The Animal Welfare Society announced the hiring of Adam Ricci as director of operations and programs. In the newly-created position, Ricci will administer the organization’s community programs, including Stay@Home, Behavior & Training, Youth Humane Education and Community Veterinary Clinic. He will also oversee operations of the Adoption Center and animal-related services.

According to a Sept. 8 news release, Ricci comes to AWS with more than a decade of experience in program development, community outreach and shelter operations. His animal welfare career took off when he became the animal control officer for the Buxton Police Department in 2010. Since then, Ricci has worked at nonprofit and municipal shelters in Arizona and New Mexico, including as chief of field operations and acting associate director of the city of Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department. There, as a member of the leadership team, the department won the 2019 National Animal Care and Control Association Agency of the Year.

“I am honored and excited to join the AWS team to help both people and pets of the community,” Ricci said via email. “Being back home in Maine is great but being part of such an amazing organization with AWS, an organization driven to reimagine its role within the community, is even greater and has always been the dream since the very beginning of my career.”

“As AWS has pivoted over the past five years, to provide services to not only pets, but also to the people who love them, Adam’s success building such programming will be a huge asset,” says Abigail Smith, AWS executive director, in the news release. “His leadership will help AWS provide the best resources to serve our community’s animal-related needs.”

Ricci is a regular presenter at animal welfare conferences, has served on the board of several national animal organizations and regularly volunteers in his local community. He and his family make their home in southern Maine with their five cats, one chihuahua and two guinea pigs.

Former Intelligence Officers begin speaker program

The Association of Former Intelligence Officers will begin the new season of public speaker programs on Sept. 18 with Dr. Thomas Willeman and a focus on the National Security Agency. He was an employee and contractor with them and will share insights about the kinds pf people he worked with and generally what type of work they did.

The meeting is open to the public and will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Brick Store Museum’s Program Center on 4 Dane St. in Kennebunk. There will be a question period following the presentation.

An evening of Elvis at Town House School

Musicians Dana Pearson and Mark Gunter, with guest drummer Ron Breton, perform an evening of Elvis Presley songs on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. “Elvis!” is part of a new concert series called Mid-Week Music, presented by the Kennebunkport Historical Society and staged at the Town House School, 135 North St. in Kennebunkport.

The concerts are held one Wednesday every month. Tickets are $15 in advance and at the door for the general public, and $12 for historical society members. The BYOB event is for people 21 and older. Masks are mandatory for people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19. For more information and tickets, visit www.kporths.com/buy-tickets, email info@kporths.com, or call 207-967-2751.

Upcoming shows include Songs Sinatra Sang (Oct. 20), Original Compositions (Nov. 17) and A Christmas Concert (Dec. 8).

New community event promotes wellness

A new health expo that is free and open to the community is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 22 in Kennebunk. Wellness Wednesday will run from 3 to 7 p.m. at both the Hampton Inn and Spurling Fitness; within walking distance of one another near the southbound Exit 25 entrance/exit of the Maine Turnpike.

Organized by Benefits & Beyond, local employee benefits and workforce development firm, fair vendors from local businesses and organizations will represent all eight dimensions of wellness — physical, emotional, intellectual, occupational, environmental, social, spiritual and financial. Almost every table will offer raffle prizes.

“The purpose of this new event is connecting employees of small businesses interested in making positive changes to their wellness with professionals who can help,” said Koriahn Quint of Benefits & Beyond in a Sept. 6 news release. “I’m so very excited to plan this interactive, fun, educational wellness event. It will be a service to our communities and also be a wonderful opportunity to showcase what we all do.”

Quint is organizing the in-person event after it was postponed from spring 2020.

The first to have registered are Spurling Fitness, 211 Maine, Hopespring Holistic Health Institute, Dr. Winters of Unbound Potential Chiropractic, Benefits & Beyond, Maine Mortgage Solutions, New York Life Insurance Company, Talia Rosenblum Coaching, WorkFitME Mobile Physical Therapy, Sustainable Health, Anthony Vacations, LLC, Reform Physical Therapy, Arbonne, Dirigo Readiness Resources Group / East Coast Tactical, Key Bank, United Way of Southern Maine / 211 Maine and hypnotist Chad Burke.

