Boot camp

PORTLAND – Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance will hold a “Book Proposal Boot Camp” from 6 to 10 p.m. today at the University of Southern Maine’s Glickman Library.

Registration is $75 Members and $100 for others. Registration materials are available at www.mainewriters.org.

It is a three-hour seminar that focuses on winning strategies that will help writers develop effective nonfiction book proposals.

Volunteer to meet

HALLOWELL – The annual meeting of the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 28, at the Maple Hill Farm Inn.

Members will celebrate the efforts of Maine’s volunteer lake monitors and invasive plant patrollers. The half-day meeting will include technical presentations, volunteer awards and lunch.

To register, go to MaineVolunteerLakeMonitors.org. FMI 783-7733.

Balloon parade

LEWISTON – Great Falls Balloon Festival organizers are calling for parade entries for the 15th anniversary of the festival. The parade will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18, stepping off in Auburn and ending in Lewiston.

For a complete parade application and/or more information, call 333-6601, ext. 1212, or go to greatfallsballoonfestival.org

Nominations taken

OXFORD – Gary J. Raymond, Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency announced that farmers and ranchers can nominate candidates to serve on local Farm Service Agency county committees now. The nomination period continues through Aug. 1. Elections take place this fall.

To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate of cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.

The candidate form is available at fsa.usda.gov; click on News & Events, then County Committee Elections.

FISH! workshop

AUBURN – Central Maine Community College will host a FISH! Philosophy customer service workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, July 12. Cost of the workshop is $40.

Fish! Philosophy uses an engaging metaphor as a model to improve employee retention, create internal and external customer service and prevent stress and burnout. The workshop will be presented by Julie Guerin. Guerin has over 18 years experience in customer service, working for a major retailer in Maine.

For more information, please contact the Central Maine Community College Corporate & Community Services Department at 755-5280 or 1-800-891-2002, ext. 280, email [email protected] or visit www.cmcc.edu/training.