April 30, 6:30 PM to 11:00 PM • $25.00, Regatta Banquet & Conference Center, Eliot, ME

The Automated External Defibrillator has been proven to be a life saver for students, parents, staff and visitors to schools and libraries. This device can save a life by detecting and treating cardiac arrest in those critical first few minutes until rescue services are available, increasing the chances of survival to 70%. Every year 365,000 people in North America fall victim to cardiac arrest, including 7,000 children.

Marshwood High School and Marshwood Middle School have the AED in place at this time. South Berwick-Eliot Rotary seeks to raise the funds to purchase AED’s for Central School in South Berwick,
Eliot Elementary School, Marshwood Great Works School, Eliot’s William Fogg Library and the South Berwick Library.

Hearty Hors d’Oeuvres • Cash Bar – Live and Silent Auctions

Tickets available at: Eliot’s Kennebunk Savings Bank, South Berwick Pharmacy, P. Gagnon & Son, Eliot Elementary School, Central School and Great Works School  in South Berwick

The Egg Hunt is for children preschool to first grade, ages 3-7 on Saturday, April 16th at 2:00 pm at The Great Works School. There is a $5.00 fee per family. Bring your own Easter Basket or bag.

Annual Meeting & Dinner: Thursday, February 17, 5:30-8:30 pm, dinner at 6 pm

Great Works Regional Land Trust (GWRLT) is celebrating 25 years of land conservation as the local land trust in the Berwicks, Eliot, Ogunquit, and Wells. The public is invited to the Annual Meeting on February 17th, 2011, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm at the North Berwick Community Center. Tickets are $7.50 per person and $20.00 per family for dinner and dessert. RSVP to 207-646-3604.

The guest speaker will be Jay Espy, who 25 years ago came to meet with a small group of citizens in the basement of the North Berwick branch of Kennebunk Savings Bank and inspired them to form a land trust in order to conserve much of what makes this part of Maine a place in which people want to live. Espy will discuss GWRLT’s significance on the national level and the conservation challenges ahead. In 2008 Espy became the first Executive Director of the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, following a long tenure as Executive Director of Maine Coast Heritage Trust. Espy has many achievements to be proud of, including helping establish the Maine Land Trust Network. He also served as chair of the Land Trust Alliance, a national organization serving land trusts throughout the United States and last fall was recognized with its Kingsbury Browne Conservation Leadership award.

“As we pass through the seasons of our 25th Anniversary year, it is inspiring to think about Joe Hardy and a few friends and neighbors acting on the land trust idea,” stated Jack Kareckas, president of GWRLT since 2009. “Margaret Mead was right, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’ With that, we’d like to recognize the vision our founding Board Members: B.J. Jones, President; Craig Blouin, Vice President; Sandy Agrafiotis, Treasurer; Joe Hardy, Secretary; Peter Gustafson, Jack Knight, David McDermott, Elizabeth Perry, Tin Smith, and Michael Wright.”

A member supported, nonprofit organization, Great Works Regional Land Trust’s mission is to conserve the value of our area’s natural, historic, agricultural, forestry, scenic and recreational resources. GWRLT pursues this mission by providing landowners with a means of protecting their lands from future development, by holding property and conservation easements.

With 94 projects completed and around 4,500 acres conserved, GWRLT has made a significant impact in Southern Maine. Thousands of volunteer hours; members who support the work with their wallets; a hardworking board; conservation minded landowners; communities that recognize the importance of our natural resources – all have contributed to the successes of the past 25 years. In order to accomplish its goals, GWRLT has formed partnerships with other conservation organizations, including other land trusts in the area, local conservation commissions, state and federal agencies, and larger organizations such as The Nature Conservancy. The Mt. Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative is one such project, a coalition of ten conservation organizations working together to protect a full range of community and ecological values in the six-town area around Mt. Agamenticus.

Great Works Regional Land Trust owns over 1800 acres of land, and maintains trail networks at five locations: Bauneg Beg Mountain Conservation Area, Fox Farm Hill Road in North Berwick; Orris Falls Conservation Area, Thurrell Road in South Berwick; Douglas Memorial Woods, State Road in Eliot; The Raymond & Simone Savage Wildlife Preserve, Dover-Eliot Road in South Berwick; and Beach Plum Farm, Route One in Ogunquit.

For more information, and to RSVP for the Annual Meeting, please visit the Great Works Regional Land Trust website at www.gwrlt.org or call (207) 646-3604.

Martin England & the Reconstructed will play a benefit concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at Spring Hill in South Berwick. All proceeds will go to the Friends of South Berwick Public Library’s building fund.

England plays a mix of Americana and folk, which he calls Amerifolkana, or “Johnny Cash meets Ray Lamontagne.” With songs that are story-based, his music is a great fit for a story-loving crowd. England will be joined by good friends and special guests Courtney Brocks, Jesse Dold and Eric Ott, who will play a song or two and join him at the end for a foot-stomping jamboree.

The concert is sponsored by Edward Jones-Deb DeColfmacker of South Berwick and presented in conjunction with Spring Hill.

England, longtime front man for the local Americana band Pondering Judd, is committed to the importance of reading in people’s lives. “Reading is a fundamental part of learning, growing and, living,” he said. “I’m an advocate of anything that promotes this endeavor, and the prospect of South Berwick having a modern library and learning space is something that truly benefits the community.”

