LEWISTON, ME–Students from the Great Falls Academy of Modern Music will perform in a holiday-themed concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Franco Center. “Camp of Rock has been an amazing summer opportunity for kids to rock out in the Lewiston-Auburn area since 2007. But this year, for the first time ever, Camp of Rock has branched out and tried something new,” said Brian Gagnon, director of GFAMM. “Come see Camp of CHRISTMAS Rock play some of your favorite holiday rock tunes.”

Gagnon added that his young students “have met only four times to learn as many festive, holiday rock songs as they can, and because of their energy and enthusiasm, they’ve learned a set of five songs. Come listen to them rock the beautiful Franco Center.”

The students will perform songs that include “Merry Christmas Baby” by Bruce Springsteen, “Christmas Time All Over Again” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Please Come Home for Christmas” by The Eagles, “Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses, and “Christmas Eve Sarajevo” by Trans Siberian Orchestra.

This holiday-themed concert, performed by Lewiston-Auburn youth, is open to the public. The 2 p.m. concert will begin with solo performances by the students of GFAMM. Doors and concessions open at 1 p.m.

Tickets range from $10 to $20 in a pay-what-you-can method so that more community members can attend and show their support for both the students of GFAMM and the Franco Center. Tickets can be purchased online at www.francocenter.org/shows, at 207-689-2000, or in person at the Franco Center on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The Franco Center is at 46 Cedar Street in Lewiston. The building is handicap accessible via an elevator on the Lincoln St. Alley side of the building.

Students from the Great Falls Academy of Modern Music will perform in a holiday-themed concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Franco Center, 46 Cedar St., Lewiston. Tickets are $10 to $20 in a pay-what-you-can format and can be purchased online at www.francocenter.org/shows or call 207-689-2000. Brian Gagnon Photo.

LEWISTON, ME — Cat’s Meow Comedy presents another First Friday standup comedy show at Rusty Bus Brewing on December 1st.

Featured comedians include Dennis Fogg, Sara Poulin, Brian O’Connor, Kevin Ryan, and host Ann-Marie Keene.

Dennis Fogg is a veteran of comedy who’s performed in 37 states and 3 different countries & counting, but he’s still always Maine’s own. Fogg’s been seen on national television in ‘Restaurant Impossible’ and ‘You Bet Your Life’ with Jay Leno, and has also worked alongside some great comedy legends including Lenny Clarke, Jay Moher, Gabe Kaplan, Jimmy Walker, and the late Gilbert Gottfried.

Sara Poulin is a stand up comic and local radio personality, co-hosting The Breakfast Club on L/A’s local radio station WIGY. Sara is a 20 year veteran stage and vocal performer, and started her standup career in the midst of the pandemic. Her witty and likable style of comedy is whimsical and fun. Sara rocks a lot and plays the ukulele a little…very badly.

This Pay-What-You-Can comedy show starts at 7pm and is for ages 21 and up. Rusty Bus Brewing is located at 120 Lisbon St. in Lewiston.

PORTLAND, ME — Last month brought some dark days to Maine when Lewiston faced the loss of so many lives to a mass shooting. In the days since, the state and the nation has come together in grief, sympathy, help, and hope for the lives lost and the many affected by this tragedy.

One example of the outpouring of support came together around the new Resiliency Center in the Peck Building downtown. Transforming a large, empty former call center into a warm, welcoming space where people can gather, find peer support, seek professional counseling, and get help finding other services took a village, and a village showed up. This project came together in a matter of days before the November 13 opening, thanks to a great group effort led by Community Concepts, Inc., with help from the city of Lewiston, the American Red Cross of Northern New England, Catholic Charities Maine (CCM), volunteers from Central Maine Community College, and the Marden Family, which has donated dozens of pieces of new furniture for the space.

“I know the Marden family is both generous and modest, so I wasn’t sure how they would respond to being a part of such a public project, but they did not hesitate to help and provided sofas, chairs, tables and more – all delivered by their crew,” CCM CEO Steve Letourneau said. “This is something I am very thankful for this Thanksgiving.”

