Community Harvest, a local nonprofit organization, will host the 24th annual Project Pilgrim on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022, at St. Martha’s Church on Route 1 in Kennebunk. Traditionally, Project Pilgrim is a complimentary Thanksgiving Day dinner that invites community members to come together and share in delicious food and meaningful company. This year, due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, the organization is once again offering curbside pick-up and delivery options only rather than a gathered meal.

“We look forward to the day when we can all share a meal together once again,” said Project Pilgrim Co-Chair and Head Chef Mario Barros in an email. “However, we remain grateful to be able to connect with community members in this way and provide delicious holiday meals to hundreds of people.”

In 2021, Project Pilgrim volunteers prepared more than 550 meals for local individuals and families, including dozens of first responders working on Thanksgiving Day.

Meals will be provided cold, with heating instructions. Community members should reserve their complimentary meals by calling 207-967-1911 or visiting www.communityharvestmaine.org. All meal reservations must be made in advance by Sunday, Nov. 13.

Once signed up, community members will be assigned a time for pick-up on Thanksgiving Day.

Community Harvest is a nonprofit organization of the Kennebunks that meets the needs of its neighbors through food sharing, fellowship, and financial assistance.

Secret Santa applications available

Secret Santa of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel has been helping families in need by providing Christmas and holiday gifts to children in the three towns for over 35 years. Applications for parents and/or legal guardians in need of help this year may be picked up at all town general assistance offices or found online at the town websites.

Town websites:

Arundel www/arundelmaine.org/.

Kennebunk, www.kennebunkmaine.us/269/Social-Services.

Kennebunkport, www.kennebunkportme.gov/public-health-department/pages/general-assistance.

(or search by town and type in “General Assistance”).

In order to qualify, applications must be turned in to the general assistance office by Friday, Nov. 4.

All requests are strictly confidential.

For more information, call the town’s general assistance office.

Arundel, 985-4201.

Kennebunk, 985-2102, ext. 3.

Kennebunkport, 967-4401.

Harvest Dance benefits basket program

York County Shelter Programs will host its 13th annual Harvest Dance on Friday, Nov. 4. The event, a fundraiser for the Thanksgiving Basket Program, is 7 to 11 p.m. at Sanford Elks Lodge. The lodge is located at 13 Elm St.

The basket program, administered by York County Shelter Programs’ Food Pantry, provides community members with a basket that includes a turkey and all of the traditional Thanksgiving fixings, just prior to Thanksgiving. Last year York County Shelter Programs gave out more than 900 baskets.

The dance – with music provided by DJ Gratitude – raises funds and collects nonperishable food items. Tickets are $10 and can be bought at the door or purchased by calling shelter program staff members Scott Davis at 207-502-0520; Stacy Irving at 207-651-5538 or Bonnie Leslie at 207-324-1137, ext. 109.

Participants are encouraged to bring a nonperishable item to be eligible for drawings. There will also be door prizes and 50/50 drawings.

Those who can’t attend the dance but want to help by donating nonperishable food items or grocery gift cards to the basket program, should contact Food Pantry Coordinator Mike Ouellette at 207-391-3125 or email mikeo@ycspi.org.

Harvest Fair returns to St. David’s

St. David’s (Route 1, Kennebunk), is holding its annual Harvest Fair after a two-year hiatus on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fair will feature the same tables as before: silent auction, themed gift baskets for raffle, treasures, jewelry, homemade baked and frozen goods, handmade crafts, and lunch provided by award-winning area restaurants.

New this year, the fair will offer two raffles; a hand-built children’s play castle donated by John Dulude and a handcrafted quilt by Pat Musser. Tickets will be available at the day of the sale. For more information, call 985-3073.

McGrath scores first collegiate goal

The Saint Michael’s College field hockey team went 1-1 in Northeast-10 Conference play last week, losing to No. 9 Saint Anselm College, 2-0, on Wednesday before downing Molloy University, 5-1, on Saturday.

