Where is my mind?

It’s Monday again, Bowdoinhammer.

Have you ever discovered something new, only to realize that you already knew about it? That was me a couple of weeks ago. 

You might remember that newsletter when I asked all y’all what you thought about the Bowdoinhammer making a “services offered” section of this newsletter. Well, A LOT of you answered, pointing me in the direction of the Town of Bowdoinham’s business listing directory. 

If you offer a service or have a business and you’re a Bowdoinhammer, you can submit your information, and the Town will include it in their Business Directory for free. They put a lot of work into it.

I followed everyone’s advice and submitted the info for Bowdoinhammer, and it didn’t take long at all for them to list it. 

The punchline to this is that I used this very directory to look something up before!

What are we going to do with me?

Here are the highlights:

1. It looks like there’s a pretty good chance that the Merrymeeting Trail will happen.

2. The little boat launch is closed for now.

3. Show everyone how much trivial knowledge you’ve been storing in your head at the Pub on Monday night.

4. Merrymeeting Dance Alinement will be doing something on Tuesday.. oh yeah, they’re gonna dance!

5. Opening Reception and Artist Talk for Doug Chess at MAC on Friday.

6. My favorite Farmers’ Market is opening on Saturday. If you see me there, feel free to hit me up for a sticker.

7. The Class of 2025 graduates on Sunday. They grow up so fast.

Keep scrolling for more info about these and other events.

This Newsletter is for YOU

This newsletter is meant to be a resource for all Bowdoinhammers. If you or someone you know needs to publicize an event in Bowdoinham, please email me at [email protected].

• Does your club need fresh blood members? Tell me when you’re having a meeting.

• Got too much stuff in your life, and you’re thinking about doing up a Yard Sale? Heck yeah, let me know!

• Did you see someone zip by on a scooter, and now you’re thinking about starting up a chapter of scooter-heads? I’m here for it.

Basically, if it’s a Bowdoinham-related, event-centric thing that you want to get the word out about, yeet me those details. I don’t charge for this service. Folks just buy me coffee sometimes. It’s cool.

Merrymeeting Trail Closer to Reality!

The Merrymeeting Trail bill, LD 29, recently passed the Maine House of Representatives with a vote of 116-26 after its earlier passage in the Senate.

The bill is expected to be sent to the Governor's desk for signature following a few more procedural votes. The Merrymeeting Trailblazers are celebrating this significant step and extending thanks to all supporters, including town and state officials, community members, MaineDOT staff, and volunteers.

They acknowledge that more work, including community engagement, fundraising, and partnerships, will be needed to bring the trail to life, but they express gratitude that the project is now closer to reality than ever before.

Here’s a related article by Annmarie Hilton of Maine Morning Star: Plans to replace inactive rail tracks with pedestrian trails approved by Legislature 

Hand Carry Boat Launch Reopening in July

The Town Office announced that the newly constructed Hand Carry Boat Launch is under construction. It should be ready to use again in July.

As for the folks who rented rack space, they will give you a heads-up when everything is shipshape again.

Here’s what’s going on in Bowdoinham this week:

Monday, June 2nd

• 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. 

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

Tuesday, June 3rd 

• 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, Merrymeeting Hall (27 Main St.), 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM. All skill levels welcome. For more information or to be added to their Newsletter, email George Oliver at [email protected].

Wednesday, June 4th

• Pickleball, Bowdoinham Community School TENNIS COURT (23 Cemetery Rd.), 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Weather permitting. This is open to adults of any age and ability. The group has friendly games with mixed levels of competition.

• 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. 

• 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, June 5th 

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

• 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. Hosted by Age Friendly Bowdoinham.

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

Friday, June 6th 

• Pickleball, Bowdoinham Community School TENNIS COURT (23 Cemetery Rd.), 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Weather permitting. This is open to adults of any age and ability. The group has friendly games with mixed levels of competition.

• 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.

• Learn to Make Needhams with Diana Mosher, Bowdoinham Fire Station (57 Post Rd.), 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM. All materials provided. Limited to 10 students. Bring a take-home container. To register, email [email protected] or call (207) 666-3101.

