UNE lacrosse raises nearly $4,000 for The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital

Photo is courtesy of UNE along with press release

PORTLAND, Maine -- The 11th Annual Lax-4-Life Fall Invitational hosted by the University of New England raised $3,815 for The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital (TBBCH) at Maine Medical Center. Representatives from UNE's lacrosse programs presented TBBCH with a check for the proceeds from the event on their visit to the facility this afternoon (Dec. 1).

Lax-4-Life has raised more $29,000 for TBBCH in its 11-year existence. The event, which was held at the Big Blue Turf, had the women's squad hosting teams on Sept. 24, followed by the men's portion of the event Oct. 7.

To learn more about Lax-4-Life or make a contribution to next year's event, contact UNE lacrosse coaches Charlie Burch (cburch@une.edu) or Sue Estabrook (sfrost4@une.edu).

Maine Lobster Festival Donates $250 To Look For The Helpers

Rockland, Maine - At their July board meeting the Maine Lobster Festival’s Board of Directors donated $250 to Look For The Helpers, accepted by founder Michelle Robinson.

Look for the Helpers is a picture book to aid first responders when communicating with non-verbal, hearing impaired, medically impaired, and foreign language speaking individuals. The books include pictures for allergies, tools, sign language, and more. The goal is to get a book into every ambulance, fire truck, and police car in Maine.

“We are happy to donate to such a worthy cause that will benefit many in our community,” said Maine Lobster Festival President Cynthia Powell.

About the Maine Lobster Festival

Five days of fun and feasting on the fabulous coast of Maine, the Maine Lobster Festival attracts thousands of people to the Midcoast region and has a long tradition of giving back to the local community. In recent years, the festival committee has given more than $500,000 to Midcoast Regional Child Development Services, Trekkers, Meals on Wheels, and many other organizations.

Vanuatuan “Tam-Tam” donated to Blue Hill Public Library

Blue Hill, Maine - The Blue Hill Public Library has received a gift of a Vanuatuan drum—a tam-tam,  also known as a “slit-gong,”now on permanent display in the Library’s Blue Hill Room. Among the largest free standing instruments in the world, the tam-tam is a a 9 foot carved log that looks a bit like a totem pole.

The tam-tam was donated by Richard Penfold of Deer Isle, who purchased it from Chief Tofor on the island of Vanuatu when he was volunteering there some years ago. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York which houses a tam-tam in its collection, the instruments are carved from the trunks of breadfruit trees and are struck with club-like sticks to produce “deep, sonorous tones.” According to the Met, gong orchestras play at major social and ceremonial occasions such as initiations, dances, and funerals. Tam-tams were also used to communicate between villages.

About the tam-tam library director Rich Boulet says, “BHPL, which has a mission of  opening ‘doors to information, community, culture, and the world,’ has a longstanding tradition of bringing the world to Blue Hill through artifacts collected and gleaned from many benefactors, chiefly Adelaide Pearson and Roland Howard.  The library has textiles from Guatemala, pottery from American Indians in the Southwest, an Indonesian bust, sheet music from the Middle Ages, ancient maps and surveys, and now: Blue Hill’s own tam-tam.” For more information contact the library at 374-5515.

Caption info: The Penfold Family with the Tan-Tam that they donated to the Blue Hill Public Library

Maine Lobster Festival Donates $5,500 to Community Organizations

Courtesy of: MLF Board of Directors

Rockland, Maine - The Maine Lobster Festival’s Board of Directors has donated a total of $5,500 to five local organizations.

Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry

For 26 years, AIO has been entirely run by volunteers. The organization offers emergency assistance for heating, evictions, and supports the Weekend Backpack program that sends food home with students for the weekend. Sherry Cobb accepted the donation of $1,500 on behalf of the food pantry. Presented by Sharon Lombardo.

Rockland Professional Firefighters Local 1584

They will be purchasing a training tool for Knox County that will allow firefighters to practice forcible entry into buildings. The equipment will be housed in Rockland and available for all Knox County fire and law enforcement agencies. Carl Anderson, President of Rockland Professional Firefighters Local 1584, accepted the $1,500 donation. Presented by Sharon Lombardo.

