The Nutcracker
The Studio for the Living Arts Dance Complex in Gray will present “The Nutcracker” at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Westbrook Performing Arts Center. Tickets may be purchased at the dance studio, 21 Portland Road, Gray, or by phone at 657-3006. Reserved seating tickets are $22.

Winter parking ban
Because of snow removal, no vehicles may be parked on any public ways or streets or within town-owned parking lots between midnight and 6 a.m. through April 15. Vehicles in violation of this town ordinance will be towed at the owner’s expense.

Business Summit
The GNGDC Business Summit 2016 is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 8. Sponsored by the Gray-New Gloucester Development Corporation in cooperation with the Town of Gray CEDC and the New Gloucester EDC, the program will include economic development updates from Gray and New Gloucester, and Tyler Hobbs of CBRE The Boulos Company will have Pineland Campus Business News. The winner and first runner-up of this year’s Grow GNG Challenge will be announced. In addition, new MSAD 15 Superintendent Dr. Craig King will share his philosophy and vision for the district. There also will be a continued discussion about a mentoring program with local businesses and the high school.

The summit will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Mount Washington Room at the Commons, 59 Pineland Drive, Pineland Campus, New Gloucester. It will be catered with light hors d’oeuvres and cash bar from Black Tie.

Christmas assistance

If you are in need of a Christmas meal, pick up an application and return the completed form no later than Dec. 9, at any of the following locations: all G-NG schools as well as thru school email, the Gray Public Library and both town halls, in the designated CCGNG boxes.

Applications forms are available at the guidance office in both the GNG middle and high schools and at www.msad15.org/community/caring-communities.

Sponsors and donors are needed, Sponsors ‘adopt’ a family or individual and provide ‘all the fixings’ for a holiday meal or they can also provide gifts to children 18 and under. Christmas sponsors, contact Mike Marcotte at [email protected]

Donors provide the much needed money to help CCGNG give food baskets to those families who do not have ‘sponsors.’ Please send monetary donations to CCGNG, PO 1244, Gray, ME 04039

For more information contact Christina Foster at 233-0828 or at [email protected]

Train needs filling
Caring Community of GNG is sponsoring, Fill The Train, Sunday, Dec. 4, from 10-2. All are welcome to come to Gray Plaza and fill one of the Narrow Gauge train cars with donations of gifts for children age birth to age 17. Donations can include games, toys, gift certificates to local stores, wrapping paper, ribbon, tape and monetary donations.

For more information, contact Christina Foster at [email protected] or 233-0828 or go there Facebook page at GNG Caring Community.

Gingerbread and Yule ukes
The annual Gingerbread House event will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3. from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. at the Gray Public Library. All supplies provided through the generosity of the Gray Public Library Association. The event is free and open to all, but pick up a free ticket and pick the time slot you will be attending.

Also at the library, the 2nd Annual Ukulele Holiday Sing-Along with the Sebago Lake Ukes, will be held on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 6:30 p.m. Donations of non-perishable food items for the food pantry are encouraged.

For more information and events 207-657-4110 or http://www.gray.lib.me.us. All events are free and open to the public. Gray Public Library, 5 Hancock Street, Gray, Maine

Parent’s Night Out and more
The Recreation Department has a busy month planned:

Walls and barriers will be set up for Nerf Night team battles and organized chaos. Bring your own Nerf gun, one that shoots standard darts, and eye protection and a water bottle. Darts will be supplied. Prizes will be awarded for some of the contests. On Friday, Dec. 2, grades 4-5, 6-7:30 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 16, grades 3-4, 6-7:30 p.m. The fee is $15 for each session at the Newbegin Gym. Parents are welcome to watch on stage.

Home Alone Safety for Kids, for students in fourth through sixth grade, will be held from 3:30 – 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at Pennell Town Hall. Discussions will be held on food prep, basic first aid, safe usage of phone and internet, stranger danger, etc.

The deadline to drop off filled Shoebox Giving boxes at Pennell Town Hall is Friday, Dec. 9.  Empty pre-wrapped boxes are available at Rec office and Gray Town Hall.

Parents’ Night Out is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 9, from 5:30-9 p.m.  at the Newbegin Community Center. Enjoy a nice night out while the kids ages 4 and up enjoy activities both in the Recreation Room and the gym. Kids should pack snacks, a drink and something for dinner (there is a microwave), and be dressed for lots of fun. Gym sneakers are mandatory, jammies are welcomed to change into after the gym games.

Clean Family Eating 101, a two-hour workshop, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, upstairs at the Henry Pennell Municipal Complex. Learn how to beat the statistics of living without diabetes, cancer and other inflammatory diseases. This workshop is designed to teach how to stay on budget, save time preparing food, boost the  immune system, gain energy and lose weight. Instructor Deanna McCormack will provide sample foods and help you “ Eat Clean through True Nutrition.”

For more information about these programs go to www.greyrec.com or call 657-2323 ext. 117.

Proposed ordinance changes

From the town: Notice is hereby given that the town of Gray proposes to adopt new net residential area/density standards and revised regulations for residential open space (cluster) subdivisions into the Town’s Subdivision Ordinance.

The Gray Town Council will be hold a public hearing for the first reading of these proposed changes at the regular meeting on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Henry Pennell Municipal Complex. The Gray Planning Board will also be holding a Public Hearing on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Henry Pennell Municipal Complex.

Public comments on these proposed Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance changes are welcomed at either hearing. For more information, contact the Community Development Department at 657-3112 for more information or go to wwwgraymaine.org.

Movie time
Attend a movie and enjoy a tasty snack in the Gray Public Library’s theater. Showing soon are: “To Hell and Back” (R ), Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 1 p.m.; “Don’t Think Twice ” (R), Thursday, Dec. 8, at 1 p.m.; “The Secret Life of Pets” (PG), Saturday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m.; “Shane” (NR), Tuesday, Dec. 13, at 1 p.m.; “Jason Bourne” (PG-13), at 6:30 p.m.; “Florence Foster Jenkins” (PG-13), Thursday, Dec. 15,  at 2 p.m.

With a ho, ho, ho, Santa arrives on a firetruck in Gray, Sunday, Nov. 27, to light the town tree and start the holiday season.