Biberstein advances to state poetry finals

Freeport High School senior Josef Biberstein will compete in the state finals of Poetry Out Loud, to be held on March 11 at the Waterville Opera House.

Biberstein was among the fop five contestants in the Southern Region Finals of the poetry recitation contest, held on Feb. 11 in Biddeford. Five high school students from the Southern Maine Finals and five from the Northern Maine Finals will vie in Waterville for a $500 prize, a poetry textbook stipend for his or her school and a trip to Washington, D.C., for the national finals on April 28-29.

Judges decide the winners based on accuracy, understanding, complexity of the poem and use of voice and body.

The national winner will receive $50,000 in awards and additional school stipends for the purchase of poetry books.

Coastal Winds concert Tuesday

As part of FebFest, the Coastal Winds, Freeport area’s community concert band, will be joined by the band students of Pine Tree Academy to present a pops concert on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 6:30 p.m. at Pine Tree Academy gymnasium, 67 Pownal Road, Freeport.

Entering its 15th season, the Coastal Winds comprises more than 35 woodwind, brass and percussion instrumentalists. Membership is on a volunteer basis, and includes professional musicians, teens, business people and retirees from the mid-coast area. Brendan Krueger, the conductor, is principal and band director at Pine Tree Academy. This year’s school band of 39 students is excited to partner with the Coastal Winds for an evening of musical fun. Admission is free. A free-will offering will be accepted to support the bands. For more information, call 865-4747.

Two art shows this weekend

Three area artists, at the invitation of FebFest, have reached out to their colleagues to organize an 18-artist show that will take place on Friday, Feb. 20, from 3-7 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 21, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., at First Parish Church, 40 Main St., in the downstairs hall. The organizers of the event are Polly Smith, a Freeport watercolor artist; Joseph Cousins, who has a studio and gallery on Lambert Road in Freeport; and John Galgano, a photographer who runs the Photography Exposure Gallery at 541 Route 1 in Freeport. The show will include fine art, photography, pottery, jewelry, glass and sculpture. Enter the building via the side door. Parking is at the rear of the building on Depot Street.

A second FebFest show, presented by photographer Walter Skold, of Skold Tombstone Art Exhibit, will take place on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 22, from 1-5 p.m., at 12B Kendall Lane, Freeport.

Chocolate Factory tours are back

Wilbur’s of Maine Chocolate Factory, 174 Lower Main St., will be open for tours on Feb. 21 and 28, at 11 and 11:45 a.m., and 12:30 and 1:15 p.m. Visitors are invited to come to the factory and hear about Wilbur’s history, learn a little about chocolate making and eat samples while taking the hands-on tour. Cost is $4.50 per person and includes samples and a treat to make. No reservations are needed.

Armchair Travel at the library

On the first four Mondays in March, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Freeport Community Library will present its Armchair Travel series, in which local residents share their recent travels abroad with slide presentations and personal memories of trip highlights. Each presentation is about an hour, including an opportunity to ask questions. Tea and coffee are served, as well. The travel itinerary includes:

Monday, March 2, “River Cruise The Netherlands,” with Sally Walsh.

Monday, March 9, Athens, “Greek Islands, Dalmatian Coast and Venice,” with Chris Leighton.

Monday, March 16, “Hiking the Scottish Highlands,” with Dan Nickerson and Beth Edmonds.

Monday, March 23, “The Falklands and Patagonia,” with Chris Hastedt and Burt Brewer.

Freeport Rotary offering scholarships

The Freeport Rotary Club is offering three scholarships to graduating high school seniors who are residents of Freeport, Pownal or Durham and plan to go on to an academic college, university program or technical college. There are two Academic Scholarships for $2,000 each and one Technical Scholarship for $1,000.

Eligibility guidelines include outstanding community service, scholastic performance and financial need. The application deadline is May 1. A scholarship application can be obtained from the guidance offices at Freeport High School, Pine Tree Academy, North Yarmouth Academy, Vocational Region 10 in Brunswick, Waynflete School, Cheverus High School, Merriconeag Waldolf School, Greely High School, McAuley High School, Baxter Academy or online at www.freeport-rotary.org. Applications are also available by writing to the Freeport Rotary Club, Scholarship Committee, Attn: Ranjit Gill/Karen O’Rourke, P.O. Box 552, Freeport, ME. 04032.

Young writers honored

A Baxter Academy student from Freeport and a student at Merriconeag Waldorf School of Freeport both won Gold Keys in the Southern Maine Writing Project, held in conjunction with the Literacy, Language and Culture Program at the University of Southern Maine.

Aidan Trotter, 15, of Freeport, won his Gold Key for “Topia,” in the science fiction/fantasy category. Jesse Saffier, 18, who attends Merriconeag, won the honor for his poetry entry, entitled “Metamorphosis.” Saffier also won a Silver Key for another poem, “Island.”

The Gold Key writing has been forwarded to the national level of The Scholastic Writing Awards in New York for judging in mid-March. The Maine regional awards ceremony is on Feb. 27 at USM.

Gregory Nam, a student at Freeport High School, and Freeport Middle School student Abbi King, also won Silver Keys. Nam, 14, entered “Beyond Berkinson Nebula” in the science fiction/fantasy category, while King, 13, won silver with her poem “Standing Right in Front of Me, Hanging, Over, and The Field.”