Knox County Recovery Coalition

This non-profit was formed seven months ago in response to the opiate addiction affecting Knox County. In Knox County alone, 10 percent of the population is addicted to opiates. The coalition’s biggest priority is prevention and getting people the treatment they need. Dr. Ira Mandell accepted the $1,500 donation on behalf of the coalition. Presented by Sharon Lombardo.

63 Washington Street

This organization provides a safe and comfortable environment for senior citizens at an affordable cost. It is a fully licensed Level 3 Residential Care residence in Camden, and also runs a food pantry for the elderly. Bob Oxton accepted the $1,250 donation. Presented by Sharon Lombardo.

Boats For Bikes

A group of seven students from Oceanside High School, along with local lobstermen, buy bikes for local kids whose parents can’t afford them. Last year they donated 92 bikes, and are hoping to triple that number this year. Paul Desaulniers and several students accepted the $1,250 donation. Presented by Sharon Lombardo.

The Maine Lobster Festival donates to many local charities and community organizations throughout the year. We were honored to offer our support for these organizations in December 2016.

About the Maine Lobster Festival

Five days of fun and feasting on the fabulous coast of Maine. The Maine Lobster Festival attracts thousands of people to Maine’s Midcoast region, and has a long tradition of giving back to the local community. In recent years, the Festival committee has given more than $500,000 to the local community through support for Midcoast Regional Child Development Services, Trekkers, Meals on Wheels, and much more. For more information about the Maine Lobster Festival, visit the website at www.mainelobsterfestival.com and be sure to “like” us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter at @MELobsterFest.

Trekkers Receives Donation from Camden National Bank

Trekkers’ 9th Grade Team Patagonia students were joined by Joanne Campbell, Executive Vice President from Camden National Bank (4th from the right) during a recent “Short Treks” outing at Oakland Park Bowling.

Thomaston, Maine - Trekkers, a local youth mentoring organization, was recently awarded a grant from Camden National Bank in support of the Short Treks program. In a new initiative, Trekkers is incorporating a series of local Short Trek experiences for each student cohort from its six-year program. The Short Treks are intended to provide additional opportunities for students to learn and reinforce their active outdoor skills, to complete additional community service projects in the local area and to give students more time to bond as a group, helping them prepare for their program-culminating educational expeditions. The Short Treks activities and outings are tailored to each group, providing experiences that will collectively bolster the team’s strengths and build resilience in individual students.

The 2014-15 Short Treks activities have included a wide variety of activities, all of which align well with the five educational components that Trekkers uses in core programming: community service, cultural awareness, environmental stewardship, adventure-based education and wilderness exploration. Since the program year began last September, students and their mentors have completed community service projects at Camp Kieve, Hospitality House, and Habitat for Humanity, in addition to volunteering in a soup kitchen and an English Second Language Center in Lewiston. Some Trekkers groups camped and hiked in State Parks this year, while others participated in cultural exchanges or completed physical challenges like climbing walls or ropes courses. Throughout the local treks, all the students increased their cohesiveness and communication skills through ongoing discussion, reflection, journaling and consensus decision making.

Because there are now more than 200 students from six different communities in Trekkers, the Short Treks experiences go a long way to help the young people in the program get to know one another through the ongoing interactions. Rather than merely meeting for planning meetings every couple of weeks throughout the school year, this year, students have been able to engage in Short Treks activities that bring them together and strengthen their connections with their group and their adult mentors.

Speaking of the program and the grant support, Executive Director Don Carpenter stated, “Everyone at Trekkers is so grateful to Camden National Bank for their continued support of our students. This grant will help us provide more meaningful local expeditionary learning opportunities to area youth through the Short Treks program. But, more importantly, it will help us build stronger bonds between students and mentors and provide a stronger sense of community within each of our student groups. Camden National Bank shares our devotion to young people and our goal of building life skills and resiliency in local youth. They invest in the future of our community by supporting programs such as Trekkers. We cannot thank them enough for this generous gift.”

Since 1994, Trekkers has connected young people with caring adults through expeditionary learning, community service and adventure based education. Now in the fifth year of an incremental expansion plan, Trekkers works with 7th through 12th grade students from the six communities that make up Regional School Unit #13.

To learn more about Trekkers outdoor-based mentoring program, please contact the Trekkers office: (207) 594-5095 or visit www.trekkers.org.

