From the Community

There's a new women's movement in Harpswell that is raising a new kind of consciousness. If the 1970s movement was about breaking boundaries, Harpswell's 2020s version is about binding the community together. GALA — Girls, Active, Laughing, Altogether — is Harpswell Aging at Home's newest program. It's gathering a growing number of enthusiastic followers to events that stimulate the mind, build camaraderie and make neighborly connections.

Harpswell residents plunged into the ocean on a frigid February day wearing daisy sunglasses and hats festooned with yellow rubber duckies.

On Feb. 20, officials in Cumberland County announced the adoption of a new emergency notification system. These systems alert residents and visitors of emergencies that impact their homes or other locations.

Five Harpswell college students have been named to the dean's list at their schools for the fall semester.

The Mid-Coast Retired Educators Association recently presented its annual classroom grants to local educators. The organization usually awards three of the $300 grants, but because there were many worthy proposals in the latest round, it gave five.

After Harpswell voters approved a new comprehensive plan in November 2025, the town submitted its plan for state approval. The state notified the town that the plan needed minor changes before it could be deemed complete and consistent with Maine's Growth Management Act. These changes included updating older data and clarifying the town's request for an exemption from designating growth areas.

Cundy's Harbor student Molly Greenleaf earned "highest honors" to make the dean's list for the fall semester at the University of New Hampshire. Greenleaf, a 2025 graduate of Mt. Ararat High School, is studying biology.

Maine School Administrative District 75 is gearing up for its second annual Community STEM Night on Thursday, Jan. 29, from 4-7 p.m. at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham.

All the best organizations regularly examine their strategies and refine or even overhaul them as needed to support their mission and vision. Harpswell Aging at Home is no exception.

The Mingo Club, of Bailey Island, awarded $1,000 grants to three Harpswell students in 2025: Kira Chown, Molly Greenleaf, and Elisabeth Kelly.