Last Thursday, the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber held a two-in-one event combining our annual golf tournament with a pared-down version of our Awards Dinner. The Awards Reception began around 4:30 p.m., as all the golfers returned to the clubhouse to be greeted by guests of the event. We regained a sense of normalcy on the back deck as roughly 75-80 golfers and guests gathered in a socially-distanced fashion. If it weren’t for the lectern and sponsor banners this would have almost seemed like one of our Chamber After Hours socials.
The reception lasted only 35 minutes but included several key moments. Sgt. Stephen C. Hembree received the Joshua L. Chamberlain Award for his incredible efforts helping families in need during the pandemic, the chamber shared plans for next year’s programming and of course, our winning gold teams and players were showered with gifts.
The theme of the reception was Who Is Your Covid Hero and was capped by a wonderful seven-minute keynote address by Allison Hopkins of Wilcox Wellness & Fitness. The idea for the theme was simple, the chamber typically gives out business of the year awards at this event, but that felt a bit tone-deaf with such a difficult year. Instead we opted to let anyone nominate any individual, group or business that helped them get through the pandemic. Instead of highlighting just a few successes let’s celebrate all of them no matter what size or shape the impact was.
By May 5 we had received the 44 nominations, which we highlighted at the May 13 event, and these were presented on a rotating screen at registration, as well as in a binder on all of the tables for people to look through. Our plan is to also share these Covid Hero stories throughout the summer on our Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber Facebook page beginning this June.
The best part is, if you want to nominate an individual, group or business as your Covid Hero, you can still submit those Covid Hero nominations to executivedirector@midcoastmaine.com and we’ll add them to our Facebook campaign. It’s a great way to show the people that mean the most to you, just how much they matter. Plus, you can nominate as many people, groups or businesses as you want.
Here is just a sampling of the nominations we received so you can see how they varied. The great part of this program is that there is no criteria other than whatever means the most to you. I think you’ll really love these:
“I’d like to nominate the staff of the Cathance River Education Alliance (CREA) for their brilliant and creative activities for safe nature-based learning during COVID. They created and distributed home science kits, posted online videos, and conducted video workshops for teachers from multiple schools, helping them to enhance environmental education in person and remotely and keeping alive their students’ interest in the outdoors. Thank you to staff members: Caroline Eliot, Jenny Mueller, Sarah Rodgers, and Carey Truebe.” Nominated by Jan Smith
“New England Fitness. Allowed members to utilize their facility after the pandemic started which helped with my physical and metal well-being.” Nominated by Angela Lallier.
“My Covid Heroes are all the workers at Hannaford who prepare my food orders and bring them out to my car so that I can avoid exposure to the coronavirus. Because of them, I have not had to set foot in the grocery store once since the pandemic began. I often worry about their safety and hope that they have all been offered vaccinations now. I’m extremely grateful that the folks at Hannaford provide this service to help us stay safe.” Nominated by Kay Mann
“I’d like to nominate my friend Joanne Marco of Bath as a Covid Hero. Every week throughout the pandemic, she penned and shared a poem with her email list of friends — poems that were funny and heartwarming, yet still acknowledged the unprecedented challenge we all faced. Joanne’s a lovely woman and it’s been so endearing to feel her warmth through her weekly emails!” Nominated by Rebecca Roche
Finally, are some excerpts of Allison’s keynote address that touches on many of the nominations we received and gives a great community-wide perspective, of the spirit of the event:
“Healthcare workers [are Covid Heroes and] have stood at the ready to care for us despite the increase risk of their own exposure to this serious illness. Other members of the healthcare teams across our communities worked tirelessly to launch a highly effective vaccine rollout, making it easy and efficient to get vaccinated…..
“…Our Teachers are Covid Heroes. Teachers have continued to educate our children under unprecedented circumstances over this past year….
“…And of course Parents are Covid Heroes, figuring out all sorts of solutions to the myriad of challenges that they faced this past year.
“…And of course the Business Owners across our community who have stepped up to continue to provide us with their services in safe, socially distanced, and creative ways. This includes restaurants, farmers markets, local grocers, and all other small businesses in between.
“I’ve never felt so proud to be part of a community as I’ve been over this past year…
“…Thank you to each and every one of you who has taken time to help a neighbor, support a small business, wear your mask even though you hated it, shared gratitude to the healthcare workers and teachers in your life, considered how your actions could impact those around you, and for smiling through it all even if it was behind that mask.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Please, do consider nominating a Covid Hero in your life today as we would love to help you give thanks to those that helped you the most.
Cory King is the executive director of the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber.
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