Courtney Watt made 12 saves against Saint Anselm. Bridgie Loughlin recorded a goal and two assists versus Molloy, while Erickson Richard, Madeleine Biondi, Abby Farrington and first-year Samantha McGrath, of Kennebunk, also scored. McGrath potted her first college goal.

Supper benefits Arundel Historical Society

The Arundel Historical Society will host a baked bean and pasta supper from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at Mildred L. Day School.

The school is located  on Limerick Road in Arundel. The supper will be held in the gym and feature two kinds of beans, hot dogs, mac and cheese, coleslaw, bread, homemade desserts, coffee and drinks.

The event will feature historical displays, information, and raffles. There is a suggested price of $8 per person. Children younger than five admitted free. Proceeds benefit the Arundel Historical Society.

Ninth annual Vets Day 5K set for Nov. 12

The Wells Chamber of Commerce will host its ninth annual Wells Veterans Day 5K on Saturday, Nov. 12. Proceeds  benefit Honor Flight Maine.

Registration is $20 for adults 18 and older, $15 for students 11-17. There is no registration fee for children 10 and younger. The first 100 paying registrants will receive a long-sleeve T-shirt. The race begins at 10 a.m.

Honor Flight Maine is a nonprofit organization created to honor America’s veterans for their service and sacrifices. Honor Flight Maine transport veterans to Washington, D.C., to tour, experience and reflect at their memorials.

The run/walk starts and finishes start at the Wells Elks Lodge at 356 Bald Hill Road. The 5K loop winds through remote back roads of Wells.

For more information or to register, visit www.runsignup.com/Race/ME/Wells/VD5k.

 Kennebunk Land Trust offers trail challenge

Kennebunk Land Trust is hosting the 50 x 50 Trail Challenge. The challenge is a fundraiser in support of the Kennebunk Land Trust’s milestone 50th anniversary. Individuals or teams must traverse 50 miles in 50 days at any of the land trust’s trails, Kennebunk Plains, or local beaches by Dec. 31, while raising at least $50 in support of the trust.

The registration for the challenge is $5 and anyone who completes the challenge will receive a Kennebunk Land Trust swag bag – including a KLT hat. Participants can register themselves, their dog or a whole team online at at kennebunklandtrust.org/50-x-50-trail-challenge/.

Kennebunk Land Trust is also partnering with Scalawags Pet Boutique for a new addition to the 50 x 50 Trail Challenge. The first 50 registrants in October who complete the challenge with their dog will receive a 50 percent discount for a Scalawag’s leash. Participants are encouraged to take their dogs on their daily walk at a favorite land trust property – or discover a new one – and go the extra mile in support of its mission to permanently conserve and steward land to benefit natural and human communities.

The land trust is also hosting the third annual Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt at Hope Woods, along the accessible trail. Find the pumpkins with their images hidden up in the trees. Celebrate afterward for a candy reward on Oct. 31, 4 to 6 p.m. at Kennebunk Free Library as part of Chamber’s Trick or Treating.

For more information, visit www.kennebunklandtrust.org/event/pumpkin-scavenger-hunt-candy-event/.

For more information about Kennebunk Land Trust and its 50th anniversary, visit www.kennebunklandtrust.org or on Facebook and Instagram.

Southern Maine Planeteers announce plant immersion series

In partnership with the School Around Us, the Planeteers of Southern Maine announced a Native Plant Immersion Workshop Series engaging participants in soil prep, site mapping and planning, seed selection, winter sowing, seeding, along with sorting, swapping and sharing. The series is free and open to all. Children younger than 10 must be accompanied by an adult.

First in the series, is scheduled for noon on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the School Around Us in Arundel. Learn the basics of sowing seeds during the winter months using household containers. Participants will learn how to get a jump on starting seedlings. Participants will also prepare containers – bring empty gallon milk jugs, plastic storage bins with clear lids, any plastic container that is at least 6 inches deep. A follow-up workshop in February will be used for sowing seeds.

