Community Center repairs under way

Repair work to the front of the Freeport Community Center, 53 Depot St., in ongoing through June 19. Visitors should be advised that ramp accessibility may be limited during the repair work. For more information, call 865-3985, ext. 202 .

Race, family day, at Winslow Park

Winslow Park celebrates the start of summer with the Family Fun Day and Close to the Coast Race, on Saturday, June 20. The race starts at 9 a.m., followed by a barbecue, games, bouncy house and refreshments. Live music begins at 11 a.m. with performances by the Jerks of Grass and Golden Oak.

June 20-28 is Free Camping Week for Freeport residents at Winslow Park.

In addition to camping, Winslow Park offers a tidal beach, boat launch, picnic tables and grills, fishing pier, playground, volleyball court, basketball court, horseshoes, and tranquil nature trails that border the park adjacent to the Harraseeket River and Casco Bay.

During July and August, concerts will take place Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, call 865-4198 or visit www.freeportmaine.com.

Bean supper at First Parish

A bean and pasta supper will be held on Saturday, June 13, from 5-6 p.m., at the First Parish Church Congregational, 40 Main St. On the menu will be three kinds of homemade baked beans, macaroni and cheese, American chop suey, hot dogs, rolls, pickles, cole slaw, pie, beverages and more. The cost is $8, and $4 for children. Profits support outreach programs.

Looking for crafters

The South Freeport Congregational Church, 98 South Freeport Road, is looking for crafters for the annual Summer Blueberry Festival, Aug. 1. Vendors can include fine art, paintings, photographs, makeup demos, jewelry, antique items, purses, flowers and stampers. The fee is $25 for the full day, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Vendors must bring their own setup and display equipment. For more information, call SueAnn Randall at 865-1670.

Summer events at library

The Freeport Community Library Summer Reading Program runs from June 10-Aug. 27. This free program encourages children to read with programs, crafts and prizes throughout the summer. To sign up, stop by the Children’s Room.

The library’s free monthly movie series will continue in the summer. On Thursday, June 18, at 1 p.m., the romantic comedy, “Dan in Real Life,” will be shown. It stars Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche and is rated PG-13.

An outside summer concert featuring Pan Fried Steel is scheduled for Wednesday, July 8, from 6-7:30 p.m. Families are invited to bring lawn chairs and a picnic supper for this event.

Each month a local artist’s work is exhibited at the library. This summer’s Art at the Library features Douglas Wood’s photography in June, Ann Tracy’s collage/digital painting in July and Susan Renk- Greenlaw’s watercolors in August.

The library is still in need of Legos to get a Lego club started. Donations can be dropped off at the Children’s Room.

High school senior to study in Turkey

Merriconeag Waldorf High School senior Lars Gundersen of Freeport has been awarded an academic year scholarship to study Turkish language, history and culture in Izmir, Turkey, through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and provides merit-based scholarships for high school students and recent high school graduates to learn less commonly taught languages in academic-year overseas immersion programs. The organization is part of a U.S. government initiative that prepares Americans to be leaders in a global world. Following a year in Turkey, Gundersen plans to enroll in Bates College in September 2016.

Runners thank sponsors

The Freeport Running Boosters thank Bow Street Market for hosting and supporting the Bow Street Market Tortoise and Hare 5K run that was held on Sunday, June 7. The boosters also thank the following businesses for sponsoring the race: Zachau Construction, St. Mary’s Center for Orthopoedics, USANA, Dr. Chris Green (The Art of Dentistry), Freeport Medical Center, Lifetouch National School Studios, Coastal Maine Popcorn Co., Petrillo’s Restaurant, Buck’s Naked BBQ, and Clifford and Golden P.A

Camp Seaside now enrolling

Freeport’s Camp Seaside is a summer day camp for children entering grades 1-5 and is based at Mast Landing School on Bow Street. Some of the time, weather permitting, will be spent at Winslow Park. Each week will also include a trip to a local state park or beach. Daily activities include sports, arts and crafts and games. Campers are divided into age-appropriate groups for most activities.

Camp fees include all field trips, special events and daily lunch. The day camp is, once again, teaming up with Freeport Community Services and the USDA’s summer lunch program. Staff of the day camp is made up of trained college and high school students who are also certified in CPR and first aid.

To register, call 865-6171, visit www.rsu5-rce.org or stop in at 17 West St., Freeport.

Maine authors to speak

Ellen Cooney will speak at the Freeport Community Library Wednesday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m., on her most recently published novel, “The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances.”

Cooney’s book is about two women and a pack of dogs who find a place at a training school called the Sanctuary. Cooney is the author of eight novels and stories published in The New Yorker and many literary journals. She taught creative writing for 25 years.

Jim Nichols will be at the library on Monday, June 22, at 6:30 p.m., to read from his latest novel, “Closer All the Time,” published in March by Yarmouth-based Islandport Press.

With the coastal waters of Maine as the backdrop, Nichols tells the bittersweet stories of several colorful characters bound together by a shared geography and the insular nature of small-town life in fictional Baxter, ME.

Born in Brunswick and raised in Freeport, Nichols became interested in writing fiction while working as a ticket agent for a commuter airline in Rockland. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including Esquire, Narrative, American Fiction and Down East. He has been nominated several times for Pushcart prizes, and his novel, “Hull Creek,” was the runner-up for the 2012 Maine Book Award for Fiction.

Roadwork ongoing

The Public Works Department has scheduled installation of a berm and screening plantings at the end of Elm Street. Construction and plantings are expected to take a few days. Total material cost is expected to be approximately $1,000 for the berm and $1,000-$1,500 for the trees.

