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Local food banks and food pantries able to stock their shelves.
When faced with unprecedented times, we all want to know that there is help available in times of need. Unfortunately, the resources we have are limited and it is the responsibility of the community to ensure underserved people are able to utilize them when needed. Food banks and food pantries are there to assist every person possible, but they need our help to be successful. Everyone has experienced a time when they were unsure how to find the necessary resources to meet their most basic needs, so we need to work together to take care of those who need our help the most.
Because New Dimensions FCU cares about its community and wanted to do something to help, they have donated over $11,000 to seven local food banks and food pantries. Ryan Poulin, CEO, states, “We all must play a role in keeping our community healthy and safe, so we quickly rallied to donate the funds to the quickly dwindling food banks and food pantries that needed it most. Everyone needs to eat, and we are doing our best to help as many people as possible, get through this pandemic.”
New Dimensions FCU wants you to remain healthy! With you, your family, and many communities in mind, we have found ourselves in a time of uncertainty, but know that together we will come out of this stronger, more united, and able to walk into the future with a solid understanding of what it takes to work together.
If you have any questions or need financial assistance, contact New Dimensions FCU at (800) 326-6190. Stay Healthy!
To address growing challenges and financial hardships due to the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), Camden National Bank announced several measures to support its customers, employees, and communities.
“We recognize that this is a very stressful time for individuals, families, and businesses,” said Greg Dufour, President & CEO of Camden National Bank. “In order to provide flexibility and better peace of mind for those in need, we are taking extra steps to alleviate financial burdens and support our customers, community and employees.”
COVID-19 payment relief program for customers
Supporting individuals and families
- Up to 90-day loan deferment program for those facing financial hardship due to interruption in income on qualified loans. During this time, interest will accrue, but customers won’t be charged any late fees or have impacts to credit.
- Additional flexibility in access to credit products and support, as well as waived penalties for early CD withdrawals
Supporting business customers
- Waived late charges for payments on qualified loans
- Flexibility for higher limits related to remote deposit capture
- Options for payment relief on commercial and small business loans, based on need
- Assistance with access to any government sponsored support, including any state or federal lending assistance programs, such as Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) or U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
- Expedited FAME and SBA application process for qualified businesses impacted directly or indirectly by the pandemic, including vendors or other external business partners
The Bank is also encouraging customers to take advantage of its network of 71 ATMs and its full range of digital tools and services, which can be used remotely. With online and mobile banking, customers can monitor their accounts, deposit checks, pay bills, transfer funds, pay friends, live chat for assistance, and more.
Customers with challenges, needs, or questions can reach out to their local banking center by phone or the Customer Care Team, available 24/7 at 800-860-8821.
“This is an important time to reiterate that Camden National Bank continues to be very well capitalized,” continued Dufour. “Through thick and thin, we lean into our identity as an innovative, caring community bank since 1875 with strong core values and a talented team that is here to support our customers and neighbors. In addition to our previously planned nonprofit support, we’re making special donations to local food pantries and hunger relief agencies at this time.”
Supporting employee health and wellbeing
Earlier this week, the Bank announced it would be temporarily moving to drive-up service only at its banking center locations, with in-person visits by appointment, in order to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The Bank has also been ramping up cleaning efforts at all its locations.
In order to keep employees safe, the bank is increasing education on appropriate hygiene practices and social distancing. It has also modified its travel policy, restricting business travel and requiring notification of personal travel to higher-risk locations. In addition, applicable employees are transitioning to working from home temporarily, with a goal of having more than half of the bank’s workforce remote in the coming week.
“We’ve been closely monitoring guidance from the CDC and local authorities to protect the health of our employees,” continued Dufour. “Using internal communications tools, we’re educating everyone on best practices and benefits resources that can help employees during this challenging time. To provide a buffer of support, we’ve also added $100,000 to our Employee Emergency Fund, designed to help confidentially pay emergency bills for employees in need.”
Relevant updates and the latest information can be found on Camden National Bank’s Coronavirus Updates page.
Today, Camden National Bank announced it will be implementing new precautionary measures to support public health efforts to manage the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) while continuing to provide full banking services to its customers. Starting March 18th, Camden National Bank will be offering drive-up only service at the majority of its banking center locations, with in-person visits by appointment only at those locations. For locations without a drive-up window, the bank will be limiting the number of customers inside at any given time.
“For the health and safety of our customers, employees, and communities, we are temporarily adapting how we provide in-person service for our customers,” said Greg Dufour, President & CEO of Camden National Bank. “Drive-up service, with in-person visits by appointment, will minimize risks and help prevent the spread of the virus while enabling us to continue providing the essential banking services our customers rely on.”
Camden National Bank offers a full range of tools for customers to manage their finances and get support and guidance remotely. With online and mobile banking, customers can monitor their accounts, deposit checks, pay bills, transfer funds, live chat for assistance, and more—all from the comfort of their homes. The bank also offers a network of 71 ATMs across its footprint and 24/7 customer assistance by phone at 800-860-8821.
During this time, Camden National Bank has been ramping up cleaning efforts in its banking centers and offices, encouraging social distancing and best practices for staying healthy, and transitioning non customer-facing employees to work at home. The bank has also significantly grown its Employee Emergency Fund, a reserve for providing confidential financial support to any employee in need of emergency assistance.
“We’re grateful for our dedicated, caring employees and customers during this challenging time for all,” continued Dufour. “Our Business Continuity Team is closely monitoring the situation and guidance from health experts and authorities to make proactive adjustments and refinements to our response plan. I have the utmost confidence in our preparedness and ability to provide reliable customer support as always.”
Anyone who has questions or needs assistance is encouraged to call their local banking center or the Customer Care Team at 800-860-8821. Updates and information can be found at www.CamdenNational.com.
Starting March 17, 2020, New Dimensions FCU lobbies will be closed until further notice. However, Drive-Thru will be open for NDFCU members while we get through this Coronavirus situation.
Click her to learn more: https://conta.cc/2TSvGug
Did you know that our immune system is incredibly sensitive to our thoughts and emotions? So when you are trapped in a negative emotion, science has proven that it weakens your immune system and leaves you more susceptible to illness, such as, colds and flu viruses. There are ways in which you can release these trapped emotions and raise your energy to build a stronger immune system. One offering is the Trapped Emotions release sessions with Teresa Zardus here at the Zardus Art of Massage. These sessions will help to restore and balance your mind/body connection. What we think and what we tell ourselves can either build us or break us, try a session today to build yourself up and to prevent illness! This technique can be done in person or through distance using a proxy. Release those trapped emotions and allow positivity to flow!
Check out https://www.zardusartofmassage.com/wellness-specialty-services or call 207-446-7470 to schedule a 30 minute session or take advantage of a 4 week package with Teresa today!
Another amazing energy healing is Reiki. Reiki is an ancient healing technique where the practitioner uses the universal life force, or universal energy to move any stuck energy inside our bodies. When energy is allowed to flow through our chakras freely our bodies become more balanced. Reiki can help to dissolve energy blocks and assist your body in cleansing itself from toxins and supporting the immune system. Reiki promotes peace and relaxation and reduces pain. Like the trapped emotions release therapy, Reiki can be done via distance. According to the Hermetic Law of Similarity, we are all energy matter and thus connected in a part of the larger whole. This allows the practitioner to send Reiki energy through time and space and heal you from the comfort of your own home!
Check out https://www.zardusartofmassage.com/wellness-energy-work or call 207-446-7470 and schedule your Reiki session with Tess today!
Try one or both to help protect your body from dis-ease!
The Maine State Museum in Augusta opens its Maine bicentennial exhibition, “Regional Struggle – National Story: Maine’s Path to Statehood” on Saturday, March 14. The museum will be open free of charge from 10 am to 4 pm that day. In a special commemoration of Maine Statehood Day on Sunday, March 15, the museum will also be open free of charge from 10 am to 4 pm.
“Our new exhibition provides a remarkable look at the events and people, woven together over centuries, that led to Maine’s independent statehood. Through artifacts and documents, the exhibition reveals the world of Maine’s Wabanaki people before and after Europeans came to Maine’s shores,” notes Museum Director Bernard Fishman. “The exhibition uncovers conflicts between elite landowners and farmers in the late 1700s. It also shows how the War of 1812, along with political and economic disagreements with Massachusetts, set the stage for debates over Maine’s separation. The exhibition takes a fascinating look at Maine’s part in the slave trade and shows the dilemmas faced by Maine people who, because of the Missouri Compromise, were forced to choose between independent statehood and the expansion of slavery in the United States.”
“Through the museum’s own collections, as well as pieces on loan, we are featuring many objects never or rarely seen by the public,” according to Angela Goebel-Bain, the exhibition’s curator. “These include stunning portraits of Maine’s first governor and his wife by famed artist Gilbert Stuart, an early frock coat worn by a Maine farmer, the oldest known ballot box used in Maine, a colorful uniform worn by a soldier in the new state of Maine’s first militia, a watercolor showing Maine’s first State House in Portland, and an important 1815 Moses Greenleaf map with notations from an 1820 expedition into Maine’s northland.”
