The Portland High School baseball team will hold a car wash Saturday, March 22 from 9am to 3pm, at Portland Fire House Company No. 2 at 594 Main ST, Portland, CT. Cost is $5 per car, and tickets are available through any player; drop ins are welcome. All proceeds will go towards equipment and uniforms. In addition to meeting players, you can also pick up a copy of their spring schedule. 03/25/2008

Twice postponed for weather. a planning meeting was recently held to launch preparations for the Portland Historical Society's 12th annual Town-Wide tag Sale day, which will take place Saturday, May 10, from 8:30am-2:30pm.  This Tag sale Day represents a good opportunity to clear out your attic and closet accumulations and contribute to the Historical Society at the same time.  This is the major fund-raiser to beneifit  the Society's Ruth Callander Museum of Portland History, located at 492 Main St, Portland, CT. The Tag sale Location map, available shortly before May 10, provides details on the local tag sales, more than 125 each year. Local businesses an professional  sponsor the map and have their business card information displayed. Any businesses wishing to be featured, please call... 03/19/2008

Resident's can "save a high school senior" by purchasing a Tractor Raffle Ticket for $10. The winking ticket will be drawn May 6 for a 2008 Symplicity Regent riding lawn tractor. The raffle is a fund-raiser for Project Graduation, which holds an event every year for every Portland High School senior that graduates. Proceeds from this event will send the graduates off to a "secret destination" after the graduation ceremony so that they can celebrate together in a safe environment where they are supervised by adults. Organizers of the event offer it to seniors so that they may hopefully prevent drinking and driving. For more information or to purchase a ticket, call Judy and Dave Thompson at 342-4665. 03/19/2008

A bake sale to raise money for the Portland Fireworks 2008 Extravaganza will be held Good Friday, March 21 and Saturday March 22 starting at 9am at the Tri Town Foods, 146 Marlborough St, Portland, CT (Rt 66). If you are interested in baking for this event, contact Sharon Hoy at 342-3474. Donors should plan to drop off their goodies at Tri-Town the morning of the event. Baked good will include Easter cupcakes, cookies, pies, breads and more. If you can't eat baked goods, stop by to say hello and make a donation! The fireworks are scheduled for July 12 with a rain date of July 13. 03/19/2008

The new Children's Lighthouse Childcare & learning Center will host an open house this Saturday March 15 from 11-2. Those interested are invited to stop by to meet staff and tour the center. If you enroll by March 22, you are eligible for your first week of tuition free and for great prizes donated by local businesses. Winners will be selected by random drawings. For more information on the center, log onto www.Children'sLighthouseChildcare.com or contact owner Stacy Stein at stacy@childrenlighthousechildcare.com or call 342-2273. 03/19/2008

Trinity Church will host its annual St. Patrick's Day inner Saturday March 15 from 5-7pm at the church, 345 Main St, Portland, CT. The menu will include lean corned beef, colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes), buttered cabbage and carrots, home made soda bread with cream cheese, Irish coffee cake with whipped cream, coffee, tea or milk. Donations are $10 for adults and $5 for children. All the proceeds will go to the Portland Food bank. The Food Bank not only helps approximately 75 individuals weekly with food, but helps with clothing and furniture. The Food Bank's hours are Monday ad Thursday from 9am-noon. For more information, call the church office at 342-0458. 03/03/2008

There's still space to come Sunday March 2, to scrapbook. Ample table-room will be provided along with use of cutting tools and other scrappers to get ideas from,. Each participant is to bring a snack to share. We will be scrapbooking from noon-6pm in the lower level of Trinity Church, 345 main St, Portland, CT. The cost is $10 per person ($5 for church parishoners. Contact Alicia Currier (342-0158 or gsleader2237@juno.com) to reserve your spot and for more information. All proceeds benefit the trinity Church Sunday School. Future scrap-booking dates are April 11 and May 16-17. 03/03/2008

The Friends of the Portland Library Read & Recycle program will accept donations Thursday March 6 from 3-6pm at the Brownstone Intermediate school, 314 Main St, Portland, CT. Donors may enter by the school's front door and leave donations in the front hall. Volunteers will be available to help. Read & Recycle welcomes books, puzzles, videos, cassettes, CD's, DVD's and games in good condition-no textbooks please. Donations are sorted and held for the Friends' book sales which benefit the Portland Library. Donations are tax deductible and acknowledgment forms are available at the collection site. 03/03/2008

Trinity Church will hold an Easter Candy sale on Saturday March 15 from 9:30am-1pm at the church, 345 main St, Portland, CT. Any remaining items will be on sale during the St. Patrick's Day Dinner that evening from 5-7pm. There will be a variety of homemade baked goods and assorted homemade candy. For more information, call the church office at 342-0458. 03/03/2008

The Friends of Portland Library will have a March Mystery Madness sale throughout March. The sale will run from Monday March 3 at the Portland Library during regular library hours. All discarded library hardcover mystery books are being offered at the low price of 25 cents each or 5 for $1. Proceeds from the book sale will benefit the Portland Library. The Friends buy DVDs, museum passes, and provide other support for the library. 03/03/2008