For those who travel Wardtown Road/Route 125, construction is ongoing and delays should be expected. It is anticipated that base coat paving should be complete by July 1.

Officer graduates

Freeport Police Officer Nate Leger has graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. He graduated seventh out of 60 cadets from the 18-week academy. He completed his field training with the Freeport Police Department prior to attending the academy and is now fully certified.

Sewer district issues invitations

On June 15, and on the third Monday of each month, the public is invited to attend the Freeport Sewer District trustees meeting at 7 p.m., at 43 South Freeport Road.

On Saturday, June 20, the public is invited to an open house, from 9 a.m.-noon, at 43 South Freeport Road, for a tour of the sewer district plant with a member of the staff. For more information, call 865-3540.

College honors

Morrisville State College, Morrisville, N.Y., recently announced that Leanna Smith of Freeport was named to the dean’s list for the spring 2015 semester.To be named to the dean’s list, a student must achieve an average of 3.0 to 3.99 for the semester and complete 12 credit hours.

Landon Easler of Freeport was one of the 54 student-athletes at Stevenson University, Owings Mills, Md., to volunteer with the Carroll County Special Olympics Spring Games. Stevenson student-athletes are encouraged to not only excel academically and athletically, but become involved members of their surrounding community. The annual event was held on April 22.

Connor Joseph Dietrich of Freeport, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, was named to the dean’s list for the spring 2015 semester at Clarkson University, Pottsdam, N.Y. Dean’s list students must achieve a minimum 3.25 grade-point average and also carry at least 14 credit hours.

Spring cleanup

Freeport residents have the whole month of June to bring one free load of waste to the Recycling Center using the cleanup coupon contained in the town mailer that residents have received in their mailboxes. Hours are Wednesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Residents will also be required to have a 2015 facility sticker ($6), which can be purchased at the Recycling Center the day of disposal or can be purchased ahead of time. As in years past, some material have fees associated with their disposal. A list of acceptable items and fees is included in the flyer and at www.freeportmaine.com.

For those interested in composting, several products are available for purchase at the Recycling Center.

Vacation Bible School

South Freeport Congregational Church announces its sixth Vacation Bible School half-day summer camp for ages 5 to 12. The camp begins with a family kickoff event on Sunday, June 28, from 4-6 p.m. The camp will runs from 9 a.m.-noon, June 29-July 2. Each day will involve varied activities including crafts, songs, Bible stories and snacks. For more information visit www.southfreeportchurch.com/vacation-bible-school.html or call Beth in the church office at 865-4012. This is a free camp. Donations are welcomed.

Youth chorale auditions

Wescustago Youth Chorale will hold auditions for new singers on June 10. The chorale is an 85-plus voice auditioned coed chorus for students in grades 3-12 in fall 2015, and singers come from 12 area towns, including Freeport, Brunswick, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Bath and more. Rehearsals are on Monday nights in Freeport. The chorale sings a few concerts each year, produced a Reny’s commercial in April, and will sing the National Anthem at the Sea Dogs in June. For more information, visit www.wescustago.wordpress.com. Contact Managing Director Leigh Palmer for an audition time at [email protected].

Historical society hosting ‘Tea with Millie’

“Tea with Millie,” an event to gather memories of, and stories about, Mildred Pettengill, the last resident of Pettengill Farm, will be hosted by the Freeport Historical Society on Thursday, June 11, at noon, at Harrington House, 45 Main St. in Freeport. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the historical society’s stewardship of Pettengill Farm, and the organization is preparing to mark the occasion with some special events during this year’s Pettengill Farm Day in September. To this end, FHS is looking to learn more about Mildred Pettengill from the people who knew her personally.

Anyone with a personal or family connection to Pettengill is invited to the gathering. Lunch will be provided at no charge, and will feature a recipe or two from Pettengill’s own collections. Those without their own stories to share, but who are eager to learn more about the Pettengill story, are also welcome.

For more information, visit www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org, call 865-3170 or email [email protected].

Upcoming meetings

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

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

Active Living Task Force, Thursday, June 11, 7:30 a.m., Town Council Chambers.

Shellfish Conservation Commission, Thursday, June 11, 6:30 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

Recycling/Solid Waste Committee, Monday, June 15, 5:30 p.m., Town Hall.

Conservation Commission, Tuesday, June 16, 6 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

Traffic & Parking Commission, Tuesday, June 16, 7:30 a.m., Town Council Chambers

Town Council District 1 Workshop, Tuesday, June 16, 6:30 p.m. District workshop at Freeport Community Library, followed by regular council meeting, Town Council Chambers.

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

The Freeport Lioness-Lions Club will hold its second annual food drive, “Be a Superhero, End Hunger Today!” at Shaw’s Supermarket on Saturday, June 13, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m., to benefit Freeport Community Services Food Panty. Donations of non-perishable food items, health and cleaning products, and/or money will be accepted. Shown here from last year’s drive are, from left, Kelly Profenno and Dawn Connolly. For more information, email [email protected] or call 751-3649. Courtesy photoLars GundersenFreeport High School freshman Ben Barry, center, went to Augusta last week for the Meridian Stories Top Ten Maine Youth Visionaries celebration. He is one of the Top Ten. He was presented with a $100 check by Ann LePage, left, first lady. Brett Pierce, right, a Freeport resident, founded Meridian Stories, a nonprofit educational initiative, in 2011.Courtesy photo