MECHANIC FALLS – Emily Pakulski, a seventh-grader at Elm Street School, has been named Student of the Month by the Tri-Town Optimist Club of Mechanic Falls.

Citing her citizenship, “smiles and kind words,” and leadership on a class recycling project, Elm Street Principal Mary Martin, an Optimist herself, presented the award to Emily at the July 11 meeting of the club.

Some 25 residents of Mechanic Falls, Poland and Minot came together to start the Tri-Town Optimist Club, which is affiliated with Optimist International, one of the world’s largest and most active service club organizations.

The club works on service projects to benefit area youth and the community. Area Optimists are selling raffle tickets to win a Bear Creek canoe valued at $600. Tickets are $1 apiece or six for $5. The drawing will be Sept. 6.

The club meets the second Friday of every month at the Rail Station Restaurant. At the most recent meeting, the guest speaker, Matt McKnight, vice president of the new Lewiston MAINEiacs hockey team, said his organization is looking for “billet families” who can host the skaters, most of whom are teenagers.