Party to honor Beth Edmonds

The public is invited to attend a celebration to honor Beth Edmonds, the retiring director of the Freeport Community Library, on Sunday, Feb. 7, from 1-3 p.m., in the library’s Community Room. At 1 p.m. refreshments will be served and at 2 p.m.. there will be an opportunity for those who wish to share a few words.

Edmonds has been with Freeport’s library since 1982. She joined the B. H. Bartol Library on Main Street as a children’s librarian and has served as the director of the Freeport Community Library in its new building since 2005.

Landscape gardening next Wednesday Wisdom

Susan Cherbuliez, a Maine licensed landscape architect from South Freeport, will be the speaker at South Freeport Congregational Church’s next Wednesday Wisdom Series, on Feb. 17, at 6:30 p.m., in the Community Hall of the church. A $5 donation is welcome. Dessert and beverages are provided.

Cherbuliez was trained in New York as a landscape architect, where she worked in both the public and private sector for 30 years, handling such projects as large parks, street improvements and health-care facilities. When she moved to Maine 10 years ago, she continued for some time to commute to New York to complete selected work of her firm, including residential projects. She maintains a limited practice in Maine.

Art Guild works on exhibit

This month, the Freeport Community Library is showing the annual display of fine art by members of the Art Guild of Freeport. Seven oil and watercolor painters will have their original landscape and still-life art on exhibit in the library’s main reading room. Artists include Shelly Breton, Christy Deveault and Beth Edmonds of Freeport, Jerry Corey of Westbrook, Caroline Paine and Debra Serino of Yarmouth and Ann Schutz of Falmouth.

Just Desserts features pianist

The Freeport First Friday concert Feb. 5 at the Freeport Community Center, 53 Depot St., features David Watts & Friends. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the concert beginning at 6:45. Along with an assortment of desserts and coffee, the night will offer a selection of Watts’ favorite jazz tunes. Music will feature Watts on piano, Wade Johnston on guitar, John Albright on trumpet and Michael Boucher on drums. Watts, who also serves as organist at the South Freeport Church Congregational, has also appeared at First Fridays as accompanist for the popular “Ladies of Flame” concerts.

Entrance fee is $5 at the door, with no reservations required. Donations will be accepted for the musicians during the program. Proceeds are donated to Freeport Community Services.

Freeport First Fridays are a joint project of MASISTA (Maryellen and Sam In Support of The Arts) and the Freeport Community Services. For more information, contact Kim Hudak at FCS, 865-3985, ext. 202.

Church launches Miracles Eatery

First Parish Church Congregational, 40 Main St., will hold two fundraising dinners, Feb. 12 and 13, and a Saturday concert on Feb. 13, to raise money and introduce its new Miracles Eatery culinary and food service community project. Dinners starting at 5 p.m. are open to the public and will showcase the Miracles Eatery and the culinary training program for high school students, and offer an affordable dining experience for Freeport area residents. The full program is slated to begin in March with a regular schedule of restaurant-style, home-cooked meals and student training.

The February menu will feature a selection of homemade pasta dinners at $10 or a traditional baked bean supper for $8. Seating and service will be restaurant style. For more information, For more information, leave a message for Sonya at 865-6022 or email [email protected].

On Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., the Miracles program will host an after-dinner fundraising concert featuring well-known Freeporter, Tom Acousti, musician/vocalist. Tickets for the concert range from $10-15. For concert tickets and details, visit www.tomacousti.com/feb13.

Credit union marks 75th anniversary

Atlantic Regional Federal Credit Union marked 75 years of service Jan. 23 to community members in Southern Maine. Atlantic has branches in Brunswick, Freeport, Topsham and Cumberland.

In 1941, the Rev. William Dauphin of St. John the Baptist Parish in Brunswick introduced the “credit union idea” to a group of 37 parishioners. It was a simple concept, to aid other parishioners with their economic struggles and help them do better. The group of 37 understood the value of this credit union idea, and each invested one dollar to form the institution. Soon after the group’s initial investment, the National Credit Union Administration chartered the institution as St. John’s (Brunswick) Federal Credit Union and the 37 investors became credit union members.

By 1944, the credit union had 171 members and deposits totaling $5,861.90. By 2000, with a growing membership, the name was changed to Atlantic Regional Federal Credit Union. Atlantic has grown to become the third largest credit union in Maine, with $300 million in assets and more 19,500 members who live, work and/or worship in Cumberland and Sagadahoc counties.

