Grange conclave

SKOWHEGAN – National Grange Master William Steel will be the National Grange representative at the Maine Grange Convention Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 25 to 27, in Skowhegan.

During the session delegates will decide on legislative positions on a variety of subjects, decide on several internal issues, elect the officers of the State Grange and confer the sixth degree. Contest winners will be announced in the membership, community service and lecturer’s departments. For more information about the Grange or the annual session, visit www.mainestategrange.org or call 1-800-464-3421.

Quilt show

SOUTH PORTLAND – A quilt show will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Thornton Heights United Methodist Church, 100 Westbrook St., to benefit Project Linus, York/Cumberland/Oxford/Androscoggin/Sagadahoc/Lincoln Counties Maine Chapter.

Project Linus is an all-volunteer organization, which provides handmade blankets to children who are seriously ill or in some form of crisis. The Southern Maine Chapter supported 1,306 children with “Blanket Hugs” in 2006.

Quilt makers were challenged to make a blanket based on a children’s book. The blankets will be on display, then donated to Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital for the young patients there during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Admission will be free. Stash Masters quilt group will also sponsor a bake sale for benefit of Project Linus at the show. For more information, call 839-2275.

Santa letters

LEWISTON – Santa has announced that he is overwhelmed with his letter writing duties and has asked Elf Lisa Marshall of Mainely Wraps to help with the project. Santa would like to write a personal letter to every boy and girl of all ages in recognition of their accomplishments and achievements.

In order to help, Marshall is once again offering “Santa Letters from the North Pole Depot.”

Each letter will be personalized and will be written using the information that moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandpas provide when they contact Marshall.

Order forms for Santa letters are available at Mary’s Candy Shop on Main Street and Bob’s Peanut and Candy Co. on Lincoln Street, at Round Pond Corner Store in Locke Mills and at the Autism Society of Maine headquarters in Winthrop.

Santa letters can also be ordered online at www.mainely-wraps.com and by clicking on the Santa Letters icon, or by calling Mainely Wraps at 784-1065. For every letter written, Santa promises to donate $1 to the Autism Society of Maine.

Fishing essay

PORTLAND – FlyfishinginMaine.com announces its second annual holiday essay contest for Maine residents under age 17. Participants are required to write a short essay answering the question, “How can I help the future of Maine fly fishing?”

The contest is the idea of Tim Soule, a physical education teacher at Hall Dale Middle School in Farmingdale and a member of the FlyfishinginMaine.com board of directors.

The winning essay will receive a new L.L. Bean 8′ 6WT Angler complete fly rod and reel outfit. Essay submissions must be received by Dec. 8, and the contest winner will be announced on Dec. 22.

It is asked that submissions be submitted electronically. They may be e-mailed to [email protected]. Paper submissions should be sent to FlyfishinginMaine.com, P.O. Box 7925, Portland, ME 04112.