LEWISTON, ME – Premier Pools & Spas of Lewiston, Maine, is proud to announce that Shelly Quinn was awarded the 2023 National Salesperson of the Year at the Premier Pools and Spas Annual Awards Conference. Quinn joined Premier Pools & Spas in 2020. She is the first woman to achieve this level of success within the Premier Family and received the prestigious National Salesperson of the Year Award in 2022 and 2023.

“Competition for this award is fierce among salespeople all around the country, and to have our very own Shelly from Lewiston, Maine, win it while competing against offices in places such as Florida, California, and Texas is just incredible,” said Premier Pools and Spas Co-Owner Derek Messenger.

“Shelly embodies everything it means to be a Premier Pools and Spas designer. Once she begins a journey with her clients, nothing will stop her from delivering that dream pool for them. It is her servant’s heart and attention to detail that set her apart from the rest. We are honored to have Shelly in the Premier family.”  ~ Josh Rickaby, Executive Vice-President Sales

“I am so grateful that Derek and Mike gave me this opportunity in 2020. I absolutely love what I do! I genuinely get excited about every project! I enjoy meeting each family or property owner, hearing about their dreams for their property, using my art background to design their pool, and then our incredible team brings their dreams to life. I can’t think of a better career than making dreams come true!” said Quinn. 

Premier Pools and Spas – Lewiston has been building swimming pools for over 30 years, building between 60 and 70 pools yearly. With deep roots in the Lewiston community, we pride ourselves on our high standards and exemplary customer service.

If you’re considering a new pool for your property, Premier Pools & Spas can make your dream a reality. Request a free consultation and estimate by contacting Shelly Quinn of Premier Pools & Spas at squinn@ppas.com or call (207) 212-6395

AUBURN, ME — In celebration of Black History Month, the First Universalist Church of Auburn will screen two films honoring the contributions of notable African Americans. The Adult Religion Education group will present these documentaries for free, following worship services on Feb. 4 and 18 @ 11:45 in the Vestry, as part of their “sUUnday mUUvies”series.

On Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, Auburn UU will screen Sweet Honey in the Rock: Raise Your Voice (2008; 84 minutes). This film chronicles the history, music, and cultural impact of Sweet Honey in the Rock, a Grammy Award-winning African American female a cappella group with musical roots combining jazz, blues, sacred songs of the Black Church such as spirituals, hymns, and gospel.

The documentary, directed by the legendary African American film maker Stanley Nelson, Jr., uses concert footage and rehearsals, archival stills, and reflections by ensemble members, as well as interviews with scholars and cultural commentators. 

On Sunday, Feb.18, 2024, Backs Against the Wall: The Howard Thurman Story (2018; 56 minutes) will be screened. The film explores the extraordinary life and legacy of one of the most important religious figures of the 20th century.

Born the grandson of slaves, Thurman became a “spiritual foundation” for the Civil Rights Movement, inspiring many of its leaders including Martin Luther King, Jr, Jesse Jackson and Congressman John Lewis. The documentary is directed by Martin Doblemeier.

Lively discussion will following each screening. moderated by Charles Nero, Distinguished Professor of Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies at Bates College.

Screenings are held at the First Universalist Church of Auburn, located at 169 Pleasant St.  Enter on Spring, St., across from Dairy Joy.  Parking; accessible.  FMI 783-0461 or www.auburnuu.org.

Stay tuned for movie screenings in April, celebrating Women’s History Month.

LEWISTON, ME — Whether you grew up Catholic or lived through the 1970’s, the heartwarming comedy Incident at our Lady of Perpetual Help, playing at The Public Theatre, January 26 – Feb 4 is for you.

Take a trip down memory lane, to a time when telephones hung on walls, and public ridicule in a hermetically sealed Catholic parish was the ultimate nightmare.

It’s 1973 and the O’Shea family faces a comic crisis of biblical proportions when the parish priest overhears their 19-year-old daughter tell her younger sister about “the birds and the bees”.   Holy hell and hilarity break loose as the O’Sheas must band together to save their reputation and prove that nothing is more sacred than family.

