Kennebunk Free Library is seeking new trustees who will be active participants at monthly board and committee meetings. According to a March 7 news release, library trustees “serve as library advocates, promoting the library in its mission to inspire and enable our communities to discover, learn, and connect.”

Those interested should visit the library’s “FAQ for Potential Trustees” at www.kennebunklibrary.org. Visit the website and click on the “About Us” tab.

To learn more, the library will host in-person information sessions on Tuesday, April 4 at 5 p.m. and Wednesday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. Current trustees will be available to answer questions and describe their trustee experience. Register through the calendar on the library website or email kfl@kennebunklibrary.org.

The program is wheelchair accessible. Kennebunk Free Library is located at 112 Main St. in Kennebunk. For more information, call 207-985-2173 or email kfl@kennebunklibrary.org.

Amateur Radio Society announces meetings

The New England Radio Discussion Society meets biweekly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. throughout the year at The New School in Kennebunk. The club gathers to support and promote amateur (ham) radio. Discussion topics include: early and contemporary equipment, digital technology, internet integration, and striving for rare and international contacts. Most meetings include a tech talk by club members.

Upcoming meetings will be held March 28, April 11, 25, and May 9, 23. The New School is located at 38 York St. For more information, contact Alex at 967-8812.

Astronomical Society of Northern New England sets April meeting

The Astronomical Society of Northern New England has scheduled will hold its monthly meeting on Friday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. at The New School, 38 York St., in Kennebunk. A business meeting, also open to the public, commences at 7 p.m.

The society will host a presentation by Dr. Ian Durham. Durham is president of of the society and a professor and chair of physics at Saint Anselm College. He is also a member of the Foundational Questions Institute. His current research centers around foundational problems in physics, particularly the intersection of quantum mechanics, relativity, and information theory, as well as formal models of consciousness. He and his family live in Kennebunk. In his spare time he enjoys fly fishing, hiking, and canoeing.

Durham is the member Foundational Questions Institute asks to pick the five most important physics stories of the year. He talks through his selections in an institute podcast series, including a few runners-up. At the April 7 meeting, Durham will give an abbreviated, less technical, run-through of the top five, also explaining the reasons for his selections.

The April meeting agenda includes: Bernie Reim’s “What’s Up for the Month” and “Astro Shorts,” where attendees and members share questions, activities, news and observations. Refreshments will be served.

For newcomers, questions about our club, observing, telescopes, and astronomy in general, will be answered by society members.

For more information about Astronomical Society of Northern New England, including directions and events, or to contact the club, visit www.ASNNE.org.

Kennebunk Savings welcomes new branch manager

Kennebunk Savings announced last week that Jason Errington has joined its team as the branch manager of its Sanford location. Errington has served as a mortgage underwriter, assistant branch manager and branch manager for other institutions.

“Jason’s background in the various areas of banking is certainly valuable in his role as branch manager,” said Mark Ross, VP, retail experience manager, in a March 9 news release. “But equally important is, his ability to really listen to our customers and help them reach their financial goals.”

“(I want) to be just a little better than the day before, either by learning, improving on a skill, or helping someone have a better day,” Errington said in an email.

Graves Library to host book discussion and signing

Graves Memorial Library will host Dr. Joshua Smith at at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 18, for a discussion and book signing.

According to a library news release, “Making Maine: Statehood and the War of 1812” is an innovative history of the war focusing on how it specifically affected what was then called the District of Maine. Drawing on archival materials from the United States, Britain, and Canada, Smith exposes the bitter experience of Maine’s citizens during that conflict as they endured multiple hardships, including starvation, burdensome taxation, smuggling, treason, and enemy occupation.

Smith is the director of the American Merchant Marine Museum. He grew up on the coast of Maine and Cape Cod. He holds degrees from the University of St. Andrews, Maine Maritime Academy, East Carolina University, and the University of Maine. His other books include “Borderland Smuggling : Patriots, Loyalists and Illicit Trade in the Northeast 1783-1820” (University Press of Florida), which won the John Lyman Award in American Maritime History in 2007, and “Battle for the Bay : the Naval War of 1812.”

Copies of “Making Maine: Statehood and the War of 1812” will be available for purchase. For more information, call 207-967-2778 or visit www.graveslibrary.org.

The library is located at 18 Maine St., Kennebunkport. For more information, call 967-2778 or visit www.graveslibrary.org.

