Freeport residents take home Maine Literary Awards

Three Freeport residents were among the Maine Literary Award winners in an annual competition sponsored and coordinated by the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance.

Congratulations to Colin Woodard, author of “American Character,” and Caitlin Shetterly, author of “Modified,” who tied for the Book Award for nonfiction. and Jefferson Navicky, who won the Drama Award for film, theater and other scripts.

Nominations are open to all Maine residents, including seasonal residents. The statewide competition is for published books, as well as drama, short works (either published or unpublished), and student writing. Maine writers may self-nominate, or be nominated by others.

In 2017, 150 were entered across the award’s categories, more than 80 manuscripts were submitted into the award’s Short Works Competition, and nearly 40 Maine students submitted work in the award’s Youth Competition.

Durham Warriors Survival Challenge

Durham Warriors Project will be doing a live Facebook feed Friday-Sunday, June 23-25 of the Durham Warriors Survival Challenge, which will be held at Maine Forest Yurts, 430 Auburn Pownal Road, Pownal.

The DWSC is a three-day, “Survivor”-themed event where a group of contestants from around the country compete in various outdoor challenges, survive in the Maine woods, hold tribal councils, and vote for one winner. The money raised covers the cost for disabled veterans and their families and others to stay at Maine Forest Yurts. Come see the challenge; it’s like watching a reality show being filmed live.

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Several former winners from the show will be cheering on the new crop of contestants. Among them, fans will remember Richard Hatch from Season 1, Borneo winner and contestant in Season 8 All Stars; Ethan Zohn, Season 3, Africa winner and Season 8 All Stars, Zoe Zanidakis Season 4 Marquesas; Tina Scheer, Season 12, Panama; Denise Martin, Season 15, China; Kathy Sleckman, Season 16, Fans vs. Favorites; Dr. Jill Behm, Season 21, Nicaragua; Jimmy T. Tarantino, Season 21, Nicaragua; Nina Poersch, Season 30, Worlds Apart; and, of course, Maine’s own Bob Crowley, Season 17, Gabon winner.

The contestants this year include six other “Survivor” contestants/winners and 24 others from around the country, including three competitors from Maine. The event kicks off Friday, June 23 at 8 a.m. with opening remarks and challenges beginning at Walkabout Pond. The final Tribal Council will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, when the winner will be announced. From 4 -7 p.m., there will be a meet and greet at the Crowley Farm.

Concessions will be available from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the event. Donations are welcome and will be accepted at the venue and online at www.DurhamWarriors.org and www.MaineForestYurts.com. Parking is at 491 Auburn Pownal Road in Durham.

Maine Pops Concert Band Hosts R.B. Hall Day

Enjoy a day-long presentation of community bands playing marches in honor of Robert Brown Hall, who was born in Bowdoinham and raised in Richmond from age 9.

On Saturday, June 24, at Discovery Park at L.L. Bean in Freeport, the festivities will begin with an opening ceremony at 8:15 a.m. and continue all day to 8:30 p.m.

Hall’s father, Nathaniel W. Hall, was a noted cornetist, bugle player and conductor. From cornet lessons taught by his dad to lessons with other locally known cornet players, Robert showed great promise and, despite working to help support his family, he became a popular and respected soloist and composer.

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His first march was simply entitled “M.H.A.” in honor of Melvin H. Andrews, a music instructor who had a positive influence on Hall’s musical career. Hall was renowned, playing as first cornet and soloist all over the northeast from New York to Maine, and directed the Richmond Cornet Band at age 19. Hall’s playing was often compared to the best in terms of its power, tone and virtuosity. He had an incredible range, often being able to play well above the rest of the band. His prolific ability to compose marches led to the nickname “New England March King.” Recognized primarily as a composer of marches, Hall was an accomplished conductor and cornet soloist, whose creative talent and native ability marked him as one of Maine’s outstanding citizens.

“R. B. Hall Day shall commemorate and honor R. B. Hall, an internationally recognized composer,” reads the proclamation from the state of Maine, issued in 1981. The last Saturday in June of each year is designated R. B. Hall Day, when Mainers are invited to observe the day with appropriate ceremony and activity. 

The list of participating bands includes 8:30 a.m., Coastal Winds; 9:15 a.m., Hallowell Community Band; 10 a.m., Centennial Brass Band; 10:45 a.m., Fanfare Concert Band; 11:30 a.m., Harpswell Concert Band; 12:15 p.m., Bay Winds North; 1 p.m., Bangor Band; 1:45 p.m., Massed Band; 2:30 p.m., Casco Bay Wind Symphony; 3:15 p.m., Seacoast Wind Ensemble; 4 p.m., Bath Municipal Band; 4:45 p.m., Westbrook City Band; 5:30 p.m., H.J. Crosby Band; 6:15 p.m., Bridgton Community Band; 7 p.m., Low Commotion; 7:45 p.m., Sebasticook Valley; 8:30 p.m., the hosts, Maine POPS Concert Band.

Hot dogs and beans on the menu in North Pownal 

On July 1 from 4:30-6 p.m. the North Pownal United Methodist Church will be serving kidney, yellow and pea beans along with hot dogs, coleslaw, brown bread and biscuits. In addition, there will be potato salad, spaghetti with meat sauce and in-house made pickles and pickled beets. Homemade pies galore make for a yummy dessert pick. The cost is $8 for 13 years and older, $3 for ages 4-12; age 3 and younger eat free.

The church is at 851 Lawrence Road and is handicapped accessible. Contact Kim Drew at 837-2938 or contact the church at 688-4938 with any questions.