Both workshops will be outdoors with a bonfire and hot cider provided. Participants are encouraged to bring a mug or thermos, and a friend. For more information, visit Southern Maine Planeteers on Facebook or email someplaneteers@yahoo.com.

Mid-Week Music features the music of Elvis

The eternal music of Elvis Presley will be played at the next Mid-Week Music concerts on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. The shows are held at the Kennebunkport Historical Society’s Town House School at 135 North St.

In their second annual Elvis show, Dana Pearson, Mark Gunter, and Ron Breton will cover the iconic rocker from his explosive early days in the 1950s (“A Big Hunk o’ Love”) through his often underappreciated ’60s catalogue (“Big Boss Man”), and into his final years in the ‘70s (“Burning Love”). Dancing is predicted.

Tickets are $15 for Kennebunkport Historical Society members and $18 for nonmembers, and may be purchased at the door or at kporths.com/buy-tickets. The evening show is BYOB (21 and older only).

For more information, email info@kporths.com or call 967-2751.

All Souls’ Walk scheduled for Oct. 29

The Brick Store Museum will once again make spirits come alive for one afternoon for its 19th annual All Souls’ Walk on Saturday, Oct. 29. The Halloween event features continuous tours through Hope Cemetery beginning at noon, with the last tour departing at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person, children younger than 12 are admitted free.

The narrated historical walks begin at the Brick Store Museum, 117 Main St., Kennebunk, and cover a half-mile loop through Kennebunk’s Hope Cemetery, lasting approximately 75 minutes. Costumed interpreters portray the historical figures, and share their stories of love, loss, and fate. Not too spooky, it’s a perfect activity for the whole family. Participants visit more than a dozen gravesites and learn local history through the often tragic tales of residents from bygone eras.

Tours conclude back at the museum, where guests are invited to enjoy the event’s Fall Arts Fair and view the museum’s new exhibitions. This signature event is sponsored by Biddeford Savings Bank. The museum recognizes Hope Cemetery for once again hosting the All Souls’ Walk this year. In addition to the in-person tour, the museum will offer a smartphone tour in which visitors can watch videos of all of the actors while touring the cemetery at their leisure.

Advanced reservations are encouraged, though there will be walk-in spots available (first-come, first served). Tickets can be reserved in advance at the Brick Store Museum, or online at www.brickstoremuseum.org. Few standby tickets may be available on the day of the event. In the event of inclement weather, a rain date will be announced.

Seacoast Garden Club prepares for winter

Seacoast Garden Club of Kennebunkport is revving up for the 2022-23 season. Founded nearly 40 years ago by eight local women, there are currently more than 90 members from Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel, Biddeford and Wells. Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month, from October to May, at the Community House, 8 Temple St., Kennebunkport, starting with coffee and refreshments at 9:30, then followed by the business meeting and program.

For the Nov. 14 meeting, the club invites area residents who are interested in joining Seacoast Garden Club to attend, meet other members, and also attend the Native Seed Talk program that will be presented by Ginger Laurits of the Wild Seed Projects.

Laurits is a master gardener and volunteer at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm where she coordinates and maintains the native plant garden with other volunteers. She will talk about the Laudholm native plant gardens, why native plants are important to include in our landscapes, plants that work well in Maine perennial gardens and where to buy native plants.

Other programs scheduled for 2022-23 include a video/discussion about Beatrix Farrand, a female landscape architect in early 20th century America; Edible Landscaping by horticulturist Aaron Parker; and Dispelling Common Garden Myths by Jamie Colen, director of Fuller Gardens in North Hampton, New Hampshire.

