Fortins celebrate 65th wedding anniversary

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Anne , 86, left, and Jerry Fortin, 85. (contributed photo)

On October 24, 2020, Anne, 86, Jerry Fortin, 85, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. They received many congratulations and well wishes from friends and relatives as far away as Connor Township, Maine, to Riverside, California, with many in between. The Fortins have three children, Joan Chaffee, of Clinton, Audey Fortin, of South China, and Neal Fortin, of Riverside, California. They also have two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

The written word in business to be presented at chamber breakfast

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Ted Helberg

Ted Helberg, retired business executive and former English instructor will deliver a presentation sharing the importance of good writing in business communications. This is a facilitated discussion on using effective and accurate word choice, grammar, and organization in business writing.
Ted will interject a little humor, discuss common errors, and offer methods to correct them.

This informative presentation will be the focus at Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s December Business Breakfast. December’s breakfast will be held on Thursday, December 3, from 7:15 to 9:00 a.m. at the Best Western Plus, 375 Main Street, Waterville.

Ted Helberg is a recently retired business executive. He worked in Human Resources for almost forty years in several industries. He also served as an adjunct instructor of English at several colleges.

During graduate school, Ted was a teaching assistant in English, tutor for law students, and helped create a national grammar hotline.

Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce holds monthly informative presentations on a variety of educational business topics. Cost of the Business Breakfast is $20 for members, $27 at the door and for non-members. Breakfast is included with the reservation.
To register, e-mail Cindy@midmainechamber.com or call 207-873-3315.

The major sponsors for the Business Breakfasts are: AT&T; Cross Employee Benefits; New Dimensions Federal Credit Union; Nicholson, Michaud & Company; O’Donnell, Lee, McCowan & Phillips, LLC; Sheridan Corporation. The print media sponsor is Morning Sentinel, a division of Masthead Maine; radio sponsor is MIX107.9; video sponsor is Kennebec Savings Bank.

Some items regarding CDC guidelines for attendance: out of concern for the safety of attendees, registrations at this indoor event will be limited to a maximum of 50 persons. Tables and seating will be spaced out, and a plated breakfast will be provided, as opposed to the buffet offered in the past. Masks are requested to be worn for registration, and until seated. Separate entrance and exits are offered to minimize passage of attendees, upon arrival and departure, and hand sanitizer will be provided.

About Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce: Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and advocating for business prosperity and regional economic improvement.  Its region includes the towns of Albion, Belgrade, Benton, Branch Mills, Burnham, China, Clinton, Fairfield, Hinckley, Oakland, Rome, Shawmut, Sidney, South China, Thorndike, Unity, Vassalboro, Waterville, Weeks Mills and Winslow.  For more information on the Chamber, including how to become a member, call (207) 873-3315 or visit www.midmainechamber.com.

Sabrina Jandreau joins Central Maine Growth Council as Development Coordinator

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Sabrina Jandreau

Central Maine Growth Council, a public-private collaborative regional economic development partnership, has hired Sabrina Jandreau as its next Development Coordinator.

Jandreau, a graduate of Gordon College, in Wenham, Massachusetts, will be responsible for supporting the execution of economic and community development projects and programs put forth by the Growth Council.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to work for the Growth Council. As a life-long resident of central Maine, having the ability to return home and work for an organization that supports the betterment of small businesses and overall community development is humbling.”

Sabrina brings previous experience as a Strategic Planning and Business Development intern for Northern Light Health’s home office, in Brewer. Throughout her Gordon College career, she served as the NCAA Commonwealth Coast Conference SAAC president from 2018-2020 and served as the Vice President of Finance for Gordon’s student government. In this role, Sabrina was responsible for organizing the fiscal budget for the 2020-2021 school year, totaling more than $250,000, respectively.

Sabrina graduated in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Economics, and Law. Her background in studying economic development and public policy will support the Growth Council’s economic development plan, which facilitates the implementation of both public and private investments and projects.

