Lost an hour, found a community.

Greetings, fellow Bowdoinhammers!

Another Monday is here again, and if you're feeling like you got robbed of an hour of weekend bliss... well, you did! Daylight Saving Time strikes again! If you forgot to spring forward, you're officially living in the past. (And probably late for something.)

I used my too-short weekend wisely and snagged some quality time with my home-from-college kid at a Merrymeeting Music House Concert. Best decision ever!

Merrymeeting Music threw down a seriously sweet shindig Saturday night, and if you weren't there, you missed Samuel James being all kinds of awesome. Seriously, that guy can spin a yarn and play a tune like nobody's business! Think "folksy magic" meets "storytelling wizard." Seriously, Google him – "This American Life" and "The Moth" are just the tip of the iceberg.

If you want to avoid future FOMO, you gotta get on the Merrymeeting Music email list. Just shoot an email to [email protected] with the subject line: "Bowdoinhammer said I'm one of the cool kids, so I should subscribe to your newsletter." (Don't overthink it.)

Their upcoming shows include Genticorum, Jason Anick Trio, and Peter More.

You'll be happy you did.

Here be the weekly highlights:

1. The Bowdoinhammiest Selfie contest will be closing in a few short weeks. If you can take a picture of your beautiful face in such a way that would make someone exclaim “Oh, that’s a Bowdoinhammer for sure!” please do so, and email it to [email protected]. You could be almost-rich in trash tickets!

2. Merrymeeting Arts Center just announced a K-5 April Vacation Art Day workshop for April 25th. If you have kids, you know how quick these art programs fill up, so jump on that! It WILL fill up quickly.

3. Goats in the Road Trivia at the pub on Monday.

4. The Bowdoinham Public Library will be getting new carpets on Tuesday, so they will be closed for the day. That shouldn’t interrupt the Celebrate Bowdoinham 2025 Planning meeting in the next room.

5. Those Age-Friendly Bowdoinham hooligans are having their monthly luncheon on Thursday, at the same time The American Red Cross is doing a blood drive (Not in the same building. That would be too weird.)

6. If you or someone you love needs help navigating Bowdoinham life, pop in to the Fire Station for Bowdoinham Community Connections open office hours on Friday. Last week, they helped one couple save $4200 by signing them up for the Medicare Savings Program, and helped another resident sign up for Habitat 7 River’s home maintenance program.

7. The K-5 art workshop for Saturday appears to still be open. Later on, stop by the Library to root for your favorite puzzle race team. Kate the Great says that all registrations have been filled, so it’s sure to be a competitive nail-biter.

There’s more information about these and other events below, so keep scrolling.

Bowdoinham in the News (sort of):

Modular Townhouses Coming to Bowdoinham: $2.1M Project Part of Larger Maine Contract

KBS Builders, a subsidiary of Star Equity Holdings, has secured a $2.1 million contract to manufacture 28 modules for the construction of 14 townhouse housing units in Bowdoinham, Maine. Manufacturing is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2025, with deliveries expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2025.

Click here to read more.

In other news:

Mt. Ararat High School to lock up students’ cell phones?

The Maine School Administrative District 75 (MSAD 75) board is considering a proposal to require high school students to lock their cell phones in special pouches during the school day, following a recommendation from a study group that found phones to be a significant distraction. The study group, which surveyed parents, teachers, and students, discovered a clear divide between adults who overwhelmingly support a phone ban and students who largely see phones as a positive resource. Modeled after a successful system used at Morse High School, the proposal aims to increase student socialization and reduce reliance on social media, with the understanding that the school would manage communication with parents during emergencies. While the board acknowledges potential student resistance, they are moving forward with drafting a policy, citing the urgent need to address the negative impacts of smartphone use on adolescents.

Read the full story by J. Craig Anderson of the Harpswell Anchor "Study group recommends locking up students’ phones during school day" (there may be a paywall).

Poppin’ off in the ‘Ham this week:

Monday, March 10th

• Goats in the Road Trivia, Three Robbers Pub (12 Main St.), 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM.