“Regional Struggle – National Story: Maine’s Path to Statehood” has been funded in part by a grant from the Maine Bicentennial Commission. The exhibition will be on view at the Maine State Museum through March 2021. Related educational materials for use by teachers will also be available on the museum’s website by late March 2020, and several museum-sponsored or co-sponsored special events will take place throughout the bicentennial year.
The Harlow invites artists to submit artwork to Art2020, the 25th annual juried show. Art2020 will be on view May 15-June 20, 2020 at 100 Water Street in Hallowell with an opening reception on Friday, May 15 from 5-7. Art2020 is open to all Maine artists and to any artist with a strong connection to Maine. The deadline for submissions is 11:59pm on April 1, 2020.
This year’s juror is Erin Hutton – an art advisor, curator, and founder of Erin Hutton Projects. For more than twenty years, she has immersed herself in the art world as an artist, educator, gallery director, curator, film production assistant, and designer. To read more about Erin Hutton please visit harlowgallery.org/annual-juried-show/juror/
Original fine art in any media may be submitted, including but not limited to painting, sculpture, digital, printmaking, fiber, photography, mixed media, ceramics, installation and more. Each artist may submit up to three works of art, which must be the artist’s own original work created within the last three years. Art that has been previously exhibited at the Harlow is not eligible. All works entered must be original work by the submitting artist. Giclees and other reproductions are not eligible.
For complete details please visit harlowgallery.org/art2020
The Harlow is a membership based 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to connecting and celebrating art, artists and community in downtown historic Hallowell since 1963.
As some of you remember last April, we had our Team Teal Savings Challenge. This was a challenge that put things into perspective when it came to spending money. It showed us exactly where our hard-earned dollars were going and even managed to prove that even small changes can add up! Last year, Team Teal employees gave up buying their coffee, quit smoking cigarettes, and buying breakfast or lunch. Instead, they began packing their lunch, making coffee at home, and saved their money for one whole month. At the end of the month, they were surprised at the amount of money they were able to save. Collectively, they saved over $2000! Wow! Go, Team Teal!!! All that money saved, just for giving up a few small things each day.
That challenge worked out so well last year that we’ve decided to do it again…and THIS time…we are inviting YOU, our members to join the fun! Let’s see how much we can save throughout the month of April by giving up just one small thing each day! Beginning April 1, 2020, we ask that you give up buying your Dunkin Donut’s coffee, buying lunch downtown, or any other cost you spend at convenience stores, fast-food establishments, or coffee shop. At the end of the week, tally up what you saved by NOT purchasing these things and put that sum into your savings account. Each Friday morning send me an email at and tell me how much you saved that week. It doesn’t matter if it was one dollar, $10, or $100, any savings is still a savings and we will track it! We will be providing weekly updates throughout the month and we encourage you to follow the progress everyone is making and be sure to tell us how you are doing too…You might be hating every moment of it but you may also find that it’s not that bad. (Even if you hate it, when you see your savings at the end of the month, you MAY change your mind) ha-ha. At the end of April, we will add up everyone’s savings to see if we can beat last year’s totals!
I, personally, am going to focus on not eating out at all! My goal is to be better at meal planning so there will be intentional leftovers for my lunches. Any time you set a savings goal or challenge; it is important to communicate with the people that can help you achieve success. I will be getting my children involved, with the hopes they will contribute to meal ideas, as well as understanding when I say sorry no pizza this Friday! The money we save by not eating out will go towards a family goal.
If you are ready to be part of our Team Teal Savings Challenge let me know! Send me an email and tell me what you are going to save instead of spend throughout April. I am so excited to see how much we can collectively save and what you can do with all that extra money at the end of the month! If you need help crafting a budget or are looking for ways to increase your savings contact me today at or (207) 872-2771.
This past weekend, Camden National Bank gave nearly $7,500 in donations to ten Maine high school teams in the communities where it has banking centers for the 2020 Boys and Girls Basketball State Championships. The support made it possible for more than 1,500 students to attend this year’s games in Portland, Bangor, and Augusta and cheer on their friends and classmates. Camden National Bank has now carried on this community tradition for 11 years, donating nearly $60,000 total to Maine high schools and enabling more than 12,000 students to attend Championship Games for free.
This unique sponsorship originally started when a Camden National Bank employee called attention to the fact that many high school students do not have the funds to buy tickets and see their teams play in the Championships. Those students miss out on seeing the game and being a part of this important community event. The employee brought her concern and idea to the Bank, and they committed to supporting the students with tickets, free of charge.
“It is incredible to see how this grassroots community effort has become a great tradition for local students, families, and our employees over the years,” said Greg Dufour, President & CEO of Camden National Bank. “Congratulations to all the teams that competed in the Championship games this year. Your dedication and teamwork—as well as the support from your classmates—are energizing and inspiring for all.”
Towns supported by Camden National Bank in the 2020 State Championship games were Hampden, York, Auburn, Saco, Winthrop, Machias, Hermon, and Greenville. To learn more about Camden National Bank’s community giving efforts, please visit https://www.camdennational.com/about/our-story/community-commitment.
Zardus School of Massage is now enrolling for spring and fall terms! Enroll by March 15th and take advantage of Reflexology as a part of you massage therapy certification! Enjoy a more individualized one-on-one approach with smaller class sizes and full time school without the full time hours. Licensed by the State of Maine Department of Education as well as an assigned school by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork and American Massage Therapy Association. Reserve your spot today! Zardusartofmassage.com or call 207-446-7470
MaineGeneral Health has announced that applications are now being accepted for its 2020 Health Scholarship Program.
Scholarships support the education of health care professionals in the Kennebec Valley and are available to individuals pursuing degrees in a variety of health-related disciplines.
In 2019, MaineGeneral Health and individual sponsors awarded more than $48,000 in scholarships to 57 students in the Kennebec Valley. Scholarship recipients ranged in age from 17 to 45, pursuing degrees in nursing, radiology, pharmacy, sports medicine, social work and other health care careers. Scholarships generally range $500 to $2,500 each.
To learn more about MaineGeneral’s Scholarship Program and how to apply, visit https://give.mainegeneral.org/scholarships. The application deadline is Wednesday, April 1.
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust recently presented donations totaling more than $9,000 to local non-profits from its employee-driven charitable giving program, Casual for a Cause. The program pools employee contributions collected each quarter and distributes them to non-profits selected by and voted on by the employees. The recipients of the Q4 2019 contributions are: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick; Emmaus Homeless Shelter; Upper Valley Habitat for Humanity; and Girls on the Run Vermont.
“These nonprofit organizations play a very important role in supporting those in need in our communities,” said Jack Frost, VP Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “Our employees are proud to support their efforts through our Casual for a Cause program.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick matches children in Brunswick, Harpswell, and Sagadahoc counties in Maine with adult and teen mentors who provide friendship, support, and guidance during the kids’ critical childhood and adolescent years. The organization serves nearly 300 children annually with more than 17,000 hours of volunteer service. Learn more about them at www.bbbsbathbrunswick.org.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick is incredibly appreciative of this important gift from Bar Harbor Bank & Trust,” said Lindsay MacDonald, Executive Director of BBBS. “With this donation, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust shows their support of one-to-one mentoring programs for youth that are facing adversity. Our professionally supported Big and Little relationships are proven to help the youth of our communities have higher aspirations, improved educational success, and better relationships so that they achieve their full potential in life.”
Emmaus Homeless Shelter provides a safe and comfortable environment for those in need of temporary shelter who are willing to work towards ending their homelessness. The program commits to helping the poor by offering a wide range of services referrals to anyone in need. Learn more about them at www.emmaushomelessshelter.org.
“The Emmaus Homeless Shelter is honored to be selected by Bar Harbor Bank & Trust as a recipient of the Casual for a Cause program,” said Stacey Herrick, Director of Emmaus Homeless Shelter. “This generous donation will be used towards general operating costs which will help support all of our many programs.”
Upper Valley Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. They partner with families to help them build a place they can call their own to achieve the strength, stability and independence for building a better life. Learn more about them at www.uvhabitat.org.
“This generous donation furthers our mission to provide safe, healthy and affordable homes for neighbors in our community who otherwise would not be able to purchase a home,” said Eva Loomis, Executive Director of Upper Valley Habitat for Humanity. “Specifically, this donation supports our project to build a high-performance duplex in Lebanon for two families. We are grateful for Bar Harbor Bank and Trust’s commitment to the communities they serve and for their strong and continued support of Upper Valley Habitat programs and events.”
Girls on the Run Vermont is an inclusive physical activity-based, positive youth development program that inspires girls in 3rd through 8th grade to be joyful, healthy, and confident. The ten-week program led by trained volunteer coaches teaches critical life skills, encourages personal development, and fosters team building and community service. Girls on the Run Vermont serves girls at 45 sites in Southern Vermont. Learn more about them at www.gotrvt.org.