CCM used funding donated from Catholic Charities USA to buy room partitions that provide quiet, private gathering spaces to the large space, and Marden’s offered whatever was needed for each part of the Center, from the public gathering areas to the private rooms.

“This was an easy decision, “Jake Marden said, “We’re proud to be a part of the Lewiston community. We have a warehouse up the street from this Center, so many of our employees live and work here and we wanted to make sure we were here to help.”

Members of The Ladies Guild of Our Lady of Ransom Church, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Mechanic Falls are pictured getting into the Christmas spirit as they finalize plans for their annual Christmas Craft Fair. It will be held on Saturday December 2nd from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the church hall at 117 Elm Street. The fair will include craft vendors, raffle baskets, a bake sale and a light luncheon.

This holiday season, for one weekend only, The Public Theatre, will present its acclaimed adaptation of A Christmas Carol on Dec 8, 9, and 10th. This inventive version, performed by six actors and a fiddler, was developed and written for The Public Theatre by Co-Artistic Director Christopher Schario in 1993, and has since been published and performed by theatres around the world and is now a Lewiston/Auburn tradition. 

“There’s a great reason why this story is told during the holidays and will never go away”, says author Schario.  “It’s unfortunately become too easy for the true meaning of the season to get overwhelmed by shopping sales, but somehow watching Scrooge’s journey in this play always awakens my holiday spirit and gets me ready to celebrate Christmas.”

Another thing worth celebrating, according to Schario, is The Public Theatre’s ticket price of only $15 for children 18 and under.  “With our $15 youth ticket, we are hoping to introduce today’s children to the magic of professional theatre and give them a gift they’ll have for the rest of their lives. 

With all the different versions of A Christmas Carol out in the world, The Public Theatre’s adaptation remains many people’s favorite.  “We stay true to the heart of the story, while at the same time telling it with a sense of playfulness and imagination”, says Schario. “Much of Dickens’ original text is used, as six actors and a fiddler grab a handful of props and your imagination and joyfully bring Dickens’ language and characters to life. Creating a magical atmosphere with live music, a hand-cranked wind machine and a thunder sheet, the audience’s imagination is free to soar, and this classic story comes to life in a way you’ve never seen before.”

The Public Theatre’s version begins with a child reading a copy of Dickens’ novel. As the child reads, five actors and a fiddler magically appear and slowly coax the child into joining the story and becoming the character of Tiny Tim. It’s a marvelous metaphor for the way literature grabs and transforms us.

Leading the cast of A Christmas Carol will be Dale Place in the role of Scrooge.  Dale has appeared on Broadway opposite Mary Louise Parker in Heisenberg and Off-Broadway at Lincoln Center, The Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park and Manhattan Theatre Club, among others. He is also a familiar face to Public Theatre audiences having appeared onstage in Human Error, Lend Me a Tenor and Deathtrap, among others. The rest of the cast features Russell Berrigan as Marley, Nicholas Perron as Christmas Present, Sheila Stasack as Mrs. Cratchit, McKenna Canty as Belle and local young actor Simon Golob in the role of the child/Tiny Tim. Fiddle music for the production will be performed by local fiddler Beck Welling.

With a top ticket price of only $30 for adults, and $15 for children 18 and under, it’s professional theatre at a price even Scrooge would love! Gift certificates for any production throughout the remainder of the season are also available for the holidays.

A Christmas Carol will be performed on Friday, Dec 8th at 7 pm, Saturday, Dec 9th at 2 pm and 7pm, and Sunday Dec 10th at 2 pm. For tickets visit thepublictheatre.org or call 207 782-3200. 

Season Underwriters are Platz Associates, Sun Journal and Bennett Radio Group, and the sponsors are Evergreen Subaru, Lewiston Pawn Shop, Dirigo Federal Credit Union and Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice.

Dale Place as Scrooge

LEWISTON, ME – The City of Lewiston announced today that the annual Holiday at the Plaza will take place on Sat., Dec. 2 (rain date Dec. 3), in Dufresne Plaza, 72 Lisbon Street, from 12 noon to 5:30 PM. Admission is free.

In the wake of the Oct. 25 tragedy, the City of Lewiston decided to proceed with the holiday event to continue to heal. It is the hope for the community to join in the Holiday At The Plaza to make memories and establish traditions.

