Local artists exhibit

Tuesday Artists and Painters’ The exhibit by a group of Freeport and Yarmouth artists is on display at the Royal Bean, 18 Yarmouth Crossing Drive, Yarmouth, through the end of March.

A reception to meet the artists will be Sunday, March 23, 4-6 p.m. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Polly Smith, 844-4934.

Library Friends meet Monday

Friends of the Freeport Community Library will hold its monthly meeting Monday, March 17, at 6:30 p.m. at the library. All are welcome to attend the meeting and join the volunteers who support and promote the library.

In addition to ongoing projects, the group will discuss plans for a Friends Preview Night that will kick off the library’s Annual Book Sale to be held the first week of April.

Since forming in 2011, the group has provided free/discounted museum and park passes for patrons, advocated for the addition of a technology librarian, raised funds for a specialized book scanner for the library and started sponsoring a “Meet the Author” series of book talks. For more information, visit www.FCLfriends.org.

Clinic offers free feral cat neutering

On Wednesday March 12, from 5:30- 6 p.m., the Community Spay-Neuter Clinic in Freeport will offer a humane trapping workshop for the public and traps will be made available for loan so that stray cats living outside your home can be trapped and brought into the clinic for free spay or neuter. Training and traps will be provided at no charge. During April, all free-roaming outdoor/feral cats will be fixed for free. To sign up for the workshop or for more information, call the clinic at 865-0772.

Organic garden workshop coming

Each year in April the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association sponsors organic gardening workshops at more than 30 Maine locations.

Freeport Community Library will host one beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23, in its Community Meeting Room. Open to those of all gardening skills and experience levels, the workshop is designed to provide the essential skills and knowledge needed to make the transition from conventional to organic gardening.

The instructor will be Dave Colson, who leads MOFGA’s Agricultural Services Program and has worked with MOFGA since 1985, when his family’s New Leaf Farm in Durham first earned its organic certification. He has served on the organization’s board of directors for 18 years. New Leaf Farm is a well-known source of organic vegetables, fruits and herbs for markets and restaurants in the greater Portland area. The Colson family has hosted dozens of farm apprentices, many of whom have gone on to start their own organic farm operations in Maine.

A $10 materials fee will be collected at the workshop. Pre-registration is necessary. Call 865-3307. More information is available at www.mofga.org.

Freeport Players receives grant

Freeport Players recently received a $4,000 grant from the Maine Theater Fund of the Maine Community Foundation to support the production of “The Wizard Of Oz,” July 17-27, at Freeport Performing Arts Center. Freeport Players is partnering with Freeport Family Performing Arts for this production, bringing the strengths and resources of both organizations together.

“This grant will allow us to involve many more members of our community in this production, give them the tools they need to do their best work, and expand our publicity efforts to reach a broader audience,” said Elizabeth Guffey, managing/artistic director of Freeport Players. “Freeport Players have wanted to produce a musical on this scale for a while, and Freeport Family Performing Arts has wanted to add musicals to their offerings. This is the first step in forging a relationship between our two organizations that will continue for years to come.”

Edible Books Festival to debut

The Freeport Community Library will host its first Edible Books Festival, Wednesday, April 16, from 6-7:30 p.m. Participants are invited to submit a prepared dish to be judged. All entries must be edible and based on a book or a poem. There will be separate voting for kids and adult creations, and everyone in the community is invited to attend and cast their votes.

Participants should bring their entries to the library on April 16, from 1-4 p.m., at the community meeting room. People’s Choice voting will be 6-6:30 p.m. Awards will be made at 6:45 p.m. and sampling the food will happen after the awards. Ideas for entries can be found at www.books2eat.com.

For more information or to register, email [email protected].

Pets for Vets program at Legion

American Legion Post 83 will have its monthly meeting on Thursday, March 13 at 7 p.m., at the Freeport Masonic Lodge on Mallet Drive. The guest speaker will be Tom Targett, local coordinator for the Pets for Vets program. All veterans are welcome. For more information, contact Joyce Veilleux, [email protected].

Boiled dinner for St. Patrick’s Day

There will be a St. Patrick’s Day boiled dinner on Saturday, March 15, from 5-6:30 p.m., at the Freeport Masonic Hall on Mallet Drive. The traditional menu will include corned beef, cabbage, potato and other vegetables, dessert and beverage, all for $8 per adult, $4 for children under 12 and free for children under 4. For more information, contact Pete Cutler, 865-3536, or [email protected].

FEDC board position available

Freeport Economic Development Corp., a private, nonprofit organization that performs the Freeport community’s economic development functions, is seeking qualified applicants to fill a vacancy on its board of directors. Directors serve as volunteers, and are nominated and elected by the existing board for a three-year term. Individuals with a passion for public service, close ties to the Freeport community, and relevant experience are encouraged to apply.