Eastern Tire and Strand Theatre Collaboration Yields Donation to Theater

Pictured are Jana Herbener, Strand Community Relations Manager; Alvin Chase, Eastern Tire and Auto Service Owner; Sarah Ruddy, Strand Executive Director; and Liz McLeod, Strand House Manager.

Rockland, Maine - Eastern Tire and Auto Service, 70 Park Street, and the Strand Theatre, 345 Main Street, recently gave each other’s organizations a boost with a unique cooperative effort. The Strand helped spread the word to Facebook users that every “Like” to Eastern’s Tire’s Facebook page during a specific 48-hour period, up to 100 “Likes,” would be matched by a $5 donation to the Strand Theatre. Though 85 “Likes” were tallied, earning a donation of $425, Eastern Tire generously rounded it up to an even $500.


The historic Strand Theatre is owned and operated by Friends of the Strand Theatre, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. For more information on all upcoming live concerts, films, HD broadcasts, and events at the Strand, visit www.rocklandstrand.com. Tel: (207) 594-0070 Email: info@rocklandstrand.com.

Trekkers Is Recipient of Donation from Rockland Festival Corporation

Trekkers’ Executive Director Don Carpenter receives a
donation from the Rockland Festival
Corporation’s long-time Director Sharon Lombardo

THOMASTON, Maine – Trekkers, a local youth mentoring organization, has received a donation from the Rockland Festival Corporation in support of the College/Career Exploration program for 11th grade students. The goal of this 5-month program is to help students identify and learn more about their post-secondary options and career interests. In addition to exploring over 20 colleges, art schools and trade schools from Maine to Pennsylvania, students in this program also gain insight into the college application process and discuss topics such as financial aid and return on investment. During a program-culminating expedition, the students actively compare and contrast all the colleges and campuses they visit. With this information, they prepare a list of criteria that is most important in their own college selection process.

Trekkers’ College/Career Exploration has proven to be one of the most successful programs the

Maine Lobster Festival donates to Run For Your Life

The directors of the Maine Lobster Festival were happy to present a donation of $250.00 to the Run For Your Life Emergency Service Challenge.  Run For Your Life is an obstacle course race held at the Camden Snow Bowl to benefit local emergency services.  The course is approximately 5 kilometers long and includes rope climbing, hoisting heavy objects, crawling under barbed wire, and more.  This race raises citizen awareness of the work emergency service volunteers perform on a regular basis, and encourages others to volunteer in their local communities in life-saving roles as firefighters, police officers, and Emergency Medical Technicians. 

The 2014 Run For Your Life Emergency Service Challenge will take place on May 24 at the Camden Snow Bowl.  This challenge represents firefighters and paramedics who encourage more citizens to get involved with their local fire departments, ambulance services, and law enforcement agencies.  Proceeds from the event will be donated to Atlantic Engine Company #2 (Camden Fire Department) and the Hope Fire Department.  For more information about this race, visit http://www.emergencychallenge.org/. 

The Maine Lobster Festival attracts thousands of people to Maine’s Midcoast region, and has a long tradition of giving back to the local community.  In recent years, the Festival committee has given more than $500,000 to the local community through support for Midcoast Regional Child Development Services, Trekkers, Meals on Wheels, and much more!  The 67^th Annual Maine Lobster Festival will take place July 30 – August 3, 2014.  For more information about the Festival, visit our website athttp://www.mainelobsterfestival.com/. Be sure to “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @MELobsterFest.

(Pictured Above L-R: Chuck Kruger of the Maine Lobster Festival, Brian Allen of Atlantic Engine Company #2, and Alice Knight of the Maine Lobster Festival)

First Lady Ann LePage and Bread of Life Ministries to Accept Donation for the National Veterans Family Center from Operation Hat Trick

Augusta, Maine - Maine's First Lady Ann M. LePage, along with Dean Lachance, Executive Director for Bread of Life Ministries, will formally accept a donation for The Travis Mills Project - National Veterans Family Center from Operation Hat Trick on Monday, November 18, 2013 at the Blaine House beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Operation Hat Trick (OHT), a New Hampshire based organization that generates awareness, support, and funding for the recovery of America's wounded warriors, both active service members and veterans, through the sale of OHT branded merchandise, is pleased to announce that it is donating to the National Veteran's Family Center - The Travis Mills' Project.