Isles Of Shoals is lecture topic

A free lecture, “The Isles of Shoals: 5,000 years of Marine Ecology,” will be presented Friday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m., in the atrium of the camping department at L.L. Bean. Presenters Nate Hamilton and Robin Hadlock Seeley will discuss how archaeology can help us understand coastal ecology of the past, including absent invaders, extinct predators and giant cod. Jennifer Seavey will close with a discussion of the connection between human ecology of past and present day life in the isles of Shoals.

College honors

Mason Cyr of Freeport has been named to the dean’s list for the 2015 fall semester at the University of New England. Dean’s list students have attained a grade point average of 3.3 or better out of a possible 4.0 at the end of the semester.

Jill Baker of Freeport was one of more than 50 Susquehanna University students to participate in the school’s annual leadership program in January. Baker also was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2015 semester. She is a communications major in the class of 2019 at Susquehana, Selinsgrove, Pa. A 2015 graduate of Freeport High School, she is the daughter of Stephen Baker and Liz Andrews

New logging exhibit

“Logging in the Maine Woods, 1915-1928 : The Paintings of Alden Grant,” a special exhibit of 19 paintings by Alden Grant, Sr. on loan from the Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum, will be on dispaly from now through March 25, at the Freeport Historical Society, 45 Main St.

The subject is logging in the Maine woods from 1915-1928, when axes, handsaws, and horses were used to cut and haul trees. Grant, who lived some years in Freeport, spent many hours of his youth observing loggers working near his childhood home in the area of Rangeley. He created folk art paintings from 1986-1990 when he was in his late 70s from his memories of the logging camps in the early decades of the 20th century.

Poetry reading

Freeport Community Library will host poet Jennifer Lamson-LaPlume, Monday, Feb. 8, at 6:30 p.m., as she reads from “Anything But Empty,” her first collection of poetry.

Although she began writing poems as a young person, it was after a serious car accident in 2012 that she began writing poetry in earnest. These poems, which reflect her struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, ultimately became her first collection of published poetry.

Chocolate Bash

Freeport Community Library will host its 15th annual Chocolate Bash, a popular event including a buffet of bite-size chocolate temptations, on Wednesday, Feb. 10, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Visitors can sample the array of chocolate treats for $2 per plate. There will also be raffles for chocolate desserts, a treat basket and an art basket made up of donations from members of the Art Guild of Freeport, whose annual art exhibit is on display in February at the library. Raffle tickets are $1 each or six for $5 and can be purchased the evening of the Chocolate Bash, or any time before then at the library’s main desk.The musical group Cul de Sax will provide live music at the event.

Kids can sign up for farm programs

Wolfe’s Neck Farm is now enrolling campers in grades 3-5 for February Vacation Camp, Feb. 16-18. Participants will explore life on the farm in the winter and how animals prepare for, and survive, this time of year. After barn chores and morning snack time, activities will center on what’s happening at the farm, the weather, and this year’s theme, “Winter on the Farm.” Activities could include lessons in winter barn management, livestock handling, animal tracking, building bluebird boxes and learning about animal hibernation and torpor.

Registration also is now open for all 2016 educational programs at Wolf’s Neck Farm, spring after-school programs and summer day camp. For details and registration information, call 865-4469, ext. 106, email [email protected] or see www.wolfesneckfarm.org.

Winter reminders

The Public Works Department reminds residents that for the winter season, they are allowed two, 5-gallon buckets of sand per storm. Sand is located adjacent to the silver recycling bullet on Hunter Road in front of the Public Works facility.

Also, no parking is allowed on public streets nor in turnarounds during winter storm events. Residents should keep streets and turnarounds clear of vehicles (including trailers, campers, etc.) during a storm. The winter parking ban is now in effect, from 11 p.m.-7 a.m., and will continue until April 15.

Residents who have questions or concerns can call 865-4461.

Free tax prep assistance

AARP will conduct free tax preparation assistance Wednesday mornings beginning in February at the Freeport Community Center. Assistance is for low- to moderate-income households, with special attention to those 60 years and older. For an appointment, call 865-4743, ext. 100 and leave a message. Calls will be returned by Freeport Community Center volunteers once a week on Thursday mornings.

Upcoming meetings

Planning Board, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 6 p.m.,Town Council Chambers.

Recycling & Solid Waste Committee, Monday, Feb. 8, 5:30 p.m., Town Hall.

Conservation Commission, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

Town Council workshop, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Project Review Board, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 6 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Coastal Waters Commission, Wednesday, Feb.10, 6 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

A full listing of upcoming town meetings and agendas is available at www.freeportmaine.com.