Wanna play?
Portland Commuter Life and Co-Curricular Programs at the Woodbury Campus Center in Portland is asking for board game donations. Board games are currently available at the Information Desk for students to sign-out and play with in the campus center. However, most of these games are in shabby shape and missing pieces. If you received new games over the holidays and are now cleaning out your closets, Portland Commuter Life would appreciate any old, but complete, games that are in usable condition. Examples of games they are looking for are Checkers, Trouble, Life and Yahtzee. If you have any games to donate drop them off at the Information Desk or call Cathy Wright at 780-4626.
Stitch by stitch
Barbara Kelly is still accepting squares for her USM community quilting project. Kelly, tradebook manager/software service, bookstores, Woodbury Campus Center, is sewing two quilts made of squares depicting reader’s favorite stories.
Kelly wants people in the USM community to have a fun way to participate in community activities, and so far students faculty and staff from Portland, Gorham and Lewiston campuses have contributed to the project. Squares and instructions are available in the Portland bookstore, and readers can use other bits of fabric, glitter, yarn, paper, crayons, markers, paints, or embroider their square. Sewing skills are not necessary.
One of the quilts will initially hang in the Portland bookstore and then travel to Gorham and Lewiston campuses to be displayed. The other quilt will be raffled to raise money for the Child Care Services Program. Tickets for the raffle will go on sale when the quilts are completed. Kelly has already received 28 squares depicting a wide variety of books including children’s stories, Charlotte’s Web, The Hobbit, Whinnie the Pooh, Harry Potter and adults novels, Bridget Jone’s Diary and Prodigal Summer, to name a few. Some people have also sent in squares with variations of the American flag.
Squares need to be returned by Jan. 25, and. Kelly hopes to finish the project by the second week in February. For more information call Barbara Kelly at 780-4072, or stop by the Portland bookstore.
Free eye exams
January is Eye Care Month in the State of Maine. In recognition of this month’s importance, the Maine Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (Eye M.D.s) announced free eye screenings from Jan. 14 to Jan. 31. Participating Eye M.D.s will screen for a variety of eye-related diseases or disorders including glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy or age related macular degeneration in adults, and amblyopia (cq) or strabismus in children. Eye M.D.s stress prevention as the most effective tool in maintaining sight for life.
“You may not know you have an eye disease until it’s too late,” said Dr. Samuel Solish, vice president of the Maine Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons.
That’s why Eye M.D.’s goal is to provide everyone with early detection and treatment.
Contact the Maine Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons at 622-3374 for screening locations and times in your area.
Charitable appeals does its job
The results are in from the Combined Charitable Appeal campaign, CCA. Last month, USM professional faculty and staff made a commitment to donate $46,851 to local charities including the Boys and Girls Club, Cerebral Palsy Association and Make-A-Wish Foundation. CCA gives staff members the opportunity to have money electronically deducted from their paychecks to go to local nonprofit charities. Last year the program raised $43,133 from 276 donors. This year’s goal was set at $45,000, but with the 241 donors USM was able to exceed that amount. Rodney Mondor believes that the number of people who donated and the amount of money received were affected by the September 11 attacks. He expected the numbers of donors to be down, but was surprised at the generosity of those who gave. “I think probably that there is a combination of sources giving to 911, and then people who understand the need for local charities. And those people are stepping up to the plate to handle that.”