Westbrook Pointe 

hosts hunger panel

A panel featuring nationally known advocate Joel Berg discussed Maine’s hunger crisis Monday in Westbrook, at the Westbrook Pointe apartments on Prospect Street. 

Berg is the executive director of Hunger Free America, based in New York, and is the author of “All You Can Eat: How Hungry is America?” He was joined by Preble Street Executive Director Mark Swann, Westbrook state Rep. Drew Gattine, Barbara Nichols, the food service director for the Westbrook School Department, and more.

The panel discussed the success of U.S. Department of Agriculture food programs to end childhood hunger, and the status and impact of those nutrition programs in Maine. Westbrook Pointe is the location of one of the school department’s summer food program sites, which serves meals to hundreds of students throughout summer vacation. The discussion also focused on the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 

According to a press release issued Monday, 61,000 children in Maine live in households that can’t afford enough food.  

“At the same time, the state is threatening to eliminate the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, further stressing families that already must choose between food and rent, choose between food and medicine,” the release states. 

Baby goats

need snuggling

Smiling Hill Farm on County Road has baby goats that need socialization, so the farm is continuing its baby-goat snuggling for another month.

“Every Tuesday, weather permitting, we are hosting baby goat snuggling from 6-7 p.m.,” Hillary Knight, barnyard manager, said. “How it works is we set up an enclosed area with chairs for patrons to sit and after all patrons have sat down they are handed a baby goat. Once the entire group has received a baby goat there is a one minute time limit, but groups are able to go back in line to get a different goat.”

The program has been running for two months. “The first few weeks were crazy busy and our goats were very well socialized,” Knight said. “We still have baby goats that need socialization so these events benefit the goats and the patrons.”

Art show to open

The art show  “Burning a da Vinci to Cook a Meal” is set to open on Friday, July 29, from 5-8 p.m., at  Continuum for Creativity,  863 Main  St. (next to Catbird Creamery), in Westbrook. The show will run through Saturday, Aug. 13.  Hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon-6 p.m.

“Local artists have come together to address the issues facing humanity and the earth today,” Meadow Welch said in an announcement.  “Painting, fiber arts, and sculpture are some of the mediums that passionate artists have used to express their love of the earth, fears for the future, and opinions of the condition of the world today.”

College honors

Several Westbrook students have been named dean’s list for the spring semester at the University of New England with campuses in  Biddeford and Portland. They are Ewa Achey, Sierra Alley, James Beahm, Megan Devlin, Ashlee Klemczuk, Abigail Leblanc, Chelsea Mesloh, Jillian Papel, Sydney Sanders, Emily Van Duzer, Ashley Whalen and Samantha Williams.

Charest Band in park concert

The Bob Charest Band will play from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27, in a free summer concert in Riverbank Park on Main Street. American Legion Post 62 provides a cash barbecue from 5-7 p.m. The free concert series continues through Aug. 24.

This baby named Fiona is one of the baby goats available to be held from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesdays at Smiling Hill Farm on County Road in Westbrook.