NCAA GOLF: Southern Maine Wins 13th Annual Queenan Memorial Tournament‏

CASCO, Maine – University of Southern Maine posted a 315 team score to win the 13th Annual John Queenan Memorial Tournament at Point Sebago Golf Resort on Tuesday. The Huskies won by three strokes, as University of New England carded a 318 collective score to finish as the runner-up and Saint Joseph’s, by virtue of the tie-breaker, placed third with a 318 team card.

Husson senior Greg Martin (Ellsworth, Maine) claimed medalist honors with a one-under-par 71 (33-38) card and became the ninth different Eagles golfer to win the Queenan crown. USM senior Tom Murray finished second with a 73 (36-37) and Monks freshman Cam Letourneau (Hebron, Maine) placed third with 76 (39-37).

A pair of UNE players - senior Paul Butkevich (Pomfret, Conn.) and junior Ryan Mahoney (Haverhill,

MGOLF: Martin Wins the 13th Annual John Queenan Memorial Tournament

CASCO, Maine - Husson University Senior Greg Martin took home individual medalist honors at the 13^thAnnual John Queenan Memorial Tournament at the Point Sebago Golf Resort in Casco Maine.

Martin shot a 71 on day to lead the Eagles to a fourth place overall finish with a team score of 323. He became the ninth different Eagles' golfer to win the Queenan crown.

Other Eagles who placed were Daulton Wickenden 8^th with a score of 79, Phillip Thome 13^th with a score of 81, Cam Clark 26^th with a score of 92 and Steve Mahon 30^th with a score of 112.

Southern Maine won the tournament with a score of 315 followed by the University of New England and Saint Joseph's (Maine) who tied for 2^nd with 318.

The Eagles return to action on September 12^th when they travel to Brunswick Golf Club in Brunswick, Maine for the Bowdoin Invitational.

DEVELOPING: Firefighters On Scene Of Fully Involved Fire At State Park Headquarters In Casco

Casco, Maine - The Casco and several other fire departments are working a fully involved fire at the State Park Headquarters, Sebago Lake State Park  in Casco, Maine on Wednesday, December 10th.

The building is likely destroyed.

No Injuries reported.

More information as it becomes available.

Paving to Start in Naples, Casco and Poland

Naples/Casco/Poland, Maine - Beginning on Monday, July 7th, crews will be paving 10.44 miles of Route 11 in Naples, Casco and into Poland.

The project begins at the intersection of Route 302 in Naples and extends to the White Oak Hill Road in Poland. Motorists should allow extra time as flaggers assist with alternating one-way traffic through the work zones.

While weather dependent, it is anticipated all work will be completed by mid-October.

Lane Construction of Connecticut will perform this $3.6 million dollar project.

Route 11 in Casco to be Closed for Culvert Replacement

Casco, Maine - A culvert replacement project will result in the closure of Route 11 in Casco on Tuesday, May 20th from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The location is just east of the Leach Road. Motorists will travel the approximately 14 mile detour route from Route 302 to Route 121 then back to Route 11.

Message boards and detour signs are currently in place for this one-day project.

New Balance Foundation Provides 300,000 Reasons to ‘Go the Distance’ for Camp Sunshine

Foundation offers $300,000 matching challenge to kick off Camp Sunshine’s 30th anniversary and its ambitious Go the Distance campaign

CASCO, Maine – To help kick off Camp Sunshine’s 30th anniversary, the New Balance Foundation has offered a $300,000 challenge – matching all gifts from new and returning donors – to encourage support for the national retreat in Maine for children with life threatening illnesses and their families.

Specifically, the New Balance Foundation challenge will match the dollars raised through Camp Sunshine’s new Go the Distance campaign, which challenges supporters to fundraise while participating in 30 distinct endurance events across the country throughout 2014. Events so far include such iconic road races as the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the TCS New York City Marathon and the TD Beach to Beacon 10K in Maine.

Those interested in joining the Camp Sunshine team at the endurance events or who want to create a team for an upcoming event should contact Michael Smith or Ashley Caswell at (207) 655-3800.

Also, direct donations to take advantage of the New Balance Foundation challenge in support of the Go the Distance campaign can be made online at www.campsunshine.org or by calling (207) 655-3800. Gifts from new donors or those who have not given since 2012 will be matched.

“We are so thrilled and honored to get this tremendous boost from the New Balance Foundation, which has

Camp Sunshine Honored as 2013 Top-Rated Nonprofit

GreatNonprofits.org award is based on positive online reviews
Casco, Maine - Camp Sunshine announced yesterday that it has once again been honored with a prestigious 2013 Top-Rated Award by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews about nonprofit organizations.

Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org) is a one-of-a-kind national retreat in Casco, Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

“We are proud to again be named a Top-Rated 2013 Nonprofit,” said Matthew M. Hoidal, Esq., Executive Director at Camp Sunshine. “This award is meaningful to us as it is based on the personal experiences of our families, volunteers and supporters. It’s both gratifying and humbling to read their comments and understand the impact Camp Sunshine has made in their lives.”

The Top-Rated Nonprofit award was based on the large number of positive reviews that Camp Sunshine received from those who have had direct experience with the organization – reviews written by volunteers, donors and clients. Many reviews were posted by people who have been touched by Camp Sunshine and wanted to share their story.

