WELLS
Student-athletes receive citizenship award
Wells High School seniors Grace Ramsdell and Brady Fox are recipients of the Western Maine Conference’s Citizenship Award. Both have been involved in a variety of community service during their four years in high school.

“This award is presented each year to two outstanding Wells High School student-athletes, who also represent their school community with exceptional citizenship and strong academic success,” said principal Eileen Sheehy. “Grace Ramsdell and Brady Fox are very deserving recipients of this special honor. Their leadership and contributions will continue to leave a lasting impression for years to come!”

Ramsdell has received numerous awards at WHS, including Breakfast of Champions, Student of the Trimester, and multiple Book Awards. She is a member of the Interact Club, president of the student council and is a multi-sport athlete participating in varsity volleyball and basketball.

“It’s quite an honor to be selected and be able to represent our school with this award.” said Ramsdell, who also recently made WHS history by scoring her 1,000th career point on the girls’ basketball team.

In academics, Fox has taken Advanced Placement courses and dual enrollment classes through York County Community College. In athletics, he is a four-year member of the WHS football team and has participated in lacrosse, indoor track and wrestling. Fox is president of the WHS Interact Club and a member of the student council. His community service includes working on the student council’s annual ceremony honoring veterans and at Portland’s homeless services facility Preble Street.

“Definitely an honor to be selected for this,” said Fox. “I know a lot of us try to help out in the community and so it’s good to get recognized.”

OLD ORCHARD BEACH
Board seeks volunteers for town projects
Old Orchard Beach Community Friendly Connection is seeking volunteers to serve in a variety of positions. Community Friendly Connection’s (CFC) leadership team is currently working to develop an Action Plan for 2022 and beyond as they optimistically look forward to life beyond COVID. A key part of this is reaching out to OOB residents who are interested in serving as volunteers and community partners in the planning and executing a number of upcoming projects.

A few areas of focus include:
• Volunteer Drivers: The City of Saco will be starting a pilot program for an on-demand transportation program for Saco residents, initially offering rides to Saco residents. They will consider expanding the program to OOB (and Biddeford) residents if there are volunteers willing to help in this effort. Age Friendly Saco would provide the new driver orientation and coordination of rides for OOB residents if we can find volunteers willing to participate.

• Helping Hands: Looking for volunteers able and willing to help out residents with yard work (shoveling snow, raking leaves, etc.) or light maintenance and household tasks. This could be on an as requested basis during the year, and also during a planned day event in the spring or fall. Date to be determined.

• OOB Summer Fest: Initial planning is underway for a summer festival in Veteran’s Memorial Park in late summer/early fall. This will include local businesses and organizations who will showcase their products and services along with food, raffles, music and entertainment. We will need volunteers in planning, communicating, setting up and tearing down the daylong event.

• Program Committee: Looking for a lead person to take on the role of CFC Program Committee Chair to work with the leadership team in the planning and coordinating of future events.

If interested in any of the above activities, please respond by email to: director@ooblibrary.org indicating the activity/activities that you are interested in, and provide the best number and time to reach you. For more details, go to oobmaine.com/home/webforms/application-boards-and-committees or call 934-4042.

CAMDEN
West Bay Rotary accepting grant requests
West Bay Rotary is once again accepting grant requests to support local causes, having suspended last year’s grants due to COVID-19.

Twice a year, the club, through its charitable foundation, provides financial support to organizations that work to improve the lives of people in Knox County and Lincolnville. Grants up to $1,500 are awarded for specific projects that will be completed within 12 months of receipt of donation.

The club accepts grant applications from charities and nonprofit organizations that promote the welfare of residents in one or more of the following focus areas: education and literacy;
maternal and child health; peace and conflict prevention/resolution; disease prevention and treatment; water sanitation and hygiene; community and economic development; and environmental support.

The grant application process is competitive and all applications go through a rigorous review process. The deadline for this year’s applications is April 1 (for grants awarded in June) and Oct. 1 (for grants awarded in January 2023). Organizations receiving a grant will be asked to make a brief presentation to WBR members.

For more details or an application, go to westbayrotaryofmaine.org and click on the West Bay Rotary Charitable Foundation application link.

SOUTH PORTLAND
Credit union donates $2,000 to South Portland School Department
Town & Country Federal Credit Union donated $2,000 to the South Portland School Department to help support the learning needs of the nearly 350 students who do not have permanent housing. In the 2021-2022 school year, South Portland schools have seen a huge increase in students meeting the definition of “housing vulnerable.”

In his recent “State of the Schools” address to the South Portland School Board, superintendent Tim Matheney, spoke of the large uptick in students enrolled in the school system “who are housing vulnerable this year.” Matheney said many of the students, who do not have permanent housing, are from other countries and are new to speaking English, which brings additional learning challenges.

Gretchen McCloy, director of community partnerships at South Portland Schools, said that the contribution will be used to buy supplies ranging from notebooks and pencils to highlighters and backpacks, as well as headphones and earbuds, so students can access the online learning tools both at school and when doing their homework. “Some of these items will go to school with the children, and some will stay at home to help assist them with the projects they are doing at home,” said McCloy. “We are deeply appreciative of this amazingly wonderful contribution. We will certainly put it to good use to help our students.”

To learn more, visit tcfcu.com.

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.

« Previous

Events

Next »

Two girls seriously hurt in snowmobile crash were supervised at the time, official says