News Notes

Members of the Sanford Fire Department train to maintain certification for confined space rescues.

Photo: Sanford Fire Department

Compiled by Carolyn Cadigan

SFD completes confined space training: All four shifts of the Sanford Fire Department recently completed the rigorous training required to maintain Confined Space Rescue Technician Certification. The certification ensures the team is fully equipped to respond to emergencies in hazardous, enclosed spaces — such as sewers, tanks, vaults or silos — where access is limited and specialized rescue skills are crucial. Confined space rescues are high-risk situations that require precision, training and the right equipment to safely rescue victims while protecting the first responders.

Turkeys needed for YCSP Thanksgiving baskets: York County Shelter Programs expects to give out as many as 1,000 Thanksgiving meal baskets this year and is working hard to fill them. However, the organization needs turkeys. If you can donate turkeys or, alternatively, either a gift card or money to purchase them, contact Rob Boyd, Food Pantry coordinator, at robertb@ycspi.org or 207-324-1137.

Small Business Saturday is right around the corner: Friends of Downtown Sanford wants to know what local businesses are doing for Small Business Saturday, Nov. 30. Running a special? Offering gift cards? Having a door prize giveaway for the first “so many” customers? Get in touch with Friends of Downtown Sanford and make it a special day for your customers looking to support local businesses.

Two new SFD promotions: At the City Council meeting on Nov. 12, the Sanford Fire Department swore in two newly promoted lieutenants. Lt./Paramedic Ben Wildes and Lt./Paramedic Zac Storey were recently promoted after the retirement of two long-serving lieutenants. Congratulations to both!

Holiday assistance for Sanford families: Several local organizations in the Sanford area are stepping up to ensure every family can celebrate this holiday season. For Thanksgiving, York County Shelter Programs will have meal baskets, including a turkey with all the fixings, available for pickup at 5 Swetts Bridge Rd. in Alfred on Nov. 25, 26 and 27, from 9 am to 3 pm. FMI, contact Rob Boyd, Food Pantry coordinator, at robertb@ycspi.org. For holiday gift giving, registration for Toys for Tots is open until Dec. 8. All applications must be completed online. To apply, go here. FMI, email springvaletft@live.com or call 207-408-0321. The Press Herald Toy Fund, which helps children from birth to age 16, has a Dec. 1 deadline. Apply online here. For a mailed application, email toyfund@pressherald.com with your full name and address.

https://springvale-me.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/request-toys.aspx

Interested in a career with kids but not sure where to start? United Way of Southern Maine is offering a free Careers with Kids Workforce Summit & Career Fair on Dec. 7, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, at Sanford Community Adult Education. Learn how to start a career as an early childhood educator and apply for jobs with local providers. Free breakfast, lunch, childcare and transportation are available. Registration required. FMI, go here.

https://www.careerswithkidsme.org

Help an angel get his wings: The Salvation Army needs bell ringers this holiday season. If interested, stop by the office at 871 Main St. in Sanford and fill out an application. All Red Kettle donations stay local, so your time and energy will help to provide meals, warmth and hope for those in need right here in the community.

Book your appointment now: Through its Community Spotlight Program, Marc Motors will donate $5 to the Sanford Backpack Program for each oil change it performs during the month of December.

Improvements in progress along Springvale Farm Trail

Photo: Jim Roux

Mud holes fixed: A long muddy stretch of trail in Springvale was made dry recently, thanks to efforts by Southern Maine Sno-goers snowmobile club. The club built a base of porous stone and covered it with soil, seed and mulch on a 425-foot stretch of Springvale Farm Trail, a feeder trail off the Rail Trail. “During the winter, there were a couple of waterholes that didn’t freeze very well, which created a muddy ride,” explained club president Jim Roux. “Now, with the base we put down, it should be passable year-round with minor maintenance, opening it up to hikers, walkers and bicyclists.” The club had hauled in 82 cubic yards of stone tailings and 80 cubic yards of conservation mix, at a total cost of $4,826, according to Roux. The Sanford Trails Committee contributed $2,500. Contributing labor were club members Chris Letourneau, Dan Thayer, Don Allaire, Jim Roux, Paul Haven, Stephen Givens Jr., Don Roux and Calvin Hilton. Businesses that supported the project were Shawn’s All Season Sports, DW Excavating, MD Rental, Jeff Simpson Inc. and Genest Concrete.

Deadline extended for affordable housing opportunity: Habitat for Humanity is looking for two families who meet its guidelines to purchase homes in a four-unit subdivision on Beaver Hill Road in Springvale. Two of the homes have already been sold. The remaining two are expected to be built in the fall of 2025. The deadline for applying has been extended to Dec. 6 at 5 pm. This year, three families moved into Habitat homes in Sanford, with four to five additional homes planned following construction of the Beaver Hill project. FMI or to apply, go here, or email program@habitatyorkcounty.org with questions.

https://www.habitatyorkcounty.org/homeownership

Water council highlights regional collaboration across southern Maine: Keith Levasseur, Sanford Water District engineer, and Mike Cummons, Maine Water Company vice president, recently represented Southern Maine at the New England Water Works Association’s Water Resources & Sustainability Symposium. Their presentation showcased 20 years of collaboration through the Southern Maine Regional Water Council (SMRWC), where seven water utilities work together to improve services and cut costs through joint purchasing and shared resources. The SMRWC supports water systems serving 350,000 Mainers — about 25% of the state’s population. Both Levasseur and Cummons are SMRWC directors, with Cummons currently serving as president.

And a partridge in an Angel Tree: The Salvation Army of Sanford announced that its Angel Trees are up at Walmart and Partners Bank. Participants can help bring joy to a child this Christmas by adopting an Angel Tree tag and purchasing the item(s) listed.

For those who would like to help children in need this Christmas but are unable to get out to shop, consider purchasing a toy online from the Salvation Army of Sanford’s 2024 Wishlist at the Walmart Registry.

https://www.walmart.com/registry/RR/70637d9a-f160-4b23-a8bd-3a3ff4a01248

You’re invited (ugly Christmas sweaters are optional): The Sanford-Springvale Historical Society is hosting a Christmas Party on Dec. 5, from 5 pm to 7 pm, at the Sanford-Springvale Historical Museum, 505 Main St., Springvale. Wear your favorite Christmas attire, sample festive fare, and get in the holiday spirit. The Sanford Chamber Singers and Select Treble Choir will perform holiday music at 5:30 pm. This event is free to the public. FMI, call 207-651-1980 or email info@sanfordhistory.org.

Lift up your voices this Advent season: The musicians at Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Parish are starting to prepare the music for Advent and Christmas. Anyone interested in singing in the choir this Advent season should contact Brandy at 207-324-2420 or join the choir rehearsals, held every Saturday at 2 pm.

Congratulations, Nasson Health Care: The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has again recognized Nasson Health Care as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) practice. They earned this recognition for their commitment to providing high-quality care that places their patients at the forefront of what they do. Practices that earn recognition have made a commitment to continuous quality improvement and a patient-centered approach to care. NCQA’s program is the most widely adopted PCMH evaluation program in the country.