“Central Maine Growth Council is excited to have Sabrina join our dynamic team during a time in which we’re scaling our organization and will be launching a regional accelerator initiative,” said Garvan Donegan, director of planning, innovation, and economic development. “Sabrina’s work will be critically important to continuing to advance our development pipeline, fuel our organizations growth, and deliver on our mission of cultivating a robust local and regional economy.”

Central Maine Growth Council is committed to fostering a robust regional economy. Its belief is that the standard of living and quality of life of our citizens is best served by a vibrant, healthy economy. To find out more about how CMGC can help your business succeed, give us a call at (207) 680-7300.

Thanksgiving pies made to order

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Submitted by Connie Bellet

Just because we can’t have big Thanksgiving gatherings doesn’t mean we can’t have an elegant pie to finish off the most celebrated dinner of the year. Several of Palermo’s Food Pantry volunteers are seeking to raise money to keep the Community Center’s heat on and the freezers running so our neighbors can continue to pick up food for their families on a weekly basis. We are baking traditional pies with local pumpkins, apples, and berries to order so you can pick them up on November 25. For only $10, you might choose a pumpkin, apple, pecan, chocolate creme, or peanut butter creme pie. Pumpkin with a pecan crust is $13, and the apple pie with a cheddar crust is $15. Except for the apple pie with cheddar crust, which is bigger, these are all 9-inch pies.

Orders must be in by November 18. Please call Pauline at 993-3033, or leave a message for Connie at 993-2294. They will call you on November 25 so you can pick up pies at the Palermo Community Center, and pay cash. This will be as contact-free as possible, with curbside pickup just off the deck. There will only be about 30 pies available, so place your order as soon as possible. If you have a special request, please let Pauline know.

Winslow Fire Dept. receives new truck

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Members of the Winslow Fire Department pause from training to pose for a photo with their new engine. Front row, from left to right, DawnBrasil, Lisa Byers, Paige Ames, Kristian Joliat, Sarah Joliat, Capt. Scott Bolduc and John Moshier. Back row, Brandon Reny, Chief Rodriguez, Cormick Frizzell, Lt. Troy Bouchard, Lt. Jeff Reny, Jonathan Beringer, Capt. Waylon Capp, Ben Loubier, Lt. Adam Burgess,, Cam Aucoin, Sam Solmitz, Joel Cloutier and Conner Osborne. (photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography staff)

Hallowell Food Bank receives largest donation in its history

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Volunteers at the Hallowell Food Bank prepare boxes to be distributed to over 50 families in Hallowell. (contributed photo)

The donation made by Central Maine Power Company will be used to purchase a walk-in freezer and help support services provided by the food bank

The Hallowell Food Bank has announced a $5,000 donation from Central Maine Power Co. The donation is the largest monetary donation ever made to the food bank.

“This donation comes at a critical time for us,” said Mayor Mark Walker, who is also on the food bank’s board of directors. “The pandemic has impacted many small communities across the state and Hallowell is no exception. This extremely generous donation will help the families who we serve at a time when they need us the most.”

“We’re just so thrilled and honored to have CMP recognize us,” added Hallowell Food Bank Director Jeanne Langsdorf. “We’ve talked about what we’re going to do with the donation and the first thing we’d like to do is to get a walk-in freezer so we can better serve our clients.”

Prior to the pandemic, the Hallowell Food Bank served between 12-20 households each week. That number has risen to more than 50 during the past few months. In 2019, more than 100 individuals were served, 20 of whom were children.

“Through the recommendations and suggestions from our employees we were able to focus in on small town banks right in our own backyard,” said CMP Public Affairs Manager Amy Marston. “Hallowell Food Bank is one of those and we’re really proud to partner with them.”

The food bank is operated by more than 30 volunteers and is open to Hallowell residents every Friday between 1 and 2 p.m. It has been in the lower level of the Hallowell Fire Station on Second Street for more than 20 years. They urge anyone who would benefit from the services provided by the food bank to visit.

