Pictured front left are: AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary members Doris Day and Sandy Foster, and Madam President Cathy Lessard; and Sons of AMVETS Squadron Past Commander Robert Bouthot. Rear pictures left to right: NNE Volunteers of America Biddeford Operations Coordinator Brian Bouthot, and AMVETS Adjutant Gene Foster. Contributed / AMVETS Post 1

Fresh bedding
means fresh start

Just in time for fall weather, Post 1 AMVETS, Ladies Auxiliary, and Sons of AMVETS donated over $600 of new sheets and bedding to NNE Volunteers of America.

NNE Volunteers of America Biddeford Operations Coordinator Brian Bouthot accepted the donations and said, “Our eight veteran residents and I very much appreciate what you have done for us. Fresh linen means a lot to help our veteran residents get a fresh start. It’s important to have a clean and comfortable place to sleep.”

AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Madam President Cathy Lessard said, “We wanted to get new linens and bedding to the veterans just in time for Veteran’s Day and fall weather.”

Ladies Auxiliary member Sandy Foster added, “We coordinated our fund raising efforts with the Vets and Sons to make this happen.”

AMVETS Adjutant Gene Foster noted that the Biddeford West Street facility has the capacity to house eight veterans and is currently full as usual.

SBSI appoints
new COO

Saco & Biddeford Savings appointed Sarah Rodgers as the new Chief Operating Officer.

Rodgers brings over 30 years of experience in the financial industry, with a proven track record of driving operational excellence and fostering innovation, according to a bank press release. Her experience spans from the East to the West coast and she is well-versed in the financial sector. Before joining SBSI, she held key leadership roles with UNUM, TD Bank, MUFG, West Monroe and Affirm.

“I’m really eager to bring a fresh voice to SBSI,” Rodgers said. “I truly believe in the power of teamwork and working cross-functionally to optimize operating rhythms. Being part of a deep rooted community bank, where you can feel the authentic heart for community through and through is naturally motivating. I’m happy to be here and look forward to supporting the culture thoughtfully planning how we want to grow as an organization.”

In her new role, Rodgers will oversee the bank’s operations. She will also play a pivotal role in executing the bank’s strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and expanding our service offerings.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sarah to our team,” said Mark Jones, SBSI president and CEO. “Sarah leads from the heart, and her extensive experience and leadership skills will be invaluable as we continue to grow and adapt to the evolving needs of our customers.”

Age Friendly Saco
Wellness Fair

Once again this year Age Friendly Saco is hosting an annual Wellness Fair at Thornton Academy on Saturday, Nov. 9. This is a free event open to the community. There will be seminars as well as a vendor fair with free coffee and donuts as well as a free lunch.

Northern Light Healthcare will also be offering a vaccine clinic offering both seasonal flu vaccines as well as COVID vaccines.

This year’s seminars will include:

1.) “A Guide to a Good End” presented by the Hospice of Southern Maine;

2.) “Fraud Watch” presented by AARP Maine;

3.) “Safety at Home and Community Engagement” presented by the Saco Fire and Police Departments and Maine Strong Balance.

The program runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Atrium at Thornton Academy.

This program is free but attendees must register by calling 207-710-5029.

YMCA holds free
Halloween party

All families are invited to attend the YMCA of Southern Maine’s free Community Halloween Party on Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 4 to 8 p.m. in Biddeford. There will be activities for kids of all ages, including crafts, games, a spooky trail and more. The event is open to all – YMCA membership is not needed. The YMCA is located at 3 Pomerleau Road.

Saco launches
emergency alert system

Saco has launched a new, direct emergency notification system, CodeRED.

This powerful tool allows Saco’s public safety officials to quickly send urgent alerts to specific areas or the entire city during emergency situations, according to the city’s newsletter.

The Saco Police Department will use CodeRED exclusively for emergencies, such as severe weather events or threats to public safety. Residents are encouraged to sign up for these critical alerts at sacomaine.org/emergencyalerts.

While CodeRED includes a pre-existing telephone database, community members must complete enrollment to ensure their number is included in the system.

“We encourage all businesses and residents to register,” said Saco Police Chief Jack Clements. “We don’t want anyone to assume their number is already included and potentially miss out on important alerts during emergencies.”

Registered users will receive emergency communications through their chosen methods, including text messages, email, mobile app notifications, or phone calls. For those without access to a computer, paper registration forms are available at the City Administrator’s Office or the Saco Police Department lobby.

If an emergency occurs, then those enrolled will receive alerts by the following senders: phone calls will come from 206-536-3695, text messages will be sent from 24639, and e-mails will be sent from the domain @notify.onsolve.net.

Saco Fire Department hosts
drive-thru trick-or-treat

Join the Saco Fire Department at Central Station at 271 North St. for its fourth annual Drive-Thru Trick-or-Treat Event on Halloween, Thursday, Oct. 31, from 5 to 8 p.m..

The Fire Department will be handing out Halloween goodies,

For more information, contact the Saco Fire Department at 207-282-3244.

This event is hosted with the support of the City of Saco, the Saco Police Department, and Saco Parks & Recreation Department.

Ribbon cutting for
Sea Spray Confections

Victoria Torres and opened Sea Spray Confections at 209 Main St. in Saco this summer and a ribbon cutting celebrating the new downtown bakery was held recently.

Torres also sells baked goods at her roadside bakery stand at 38 Bradley St., where she offers grab-and-go “day old” goods in a cooler Thursday through Monday evenings.

However, the muffins, scones, coffee cake, cinnamon buns, cupcakes, brownies, and more at the downtown bakery are made fresh daily.

Sea Spray is open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

See photos of Sea Spray’s delicious offerings online at instagram.com/seasprayconfections.

UNE named a top
“Green College”

For the eighth consecutive year, the University of New England has been named one of the nation’s top schools for environmental stewardship, according to The Princeton Review.

The company known for college rankings and test preparation services published its annual 2025 “Guide to Green Colleges” on Oct. 15 to provide a resource for college applicants interested in finding schools that prioritize environmental responsibility, according to a UNE press release.

UNE, which has a Biddeford campus, did more in 2024 to raise its profile as a “green college.”

“UNE welcomed a major solar installation to campus this past year, reinforcing our commitments to sustainability, modeling our desire for a greener future, reducing carbon emissions, and promoting renewable energy education among students,” said Alethea Cariddi, M.S.Ed., UNE’s associate director of sustainability.

Other new UNE sustainability efforts include waste reduction, such as through the SWAP Shop (Surplus with a Purpose) that opened in 2024; sustainable landscaping and building design; and alternative modes of transportation, including the expansion of the electric vehicle charging network on both the Portland and Biddeford campuses.

The 15th edition of the green guide profiled 511 schools that were selected based on surveys of administrators. The company also surveyed students attending colleges about their “green campus” experience. Schools were selected based on exceptional programs, policies, and practices related to sustainability and the environment.