The plaza and adjacent Lisbon Street will be filled with holiday spirit and activities galore complemented by musical entertainment, horse and wagon rides, and the Christmas Tree and Menorah lighting at 5:17 PM. Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be on site ready for photo ops and looking forward to letters children may write to them.

Attendees can also ice skate (free skates available), visit with live reindeer, have fun in a giant snow globe, take a Kiddie Choo Choo ride, play games in the KidZone, play Snow Throw, play Slap Hockey, or take selfies with photo op arctic animal props.

And, there will also be a fishing pond, where children can “fish” for a toy, reminiscent of the beloved former Peck’s Department Store that countless residents have fond memories of. The Maine Nordiques mascot and the Lewiston High School Blue Devils mascot will also be mingling with the crowd.

At press time, performers booked are Maine Christmas Tree singer Malinda Liberty, the Maine Music Society Chamber Singers, Bates College Crosstones, Josie French of the Monmouth Community Players, local performer Leslie Reed, the Lewiston High School Chamber Singers, and Rabbi Sruli Dresdner and Lisa Mayer from Temple Shalom.

If you are a shopper, we have you in mind as well, as several local crafters will be on site offering many diverse choices for your holiday shopping list. Area shops and restaurants will also be open for shopping and tasty treats. Food trucks will be at the plaza as well. In addition, Rinck Advertising will host a mitten Christmas tree outside their business at 113 Lisbon Street, and attendees may grab a free pair.

Free parking will be available at the Oak Street Parking Garage, One Oak Street, Lewiston. For more information: www.lewistonmaine.gov/holiday2023

LEWISTON, ME – Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice proudly announces the success of its AndroGives program, an initiative designed to honor community generosity and maintain trust in healthcare. The program extends support beyond primary health initiatives, with employees selecting a non-profit organization every year to support through drives and fundraisers that align with Androscoggin’s mission.

This year, Androscoggin is thrilled to have supported Honor Flight Maine, an organization dedicated to honoring veterans. In a ceremony held just in time for Veterans Day, Androscoggin presented a check of $2,597.65 to Honor Flight Maine’s board members, Crystal Guerrette, Matthew Mank, and David Patch.

“We are honored to contribute to Honor Flight Maine and support the veterans. AndroGives program reflects our commitment to community engagement and making a positive impact beyond healthcare services,” said Elif Mogensen, Chair of AndroGives program.

The collective efforts of Androscoggin’s employees, who participated through initiatives like Jeans Day and payroll deductions, resulted in this generous contribution. The funds raised will send two veterans and one guardian on a life-enriching journey, aligning with Honor Flight Maine’s mission to recognize and honor the sacrifices of veterans.

Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice expresses deep gratitude to its employees whose generosity made this contribution possible. The success of AndroGives highlights the organization’s ongoing commitment to community service and fostering meaningful partnerships.

WESTBROOK, ME–WinterKids, the non-profit organization dedicated to helping children stay active, healthy, and happy during the winter months, is in the midst of its annual License to Chill Silent Auction. The auction officially opened on November 13 and will run through December 7 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

This exciting event will lead into WinterKids’ 12th Annual License to Chill community fundraiser at Après, marking the official kickoff to another busy winter season. This year, WinterKids has assembled a remarkable selection of premium goods and services generously contributed by Maine and New Hampshire businesses. The diverse array of items up for bidding includes outdoor equipment and sporting goods, apparel and outerwear, health and fitness memberships, delicious food and beverage experiences, home decor, and much more.

With the holiday season fast approaching, many of these items are perfect for gift-giving, making the silent auction an ideal opportunity for early holiday shopping. Contributing businesses to the License to Chill Silent Auction include well-known names such as L.L. Bean, WMTW, Agren, Sidecountry Sports, Bird & Co., Winterstick Snowboards, Sugarloaf, Adventure Bound Whitewater Rafting, Kittery Trading Post, and Portland Pie Company. The generous support of these businesses has made it possible for WinterKids to offer a broad and impressive range of items for auction. There will also be options to donate to Lewiston/Auburn community funds.