“What a tremendous gift it is to have community partners like BHBT,” said Amanda Hoffman, Development Manager for Girls on the Run Vermont. “With the support of Bar Harbor Bank and Trust, we are able to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using curriculum based education that incorporates running.”
Bank employees dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a contribution to a pool of funds collected during each quarter. The employees then select and vote on three nonprofits to receive their contributions. Gifts contributed by Bank employees in 2019 totaled just over $40,000.
Magnusson Balfour team members Craig Church and Dennis Wheelock were the recipients of the 2019 Triple Gold Award and the Double Gold Award respectively. Church has been with Magnusson Balfour since 2009 and Wheelock joined the team in 2012. Both come from strong real estate and entrepreneurial backgrounds with Church covering the greater Portland region and Wheelock covering the greater Augusta region.
In addition, the Magnusson Balfour team was the recipient of the 2019 Platinum Group Award for all of Keller Williams Realty in the state of Maine.
Magnusson Balfour Commercial & Business Brokers moved to Keller Williams Realty in 2018, bringing a strong team of real estate professionals with over 127 years of experience to world’s largest real estate company. Learn more about the team at www.balfourcommercial.com.
Camp Shakespeare is looking for young people who play well with their friends and are imaginative, energetic, and excited to explore Shakespeare at Theater at Monmouth this summer.
The best way to explore Shakespeare is hands-on and on your feet, and CampShakes will do just that for students in grades 4 through 8. Classes in voice, movement, and acting help students explore Shakespeare’s text emotionally, physically, and intellectually in preparation for a final performance for family and friends.
This year, there are three week-long sessions to choose from: Session 1, As You Like It, runs July 27-31, Session 2, Romeo and Juliet, runs August 3-7, and Session 3, Twelfth Night, runs from August 10-14. The final performance for each session will take place the final day of camp, Friday at 3 p.m.
CampShakes teachers bring a variety of training and experience from colleges and universities all over the country. Each specializes in an area of theatre from Voice to Movement, Improv to Shakespeare, Ensemble Building to Acting.
A typical day begins with a movement session during which the students do a vocal and physical warm up. The morning continues with an acting class where students explore improvisation and scene work, followed by Text Detective, which provides strategies for analyzing Shakespeare’s language. After lunch students explore the world of the play and developing characters through art activities. The rest of the afternoon is dedicated to applying what they have learned while rehearsing their scenes for a final performance for family and friends on the final day of the camp.
All sessions take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at TAM’s Rehearsal Studio, 775 Main St, Monmouth.
For more information, call 207.933.9999 or visit theateratmonmouth.org/education/campshakes.
The Harlow is excited to welcome Spring with a series of art workshops during the month of March at 100 Water Street in Hallowell. No prior experience needed, beginners are welcome. Pre-registration is required for all workshops and spaces are limited. Classes are small, with lots of opportunity for one on one instruction and questions.
Intro to Oil Painting: Botanical Still Lifes with Jae-Eun Pilsbury
Saturday, March 7, 10am-1pm
Join local artist and art educator Jae-Eun Pilsbury for an introductory workshop exploring the basics of oil painting through botanical still lifes. The class will cover all the basics of oil painting including preparation of materials, basic use of tools, and methods of mixing and applying oil paint to a canvas. This workshop will be hands on and students will be able to create and take home their own original oil painting. During the workshop students will be working from botanical still life arrangements. This workshop requires at least 3 students in order to run so sign up early in order and reserve your space. Registrations are due by 6pm on Wednesday, March 4. Ages 15 and up. All materials included. Tuition: Members $40 / Non members $55. Maximum students: 10. Learn more and register: harlowgallery.org/intro-to-oil-painting-march-7-2020/
Behind the Scenes with Maine Flora:Three Views
Saturday, March 14, 10am-1pm
Seeking inspiration? Just need to get out of the house? Join us for an immersive, inspirational, and educational session with Kathryn SB Davis, Laura Dunn, and Julia Einstein, the artists behind Maine Flora: Three Views. During the workshop the artists will share inspiration with the group, giving demonstrations and delving into the creative process behind the body of work on display. This Springtime workshop coincides with the season of growth, both in the physical and inner worlds; it serves as an opportunity to connect and engage on a more in-depth level art and the process behind it. The group will go behind-the-scenes of the artists’ creative process and come away with fresh perspectives and inspiration for future projects. Participants are encouraged to bring a sketchbook or notebook and to take photos.
“Our goal is to invite viewers into an artful investigation into the flora of Maine. We will share how we documented our explorations, inspirations, process, and surprises as this will be a critical part of exhibition experience.” Each artist works in three different media, painting, printmaking and photography, and has created a body of work inspired by the flora of Maine. This subject will be handled differently: from a Zen practice, a study in exploration, to “flower portraits.” The exhibition is the result of a collaboration in studio practices. (harlowgallery.org/flora). This workshop is limited to 12 spaces and requires at least 5 registrations in order to run so sign up early in order and reserve your space. Space is limited. Registrations are due by 6pm on Wednesday, March 11. Members $20 / Non members $25. Learn more and register: harlowgallery.org/workshop-behind-the-scenes-with-maine-flora-three-views/
Intro to Watercolor Painting Workshop with Kay Morris
Saturday, March 21, 10am-1pm
Join local artist Kay Morris to learn the basics of watercolor painting. Over the course of this introductory class students will learn the basics of watercolor painting through demonstrations and hands on experience. Students will become familiar with watercolor and how it reacts on paper. No prior experience needed. All materials are provided but students are also welcome to bring any of their own materials if preferred. This workshop requires at least 3 students in order to run so sign up early in order and reserve your space. Registrations are due by 6pm on Wednesday, March 18. Ages 15 and up. All materials included. Tuition: Members $40 / Non members $55. Maximum students: 6. Learn more and register: harlowgallery.org/intro-to-watercolor-painting-workshop/
Intro to Drawing Workshop with Rachael Wilson
Saturday, March 28, 10am-1pm
Join artist and educator Rachael Wilson to learn the basics of drawing, a dynamic and fundamental art medium for any creative individual. In this introductory drawing workshop, students can learn contour drawing through understanding how to observe subjects closely. Rachael will guide the class through a variety of drawing exercises and help students switch their perspective from analytical left brain to creative right brain thinking. This workshop requires at least 3 students in order to run so sign up early in order and reserve your space. Registrations are due by 6pm on Wednesday, March 25. Ages 15 and up. All materials included. Tuition: Members $35 / Non members $50. Maximum students: 10. Learn more and register: harlowgallery.org/intro-to-drawing-workshop/
During the workshops students can gain inspiration from The Harlow’s exhibit Maine Flora: Three Views, a three person show featuring Kathryn SB Davis, Laura Dunn, and Julia Einstein. (More info: harlowgallery.org/flora)
Are you a good listener? Are you comfortable talking on the phone?
Do you have a passion for helping others?
If you answered yes to these questions, we have an opportunity that may be perfect for you!
Family Violence Project has an ongoing need for volunteer advocates to help answer our 24-Hour Helpline for those affected by domestic violence. As a volunteer advocate on the helpline, you will make a difference in people’s lives by volunteering once a month from the comfort of your home. Do you worry that you won’t know what to say? Family Violence Project offers a free training that prepares you for this volunteer role; also, a staff person will always be available to assist you by phone while you are volunteering. Participants in the training will learn about the complex issue of domestic violence, the staff and services of Family Violence Project, and how to talk with callers and help them create safety plans. Although successful completion of this training is required for this volunteer role, no other experience is necessary.
Family Violence Project’s next volunteer training will be held in Augusta starting April 4 from 8:30 to 3:30 and then every Tuesday & Thursday from 5:30 - 8:30 until April 19th.
Attendance at all listed training dates is required for successful completion of the training. If you are interested in participating in this volunteer opportunity, you must be 18 years of age or older, complete a volunteer interview and pass background / reference checks prior to being accepted. Volunteer interviews must be completed by 4:30pm on Tuesday, March 31st. While the training itself is free of charge, we ask for a $25 donation from those who are financially able to provide it to help cover the cost of background checks. The inability to donate will not prevent a person from participating in this opportunity!
For more information, please contact Jaime at or 207-623-8637 x302.
More than 80 motion pictures have been set in Maine since the first in 1910. To celebrate the state’s Bicentennial, the Maine Film Center (MFC) and 19 other arts and education organizations and independent cinemas have joined together to present “Maine in the Movies” (www.mainemovies200.com), from March 5 through 15, a statewide, 17-city festival of 35 films set in Maine.
“Maine is a state of mind and imagination whose enigma and beauty have, from the very beginning, inspired writers, visual artists, and their natural descendants, filmmakers,” said Mike Perreault, MFC executive director.
“Maine in the Movies” will showcase screenings for all ages, some accompanied by discussions with knowledgeable guests. A complete schedule follows.
