News Notes – March 8, 2025 

Students and volunteers prepare and distribute over 800 boxes of food to community members in need during the Winter Food Distribution at Sanford High School on Feb. 27. 

Photo: Sanford School Department 

Compiled by Carolyn Cadigan 

SBP food distribution showcases student leadership and community spirit: The Sanford Backpack Program (SBP) hosted its fourth annual food distribution event at Sanford High School on Feb. 27. Between 3 pm and 6 pm, volunteers distributed over 800 boxes of food to community members in need. Students from Sanford High School and Sanford Regional Technical Center spearheaded planning and execution of the event — from Fire Science, EMS and Law Enforcement classes managing traffic flow, volunteer stations, and a backup plan in case of inclement weather to Alternative Education students helping with box assembly and distribution to Life Skills classes assisting throughout the day. Multilingual learner students were onsite to ensure the diverse community was served, and Kitchen Basics students provided refreshments and dozens of homemade cookies throughout the day. In addition to the schools’ students, 20 to 30 community volunteers assisted. 

“This event takes a whole town, whole city to come together to make it happen,” said SBP’s Lori Williams. “From the homemade cookies to the detailed planning and follow through, to the support of the Sanford School District, especially administration at Sanford High and SRTC, we are so thankful to have so many that support the Sanford Backpack Program.” 

For this year’s distribution, SBP received over 16,000 pounds of dry and canned items such as pasta, beans, instant potatoes, flour and diced tomatoes. Additionally, 14,000 pounds of fresh produce came from Good Shepherd Food Bank, which is the largest school food pantry in Maine. 

Library author event explores sacred sites and ancient landscapes: Springvale Library is hosting “Walking Sacred Sites” with Maine author, Margaret Jones, on March 19 at 5:30 pm. Jones discusses places she has visited in Wales, Scotland, England, Ireland and Jordan. With compelling detail, Jones narrates a lesser known history of these sacred places by touching stones, kneeling before holy wells and sensing the more invisible forces around her. She hears the whispers of the ancestors who once lived there and weaves magic into their deeper stories. Jones is an award-winning storyteller, workshop leader and travel guide. In her spare time, she performs, writes and continues her search for sacred places. FMI, call the library at 207-324-4624. 

Test your luck, support free summer shows: For many people, summer in Sanford means watching water ski shows on Number One Pond. Spectators line the shore to watch in delight as water skiers with the Maine Attraction Water Ski Show Team perform human pyramids, jumps, spins and flips — just as they’ve been doing for more than 35 years. To help support the shows, the nonprofit organization is holding its only fundraiser of the year, a St. Paddy’s Benefit Dance and Auction, on March 15, from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm, at Memorial Gym in Sanford. The event, for ages 18 and up, features over 100 items for bidding, live music from Hott Mess, a grazing appetizer table and a full cash bar. Go here to view the auction catalog and purchase individual and VIP table tickets. 

Checking on a vehicle’s safety is free, easy, and it could save lives: March 3 – 9 marks Vehicle Safety Recalls Week, a nationwide initiative from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that aims to protect drivers and passengers from preventable safety issues. The Sanford Police Department has posted information on how to ensure that a vehicle is safe to drive. Visit NHTSA.gov, enter the Vehicle Identification Number, and get instant recall information. The NHTSA website also has a link to its SaferCar app, which can be downloaded to have recall alerts sent directly to a user’s phone. 

Fall back, spring forward: The Eastern Time Zone returns to Daylight Savings Time (DST) at 2 am on Sunday, March 9, so it will be time to turn clocks forward one hour. Many people bemoan losing that hour, often at the expense of their sleep, but appreciate gaining the added daylight. Although there has been some discussion among politicians of ending Daylight Savings Time, there has been no official federal action to eliminate it. 

Local nonprofit ISO auction items: Grahamtastic Connection is looking for donations of art, jewelry, restaurant gift certificates, destinations, gift baskets and other items for its upcoming Silent Auction fundraiser, to be held May 17, from 4 pm to 7 pm, at The Lincoln Hotel in Biddeford. The nonprofit provides free technology to children with cancer and other serious illnesses to support their education, as well as their social and emotional well-being. FMI, and to donate items, call 207-324-0888, ext. 209. 

Are you an older adult with some small jobs on your To-Do list? Thriving in Place: Age-Friendly Sanford has announced its volunteer handyperson project, open to older adults who own their home in Sanford-Springvale. The project provides help with small projects and odd jobs. FMI, call the Trafton Center at 207-457-0080.