Mid-Maine Chamber announces scholarship winner

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Zoey Trussell

Zoey Trussel, of Waterville, has been selected as the scholarship recipient from a field of applicants.

Zoey ranked second in her class at Waterville Senior High School. She started volunteering at a young age, along with her sister. She volunteered at Adult Ed with disabled adults and volunteered at Alfond Youth Center distributing meals during COVID.

Zoey assisted the swim team and drama club at Waterville Junior High. She worked with the National Honors Society Chapter to organize a Voting Registration Drive to promote civic engagement, along with many other projects.

Zoey will be attending the University of Maine at Orono to pursue elementary education.

The annual scholarship was established in memory of Joseph B. Ezhaya, a community leader who was known for his generosity and dedication to civic engagement.

This $750 annual scholarship will be distributed to the recipient after the completion of her first semester with a GPA of 2.0 or higher and will be awarded for up to four years, for a total of $3,000.00.

Maritime Energy president, Susan Ware Page, nominated for NEFI Legends Award

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Susan Page Ware

The National Energy & Fuels Institute (NEFI) announced its slate of Legends Award honorees to pay tribute to energy industry leaders in each state for 2021. Susan Ware Page, President of Maritime Energy, was selected for this honor in 2021 and will represent the State of Maine at the awards dinner in September of this year in Connecticut.

NEFI Legends Awards are presented to those who are industry pioneers and leaders whose experience and dedication serve as an example for all those in the heating and energy trades. In 2021, NEFI will feature an all-woman slate of honorees in recognition of the tremendous impact and leadership that women have made on the industry.

“I am thrilled to be selected as an honoree for this prestigious industry award. It is a great honor to be nominated and represent the energy industry and the State of Maine at this event.” – Susan Ware Page, President of Maritime Energy

NEFI has worked to strengthen and advance the market for liquid heating fuels through innovation, policy, education, and advocacy since 1942. The organization works at the local and national level to promote main street businesses and their efforts in efficiency, conservation, and safety. In addition to being a full service trade association, NEFI has developed the NEFI Education Foundation, Inc. a 501(c)3 non-profit organization to conduct industry research and provide education to its members.

Maritime Energy is a full service, locally owned family energy company serving Knox, Lincoln, Waldo, Hancock, and Kennebec counties. Services include heating, cooling, and plumbing installations, maintenance and repair. Maritime’s fuel products include heating oil, K-1, diesel, propane, and gasoline. As part of Maritime Energy’s fuel price protection programs, it offers participants up to 5¢ off each gallon of gasoline purchased at a Maritime Farms convenience store.

For more information or to find a fuel office or Maritime Farms store visit: https://www.maritimeenergy.com or call 1-800-333-4489. The company currently has 5 fuel offices including the main office in Rockland, Maine, and 13 Maritime Farms convenience stores throughout Midcoast and Central Maine.

Vassalboro Library to host animal events

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Photo: Vassalboro Public Library

The Vassalboro Public Library will be sponsoring two popular live animal events in Vassalboro as a part of their end of summer reading. Families from surrounding communities are invited to attend. This event is free for all ages with donations welcomed.

Please register online (Library or Town Office website or Facebook) or by calling the Vassalboro Library at 207-923-3233. Registration will help ensure you and your child(ren) will have a space within a gated area. First come first served for those who register. Those who do not register may view the program from a distance.

These programs will be outdoors, rain dates will be determined the week of the event.

Mr. Drew and His Animals Too

August 17, at the Mill – 934 Main Street , first program 2 p.m., second program 3:15 p.m. https://forms.gle/FaPcGs5Us8Wo31PcA

Mr. Drew and His Animals Too is a natural science and exotic animal rehabilitation center in Lewiston. This program will include reptiles, mammals, and insects. Mr Drew will bring his passion for rehabilitation and knowledge of animals in a fun filled presentation full of facts and laughs.

Photo: Vassalboro Public Library

Chewonki – Owls of Maine

August 24, at the Vassalboro Recreation Fields – 800 Bog Road; First program 2 p.m., second program 3:15 p.m. https://forms.gle/5mRdRMmpxgKyKjF37

Chewonki is an education center in Wiscasset. Birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians arrive with injuries or conditions that prevent their return to the wild. Their teachers are extensively trained and take deep pleasure in making connections with students, and in passing on a lifelong appreciation for the value of wildlife and nature.

 

 

 

 

Second vaccines available in China

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People who got their first Covid-19 vaccination at the pop-up clinic in China on Saturday, July 24, are reminded to return for a second shot on Tuesday, Aug. 24, from 8 to 9 a.m., at the same site, the portable building behind the town office.