Over the course of the festival, audiences will see an expansive, sometimes unfamiliar, often surprising vision of Maine: fanciful and funny in some cases; down to earth and culturally revealing in others. A perfect example of the latter is Academy Honorary Award recipient Frederick Wiseman’s epic portrait of Belfast, Maine (1999).
“We're lucky such a great filmmaker as Fred Wiseman chronicled our community two decades ago so all who view the film now can better know what's transpired here since," said Mike Hurley, owner of Belfast’s Colonial Theatre where the film will play March 7.
Among the festival’s films are those from the earliest days – Jean the Match-Maker (1910) and Way Down East (1920) – to the most recent – The Lighthouse (2019) and Blow the Man Down (2019) – as well as classic dramas, family movies, thrillers, fantasies, musicals, and comedies like Peyton Place (1957), Andre (1994), Dolores Claiborne (1993), Aquaman (2018), Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel (1956), and How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), the first film made in the CinemaScope process that ushered in the wide-screen era.
Most were based on literary works, including many by such famous Maine authors as Stephen King (The Shawshank Redemption, 1994), Laura E. Richards (Shirley Temple’s Captain January, 1936), Richard Russo (Empire Falls, 2005), Elizabeth Strout (Olive Kitteridge, 2014), and E. B. White (Charlotte’s Web, 1973 and 2006).
Premiere of 75th Anniversary Restoration Starts Festival
Opening the festival on March 5 at Waterville Opera House is the premiere of the Academy Film Archive / 20th Century Fox 75th anniversary restoration of Leave Her to Heaven (1945), based on the novel by Ben Ames Williams, the prolific writer who lived in Searsmont and set many of his best-known works in the state. Before the screening, Tim Williams will discuss his grandfather’s literary legacy and life in Maine.
Two Classics Animate Maine
“Few people know about all the movies set in Maine or how they’ve depicted the state's unique qualities,” Perreault said. “For example, most are surprised to learn Bambi is a Mainer.”
Two animation classics merge in a Maine meadow in a memorable scene from The Iron Giant (1999) when the massive alien encounters a tiny fawn, an allusion to Bambi (1942) by Giant director Brad Bird, a devoted disciple of Disney’s legacy.
Damariscotta artist Maurice “Jake” Day worked at Disney during the film’s development and interceded with Walt Disney to transfer the Black Forest setting of Austrian writer Felix Salten’s novel to the Maine North Woods. Disney sent Day back to his home state to sketch and photograph the landscape, vegetation, and animals of Baxter State Park for reference in the film’s design. But Maine’s other connections to the film don’t end there, which The Free Press writer Andy O’Brien will reveal at the March 8 screening in Damariscotta.
In transposing The Iron Giant to America from the book’s original UK setting “Maine seemed perfect because (director Brad Bird) wanted an area that felt remote and wild enough for a giant robot to be able to hide,” said Allison Abbate, the film’s producer and now executive vice president of Warner Animation Group. “We also took an amazing research trip before we started production and fell in love with the wild and untamed landscapes we saw as we traveled down the coast.”
Women’s History Month Screenings
Perreault said that two films logically needed to be shown in proximity. To mark Women’s History Month, a double feature of Hedy Lamarr’s The Strange Woman (1946) – introduced by Bowdoin College Cinema Studies head Tricia Welsch - and Bette Davis’ A Stolen Life (1946) – introduced by author Mark Griffin - have been scheduled for March 11, in Brunswick (4:00 p.m.) and Freeport (7:00 p.m.), respectively. In the same year, Davis and Lamarr – persistently independent actresses who fought the male-dominated movie industry for more substantive roles – each produced their own starring vehicles set in Maine.
A Stolen Life was the only film Davis produced, and it was her decision to set in Maine a story previously told in a British film. Her connections to the state were numerous, including living in Cape Elizabeth during the Fifties with her husband, All About Eve co-star Gary Merrill, who’d attended Bowdoin. Lamarr chose as her production The Strange Woman, another novel by Searsmont’s Ben Ames Williams, set in the 19th century Bangor logging industry.
Vampires in Bucksport
“We know a lot about Maine movie history,” said David Weiss, executive director of Northeast Historic Film, “but until we started preparing for this event I admit we didn’t know that Bucksport is the model for Collinsport,” vampire Barnabas Collins’ home in the cult Seventies television series Dark Shadows. The first of several feature-film spinoffs, House of Dark Shadows (1970) will screen in Bucksport on March 12.
World’s Most Famous Dog Came from Maine
Weiss continued, “However, we did know a lot about Maine’s oldest narrative movie, Jean the Match-Maker, featuring the first certifiable animal movie star: Jean, the Vitagraph Dog. Before Rin Tin Tin, Lassie, and Toto, Eastport-born Jean was the most famous dog in the world. She and her owner, trainer, and eventual director – Robbinston native Laurence Trimble – made 25 silent films together.”
Jean the Match-Maker was thought lost until a print was discovered in the New Zealand Film Archive and restored by the Library of Congress. A new musical score has been commissioned from Los Angeles-based composer Mikel Hurwitz specifically to accompany the film’s 15 screenings across the festival’s schedule.
“Maine in the Movies” is organized by Maine Film Center and co-presented with Colonial Theatre and Waterfall Arts (Belfast), The Gem Theater (Bethel), Harbor Theater (Boothbay Harbor), Alamo Theatre and Northeast Historic Film (Bucksport), Bowdoin College Cinema Studies and Eveningstar Cinema (Brunswick), Lincoln Theater (Damariscotta), Arts & Culture Alliance of Freeport and Nordica Theater (Freeport), Temple Cinema (Houlton), Bates College Rhetoric, Film & Screen Studies (Lewiston), Waterman’s Community Center (North Haven), Spotlight Cinemas (Orono), Maine Historical Society and Maine Publishers & Writers Alliance (Portland), Strand Theatre (Rockland), Spotlight Cinemas at the Strand (Skowhegan), Opera House Arts (Stonington), The Waldo Theater and Medomak Valley High School (Waldoboro), and Colby College Cinema Studies, Waterville Opera House, and Railroad Square Cinema (Waterville).
Perreault said, “It’s a powerful message for young filmmakers, like those attending the Maine Student Film and Video Conference on April 4th, to see Maine as a place of inspiration and as a creative incubator for storytelling and film production.” The Maine Film Center brings independent film to Maine through the Maine International Film Festival, an annual 10-day event that attracts filmmakers and film aficionados worldwide; Railroad Square Cinema, the only Sundance Art House cinema in Maine; and by organizing exhibitions and educational opportunities, such as "Maine in the Movies" and the Maine Student Film + Video Conference. The Maine Film Center is a division of Waterville Creates!. Its mission is to educate, entertain, and build community through film and art.
The City of Hallowell recently received a $10,000 Maine Bicentennial Community Grant to support the Hallowell Granite Symposium, a ten day event focused on the art of stone carving (specifically granite) planned for September 12-21, 2020 on the grounds of Stevens Commons in Hallowell. Six of Maine’s most notable sculptors will transform granite quarried in Hallowell into works of art inspired by one of the four “Maine200” Bicentennial themes over the ten day event. The public will be invited to interact with the artists on site at Stevens Commons daily and to watch the sculptures develop over time. Visitors will vote for their favorite sculpture and at least one work of art will be selected to commemorate the Maine State Bicentennial as permanent public art in the city of Hallowell.
The Hallowell Granite Symposium is a joint project of the city of Hallowell’s Arts and Cultural Committee, Vision Hallowell and the Maine Stone Workers Guild that will bring the art of stone carving back to Hallowell to educate and engage our citizenry, and reintroduce granite sculpture to our public spaces as permanent public art that reflects back on Hallowell’s history for current and future generations. Other key partners include Stevens Commons, Historic Hallowell Committee, and the Vaughan Woods & Historic Homestead.
The Hallowell Granite Symposium is bringing together diverse groups: artisans, historians, city officials and committees, to commemorate Maine’s bicentennial by connecting to Hallowell’s unique past. A special presentation on the story of the granite industry in Hallowell will formally launch the symposium. The event will unveil an illustrated timeline of the history of the city depicting the introduction, expansion and ultimate decline of the granite industry to be displayed in a special history booth at the symposium along with tools and other artifacts from the granite industry. One well known example of historic Hallowell granite workers’ skill is the "National Monument to the Forefathers", a large scale sculpture located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. “Faith”, the central female figure is 36 feet tall and took a full year to carve in the Hallowell granite yards in the 1880s. One can imagine Hallowell citizens visiting regularly to watch Faith emerge from a massive block of granite. The Hallowell Granite Symposium will offer an echo of that experience to citizens today, providing the public with opportunities to have fun, interact with artists, learn about the art of stone carving and its role in shaping Maine’s first 200 years and the city of Hallowell.