Local Girl Scouts will be at the Tri Town, Dunkin Donuts (Route 66) and the Post Office this weekend, March 1 and 2, having booth sales of the Girl Scout Cookies. For more information, contact Alicia Currier at gsleader2237@juno.com or 342-0158. 03/03/2008

Portland Fire Department Engine Co. 1 will have a pancake breakfast this Sunday, March 2, from 7-1am at 7 Middlesex Ave, behind the post office. There will be all-you-ca-eat pancakes, sausage and drinks. Fees are $3 for children and $5 for adults. 03/03/2008

Girl Scout Troop 2237 is having its first Can & Bottle Drive of the year on sat March 8. The drive will be held from 9am-noon at Trinity Church, 345 Main St, Portland, CT. The girls will accept all returnable cans & bottles. (Non-carbonated drinks and water bottles are non returnable). If you are unable to drop the bottles and cans off, call 342-0158 or email gsleader2237@juno.comto set up a pick up time. Monthly bottle drives will be held the second Saturday of every month until November. The girls are working towards a trip to Rocking Horse Dude Ranch in 2009 along with supporting their troop activities and community service projects. 03/03/2008

Chris Ramm of Generational Energy will e the guest of the Portland Clean Energy task Force, Monday Feb 25 at 6:30pm in the Wagner Room of the Portland Library, Portland, CT. Ramm will discuss hydro-power. All are invited to attend. 02/25/2008

The Greater Middletown Special Olympics is seeking new potential athletes ages 8 and above who would like to join its basketball team, the "Thundering All Stars". The Greater Middletown Special Olympics (GMSO) serves athletes with developmental disabilities in Cromwell, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Haddam, Middlefield, Middletown, and Portland. Area residents who are interested in joining the basketball team would need athletic registration forms and these can be obtained by calling Special Olympics Connecticut at 1-800-443-6105, 1-877-660-6667 or on-line at www.soct.org. The "Thundering All Starts" basketball team will be training for the Special Olympics Connecticut "March Madness" basketball tournament Saturday, March 15. Volunteer coaches are needed.  The GMSO will begin pract... 02/25/2008

Copies of Echos, a collection of pieces written by the charter members of the Memoir Writing group at Portland Library, are now available. The Memoir Writing group was facilitated by Sheila Murphy, who guided new writers in sharing their recollections and developing their work. The collection includes both poetry and essays, and reminiscences of Portland people and places are also included. Artwork by local artist Marra C. Giuliano decorates the cover. Copies of the book are available at Portland Library, 20 Freestone Ave Portland, CT, for a donation of $5 to the library's Memorial Fund. 02/19/2008

Portland Youth Services has announced its 3rd annual "asset Building Mini Grant". This "Healthy Community, Healthy Youth" grant application is now available, and individuals or groups can apply. Youth Services will award 3 grants (up to $500 each) to a group or organization providing a program for and with our local youth using the "40 Developmental Assets" as a guide. Grant application forms with specific details on the grant are available at www.portlandct.org in the Town department area under Youth Services. For any questions, contact Mary Pont at Youth Services at 342-6758 or email mpont@portlandCT.org. 02/19/2008

Portland Youth Services will have a Mother-Daughter Night Out on Wed March 5 from 6:30-8pm at 265 Main St, Portland, upstairs from the youth services office. Come for an informational night designed to give girls a better understanding of the changes their body will go through during  puberty. Topics will also include the importance of maintaining a positive body image and how to deal with  difficult situations which may arise during this time. This program is for girls in sixth grade and their mothers. Cost is $5 per pair and includes resource materials, goodie bags and dinner. Patty Musgrove, a middle school health educator, facilitates this course. Space is limited. For more information and to register, call Mary Pont at 3342-6758 or email mpont@portlandct.org. 02/19/2008

For many years, Joy Vetre has been instructing Tai Chi, Chi Kung and meditation in the Middlesex area. Now, as the Chinese New Year approaches, she is offering a free class to all former students, ongoing students, as well as the "curious". The class will be held Friday, Feb 8 at 1:30pm, at Portland Senior Center, 7 Waverly Ave, Portland, CT. All former students from other classes she has instructed are also welcome. Portland, Glastonbury, Durham and Middletown. For more information, call 342-6760. 02/11/2008

A collection of original art, featuring talented local and regional artists is on display at Portland Town Hall, Portland, CT, 33 East Main St, from now until march 31. Works of art include oils, pastels, acrylics, watercolors, giclee' prints, encaustics, fantasy sculptures an d stained glass. Featured artist include: Lesley Braren, Maureen Longo, Elizabeth Van Wazer, Bivenne Staiger, Joan Tryon, Susan Flicker, Ann Snow, Diane Lindsay, John Lindsay, Carol Hare, Bob White, Jean Maynard and Mary Pont. Artwork is exhibited on the second floor and includes the office of First Selectman Susan Bransfield. The gallery is open during normal Town Hall hours and is elevator accessible. Fore more information or questions, call Ann Snow at 342-1243. 02/11/2008