Voices Carry

Bowdoinhammer - Week of October 20th to the 26th

Author

Rodney Kloberdans
October 20, 2025

Happy Monday, Bowdoinhammer!

There’s an important conversation happening on Monday, October 20, from 6 to 7 PM at the Mt. Ararat High School forum, and Bowdoinham voices need to be in the room.

MSAD 75 is holding a Community Forum to discuss its Facilities Master Plan, including some weighty topics like possible school consolidation, closures, and even new construction.

With 61% of Bowdoinham’s tax bill going toward school support, this is the moment to speak up, ask questions, and help guide decisions that will shape the future of our schools.

The evening will include an overview of the Master Plan, a look at the timeline, and opportunities to share feedback directly with the planning team.

Folks can attend in person or tune in virtually at this Zoom link.

Meet the Folks Who Want Your Vote

Jarod Johnson is organizing a “Meet the Candidates for Select Board” forum on Friday, November 1, at 6:30 PM in the Kendall Room at the John C. Coombs Municipal Building.

The event will feature Shelley Hooper, Allen Acker, and Marc Babcock, giving voters a chance to hear directly from the candidates, ask questions, and learn more about their positions on local issues. Since at least one of the two Select Board seats will be a write-in this year, this forum is a valuable opportunity to get acquainted before Election Day.

The discussion will also be available on Zoom and later uploaded to YouTube, with links to be shared soon.

If you’d like to submit a question in advance, use the form here: https://forms.gle/HG11928kbvqihHqt6.

License to Recycle

If you've got a new license plate, the Public Works Facility wants to see it!

Odds are the new plate numbers don't match up with the town recycling sticker on your windshield, so before you toss your next batch of cardboard, ask the crew to get you squared away.

And hey, while you're there, why not get even more involved? The town is on the lookout for new Solid Waste Committee members.

Three years of civic pride and trash talk await.

You can talk to Bryan Benson if you're interested. His number is (207) 666-3228, or email him at [email protected].

“A clean community is a reflection of its people’s pride.”

- Lady Bird Johnson

Happening This Week:

MONDAY, October 20th

. . .

TUESDAY, October 21st

  • Bowdoinham Community Connections LiHEAP assistance, Bowdoinham Fire Station (57 Post Rd.), 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM. This fall, Bowdoinham Community Connections will offer in-person support to help residents prepare for upcoming changes to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and to apply for Real IDs. To make an appointment, call (207) 666-3101.

  • Recycling Drop-off, Public Works Facility (121 Pond Rd.), NOON - 6:00 PM.

  • Merryreading Book Store OPEN, Merrymeeting Hall Basement (27 Main St.), 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

  • Merrymeeting Dance Alinement FREE Line Dancing Lessons, Merrymeeting Hall (27 Main St.), 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM. FMI: [email protected]

. . .

WEDNESDAY, October 22nd

  • Bridge, Bowdoinham Fire Station (57 Post Rd.), 9:30 AM - NOON. FMI: Judy Gray, 666-3025. 

  • Midcoast Humane Low Cost Wellness Clinic, Bowdoinham Town Office (13 School St.), 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. This first-come, first-served clinic offers affordable veterinary services to keep your pets healthy and happy - including dewormer ($5), rabies, distemper, or bordetella vaccines ($25 each), microchips ($35), lepto vaccines ($35), Lyme vaccines ($40), heartworm and feline triple tests ($45 each), and flea and tick treatments (priced by size and species). Each visit includes a vet exam with any service purchase. Cats must be in carriers, and dogs must be on leashes. Please bring your pet's vaccination records if you have them. Limited to four pets per client.

  • The Clothes Closet, The house behind the church (7 School St.), 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM. 

  • Bowdoinham Food Pantry OPEN, Bowdoinham Food Pantry (9 Main St.), 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM. FMI: (207) 751-7779. 

  • 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, October 23rd

  • Trash Pick-up Day. You can buy the $3 trash tags at the Town Office and Public Works Facility. Pick-up times vary. 

  • Intermediate Yoga Class with Ann Flannery, second floor of Merrymeeting Hall (27 Main St.) 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM. Designed for those with some yoga experience, but modifications are always offered. $15 payable by cash, check, or Venmo. FMI: [email protected] or (207) 751-9589.

  • Recycling Drop-off, Public Works Facility (121 Pond Rd.), 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

  • Cribbage hosted by Age Friendly Bowdoinham, Bowdoinham Fire Station (57 Post Rd.), 9:30 AM - NOON. 

  • Merryreading Book Store OPEN, Merrymeeting Hall Basement (27 Main St.), 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

  • Planning Board Meeting, Kendall Room, John C. Coombs Municipal Building (13 School St.), 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM. 

  • Guilt-Free Book Group, Merrymeeting Hall (27 Main St.), 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. 

. . .

FRIDAY, October 24th

  • Bowdoinham Community Connections LiHEAP assistance, Bowdoinham Fire Station (57 Post Rd.), NOON - 2:00 PM. This fall, Bowdoinham Community Connections will offer in-person support to help residents prepare for upcoming changes to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and to apply for Real IDs. To make an appointment, call (207) 666-3101.

  • Opening Reception: Vampiros, Merrymeeting Arts Center Gallery (9 Main St.), 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Sponsored by Merrymeeting Community & Adult Education and featuring new work by Jose’ Rodriguez Jr., based on an anecdote from his youth, the work explores the artist’s often contradictory experiences of growing up in this country as a child of immigrants. 

. . .