Seacoast Garden Club helps build friendships but it is not strictly social. Its members offer volunteer service to the communities where its members live. They also support the Conservation Pledge stated on the inside cover of the club’s yearbook, which reads:, “I pledge to protect and conserve the natural resources of the planet Earth and promise to promote education as we may become caretakers of our air, water, forests, land and wildlife.”

Throughout the year, the Seacoast Garden Club maintains a busy agenda. During the summer, members plant and tend local beds at the monument in Kennebunkport’s Dock Square, Community House, Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library, Kennebunkport post office and the Oaks Neck peninsula overlooking the ocean at the intersection of Gooch’s and Middle Beaches. They also maintain gardens in Kennebunk, including town hall and the Faerie Garden and Touch and Sniff garden at Kennebunk Free Library. Additionally, several members plant and maintain window boxes at The Center (formerly known as The Senior Center) in Kennebunk.

Each December club members make and decorate boxwood Christmas trees and every May they create floral baskets, all of which are then distributed to local health facilities, homebound residents and libraries. The club’s most successful fundraiser is the annual Plant and Pie Sale, held every May over Memorial Day weekend.

“We welcome residents who are interested in any of our garden club activities,” said club president Claire Julian in an email. “The Nov. 14 open meeting is a convenient and easy way for women to find out more about what and who we are.”

For more information, contact membership chairwomen Diane Israelson (disrisn@yahoo.com) or Susan Joakim (susanjoakim@gmail.com).

Sip and assist Maine lobster industry

Mornings in Paris has created a new roasted coffee to support the fight to preserve Maine’s lobstering heritage.

Owner Paul Humphrey, in a new release, said the new coffee roasted onsite in Kennebunk “is a full, strong and bold taste suitable for those long days out hauling in lobster traps — or someone just looking to aid the cause.”

Mornings in Paris will donate $4 from every pound sold to #savemainelobstermen and the Maine Lobstermen’s Association.

Maine lobstermen and the National Marine Fisheries Service are battling over new regulations designed to protect the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale, which also limits where and how lobstermen can fish in federal waters.

“Lobstering is the backbone of our coastal economies. We support the effort to preserve Maine’s lobstering heritage. What would Maine look like without it?” said Humphrey, who owns and operates cafes in Lower Village Kennebunk and Ogunquit, in the email. “We believe all of us Maine residents have skin in the game with this issue, and we want to do our bit to support the cause.”

The coffee is available by the pound, ground or whole bean. The coffee is just one roast in a charity series designed to highlight and support local nonprofits.

For more information, visit morningsinparis.com or savemainelobstermen.org. Those interested in stock for wholesale may contact paul@morningsinparis.com.

Museum offers Tomten class

A new class, taught by Beth Crowe, will be offered at the Brick Store Museum. Crowe is an original storyteller that blends her stories with traditional fiber arts. The class will combine legends and Tomtens. A Tomten are a part of Scandinavian folklore. They are a sort of gnome who live on the farm and look after the children and animals. The Tomtens participants will create are handmade dolls. They represent the simplest form of doll making. Participants will make a wool doll from recycled materials while exploring the history of the various little folk of the season.

The class will meet once a week, 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays, starting Nov. 22. The cost is $150 for a four-week session, $140 for museum members. Maximum size of the class will be 12 students.

For more information or to register,  email museum educator Mary Delehanty at mdelehanty@brickstoremuseum.org.

Arundel Historical Society seeks oldest resident

The Arundel Historical Society wants to begin a new tradition for the town of Arundel and the society needs help in identifying Arundel’s oldest resident. The tradition would be the presentation of the Arundel Heritage Cane to its oldest resident.

Years ago, when Arundel was a part of Kennebunkport, the Boston Post presented a cane to a person who was deemed the oldest resident of Kennebunkport. Today, Arundel is its own municipality and the society would like to create a new tradition.

The society seeks nominations of an oldest Arundel resident from people in Arundel and/or surrounding communities as birth records are apparently not readily available. Those with a credible nomination can contact the historical society at 283-9699.

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