TOPS

NORWAY — TOPS meets Tuesdays in the Association Hall at Town & Country Mobile Home Village, 99 Town & Country Drive, Norway. Weigh-in is from 4 to 4:45 p.m. and the meeting is from 5 to 6 p.m. Yearly membership is $32 and monthly dues are $5, which include a bimonthly magazine subscription to TOPS News. TOPS is a nonjudgmental weight loss support group and there is no food to buy or diet to follow – a healthy lifestyle is promoted. For information, call Mary at 743-6992 or 461-1010.

Survivors

MAINE — The Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) has announced two new services for survivors of sexual harassment and assault: text support and chat support. In addition to the statewide sexual assault helpline, people can text the helpline number, 1-800-871-7741, or go to mecasa.org to chat with an advocate. These services are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Support includes free, private support from a trained sexual assault advocate; information and resources that can help with next steps in healing or criminal justice proceedings; and referrals for longer-term support like mental health help. The new services are yet to be available 24-hours due to limited funding. The helpline is available 24 hours. For information, visit mecasa.org/onlinehelp/.

Kite flying

NORWAY — Color the Sky, Kite Fly!, a kite-flying group, will hold monthly outings on selected weekends in Norway and surrounding towns; dates depend on the wind and weather. Time of kite-flying sessions will be from 1 to 4 p.m., meeting at area locations. The outings are free and open to all. Email Terry at colorthesky3@gmail.com for an introductory, informational email. To receive outing notifications, request to be placed on the email notification list or sign on as a member on the group’s Facebook page at tinyurl.com/yadtn6ms. You may also text or leave a message at 890-5207.

Respite care

LEWISTON — Those caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia, and paying out-of-pocket or unable to afford home care, can get help through SeniorsPlus, which offers respite reimbursement services to help keep care partners at home. For information, contact SeniorsPlus at 1-800-427-1241.

Al-Anon

NORWAY — Al-Anon meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Second Congregational Church in Norway on 205 Main St.

4-H poultry

HARRISON — Feathered Friends is a 4-H poultry club seeking members ages 5-18. The club will focus on all things poultry, including learning how to care for, raise and show chickens, ducks and turkeys. 4-H is a national organization for youth ages 5 to 18 to learn life skills through hands-on work in a variety of project areas. Participation in Feathered Friends will give members access to participate in six countywide 4-H events, including the Cumberland Fair. Participation is free, although each club typically requests a nominal fee. For information or to request a disability accommodation, call Sara Conant at 781-6099, email sara.conant@maine.edu, or visit umaine.edu/cumberland/programs/cumberland-county-4-h/clubs/.

Thrift Shop

LOVELL — The Lovell UCC Thrift Shop is open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon. The shop is full of really nice things with more coming in all the time. It’s very much in need of people to help out an hour or two anytime. For information, call Pat Stearns at 925-6536 or Peg Mason at 935-7528.

Kids’ Korner

WEST PARIS — The Kids’ Korner at the First Universalist Church of West Paris, 208 Main St., is open on the first and third Saturdays of the month, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A free service for area communities, Kids’ Korner collects and donates new and gently used clothing for infants and toddlers. A current need is boys and girls toddler sizes 2T and 5T. For information, call Donna Marshall at 515-0595, or email donnarae.marshall59@gmail.com.

Cancer support

NORWAY — The Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine is located at 199 Main St. in the Stephens Memorial Hospital Specialty Clinic building. All programs, comfort items and many resources are free to anyone impacted by cancer. The Center is now open on Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m., in addition to Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stop by, call 890-0329, or check out www.crcofwm.org.

Hobby groups

HARRISON — Hobby groups for knitting, crocheting and other hobbies using yarn meet from 1 to 3 p.m. every Monday at the Caswell Conservancy Center, Main Street. The group is open to all, whether experienced or beginner.

Quilt society

MECHANIC FALLS — Area residents who enjoy crafts and companionship are invited to join community and church members at the Anglican Church of the Transfiguration (formerly the Mechanic Falls Congregational Church) on Elm Street for the Bog Hoot Quilt Society meeting. The group meets at 10 a.m. Tuesdays. The entrance to the downstairs is from the driveway to the church. There are plenty of tables for quilting projects, an ironing board and a cutting board, and the coffee pot is on. Participants are invited to bring any project they are working on, including knitting, crocheting and needle crafts, or they may join in on church projects.

