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Friday, December 27, 2013
Volume 9 • Issue No. 52
Libraries Outfitted to Keep Readers Reading Longer
Robert Waldman, Director of York Public Library, looks on as Theo Kontos, Librarian at York Public Library, road tests the desk-top video magnifier with a copy of the daily paper.
YORK, KENNEBUNK & BIDDEFORD – Thanks to a generous grant from Kennebunk Savings Bank’s Huntington Commons Charitable Foundation, the York Public Library, Kennebunk Free Library, and McArthur Public Library each received a desktop video magnifier recently as a result of teaming up with The Iris Network on the Reading for All program. Launched in April of 2013, Reading for All is a program, available state-wide to public libraries, designed by vision rehabilitation professionals at The Iris Network in concert with librarians. The program objective, through a hands-on vision fair,
is to let people know there are many, many ways to continue reading – even with low or no vision. Reading is crucial to independence and the ability to begin reading at a younger age and longer in life makes a tremendous difference. A desk-top video magnifier allows users to magnify printed text up to 77 times, it can change the background and text colors to provide higher contrast, and, if the user is fatigued, it will read the text aloud. In addition to reading books, desk-top video magnifiers are most used to write checks, letters, cards, lists or to fill in a form.
Kennebunk Free Library is receiving its first desk-top video magnifier, York Public Library is replacing an outdated one, and McArthur Public Library is replacing one that was inoperable. Staff from The Iris Network provided orientation and training on the desk-top video magnifiers and has left handouts for both staff and patrons. According to McArthur Library’s Assistant Director, Sally Leahey, “Library staff are thrilled to be able to offer our patrons the use of this wonderful piece of equipment. We know that the magnifier will open up new reading possibilities to many people in our community.”
Marshwood Education Foundation Hands Out Early Christmas Gifts ELIOT & SOUTH BERWICK Though the excitement in the air at Marshwood Schools on Dec. 10 had nothing to do with the Holidays, many felt like they received early Christmas presents as the Marshwood
Index
Page
Arts & Entertainment 7 Calendar of Events 8 Classifieds 26-27 Computer Lady 28 Home & Business 23-24 Puzzles 30 Sports 22 Real Estate 21 Where To Dine 12-19
Local Average Tide Chart
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Education Foundation (MEF) Prize Patrol surprised grant recipients with giant checks and balloons while presenting their Fall Grant awards. The first stop was Eliot Elementary School where Brian Bergeron-Killough, EES Music Teacher, was awarded $900 for a Ukelele Club, which will be made up of second and third graders who will meet once a week to learn to play the ukulele. There will be performances at school assemblies and community events. “Ukuleles for the Eliot Elementary School music room will give many children an opportunity to play a stringed instrument for the first time. It is a wonderful gift to the program. We are so grateful to Marshwood Education Foundation for this grant,” said Bergeron-Killough. Next stop was Central School where three grants were awarded. Jenn Bogard, Central School Literacy Coach, was awarded $1,000 for “Little Free Libraries”. Students will work with local artist Shane Chick to locate, design and build two
little, free libraries around Eliot and/or South Berwick. For more information, check out littlefreelibrary.org. Then, the Prize Patrol surprised Kate Audet Smith, Music Teacher and Outdoor Classroom Coordinator at Central School, who was awarded a $4,900 grant to help pay for “Central School Cares”, which is an anti-bullying initiative whose aim is to reinforce a culture of kindness and acceptance while teaching students the tools and skills they need to avoid or get out of a bullying situation. With this grant, Musician Jeff Erwin will spend seven days with all Central School kids to work on a project called “Sticks and Stones,” which will promote social kindness and social acceptance and help kids avoid bully behavior. The “Sticks and Stones” residency is a creative, performancebased approach to learning about the effects of bullying. Taught in a caring, respectful way, students will learn about
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Santa and the Lebanon Rescue Department delivered presents to 397 children on Dec. 20 and 21. The entire town chipped in to help the collection and make the donations possible.
Lebanon Rescue Department Delivers Christmas Spirit LEBANON Lebanon Rescue Department Corporation held another very successful Operation Santa. In its 17th year, the drive collected gifts that were delivered to 397 children in the town. Gifts were personally delivered by members of the Lebanon Rescue Department on Dec. 20 and 21. The group spent 12 hours delivering gifts to homes on almost every road in town.
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“The looks on the children’s eyes make it all worth it,” said Chief Samantha Cole. “We started getting emails and calls in July from parents wanting to sign their children up for a special visit from Santa on the ambulance. It has grown into a large community event and it wouldn’t be so successful without the help of dozens of people.” See SPIRIT page 19...
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