The event is free and open to the community. For more information, call Quint at 207-251-5477 or email kquint@benefitsandbeyond.me.

Author keynotes museum’s annual Members’ Meeting

The Brick Store Museum’s annual Members’ Meeting will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23. According to a Sept. 9 news release, the presentation of the museum’s annual report to museum members will cover the museum’s mission throughout the pandemic, and the award-winning work accomplished at the museum in the past year. Due to the continuing pandemic, the meeting will be presented virtually.

The keynote speaker for the evening will be author and journalist Colin Woodard, starting at 6 p.m. Members of the public are invited to join the session.

Woodard will speak on his book, “Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of the United States.” While the annual meeting is a special event and free to members, the public is invited to Woodard’s livestreamed-talk starting at 6 p.m. (public tickets are $5 per person to support the lecturer). Members are invited to RSVP by emailing Alex Fletcher at afletcher@brickstoremuseum.org. Non-Members can purchase tickets at www.brickstoremuseum.org/calendar.

Market to host Fall Equinox Celebration

The Kennebunk Farmers’ Market will host its first Fall Equinox Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 18. The public is invited.

Activities will include an equinox-themed yoga demonstration by The Daily Sweat yoga studio, a craft table for girls and boys to make take-home corn husk dolls, a COVID-safe cornhole toss and music by Windstrum; plus, all the fresh produce and products local shoppers come to the market for every week.

The farmers’ market, located behind Garden Street Bowl on Main Street in Kennebunk, is open to the public on Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will run through Nov. 20.

Three more events are planned for this season: Apple Tasting (Oct. 9), Halloween (Oct. 30) and Harvest Festival (Nov. 20).

The Kennebunk Farmers’ Market accepts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cards. The cards help low-income individuals and families to have a healthy, nutritious diet through the purchase of eligible foods.

For more market news, photos and updates, visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KennebunkFarmersMarket/.

Planeteers to host clothing drive

The Planeteers of Southern Maine is partnering with HELPSY – the largest clothing collection company in the northeast, to host a clothing drive event on Saturday, Sept. 18. Donations of unwanted clothing and other textiles will be accepted at the Kennebunk Transfer Station (next to Treasure Chest location) at 36 Sea Road, Kennebunk.

As a grassroots effort, the Planeteers of Southern Maine is a group of individuals dedicated to help create a sustainable future for the planet by encouraging action on climate change, clean oceans, and other environmental issues at the local level.

“The Planeteers hope many will come through on Saturday, Sept. 18 to show their support for this initiative,” said Andrea Roth Kimmich, founding member of the Planeteers, in a Sept. 9 email. “In the New England tradition, ‘Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.’ With ever increased tons of textile goods being produced, we need more than ever to find ways to recycle them.”

“HELPSY’s mission is to keep clothes out of the trash,” said Dan Green, co-founder and CEO of HELPSY, in the news release. “Textile waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the United States. The EPA estimates that more than 100 pounds of clothing gets thrown away by the average person every year, this is double what it was 20 years ago. Of that amount, 95 percent can be reused or recycled. HELPSY partners with municipalities and organizations across ten states to collect unwanted clothing and other textiles.

“Through a combination of clothing drives, home pick-ups, thrift store partners and clothing receptacles, HELPSY diverts nearly 30 million pounds of textiles from landfills every year.”

The clothing drive will accept clean, dry, and bagged clothing and fashion accessories (stained, worn or torn is fine) including dresses, shirts, pants, suits, coats, gloves, hats, belts, ties, scarves, wallets, purses, backpacks, totes, shoes, towels, bedding, costumes, curtains, placements, tablecloths, stuffed animals and throw rugs.