Crafts

PARIS — The Paris Public Library hosts craft programs on the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. downstairs in the Deering Memorial Community Center on Main Street. Activities are for those ages 6 to adult. Future crafts include bleach T-shirts, succulent plant pots and photo blocks. Individuals are asked to sign up in advance so sufficient supplies are available. The programs, with all materials, are free and made possible by a grant from the Maine Public Library Fund. The fund is generated by contributions through the Maine income tax check-off for public libraries. For information or to sign up, call the library at 743-6994 or email paris.public.library@MSLN.net.

AMVETS

PARIS — AMVETS Post 777, which serves the Oxford Hills, holds monthly meetings at 6:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month at the American Legion, 12 Church St. Meetings are open to all veterans. For information, call 595-7324.

Swap Shop

SUMNER — Summer hours for the Swap Shop at the Buckfield/Sumner transfer station are Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon; and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Social group

PARIS — Too much spare time? Would you like to make new friends, meet new people? This is an informal group for adults who want to meet new people and form connections to their community. The group meets from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays at the Deering Memorial Community  Center on 39 Main St., South Paris. The entrance is on Church Street. Bring your friends.

Senior fellowship

LOVELL — The Gathering Place, a senior fellowship group, meets Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lovell United Church of Christ, 1174 Main St. Meetings are free and open to any senior who wishes to drop in. Folks attending the meetings should bring their own lunch. Coffee, tea and snacks are provided. A hot meal is provided on the first Thursday of each month. Chair yoga is offered on the third Thursday of the month. This is a time for fellowship, games, art and special events. For information, call the church office at 925-1321.

Worship series

NORWAY — Voices in the Silence will be held the first and third Thursdays of each month at 6 p.m. at the First Universalist Church of Norway at 479 Main St. For information, call 743-2828.

Observatory nights

NORWAY — The Twitchell Observatory offers Open Observatory Nights on the first clear Friday and/or Saturday night of every month. Volunteers share the sky with visitors using the observatory’s telescope, as well as their own. These events are free. For information, visit the observatory’s website at https://tinyurl.com/y9k6scyl, the observatory’s Facebook page, or email webmaster@twitchellobservatory.org.

Yoga classes

OTISFIELD — Laurie Phillips, certified yoga instructor, offers yoga classes at the Otisfield Town Office, through the Otisfield Recreation Department. Class begins at 5:30 p.m. for an hour and 15 minutes. For information and suggestions on clothing, what to bring, etc., call Anne at 539-9101, Ext. 2.

Pine Tree Quilters

NORWAY — The Pine Tree Quilters of Norway and Paris meets every Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon in the Community Room at the Norway Town Office, 19 Danforth St. All are welcome. For information, call Marion Hall at 966-2663.

The Table activities

NORWAY — The Table at the Norway Grange continues to offer free, chemical-free family/community-focused Friday night activities from 6 to 8 p.m. Each week the team offers game nights, movie nights, open mic karaoke; free pizza, popcorn and drinks. The Table is a ministry and mission of the Bolsters Mills United Methodist Church, The Norway Grange and the Community. For information or to volunteer, call A-J Alexander at 461-3093 or email aaturnledt3@gmail.com.

Widows group

OTISFIELD — The Widows Resource Group meets every third week on Tuesdays at the Otisfield Town Office Annex 403, State Route 121, Otisfield, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Refreshments will be served. The next meeting is May 21. The group helps connect area widows with local resources through handouts, lectures, demos and where needed, workshops. This is not a club and you will be able to find the subject time and place on Otisfieldme.gov website; click Calendar, so you can choose which meetings you want to attend. Some future meetings maybe at private homes. For example, the meeting would take place at a residence when we are learning how to do an oil change. For information, call Shirley at 627-4458. Go to www.otisfieldme.gov and click the calendar for details.

Class reunions

POLAND SPRING — Oxford Hills High School Class of 1969 will hold its 50th reunion on Saturday, Aug. 10, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Poland Spring Water Museum (www.polandspringresort.com). A hot buffet, catered by Poland Spring Inn, will be served at 1 p.m. The cost will be $35 per person. Checks may be payable to “OHHS Class of 1969-Jean Delamater” and sent to Jean Delamater, 424 Pleasant St., Oxford, ME 04270. Please RSVP by July 1, by email at ohhsclass1969@gmail.com, or call Sandy Roderick at 539-2697.
NORWAY — The 45th reunion of the Class of 1974 will be held Aug. 10 at Norway Country Club. Be sure organizers have your mailing and/or email address. Email sboyce@megalink.net with your information.
PARIS — The Norway High School Alumni Association asks you to save the date – July 20 – for the yearly alumni banquet. The group will gather this year at the OHCHS at 4 p.m. to reminisce, have photos taken of classes and have dinner. Invitations will be sent out soon with more details. Call Pat Salo Cummings with any questions at 539-8392.

