Cara Valentino, CEO and president of Dempsey Center, speaks Thursday about its mission at the Great Falls Forum at the Lewiston Public Library as Katelynn Davis, marketing director, and Brandon Hotham, chief client experience officer, listen. The group spoke about the center’s work ahead of Saturday’s Dempsey Challenge, the 15th annual fundraiser slated to have 2,200 participants. Valentino said that as of Thursday morning, the center was at $1.6 million of its $1.8 million goal this year. The staff said the center, which provides a range of services for cancer patients and their families, has served an estimated 4,000 people this year. While Lewiston is its flagship location, Valentino said the center’s South Portland office will move to Westbrook next year. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Sara Turner, children’s librarian, left, and Katherine Webber, lending services librarian at the Lewiston Public Library, pose for a photo Thursday with “Flatrick,” a cutout of actor Patrick Dempsey, before the Great Falls Forum featuring a presentation by the Dempsey Center. Library Director Joseph Houston takes the photo. Dempsey will be in Lewiston for the 15th annual Dempsey Challenge fundraiser on Saturday at Simard-Payne Memorial Park. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal