On Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. PRFC is hosting the first annual Winter Carnival, a family-fun event to include carnival-style games, snow art “canvases,” and human foosball. The event will be held at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds, where a custom arena is being built to accommodate both a foosball tournament for teams as well as a $1 pay-to-play time for the community.

Dexter Dover Area Towns in Transition (DDATT) will host its regular monthly free film and discussion night on from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, March 1 (the First Friday) at the Abbott Memorial Library.

Upcoming events around the region.

The discussion was part of a project funded by the Maine Humanities Council which will also include a free showing of the movie of the same name at the Center Theatre at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Mayo Regional Hospital launches its inaugural employee ski day at Big Squaw Mountain in Greenville Junction on Saturday, Feb. 23. In an ongoing effort to encourage staff and community health and fitness, Mayo Regional Hospital is sponsoring a day of free skiing for Mayo employees and their families. “Get out and Get Active” is this year’s theme.

My first experience with high school basketball came back in middle school. It was the annual Dover Grammar School spelling bee, and I figured I was one of the favorites to move on to the Piscataquis County finals until that dream came to a crashing halt.

The Tigers of Dexter wrestled hard, brought home two state champs, an Outstanding Wrestler award winner, and placed second as a team behind Wells High School -- who brought 11 individual wrestlers to the tournament. Wells scored 161.50 points -- to earn the program’s third consecutive state championship -- and Dexter followed with 99 points.

The girls basketball team from Piscataquis Community Middle School ended the 2018-19 season as the Penquis League small school champions. The Pirates finished the season with an overall record of 11-4, with only one of the loses coming against a fellow small school program (the other three came vs. large school division squads).

Penquis Valley High School senior Cymeria Robshaw won the 55-meter dash and triple jump, and she came in second in long jump, at the 2019 Class B indoor championship on Feb. 16 at Bates College.

Swimming and snorkeling are my favorite parts of living on a Maine pond. I am in the water as early as possible. Last year, April 22 was ice out day. I was in the water mid-May. My last day in the pond was September 30.