41st Battle of Maine another success

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

Matthew Christen performing his winning forms routine. (photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography)

Matthew Christen of Club Naha is Junior Grand Champion in forms and weapons

Huard’s Martial Arts student Jedidiah Keen, 12, of North Anson, captured first place in point fighting and fourth in chanbara at the Battle of Maine. (photo by Mark Huard)

The 41st Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships took place on Saturday, March 25 at Champions Fitness Club in Waterville. $1 of each spectator ticket went to help support the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. There were competitions is forms, fighting and weapons throughout the day.

Club Naha student Matthew Christen, 12, of Benton, captured first place in forms, weapons, and point fighting. He also took the Junior Grand Championship Titles for forms and weapons.

Referee Kyoshi Andy Campbell holding up Matthew Christen after he won first place in point fighting. (photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography)

Hosts needed for international high school students throughout Maine area

/0 Comments/in , /by

In an age when international relations are often tenuous, AFS-USA, a leader in international high school student exchange for 75 years, is focused on providing opportunities for intercultural exchange that can help lead to a more just and peaceful world.

AFS-USA invites families and individuals from the Maine area and surrounding communities to become hosts for international students for 12 weeks, a semester, or an academic year.

Hosting provides individuals, families, high schools, and communities with opportunities to learn about the unfamiliar by exploring a diversity of cultures, all while sharing their own culture with a young person from a different country. Exchange students represent nearly 80 countries and cultures, including Kenya, Ukraine, Egypt, Türkiye, Italy, Germany, Chile, Thailand and more.

Once students and host families are matched, they receive ongoing support from trained staff and are welcomed into their local chapter of dedicated volunteers, alumni, and fellow host families. Hosts are expected to provide their student(s) with a bed, meals, and support and encouragement throughout their program. Students arrive with their own spending money and medical coverage.

“These students attend local high schools, participate in local community life, and are encouraged to share aspects of their culture,” AFS-USA President and CEO Tara Hofmann said. “They also discover first-hand what it’s like to live in America and form lasting friendships that create enduring links between the U.S. and other countries. In many cases, the bonds that form between AFS students and their host families last a lifetime.”

AFS-USA is the largest organization within the international AFS network that includes 54 partners around the globe.

PHOTO: China Village Volunteer Fire Department

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Front row, left to right, FF Matt Allen (3 yrs.), Capt. Sarah Batteese (25 yrs.), Chief Joel Nelson (7 yrs.), Capt. Kevin Maroon (28 yrs.), FF Misha Littlefield (5 yrs.). Back, FF Scott Adams (45 yrs.), Capt. Bill Rancourt (35 yrs.), Capt. Bob Batteese (39 yrs.), Lt. Kerry Martin (4 yrs.), Chaplain Ron Morrell (39 yrs.). (contributed photo)

On March 21, the China Village Volunteer Fire Department held its annual Appreciation Dinner, honoring the volunteers and their spouses.

Vassalboro couple connects people to detox

/1 Comment/in , /by

Cynthia and Ryan Paige

by Jeanne Marquis

There is a brief window of opportunity during which a person in active addiction reaches out for help to get sober, and Ryan Paige, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of AccessDirect Recovery Network, knows from lived experience how quickly this window closes.

“Real time might be the last time,” Paige explains what he means by that phrase, “It’s the point when things are bad enough, whether physically or spiritually, when someone knows they need to make a change. They are ready to accept help. Now, if they have to wait for an available bed, then we are now closing the window on how much time we actually have because it’s very likely that before tomorrow they will either figure out a way to get high or decide it isn’t that bad, or die.”

The scarcity of available detox and residential treatment beds and funding makes this brief timeframe even more challenging to those who wish to assist people with substance use disorder to find their pathways to recovery. AccessDirect Recovery Network grew out of this challenge, to connect individuals with the resources they need while they are open to making a change.

There is no typical phone call. What people are calling for can be different – it can be anything from direction and connection to recovery resources such as medical detox, residential treatment or recovery residences. They need funding options. Some callers may say I’m not ready to get sober but I don’t have any Narcan. These callers are connected with resources that provide safe-using supplies, clothes, tents or other items to help them survive. The caller could be a parent looking for resources for a teen or emotional support for themselves. Whatever the need, Paige stresses the call is about developing a connection with the person on the other end. While Paige is on the call, his mind is also going over what services would be best suited for the situation. The options vary depending on insurance, financial ability, bed availability, funding capacity and scholarship availability.

Paige describes a call, “So if somebody’s looking for detox and they say, ‘I need detox for fentanyl. I’ve been sober one day and I’m really going through it. I really need to get into detox today’.”

