Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club President Deb Shangraw, left, presents a $250 donation to Gorham’s Assistant Superintendant Chris Record and Superintendant Heather Perry for a reading program at Great Falls Elementary School. The school’s goal is to provide a selected book, “Kenny and the Dragon,” to its 570 students, staff and bus drivers, according to a press release.

Poland Spring® Natural Spring Water awards a $25,000 “Good Neighbor Grant” to the USM Foundation. The grant will fund an upland watershed monitoring project conducted by the university’s Environmental Science and Policy program, and will provide researchers better insight into the impacts of climate change and land use on small forests and mini-watersheds. Pictured, from left in front, are Heather Printup, Poland Spring community relations manager; Robert Sanford, chair of the USM Department of Environmental Science and Policy; Ainsley Wallace, president and CEO USM Foundation; and Glenn Cummings, USM president; Back row, Josh Rowe, National Resource Supervisor, Poland Spring; Jeremy Qualls, dean of the College of Science, Technology, and Health; and Joe Staples assistant professor of environmental science.

Tree lighting, parade, Santa

The annual tree lighting ceremony with a light parade of decorated town vehicles and the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus is set for Sunday, Nov. 25, at Robie Park on Ball Park Road.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will meet with children from 2:30-4:15 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at Gorham Recreation Department. Admission to see Santa is a canned or dry food item for the Gorham Food Pantry.

Park activities run from 2:30-4:45 p.m. and include carriage rides, music and hot cocoa.

The light parade will leave the Public Safety Department, 270 Main St., at 4:15 p.m. and arrive at Robie Park about 4:45 p.m.

Parking will be available at the high school and municipal lots.

Lions selling trees

The Gorham Lions will sell fresh-cut, premium balsam fir and spruce trees from Scribner Tree Farm at Gorham Ace Hardware on Main Street starting Friday, Nov. 23.

“Tree sales will be on Friday afternoons and all day  Saturdays and Sundays until all the trees are gone,” Lions spokesman Ken Aldrich said in an announcement.

“The Gorham Lions thank all the returning and new tree customers who help the Lions meet or exceed their efforts to serve the Gorham community.”

U.S. taxpayer debt

The Bureau of the Fiscal Service reported on Nov. 15 that the U.S. public debt was $21,763,815,767,800.21.