• Bowdoinham Rebel Runners Celebratory Fun Run, Center Point Preserve (Center Point Rd.). Packet pick-up starts at 4:15 PM, and the run begins at 5:00 PM.  This event marks the end of a season focused on running and building essential life skills like goal setting and perseverance. Proceeds will support the Rebel Runners and the Bowdoinham Food Pantry/Falcon Market. Register online by June 4th ($30 includes a t-shirt and race bib) or on the day (shirt while supplies last). Parking at the Six River Farmstand.

• OPENING RECEPTION: Stuff… Drawings & other work by the artist Doug Chess, Merrymeeting Arts Center Gallery (9 Main St.), 6:00 PM, artist talk 7:00 PM.

Saturday, June 7th

• 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. Clean and FREE curated household items, clothes, and toys are available. Donations and volunteers are welcome to support this community resource and help reduce waste. Contributions are accepted inside, and returnable beverage containers may be dropped off in the window near the road at any time.

• Bowdoinham Farmers' Market OPENING DAY, Mailly Waterfront Park (1 Main St.), 8:30 AM - NOON. 

• 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.

• Stuff… Drawings & other work by the artist Doug Chess, Merrymeeting Arts Center Gallery (9 Main St.), 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM.

• Merrymeeting Music House Concerts presents: Peter More, Merrymeeting Hall (27 Main St.), Potluck (optional) 5:30 PM. Showtime 7:00 PM. SOLD OUT

Sunday, June 8th, Mt. Ararat High School Graduation Day

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

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

• Pentecost Party, Bowdoinham Church of the Nazarene (7 School St.), 3:00 PM. A devotional, a Fire-themed potluck, a fire (yes, there will be s'mores), activities, and, more importantly, fellowship. Everyone is invited!

Events may change or be canceled without notice.

Here’s what’s coming to Bowdoinham soon:

🗳️ Get ready for a little civic duty! June 10th is just around the corner, and that's when the local elections will be happening down at the Bowdoinham Community School cafegymatorium. On the ballot, voters will find two important articles related to the MSAD 75 school budget. Article 2 asks for approval of the 2025-2026 school year budget as adopted in the MSAD75 budget meeting on May 15th. Then there's Article 3, which is all about whether to keep the budget validation referendum process going for another three years; a "YES" vote means continuing to vote on the annual school budget via referendum, while a "NO" vote discontinues that process, leaving final budget adoption to a meeting of voters instead. For those who like to do their homework, a recording of the MSAD75 Budget Meeting is available, or readers can check out the article "School board backs 5.5% budget increase amid Trump-related uncertainty" in the Harpswell Anchor. Get out there and make your voice heard!

. . .

💬 The Annual Town Meeting is just around the corner, happening down at the Bowdoinham Community School cafegymatorium on June 11th. A little birdie (who clearly learned from last year's experience) suggests bringing a lawn chair or a chair cushion. Your derriere will thank you! The town will be addressing topics near and dear to everyone's hearts, including the Animal Control Ordinance amendment, the Municipal Budget (always a lively one!), eight different Land Use Ordinance amendments, and a Solid Waste Management Ordinance amendment. For those who like to do their homework ahead of time, you can view the PDFs of all these handouts before the meeting by visiting: https://www.bowdoinham.com/townmeeting2025.

. . .

🩸 The American Red Cross will be holding a blood drive at the Masonic Building on June 12th. There is a critical need for blood donors, and if you give in the month of June, you’ll get a $15 Amazon gift card sent to you by email. To learn more and sign up to donate, visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/

. . .

👑 The Town of Bowdoinham is now accepting nominations for its annual Citizen of the Year award, which recognizes individuals who demonstrate initiative and a commitment to improving the community. Nominations, including the nominee's name and a paragraph of support, must be submitted to Town Manager Nicole Briand by mail, in person at the Town Office, or via email at [email protected] by the deadline of June 15th.

. . .

📚 The Loose Ladies Book Group will discuss "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot on June 19th (Juneteenth). This award-winning non-fiction book, even featured on Radio Lab, promises a thought-provoking discussion. Copies may be available at the Library or local booksellers.

Alright. I gotta go plan some stuff because this is Tessa’s and my birthmonth. #TreatYoSelf

Wish me luck.

Love,

Rodney

❤️