They will not accept breakable houseware or glass, electronics, furniture, building material, scrap metal, appliances, mattresses, encyclopedia sets, phone books or magazines. Once clothing is collected, 50 percent is reusable and 45 percent is recyclable. It is first sorted by HELPSY partners and divided into grades. The higher grades are resold to thrift stores in North America and other secondhand markets around the world. The lower grades go to industrial use or things like stuffing and insulation.

For more information about HELPSY and clothing recycling, visit www.helpsy.co. For more information the Planeteers of Southern Maine, visit www.someplaneteers.org.

Peregrine falcon program scheduled

On Tuesday, Sept. 21, York County Audubon will present a Zoom program titled: Peregrine Falcon Restoration in Acadia National Park. The presentation features park ranger Patrick Kark.

The peregrine falcon was one of the first species to be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, and the species’ recovery is one of the act’s greatest success stories. Acadia National Park has a storied history in the Peregrine Project. Kark  will discuss this success story and tells of the places Acadia’s falcons have impacted far outside the park’s borders.

Acadia also hosts the Cadillac Mountain Hawkwatch which is in its 27th counting season this fall. Find out how Cadillac fits into the larger network of raptor migration monitoring sites across the continent. Unlike other watch sites, Cadillac Mountain usually gives viewers unusual perspectives of birds that might include face-to-face photos of raptors that cross the highest mountain on the eastern seaboard.

Kark came to Maine in 2014 as Acadia’s raptor intern. He has worked eight seasons at the park as an ornithology park ranger and is currently working as a visual information specialist for the park.

The program will begin at 7 p.m. There’s no charge to participate, but advance registration is required. To register, visit yorkcountyaudubon.org, and click on the link. After registering, a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting will be sent.

York County Audubon is making a contribution to The Peregrine Fund. for more information or to donate, visit  www.peregrinefund.org.

Arundel plans annual Heritage Day celebration

The Arundel Historical Society will host its 8th annual Heritage Day on Saturday, Sept. 18. It will be held at the society’s North Chapel Common at the corner of Limerick Road and Route 111(Alfred Road) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free and organizers, in a Sept. 2 news release, describe it as a “relaxed, family-friendly event.”

Heritage Day is a community celebration of the rural history and legacy of the people of Arundel. The event features farm animals, functioning antique engines, spinning and weaving, historical displays and a Reminisce Tent. Returning will be the 3rd Maine Infantry Co., a Civil War encampment demonstrating living history of life in the early 1860s.

Crafters will be there with a variety of crafts and the day will include games and activities for kids as well as music and food. The popular apple pie baking contest (entry deadline at noon) will provide pies to sample after the contest. A ladies skillet toss and a cornhole contest are also on the schedule. There will also be information booths from local organizations.

According to the historical society, “Heritage Day is a wonderful time for people to get caught up with neighbors and for folks from other towns to get to know more about local history and what makes Arundel such a great community in which to live.”

Spurling to host fall market

After hosting a successful summer maker’s market, Spurling Fitness has decided to continue supporting local crafters and artisans by offering a fall West K Best Days Market. The market will be held on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Spurling Infinity Center parking lot located at 1 Alewive Park Road, West Kennebunk.

The market includes woodworking items, hand-sewn goods, pottery, jewelry, paintings and more. The first fall market will be held on Sunday, Sept. 12 and will run for six weeks with the last event scheduled for Oct. 17.

For more information, call Melanie Smith at 207-467-3757.

Kennebunk Free Library seeks artists for 2022 exhibits

Kennebunk Free Library is accepting applications for artists to exhibit during the 2022 calendar year in the Speers Gallery. The gallery hosts exhibits in a variety of mediums including photography, textile arts and mixed media assemblages in addition to renditions in oil, pastel, enamel oil, encaustic, pen and ink and watercolor.

