FARMINGTON — The seventh annual Maurer Meals will be held Friday, Oct. 14, and Saturday, Oct. 15, at 11 locally owned restaurants throughout western Maine. Participating restaurants will offer special menus featuring locally grown food products, including organic and all natural foods. Money raised goes to the Justin A. Maurer Memorial Scholarship Fund, for a third or fourth year University of Maine at Farmington student enrolled in the Community Health Education Program.

Maurer Meals is held in memory of Justin Maurer, a 2004 magna cum laude graduate of that program. “Justin was a supporter of the small farm in Maine, and he recognized the necessity of producing food without poisoning the earth or our bodies,” said Justin’s father, Gary Maurer of Leeds. “We thought this project might be a good way to carry on his beliefs and honor his legacy.”

The goals of Maurer Meals include supporting local agriculture and locally owned independent restaurants as well as the scholarship fund. It works to keep money local, keep the land sustainable and encourage people to make conscious decisions about food, health and community. To date, Maurer Meals has raised more than $12,000 and six Community Health Education students have benefited from the scholarship fund.

Maurer Meals is organized with the help of the following organizations: Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County, Healthy Oxford Hills, River Valley Healthy Community Coalition, the University of Maine at Farmington and Western Mountains Alliance.

The participating restaurants this year are Brian’s Bistro in Rumford (364-3300), Cafe Nomad of Norway (739-2249), Calzolaio Pasta Company of Wilton (645-9500), The Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant of Rangeley (864-5805), The Heritage House in Skowhegan (474-5100), The Homestead Bakery of Farmington (778-6162), LaFleur’s of Jay (897-2117), The Olde Mill Tavern of Harrison (583-9077), The Sedgley Place of Greene (946-5990), She Doesn’t Like Guthries of Lewiston (376-3344) and 76 Pleasant St. of Norway (744-9040).

For reservations, call the participating restaurant. For information about the scholarship, call Pat Carpenter of UMF at 778-7091. For information about the Maurer Meals Project call Gary Maurer at 524-2060, visit maurermeals.org or find them on Facebook.