Recycle Your Old Glasses

Gray-New Gloucester Lions participate in active programs to recycle and repurpose used glasses, sunglasses, hearing aids and cell phones. Each year, Lions clubs collect over 20 million pairs of glasses to address a worldwide need of 153 million, as estimated by the World Health Organization.

Anything works, be it plastic or metal frames, prescription, bifocals, trifocals, even drugstore glasses. Children’s sizes are particularly needed. Sunglasses are a precious commodity in countries near the equator, where simple protection from the intense sun can prevent sight-stealing cataracts. Used hearing aids and cell phones also can be repurposed or recycled by Maine Lions.

In New Gloucester, collection boxes are located in the Town Hall, 385 Intervale Road and the First Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road. Please take a moment to help the Lions put your unneeded items back into good use. Contact Joe Murray at 657-3034 or [email protected], if you have any questions.

Water System Design & Engineering Forum

The New Gloucester Water District will be holding a design and engineering public forum to present plans for the new water system. The forum will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 23, at the AMVETS Hall, Route 100, New Gloucester.

Public comment and questions are encouraged. The project is proceeding according to schedule. Groundbreaking this summer is anticipated. Questions are to be directed to Paul First, town planner, 926-4126, ext. 4.

CROP Hunger Walk

Fight hunger in our community and around the world by participating in the CROP Hunger Walk, Sunday, May 5. Register now to walk or sponsor a walker – 25 percent of the proceeds stocks the New Gloucester Food Pantry and 75 percent feeds our global neighbors through the Church World Service.

Walkers can register at the First Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road, New Gloucester, or registrations and donations can be made online at www.cropwalkonline.org. For more information and to find out the start time, call the church office, 926-3260.

Pineland Trail Running Festival

The Pineland Trail Running Festival is Maine’s premier trail running event that attracts over 1,500 runners. Held every Memorial Day weekend, this two-day festival includes seven different races: 5k, 10k, 25k, 50k, 50 miles, Canicross 5k and Barefoot 5k. Each race course is an off-road roller coaster on well-maintained cross-country trails that twist, turn, and roll their way through forests and across pastoral, working farmland. The trails are level, wide (12 feet), and non-technical with no roots or rocks, but very hilly. Although there are no major climbs, the rolling terrain is unrelenting. The post-race festival includes family-friendly events, live music, barbecue meals, beer and pizza.

The running festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26 at Pineland Farms, Campus Drive, New Gloucester. To register online, go to www.pinelandtrails.com. For more information, contact Erik Boucher, 210-8655, or [email protected].

Nomination papers due soon

Nomination papers are currently available for board of selectmen and SAD 15 school board of directors. Petitions must have at least 25, and no more than 100, signatures of registered New Gloucester voters for certification and must be returned to the town office by 2 p.m., Friday, April 26. There are two openings for selectmen and two openings for the school board, all for three-year terms.

The town election will take place on Tuesday, June 11, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at Memorial School, 86 Intervale Road, New Gloucester.