Fire chief addresses women’s club

LIVERMORE FALLS — The GFWC/Livermore Falls Women’s Club members heard Livermore Fire Chief Don Castonguay speak at a recent meeting.

Castonguay said the fire department started in 1947 to help with massive fires in Maine and it officially became a volunteer department in 1949. He showed the group how a thermal imaging camera functioned through detecting heat sources.

Castonguay said they have a 12-minute response time and they go to more accidents on Route 4 than structure fires. He added that law enforcement is crucial to the men responding to accidents on Route 4. After his talk he invited members to view the vehicles and equipment.

The next meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, May 16, at the Harris House. Topics will be evaluating this year and planning next year’s calendar. Contact Ellen at ggeh@roadrunner.com for more information.

Society to hear Perham on Maine minerals

PARIS —  The Paris Cape Historical Society will hold its first meeting of the year at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 16, at the museum, 77 High St.

Frank Perham will speak on Maine minerals. The meeting will be followed by refreshments. The society will discuss Maine’s Bicentennial.

Retired teachers to discuss gardening

WATERFORD — The Oxford County Educators Association-Retired (OCEA-R) will meet at the North Waterford Congregational Church on Friday, May 17. Sign in between 10:30 and 11 a.m. The business meeting will start at approximately 11. Dinner will be served after the meeting. The program will be “Gardening in Maine.” The fundraiser will be a plant auction.

The March meeting was cancelled due to bad weather. A combined March and April meeting was held on April 5 at the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School with the culinary arts program providing a meal. The program was presented by Juliese Padgett, author of a children’s book “The Newest Flower.” Her mother Jennifer Padgett accompanied her, and they talked about the book and how it came to be.

Weary Club to meet for conversation

NORWAY — The Weary Club will host conversation, coffee and doughnuts at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 18, at the club. Members and guests are welcome.

For more information, call 207-743-8081.

Smokey, forest ranger to visit park

GRAY — The Maine Wildlife Park will host a district forest ranger from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18, for a demonstration and display of the tools of the trade.

A special photo opportunity for the kids will happen from noon to 12:30 p.m., when Smokey the Bear will arrive to meet his fans.

Additionally, the Sons of Norway organization will tell abou Scandinavian countries and the wildlife and conservation practices that are similar to Maine’s. Learn about Scandinavian culture from folks in full native dress and see demonstrations of traditional activities like carving, rosemaling, weaving and Viking life.

There will be samples of Scandinavian food and make-and-take activities for children and adults.

Paris River Park Clean-Up Day

PARIS — The Paris River Park Committee will hold Clean-Up Day at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at the park, 1 Paris Hill Road, South Paris. Participants will collect litter, clear downed branches and rake around the picnic tables. Bring rakes and gloves if possible.

Finnish-American Heritage Society to meet

WEST PARIS — The Finnish-American Heritage Society of Maine will meet at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 19, at the FinnAm building on Maple Street.

A short business meeting will be followed by a program featuring 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. There will be coffee and refreshments. The public is invited.

Society to hear estate planning talk

MEXICO — The Mexico Historical Society will meet at 5 p.m. Monday, May 20, in the Calvin Lyons Hall, Gary Wentzell Drive, in back of Mexico Town Office.

They will share a potluck supper followed by a presentation on estate planning and Maine Care given by Paul Dumas.

The public is invited and new members are welcome.

West Paris Historical Society to have potluck

WEST PARIS — West Paris Historical Society members, at a recent meeting, thanked Peter Collett and Ted Jones for repairing frozen pipes and getting the ramp back in place for the summer. They voted to put memorial monies for Cynthia Lamb into the fund and closed the meeting at 7:30 p.m.

Guest was Peter Stowell, Bryant Pond, who gave a talk on Maine Indians.

The group will meet Monday, May 20, with a potluck at 6 p.m. and the regular meeting to follow. At the present there is no guest speaker, but members could open the upstairs so those wishing may see how Curator Elaine Emery has displayed the past.

All are welcome to attend and bring a potluck item. For more information, call Diana at 207-515-1998.

Sammy Angel to perform at meeting

PARIS — Christian Woman United will meet at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, at the South Paris First Congregational Church, 17 East Main St., South Paris. Sammy Angel will be the guest singer. Contact Janice at 207-743-5770 for reservations.

Society looking for yard sale donations

RUMFORD — The Rumford Historical Society is seeking items for its annual yard sale to be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 1. No clothing will be accepted.

Items may be dropped off at the Rumford Center Town Hall from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 22. Large furniture items may be picked up by calling Jane Peterson at 207-369-9288 prior to May 22. Leave a message for a return call.