The License to Chill Silent Auction allows participants to bid on and win some incredible products and experiences, all while supporting WinterKids’ mission to help kids across Maine enjoy being healthy, active, and vibrant in the outdoors during the winter season. Every dollar raised through this auction will directly benefit WinterKids programs.

“We are thrilled to host the License to Chill Silent Auction once again and are grateful to the incredible businesses that have come together to make this event possible,” said Sterlynn Marx, Events and Sponsorships Manager at WinterKids. “By participating in the auction, you will have the opportunity to treat yourself or someone you love, and at the same time, you’ll be giving the gift of winter fun and outdoor activity to children across Maine!”

Bidding in the License to Chill Silent Auction opened on November 13 and will close on December 7 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The closing of the auction will coincide with WinterKids’ live community fundraiser at Après in Portland, providing a perfect opportunity for bidders to join in the festivities, which will include guest emcees Blake & Kelly from Coast 93.1, music by TJ Swan, S’mores donuts by Eighty8 Donut Cafe, drinks by Après, food by Meet on the Street, charcuterie by Charcutemarie, door prizes, and more.

To browse the catalog of silent auction items, place bids, buy tickets, and learn more about both the WinterKids License to Chill Silent Auction and Live Celebration, please visit https://winterkids.org/licensetochill/.

The 12th Annual WinterKids License to Chill is presented by Mt. Abram Ski Resort & Bike Park. Snowman Sponsors are Kittery Trading Post and PTC, and Snowball Sponsors are Acadia Insurance, Chalmers Insurance, Charcutemarie, Eighty8 Donut Cafe, ReVision Energy, and Sidecountry Sports.

OCEAN PARK, ME – Maine Authors for Lewiston, an informal group of more than 60 Maine authors, have banded together to support the victims of the recent tragedy in Lewiston. The group has organized a series of book signings, all open to the public, so that people can purchase books and meet the authors. There will be fiction writers, children’s book authors, non-fiction writers, and poets among the participants. This is a wonderful opportunity for Maine book-lovers to support local authors, but, most importantly, to help our fellow Mainers as they begin to heal and recover.

All of the participating authors have agreed to donate all, or most, of their proceeds from these events to help the healing and recovery efforts in Lewiston. All are volunteering because they care.

The authors are scheduled to appear at the following venues in the coming days:

Curtis Memorial Library (Brunswick, ME) – Saturday, November 25, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Lewis T. Graves Memorial Public Library (Kennebunkport, ME) – Tuesday, November 28, 2023, 2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Belfast Public Library (Belfast, ME) – Saturday, December 2, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Patten Free Library (Bath, ME) – Wednesday, December 6, 2023, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

More events are being scheduled. The libraries have generously donated space to the cause as they, too, support those impacted by the senseless tragedy.

The Maine writing community is a small, but vibrant, part of Maine culture. Some writers have been personally impacted by the events in Lewiston, others because they care deeply about Maine and their fellow Mainers. Most do much of their writing in and about Maine. All want to help.

Maine Authors for Lewiston was conceived less than one week ago and is being organized by David Florig, a member of the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, author of The Stones of Ailsa Craig, and the past-president of the Pine Tree Curling Club in Portland.

LEWISTON, ME — SeniorsPlus, the designated Area Agency on Aging serving Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford counties, has immediate openings for volunteer Meals on Wheels delivery drivers in Oxford and Franklin counties. Meals on Wheels volunteers make a difference in the lives of homebound older adults and adults with disabilities, often making the difference for individuals to remain at home safely. 

Meals are delivered Monday through Thursday and various routes. Volunteers are especially needed at this time for deliveries in Canton, Dixfield, Bethel, Phillips, Madrid, and Farmington. Times vary, but generally, drivers are needed between the hours of 9:00 to 11:30 am.  Volunteers may work one or more times a week. They can also work as needed for back up support.

 Working in a team environment, Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers deliver nutritious meals to client homes and combat social isolation through client wellness checks and friendly visits. Volunteer drivers are trained to provide the best possible service. For more information please contact volunteerservices@seniorsplus.org or call SeniorsPlus at 207 753-6148.