Former intelligence officers announce March 18 meeting

The next public meeting of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers will be held at Kennebunk High School’s Economos Lecture Hall at 88 Fletcher St. in Kennebunk on Saturday, March 18, at 2 p.m. The guest speaker, David Greenham, has a background in the arts as director of the Maine Arts Commission and the founder of the Maine History Theater of Ideas.

Greenham will address German prisoner of war camps in Maine with a look into his German POW project that resulted in an exhibit, Maine Boys Overseas, German Boys in Maine. This program used artifacts and firsthand stories showing a special impact the prisoners had on people who encountered them.

For more information, call Bob Dyer at 207-985-3634.

Museum raising funds for building preservation

The Brick Store Museum was founded by American artist Edith Barry in 1936.

According to a March 7 news release, “The museum’s main building, the Brick Store, is 198 years old this year and is in need of major brick preservation on its two iconic chimneys. In celebration of Edith’s birthday, the museum is hosting Edith’s 139th Costume Party on Saturday, March 25 from 5 to 7 p.m., with all funds raised going toward the preservation of the museum’s brick chimneys.

Tickets are $50 per person, $40 for members, and can be purchased at www.brickstoremuseum.org.

Party attendees are encouraged to wear costumes spanning the decades of Edith’s life, from 1884 to 1969. Appetizers and era-themed gimlets will be served alongside home videos of Edith’s life and art. Fundraising for the project supports the museum’s annual budget and its educational mission.

Tickets can be purchased at the museum at 117 Main St., Kennebunk, or via brickstoremuseum.org. Appetizers, era-themed gimlets, and beverages will be served, alongside Edith Barry’s home videos and artwork.

UMaine Farmington announces dean’s list

The University of Maine at Farmington announced its dean’s list for the fall 2022 semester. Local students on the dean’s list:

Arundel: Calli Leach, high honors.

Kennebunk: Sam Hammar, high honors; Audrey McEnaney, high honors; Hazel McEnaney, high honors; Callister Montembeau, high honors.

School district plans virtual pre-kindergarten  open house

An opportunity to learn about RSU 21’s high pre-kindergarten program at a virtual open house has been scheduled for 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 23. Pre-K is free to residents in Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Arundel for children who turn 4 years old before Oct. 15.

Registration is a two-step process. Fill out the online registration, then schedule an appointment with Mary Boswell by email or call 207-985-4402.

Conservation commission plans pesticide information session

The Kennebunk Conservation Commission will host a discussion about pesticides on Thursday, March 23, at Kennebunk Town Hall. The session is scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The event will focus on providing residents with information about the impact pesticides have on humans, pets and other creatures and the environment. Tips for working with landscapers, licensed applicators and neighbors will also be provided.

Participants will learn about ways to reduce the impact of pesticides in the yard and community, and how to communicate with professional applicators and landscape companies and ask the right questions. Participants will also learn techniques for developing a pesticide-free yard.

The session will feature Alex Peacock, of the Maine Board of Pesticides Control, and Allan Amioka, a master gardener.

Space is limited. The Kennebunk Conservation Commission is providing the free opportunity in cooperation with the Kennebunkport Conservation Commission and the Planeteers of Southern Maine.

Public invited to forum of housing crisis

A community forum on the lack of affordable housing affecting the state and towns will be held Saturday, March 18 at 9:30 a.m. at Kennebunkport Community House on Temple Street (across from the post office). Presenters will address the social and economic impacts of the housing shortage, as well as assistance available through community services and legislative proposals.

The panel will be moderated by Rep. Traci Gere (District 134), who serves as House chair of the Joint Select Committee on Housing and as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. Joining her will be Carter Friend, executive director of York County Community Action Corporation, and Karen Winton, deputy director of the Community Development Department for the town of Kennebunk.

The forum is being sponsored by the Democrats of the Kennebunks and Arundel as a nonpartisan, communitywide event. There is no charge. Attendees are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to Community Outreach Services.

Historical society plans Women’s History Month program

In homage to Women’s History Month the Arundel Historical Society will present a lecture and discussion titled The Great Turnout: Factory Girls and Maine’s First Labor Strike. It will be presented by Dr. Elizabeth DeWolfe, professor of history at the University of New England, who received her Ph.D. in American and New England studies from Boston University. She is also an author of several works of history including, “The Murder of Mary Bean and Other Stories,” about the short life and tragic death of a New England textile operative.

