental illness every year. “In a nation where 36,000 families every year experience the loss of a loved one due to suicide, Family Hope’s work regarding crisis and suicide prevention is especially meaningful,” said Gov. LePage.

Library open late on Wednesday

The main branch of the South Portland Public Library is now open until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, which adds two extra hours a week to the library’s service hours.

“This will allow for not only more convenient after-work-hours access for the community, but will also provide us with an additional weekly slot for evening programming,” a press release issued by the library said. “Thanks to the City Council and the city manager for their support for this expansion of our services.”

Register now for self-defense class

Advertisement

The South Portland Police Department’s WAVE program will hold another self-defense class for women on Thursday, Aug. 7, 8 a.m.-noon. This class is free, but only a small number of participants is allowed. Contact Al Giusto at agiusto@southportland.org or Linda Barker at lindba@southportland.org, to register today.

Sea Glass restaurant earns Award of Excellence

The Sea Glass restaurant at the Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth has received an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine for its selection of wines. The full list of award winners is featured in the Aug. 31 issue, which will be available on newsstands next week. In addition, all of the restaurants chosen by the magazine can also be found online at www.winespectator.com.

A total of 14 restaurants in Maine have received the Award of Excellence for their wine selections, including several in Portland, one in Freeport and a couple in the Kennebunks. “All these dining destinations share a dedication to wine that has earned them one of the three award levels in Wine Spectator’s 2014 Restaurant Wine List Awards program,” the magazine’s website states.

– Kate Irish Collins

Work has begun on demolishing the former Wentworth Intermediate School in Scarborough. The new school will be ready to welcome students, faculty and staff in the fall.  This summer the South Portland Parks and Recreation Department is offering teens the opportunity to go on a white water rafting adventure.  


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.