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Chewonki Night: Fur, Feet & Feathers

What makes a bird a bird and a mammal a mammal? Using costumes, hands-on materials and live animals Chewonki will answer that question during an entertaining, interactive evening at Freeport Community Library on Tuesday, June 27, 6 p.m. at 10 Library Drive, Freeport. The program is for families with children 5 and older. For more, contact Mary Lehmer, children/teen librarian, at 865-3307.

Wolfe’s Neck Farm free evening talk

Introducing a monthly series this summer, Wolfe’s Neck Farm invites you to “dig deeper” into some of the key issues in food and farming today, and learn how Wolfe’s Neck Farm is playing an important part in finding solutions.

On June 27, the topic will be “Farming and the Fight Against Climate Change,” which will be presented by Dorn Cox, Wolfe’s Neck Farm research coordinator and founder of FarmOS. Come learn about the Regenerative Farm Observatory Network at Wolfe’s Neck Farm, where soil health research is shared with and used by farmers, scientists and the general public in an effort to find ways agriculture can mitigate the effects of climate change.

RSVP and learn more about the other topics in this summer series at WolfesNeckFarm.org. The talks are free and open to the public.

History hay wagon tours

Climb aboard a classic open hay wagon and travel through time to hear stories of the ship captains, fishermen, farmers, teachers, and homemakers who lived on Wolfe’s Neck over the past 250 years.

Wolfe’s Neck Farm is a unique saltwater farm that is being explored on a new history tour, when the work of the farm today weaves through the story, connecting past and present. Many of the buildings and landscapes of Wolfe’s Neck Farm have remained largely unchanged for centuries. This “Wagon Ride to the Past” is a unique opportunity to learn from local historians about the oceanfront farm and the surrounding countryside. 

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Recommended for ages 12 and up, the two-hour tours will be offered Saturdays June 24, July 22, Aug. 19 and Sept. 16, from 10 a.m.-noon. The cost is $10 a person; $5 for ages 12-18.

Tours begin and end at the Red Barn. Advance online reservations are strongly recommended; walk-ons will be accommodated if space is available. Tours will operate with a minimum of six people. Water and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended. Note the tour may proceed if it is lightly raining, but will be canceled in more extreme weather, in which case refunds will be issued. For more, call 865-4469.

Taste the Farm

Come get a taste of Wolfe’s Neck Farm with an in-depth tour of the barns and gardens. Led by educators, the program will take visitors through the milking parlor and brand new Wishcamper Livestock and Education Barn. Participants will take a tractor ride up to the Teen Agriculture field to get a taste of the organic produce grown there.

Recommended for individuals and families with children ages 10 and up (parent/guardian participation required). Taste the Farm will run Saturdays and Sundays for the summer, 11 a.m.-noon for $5 per person.

‘Forgotten Farms’ recalled in documentary 

Wolfe’s Neck Farm presents the biography/historical documentary “Forgotten Farms” at 7 p.m. July 13 at Frontier in Brunswick. For tickets, go to wolfesneckfarm.org. The hour-long film examines class divides in our farm and food communities. Most people buy their food in supermarkets and don’t have a chance to meet their farmer. But in some communities, farm-to-table restaurants, farmers markets and CSAs are booming, and the new farmers are celebrated. However, there is a farmer who is left out of the local food celebration.

New England has lost over 10,000 dairy farms in the past 50 years; fewer than 2,000 farms remain. Collectively, they tend 1.2 million acres of farmland and produce almost all of the milk consumed in New England. Only 100 years ago, New England produced most of its own food on 16 million acres of farmland. Through conversations with farmers and policy experts, the film reconsiders the role of these vital but forgotten farmers.

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Forgotten Farms gives people a glimpse into the past and a vision for a future regional food system. The documentary shows the cultural divide between the new food movement and traditional farming, highlighting the need to examine differences, develop mutual understanding, and find common ground. A truly sustainable local food system that benefits everyone will rely on all farmers.

A Q&A with farmers, agricultural leaders, and filmmakers will follow the film.

Grange 150th anniversary open house

The National Grange Movement in the United States is celebrating its 150-year anniversary. Harraseeket Grange No. 9 in Freeport jumped on board early in the history, back when much of the area was rural farmland. To acknowledge the anniversary, the Grange will hold an open house  7-9 a.m. Tuesday, July 4 at 13 Elm St. There will be coffee and donuts, tours of the building, historical items and a chance to take a peek at what was once secretive. The Grange is just a few steps down from the parade route on Main Street (Route 1); come by during the race and before the parade. 

Grange hosting bean supper

Harraseeket Grange No. 9 will hold an all-you-can-eat baked bean supper Saturday, June 24, 5-6 p.m., at 13 Elm St. in Freeport. The menu includes three kinds of homemade beans, hot dogs, pickles, biscuits, brown bread, potato salad, coleslaw, pasta salad and homemade pies. The cost is $9 for adults, $4 for kids 6-12 and free for kids under 6.

METRO BREEZ on parade

Metro BREEZ would love riders to celebrate the bus at the July 4 parade. Contact Denise Beck at dbeck@gpmetrobus.com to climb aboard. The BREEZ North Express Bus Service has been operating for over a year with service between Portland and Freeport. The service will be extended to Brunswick beginning Aug. 24. Details will be coming out soon on the extension of the service. 

Send community notes from Freeport, Pownal and Durham to tritownnotes@gmail.com.

The Freeport Police Department Color Guard marches during a previous Fourth of July parade. Residents are invited this year to ride the BREEZ bus during the parade to celebrate the success of the Freeport route over the last year.


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