Spring sale

SUMNER — The Congregational Church of East Sumner, 50 Main St., Route 219  in East Sumner, will hold its annual spring sale May 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine. The event features perennials, some annuals, a large raffle booth, and baked goods. There will be more than a dozen local crafters and vendors, including the Zadoc Long Free Library and the Hartford Sumner Elementary School Playground Equipment Fundraiser Committee. Breakfast sandwiches and a bean hole bean lunch will be available most of the day. Proceeds from the Church tables benefit the outreach mission of the Church. For information, call Bill at 388-2263 or Cyndy at 388-266 .

5K

NORWAY — There will be a Fight Back 5K in memory of Fred Washer, who passed two years ago after a long, hard battle with pancreatic cancer. It will be held Saturday, June 8, starting at the Norway Fire Dept., 19 Danforth St. The route will be from 18 Danforth St. to 250 Lake Rd. (Route 118) and back to Danforth Street. The same day registration starts at 7:30 a.m. and the race starts at 8:30 a.m. Register online at  www.running4free.com. All proceeds will go towards our Blisters for Sisters and Misters team participating in the Dempsey Challenge on Sept. 28.  For information, call Sandy Washer at 400-4956 or email SandyJ04@yahoo.com.

Babysitting 

BRIDGTON — The Bridgton Community Center will offer a Babysitter’s Training course on Thursday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the community center. EMT Allison Ross, with “United Ambulance,” will conduct the course. Attendees will receive a certificate at the end of the course. The basic course is gearsed toward 11- to 14-year-old youth, teaching information on Leadership: Safe and Responsible Babysitting, Basic Care: The Heart of Babysitting, Stop: Think Safety, Safe Play, and Basic First Aid including infant and child Heartsaver CPR. The $40 fee for this class covers the cost of the book and a CD, as well as other information that participants will be able to take home with them for reference. Class size is limited to 14 candidates. Bring a bag lunch. Registration for this class must be made before Thursday June 13.  For information, or to register, call the Bridgton Community Center at 647-3116.

Plant sale

MECHANIC FALLS — The Anglican Church, 64 Elm St. (the former Congregational Church), will hold a plant sale on Saturday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to noon. It will feature perennial divisions from area gardens.  These are plants that winter well in Maine and thrive in the summer. The proceeds will be used to expand parking at the church.

Heritage society

WEST PARIS — The Finnish-American Heritage Society of Maine will hold its monthly meeting at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, at the FinnAm building on Maple Street in W.est Paris. A short business meeting will be followed by a presentation on Raivaaja, the popular Finnish language newspaper published in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, for more than 100 years and found in most Finnish-American immigrant homes. The program will be presented by Lloyd Hannula and members of the Raivaaja Foundation. As always, the coffee table will tempt you and the public is cordially invited.

Yard sales

NORWAY — An inside yard sale will be held Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the American Legion Post #82 Auxiliary, 212 Main St., in Norway.

SUMNER — It is time again for the Sumner Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary to hold its annual yard/bake sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 1 at the Sumner Fire Department on Main Stteet in Sumner. The Auxiliary is looking for donations; however, it cannot accept any CRT monitors or CRT TVs. Gently used furniture will be accepted. Baked goods from the Auxiliary members will be for sale, and there will be some excellent bakers on hand. Steamed hotdogs, coffee and cold beverages also will be available for purchase. This year there will be baskets of various themes which will be raffled off.  Tickets will be sold and customers can choose where to put their tickets. All monies earned from this event will be used to benefit the Sumner Volunteer Fire Department. So come on out and take a look, have some snacks, purchase tickets and enjoy the day. The Auxiliary also is looking for anyone who would be willing to take away all the leftovers yard sale items, free of charge. For information, donations, or if you’re willing to take away the leftovers, call Gail at 674-5522 or Charlotte at 577-4271.

Donations 

OXFORD — Oxford Hills Christian Academy is taking donations for its spring yard sale to be held June 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 674 Main St., Oxford. Looking for furniture, clothing, chose, accessories, books, vinyl and trinkets. Donations may be dropped off at the OHCA, 1134 Main St., Oxford.

Socrates Cafe

BRIDGTON — The Socrates Cafe, a local discussion group, will meet Monday, June 3, at the Bridgton Community Center. Meet and greet is from 6:15 to 6:30 p.m. and the discussion is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.. The topic will be “Careers For Late Bloomers: What Would You Now Choose?” The co-moderators will be Alice Darlington and Ted Gerber. Light refreshments will be provided. For information, call 583-6957.

