Flag Ladies to greet wreaths convoy

The Wreaths Across America convoy will stop in Freeport on Sunday, Dec. 8, on the way to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. All are invited to join the Freeport Flag Ladies in front of the fire department on Main Street in Freeport. The expected arrival time is 4:30 p.m. Those who attend are asked to bring a candle or votive light in a Mason jar. Wreaths will be placed on the twin towers of steel from the World Trade Center.

Firewood raffle raises $837

A raffle of a cord of firewood to raise money for those suffering from epilepsy raised $837.

Becky Daniel, mother of Alexandra Daniel, said that Travis Bowdoin of Freeport won the cord of dried, split firewood in the raffle. The wood was stacked and on display outside Doherty’s North Freeport Store.

“We would like to congratulate him and if we could, could you also print a very big thank you to everyone who purchased to tickets for this fundraiser?” Becky Daniel said in an email. “We would like to thank the Doherty’s North Freeport store for displaying the wood and selling tickets, and we would also like to thank Jan and Linda Litchfield for donating the wood trailer. A huge thank you to the Randall brothers, Jeff and Donnie, for donating the cord of firewood.”

The money will be donated to toward the next walk for epilepsy in May of 2014, Daniel said.

Concert explores ‘Many Moods of Christmas’

The Greater Freeport Community Chorus winter concert, “The Many Moods of Christmas,” will be performed Saturday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m., at the Freeport Performing Arts Center, 30 Holbrook St.; and Sunday, Dec. 15, at 2:30 p.m., at the First Parish UCC Church, 40 Main St., Freeport.

The program will feature 18 traditional Christmas carols arranged into four suites, plus several other pieces. Tickets are $10 for adults, 18 and under free, per-family maximum of $25.

For more information, see www.gfccweb.org.

Milestone marked at restaurant

Han and Dong Xu have been in the restaurant business for a nearly a decade in New York City when they began looking for a different atmosphere, both for their business and their two children. They chose Freeport, and on Sunday, Dec. 1, the couple, both 30, celebrated their first year in business at China Rose.

“It’s a nice place to live – peaceful, relaxed,” Han said last week, during lunchtime at the popular Chinese restaurant. “Locals love it here. The previous owner, Ly, was well-known.”

Han manages the restaurant while Dong works as the hibachi chef upstairs, where sushi is served.

“When you own a business and work in the kitchen,” Han said, “everybody works better for you.”

Han said that General Tso’s Chicken, Pu Pu Platter and the fried rice are among the menu favorites. Han and Dong updated the buffet bar a bit, but didn’t make too many changes to what has been a successful business for some three decades.

That’s fine with Durham residents Theresa Daigle and her daughter, Nevada.

“I’ve been coming here for years – I’d say close to 30 years,” Theresa Daigle said last week as she and her daughter enjoyed lunch. “The food is great here and the people are really hospitable. We were at first concerned that it wouldn’t be the same, but they really have managed to keep it pretty much the same.”

“The quality hasn’t changed at all,” Nevada Daigle said.

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Children’s author in town Saturday

Kate Nevius, author of “Penguina’s Bedtime Story,” will be at Sherman’s Book & Stationery, 128 Main St, Freeport, on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 1-3 p.m., for a reading and signing.

Nevius is a resident of Needham, Mass. In the book, Penguina and Grandma recount all of Grandma’s dreams and desires, from traveling across the seas, traveling over mountains, and swimming through crystal oceans.

Northern Nights Celebration continues

A musical holiday light show takes place now through Dec. 31, every half hour from 5-9 p.m., when trees around the L.L. Bean campus, including the giant Christmas tree, are decorated with over 25,000 colored lights that are synchronized with holiday tunes. The display is part of Bean’s Northern Lights Celebration, which also will feature sled dogs from Blockhouse Pursuits Dogsled Adventures, Saturdays, Dec. 7 and14, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., in Discovery Park. Weather permitting, demonstrations will show how the teams are assembled and how dogs are harnessed.

Wolfe’s Neck Farm hosts kids’ programs

Families with preschool-aged children are invited to Wolfe’s Neck Farm Farmer for the Morning program, Thursdays from 8:30-9:30 a.m., at the farm, 184 Burnett Road in Freeport. Participants can meet the farm’s educators in the barn to learn about and interact with the animals. The group will venture out into the pastures and visit the Discovery Garden, where children will have an opportunity to learn, play, touch, smell and taste. Cost for the drop-in program is $5.

The farm is also hosting a holiday tradition for children, the Night Tree event, Saturday, Dec. 7, inspired by Eve Bunting’s book, “Night Tree.” Her story is about a family that feeds the forest animals by making decorations for a special tree. Each hour during the day, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., the story will be read and then participants can decorate pinecones with birdseed and string popcorn, dried fruit and cranberries. The group then takes a short hike on the trails to leave the treats for the animals. This event costs $5 per person ages 2 and older.

For more information, see www.wolfesneckfarm.org.

Free movie at the library

On Thursday, Dec. 5, at 1 p.m., the film, “Joyeux Noel,” will be shown at the Freeport Community Library. It is based on a true event. On Christmas Eve, 1914, as German, French, and Scottish regiments face each other from their respective trenches, a musical call-and-response turns into an impromptu cease-fire, trading chocolates and champagne, playing soccer, and comparing pictures of their wives. But when Christmas ends, the war returns. The film is rated PG-13.

Shopping bag sales benefit food pantry

Freeport USA and Freeport businesses have teamed together to offer a reusable tote bag for sale. The tote is available for $5 and all proceeds benefit the Freeport Community Services Food Pantry. Twenty-four participating businesses are listed on the bag. Those who bring the bag in to the merchants can save 10 percent now through Dec. 31. For more information and to purchase a bag, visit http://www.freeportusa.com/latest-news/freeport-10-bag/.

Club seeks grant recipient

The Freeport Woman’s Club is looking for a candidate for its 2013 Step Up Grant, a $1,000 gift for a woman 21 or older from Freeport or Pownal who is seeking occupational training and has financial need. Criteria for selection of the applicant are based upon financial need, clarity of goals, educational program and references.

For questions and further information, call Virginia Boyles at 865-3973.

Volunteers needed for reading program

Freeport Community Services is seeking volunteers to read to children in day care programs. Volunteers will need to be able to drive to a nearby day care location and spend 45 minutes once a week reading to young children who will benefit from and enjoy the experience, as do the readers. For more information, call Virginia Boyles at 865-3973 or Deb Dagget at 865-3985, ext. 206.

FHS silent auction ends Dec. 6

The Freeport High School senior class is holding an online silent auction through Dec. 6 to raise funds for their Project Graduation in June 2014. Families, local businesses and individual students have contributed items such as a week at a vacation home in Nicaragua, an afternoon of sailing on the Harraseeket River, babysitting around the holidays, and four hours of yard work performed by members of the class.

All of the budget for Project Graduation is earned by senior class members, with assistance from their parents. Project Graduation is designed to help graduating seniors stay off the roads and stay safe after they receive their diplomas. To place bids, go to www.fhsprojectgraduation2014.com. For more information call Leigh Fisher at 207-838-2070.

Last chance to nominate Citizen of the Year

Each year Freeport presents a Citizen of the Year Award to honor those who have contributed substantively to the quality of the town, the well-being of the residents and the reputation of Freeport.

The Freeport Town Council Special Projects Committee collects nominations yearly for the award. Deadline for nominations for the 2013 Citizen of the Year is Dec. 5. Nomination forms are available at the town office and are available at www.freeportmaine.com.