Town Manager Becky Hapgood surmises the limited time is because only 14 people got initial shots; those running the follow-up clinic expect to be able to finish second shots in an hour.

Two community leaders at Purnell Wrigley Field kicked off the 2021, 11-year-old New England Cal Ripken Baseball championship on July 16-18

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Alfond Youth and Community Center CEO Ken Walsh, right, and Waterville Little League President Fran Purnell, prior to the start of the 11-year-old Cal Ripken New England Tournament, held at Purnell Wrigley Field, on Matthews Ave., in Waterville, over the weekend of July 16. (photo by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography)

Purnell throwing out the first pitch to get the competition underway. (photo by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography)

Alfond Youth and Community Center CEO Ken Walsh and 82-year-old Francis Purnell, 40-plus years involvement with Waterville Little League, were on hand to begin the 2021 11-year-old Cal Ripken New England tournament, held in Waterville over the weekend of July 16. Purnell still keeps up with the youngsters with his pride and support. He fell in love with his first encounter with Little League as a coach to his son, Chris. He followed up with his daughter Debbie, and finished his coaching with his son Kevin. With the passion to continue his leadership skills, he became president of the league. With his wife Joyce at his side, they together ran one of the best programs for Little League and Challenger Division. His pride for “his kids” has never left his heart and forever will always be there.

Photos and text by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography

 

 

 

Mid-Maine Big Brothers Big Sisters receive grant to launch “Bigs with Badges” in Augusta

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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine has received a generous $30,000 Innovation Grant from United Way of Kennebec Valley (UWKV) to help launch a new program linking local law enforcement one-to-one with Augusta youth. The new program, called Bigs with Badges, is a collaborative partnership matching students from Sylvio J. Gilbert Elementary School (Littles) with Augusta Police Department law enforcement and first responders (Bigs), in long-term relationships that support local kids facing adversity.

“We are incredibly honored and excited to be a recipient of United Way of Kennebec Valley’s Innovation Grant,” BBBS of Mid-Maine Executive Director Gwendolyn Hudson said. “Through this unique, collaborative partnership, our new Bigs with Badges program, the first of its kind in Maine, will match police and other mentors in law-enforcement, with children, creating positive, one-to-one relationships that will no doubt ignite the power and promise of local youth.”

The program also aims to prevent children from seeing law enforcement as an adversary. Courtney Yeager, UWKV executive director, said BBBS of Mid-Maine’s innovative program helps address entrenched issues with a novel solution that is both collaborative and effective.

Big and Little matches between local youth and law enforcement, like this one in Birmingham, Alabama, will be made in Maine for the first time, as part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine’s new mentoring program Bigs with Badges. BBBS of Mid-Maine was recently awarded a generous $30,000 Innovation Grant from United Way of Kennebec Valley to help launch the new initiative that links Augusta Police one-to-one with students at Sylvio J. Gilbert Elementary School, in Augusta.

Gibbs Library to feature Maine artist Kay Sullivan

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Sample art from Kay Sullivan

Kay Sullivan is a Maine-based artist whose work from nature reflects time’s passing: its rhythms, cycles, seasons. Kay received her MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is a juried member of the Pastel Society of America. Her award-winning work has been exhibited in numerous juried and group shows and is held in private collections across the country. Kay lives in Palermo, with her husband and daughter. Her website is www.KaySullivanStudio.com.

Kay states about her work, “These places in my drawings are my home: my garden, river, and woods. As I continue to explore this land which has been in my husband’s family for generations, I am acutely aware of time’s passing. It is evident in the changes of days and the rhythms of seasons. Through the movement of my hand, in my lines and marks on the page, I make my connection with nature’s energy. These marks are the evidence I leave, the history of my time here in this place.”

The Gibbs Library is located at 40 Old Union Road, Washington, Maine. For more information call the library at (207)845-2663.

Palermo library board’s Christmas in July meeting held

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Front row, from left to right, Isaiah and Lillian Leeman, Elaina and Ruby Beth Barnes, Elizabeth Elliott and Autum Turner. Back, Isaiah Leeman, Joan Robertson and Diane Dixon. (photo by Andy Pottle)

It was “Christmas in July” at the Palermo Community Library’s recent annual meeting. The scene was festive with a garland of twinkling Christmas lights strung around the refreshment table and a fire blazing on the large screen TV. Joan Robertson donated a Christmas-themed quilt to the library which was hung in the children’s area. Local students had used crayons to color preprinted drawings on fabric squares which were then pressed to set the pigments. The squares were sewn together by Joan Robertson and the piece was finished off with machine quilting by award-winning quilter Diane Dixon.

The library is located at 2789 Route 3. For more information call 993-6088 or email palermo@palermo.lib.me.us or visit www.palermo.lib.me.us.