• Open Pottery Studio, Merrymeeting Arts Center Studio (9 Main St.), 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. $10 Suggested donation. The maximum capacity is 10 pottery enthusiasts.

Tuesday, March 11th

• The Bowdoinham Public Library closed for the day.

• Celebrate Bowdoinham 2025 Planning Meeting, Kendall Room, John C. Coombs Municipal Building (13 School St.), 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM. You're invited to help plan the 2025 celebration! Click here for Zoom (Meeting ID: 838 0102 3134, Passcode: 355218)

• Select Board Meeting, Kendall Room, John C. Coombs Municipal Building (13 School St.), 6:30 PM. Townhall Streams link. For a list of other town meetings, visit the town's calendar.

Wednesday, March 12th

• Bridge, Bowdoinham Fire Station (57 Post Rd.), 9:30 AM - NOON. FMI: Judy Gray, 666-3025. The group welcomes all players. Current players range from high-scoring duplicate players to seniors who played in college and newbies who have taken a class.

• Bowdoinham Food Pantry OPEN, Bowdoinham Food Pantry (9 Main St.), 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM. For all residents of Bowdoinham and Bowdoin. Building community, with food. NO income verification. FMI: (207) 751-7779. Shop there first.

• Pickleball, Bowdoinham Community School Gym (23 Cemetery Rd.), 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM. This is open to adults of any age and ability. The group has friendly games with mixed levels of competition.

• Open Pottery Studio, Merrymeeting Arts Center Studio (9 Main St.), 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. $10 Suggested donation. The maximum capacity is 10 pottery enthusiasts.

Thursday, March 13th

• Cribbage hosted by Age Friendly Bowdoinham, at John C. Coombs Municipal Building (13 School St.), 9:30 AM - NOON.

• Age-Friendly Monthly Luncheon, Bowdoinham Fire Station (57 Post Rd.) 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM. Wear Green!

• American Red Cross Blood Drive, Village Lodge (13 Main St.), NOON - 4:30 PM.

Friday, March 14th

• Bowdoinham Community Connections Office hours, Bowdoinham Fire Station (57 Post Rd.), Noon - 2:00 PM. Pop in to see what the BCC is about! Know someone who needs assistance? Click here. Bowdoinham Community Connections is a project of the Governor’s Cabinet on Aging.

Saturday, March 15th

• Visit/Volunteer/Donate/Shop at the Bowdoinham Gift Shop, Recycling Barn (243 Post Rd.), 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Clean and FREE curated household items, clothes, and toys are available; donations and volunteers are welcome to support this community resource and reduce waste. Contributions are accepted inside and returnable beverage containers may be dropped off in the window near the road at any time.

• Open Pottery Studio, Merrymeeting Arts Center Studio (9 Main St.), 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. $10 Suggested donation. The maximum capacity is 10 pottery enthusiasts.

• Art Workshop for Grades K and Up with Katie Hudak, Merrymeeting Arts Center Studio (9 Main St.), 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM.

• Jigsaw Puzzle Races, Bowdoinham Public Library (13a School St.), 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Teams of 3-4 people race to assemble a 300-piece puzzle! All ages welcome (age categories may be formed)—$20 registration fee per team. Call or email the library to sign up! All registrations have been filled.

Sunday, March 16th

• Sunday Service, Bowdoinham Second Baptist (1 Church St.), 9:30 AM. Potluck Luncheon following service.

• Sunday School/Service, Bowdoinham Church of the Nazarene (7 School St.), 10:00 AM, Service 11:00 AM.

• FREE swimming, LeRoy Greason Pool (Bowdoin College, 35 Watson Dr, Brunswick), 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM. For ALL ages and residents of MSAD 75. Runs January 12th through April 6th.

(These events may change or cancel without notice)

Next Week: St. Paddy’s Day, Bowdoinham Snowbirds, Watercolor for Beginners, Loose Ladies read some books, and the Bowdoinhammiest Selfie deadline.

So that’s all.

I hope you had a great week, and if you didn’t, just go ahead and start having a great week right now!

Love,

Rodney

❤️