WATERVILLE: New president named at Inland Hospital

Tricia Mercer

Northern Light Health has announced that Tricia Mercer will become the next president of Northern Light Inland Hospital and Northern Light Continuing Care, Lakewood. In this role, Mercer will also serve as a Northern Light senior vice president. She will succeed Terri Vieira, who retired earlier this month.

Tim Dentry, Northern Light Health’s president and CEO said, “Tricia has excellent healthcare experience and we’re excited that she is already part of the Northern Light team, having served as associate vice president of our Medical Group Operations since 2019. She has had great success with improving access to care, enhancing provider engagement, and she is a proud Mainer who is dedicated to community involvement.”

Dentry continued, “Tricia’s background shows her core commitment to helping people. Previously, she was executive director of the Medical Group at Saratoga Hospital, in New York, and division administrator at UPMC-Magee Women’s Hospital, in Pittsburgh. She was an adjunct professor of healthcare management, a president and CEO of a medical billing company, and is a proud Navy veteran.”

Mercer shared, “I look forward to joining the Inland/Lakewood family and continuing to help Northern Light meet its mission to improve the health of the people and communities we serve. I recognize and value the caring culture we have, and I’m proud of how staff go above and beyond to make healthcare work for our patients and residents every day. I can’t wait to be part of Inland and Lakewood’s bright future and help contribute to the vitality of the greater Waterville area.”

Mercer is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and earned an MBA in Healthcare Management. She is a graduate of Foxcroft Academy, in Dover-Foxcroft, where she grew up and her parents still live today. She and her fiancé have five children.

Mercer begins her new role on May 9.

Waterville Rotary Club donates money to improve high school challenges

MSAD #49 (Lawrence) – from left to right, Dan Bowers, Lawrence HS Principal; Patricia Watts, Assistant Superintendent; Jeff Melanson, President, Waterville Rotary Club.

The Waterville Rotary Club recently donated $500 to four local high schools to provide support to youth who are experiencing homelessness or other challenges that impact their learning and/or engagement in school.  Members of the Club’s Community Services Committee delivered checks in person to each of the schools. These donations dovetail with the club’s focus the past two years on providing resources in the community to address food insecurity and/or lack of access to basic necessities, issues which have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

MSAD #49, in Fairfield, plans to use the funds specifically for food, clothing, or transportation. They may also use some of the funds to purchase sports equipment or materials for students that do not have means to purchase these items to participate in a sport or other activity.

Winslow High School – from left to right, Roger Krause, Waterville Rotary Club; Ms. Jones (JMG teacher) and some of the JMG students who help organize and stock the Raider Closet.  (JMG = Jobs for Maine’s graduates)

Winslow High School will use the funds to support their Raiders Closet.  Non-perishable food and clothes will be purchased, as needed.  In some cases, food-specific gift cards will be provided to families to purchase perishable items.

Messalonskee High School, in Oakland, has an initiative that provides food for families for the weekend and snacks during the school day.  They actively seek additional funds to provide for necessities that many of us take for granted in our daily lives, such as personal hygiene items, clothing, school supplies and food that can be prepared with minimal resources for those in temporary housing.

Messalonskee High School, from left to right, Keith Morin, Assistant Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer; Katelyn Pushard, Waterville Rotary Club; Carl Gartley, Superintendent.

Waterville High School will use the funds to support their school’s Food Pantry.  They may also use some funds to purchase other necessary items for students, such as seasonal clothing.

All the representatives from the various schools expressed a deep appreciation for this donation and the show of support for their most vulnerable students.  The committee members truly enjoyed the opportunity to visit the schools, meet with staff and students, and hear about the ways that our local schools are looking out for their students.

For more information about the Rotary, visit the website at watervillerotary.com.

Waterville High School, from left to right, Michele Prince, Waterville Rotary Club and the four class presidents,  Kate Rice, freshman, Emily Campbell, senior, Brianna Bates, junior, and Gabby St. Peter, sophomore. (contributed photo)

PHOTOS: Battle of Maine winners 2022

Grand champion

Club NAHA Karate-Do Team Member Matthew Christen Captured 1st place in forms and 2nd place in weapons at the Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships. He also won the Grand Championship Title for forms. (photo by Mark Huard)

Double winner

Huard’s Martial Arts Student Madalyn Taylor 7 of Fairfield captured 1st place in forms and 3rd place in fighting at the Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships on March 26. (photo by Mark Huard)

Shakespeare group to observe 9th annual Bard’s Bash

Recycled Shakespeare Company

by Lyn Rowden

Recycled Shakespeare Company proudly presents the 9th annual Bard’s Birthday Bash on Saturday, April 23.

This FREE event is open to all. You may join RSC and friends in dressing up and parading around Waterville reading sonnets, singing Shakespearean songs, and performing monologues and scenes. No memorizing, prior experience or costumes necessary.