Teaser Project: Jon Doody, Sculptor in Residence at Stevens Commons
To raise awareness the Hallowell Arts & Cultural Committee and Maine Stone Workers Guild jointly organized a “teaser” event for 2019. Every weekend beginning in June and continuing into the fall, Maine Stone Workers Guild member Jon Doody of Augusta worked at carving a sturgeon out of reclaimed Hallowell granite to raise awareness for next year’s Symposium. The public was invited to visit Jon’s worksite at Stevens Commons in Hallowell Saturdays between 10am - 2pm. These times overlapped with the hours of the Hallowell Farmers market, resulting in a welcoming, open, and creative community space. The project generated considerable interest in plans for 2020 and Jon will return in the spring to continue work on his sculpture.
About Maine Stone Workers Guild
The mission of the Maine Stone Workers Guild is to recognize and encourage excellence in stonework and to educate the community to the value of its members and resources.
The Maine Stone Workers Guild promotes the services and products of its membership and supports the growth of quality stonework and stoneworkers. For more information visit http://mainestoneworkersguild.org/.
About the Maine200 Grant Program
The purpose of the Maine Bicentennial Grants program is to support the interests, needs, and local creativity of communities as they plan local commemorations of the Bicentennial and to ensure that citizens throughout Maine have the opportunity to participate in Maine’s Bicentennial commemoration. Complete information is available at: https://www.maine200.org/
Waterville Creates! is filled with child-like enthusiasm to host the Youth Art Month (YAM) exhibition at Common Street Arts! YAM honors the amazing art teachers in central Maine while celebrating the work of aspiring youth artists in grades K-12 from 17 participating schools. This year’s YAM theme is “A Journey Through Art” and is sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank. Each Saturday, Common Street Arts will host a series of free programs that explore the themes of travel, culture, and human creativity. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, March 5 from 4:30 – 6:00pm at Common Street Arts. For a complete list of the scheduled projects and programs, please visit www.commonstreetarts.org.
Gallery Hours:
Monday – Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday: 12:00pm – 5:00pm
CLOSED SUNDAY
Featured Schools:
Albert S. Hall School
Canaan Elementary School
Carrabec High School
George J. Mitchell School
Glen Stratton Learning Center
Kennebec Montessori School
Madison Elementary School
Madison Junior High School
Maine Academy of Natural Sciences
Messalonskee High School
Messalonskee Middle School
Mount Merici Academy
North Elementary School
Warsaw Middle School
Waterville Alternative High School
Winslow High School
Winslow Junior High School
Free Youth Art Month Events:
Arts Around the World at the Chace Community Forum
Explore art throughout the world and become inspired by artists from different countries. Members from the Colby College International Club and Colby Museum of Art will assist in art-making projects and discuss art from various countries throughout the world.
Saturday, March 7 @ 1:00 – 4:00pm
Kids Art Yoga
Join yoga teacher Stephanie Pinnette as she leads a youth yoga class in the gallery. Participants will create unique poses inspired by artwork in the exhibition.
Saturday, March 14 @ 10:00 – 11:00am
Family Game Café
Every time we play games, we are transported to another world. Explore board games that bring us on journeys, from the more recent Settlers of Catan to the old school Oregon Trail.
Saturday, March 21 @ 1:00 – 4:00pm
Music from Around the World
Musicians from Snow Pond Center for the Arts will introduce participants to instruments from around the world. Families are invited to create art as they listen to music!
Saturday, March 28 @ 1:00 – 2:00pm
About Waterville Creates!
Waterville Creates! connects artists, organizations, and the public with arts and cultural events and programs happening in our community. Supporting and promoting arts education, exhibitions, theatre, film, music, and dance that is accessible to all, Waterville Creates! is leading the effort to make Waterville an exciting cultural destination and a thriving, vibrant community. For more information about the ongoing community capital campaign for the Paul J. Schupf Art Center visit www.downtownartscenter.org
New Dimensions FCU is proud to announce that they not only met their 2019 goal of $35,000 in funds raised but exceeded it with a whopping $39,006.81. They began 2019 with a lofty goal but were determined to make as big an impact on their community as they could. They know that it takes a community working together to achieve big goals and as an organization that supports Maine Children’s Cancer Program (MCCP), Special Olympics Maine, and MECUL’s Ending Hunger Campaign they believe that funding is imperative to each charity and the work that they do.
In 2019, they ramped up their fundraising efforts by planning even more events and fundraising opportunities so that they could reach their goal. They incorporated hashtag #TeamTeal into marketing and social media conversations as representation of their commitment to volunteerism and fundraising. They wanted to make a huge impact in the lives of people living in Maine but especially in the local area. Collectively they planned several soup days, a car show, bake sales, book sales, car washes, pallet nights, and so much more. When it was all said and done, they calculated the final totals and was astounded to find that they had raised $18, 198.77 for MCCP, $10, 759.43 for Ending Hunger in Maine, and $10,048.61 for Special Olympics Maine. This is a total of $39,006.81 to help children with cancer, people who don’t get enough to eat, and Special Olympics with their important mission.
New Dimensions is gearing up for 2020 with the same drive and dedication but would be remiss if they didn’t sincerely thank their members and the community for the support they have provided throughout the year.
About New Dimensions FCU
New Dimensions Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, financial cooperative with nearly 170 million dollars in assets that offer a full array of personal and business banking services, has locations in Waterville, Augusta, Winslow, and Skowhegan. They proudly serve over 16,000 members and employ over 60 employees, who are available and ready to assist our community with their finances. For more information, contact NDFCU at (800) 326-6190 or visit www.newdimensionsfcu.com.
New Dimensions Federal Credit Union is pleased to announce its new Vice President of Lending, Darla Frost, who comes to them with over 20 years of mortgage lending experience. Frost is also an active charter member and treasurer of the Waterville Lion Club as well as an affiliate member of the Kennebec Valley Board of Realtors.
Directors and staff are excited to have Frost join their team as her experience and wealth of knowledge will be valuable as she settles into her position. She will spearhead the future path of lending by navigating innovative lending programs, compliance, member satisfaction, and more. She states, “I am amazed and excited that New Dimensions is the type of financial institution that truly cares about their members and it shows by the customer service and special care they take with each member. They walk the talk and I look forward to becoming a part of this team. I am especially looking forward to helping the other lenders succeed by coaching and assisting each of them in a manner that works for their individual needs.”. Frost enjoys camping and kayaking and spends most of her summer at a local campground in Winthrop. She resides in Augusta with her fiancé Peter
Ryan Poulin, CEO, states, “I am so pleased that Darla has joined our team here at New Dimensions. She will be an instrumental part of our management team because of her years of experience, knowledge and dedication to our communities. She will focus on member experience, ease of process, and saving members money. We welcome her and I look forward to working closely with her in the years to come.”
The Harlow’s Annual Silent Art Auction returns February 12-22, 2020 with proceeds directly supporting 2020 programming at the Gallery.
Cultivate your collection and come bid on an exciting variety of handmade fine art and craft that have been generously donated by local collectors, artists, and fine craftsmen. The items up for bids include work by local artists Barb Loken, Judith Schuppien, Kay Morris, Erin Seegers Jewelry, Maple Lane Pottery, Brookes Smith Knitting, and many more. Bidding is open February 12-22, Wednesday-Saturday 12-6pm and closes closes Saturday, February 22 at 4pm sharp. The Harlow is located at 100 Water street in Hallowell.
The Harlow is a membership based 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to connecting and celebrating art, artists and community in downtown historic Hallowell since 1963. For more information please visit harlowgallery.org or call 207-622-3813.
The Harlow invites artists to submit artwork to Art2020, the 25th annual juried show. Art2020 will be on view May 15-June 20, 2020 at 100 Water Street in Hallowell with an opening reception on Friday, May 15 from 5-7. Art2020 is open to all Maine artists and to any artist with a strong connection to Maine. The deadline for submissions is 11:59pm on April 1, 2020.
This year’s juror is Erin Hutton – an art advisor, curator, and founder of Erin Hutton Projects. For more than twenty years, she has immersed herself in the art world as an artist, educator, gallery director, curator, film production assistant, and designer. To read more about Erin Hutton please visit harlowgallery.org/annual-juried-show/juror/
Original fine art in any media may be submitted, including but not limited to painting, sculpture, digital, printmaking, fiber, photography, mixed media, ceramics, installation and more. Each artist may submit up to three works of art, which must be the artist’s own original work created within the last three years. Art that has been previously exhibited at the Harlow is not eligible. All works entered must be original work by the submitting artist. Giclees and other reproductions are not eligible.
For complete details please visit harlowgallery.org/art2020
The Harlow is a membership based 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to connecting and celebrating art, artists and community in downtown historic Hallowell since 1963.
The Harlow is supported by the City of Hallowell, Dirigo Capital Advisors, Kennebec Savings Bank, the Roxanne Quimby Foundation and by our members. 2020 Season Sponsors are Camden National Bank, Capitol Dental Care, Chris Walters Productions, Great Gatherings, Eaton Peabody Attorneys at Law and Scrummy Afters Candy Shoppe. Programming is funded in part by the Maine Community Foundation, the Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust, and by a Partnership Grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Barn at Silver Oaks Estate was announced a winner of the 2020 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards®, an accolade representing the top wedding professionals across the board in quality, service, responsiveness, and professionalism reviewed by couples on WeddingWire.
A leader in the global wedding planning industry, WeddingWire continues its celebration of local wedding vendors with the announcement of its twelfth annual WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® winners. To determine these distinguished wedding professionals, WeddingWire analyzed reviews across more than 20 service categories, from venues and caterers to florists and photographers to find the most highly rated vendors of the year. These winners exhibit superior professionalism, responsiveness, service, and quality when interacting with the millions of consumers who turn to WeddingWire to help ease their wedding planning process each month.
Wedding professionals who win WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® are members of WeddingPro, the leading B2B wedding brand. As the largest marketplace and community for wedding professionals, WeddingPro connects businesses with more than 13 million visitors per month who are planning weddings on WeddingWire and The Knot, as well as with hundreds of thousands of pros in the industry. Through its online marketplaces, educational programs and community-building events, WeddingPro is dedicated to helping wedding professionals build relationships with couples and pros that grow their businesses. The Barn at Silver Oaks Estate is honored to be one of the top wedding businesses in Winthrop on WeddingWire.com.
For more information about The Barn at Silver Oaks Estate, please visit us on WeddingWire. To learn more about the WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards®, please visit www.weddingwire.com/couples-choice-awards.
The Harlow announces the 14th annual Higher Forms of Art exhibition of artwork by students from area high schools presented in partnership with the University of Maine at Augusta for the 7th year in a row. Higher Forms of Art gives emerging artists the opportunity to show their art in a professional gallery space, and offers students the experience of organizing and installing a major art exhibition.
Higher Forms of Art is on view February 2-23, 2020 at the Danforth Gallery, located at Jewett Hall, 46 University Drive in Augusta. Danforth Gallery hours are Mon-Thur 9am-5pm and Friday 9am-4pm. The public is invited to attend a reception for the artists and their art instructors on Sunday, February 23 from 3-5pm (Snow date Monday, Feb. 24 from 4-6pm.)
Area Maine high schools participating in Higher Forms of Art:
Cony High School, Augusta
Hall-Dale High School, Farmingdale
Gardiner Area High School, Gardiner
Kents Hill School, Kents Hill
Maine Arts Academy, Sidney
Maranacook Community High School, Readfield
Richmond High School, Richmond
The Harlow is home of the KVAA, a membership based 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to connecting and celebrating art, artists, and community. They have owned and operated the Harlow Gallery in downtown historic Hallowell since 1963.
The University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) transforms the lives of students of every age and background across the State of Maine and beyond through access to high-quality distance and on-site education, excellence in student support, civic engagement, and professional and liberal arts programs.
The UMA Art Program is an interdisciplinary program focused on multiple areas of the visual arts, including traditional and new media. Courses include art history, ceramics, drawing, media arts, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Those studying at UMA will find ways to express ideas visually and learn to problem-solve, collaborate, and think critically. These skills allow a UMA graduate of the Arts Program to be uniquely ready to respond to the needs of the future and, as an artist, contribute to new and evolving economic and social realities.
The Harlow is supported by the City of Hallowell, Dirigo Capital Advisors, Kennebec Savings Bank, the Roxanne Quimby Foundation and by our members. 2019 Season Sponsors are Camden National Bank, Capitol Dental Care, Chris Walters Productions, Great Gatherings, Eaton Peabody Attorneys at Law and Scrummy Afters Candy Shoppe. Programming is funded in part by the Maine Community Foundation, the Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust, and by a Partnership Grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Scholarship Committee, from Gardiner Federal Credit Union, is pleased to announce that they are offering a total of $3,000.00 in Scholarships in 2020.
GFCU is offering six scholarships, in the amount of $500 each, to deserving students who are pursuing post-secondary education or graduate degrees. To be considered for the scholarships, applicants must live, work, worship or attend school in Kennebec County, Lincoln County, or in the towns of Palermo or Richmond, Maine. Applicants must also complete the online application, which consists of a short form detailing their extracurricular activities and community service and two short essay questions.
“We have had winners from graduating high school classes, as well as winners who are already in college. This past year, we actually had a repeat winner.” stated Kelly Marie, Scholarship Committee Member. “The identities of the applicants are masked, so our committee has no idea who the applicants are, when reviewing the applications and reading the essays.”, she continued.
The application is available, under the applications tab, on Gardiner Federal Credit Union’s website: gardinerfcu.org. The deadline to apply is April 30, 2020.
All completed applications will be reviewed by the GFCU Scholarship Committee and the selected recipients will be notified by the second week of May.
Any inquiries about the scholarships may be directed to:
Kelly Marie
207-582-2676, ext. 125
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust collected more than 1,250 children’s toys during the Bank’s second annual Holiday Toy Drive. Over the course of two weeks, customers and community members dropped off new, unwrapped toys at their nearest Bar Harbor Bank & Trust branch. The toys were then donated to local non-profits throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont to be distributed to children in the community.
“We are grateful for the overwhelming generosity shown by our customers, neighbors, and employees during the toy drive,” said Joseph Schmitt, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “By working together, we are making the holidays more special for children in our communities.”
Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $3.6 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiaries Bar Harbor Trust Services and Charter Trust Company. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit www.barharbor.bank or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.
Bust out those masks and come celebrate the new decade with us at The Oak!
Limited Seating available for 4pm, 7pm & 10pm
Here’s the party
Unveiling of the Oak’s 2020 Signature Smoked Cocktail
Select Wine Pairings by Kyle Neilson
Veuve Clicquot Champagne Toast
6 Course Prix Fixe Menu by Chef Elisha Irland
Prizes for best masks
Food
Royal Ossetra Caviar on Uni Deviled Eggs
Hamachi Crudo with Lemon Agrumato & Blood Orange
Caldwell Farms Beef Tenderloin in Consomme
Smoked Ricotta Gnocchi with Chestnut Mushrooms & Truffle Oil
Seared Maine Duck Breast with Caramelized Root Vegetables & Apricot Brown Butter
Spice-Charred Pineapple with Cointreau Sabayon, Coconut
THE GRAND MASQUERADE IS A PRIVATE TICKET-ONLY EVENT
TICKETS $185 (includes beverage/food taxes & gratuity)
Miss Holmes Opens at the Waterville Opera House January 24, 2020
The Waterville Opera House (WOH) is excited to present a mystery that shines a new light on favorite characters when Miss Holmes opens this January 2020 in Waterville. Inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, it’s not just another mystery – it’s a reexamination of the Victorian world of Holmes and Watson that explores the added obstacles that these two iconic characters would have faced if they had been women.
In a time and place where gender roles are rigidly defined, Miss Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Dorothy Watson dare to challenge societal norms by providing an unusual, but necessary, service. When an anonymous note sends a newlywed wife looking for help, Miss Holmes and Dr. Watson work together to uncover the secrets surrounding a corrupt police inspector whose wives have a habit of turning up dead. But this Holmes and Watson face far greater challenges than bringing the cunning criminal to justice. Miss Holmes possesses one of the greatest deductive minds of her generation, but she chafes at the restraints imposed upon her by society and family. Dr. Watson struggles to make a difference at the only hospital in London that will hire female doctors.
Join the Waterville Opera House and go on the hunt for a killer with Miss Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Dorothy Watson, and an all-star local cast of memorable characters. With murder, mystery, mistaken identities, and plot twists that you won’t expect, Miss Holmes is an exciting and thought-provoking mystery with a positive message. Reserve your tickets today!
Miss Holmes Showtimes
January 24, 25, 31 and February 1 at 7:30pm
January 26 and February 2 at 2:00pm
The talented cast of community actors performing in Miss Holmes are:
Miss Sherlock Holmes: Phoebe Sanborn
Dr. Dorothy Watson: Maggie Wachtl
Edwin Greener/Passerby: Erik Hyatt
Superintendent/Passerby: Joe Blackwell
Mycroft Holmes/Vagrant: Bart Shattuck
Dr. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson/Peggy/Martha: Jeralyn Shattuck
Mrs. Hudson: Eve Blackwell
Eudora Featherstone: Marie Cormier
Inspector Geoffrey Lestrade/Orderly #1: John DeWitt
Lizzie Chapman: Hannah King
Thomas Chapman/Orderly #3: Tim Croce
Dr. Michael Stamford/Passerby: Melvin Morrison
Reginald/Orderly #2: John Buys
Production Team
Written By: Christopher M. Walsh
Director: Debra Susi
Scenic and Lighting Designer: Tony Gerow
Sound Designer: Ben David Richmond
Costume Designer: Candace Chase
Stage Manager: Isaac Tardy
Miss Holmes runs January 24th through February 2nd at the Waterville Opera House. Tickets range from $21 - $24. Groups of 10+ receive a 10% discount. WOH’s 19 – 20 season programming is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Harold Alfond Foundation, Colby College, Golden Pond Wealth Management, Maine General Health, Kennebec Savings Bank, Central Maine Motors, Northern Light Inland Hospital, GHM Agency, Granite Hill Estates, Central Maine Newspapers, Marie Cormier, JS McCarthy Printers, and Woodlands Senior Living. Miss Holmes is presented through special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing. For more information or to reserve tickets call 873-7000, visit our website at http://www.operahouse.org or our Box Office at 1 Common Street!