Christian Women 

PARIS — Christian Woman United will be held Tuesday, May 21, at 11:30 a.m. at the South Paris First Congregational Church on 17 E. Main St. in South Paris. Sammy Angel will be the guest singer. Call Janice at 743-5770 for reservations.

Park clean-up

PARIS — Paris River Park, at the  bottom of Paris Hill Road by the river, will hold a clean-up-the-grounds day on Saturday, May 18,  from 1 to 3 p.m. The park is getting ready for summer picnics, family canoe trips and kayak adventuring. Please come and help if you can.

Suppers

NORWAY — The Second Congregational Church serves its free monthly supper from 5 to 6 p.m. on the third Friday of the month at 205 Main St. All are welcome. For information, call the church office at 743-2290.
HARTFORD — All are welcome to the free Community Goodwill potluck supper that is served at 6 p.m. on the first Friday of the month at the Hartford Town Hall. For information, call 388-2510.MINOT — There will be a bean and casserole supper (and more) from 5 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, at the Minot United Methodist Church, corner of Route 121 and Empire Road in Minot. Tickets at the door will be $7 for adults, $5 for children 7-12 years and free for those under 7. Please join us.
WEST PARIS — The Finnish-American Heritage Society of Maine will host its popular public supper at the FinnAm building on Maple Street in West Paris from 5 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. This delicious buffet features a wide spectrum of dishes and desserts. Adult price is $8, and $4 for children under 12.
WATERFORD — There will be a potluck supper at the Wilkins House on Plummer Hill in Waterford Flat on Thursday, May 16, at 6 p.m. Hosts will be the Eatons, Tarbells, and Stockwells. Bring a main dish, salad, or dessert to share with old friends and new acquaintances you will meet. The Wilkins House is next door to the Waterford Congregational Church in Waterford Flat. Everyone is welcome.
PARIS — Amvets Post 777 will have a pot roast dinner on Saturday, May 25, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the American Legion, 12 Church St., South Paris. Price is $9 for adults and $5 for kids 10 and under. Meal includes mashed potatoes and green beans, an assortment of desserts, coffee, water and fruit punch. There will also be a 50/50 to help support our scholarship program.
HARRISON — The first chicken pie supper of the season at the Bolsters Mills United Methodist Church will be Saturday, May 18. There will be two seatings, at 5 and 6 p.m., with a third seating to follow if necessary. The price is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Any additional donations toward scholarships beyond the supper price for this special May supper will be welcome. Dinner includes chicken pie, mashed potato, gravy, vegetables, rolls, beverages, and dessert. The church is located on the Bolsters Mills Road in Harrison. Proceeds from the supper will be dedicated to providing scholarships this summer for children wishing to go to Camp Mechuwana, a United Methodist Camp in Maine. Chicken pies will be sold at the supper if available. Reservations will be taken only on Saturday morning, the day of the supper, between 9 a.m. and noon; call the church at 583-9024. Do not leave a message; reservations must be confirmed.  Otherwise, the sale of supper tickets will begin at 4 p.m. with seating available in the sanctuary until the supper. The Church is accessible for those with handicaps. Throughout the summer and fall, the suppers will be held on the third Saturday of each month, ending with the final one in October.

Luncheons

POLAND — Life Springs serves free luncheons to seniors at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays at the Poland Community Church, 1212 Maine St. For information, call 998-4779.
NORWAY — Oxford Hills Area Association of Churches serves the Norway Community Free Lunch at 11:30 a.m. on  Wednesdays at the Universalist Church, 479 Main St. Anyone can eat a nutritious lunch and no questions asked.
WATERFORD — Waterford Sports & Recreation will host a community luncheon on the third Tuesday of each month at the Wilkins House on Plummer Hill Road. The lunch starts at noon, followed by dessert and bingo with prizes ending at 2 p.m. The suggested donation is $3 per person.

Breakfasts

NORWAY — The Community Free Breakfast is at 8 a.m. Saturdays in the Norway Grange, Whitman Street.
MECHANIC FALLS — The American Legion serves breakfast from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on the first Sunday of the month, at 41 Elm St.
HARRISON — Join your friends and neighbors on Saturday, May 25, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the United Parish Congregational Church of Harrison and North Bridgton, for the first buffet breakfast of the season. Menu includes scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage, home fries, homemade muffins, coffee cake, coffee, tea, and juice. The church, 77 Main St. in Harrison, is right across from Crystal Lake Park. There is no set charge for the breakfast, but donations are most welcome. The next breakfast will be July 13. See you there.

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