For example, one parent wrote about a week spent at Camp Sunshine just six weeks after their daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor: “We met about 30 other families going through the same thing and many of them have become close friends. The support and love offered to the families by the staff and volunteers is unparalleled. … Having a week spent with people that truly understand the trials and tribulations of being a cancer family is such a reenergizing experience.”

Another parent wrote about the joy felt by her daughter, who has lupus, each year upon returning to Camp Sunshine:  “As a parent I cannot express to you how much happiness it brings to our child and as a parent mere words would never explain the support, unity and friendship that we receive to tide us over to the next year. Our daughter has always said she would rather go to Camp Sunshine every year than have Christmas!”

Camp Sunshine was part of the inaugural group to qualify for the Top-Rated Awards for the year.

“Savvy donors want to see the impact of their donations more than ever,” said Perla Ni, CEO of GreatNonprofits. “People with direct experience with Camp Sunshine have voted that the organization is making a real difference.”

Being on the Top-Rated list gives donors and volunteers more confidence in the credibility of a nonprofit organization, she said, as the reviews by volunteers, clients and other donors show the on-the-ground results.

Camp Sunshine also has received recognition from other charity evaluators in 2013, including a coveted 4-star rating – ranking in the top 10 percent nationally – for fiscal responsibility from Charity Navigator, the nation’s leading charity evaluator. The American Camp Association also recently recognized Camp Sunshine for program excellence.

Camp Sunshine operates year-round on the shores of beautiful Sebago Lake and provides week-long respites at no charge to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The camp offers the only program in the nation whose sole mission is to address the impact of cancer, kidney disease, lupus and other life-threatening illnesses on every member of the immediate family. The program includes 24-hour onsite medical and psychosocial support. While attending the various sessions, families are able to rebuild relationships together and meet other families facing similar challenges.

Camp Sunshine relies on donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to carry out its mission. For more information about Camp Sunshine’s programs and to learn more about volunteering or making a donation, visit the camp’s website at www.campsunshine.org, or call (207) 655-3800.

About GreatNonprofits

GreatNonprofits is the leading site for donors and volunteers to find reviews and ratings of nonprofits. Reviews on the site influence 30 million donation decisions a year. Find more information at www.greatnonprofits.org.

About Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine is a year-round retreat, which provides respite, support, joy, and hope to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families through various stages of a child’s illness. The program is free of charge to all families, and includes 24-hour on-site medical and psychosocial support. Bereavement groups are also offered for families who have lost a child to an illness. To support Camp Sunshine, call (207) 655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

Camp Sunshine Wins New Toyota Sienna Mobility Van in 100 Cars for Good Contest

Maine retreat for families with children facing life-threatening illnesses prevails in Toyota’s nationwide Facebook vote
Casco, Maine - Camp Sunshine is the winner of a new Toyota Sienna Mobility van after receiving one of the top votes in the nationwide Toyota 100 Cars for Good contest on Thursday.

Camp Sunshine, a national retreat in Casco, Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, prevailed against four other non-profit organizations in Facebook voting on Oct. 10.

“In addition to offering the program free of charge to families since 1984, accessibility to Camp Sunshine is also of critical importance. This new van from Toyota will help us provide our unique services to many more families,” said Matthew M. Hoidal, Executive Director at Camp Sunshine.

He added, “We couldn’t be more appreciative of Toyota for the opportunity and thankful for the outpouring

Camp Sunshine Named One of Best Reviewed Nonprofits in the U.S. by Two National Charity Evaluation Organizations

Both Charity Navigator and GreatNonprofits rank Camp Sunshine among nation’s top charities, based on reviews from volunteers, donors and those who receive services.
Casco, Maine - Camp Sunshine has been named one of the top nonprofits in the U.S. by two independent national charity evaluation organizations, based on feedback from volunteers, donors and recipients of services.

Located in Maine’s Sebago Lakes region, Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org) supports children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

Charity Navigator, the nation’s leading charity evaluator, has Camp Sunshine in second on its latest rankings of 10 highly-rated charities with favorable reviews from various stakeholders.

GreatNonprofits, a leading provider of reviews and ratings for nonprofit organizations in the U.S., has Camp Sunshine in fifth place on its Top Rated list of charities nationwide.

The recognition for Camp Sunshine – the only Maine charity on both top 10 lists – further bolsters its reputation among charitable organizations across the nation.

“These honors mean so much to us because the rankings are based on positive reviews by volunteers, participating families and other donors and reflect the on-the-ground results of Camp Sunshine,” said

Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival Raises $80,175 to Support Children with Life-Threatening Illnesses and Their Families

More than 20,000 attend daylong festival at L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine that featured 7,658 illuminated jack-o-lanterns

Casco, Maine - The 10th annual Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival at L.L. Bean raised $80,175 for the one-of-a-kind national retreat in Casco that supports children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, Camp Sunshine officials announced Wednesday.

More than 20,000 festival-goers attended the daylong event on Oct. 27 in Freeport, Maine that was capped by the spectacular display of 7,658 illuminated jack-o-lanterns glowing in the night sky. Last year’s Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org) festival featured 5,200 lit jack-o-lanterns.