Many of us think of yoga as a relaxing exercise to improve our health. Indeed, the practice offers many health benefits including flexibility and stress reduction. It also embraces mind-body activities including breath work paired with poses to achieve more overall wellness as well as meditation, which has been extensively researched to improve so many aspects of health.

It was a sweet day in Maine as 7,500 people attended the 10th anniversary edition of the annual Maine Whoopie Pie Festival on Saturday, June 22. Those passing through the entrance gates celebrated the taste of tens of thousands of whoopie pies, enjoyed other food, games, live music and hundreds of artists, crafters and vendors.

A special evening of music with the Lovely Family will be Friday, June 29 at 7 p.m. (refreshments at 6:30 p.m.) at the Brownville Community Church as part of the church’s 200th anniversary celebration.

The Piscataquis County Committee of the Maine Community Foundation has awarded $30,949 in grants to six nonprofits.

The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) will be offering a showing of “Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective,” a feature-length documentary introducing permaculture. Permaculture is a gardening design method that offers an ecological lens for solving issues related to agriculture, economics, governance, and more, and utilizes the patterns and resilient features observed in natural ecosystems.

A week after a $11,784,238 RSU 68 budget for the 2019-20 academic year was approved by a combined count of 249-50 across the four district communities, the school board set the assessments for Charleston, Dover-Foxcroft and Monson and Sebec during a June 18 meeting at the SeDoMoCha School.

The Monson Appalachian Trail Visitor Center is offering a mindful nature walk along the trail Saturday, June 29 from 10 a.m. to noon (rain date is July 6).

All children under the age of 18 will again be able to enjoy free summer meals across town, with no sign up required. The summer meals schedule is as follows:

This summer’s work on stretches of 10 town roads as part of the 10-year paving plan will be done by Hopkins Landscaping & Paving of Hermon as the selectmen approved the company’s low bid of $387,940 during a June 17 meeting.

A proposed 2019-20 SAD 41 budget of $9,639,532 was approved with all 15 articles passing with minimal discussion over 15 minutes during the annual district meeting June 13 at the Penquis Valley School. The approximate $9.6 million total is now moved to a referendum in the district towns of Brownville, LaGrange and Milo on Thursday, June 27 for a “yes” or “no” vote.

Next month a new county manager will start work as the Piscataquis County Commissioners appointed Michael L. Williams of Greenbush to the position during a June 18 meeting. Williams will start work on Monday, July 8, succeeding the retiring Tom Lizotte.

On June 12 members of the Dexter Public Health Association gathered in the town council chambers to prepare envelopes for the annual fund campaign. Contributions from members of the communities support free nursing services, regardless of income, to Dexter, Ripley and Garland residents.

A Ten Cent Whoopie Pie Book Sale will be held in the meeting room of the Thompson Free Library at 186 East Main Street. The sale runs Thursday, June 20 2-7 p.m.; Friday, June 21 9 a.m. to­ 5 p.m.; and Saturday, June 22 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Proceeds from this sale are for children's programs.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The 10th anniversary Maine Whoopie Pie Festival will take place on Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.

Upcoming events around the region.

The Katahdin Valley Boys, one of Maine's most popular and respected bluegrass bands, return to the Wayside Theatre on Saturday, June 29 at 7 p.m.

Marilyn Blais is the grand prize winner in the Piscataquis Observer’s annual Find the Whoopie Pie Contest. Blais was chosen from a pool of 10 weekly winners in which entrants successfully located a whoopie pie hidden in one of that week’s advertisements. Blais won a basket of goodies including Maine Whoopie Pie Festival and Piscataquis Observer prizes.

An entirely new camping experience will be offered at state parks throughout Maine this summer, and it involves spacious canvas tents, stylish picnic areas and tiny wood stoves that will keep campers warm on chilly nights.