OLD ORCHARD BEACH

Code enforcement officers hold new walk-in hours

The Old Orchard Beach Planning and Code Enforcement Office has designated new hours during which a code enforcement officer will be available to consult with the public on a drop-in, unscheduled basis.

The walk-in hours are 8 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. All other meetings with code enforcement officers must be by appointment.

For more details, call 934-5714, ext. 1545 or 1533.

SOUTH PORTLAND

Donation of $4,500 funds college tech scholarships

A gift of more than $4,500 from the North East Regional Association of Housing Maintenance Supervisors to The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges will provide scholarships for students enrolled in construction technology programs at Maine’s community colleges this academic year.

The association works to develop training programs for subsidized housing maintenance supervisors and maintenance personnel, and to provide high-quality maintenance services for all residents of subsidized housing within the North East Regional area.

For more information, go to nerahms.org.

High schoolers compete in Boston music festival

Students from South Portland High School recently competed in the 50th Berklee High School Jazz Festival, hosted by the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

South Portland competed against more than 200 bands featuring nearly 3,000 students from 13 states.

South Portland’s Max Saffer Meng was recognized for outstanding musicianship.

SANFORD

Caring Unlimited seeking volunteers for crisis hotline

On March 6, Caring Unlimited will begin training new hotline advocates to provide free on-call support for a domestic violence hotline.

Hotline volunteers will be trained to listen to callers and offer them support and access to safety planning services, available 24 hours a day to men, women and children affected by domestic abuse.

The 44-hour training will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays for six weeks at Caring Unlimited’s Sanford Resource Center.

Upon completion of the training, volunteers select shifts and work from home.

To learn more or to apply to join, go to www.caring-unlimited.org or call Betsy at 207-490-3227, ext. 102.

PORTLAND

Dayton school takes gold in Olympics-inspired event

Dayton Consolidated School has won the gold in the first WinterKids Winter Games, receiving $5,000.

Mere percentage points separated the silver and bronze winners, with Waldo T. Skillin Elementary School in South Portland winning $3,000 and Miles Lane School in Bucksport winning $1,500.

Students from 16 elementary schools competed in January, ahead of the Winter Olympics in South Korea. Student athletes participated in a four-week series of outdoor physical activity and nutrition challenges, designed to help them be active and healthy.

The games engaged 4,200 kids and 240 teachers statewide.

For more details, visit https://www.winterkids.org/teachers-and-schools/winterkids-winter-games.

Parishes raise $15,000 in Souper Bowl of Caring

Maine Catholic youth ministry groups, at parishes throughout the diocese, raised nearly $15,000 for soup kitchens, food banks and food pantries during Super Bowl weekend.

The youths held soup pots to collect monetary and food donations from parishioners as they left weekend Mass to benefit the Souper Bowl of Caring.

Realtors donate $13,458 to help build 13 homes

The Greater Portland Board of Realtors recently presented Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland with a $13,458 check to help build a 13-home community of energy-efficient homes in Scarborough.

UNE dental student earns $5,000 Appleby scholarship

Poland High School graduate Brittney Bell has received a 2017 Alva S. Appleby scholarship from the Maine Dental Association Charitable Foundation.

Bell, who attends the University of New England College of Dental Medicine, was one of five students selected to receive the award. Each received $5,000.

Bell received her bachelor’s degree from Colby College.

She is the daughter of Nancy Bell of Poland.

STATEWIDE

Brunswick student’s art will display at U.S. Capitol

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree has announced that Galen Gaze of Brunswick won the 2018 Congressional Art Competition for Maine’s 1st District.

Gaze, 18, a senior at Brunswick High School, took top honors for her illustration, titled “Toucanana.” Another of Gaze’s illustrations,”Innocence Is Bliss,” earned an honorable mention.

The judges also recognized the work of four other 1st District students: first runner-up Benjamin Folsom of Falmouth High School, second runner-up Rachel Walton of Yarmouth High School, and honorable mentions Corilie Green of Freeport High School and Chelsea Zhao of Falmouth High School.

Gaze’s winning work will be on display at the U.S. Capitol for a year.

BIDDEFORD

Teachers awarded grants to benefit student learning

The Biddeford Education Foundation’s board of directors has awarded five teacher grants totaling $3,284.

The grant recipients include: n Christine Duncan of John F Kennedy Memorial School, to create a fine-motor center for youths to work with materials that will strengthen the muscles in their hands

• Kerri Lesieur of Biddeford Primary School, to provide materials for students to work within a learning progression

• Chelsea Cardner of Biddeford Intermediate School, to offer a website that includes interactive videos

• Liz Ames of Biddeford Middle School, for art students to make relief-sculpture tiles that will be featured at the Biddeford Food Pantry

• Heidi Haufe of Biddeford High School, to support the writing of immigrant student autobiographies.

For more details or to make a gift, visit biddefordschools.me or call Karen Chasse at 391-6885.

Southern Maine Health Care nurse earns Daisy Award

Rose Marie Labrie, a nurse in Southern Maine Health Care’s special care unit, has been honored with the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Labrie was nominated for her “clinical skill and compassionate care.”

High schooler’s academics, citizenship merits award

Biddeford High School senior Aaron Dutremble is the winner of the 2018 Maine Principals’ Association Principal’s Award. The award is given annually to a senior from each high school who excels in academic achievement and citizenship.

He has a 3.39 grade-point average and attends the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology. He plays soccer, and indoor and outdoor track. He will study secondary education at Bridgewater State this fall.

KENNEBUNK

Habitat for Humanity gets $10,000 for energy services

Habitat for Humanity of York County has received a grant of $10,000 from the Sam L. Cohen Foundation for the countywide weatherization program “Keep York County Warm!”

The weatherization services have a direct impact on income-eligible families and older adults by reducing their heating and cooling costs, and improving their health and safety. The addition of energy-efficiency measures also helps preserve the homes at no cost to the families

Those interested in participating or donating may call the Habitat for Humanity of York County office at 985-4850 or visit www.habitatyorkcounty.org.