WELLS

Ribbon cutting marks school renovation project

Sixth-grade Saco Middle School students Will Barry, left, and Henry Clark were named winner and runner-up, respectively, in a schoolwide spelling bee. Both will advance to the York County Spelling Bee in February. Courtesy Noelle Gallant

Heidi V. Neal, owner of The Loyal Biscuit Co., presents Belfast Fire Department Chief James Richards with a pet oxygen mask. Funds were raised through the Loyal Biscuit’s partnership with the Maine POM Project. Courtesy photo

The Wells-Ogunquit Community School District celebrated the completion of the first phase of its Wells High School renovation project with a ribbon cutting ceremony last Thursday.

Begun in August of 2014, the $26.85 million multiphase project is expected to be completed this August.

PORTLAND

Spurwink chosen as JetBlue foster care resource partner

JetBlue Airways has chosen Spurwink’s Treatment Foster Care program as a “Light Up A Life” campaign partner to provide resources and support to children in foster care in Maine.

Spurwink, a nonprofit that provides behavioral health and educational services throughout the state, will work with the nonprofit foundation Together We Rise, that is overseen by JetBlue employees.

The foundation supplies duffel bags, called “sweet cases, each containing a coloring book, crayons, a blanket, a Pillow Pet, and hygiene items to be distributed to foster children by “Light Up A Life” workers.

The partnership with JetBlue has allowed Together We Rise to donate more than 2,000 sweet cases to foster children across the nation.

Marc Gup donates $20,000 to Animal Refuge League

Marc Gup of the Marc Gup Real Estate Group at Keller Williams Realty recently donated $20,000 to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland’s building fund.

The group had a groundbreaking ceremony for the new building earlier this fall.

BIDDEFORD

Knights of Columbus announces skating rink hours

The West Brook skating rink, 234 Pool St., is open for the season according to the Knights of Columbus, St. Joseph Council No. 12941 of Biddeford.

Operating hours are 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 3 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, 3 to 9 p.m. Fridays, noon to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Admission is $3.50 Tuesday through Friday and $4 Saturdays, Sundays and school vacation days.

Tuesdays, admission is free with the donation of a nonperishable item.

For more details, call 468-7373 or email kofc12941@hotmail.com.

BELFAST

Pet oxygen mask presented to Belfast Fire Department

Loyal Biscuit Co. owner Heidi Neal recently presented the Belfast Fire Department with a pet oxygen mask through its partnership with the Maine POM Project.

The equipment will help emergency first responders with any pets in distress during rescue operations.

Local fire departments in need of a POM kit should email Loyal Biscuit at sue@loyalbiscuit.com.

SCARBOROUGH

Savings bank gives library early literacy stations grant

The Scarborough Public Library was awarded a $5,148 grant from the Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution to fund two new early literacy stations for the library’s Youth Room.

The stations were installed in December.

Early literacy stations are designed specifically for children ages 2 to 8 and have more than 4,000 localized learning activities in math, science, nature, social studies, geography, reading, art, music, writing and computer skills.

The systems allow children to move through tutorials at their own pace.

To learn more, go to www.scarboroughlibrary.org.

BRUNSWICK

Joy Johnson recipient of Joshua Chamberlain award

Joy Johnson has been named the recipient of the Joshua L. Chamberlain Award, presented last Friday at the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber’s annual meeting.

Johnson was honored for creating the nonprofit “Embrace a Vet,” an organization dedicated to providing direct support services to Maine veterans and their families who are living with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury.

The program also sponsors Paws for Peace and planning support groups for a caregiver program.

SANFORD

‘Touchdowns’ campaign gives $400 to food pantry

The SIS Bank has donated $400 to the Waterboro Community Pantry as a result of the Bank’s “Touchdowns for Good” campaign.

The promotion, a collaboration between SIS and WBLM-FM of Portland, contributed $50 to a local nonprofit organization for every touchdown the New England Patriots’ quarterback threw to a teammate throughout the regular season. Each month, a different area charity was aided. Waterboro Community Pantry was the beneficiary of the eight touchdowns tosses in November. The money will go toward building and stocking a new food network facility in Waterboro.

SACO

Henry Clark, Will Barry top spellers at middle school

Saco Middle School announced the two sixth graders who were top finalists for its spelling bee, recently held in the school’s Bobcat Bistro.

Student Henry Clark was the winner of the event and Will Barry was the runner-up.

Both boys will advance to the York County Spelling Bee, set for Feb. 2 at Sanford Junior High School.