Recycled Shakespeare Company members

Begin at 10 a.m., at Camden National Bank Lobby, on Main Street, for the first set of sonnet readings and songs. Parade to Yardgoods Center and The Villager Restaurant along the upper Concourse, cross over to Re-Books on the lower Concourse, and go to Cancun by 11 a.m., where there will be a sword fight demonstration and more sonnets read. Then parade up Main St. stopping at stores and restaurants along the way, including Madlyn’s Consignment Shop, Incense and Peppermint, The Framemakers, Holy Cannoli and Day’s Jeweler where shopkeepers will read sonnets. At about noon there will be a lunch stop at Jin Yuan Chinese Restaurant with live sonnets and music as well as performances from across the continent on Zoom. Then on to Selah Tea from 3 to 5 p.m., with flourish to finish readings of all 154 sonnets.

A Renaissance Masquerade Ball will take place 7 to 8:30 p.m., in the Lutheran Church Hall, on Cool Street. Open to all ages, simple dances will be taught and led by Dancemistress Margaret May Lambert. No partner or experience necessary. Come costumed, with a masquerade mask, or just as you are.

Throughout the day we celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday and times with sword demos, live Elizabethan music, and fun Renaissance fortune telling by Sarah Love. The entire day is free of charge! Open to all ages and skills!

If anyone in the community would like to read a sonnet or get involved, please call Lyn at 314-4730, or just show up and jump in. Each reader may introduce themselves, and briefly promote their business or organization.

BBBS to hold plane pull fundraiser

Big Sister Paige Lilly and her “Little Brother” Hunter Stevens, came out to support the program that brought them together two years ago by participating in last year’s “Putt 4 Cass.” (Contributed photo)

Local businesses and organizations are lining up to see who can pull a CRJ-200 Jet Aircraft 20 feet in the fastest time, all to raise critical funding for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine youth mentoring programs.

The second annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine Plane Pull, hosted by Elite Airways, will be held Saturday, May 14, starting at 10 a.m., at the Auburn-Lewiston Airport, located at 80 Airport Drive, in Auburn. Jason Levesque, mayor of Auburn, will serve as event co-emcee, along with event media sponsor WGME Sports Director David Eid.

Sponsoring organizations enter teams comprised of 8 to 10 people to compete for the fastest pull times. Independent teams may participate by fundraising a minimum of $500 per team entry. A trophy will be presented to the team with the fastest pull time, along with prizes for top fundraisers. The event is expected to host upwards of 20 teams with a goal of raising $40,000 to support Big Brothers Big Sisters youth mentoring programs.

“The pandemic has taken its toll on area children, who remain the most vulnerable and negatively impacted in our communities,” Executive Director Gwendolyn Hudson said.

Spectators are welcome to attend the event and cheer on their teams, including Big and Little matches, who will be treated to airport tours following the event.

BBBS of Mid-Maine will hold a second Plane Pull in the fall, hosted by C&L Aviation Group and Bangor International Airport, on September 10 in Bangor.

For more information about the BBBS of Mid-Maine Plane Pull, or to sponsor and register a team, visit bbbsmidmaine.org, email info@bbbsmidmaine.org or call 207.236.BBBS.

Hanson, Blaney big winners at Battle of Maine

Crowd at the Battle of Maine in Waterville. (photo by Mark Huard)

by Mark Huard

WATERVILLE, ME — The 40th Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships took place at Champions Fitness Club, in Waterville, on Saturday March 26, and helped support the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals here in Central and Northern Maine.

Jackson Hanson, 9, of Clinton, captured first place in forms, first place in weapons and first place in fighting. Hanson also captured the overall 12 & under Weapons Grand Championship title. (photo by Mark Huard)

It was a packed Champions and Elm Plaza parking lot, with around 340 competitors and close to 1,000 spectators from around Maine and New England. The Battle kicked off at 8:30 a.m. with the full contact padded sword fighting competitions.

At 10:15 a.m. opening ceremonies began with an amazing National Anthem sung by Rebecca Pushard. This was a special day since the event hasn’t been able to be in person for the last couple of years. Everyone was in great spirits and happy to be back to in person competition.

After the National Anthem, hundreds of prizes were thrown into the crowd for all of the kids to catch! The tournament then proceeded a special demo by world champions and then with forms, weapons forms and fighting competitions throughout the day.

Special thank you to Central Maine Motors and Hammond Lumber for being a major sponsor of the Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships.

Boston Blaney, 9, of Winslow, captured first place in fighting at the Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships. (photo by Mark Huard)

State Rep. Bruce White announces re-election campaign

Bruce White

Bruce White, Waterville-native and two-term incumbent State Representative, has announced his re-election campaign for the new House District 65, formally District 109, in Waterville.

State Rep. White has served two terms on the Trans­port­ation Com­mittee where he sponsored legislation to create a working group for Maine to offer electronic vehicle titles joining 20 other states. He also advocates to ensure the proper oversight and maintenance of Maine’s roads and bridges.