After that call, Paige will be connecting to all the facilities in-network to connect them to a bed that meets their needs. Though AccessDirect does have a large list of facilities that are in network with most insurance providers, the majority of their calls are from people with Mainecare or no insurance and little to no financial means. Paige says, “They are coming to us driven by desperation and hopelessness “

Due to the scarcity of treatment beds in Maine, Paige knows he may be making numerous calls before he actually finds a solution and often those solutions are in other states. A person at that critical point may likely give up after the first rejection, and that is why AccessDirect does this work. Every person seeking recovery has the right to access appropriate timely treatment.

Paige began this work by making these connections himself until his wife, Cynthia Langlais Paige, helped him establish the 501-c3 nonprofit, AccessDirect Recovery Network. Now they have a team of volunteers on the phones and providing transportation. Paige says, “Cynthia is the brains and the CEO of all things that are Access Direct. I am the connection – the person with lived experience.”

All volunteers who answer the phone have lived experience so they can build the relationships necessary to gain the trust of the callers and connect them with the help they need including residential treatment and supporting all pathways to recovery. This vital human connection over the phone – something a directory or digital locator lacks – can often provide the caller the confidence to follow through with seeking treatment. Because the AccessDirect Recovery Network phones are active 24/7, they are more likely to have a solid assessment of availability of resources at any given time.

To contact AccessDirect Recovery Network for connection to resources, call (207) 482-3835. Donations of volunteer hours and/or money can be made on the AccessDirect Recovery Network Facebook page.

Malachi Lowery receives MPA Principals Award

/0 Comments/in , /by

Malachi Lowery

Malachi Lowery, of Vassalboro, a senior at Erskine Academy, in South China, has been selected to receive the 2023 Principal’s Award, Headmaster Michael McQuarrie announced. The award, sponsored by the Maine Principals’ Association, recognizes a high school senior’s academic excellence, outstanding school citizenship, and leadership.

Lowery is a consistent high-honors student in a highly competitive academic program that includes all classes taken at the honors or accelerated level and numerous Advanced Placement and Concurrent Enrollment courses with nearby colleges. He has received recognition and accolades from within and outside the school for his standout accomplishments in the classroom, athletics (including KVAC All-Academic for soccer), and voluntary community service (exceeding 200 hours). Lowery has been awarded for outstanding achievement in physical education, advanced mathematics, physics, and United States history, and he is the valedictorian for Erskine Academy’s class of 2023.

“Malachi enjoys universal acceptance and respect of the school community. He is an exemplary student, school and community citizen, and a fine representative of Erskine Academy and young people.”

 

 

Winslow’s Mike Siviski to be inducted in sports hall of fame

/1 Comment/in , , /by

Mike Siviski, center left. (contributed photo)

The Maine Sports Hall of Fame will induct ten in ceremonies at the Merrill Auditorium on October 29. “I am very proud of our diversity in terms of geography and the variety of sports represented,” said Board Chairman Brian Corcoran. “It’s intriguing to learn the stories of those who are the best of the best in Maine athletics.”

Among the 10 new inductees is Winslow’s Mike Siviski, who has won 287 games as a coach at his alma mater Winslow High School. He was a three-sport athlete at Winslow before heading to the University of Maine at Orono, where he played football. He became an assistant football coach at Thornton Academy for 16 years before succeeding Harold “Tank” Violette as the head coach at Winslow in 1985. Over the next 35 seasons, he would lead his teams to eleven regional and seven state titles. Three times the Black Raiders won back-to-back championships.

Dozens take part in 30th anniversary plunge

/1 Comment/in , , /by

Day’s Jewelers’ Craig Adams, left, Jessica Ross, and Tony Cuares, dive into the frigid waters of Messalonskee Lake. (photo by Kevin Giguere, Central Maine Photography staff)

by Mark Huard

The 30th anniversary for the polar plunge, a fundraising event hosted by the Waterville Area Alfond Youth and Community Center, was held on Saturday, March 11, with over 150 folks showing up at Oakland’s historic Pressey House, in Oakland, to enjoy the beautiful crisp weather, Pinky D’s delicious poutine, and watch the over 50 fundraisers take the plunge into Messalonskee Lake. Along with sponsors like Central Maine Motors and Kennebec Savings Bank, the event raised $22,000 to support at risk youth in programs like Summer Camp Tracy and Greenhouse to Your House food security.

Top fundraisers included Tony Tuell for the eighth year in a row at $4,500, and first time dipper Ashton Erving, a participant in the AYCC Unified Champions program, with $2,465. Another first-time dipper was Crista Lavenson who, despite having run the event for 10 years, had never ventured into the water. She put out a challenge to raise $2,000 in 24 hours and with a last-minute flurry of pledges at the event managed to reach her goal and take the plunge!

