LEWISTON – Ruth Oakley will be the speaker at the Lenten lecture series after the noon Mass on Wednesday, March 10, in the St. Joseph’s Church parish hall.

Oakley is a pastoral associate at Holy Cross Church, a position she has held for the past 14 years. She earned a BA in religious studies and MA in theology/spirituality from Providence College and a BS in leadership and organization from the University of Southern Maine.

She was trained in spiritual direction from the Center of Pastoral Ministries in Erie, Pa.,- and studied under the Rev. John Burchill and Sister Barbara Metz, SND, for the Enneagram Personality Type Theory. All are welcome.

Belly dancing

LEWISTON – Area women can discover the benefits of belly dancing with Club W! and Club 50, which will offer the exercise class starting Wednesday, March 10, and continuing through the month.

Pregnant women will benefit from belly dancing as it helps prepare the muscles for labor and delivery. No prior dance experience is required and the class is suitable for all ages, skill levels and body types.

Instructor Lisa Cummings will facilitate. She studied belly dancing in Boston and has performed professionally for more than 10 years.

Dress comfortably in workout clothing or a long flowing skirt and comfortable top. Stocking or bare feet are preferred. The class will be offered in two sessions in the d’Youville Pavilion dining room. Club W! will present Belly Dancing for Beginners at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, and Club 50 will host a special program, Belly Dancing for Women Over 50, at 6:15 p.m. on the same nights. The cost is $40. Space is limited; register by calling 777-4038.

Rotary meeting

LEWISTON – Paul Badeau of the L/A Economic Growth Council will be the speaker at the Lewiston-Auburn Rotary Club meeting at noon Thursday, March 11, at the Ramada Inn. Anyone interested in the program or the club is welcome. Cost of the lunch is $7.

Nursing alumni

LEWISTON – The Central Maine General Hospital-Central Maine Medical Center School of Nursing Alumni Association will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11, at the School of Nursing, 70 Middle St. Speaker will be Thomas A. Fogarty, vice president of development, Central Maine Health Care. The talk will be followed by a meeting. All area nurses are invited.

Pruning course

GRAY – The University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Cumberland County invites residents to participate in a four-session pruning course this month. Late winter and early spring is a good time in Maine to prune trees and shrubs because plants are still dormant.

Participants will learn how, why and when to prune, with sessions in the classroom and in the field. Pruning experiences in an apple orchard, a high bush blueberry field, a woodlot and ornamentals will be included. Only hand tools will be used.

The course will also feature how pruning can be a profitable part-time business. The cost is $100 and includes a pruning saw and reference materials. Space is limited. The course will start at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 11. To register or for more information, call Cooperative Extension at 1-800-287-1471 or see the Web site www.umext.maine.edu.

Emblem meeting

LEWISTON – Lewiston Emblem Club 528 will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11, at the Lewiston Elks Lodge, 1675 Lisbon St. All members are invited. The club, affiliated with the Elks, is looking for new members. Call President Sonia Woodrum at 375-8839 for details.

Date change

LEWISTON – The Longley-Dionne VFW Post 9150 and Auxiliary will meet at noon Sunday, March 14, instead of March 28, at the Lewiston Elks Lodge, 1675 Lisbon St. All members are invited. Eligible veterans are also invited to attend and to join.

Card party

LEWISTON – The Ladies of St. Ann Sodality of Holy Family Parish will host a card party on Wednesday, March 17, in the parish hall. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and games will begin at 7.

Tickets are $3 and can be purchased from an officer or at the door. There will be gifts, door prizes, raffles and 50/50. Refreshments and beverages will be served by Flo Marquis and Jackie Veilleux. Members, friends and guests are invited.

Tractor course

GRAY – Farm work can be dangerous, but a University of Maine Cooperative Extension tractor safety course will help reduce risks to Maine farmers and farm workers. The course is offered free and will be held on Tuesday evenings starting April 20 in the Gray Public Safety Building on Route 26.

“Many of the accidents on farms involve tractors and farm machinery,” said Richard Brzozowski of the Cumberland County Extension office. “Every farm worker needs to develop good skills and a good safety attitude.”

Individuals will receive practical training in the classroom, in the shop and on operating tractors. Participants should be at least 13 to receive credit for the certified course.

More information is available from the Extension Office in Cumberland County at 1-800-287-1471. Registration is required and space is limited to 20 participants.