With colder weather approaching and approximately 900 Knox County residents experiencing homelessness annually, the Penobscot Bay YMCA and Penobscot Bay Community Health Partnerships are issuing a call for winter wear and other donations as part of the 3rd annual Harvesting Hope initiative.

Harvesting Hope is a free community event designed to support unhoused and housing-insecure neighbors in Knox County by providing a hot meal, winter essentials, clothing, hygiene supplies, and connections to local resource providers, all in one place.

Wiggle and Rhyme is an early literacy program for children from birth to age two which offers a chance to enjoy songs, rhymes, scarves, parachute play, bubbles, toys and connections! 

Knox County Girl Scouts invites the community to a Founder’s Birthday event, Oct. 31, from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., at Thomaston Academy. Activities will include sling shots, ring toss, make your own magnets, fun camp and Girl Scouts songs, and more. October 31 is commemorated by the Girl Scouts each year as Founder's Day to honor the founder, Juliette Gordan Low. 

LIBERTY — Join Georges River Land Trust (GRLT) and Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) for an evening of stargazing at the summit of Haystack Mountain Preserve in Liberty/Montville. This event will take place Thursday, Oct. 15, from 6 - 8 p.m. 

On this dark evening, participants will admire constellations and celestial bodies from the scenic summit of the mountain. Naturalist and MCHT Stewardship Manager Kirk Gentalen will provide interpretation.

Merryspring Nature Center will host a family Autumn Ecology Walk on Friday, Oct. 16, at 10 a.m. 

All ages are invited on this guided tour of Merryspring Nature Center to see fall foliage and learn about the ecology of autumn. Guests will learn how and why leaves change color, identify trees, look for evidence of animals and learn how they prepare for winter, and watch for other signs of the changing season. 

Reader Gallery 13 continues a tradition of sharing photos that are taken by readers — locals and visitors who take joy in the always soul-nourishing landscape of Maine.

Caitlin Drasher will lead a presentation on "Maine Black Bears" on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 12 p.m., at Merryspring Nature Center.

"Join us for an engaging talk about one of Maine’s most fascinating wild residents, the black bear," said Merryspring, in a news release.

Spectrum Generations, in partnership with the Rockland Public Library, presents a Medicare 101 class, taught by Medicare certified volunteers on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m., in the Library’s Community Room. 

Topics covered include: Medicare Parts A and B, drug coverage, Medigaps, Medicare Advantage plans, eligibility, avoiding penalties, Medicare Savings Programs, and more. The Medicare 101 class includes a copy of the presentation used and additional resources for participants to take home. 

ROCKLAND — Mid-Coast School of Technology invites students, families, community members, and alumni to attend its upcoming Open House + Career & College Expo on October 1, from 4 to 6 p.m., at its campus, at 1 Main St., Rockland.

Admission is free, and the event features giveaways, door prizes, and family-friendly activities throughout the evening. Additionally, the school's Bake Shop will be open during the event with items available for purchase.

Hannah Howland will lead an outdoor presentation on "Water Gardens" on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 12 p.m., at Merryspring Nature Center.

"Bring a little more life and beauty to your garden with water," said Merryspring, in a news release.

Domestic Abuse in Our Neighborhood: Raising Awareness will be held Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, at 11 a.m., at People’s United Methodist Church, in Union.

This free community event will bring together local professionals and community voices to raise awareness about domestic abuse and help our neighbors better understand how to recognize abuse, support survivors, and connect people with available resources, according to PUMC, in a news release.

Panelists will include:

"Join changemakers from throughout Maine for another spirited assembly of grassroots action," said a news release.

HOPE — Join the Maine Mycological Society on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., for a walk that explores the expansive world of fungi. This educational excursion will be on Coastal Mountains Land Trust’s Ragged Mountain trail, starting and ending at the Thorndike Brook trailhead in Hope.

United Midcoast Charities (UMC) awarded a record-setting $686,300 in grants to 40 nonprofit organizations serving Knox and Waldo counties during its Annual Grantee Breakfast, sponsored by the Samoset Resort in Rockport. 

The annual event brought together nonprofit leaders, community partners, and UMC’s Community Grant Reader volunteers to celebrate the impact of local philanthropy and the organizations working every day to strengthen the Midcoast region through services focused on food security, housing, health and safety, and economic security.