New technology, career development classes at RCE

RSU 5 Recreation and Community Education is offering new technology and career development classes this winter. Residents interested in managing finances more accurately can register for Introduction to Excel: Part II, 5:30 p.m. on Mondays, Feb. 23-March 9. The cost is $55.

For those interested in learning how to promote their businesses, the following courses are offered: Introduction to Website Design, 5:30 p.m. on Mondays, March 23-April 13, $64; and Social Media Marketing for Your Business, Tuesday, April 14, at 6 p.m., $30.

RCE also is offering a free career development workshop. Participants can learn how to market themselves in today’s economy and find new ways to describe their professional experiences in the interactive workshop, “Ace the Interview,” Wednesday, March 18, at 6 p.m.

Suggestions for future classes are welcome, or if there is interest in teaching, email [email protected]. To register for classes, see www.rsu5-rce.org or call 865-6171.

Masons cooking roast

The Freeport Masons will host a roast pork supper on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 5-6:30 p.m., at the Masonic Lodge on Mallet Drive in Freeport. The menu will feature roast pork, mashed potatoes, vegetables, homemade biscuits, dessert and beverage for $9 per adult, with children under 12 half-price.

Book talk about Franco-Americans

Freeport Historical Society Director James Myall and Mary Rice-Defosse of Bates College will present a discussion of their new publication, “The Franco-Americans of Lewiston-Auburn,” Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 6:30 p.m., at Freeport Community Library. The snow date is Feb. 25.

The book is a comprehensive history of the most significant example of a population that had a big impact on the state’s history, and in cities like Lewiston and Auburn, formed a distinct community with its own story. While the book focuses on Lewiston and Auburn, the lessons within are relevant to Franco-Americans across the state, and will be of interest to people of French-Canadian descent and anyone with an interest in Maine history.

Myall, who was previously coordinator of the Franco-American Collection, and Rice-Defosse, who is professor of French and Francophone Studies at Bates College, embarked on the project to write a comprehensive history of Lewiston-Auburn’s Franco-Americans because they were surprised to realize no one had done so before. “The Franco-Americans of Lewiston-Auburn” explores the history of French-Canadian immigrants to the Twin Cities, from the first arrivals in the mid-19th century through the Maine gubernatorial election of 2014. For more information, contact Freeport Historical Society at 865-3170 or www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org.

Bird carver artist to speak at club

The Freeport Woman’s Club will present Freeport artist Ginny Purcell, who will demonstrate her bird-carving skills, at a meeting Friday, Feb. 20, at 1 p.m., at the Freeport Community Library. Purcell exhibits her works at Yarmouth Frame and Gallery. All are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

The Freeport Woman’s Club is a service organization that has been in existence for 90 years. It meets once a month at the Freeport Community Library. The club’s fundraising projects include a Spring Bazaar and a bake sale on Election Day. Monies raised provide local scholarships, community improvements, donations to Freeport Community Services and support for women seeking career education. New members are welcome. Contact Betty Duckworth, 847-0240.

‘Growing Local’ is screening topic

Wolfe’s Neck Farm and Freeport Conservation Trust will co-host a free screening of “Growing Local,” Thursday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m., at the Freeport Community Center. Three short films from Seedlight Pictures and Maine Farmland Trust highlight Maine farms and producers and the role they play in the local food movement.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring several local experts. Panelists include Ben Slayton of Farmers’ Gate Market, Katrina Van Dusen of Freeport Conservation Trust, Sarah Wiederkehr of Winter Hill Farm and Dave Herring, executive director of Wolfe’s Neck Farm. Moderating the discussion will be Amanda Beal, a sustainable food systems research and policy consultant.

AARP offers tax help

AARP will once again be providing free tax-preparation assistance for low- to moderate- income households, with special attention to those 60 years and older, Wednesday mornings from Feb. 4-April 8 at the Freeport Community Center. Assistance is available by appointment only. To schedule, call 865-4743, ext. 120.

Historical society invites locals to lunch

Freeport Historical Society is reviving its series, “Lunch with Locals,” to invite local residents to help shape its next exhibit.

The group will host two noon events, each with a different focus, in February and March. Lunch will be provided, in exchange for stories, knowledge and information about Freeport’s shoemaking industry from participants. Those who are interested in learning more about the topic are also invited.

The first, Saturday, Feb. 21 (snow date Feb. 28) is “Shoe and Tell.” Attendees are encouraged to bring and discuss items (or photographs of items) they own that relate to shoes and shoemaking in Freeport. An example is the cobbler’s anvil that was used to hold a shoe upside down while a sole was added or repaired. Mystery objects are encouraged.

On Tuesday, March 10 (snow date March 11), the topic will be “Bare Your Sole.” This luncheon will focus on hearing and recording experiences and knowledge of the shoemaking industry in Freeport.

The events will take place at Harrington House, Freeport Historical Society’s headquarters at 45 Main St. Lunch will be provided, thanks to a donation by Derosier’s.

All are welcome to attend. An RSVP is requested. For more information, visit www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org, or contact Freeport Historical Society at 865-3170 or [email protected].

Chamber hosting lunch and learn

The Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce will present a workshop Tuesday, Feb. 24, from11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at Freeport Community Center. The speaker, Elizabeth Ring, will discuss “Compelling Headlines.”

Ring is a leadership consultant who believes good electronic communications is key to success in the 21st century. This event is free but advance registration is requested. See www.FreeportMaineChamber.com, call 847-5240, ext. 1 or send email to [email protected].