“It’s fun to see how much the world has changed – and hasn’t”, says director Janet Mitchko. “This nostalgic and loving look at a quirky Irish Catholic family brings back a time when everyone used classic movies as references and you lived your life not on social media, but in person. It’s the timeless story of a family glued together by love, loyalty, and humor that everyone will be able to relate to, whether you were raised Catholic or not”.

Playing the role of Mike, the patriarch of the family (among other roles) is Doug Rees. Doug appeared previously at The Public Theatre in Middletown and Under the Skin and has the honor of originating roles in plays by Christopher Durang and Michael Hollinger both Off-Broadway and in regional theatres. Playing Jo, the mother who manages the O’Shea household is Cate Damon. Cate, who has a long list of Boston and regional theatre credits, was actually born in Maine and is happy to return! Playing the role of Terri, Jo’s quick witted sister temporarily living with the family, is Allison Briner Dardenne. Allison has performed in a long list of Broadway and National Tours including Mamma Mia, Titanic, Les Miserables and Bright Star among others. Playing the eldest daughter Linda, the narrator of our story, is Kelsey Petersen, a Chicago based actress who has performed in leading roles for several seasons at the Asolo Theatre in Florida.  Her 13-year-old sister Becky is played by Maine actress Scarlett Thomas, who most recently appeared as Louisa in Ogunquit Playhouse’s production of The Sound of Music in Portsmouth. The 1970’s set is designed by Jennifer B. Madigan, lights by Florence Cooley, sound by Scott O’Brien and groovy costumes by Anne Collins.

Incident at our Lady of Perpetual Help, will be performed at The Public Theatre, Lewiston’s Professional Theatre Jan 26 – Feb 4. Showtimes are Thurs and Fri at 7:30pm, Sat at 3pm, Sun at 2pm, Sat. Feb 3 at 3pm & 7:30pm.  Tickets are $30 Adults, $25 Groups 10+, $20 Student 19+ with ID. For tickets call 782-3200 or visit thepublictheatre.org.  The Public Theatre is located at 31 Maple St., Lewiston.

Sponsored by Cross Insurance, Berube’s Auto Care, Napa Coastal Auto Parts and Baxter Brewing. Season Underwriters: Sun Journal, Platz Associates, and Bennett Radio Group.

Seated Left to right:  Alison Briner Dardenne as Terri, Doug Rees as Mike, Scarlett Thomas as Becky.  Standing left to right: Kelsey Petersen as Linda and Cate Damon as Jo

AUGUSTA, ME – Members of Lewiston’s delegation to the State Legislature will hold constituent office hours at the Lewiston Public Library on Saturday, January 27 from 10:30 a.m. until noon to provide local residents a chance to meet with their elected officials and discuss legislative and state government matters. The delegation will give updates on their work on various policy areas, including the state budget, law enforcement, insurance and financial affairs, taxes, transportation and veterans issues. Office hours are scheduled for the fourth Saturday of every month.

Constituent Office Hours

Sen. Peggy Rotundo, Rep. Kristen Cloutier, Rep. Margaret Craven, Rep. Mana Abdi and Rep. Michel Lajoie

Saturday, January 27, 2024 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The Couture Room, Lewiston Public Library, 200 Lisbon Street

Nominations for YWCA Central Maine’s Women of Achievement Awards are now open. The awards brunch to be held on March 10th, 2024, at the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn Riverwatch will honor four distinguished women from Androscoggin County and the Greater State of Maine.

The Women of Achievement Awards Brunch is one the YWCA’s largest bi-annual fundraisers and was founded in 2015 to honor the powerful leadership of women in Maine. This award program began to recognize the outgoing YWCA Board President, Lee Young. The decision to honor her work inspired YWCA executive leadership to create annual awards to celebrate the accomplishments of women in our community and state. The brunch convenes a diverse cross-section of our community, including organization leaders, educators, activists, artists, entrepreneurs, politicians, and supporters of the YWCA.

