Register staff members pose in the middle room at the office with the gifts they purchased from the tags on the Boothbay Region YMCA’s “Giving Tree.” Instead of exchanging gifts this year, the Register employees decided to help others at Christmas. From left are, front, Gina Hamilton and Lisa Kristoff; back, Joseph Charpentier, Bill Pearson, Pat Schmid, Dave Parkhurst and Steve Edwards. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register Bill Smith of the Woodchucks operates the new 90-HD Woody Log Loader, recently purchased with donations from the Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor and Boothbay Region Community Resource Council. It has a 9-foot range and a 600-pound lifting capacity at maximum range and 1,200 pounds at mid-range. It can carry a seven-foot load at 52 inches wide and has a 28-inch grapple. Courtesy of Ben Borkowski The 16th annual Penguin Plunge will be held Jan. 1 at 11 a.m. at the Murray Hill boat launch in East Boothbay. This year’s Plunge is in recognition of John Druce and his late wife, Charlotte, for all they have done for the Boothbay Region YMCA and community. Here, supporters gather around John seated in one of the Y’s lifeguard chairs. Dan Parrot of the Y Aquatics Department and Larry Brown are co-directors of the event. Registration forms are available at the Y. All participants will receive a heavy Penguin Plunge winter-type cap. Courtesy photo Christmas Eve at the Congregational Church. As Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, there will be two worship services, including a family-oriented service at 10 a.m. which will include the Christmas Pageant. Magen Chryplewicz, director of Children’s Education, has prepared a wonderful traditional pageant and the children of the Sunday School are excited to present the story of the birth of Jesus. Then, at 8 p.m., there will be a candlelight service and lessons and carols featuring music of the bell choir and the vocal choir. Bring a bell to ring at the end of each service if you wish. Everyone is welcome to share the joy! For additional information, please visit congochurchbbh.org or call the church office: 633-6685. Courtesy of Rev. Sarah Foulger Cheryl Blaydon of East Boothbay is the author of a new novel, “Beyond The Ledge.” The book is published by North Country Press, Unity and is available online and at Sherman’s bookstores. Blaydon is the author of three previous novels: “The Memory Keepers,” “Island Odyssey” and “The Heart of Stone.” www.cherylblaydon.com Courtesy photo The 2017-2018 Boothbay Region Elementary School Lady Wildcats (grades 7-8) basketball team. Pictured from left are, back row: manager Sydney Welch, Madison Nichols, Jaelyn Crocker, Kathryn Hibbard, Emery Lorrain; front row: Mara Gentry, Jazmine Balducci, Deanna Main, Emilie Crocker and Dezaray Orne. Missing from photo are McKenna Hopla and Coach John Deetjen. Courtesy of Cory Chase/BRES A positive message was left in the snow to "Smile More" by a Wiscasset Elementary School fifth grade student and staff member on a snowy afternoon. Courtesy of Cindy Collamore The 2017 winner of Beta Rho Sorority's quilt raffle is Anne Cole Fairfield, who helped the sorority raise over $800 for breast cancer research by the American Cancer Society. Courtesy of Martha Speed Selectman Allison Hepler stands alongside Woolwich’s new solar array. ReVision Energy of Portland partnered with the town on the project voters approved last April. Weather permitting, the board plans to hold a symbolic “flip the switch” ceremony at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 4 at the solar site at the former landfill off Middle Road. The solar array is expected to generate over 29 kilowatt hours each year and cover an estimated 95 percent of the municipal building’s electric bill. The array has 80 panels, each warranteed for solar electricity for 25 years, which is about half of their anticipated life according to ReVision’s estimates. PHIL DIVECE/Wiscasset Newspaper This Santa wished to remain secret as he greeted people at St. Andrews Village recently. Does anyone recognize this jolly fellow? Courtesy of Robert Slupski A Christmas tree decorated by members of the Garden Club of Wiscasset in the front room of Nickels-Sortwell House during the recent Wiscasset Holiday Marketfest.The next club meeting will be held Jan. 4 at the First Congregational Church, High Street, Wiscasset. Business meeting starts at 12:30 p.m. followed by a monthly program at 1 p.m. Heather McCargo of the Wild Seed Project will talk on "Understanding and Sowing Native Seeds." Refreshments follow and the public is invited free of charge. Courtesy of Emily Adler First Congregational Church of Wiscasset UCC and the Wiscasset common on a recent night. Courtesy of Michael Leonard