Rose’s Room returns to Winslow on August 26

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Graphic from Rose’s Room Facebook page.

Following a pandemic hiatus, a group that offers support for families of individuals behind bars will return to Winslow in August.

“Rose’s Room” is a monthly, nonsectarian support group for those with a loved one in prison or jail. The next meeting is set for Thursday, August 26, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the St. Joseph Center on 80 Garland Street in Winslow. Future meetings will all be held on the last Thursday evening of each month at the same time and location.

“I think everybody feels alone and that they’re the only one. They can’t talk to anybody about it. It’s shame. It’s humiliation,” says Rose Dubay from Poland, who has a son in prison and for whom the program is named. “I think with Rose’s Room, we can help people get out of that stigma and realize that this isn’t their fault.”

The program got its start when Rose, searching for such a group, reached out to Bruce Noddin, of the Maine Prisoner Re-Entry Network. Not finding a program like it in Maine, he established the first Rose’s Room, in Auburn, in May 2018.

“There is kind of a basic script that is a combination of the script from Alcoholics Anonymous and from a hospice support group. Those were kind of combined,” says Noddin. “We understand that there is an anonymity there.”

In the three years that have passed since Rose’s Room started, it has expanded into other communities, including Bridgton, Farmington, Lewiston, Rockland, Sanford, and Westbrook. The group in Winslow met for the first time in late February of 2020, but before it could pick up steam and grow, the pandemic reached Maine. With conditions allowing for live meetings again, organizers hope the group will begin providing hope in the months ahead.

“It’s the only group in Kennebec County,” said Sister Judy Donovan, CSJ. “Everyone will be welcomed, loved, and equally respected. Former inmates are welcome, too, as their stories about successful recovery and re-entry into society create hope for all.”

Sister Judy say she hopes it becomes a place of healing for families.

“I hope they feel at home in this space, and as they meet, they get to feel at home with each other, and they take real ownership of it,” says Sister Judy. “That would be wonderful.”

Rose’s Room is also offering virtual meetings on the first Wednesday of each month. To attend that meeting or for more information about any Rose’s Room meeting in Maine, call (207) 998-2547.

“People are not alone. We have all been through what you are going through, and we can help each other,” said Rose.

To contact Rose directly to set up an individual conversation, email rosesroom2018@gmail.com.

New Dimensions FCU announces results of Cruisin’ for a Cure car show

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Front row, from left to right, Sara Fifield, Tammy Poissonnier, Jamie Theriault, Sharon Storti, Ashton Hunter-Sildve. Back row, Hannah Fitzgerald, Ryan Poulin. All people in the photo are from New Dimensions FCU except Ashton, who is a representative of the Maine Children’s Cancer Program located in Scarborough. (contributed photo)

New Dimensions Federal Credit Union showed up at the Robert LaFleur Airport, in Waterville, a new location for their 7th Annual Cruisin’ For a Cure Car Show the morning of June 5, 2021, unsure of what to expect.

The invitations went out to car owners, and with the end of the pandemic restrictions, all they could do was set up the markers, pop the tents, start the grill, and hope for the best outcome. The airport was a new venue for them this year and, the hope was that the new larger space would be well received by the car owners (participants). When the cars started rolling in at 7 a.m., one hour earlier than the opening registration time, we knew we were going to have a large turnout. With 188 registrations, the wide-open space filled rapidly.

Once all the money was collected and tallied, New Dimensions found that they had raised a record-breaking amount. They raised a whopping $20,082.97, and with the CO-OP Miracle Match of $10,000, the total was $30,082.97.

The “Cruisin’ for a Cure Car Show” is hosted by NDFCU each year because they know the money directly benefits the Maine Children’s Cancer Program (MCCP) – an affiliate of The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center, located in Scarborough, Maine. To raise money for such a worthy cause, they began selling tickets for a 50/50 raffle and a Super Raffle that included two rustic rockers and a firepit weeks earlier and continued sales throughout the car show. Additionally, they raised even more money by grilling hot dogs, sausage & onions, deep-frying French fries, selling pizza by the slice, and making breakfast sandwiches. Other efforts to raise money were the proceeds from tee-shirt sales and, of course, each car show participant paid a nominal registration fee of $10 per vehicle. They suggested a $3 donation from the patrons who came to see the car show and were amazed at the contributions above and beyond the requested amount.

The major sponsors are the backbone of funding for this event and include area businesses who donate to help them with the costs of putting the car show together, so all proceeds go to the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. Sponsors include Gold, Silver, Bronze, General, and Trophy Sponsors, who happily give year after year. Also included are the businesses that volunteer to donate signs, posters, pizza, super raffle prizes, and more.