Madison Legion Auxiliary donates school supplies to seven schools

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The Madison American Legion Auxiliary, Unit #39 supports community programs such as Children and Youth. Each year the members of the Auxiliary donate school backpacks filled with school supplies. This year, because of the unknown at the beginning of the school year, the unit reached out to the community. With the generosity of cash donations and school supplies from auxiliary members and community members, the American Legion Auxiliary of Madison was able to donate over $700 worth of school supplies and backpacks to seven schools in the Madison and Anson area.

American Legion Auxiliary members have dedicated themselves for over a century to meeting the needs of our nation’s veterans, military, and their families both here and abroad. They volunteer millions of hours yearly, with a value of nearly $2 billion. As part of the world’s largest patriotic service organization, auxiliary volunteers across the country also step up to honor veterans and military through annual scholarships and with ALA Girls State programs, teaching high school juniors to be leaders grounded in patriotism and Americanism. To learn more about the auxiliary’s mission or to volunteer, donate or join, visit www.ALAforVeterans.org or http://www.mainelegionpost39.org/. Or contact: Robin Turek, President – American Legion Auxiliary Tardiff-Belanger Unit #39, PO Box 325, Madison, ME – robinturek@gmail.com – 696-8289.

VBA sponsors Light Up the Season light contest in Vassalboro

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The Vassalboro Business Association is sponsoring a Light Up The Season in Vassalboro outdoor holiday display contest, for and in Vassalboro.

To enter simply call or text your name and the address of the display site to 631-3303 or email the information to lindatitus@hotmail.com, before December 15. It is free.

Prizes will be awarded in two categories, Best in Town, and Most Creative. The prizes will range from $50 – $150 and the winners will be announced on December 19.

The sites will be judged between December 16 and 18. It is asked to have your lights on from 5:30 – 9 p.m. Only addresses – no names – of the participants will be published online so the community may drive by to appreciate all your hard work.

Maine: the fifth most supportive state for veteran-owned businesses

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by Amanda Postma

Some veterans have a hard time getting into the workforce after having served. That’s why so many of them start their own business.

With more than 2.4 million of all American businesses being veteran-owned, it goes without saying that some states are definitely more supportive than others.

So we looked into it. By finding how many veteran-owned businesses were in each state and how many state-based sales go toward veterans, we were able to determine the states that provide the most support.

Most Supportive States

1. New Hampshire, 2. South Carolina, 3. Mississippi, 4. Alabama, 5. Maine, 6. Tennessee, 7. West Virginia, 8. South Dakota, 9. North Carolina, 10. Virginia.

These states are great places of support for veterans who are looking to start their own company. Make sure you keep reading to find out which states are the least supportive.

How we determined the most supportive states for veteran-owned business:

There are many ways to measure support. Ultimately, we decided to see where veteran-owned businesses are thriving to determine which states are creating an environment where veterans have all the tools they need to succeed.

We looked at two factors to determine the best states for veteran business owners:

  • The percent of all businesses owned by a veteran;
  • The percent of state-based sales that go towards veterans;

Our data came from the US Government’s Small Business Administration, and used the most recent numbers available.

New Hampshire is the most supportive state for veteran-owned businesses. In fact, the state is so supportive that veteran-owned businesses occupy 12 percent of all businesses there. But what may be even more impressive is that 6 percent of state-based sales go toward veterans, which is the highest percentage in the U.S.

Maine found its spot on this list at No. 5. From 4 percent of the state sales supporting veterans to 11 percent of all businesses being veteran-owned, it’s easy to see why.

Lions hold successful food drive

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Pictured, from left, Lions Darla Frost, Teresa Rael and Dan Huard. (contributed photo)

On October 24 the Waterville Lions Club held a drive thru food drive to raise donations for local food pantries. The Club thanks the community for all the support! Food donations dropped off helped the Lions put together 28 boxes/bags of food that were distributed between the Fairfield Inter Faith Food Pantry and The Winslow Community Cupboard. Cash donations received were in the amount of $207 which the Club donated to the George Mitchell School Food Pantry. Thank you to everyone that donated food and/or cash and also to those that honked their horn in support as they drove by. It was a great day to be part of the community.

Submitted by Michelle Shores