The presentation will be held 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 26, at Arundel Town Hall’s Community Meeting Room. Arundel Town Hall is located on Limerick Road. Refreshments will be available and suggested lecture donations will be welcome. Copies of the author’s book will be available for sale. The public is encouraged to attend the event and celebrate, with the AHS, the role of women in the nation’s history.

In 1841, nearly 500 female factory workers walked out of Saco’s York Manufacturing Company and paraded up Main Street chanting and singing. A committee was formed in a local church, and a document listing their complaints about wages, housing and paternalistic rules was sent to the factory owner. In the presentation, through an illustrated talk, the life of New England “factory girls,” the opportunities millwork brought, and the challenges of the labor will be discussed. The “turnout” would have a ripple effect in the national agitation for women’s rights and suffrage.

‘Groundbreaking Women’ session planned at Kennebunk Free Library

Kennebunk Free Library announced it will host “Groundbreaking Women” on March 28.

According to a press release, “Women of the last century worked tirelessly to open doors that had always been closed before. Join us to hear the stories of three local women that each in their own way, fought barriers and rose to levels their mothers could never imagine.”

The event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28. Featured speakers include:

Eva Barnfather started her career as an airline stewardess in 1944, worked as a teacher and became the first female vice principal in her Massachusetts community.

Barbara Sharood was a member of the first Georgetown University class to admit women. She graduated in 1958 as valedictorian – summa cum laude.

Diantha DD Harrington received her law degree in 1966 at Cornell Law School as one of five female students in a class of 150. She practiced law in Los Angeles, then, after marrying, moved to Boston and worked in insurance and as a legal consultant for the Massachusetts Land Court.

For more information, call 207-985-2173 or email kfl@kennebunklibrary.org.

Library to host ‘Drums of West Africa’

Kennebunk Free Library will host Drums of West Africa, featuring Namory Keita, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 18.

The Maine Speaks program is sponsored by the Maine Humanities Council. According to a Feb. 23 news release, “Namory Keita, a master drummer, is a sought-after teacher and performer with a unique style and a wealth of traditional knowledge very rare to find outside the villages of Guinea. Keita is a cultural ambassador wishing to share his culture and in doing so, build bridges of understanding and acceptance through engaging audiences in the musical art forms of the Humana region in West Africa.”

Maine Speaks supports individuals and organizations who want to bring people in communities together to learn from speakers who share their expertise and lived experiences.

For more information, call 207-985-2173 or email kfl@kennebunklibrary.org.

Kennebunk’s May Day Festival slated for May 6

The 25th May Day Festival will be held on Saturday, May 6. This year’s festival will feature most of the family-oriented activities that have been staged for years and some new additions.

The May Day crafter application and the May Day parade registration are available on the town’s website. For more information, contact Linda Johnson at ljohnson@kennebunkmaine.us or visit www.kennebunkmaine.us/mayday.

TD Beach to Beacon 10K registration dates set

Organizers of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K road race, which will celebrate its 25th running in 2023, announced the registration dates for this year’s event that will take place Saturday, Aug. 5.

Open registration for Cape Elizabeth residents will take place Wednesday, April 19, followed by open registration for the general public on Thursday, April 20. An open lottery registration for any remaining spots will take place Friday, April 21. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. on each open registration day through the race website, www.beach2beacon.org.

New this year are dedicated registration days for current and past race beneficiaries. Valo, the 2023 charitable beneficiary, will have up to 50 bibs available for those who race to raise funds for the organization. Valo’s bib holders will have the opportunity to register on Wednesday, March 15. Runners who want to run on behalf of previous beneficiaries will have open registration on April 1.

Following the close of registration, remaining bibs will be distributed to elite runners, sponsors and more than 100 legacy runners who have participated in every running of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K since its inception in 1998.

The Kids Fun Run and the High School Mile will also return in 2023, on Friday, Aug. 4 at Fort Williams. Registration for the Kids Fun Run will be open online from May 1 through Aug. 3. More information on the events can be found at www.beach2beacon.org.

Road race raises funds for ‘recalibrated’ veterans

The 12th annual Miles for Mills Memorial Day Weekend 5K, presented by New Balance Foundation, will be held Sunday, May 28, at Brunswick Landing, the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. The race will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 11 a.m.

Registration (www.milesformills.org) is $30 per person and registrants receive a T-shirt if signed up by April 1 (while supplies last); registration is $35 after April 1. Travis Mills Foundation fundraising incentives will be announced soon for those who raise funds above the registration fee.