White has also co-sponsored legislation that has successfully advanced career and technical education opportunities for Maine’s students, increased municipal revenue sharing to 5% to keep state tax dollars locally to prevent property tax increases, and made good on the state’s commitment to fully fund school 55 percent of education costs since it was mandated by votes in 2004. If privileged to serve another term, he would continue to prioritize these issues as well as working to bring economic development to the region.

“I would love to continue to give back to the community where I grew up and raised my family. I am grateful for the support and encouragement I have already received as I seek another term,” stated Representative White.

Before running for the State House, White was a long-time employee at Scott Paper Co., in Winslow up until the mill’s closure, then went back to school thanks to state job training programs to become a computer technician in the Winslow, China and Vassalboro schools before retiring in 2019.

Bruce and his wife, Doreen, have two children and two grandchildren. Bruce is dedicated to public service and serves on the Waterville Planning Board, New Dimensions Credit Union Board of Directors, Mid-Maine Technical Center, as well as volunteering with the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce and Northern Light Inland Hospital. Bruce is a past-president of United Paperworkers International Union Local 911.

White has already qualified for the June Primary Election ballot by collecting the necessary number of signature petitions.

EVENTS: Battle of Maine set for March 26, 2022

Carter Couturier, of Winslow, left, practices with Keegan Miranda for the upcoming Battle of Maine. (photo by Mark Huard)

The 40th anniversary of the Battle of Maine Martial Arts Championships will be taking place on Saturday March 26, 2022, at Champions Fitness Club, in Waterville. Spectator Tickets are $10. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. and will feature forms, fighting and weapons competitions throughout the day. The Battle of Maine has supported the Children’s Miracle Network for many years and has helped raised over $80,000. The city of Waterville Mayor Jay Coelho has proclaimed Saturday March 26, 2022, as Martial Arts Day.

Dirigo Labs announces selection as AWS activate provider

photo credit: Dirigo Labs

Dirigo Labs, Maine’s newest accelerator program, has been designated as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Activate Provider, allowing Dirigo Labs-based startups and entrepreneurs to access exclusive benefits to help accelerate growth as they build their respective businesses. The accelerator, launching its first cohort in March, will host appro­ximately 10 Maine-based startups representing a range of industries including biotechnology and information technology.

Startups affiliated with Dirigo Labs who are building or about to start building web-based programs on AWS may apply for the AWS Activate Portfolio and receive free AWS credits, technical support, training, resources, and more. Inclusion in the Activate program differentiates the Dirigo Labs accelerator as an important solution to the maturation of startups building and scaling their companies on AWS.

“Being designated as an AWS Activate Provider will allow Dirigo Labs participating founders access to an exclusive toolset to help them succeed at every stage of their development,” states Dirigo Labs Managing Director Susan Ruhlin. “We welcome all cohort members to take full advantage of these incredible benefits.”

Dirigo Labs will offer a 12-week curriculum for seed-stage entrepreneurs scaling their startups. Topics will include product development, fundraising strategies, revenue modeling, and pitch refinement. Utilizing regional assets to encourage job creation and retention while improving access to capital for startups, Dirigo Labs is building an innovation ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship and showcases central Maine as a destination for business development and success.

“Joining an impressive portfolio of AWS Activate Program companies, including Coinbase and Toast, Dirigo Labs will provide opportunities and services to startups in our accelerator that they wouldn’t have had access to before, such as AWS Cloud credits, AWS business support, and access to the Activate console to help their business prosper,” elaborates Central Maine Growth Council Development Coordinator Sabrina Jandreau. “We look forward to working with our startups to utilize these opportunities while supporting rural business development for years to come.”

Startups and potential mentors interested in learning more about Dirigo Labs and submitting an application can visit www.dirigolabs.org.

Dirigo Labs is a regional startup accelerator based in Waterville, Maine. With a mission to grow mid-Maine’s digital economy by supporting entrepreneurs who are building innovation-based companies, the Dirigo Labs ecosystem brings together people, resources, and organizations to ensure the successful launch of new startups. Dirigo Labs operates under Central Maine Growth Council and is supported by several organizations, academic institutions, and investment firms.

Colby students for mutual aid created

Lorimer Chapel at Colby College.

This GoFundMe was created to support an ongoing fund by Colby College students for mutual aid. The organizers are students passionate about building a community within the Colby student body and alumni network where they can support the students most impacted by COVID-19 and Colby’s reopening. The fund is specifically benefiting students of color, first-gen low-income students, and queer and trans students. All donations will go directly to students for specific needs such as flights, groceries, and text-books

“As the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the United States, marginalized communities are impacted the most. With Colby’s reopening, we must ensure these students have the support and abilities to return to Colby or choose to do remote learning without a significant financial burden.” says the fundraiser organizers.

Contact info can be found here:

https://www.instagram.com/colbymutualaid/

https://www.facebook.com/colbymutualaid/

To view the GoFundMe, please visit: https://gf.me/v/c/z4lq/2022-colby-mutual-aid.