Connections meeting

A Community Connections Meeting will be held from 2-4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12, at the Raymond Public Safety Building, 1443 Roosevelt Trail. Special presenters this month will be Joe Bruno, who will speak on a Maine pharmacy-related topic;  John Facella of the Raymond Fire and Rescue Department, who will speak on kitchen safety; and Mary-Therese Duffy, who will speaking about Qigong. For further information, go to www.agefriendlyraymond.org/.

Pie fundraiser

It’s time to place an order for a Good Life Market pie through Raymond Elementary School’s annual Thanksgiving Pie Fundraiser. Eight selections are available this year: apple, apple/cranberry, pumpkin, strawberry rhubarb, blackberry, blueberry, mixed berry, and pecan. Pie order forms can be picked up from the front entry information rack at Raymond Elementary School front entry information rack, or you can email Alissa Messer at alissamesser@gmail.com before Monday, Nov. 12. Pies must be picked up at the Raymond Elementary School gym stage on Tuesday,  Nov. 20, from 3:20- 6 p.m.

Christmas fair

A Christmas fair on Saturday, Nov. 17, at Raymond Village Community Church will feature wreaths, table decorations, cemetery urns, a cookie walk, baked goods, maple syrup, pottery, woodcrafts, jewelry, Avon and Scentsy. A silent auction will also be held and soup will be served for eating in or taking out. The fair will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.. The church is located at 27 Main St.

Haudonasaunee reading

Mary-Therese Duffy will read The Haudonasaunee Thanks Giving Address at 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Raymond Village Library, 3 Meadow Road.

The Haudonasaunee or Iroquois Confederacy is comprised of six Native tribes: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora, located in New York  and Canada. Their Thanks Giving Address is a prayer of gratitude dating back more than 1,000 years. It is still spoken at many Iroquois ceremonial, social and governmental gatherings, and is often recited by traditional Haudonasaunee at the start and end of each day as “The Words That Come Before All Else.” Duffy has worked on behalf of Native American issues since 1976.

A discussion will follow the reading. Donations will be accepted for the Wabanki Health & Wellness Center in Bangor.

Roth IRA seminar

Adult Education Classes at the Library will host Mark Morrison and Ed Ricker as they present “Roth IRAs: Retirement Can be Less Taxing” from 6:30-8 p.m.   Wednesday, Nov. 7, at Raymond Village Library. Morrison is a licensed financial advisor for Edward Jones Financial in Gray. Ricker is with Ricker Financial.

The seminar will look at the differences between traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. Ricker will also give a 2018 tax update. The seminar is free, but pre-registeration is necessary by calling 892-1819.

Middle school ski team

An informational meeting on the middle school alpine ski program will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, at the Windham High School cafeteria. Alpine skiing was sanctioned last spring into the RSU14 middle school athletic programming, but funding falls upon participants and fundraising efforts.

The season starts in early December and ends in the beginning of March. This is a ski racing program, and athletes should have fundamental skiing abilities. Races will be held throughout the season against opposing schools and weekly practices and training will be held at Shawnee Peak or Windham Middle school. Remember, at Jordan Small and Windham middle schools, athletes may participate in only one sport per season. The alpine ski season overlaps with other winter season offerings.

Coaches and the district athletic director will discusss  ransportation, approximate costs, schedules, equipment needed and expectations of the overall program at the informational meeting.

Activity backpacks available

Parents traveling over the holidays can borrow children’s activity backpacks from the Raymond Village Library. These kid-friendly collections feature books, coloring, toys, models, tools and other fun activities centered around a theme, such as ocean creatures or outdoor exploration. Stop by the children’s section or talk to Karen Perry to check out your backpack.

4-H STEM program

4-H will holding four Marine Science Exploration sessions for children ages 6 an d up from 11 a.m. to noon at the Raymond Village Library on Saturdays, Nov. 3, 10, 17 and 24. For more information, or to register for this free science program, contact the library, 655-4283.

Activity backpacks help keep kids entertained while traveling. Borrow them at the Raymond Village Library.