Community News (July 10, 2009)
SPLT announces summer walking tour
The South Portland Land Trust is once again sponsoring a series of educational summer walking tours, to be held Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m. The first of the four-tour series will be held July 11, and will explore the history and geography of Barberry Creek. Participants are invited to meet at the Greenbelt parking lot on the corner of Broadway and Evans Street.
The tours are open to the public at no charge, and will be held in most weather. For more information, call 767-1269. Each educational tour features locations in South Portland that are significant environmental and historically.
July 11 – Meet at the Greenbelt parking lot near the corner of Broadway and Evans to explore the history and geography of Barberry Creek, a tucked-away area of South Portland where alewives were once harvested to be given to the poor and indigent.
July 25 - The walking tour of Fort Preble and the SMCC campus will meet at the Old Settlers Cemetery. The tour will explore the campus and fort and focus on the history of both locations. Fort Preble was built on the site of Fort Hancock in 1808 and was expanded over the years, remaining active through World War II. In 1952 the Maine Vocational Technical Institute moved to the location and is today known as SMCC.
Aug. 8 – Mayor Tom Blake will lead a “Hidden jewels” of South Portland tour. This tour is primarily a vehicle tour which will stop at sites that may include: a cascading waterfall, side rails from old and private Vaughn’s Bridge, an alewives sleuth, and an historic river bank where Native Americans and settlers signed a peace treaty. Blake may also show you a street plow used as a lawn ornament, the ruins of an ice house, a marker used to designate Kings Highway and other little known tidbits of South Portland history. Meet at Bug Light Park.
Aug. 22 – Join former SPLT Director Jon Dore and Patrick Keenan from the BioDiversity Research Institute to find out why Trout Brook is such a special place. Learn how Sawyer Marsh helps keep the brook clean and how the springs help keep the trout population healthy. Attendees will come away with ideas on how they can help improve water quality in Trout Brook or in the watershed where they live. Meet on Providence Ave at the Trout Brook trail entrance.
S. Portland resident recognized by USM
The University of Southern Maine celebrated the accomplishments of five staff members this month at the 20th annual Professional Staff Recognition Reception held June 2, in the Hannaford Lecture Hall.
This year’s Distinguished Professional Staff Award was presented to Joyce Branaman, of South Portland, director of support for students with disabilities.
This award recognizes distinguished career achievement and service to USM by a member of the university’s administration with five or more years of service to USM.
Math check up at Sylvan July 30
A free math check up will be held at Sylvan Learning Center in South Portland on Thursday, July 30. The test will be given from 9 to 10:30 a.m. This is an opportunity for students in grades four through nine to evaluate their math skills before heading back to school in September. To pre-register call Sylvan at 773-6424.
Thespians find ring
On Sunday, June 28, undeterred by drizzle and downpours, members of Mad Horse Theatre Company, their board of directors and volunteers cleared brush, debris and trash from the parking lot of the Hutchins School at 24 Mosher St., the new home of the theater company.Mad Horse recently leased the century-old school from South Portland and is working to develop it into a community arts center as well restore the school, both inside and out.
While pulling out some deep-rooted bittersweet, company member James Herrera uncovered what appeared to be a well-crafted, valuable ring from the underbrush.
For inquiries about the ring, email madhorsetheatre@gmail.com.
To learn more about Mad Horse Theatre Company and its programming, or to volunteer in the Hutchins School Restoration, go to www.madhorse.com.
CCC elects officers and members
Local non-profit organization, the Cancer Community Center located in South Portland, will start its new fiscal year on July 1. A new line up of their board of trustees and advisory board will lead them through the 2009-2010 year. New officers include President Jean Wilson of Falmouth, Vice President Joel Harris of Cumberland, Treasurer Shelly Bartlett of Yarmouth and Secretary Nicole Avery of South Portland. Board of Trustees includes Barry Godowsky of Yarmouth, vice president of sales at Artel; Nickolas D. Ireland of Gray, CPA, senior manager of Baker, Newman, Noyes, LLC; Maureen McIntyre of Portland, senior purchasing agent, Wright Express Corp.; John Ratoff of Kennebunk, vice president of marketing, TD Banknorth; Leslie B. Roberts of Kennebunk, internal communications manager-corporate communications at Fairpoint Communications; Roberta Tielinen of New Gloucester, account executive for employer services at Lincoln Financial Group. New members to the advisory board include Greg Adey, MD, Fore River Urology; Susan Bowden, RN, BSN, OCN, nurse manager, Maine Center for Cancer Medicine; Stuart Gilbert, MD, Spectrum Medical Group (retired); Lou Jacobs, DC, Jacobs Chiropractic Acupuncture. Continuing as chairman for the advisory board is Roger Inhorn, MD, PhD, director of Mercy Oncology/Hematology Center.
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