BRUNSWICK
Catholic Charities Maine’s Independent Support Services and SEARCH (Seek Elderly Alone – Renew Courage and Hope) programs connect isolated seniors with community volunteers and homemakers in Androscoggin, Kennebec, Sagadahoc, Somerset, and in parts of Franklin, Lincoln, and Oxford counties, along with Brunswick and Harpswell in Cumberland County.
The seniors are helped through a variety of support services, including grocery shopping, visits, home projects and socialization, while receiving companionship along the way.
In this time of pandemic, resources are tight for the programs. All Saints Parish in Brunswick is inviting all community members to help these seniors acquire some of the items they are lacking.
To help with the effort, please consider including additional items when you do your usual shopping or have your groceries delivered. Presently, the program is in need of toilet paper, sanitizing wipes, paper towels, cleaning supplies, tissues and liquid hand soaps. To donate, call the parish at 725-2624 and you will receive a date and time for the items to be picked up or dropped off at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Brunswick. Donations will be left outside the main entrance of the church.
For more details, visit www.ccmaine.org/search-program-elderly-services.
FALMOUTH
Falmouth Fire-EMS is seeking applicants for the Second Annual Falmouth Fire-EMS Scholarship that recognizes students in the Falmouth community who plan to continue post-secondary education in the field of firefighting, emergency medical services, nursing or a related field.
The scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors who reside in Falmouth and have been accepted or expect to be enrolled in a college or university to study firefighting, emergency medical services, nursing or a related field. Funding for the $1,000 scholarship comes from donations made to Falmouth Fire-EMS as well as monies raised by Fire-EMS members who sort bottles at the bottle bin at Central Station.
Applications are available online at: www.falmouthme.org/sites/falmouthme/files/pages/fire-ems_scholarship_application_2020.pdf or by calling 781-2610 or emailing lpride@falmouthme.org.
A panel made up of members of Falmouth Fire-EMS will review applications and announce recipients in early July. Deadline for applications is June 5.
MaineCF’s Peaks Island Fund Seeks Grant Applications
PORTLAND
The Peaks Island Fund at the Maine Community Foundation seeks applications from nonprofits that assist the island community. The fund awarded $42,472 in grants to nine nonprofits in 2019.
Requested grants must serve Peaks Island community members; impact island residents directly within the next year; have potential for continuing impact on the community; include clear financial documentation; and meet MaineCF eligibility.
The deadline for applications is June 1. For guidelines, application and a complete list of last year’s grants, visit www.mainecf.org.
The Peaks Island Fund was created in 2004 and is supported through the generosity of island residents.
Priorities of the fund include helping to reduce economic barriers to living on the island; providing or increasing access to educational and enrichment programs for youth; and preserving and protecting the built and natural environment, including projects that reduce energy consumption and increase year-round social and cultural resources for the community.
Many of the Peaks Island projects funded in the past have involved contractors or service people visiting a site in person to make an estimate. Recognizing that this arrangement is now challenging due to COVID-19, application requirements have been changed to allow for contract work estimates to be approximate rather than exact and to be done by email with an added verbal explanation of how the contractor or service provider arrived at that estimate.
The deadline for applications is June 1. For guidelines, application and a complete list of last year’s grants, visit www.mainecf.org, call senior program officer Gloria Aponte C. at gaponteclarke@mainecf.org or call 761-2440.
The Peaks Island Fund was created in 2004 and is supported through the generosity of island residents.
Rumford Whitecap trail work volunteers help spruce up the property.
BETHEL
Mahoosuc Land Trust volunteers took advantage of the nice weather recently to do some needed trails work at Rumford Whitecap.
Numerous volunteers spent more than three hours building a new bog bridge, refreshing trail blazes, clearing away debris and, in general, did the work needed to ensure a pleasant, safe hiking experience for visitors.
All of the work was done while complying with social distancing requirements.
YARMOUTH
North Yarmouth Academy announced a gift of $100,000 to support need-based student financial aid. This is the second gift in as many years from a generous anonymous family.
The funds will be used to support both current-use financial aid ($25,000) and the North Yarmouth Academy Endowed Fund for Scholarship Assistance ($75,000), that provides need-based aid to deserving students.
The academy’s Head of School Ben Jackson said that money comes at the right time as the school is receiving more requests for financial aid from current and incoming families as a result of the effects of COVID-19.
“Gifts like this will help the Academy respond to families’ needs to the fullest extent possible,” noted Jackson.
Each year, more than 40 percent of NYA families receive need-based financial aid. The Academy’s annual expenditure on financial aid represents a huge effort relative to its operating budget. Gifts to financial aid help NYA attract and retain high-caliber students.
Dawna Daigle, Auburn Recreation specialist, hands out a Grab ‘n Go Meals, on Mother’s Day weekend, that included special gifts for mom that were created, wrapped and donated by community volunteers.jpg
AUBURN
The City of Auburn’s “Grab ‘N Go” meal program last week added a little surprise just in time for Mother’s Day. Through the coordination of local community member Tizz Crowley, several volunteers stepped up to create Mother’s Day gifts to be passed out with the Friday meal program. Community members quickly stepped up and within 2 1/2 days, they were able to put together and wrap 110 Mother’s Day gifts.
Two Auburn artists, Carrie White, a pottery maker, and Anita Poulin, a painter and jewelry maker, were among those who donated items.
Other community members included Garnette Hobbs, BettyAnn Sheats, Jane Costlow, Migdalia Mass, Mary Roussel, Anita F. Poulin, Ed and Sheila Desgrosseilliers, Amey Feeley, Liz Feeley and Alfreda Fournier.
Auburn Recreation director Sabrina Best said the thoughtful idea was a sweet touch to the Grab ‘N Go meal pickups.
“The meal program itself is a bit overwhelming, emotionally, so whenever we see such generous support from our community, whether it’s a food donation, monetary support, volunteers with delivery, or touching gifts like this, it just adds to the incredible ‘neighbor helping neighbor’ movement here in Auburn and in surrounding communities,” added Best.
The “Grab ‘N Go” meal and grocery programs are currently organized through the end of May, with the hope of continuing in some form throughout the summer. If you or someone you know needs food, please connect with the Auburn Recreation Department. For more information on how to support the “Grab ‘N Go,” please email sbest@auburnmaine.gov.
FAYETTE
Kindergarten and Pre-K registrations are being accepted from parents who wish to enroll their children for the 2020-21 school year at Fayette Central School.
Those signups are being taken by calling the school at 685-4770 or email Ms. Jenkins at melody_jenkins@maranacook.com.
Actual screening will be scheduled for a later date and parents will be informed with updates on plans for screening.
To be eligible to start school this fall, children must be four years of age for Pre-K, and five years of age for Kindergarten, on or before Oct. 15.
MACHIAS
The Centre Street Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, announced that the 2020 Machias Wild Blueberry Festival has been canceled for the first time in its 44-year history due to concerns about the coronavirus.
The festival, that began in 1975, is annually held on the third weekend of August, bringing thousands of people to enjoy musical comedy, crafts fair and pie-eating contest, among other activities.
Next year’s festival is planned for Aug. 20–22, 2021.
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