Founder of OHT, Dot Sheehan, says, "It is critical that OHT make direct donations and after meeting Travis Mills, the 5th living quadruple amputee at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in July and visiting the National Veterans Family Center in August, I knew OHT had to make a donation. This camp will help so many veterans continue their recovery." OHT is donating monies specifically to build another 100% handicapped accessible cabin at the camp and is committed to funding one campership annually.

"I am so pleased to have another supporter on board for the National Veterans' Family Center," Mrs. LePage said. "This is such an important project and once fully funded will benefit veterans from all across this nation. We had such a successful proof-of-concept in August; I'm looking forward to ‘full steam ahead' during this next year in preparation of military families coming to Maine next summer."

For more information about Operation Hat Trick, please visit www.operationhattrick.com and for more information on The Travis Mills Project - National Veterans Family Center, please visit www.veteransfamilycamp.com

St. Joseph Healthcare Makes Donation to Habitat for Humanity

Bangor, Maine – St. Joseph Healthcare is pleased to make a donation of building materials and $1,000 check donation to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Bangor. The materials are being salvaged from a St. Joseph Healthcare property adjacent to the St. Joseph Healthcare Park at 900 Broadway, which will be the site of a new Medical Office Building. The site was chosen after a comprehensive survey and taking environmental concerns into consideration.

The new 23,000 square foot Medical Office Building is being constructed to better meet our area’s unique healthcare needs. Many of the St. Joseph physician practices will be consolidated in one location for patient convenience. This location will ultimately be transformed into a vibrant gathering place focused on health and wellness activities. St. Joseph Healthcare is committed to improving the health of the people who rely on our services, focusing on prevention and innovative care.

The Clift Darling House property was home to St. Joseph Community Networks and Foundation, which is relocating to the former Felician Sisters residence on Congress Street. The new suite of offices will retain the Clift Darling House name. The new location is more spacious and convenient to the main Hospital, and will be available by appointment for special hospital functions.

We are pleased that materials from the site will be used to help area families in need through Habitat for Humanity. Habitat uses donated items to build new homes and refurbishes many goods to sell in their ReStore facility. Proceeds from ReStore help fund future home building projects for local low-income families in need.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Bangor says this area of the State has a serious issue with substandard living conditions for low-income families. Habitat is dedicated to creating homes for those in our community who could not otherwise afford homeownership. We’re proud to be supporting this important work.

An official groundbreaking event for the new Medical Office Building at the St. Joseph Healthcare Park will be held Saturday, October 12. The community is invited to join us from 1-3:30 at 900 Broadway for a fall celebration with popcorn, hot cider, fun activities for the kids and more! Mark your calendars and stay tuned for details about this event coming soon!

Trekkers Is Recipient of Donation from Camden National Bank

Thomaston, Maine - Trekkers, a local youth mentoring organization, was recently awarded a grant from Camden National Bank in support of the program’s multi-year expansion. Trekkers is now completing the third year of a step-wise expansion process aimed at serving twice as many students across their six community service area.

“Everyone at Trekkers is so grateful to Camden National Bank for their continued support of our students and our expanding program. This grant will help us provide mentoring relationships and more expeditionary learning opportunities to area youth,” stated Executive Director, Don Carpenter. “Camden National Bank shares our devotion to young people. They invest in the future of our local community by supporting programs such as Trekkers. We cannot thank them enough for this generous gift.”

Rockland Branch Manager, Connie Sawyer, said of the donation, “Camden National Bank is delighted to support Trekkers’ expansion project. The Bank has a proud history of providing financial support to organizations such as Trekkers in the communities where we are located. We appreciate the exceptional work that Trekkers does with local youth here in the midcoast.”

Trekkers began in 1994. Through expeditionary learning, community service and adventure based education, this unique outdoor-based program connects 7th through 12th grade students with caring adults from the community. In the coming year, Trekkers will serve more than 180 students from the six communities that make up Regional School Unit #13.

To learn more about Trekkers outdoor-based mentoring program, please contact the Trekkers office: (207) 594-5095 or visit www.trekkers.org.