The race was established and is named after U.S. Army SSG (Ret.) Travis Mills, who in 2012 set his backpack down on an IED, becoming one of five quadruple amputees from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries. Since then, Mills has made it his mission to give back to other recalibrated veterans like himself, and their families. The doors to the Travis Mills Foundation Veterans Retreat opened in 2017 in Rome, in the Belgrade Lakes Region of Maine, serving thousands of veterans and their families since then.

Proceeds from Miles for Mills, which last year raised approximately $135K, supports the seven programs offered at the foundation for veterans, their families and combat veterans and first responders with post-traumatic stress. The event will also include food, drinks, music, children’s activities, awards and an after-party at Flight Deck Brewing and Wild Oats.

The organization’s goal is to raise $200K at this year’s Miles for Mills 5K. For more information, contact Molly Lovell-Keely, communications and marketing manager, at molly@travismillsfoundation.org or 207-632-7475.

Reform Physical Therapy launches Maine-based technology

Reform Physical Therapy, a Maine-owned independent practice, announced the addition of new 3D motion analysis to its available services, through a software platform from Maine-based startup, Kinotek.

“We couldn’t be more excited to add this new technology to our clinics,” said Jill Partridge, the sole owner and CEO of Reform, in a news release. “Our therapists already offer the highest quality therapy in Maine; this tool will serve to enhance communication with patients and referring providers. Coupled with our ONE-on-ONE treatment model, this technology will allow patients to better understand their own bodies and how they can improve their mobility and function.”

The company’s Kennebunk clinic is located in Lower Village at 169 Port Road.

According to the organization, many patients have already reaped the benefits of the technology which allows the physical therapists to view, pause, replay, and better analyze an individual’s movements. Reform Physical Therapy is anticipating that the new launch will increase patient awareness of the asymmetries or compensations within their own movements, which would otherwise go unnoticed. Kinotek’s 3D Motion Analysis Platform uses LiDAR technology to fully map a person’s movements from any angle across all 360 degrees, providing objective data quickly and accurately along with immersive visualizations.

“We are thrilled that Reform has embraced this technology,” said Joey Spitz, Kinotek chief operating officer, in an email. “We developed it specifically to support therapists like those at Reform who are always seeking to advance the impact of their work and enhance their relationship with patients.”

Kinotek 3D Motion Analysis Platform is an added service driven by patient and provider feedback. Both patients and referring physicians will benefit from the personal, and visual customized movement reports.

Founded in 2008, Reform Physical Therapy is one of Maine’s last remaining Maine-owned practices. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to treat the individual as a whole, not just the injury.

Oldies Benefit Dance set for April 15

The next Rock n’ Roll Oldies Benefit Dance is scheduled for 7 p.m. to midnight, April 15 at the Biddeford Eagles Hall at 57 Birch St. Tickets are $10 and seating is limited.

For more information, purchase tickets or volunteer, call Bruce Martin at 207-284-4692.

Next Nature Walk is April 1

Kennebunk Land Trust recently announced its 2023 Nature Walk schedule. The land trust invites participants to learn about nature and get outside. The first Saturday of each month, Kennebunk Land Trust will host a nature walk on a different preserve following a different theme. Patrons can visit a local preserve and enjoy nature in all seasons.

The walks are led by Maine Guide, Master Naturalist, and environmental educator at Wells Reserve at Laudholm, Linda Littlefield Grenfell.

Littlefield Grenfell will take participants on a walk while sharing her knowledge and asking questions about the flora, fauna, and general wonderment of nature.

The walks are held from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and are free of charge. Donations are accepted. The yearly walk schedule is subject to change with notice. The remaining schedule:

· April 1 – Oxbow Preserve. Theme: Trees

· May 6 – Mousam River Wildlife Sanctuary. Theme: Vernal Pools

· June 3 – Butler Preserve. Theme: Water

· July 1 – For All Forever Preserve. Theme: Wildflowers

· Aug. 5 – Hope Cemetery and Woods. Theme: Trees in Summer

· Sept. 2 – Sea Road Preserve. Theme: Bugs/Ferns

· Oct. 7 – Mousam River Wildlife Sanctuary

· Nov. 4 – Butler Preserve. Theme: Geology

· Dec. 2 – For All Forever Preserve. Theme: Winter Weeds

For more information, email sandy@kennebunklandtrust.org or call 207-985-8734.

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