Applications are available at www.freeportecon.com, or by contacting Keith McBride, executive director, 865-4743, ext. 117. The board is hoping to have all applications submitted for consideration prior to April 15.

Donate used books

The Freeport Community Library is getting ready for its annual used book sale next month. Donations of gently used books can be dropped off until March 28 during normal library hours. Textbooks, computer books or books in poor or musty condition cannot be accepted. For more information, call Elaine at 865-3307. Receipts for income tax purposes will be provided upon request.

Playground fund getting boost

Mast Landing School, grades 3,4,5, needs the other half of its playground built. Phase 1 was completed last year and money is being raised to complete the play area. On Thursday, March 20, Gritty McDuff’s Brew Pub, 187 Lower Main St., is donating 10 percent of sales, from 4:30 to close, to the playground fund. Trivia night will be happening and there will be a 50/50 raffle.

’60s-era variety show

The Freeport Lioness-Lions will stage its 28th annual Variety Show, “Sensational ’60s,” on Saturday, March 22, at 7 p.m., at the Freeport Performing Arts Center, 30 Holbrook St. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door. Musical numbers and skits will be presented. Proceeds from the show will be donated to Freeport Community Services and to scholarships. For more information, call Karen at 939-6484.

YMCA fundraiser

The annual YMCA Adaptive Services Auction will take place on Wednesday, April 2, from 6-9 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5 Park St., Freeport. The event raises money for the Y’s Adaptive Services Program, which enables people who have lost movement through illness or accident to return to as normal a life as possible. The service is open to all regardless of ability to pay. The evening will include a silent and live auction, hors d’oeuvres and wine bar and more. Tickets are $40 single, $70 pair, or $45 single, $75 pair at the door the night of the event. Tickets can be purchased at any branch of the Y of Southern Maine or online at http://www.ymcaofsouthernmaine.org/casco-bay-ymca/auction.

Comic Bob Marley at school fundraiser

Maine comedian Bob Marley will appear at Freeport Performing Arts Center on Sunday, April 6, at 7 p.m.

His PG-13 show is sponsored by the Freeport High School class of 2014 Project Graduation, which raises approximately $30,000 to provide graduating seniors with activities during their final week of school. Tickets are $20 and seating is limited. Tickets can be purchased at Freeport High School, Houses & Barns by John Libby and The Pet Pantry, and online at www.eventbrite.com. Checks should be written to FHS Class of 2014. For more information, call Cindy Drake, 841-3480.

Photography exhibit

During March, the Freeport Community Library is featuring the work of Maine photographer Karen Miles in its main reading area.

Miles is a world traveler and co-captain of Wanderbird Expeditions out of Belfast. The exhibit features photographs of Newfoundland, Labrador and Greenland. Miles and her co-captain husband, Rick Miles, also own the Northern Arts Gallery in downtown Belfast, where an extensive collection of sculpture, photography, paintings, jewelry and Inuit art can be found. For more information, see www.wanderbirdcruises.com and www.northernlightsgallery.org.

Upcoming meetings

Freeport Project Review Board, Wednesday, March 12, 6 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Coastal Waters Commission, Wednesday, March 12, 6 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

Freeport Shellfish Commission, Thursday, March 13, 6:30 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

Freeport Withdrawal Committee, Thursday, March 13, 6:30 p.m., Freeport High School Conference Room.

Freeport Active Living Task Force, Thursday, March 13, 7:30 a.m., Town Council Chambers.

Freeport Traffic & Parking Committee, Tuesday, March 18, 7:30 a.m., Town Council Chambers.

Freeport Town Council, Tuesday, March 18, 6:30 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Freeport Conservation Commission, Wednesday, March 19, 6 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

Members of the Tuesday Artists and Painters group whose works are on display this month at the Royal Bean in Yarmouth are, from left, seated, Rachael Bradley, Polly Smith, Deb Serino, Lucinda White and Sally Paterson. Ellen Vaughn is in back. In their recent outdoor play, “Thor Triumphant,” Merriconeag Waldorf School’s fourth-graders braved snow, ice and wind like the Norsemen they were portraying. The cast successfully captured their characters as they strode boldly on their snow-covered stage amid flaming torches, bonfires and Utgard Castle’s snow wall. Merriconeag students study Norse mythology as part of the Waldorf fourth-grade curriculum. Shown from left are John Miles Muentener, Louis Walker, Avery Jean, Ilsa Barmby, Emma Haims and Ella Quigg. Freeport High School seniors Molly Brown, left, and Kelsey Grant are now both award-winning playwrights and student directors. Their play, “Unhappily Ever After,” won the 2014 Maine Principals’ Association Regional One Act Drama Competition held in Rockland on March 8. Now they will move on to the state competition.