About The Waterville Opera House
The Waterville Opera House has been Central Maine’s cultural center since 1902, treating audiences of all ages to the magic of the performing arts. The 810-seat venue has been host to theatrical productions, ballet performances, concerts, vaudeville and comedy acts, touring shows, as well as a variety of community celebrations and special events. Each year, the Opera House draws 30,000 patrons, reaches 4,000 students through its education performances, and features 250 youths in their theater camps and productions. From the classics to new releases the Waterville Opera House has a seat for you. For more information, visit http://www.operahouse.org/
Camden National Bank announced a $250,000 commitment to Maine Medical Center to provide funding for its master facilities modernization project, a patient-focused initiative that will enable the state’s largest hospital to meet the most urgent healthcare needs well into the future. The donation comes five months after Camden National Bank announced a $250,000 commitment to Pen Bay Medical Center to provide early funding for the construction of a new 41,513-square-foot health center at the hospital’s campus in Rockport.
“We’re passionate about supporting Maine Medical Center’s work and vision to create long-term health and wellness in Maine communities,” said Camden National Bank’s President & CEO, Greg Dufour, who attended last week’s ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Coulombe Family Tower at Maine Medical Center in Portland.
“Our employees, customers, and communities will benefit greatly from the expanded and modernized facilities at Pen Bay Medical Center and Maine Medical Center, delivering state-of-the-art care to improve and save lives,” added Dufour.
The $534 million facilities modernization project at Maine Medical Center will create 128 new private patient rooms, add 19 procedure rooms for surgeries and other complex treatments, provide an additional 225 spaces for patient and visitor parking, and consolidate MMC employee parking into one nearby garage that will meet current demand and future growth.
The project will also open Maine Medical Center to Congress Street with a new building and entrance that is expected to dramatically enhance a major gateway to the city and provide for expanded ambulatory practice facilities. It will create modern, state-of-the-art practice space allowing MMC and Maine Medical Partners to further develop its ambulatory care practices in Scarborough, convenient and easily accessible for patients and their families.
“As we have come together as one, putting the strength of our entire system behind the care we offer in each community we serve, Camden National Bank has been a steadfast partner,” said Bill Caron, CEO of MaineHealth, the parent of both Maine Medical Center and Pen Bay Medical Center. “This support for our flagship tertiary care center and the new facilities we are building to support our mission at Pen Bay Medical Center is an investment in a system of integrated care that will benefit all 1.1 million patients in the MaineHealth service area.”
SERVPRO is proud to present the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, scheduled to kick-off on December 30, 2019, at 12:30 ET at the Gerald J. Ford Stadium, located on the campus of Southern Methodist University (SMU) in University Park, Texas. This is the second annual SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, and it honors the sacrifice and service of those who stand as the first line of defense in local communities – the brave men and women who respond when the unexpected or the unthinkable happens, says Anthony Wolverton of SERVPRO of Augusta/Waterville. This year’s game, televised by ESPN, will feature the Western Michigan University Broncos and the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers.
This year, SERVPRO asked their franchisees nationwide to submit the name of a local first responder to be considered for special recognition at this year’s game. SERVPRO has selected one first responder from this group of nominees to be honored with an award during a presentation on the field at the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. In addition to the award presentation, SERVPRO will provide the selected first responder with complimentary airfare, accommodations, and tickets for the game.
Even if you can’t attend the game, you can still participate. Augusta area residents who wish to honor the dedication of these hometown heroes across the country may purchase a “Sponsor a Responder” ticket for $15 at https://www.firstresponderbowl.com/first-responders-1 to help send a first responder to the game for free. According to Wolverton, SERVPRO’s goal is to distribute more than 10,000 complimentary SERVPRO First Responder Bowl tickets to first responders and their families nationwide. Everyone who chooses to “Sponsor a Responder” will be recognized on the stadium’s video board during the game.
First responders - including police officers, firefighters, EMS workers, correctional officers, search and rescue teams, dispatchers, security guards, federal agents, border patrol agents, and military personnel—may register to receive complimentary tickets at https://reservations.aresttravel.com/attraction/single/7045/1425.
“Every day, across the nation, ordinary people make an extraordinary commitment to their friends and neighbors to put themselves in harm’s way when the unexpected happens,” said Rick Isaacson, CEO of Servpro Industries, LLC. “The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is one way we celebrate these dedicated first responders and their families as the hometown heroes they are.”
SERVPRO specializes in disaster restoration, cleanup, and repair services, helping to remediate damage, making it “Like it never even happened,” for both commercial and residential customers. For more information on SERVPRO of Augusta/Waterville, please contact Anthony Wolverton at (207) 622-7166 or . For more information about SERVPRO, please visit https://www.servpro.com.
The Harlow is excited to kick off 2020 with an exhibition of paintings by Keri Kimura of Southwest Harbor and Jan Ter Weele of Falmouth. The exhibit, showcasing a dynamic range rich textures and vibrant colors, is on view January 10 - February 8, 2020 at 100 Water Street in Hallowell. Join us and meet the artists at an opening reception on Friday, January 10, 5-7pm. Exhibitions are always free and open to the public. Hours are Wednesday-Saturday noon-6pm.
Keri Kimura is a visual artist living in Southwest Harbor. She studied painting at Smith College, the Glasgow School of Art, and the New York Studio School. She moved to Maine in 2015 and set up a studio in her home where she paints full-time during the winter months. This spring she spent a month as a resident at The Golden Foundation for the Arts in upstate New York. This year Kimura’s work will also be shown at The Painting Center in New York City, Nahcotta Gallery in Portsmouth, NH, and Swallowfield in Southwest Harbor Maine. www.kerikimura.com.
“When I moved to Maine, I became interested in the way nature has a kind of handwriting that combines pattern and chaos. The way the veins of leaves are mirrors of one another and the anarchy with which they are carried and laid down in a breeze. The way it is obvious when this handwriting has been disturbed, when humans have changed the balance. Around the same time I also began learning to sew. I have memories of my mother and grandmother making quilts when I was a small and I wanted to tap into that history of hand work. Painting for me has always been as much about process as anything else. These paintings came out of both these worlds. The landscape here, the serenity and strangeness and patterns and magic of the natural world. And also playing with textiles and layering color and weavings and the way things are intertwined. These are paintings about connectedness and exploration and mysteries and trees.”
Jan ter Weele was born in The Netherlands. In 1940 his family escaped from Holland after it was invaded and occupied. He now lives in Falmouth, Maine, with a studio in Portland. Solo exhibits of his paintings have taken place at Aucocisco Gallery, Cooper Jackson Gallery, the Gallery at The Clown, and Urban Dwellings, all in Portland. Other solos were in the Maine Art Gallery vestibule in Wiscasset and the Cerulean Gallery. His paintings have been in many invitational shows including a four-person show at Gallery 415 in Chicago, three separate shows at the New O'Farrell Gallery in Brunswick, Maine (along with Neil Welliver and Lois Dodd, among others), a show at Gold/Smith Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, a show at the University of Maine at Lewiston-Auburn, and successive shows in 2010 and 2011 at George Marshall Store Gallery in York, Maine. In 2014 and again in 2018 his paintings were in three-person shows at the George Marshall Store Gallery. In 2014 he was selected for the Monhegan Island Art Residency where he spent a month from early September to mid-October. This was a productive period during which time he completed 24 abstract paintings, working in acrylic on 18 x 18 inch canvas supports. He studied at Maine College of Art, Massachusetts College of Art, Honolulu Academy of Art, and on two separate occasions at the Art Students League of New York with John Hultberg, Peter Golfinopoulos, and Cornelia Foss. His paintings are in private collections throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. www.janterweele.com
“Painting, for me, is about color, shape, and rhythm. My landscape paintings are about real places, mostly done on location. Over the years I have made many paintings about places which pre-occupy me. Some of these places show up in my "Bridge”, "Cumberland”, and "Freeport" paintings. In recent years I have been disassembling the imagery of these places. My abstract paintings reflect the colors and patterns of the landscape. The Maine landscape figures prominently. My paintings of the human figure are about figures embedded and immoblized in space. When I start a painting I do not know where it will take me. When I finally resolve it, I discover what drove me to do it in the first place. I think the sources of painting, and of art generally, are unknown to us. They flow ultimately from the mystic law.”
The Harlow is a membership based 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to connecting and celebrating art, artists and community in downtown historic Hallowell since 1963. For more information please visit harlowgallery.org or call 207-622-3813.
