At the Raymond Village Library - By Sally Holt

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” — Marcel Proust

I am grateful and feel my spirits lift each day when I pull into the parking lot at the library and see the beautiful handiwork of the Raymond Beautification Committee. The Committee installs flowering annuals in flower boxes and the barrel under the library sign in May and maintains them on a weekly basis through the season into late fall. They change out the spring plants for fall mums in October, and end the season with festive holiday greens in the barrel under the sign and plant a few spring flowering bulbs in the fall for color early in the year as soon as the snow has melted. And that is just at the library. If you look up and down 302 in Raymond you will see other beautiful results of their dedicated work.

Over the next couple of weeks the Raymond Beautification Committee, in collaboration with the Raymond Revitalization Committee, hopes to raise over $1,800 to fund 70 3-foot diameter wreaths for the ornamental light poles on Raymond's Route 302 corridor. Currently members of the RBC are visiting all the Raymond business people on Route 302 to personally request contributions, but also hope individuals, who will enjoy the wreaths as they drive along the corridor, will consider supporting the project. Wreath donations can be made to: Town of Raymond, 401 Webbs Mills Road, Raymond, ME 04071, with a memo saying "for Beautification Committee." Any amount is very much appreciated!

Raymond Village Library is celebrating the season with bells ringing in hopes for happiness and good health by presenting the following programs:

On Sunday, December 6, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. decorate the season with a whimsical woven bell. Bring your bucket, scissors, old towel, awl, clothespins, pencil, measuring tape and packing tool, if you have them and make one bell at the library and take materials home to make another. The fee is $20. Space is limited so call 655-4283 to reserve your spot. Payment must be made upon registration.

Deborah Gideon, a Raymond resident will be presenting Winter Health with Bees and Herbs on December 9 at 6:30 p.m. She will share her knowledge and experience of healthy home remedies just in time for winter. Join us to learn about herbs and honeybee products that can keep you healthy during the cold and flu season. You'll sample some delicious "medicine" and take home some recipes to make your own remedies. This program is free to the public. Please call the library at 655-4283 to reserve your spot.