The North Berwick resident said he especially likes to do benefits near his hometown so he gets to see the results of his donation. “I am a huge supporter of local benefits,” he said. “Selfishly, I also get to see the direct impact of the local efforts, whereas some regional and national benefits I have fundraised for in the past, it’s most ambiguous (where the money goes).”

England also believes that as a member of the community he has an obligation to pitch in. “I truly believe that as a community, you have certain debts to pay. Those debts are either fronted in education, or paid for on the backside with drug rehabilitation, welfare, and worst, incarceration fees,” he said. “That’s not to say that educated folks don’t get into their share of trouble, but the percentages of violent crimes are certainly lower with people who are given access to education materials and resources.”

Tickets for the concert, $10 in advance and $12 at the door, are available at the South Berwick Library, Ear Craft Music in Dover, all Bull Moose Music locations, and Abby Chic Florist in South Berwick. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Snacks will be provided, and a cash bar will be open. A door prize and a 50/50 raffle will be held.

“Dressing a Colonial Lady”, presented by Historical Reenactors Adam & Mary Spencer, will be held Thursday evening, February 24, 2011, starting at 7:30 pm.

Sponsored by the Old Berwick Historical Society, the program will be held at Berwick Academy’s Jeppesen Science Center on Academy Street, and the public is invited. Refreshments will be served by volunteers.

Adam, a graphic designer and educator, and Mary, an antiques dealer and public speaker of many years, are experienced living history reenactors. They are well-known presenters of programs to clubs, historical societies and museums and live in a period house authentically furnished with 17th c. antiques. Among some of their public appearances in period attire are roles in films such as the documentary on King Phillip’s War, “The First Patriots”, and “The War That Made America”, on PBS.

The upcoming program is part of the Old Berwick Historical Society’s 2011 series of talks, walks and historical events. The series, supported by member donations, includes seven monthly evening presentations as well as other local history events around South Berwick.

More information on the Counting House Museum and all the Old Berwick Historical Society’s programs is available at www.oldberwick.org or by emailing info@oldberwick.org , or by calling (207) 384-0000.

On Thursday, February 3rd, the Central School Outdoor Classroom committee invites the community to “Dine Out South Berwick,” an all-day fundraiser which includes local restaurants The Early Bird, Black Bean Cafe (Rollinsford NH), Pepperland Cafe and The Lodge at Spring Hill. A portion of their proceeds will go towards the Central School project.

“I knew this project was ambitious and would only be accomplished by the hands of many in the community,” said Terrence Parker, a South Berwick resident and Landscape Architect leading the outdoor classroom. “What I had not anticipated was just how energetic and generous this community actually was.”

Parker’s landscape plan was carried out by hundreds of volunteers last summer, as parents, school board members, business owners and others came together to plant over 200 trees and shrubs as well as create log walks, a rain garden and an outdoor amphitheater to enhance the school’s grounds.

In addition to the outdoor classroom project, local chef and author Kathy Gunst adopted Central School as part of “Chefs Move to Schools,” a national initiative led by First Lady Michelle Obama to educate students about healthy food. With the help of other local chefs, farmers and community members, Gunst has brought a Hoophouse to Central School and hopes to begin growing vegetables with students as part of their curriculum. Gunst is thrilled these local restaurants have offered their support for this project. “The idea of bringing good food and nutrition awareness to young children is something that everyone can get behind,” she said. “It’s been hugely rewarding to see how many people have lent their talents and time to make this project happen!”

Dine Out South Berwick is just one of several fundraisers planned to support the Outdoor Classroom and Hoophouse. For more information or to make a donation, contact Lisa Jones or Amy Bevan at cesoutdoors@gmail.com.

Conditions couldn’t be better right now. We’ll be open from 12-4 Saturday and Sunday!

Please help by parking in a sensible manner. We must retain access for emergency vehicles. No parking signs have been posted, please mind them!

Remember there is NO PARKING on Agamenticus Road. Please drop your peeps off at our drop off area and park toward town down Portland Street in legal spots only. See you on the hill!

FMI:  www.powderhousehill.com

All proceeds benefit the Friends’ Building Fund. For more info, visit www.friendsofsouthberwicklibrary.org.

Attention skiers….thanks to the terrific storm today, Powderhouse will be open this evening for skiing from 7 to 9. Hope to see you there!!

Explore the winter landscape with Great Works Regional Land Trust

Get outside this winter to explore the winter landscape and learn about the work of the Great Works Regional Land Trust (GWRLT). The Land Trust is offering four winter ski/snowshoe excursions, weather permitting.

All hikes are free to GWRLT members, $5/$10 (family) for non-members. RSVP and find out more at www.gwrlt.org, also check their website for any last minute weather related changes.

Saturday, January 22, 2011
Tuckahoe Ski/Snowshoe (10:00 am – 1:00 pm)
Hubbard Road, Berwick
weather date: Sun., Jan 23

Saturday, January 29, 2011
Wonders Of Tatnic: Orris Falls Snowshoe (9:00 am – 12:00 – noon)
Thurrell Road, South Berwick
weather date: Sun, Jan 30

Saturday, February 05, 2011
Beaver Dam Heath Ski/Snowshoe (10:00 am – 1:00 pm)
Diamond Hill Road, Berwick
weather date: Sun, Feb 6

Saturday, February 12, 2011
York Pond/Punkintown Ski/Snowshoe (9:00 am – 12:00 – noon)
Punkintown Road off of Rte 236