Education conclave

WISCASSET – The Maine Environmental Education Association will hold its annual conference, “Education and the Environment -Building Our Common Future,” from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 4, at the Chewonki Center for Environmental Education.

In addition to science and environmental educators, the association invites professionals interested in contributing to the discussion of environmental education to attend, including teachers from all fields, entrepreneurs, artists and state leaders. The conference will offer a variety of workshops, outdoor activities, exhibits and presentations.

For more information on the conference and a list of workshops, visit www.meeassociation.org.

Participants can register in advance by visiting www.meeassociation.org to download the form, or by e-mailing Tamara Whitmore at [email protected].

Notaries to meet

LEWISTON – Informed Notaries of Maine will host its 15th annual meeting and notary educational conference from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the Ramada Inn Conference Center.

The keynote speaker will be Sarah Foster, state assistant attorney general, who will speak about legal aspects of being a notary. Other highlights include a notary fair and classroom sessions. Maine’s Notary Public Officer Timothy Poulin will speak on basic notary practices and law updates and be available to answer individual questions.

The registration fee is $55 for members and $65 for non-members. Call 846-8959 or e-mail [email protected] for more information or to register. Checks should be made payable to INM and mailed to: INM, PO Box 16006, Lewiston, ME 04243.

New director

BRUNSWICK – The American Heart Association in Maine has announced that Susan Crandall of Brunswick is the new Central/Western Maine Heart Walk director and will work with organizations and individuals to raise funds for heart and stroke research, education and advocacy.

The Heart Walk will take place on Sept. 28 in Lewiston. For more information, visit www.centralmaineheartwalk.org. For more information about the association, call the local office at 879-5700 or visit www.americanheart.org.

Contest winners

WATERVILLE – Contestants, family, friends and Legionnaires attended the American Legion Oratorical Contest at Thomas College recently. William Nelligan, a junior from Casco Bay High School, won the contest and brought him a first-place gold medal and a check for $1,000.

He will be Maine’s representative to the National Oratorical Contest at the Purdue/Indiana University Conference Center, Indianapolis, in April. Eric Sanborn a senior from Penquis High School, took second place, earning him a silver medal and $500.

Oratorical Chairman Bill Barr of Lisbon Falls Post 66 organized the contest.

Show applications

WELLS – Applications are available for the summer solstice craft shows on July 12 and 13 and Sept. 6 and 7 and the League of Maine craft show on Nov. 1 and 2. All shows will be held in Wells. For more information or to request applications, contact Darr Littlefield or Ray Fortin at 646-5172.

Visit Normandy

The Fraternal Military Association of the USA will tour the Normandy Invasion Beaches, London, Bastogne, Brussels, Amsterdam and Paris, departing from New York on June 17.

Current and past military personnel, dependents, friends and the public are invited to participate in the journey to commemorate the 64th anniversary of D-Day June 6, 1944.

For information, call Sy Canton at 561-865-8495 or write to him at 14130-C, Nesting Way, Delray Beach, Fla. 33484.

Funding given

AUGUSTA – Dr. John Fitzsimmons, president of the Maine Community College System, has accepted a $54,000 donation to the state’s community colleges from the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction.

The gift will be used to fund an endowed scholarship for female students from Maine who are enrolled in construction-related courses and programs. The first awards will be made in the fall of 2009 and will be used to provide emergency financial assistance and scholarships to qualifying students who demonstrate financial need.

The association was formed in 1955 with the purpose of enhancing the success of women in the construction industry. The Maine chapter was formed in 1979 and has, to date, provided more than $250,000 in scholarships to Maine students enrolled in construction related programs. For more information, go to http://www.nawicmaine.org/.