SATURDAY, October 25th

  • Recycling Drop-off, Public Works Facility (121 Pond Rd.), 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

  • Visit/Volunteer/Donate/Shop at the Bowdoinham Gift Shop, Recycling Barn (243 Post Rd.), 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. 

  • 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.

  • Merryreading Book Store OPEN, Merrymeeting Hall Basement (27 Main St.), 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

  • Vampiros, Merrymeeting Arts Center Gallery (9 Main St.), 10:00 AM - NOON. Sponsored by Merrymeeting Community & Adult Education and featuring new work by Jose’ Rodriguez Jr., based on an anecdote from his youth, the work explores the artist’s often contradictory experiences of growing up in this country as a child of immigrants. 

  • Trunk or Treat, Mailly Waterfront Park (1 Main St.) 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Admission: Non-perishable item or monetary donation. All non-perishable donations will go to benefit the Bowdoinham Food Pantry. All monetary donations will benefit the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger. Sponsored by Ancorum Credit Union.

. . .

SUNDAY, October 26th

Events may change or be canceled without notice.

The Bowdoinhammer is a free public service, fueled by a passion for our community and coffee.  ☕

If you enjoy reading this newsletter and want to help support it, you can buy me a cup of coffee by visiting https://buymeacoffee.com/bowdoinhammer.

Your donations, big or small, help keep this newsletter going and are greatly appreciated. 

Thank you! 

Happening Soon:

📚 The Bowdoinham Booked Moms chose "The Mother Next Door" by Tara Laskowski as their book for Wednesday, October 29th. On Ivy Woods Drive, the picture-perfect Halloween block party hides more than pumpkins and candy - it hides the truth. When old secrets collide with new threats, the neighborhood moms discover just how far they'll go to protect their families. Want to meet other Bowdoinham moms and enjoy a good book and conversation (with other adults)? Join them at Merrymeeting Hall on the last Wednesday of each month for laughter and connection. For more info, email [email protected].

.   .   .

🗳️  Election Day is coming up on Tuesday, November 4th, at the Bowdoinham Community School. Voting isn't just about politics; it's about shaping the community we live in every day. On the local ballot, residents will decide whether the town should continue to take on winter maintenance of a short section of Pratt Road. Statewide, voters will weigh in on two significant referendum questions: one proposing changes to Maine's election laws, and another addressing whether courts can temporarily restrict access to firearms in cases of demonstrated risk to public safety. Every vote matters, especially when it comes to decisions that directly impact our town and state.

. . .

🎖️ Bowdoinham's Veterans are invited to gather at the Fire Station on Saturday, November 8, from 11 AM to 3 PM for an afternoon of camaraderie, stories, and shared chow. The gathering, organized by Marc Babcock (SSgt/USMC/Ret), is simply a time for local Veterans to meet one another and celebrate Veterans Day together. Community members are welcome to stop by, listen, and lend their support. Marc's hoping to have plenty of food on hand for everyone, and donations toward the meal are always appreciated. Questions or offers to help can be sent to him directly at [email protected].

.   .   .

🧩  The Bowdoinham Public Library is bringing back its popular Puzzle Race on Saturday, November 15, at Merrymeeting Hall. Following the first race's smashing success, the library responded to the community's call to make it a proper fundraiser. The entry fee is now a tidy $20 per person for teams of four, with prizes for the winners and a well-deserved chili and cornbread supper afterward. For the younger puzzlers (15 and under), a special 300-piece puzzle race is available for a team fee of $20. Space is limited, so grab your sharpest puzzlers and register soon by emailing [email protected] or calling (207) 666-8405.

.   .   .

📖 The Loose Ladies Book Club will discuss “Memorial Days: a Memoir” by Geraldine Brooks, November 20th. In the wake of devastating loss, Geraldine Brooks seeks solace on a windswept Australian island, where silence and sea become her companions. Memorial Days is a tender meditation on love, mourning, and the rituals that help us begin again. Get your copy at Bowdoinham Public Library or your favorite local bookseller.

.   .   .

🎶 Merrymeeting Music House Concerts will feature Triton at Merrymeeting Hall on Saturday, November 22nd! Click here to get on the mailing list, so you don’t miss your RSVP link. Hailing from Vermont and Québec, Triton creates an orchestral blend of Old World sounds that defy every stereotype of their instruments. Their performances move seamlessly from Breton dance tunes to Scottish hornpipes, always with passion, precision, and a touch of storytelling. This is going to be a wonderful night of tunes, starting with an optional potluck at 5:30 PM, followed by music at 7:00 PM. A suggested $20 contribution goes entirely to the artists who make this magic happen! To keep this series going, they are also seeking concert sponsors to cover the hall rental and people interested in hosting musicians for a night. RSVPs are required, so keep an eye on your email for the link! 

.   .   .

🥧 Bowdoinham's Annual Pie Sale is back, and this year it's being hosted by the Bowdoinham Church of the Nazarene! Proceeds will be shared between the Fire Department and the Church's Compassionate Ministries Fund. The sale happens at the Fire Department on Tuesday, November 25th, starting at 8:00 AM and running until 7:00 PM (or until the pies run out!). Pie makers, this is your moment to shine! Donations of pies, ingredients, or even a little volunteer time are needed to make the sale a success. To get involved, contact Natausha Naylor at (207) 751-4014 (call or text) or email [email protected]. Donations of ingredients can be dropped off or picked up by arrangement. Details on pie drop-offs will be announced soon. It's a Bowdoinham tradition worth keeping around-so bake, buy, and be part of it!

That’s all there is, as far as I know. If you have any events to share, email me at [email protected].

I hope you have the best week.

Love,

Rodney

❤️