The application process is open to either individual or group shows. Applications must be received by Oct. 15, 2021, to be considered for exhibition in 2022. The submitted applications will compete in a juried review conducted by an art committee consisting of members from the library and art communities. Upon completion of the review, applicants will be contacted regarding the committee’s decisions. Application forms are available at the library or by visiting the library’s website, https://kennebunklibrary.org/galleryspeers.asp.

Rotary Club of Wells announces 22nd annual golf tourney

Rotary Club of Wells will host its 22nd annual Chuck Cumming Memorial Golf Tournament at Old Marsh Country Club. The tournament has raised more than $100,000 to provide critical funding for a variety of projects including the Wells Recreation Department, Cure for Cancer, a children’s playground and scholarships for graduating seniors.

This year, all proceeds will benefit ongoing community projects, including scholarships for students and funding to help underserved families’ services at the Wells Food Bank.

“Making a positive impact and creating opportunities is vital to the mission of Rotary,” said Danielle DeFelice, club president, in a Sept. 2 email. “We are pleased to be able to offer support and resources to this year’s recipients.”

For more information or to register, visit www.wellsrotary.com and click on Golf Classic or call Rick Coyne at 207-251-2119.

Brick Store Museum puts out call for holiday artisans

The Brick Store Museum supports local artists and crafters through a variety of opportunities year-round. This fall, especially, it calls for entries to two holiday gatherings at the museum: The All Souls’ Walk, with its new Halloween Fair offering on Oct. 23; and the Holiday Showcase, running Nov. 27 to Dec. 20.

Local crafters, artists, chefs and creators are encouraged to apply.

The museum’s new Halloween offering comes during its 18th annual All Souls’ Walk, a tour of Hope Cemetery occurring on Oct. 23. Vendors are invited to apply to exhibit in the museum’s courtyard (outdoors) during one of the most popular events of the year. Halloween or autumn-themed art is encouraged, but not required.

The second opportunity is the museum’s Holiday Showcase, a month-long event inside the museum’s galleries. Pieces will be displayed inside the museum during the holiday showcase for sale to the public. The museum’s typical admission fee will be complimentary during the Showcase (November – December) to encourage visitation.

The event is not a booth show, but a display of local art and craft that is more like a retail pop-up store. Artists do not need to be on-site to sell their pieces, but are invited to help market the showcase by filming an About the Artist video with museum staff so that they can speak to consumers directly about their work (via video). Additionally, the Showcase will have a virtual component to help sell artists’ pieces through the museum’s online store (artists may opt out of this if they already sell online); and showcase the work via social media.

The museum highlights local arts and entrepreneurs, and offers these outlets to support local artists and the museum in this impactful year. Artists interested in participating can find more information, and application forms, on www.brickstoremuseum.org/calendar.

Kennebunkport Historical Society announces oral history project

The Kennebunkport Historical Society announced an intergenerational video project designed to capture the oral history of Kennebunkport by interviewing its oldest citizens.

“We are so excited about this project and all of its possibilities,” said Kristin Haight, executive director, in an Aug. 23 news release. ““By collecting oral histories and connecting with Kennebunkport’s elders, we will be able to deepen our understanding of recent history and create valuable first-hand stories and images for future generations.”

The project will launch in September 2021 with the call for citizens over 100 years old. Frank Handlen, for example, a well-known Kennebunkport artist, sculptor and community friend, will turn 105 at the end of September and has agreed to be our first interviewee. The society will honor his life and work with a lecture by Peter Whalen on Oct. 1 at  1 p.m. Details and tickets will be available to members starting Sept. 1.

October will focus on people who are in their 90s. November will seek citizens in their 80s, December: 70s, and so on. The historical society aims to build its video archive collection with the project and include our community youth as well.

Interviews will be scheduled for Tuesdays and will take place at the Townhouse School or virtually. Those who are interested or know someone who would like to participate, should contact Kristin Lewis Haight, executive director, PO Box 1173 or email  KHaight@KPortHS.com.

To participate in the oral history project, contact Kristin Haight at KHaight@KportHS.com or call the office at 207-967-2751. The historical society is flexible to how the interview is recorded.

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