Izzy Bouchard, back, and Morgan MacMaster, take the plunge with a St. Patrick’s Day theme. (photo by Kevin Giguere, Central Maine Photography staff)

Waterville’s façade & building improvement program announces new funding cycle

/0 Comments/in , /by

Complementing revitalization within downtown Waterville’s Main Street corridor, Central Maine Growth Council (CMGC) has announced the successful grantees of its Façade and Building Improvement Grant Program (FBIGP).

The grant program, funded by Colby College and the Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation, provides a reimbursement of up to 50 percent of the total estimated project budget of up to $10,000. Eligible projects range from new awnings and signage to brick repointing and the creation of murals.

“Selah Tea prides itself on providing our customers with the best organic coffees, teas, and yummy food in addition to comfortable and welcoming spaces for conversation and community building,” states Selah Tea Café owner Bobby McGee. “Funding secured through the Façade and Building Improvement program will allow the café to invest in our main entrance to create a more attractive and welcoming entryway to our business; we look forward to our continued growth in Waterville in conjunction with Main Street’s continued development.”

The program was established in 2019 to broaden engagement in Waterville’s ongoing revitalization, activated by over $200 million in recent investment by private and public sector supporters. With the Façade and Building Improvement initiative now in its fourth year of deployment, the grant program encourages new and existing downtown property owners and businesses to invest in their commercial storefronts while restoring the original character of historic buildings. CMGC has deployed 36 grants totaling $175,950 since the program’s launch in 2019, supporting and stimulating more than $2.25 million in direct investment in less than three years.

“From business and downtown revitalization to historical façade restoration, we have been thrilled with the quality of past applications and look forward to another round of impactful downtown projects,” states Garvan D. Donegan, director of planning, innovation, and economic development at Central Maine Growth Council. “Coming at a time of new traffic patterns, elongated sidewalks and pedestrian improvements, increased redevelopment activity, and significant downtown investment, the façade program continues to support the community in building off the downtown’s continued momentum while encouraging business and property owners to expand and grow new downtown initiatives, incentivize landlords to beautify and improve their buildings and streetscapes, and preserve our historic downtown district while fostering the conditions for small business creation, retention, and recruitment.”

This year, the grant awards made through the façade program will stimulate more than $150,000 in direct investment in downtown storefronts and façades during the 2023 calendar year. 15 applications were submitted, and 10 were awarded.

Successful grantees of the 2022-23 FBIGP award include:

177 Main Street – Selah Tea Cafe, LLC.
147 Main Street – Soul Revival Yoga
129 Main Street – 129 Gudis, LLC.
90-100 Main Street/65-67 East Concourse – Sidney H. Geller Trust, LLC.
80-88 Main Street/55 East Concourse – Waterville Investment Properties, LLC.
74 Main Street – Lion’s Den Tavern
70 Main Street – Holy Cannoli
46 Main Street – The Framemakers
42-44 Main Street – Focus LLC.
5 Silver Street – Hinge Collaborative

To learn more about FBIGP, please visit www.centralmaine.org/facade.

PHOTO: RSU #18 chess champ

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Second Grade Chess Champ: Second grader, Gavin Henderson, left, won first place in a chess tournament, in Bangor, over February vacation. It was Gavin’s first tournament and he placed first in the K-4th grade unrated division. He plans to enter two more tournaments this year. Look for his name in the future. Gavin loves chess and practices whenever he can. He is pictured with RSU #18 Superintendent Carl Gartley who plans to challenge Gavin to a match in the near future. RSU #18 comprises the towns of Oakland, Belgrade, Rome, Sidney and China. (contributed photo)

Scouts: Bear Den carnival held in Augusta

/0 Comments/in , /by

Pack #684 Cubmaster Kevin Bricker looks on as Asher Decoteau tries his hand at the ski-ball game that Kevin built. (photo by Chuck Mahaleris)

by Chuck Mahaleris

The Bear Den Carnival took place on Monday, March 13, at the Fitzgerald-Cummings Post #2, American Legion Hall, complete with games and activities for kids old and young. The annual event was hosted by the youth of Cub Scout Pack #684’s Bear Den as part of their “Grin and Bear it” Elective Adventure. The Scouts had to plan the carnival, invite parents and youth from their pack and then run the program with the help of their parents. Scouts from Troop #631 were also invited to have fun and help with the event. Activities included a toilet paper toss, ski ball on a homemade table, log balance challenge, air hockey using tupperware and electric tape, corn hole, and more.

Cub Scouts Allison Doyle and Kevin Bibeau have a lively game of air hockey. (photo by Chuck Mahaleris)

Gage McFarland tries to skillfully balance the log on two pieces of rope and get it to the laundry basket. Harder than you would think. (photo by Chuck Mahaleris)