Join us for a family-friendly benefit variety show that is jam-packed with crowd-pleasing entertainment for the whole family! This event guarantees to be an evening well spent! Our performers (Noteworthy Vocal Studio, TNT and Stage Presence Dance Studios along with Elvis Tribute Artist, Don Boudreau, just to name a few) will leave you begging for more. Your support will help the children attending The Children’s Place Early Care and Education Center at The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers every day. The parents and children in this program need your help so they can keep moving forward in their lives and we, as a community, have it within our power to make sure that they can.
Come out and be a part of this one of a kind variety show hosted and performed by kids! Tickets $15 for adults and children 12 and under are free! You can buy your tickets online, by calling 873-4253 or at the door at Messalonskee Performing Arts Center.
– Camden National Bank is one of six U.S. banks named a 2019 Greenwich Customer Experience Leader by Greenwich Associates, leading global provider of data, analytics and insights to the financial services industry. The only New England-based bank among those named this year, Camden National Bank was one of five banks recognized specifically in the U.S. Retail Banking category.
“It is an honor to be recognized again this year for our continuous dedication to enhancing the customer experience in person and online,” said Renée Smyth, Executive Vice President, Chief Experience and Marketing Officer. “The 2019 award speaks to our employees’ exceptional commitment to building trusted relationships with customers and gathering new ideas and feedback in order to spark innovation and deliver a better banking experience for all.”
Greenwich Associates conducts interviews and extensive research which provides a foundation of benchmark data on bank customer relationships which does not exist anywhere else in the industry. Greenwich CX Leaders achieve scores that exceed the industry benchmarks by a specific margin for overall satisfaction, likelihood to recommend and likelihood to continue using.
“In virtually every bank with best-in-class CX, we find committed leadership and the seamless integration of digital capabilities that enhance—rather than replace—the human interaction with a banker or relationship manager,” says Greenwich Associates Managing Director Jacqueline Vose in a recent press release.
Each year in celebration of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration in Maine recognizes outstanding small business owners and their champions for their achievements and successes. Every day Maine entrepreneurs work tirelessly to provide quality goods and services to their customers as well as provide job opportunities for their employees and themselves. Many of these business owners have utilized SBA programs including loan guarantees, business advising through SBA’s resource partner network, or government contracting certifications to assist in their business growth. These entrepreneurs deserve our gratitude and support and we welcome the opportunity to acknowledge their efforts and share their stories.
Locally, the SBA holds a widely attended annual event to present awards and hear from some of Maine’s finest entrepreneurs. This event is the highlight of our year and without fail, each year we marvel at the journeys our award winners have taken on their pathway to success. These award winning small businesses and their champions have been nominated by our partners, supporters, and community members. They openly share their times of success as well as the hurdles and challenges they’ve overcome along the way. The audience, comprised of nominators, family, friends, lenders, SBA partners, and the Maine SBA team finds great inspiration in these stories and we hope to uncover more of these uplifting stories with our 2020 Maine SBA Small Business Awards.
In 2019 we recognized an outstanding group of awardees including our Small Business Persons of Year, Janie Wang and Chris Anderson, owners of Modernist Pantry in Eliot. As the proverbial story goes, Janie and Chris started their business in the basement of their home turning their hobby and love of cooking into a thriving and growing business. Over the next 8 years, they steadily grew their business which provides specialized ingredients and gadgets for modern cooking styles. They now fill orders for their customers, professional chefs and home cooking enthusiasts, from their expansive building that houses hundreds of products. With the help of an SBA 504 loan they were able to buy the land and build their state of the art facility that can accommodate the rise in e-commerce orders the couple has seen.
We know there are many stories like Janie and Chris out there, but we need your help with nominations. SBA awards are presented in a variety of categories and some are competed nationally but with a significant focus on recognition and promotion throughout Maine. Some of the business award categories are: Small Business, Woman Owned, Veteran Owned, Exporter, Family Owned, and Small Manufacturer just to name a few. Currently we are seeking nominations, with initial nominations due December 13th and a completed package for finalists due on January 7th, 2020. For a complete list of categories and criteria, please visit our website for all the details: www.sba.gov/me or email .
Please help us discover and recognize Maine’s extraordinary small businesses!
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is kicking off its second annual Holiday Toy Drive on Monday, December 2. New, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at any Bar Harbor Bank & Trust from December 2 through December 13. All the toys collected will be donated to local nonprofit organizations throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
“When you are doing your holiday shopping this year, consider purchasing an extra toy and bringing it to your local Bar Harbor Bank & Trust branch,” said Joseph Schmitt, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “Together we can bring smiles to children in our communities who are in need of holiday cheer.”
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust collected more than 1,200 toys during the inaugural Holiday Toy Drive in 2018.
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust collected more than 3,000 food items during the bank’s 31st Annual “Food for Good” Food Drive. Between October 21 and November 22, 2019, customers and employees dropped off non-perishable food items at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust branches to help our neighbors in need. The collected items were then delivered to over 30 food pantries across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
“Thanks to the generosity of our customers, neighbors, and employees, the shelves of our local food pantries are a little more stocked for families in need during Thanksgiving and the winter months ahead,” said Joseph Schmitt, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “Giving back to the people in the places we call home is a priority for Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, and we are honored to provide this outlet for community giving.”
Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $3.6 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiaries Bar Harbor Trust Services and Charter Trust Company. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit www.barharbor.bank or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust collected more than 3,000 food items during the bank’s 31st Annual “Food for Good” Food Drive. Between October 21 and November 22, 2019, customers and employees dropped off non-perishable food items at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust branches to help our neighbors in need. The collected items were then delivered to over 30 food pantries across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
“Thanks to the generosity of our customers, neighbors, and employees, the shelves of our local food pantries are a little more stocked for families in need during Thanksgiving and the winter months ahead,” said Joseph Schmitt, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “Giving back to the people in the places we call home is a priority for Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, and we are honored to provide this outlet for community giving.”
Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $3.6 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiaries Bar Harbor Trust Services and Charter Trust Company. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit www.barharbor.bank or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.
This fall, Camden National Bank celebrated its Customer Appreciation Week, highlighted by a $10,000 donation to five homeless shelters in Maine. The shelters receiving funds all provide vital support to Maine youth and teens. The bank’s employees also donated more than 625 pounds of toiletry items, collected at the bank’s 2019 Employee Appreciation Night, to local homeless shelters. The unrestricted funding and in-kind donations are part of the bank’s larger Hope@Home program which has provided more than $440,000 to homeless shelters in the bank’s service area over the past five years.
“Our Hope@Home program has received enthusiastic support from customers and employees since it began in 2015,” said Greg Dufour, President & CEO of Camden National Bank. “These additional donations represent our commitment to this cause as well as the program’s effort to increase awareness for the issue of homeless in our communities.”
The five shelters that received donations for teen and youth services are: Emmaus Homeless Shelter in Orland, Shaw House in Bangor, New Beginnings Inc. in Lewiston, Hospitality House in Rockland, and the Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter at Preble Street in Portland.
"We're humbled by the continued support the Hope@Home program has provided to youth at Preble
Street," said Preble Street Executive Director Mark Swann. "Every dollar that goes to our Teen Services supports young people on their journey to stability, and we know firsthand that a seemingly simple toothbrush or a bar of soap can greatly impact the health and dignity of a person experiencing homelessness."
All five shelters will also receive 125 pounds each of assorted toiletry items—like toothbrushes, shampoo, tissues, and more—donated by Camden National Bank employees.
“The collection boxes at our 2019 Employee Appreciation Night were overflowing with donated items from our employees,” continued Dufour. “It was an incredible reminder of just how committed each employee at Camden National Bank is to giving back and supporting someone going through a tough time.”
To learn more about Hope@Home, please visit: https://www.camdennational.com/hopeathome
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust received the “Lender at Work for Maine Award” from the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), which recognizes the Bank's increased lending activity in partnership with the agency and in support of Maine businesses. This year, the Bank and FAME partnered on 20 loans totaling approximately $5.1 million, creating 39 new jobs and retaining an additional 112 jobs in Maine.
The award was presented to the Bank during FAME’s annual event, Showcase Maine, held in Portland, Maine, on November 21. The event celebrates the agency’s successful partnerships with Maine’s business, lending, governmental, and higher education communities.
“Having deep roots in Maine going back more than 130 years, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is committed to helping Maine businesses achieve their drive for success,” said Greg Dalton, EVP, Regional Banking Team Leader for Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “We are proud of the work we have accomplished in partnership with the Finance Authority of Maine and are honored to receive this award.”
FAME is a quasi-independent state agency that provides financial solutions that help Maine people achieve their business and higher education goals. FAME helps to create a Maine workforce with good-paying jobs by focusing on the nexus of economic and educational development. Learn more about FAME at www.famemaine.com.
“We are pleased to recognize Bar Harbor Bank & Trust with this award and are proud of our partnership helping to create and grow Maine businesses and jobs,” said FAME CEO Bruce Wagner.