January, the perennial fresh start, can feel a bit anticlimactic, even weighted with pressure from loose ends of the past year to the bright, uncertain promises of a new one. So, it’s the perfect time to visit the Thompson Free Library (TFL) in Dover-Foxcroft, where our programs, like our collection, feature plenty of your favorite elements mixed with new concepts and new faces -- all in a welcoming setting.

Upcoming events around the region.

Over 80 beautiful parrots will celebrate the holidays at a free open house on Saturday, Dec. 29 from noon to 4 p.m. at Siesta Sanctuary, 104 Brown Road. There is no snow date.

Upcoming events around the region.

Three Rivers Kiwanis will be serving Christmas dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 25 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Kiwanis Headquarters building, 15 Harris Pond Road, off Park Street. The Penquis Valley High School Key Club will be helping serve along with many volunteers from the community.

On Dec. 2 a dozen locals braved icy conditions to attend an informational meeting about the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Organizer Laurie Sproul explained the group’s mission to “put a price on carbon.” She described her most recent lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., and announced that a bipartisan bill has been sponsored in the House of Representatives.

Light, camera, action! On Monday, Dec. 17 the Center Theatre is proud to announce that it will be hosting an advance screening of the new action-packed Transformers movie "Bumblebee" nearly a week before it opens to the public nationwide. Thanks to the work of the Foxcroft Academy, Dexter Regional High School, and Greenville High School Key Clubs with the Thirst Project, Paramount Pictures has offered this movie, at no charge to the theatre and guests, to be screened at Center Theatre as a thank-you for the students' efforts.

On Sunday, Dec. 23 at 2 p.m. Susan Ramsey & The North Country Strings perform "A North Country Christmas" at the Center Theatre, 20 East Main Street. The program is rescheduled from Dec. 2.

On Friday night, Dec. 7, the Center Theatre and the Slightly Off-Center Players debuted a new work by award-winning playwright Bobby Keniston. His new work “A Wicked Christmas Carol” brings Dickens’ classic story “A Christmas Carol” to the land of Oz and casts it with characters from L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

Upcoming events around the region.

In your grief, do you feel that you haven’t been able to take time for you, for a walk, a ride, or to get a haircut? “Self-Care for the Bereaved,” presented by Sherry Corbin, R.N., M.S., is the topic of Pine Tree Hospice’s Lunch ‘n Learn Program from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church.

The Piscataquis Community High Drama Club will be presenting the Christmas play “The Night Before the Night Before Christmas,” a two-act comedy by Pat Cook, at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14. The Glee Club sings during intermission, with a bake sale and raffles.

At 10 a.m. Saturday morning, Dec. 15 at the Abbott Memorial Library, Dexter Dover Area Towns in Transition (DDATT) will host a workshop with Felix Blinn from Brownville on “being prepared” -- how to take practical steps to prepare for likely disruptive events in a hopeful instead of fearful manner.

On snow days Mainers get creative and get to work! The Commons at Central Hall, formerly the Maine Highlands Senior Center, is doing just that this winter by coming up with an innovative way to raise money to fulfill the vision of building space for an adult day service center at Central Hall. Some of you may have seen an oddly placed car with a red bow on the hill in front of Central Hall! That classy 2002 Toyota Celica sports car is being raffled to raise money to complete the building project that was started in 2012.

The Dexter Public Health Association nurses want to help people in the Maine Highlands region keep warm by holding the Keep Me Warm Raffle. The first- and second-prize winners will each receive a gift certificate from A.E. Robinson for 100 gallons of No. 2 fuel oil. The third-place prize winner will receive a $25 gift certificate from Dexter’s Ace Hardware.

Leslie Lizotte, aging and disability resource center specialist from the Eastern Area Agency on Aging, will be holding a Medicare 101 class in the Sebec Room at Mayo Regional at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13.

Upcoming events around the region.

Girl Scouts of Maine will host Discover Girl Scout events at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 10 at Milo Elementary and at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec 12 at the Ridge View Community School in Dexter for potential members and volunteers.