The Women of Achievement Awards Brunch is not only a uniquely, powerful celebration of women leaders, it is also an opportunity for proceeds to support the YWCA’s work in the community, which provides meaningful programming and services to further the mission of empowering women, and eliminating racism, including scholarships for children in our community to attend summer camp and swim lessons.

YWCA Central Maine invites the community to submit nominations for our Women of Achievement award that includes four distinct categories honoring: Leadership, Social Justice, Service, and Philanthropy. The award namesakes have all contributed their service to YWCA and their legacies inspire the work of the organization. The four awards include the Lee Young Leadership Award, the Marcia Baxter Social Justice Award, the Tonie Ramsey Service Award, and the Priscilla Gendron Legacy Award. Nominations are open until February 1, 2024. To nominate go to: https://bit.ly/NominateWOA Tickets for Women of Achievement can be purchased at: https://YWCAMaineWOA.eventbrite.com

If you are interested in sponsoring this event or donating an item to the silent auction please reach out to Jennifer Molloy, Chief Development and Communications Officer at jmolloy@ywcamaine.org

AUBURN, ME — Winter tracking will be the focus of the Stanton Bird Club’s February 5th meeting at the Auburn Public Library. Ben Nugent, District Supervisor for USDA Wildlife Services in Maine, will be the guest speaker. Looking for animal tracks is a fun activity to do any time of year, but it is especially easy to do in the winter. Snow covers the ground and lets us see traces left by animals of where they’ve been and what they are up to.

Nugent grew up in VT and graduated from the University of Vermont. Prior to working with the USDA Wildlife Services, he worked for Hodges Outfitters in Alaska, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Institute for Wildlife Studies in California. He will be sharing photographs on winter wildlife tracking, with pictures and examples from the wildlife in our local area. In addition, he will share a rare and special winter wildlife experience he had in Thorncrag in 2011.

The talk will be held on Monday, February 5th from 4-6pm at the Auburn Public Library. The public is welcome. The lecture series is free of charge. With the rise in respiratory cases in Androscoggin County, we encourage participants to wear masks.

The Stanton Bird Club, a leader in environmental awareness, owns and manages the Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary in Lewiston as well as the Woodbury Nature Sanctuary in Monmouth and Litchfield. More information about other activities of the Club can be found at www.StantonBirdClub.org and on its Facebook page.

Winter Tracks – photo by Bird Club member Dan Marquis

Interested in advocating for the best interests of a child? The Maine Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program is holding its spring training for volunteer advocates on March 11-15, 2024.

This free, five-day training is designed to prepare attendees for certification as volunteer guardians ad litem (GALs) in Maine child protection cases. Trainees may participate virtually or in person. For those who wish to participate in person, the training will be held in Augusta. Accommodations may be available.

The foundation of a CASA’s work is learning about the case and then advising the court what the CASA believes is in the child’s best interest. CASAs come from a wide variety of professional and personal backgrounds and are guided throughout the process by CASA program staff. CASAs bring their own unique perspectives to their work as volunteers.

If you are willing to advocate for a child’s best interests, we encourage you to apply to become a CASA volunteer. Those interested in the training must complete an application and, if invited to participate, must also complete criminal and child protection services background checks.

Are you ready to advocate for a child’s best interests? If so, we hope you can join us for our March 11-15, 2024 training. For more information about becoming a volunteer, please contact Maine CASA at 213-2865 or by e-mail at casa@courts.maine.gov.

AUBURN, ME – The Auburn Community Concert Band has announced that rehearsals resumed on Wednesday, January 10th, in preparation for the group’s 2024 summer concert season. This is an ideal opportunity for former high school and college band members to again experience the enjoyment of making music and performing in front of large audiences.

Interested musicians have until January 24th to join the band during this semi-annual “Open Membership” period. The band has a particular need for clarinet, trumpet and tuba players, and for an additional drum set player.

Membership is open to all wind instrument players and percussionists who can read music, but requires a commitment to the group’s weekly schedule of Wednesday evening rehearsals and concerts. Band members must have their own instruments and music stands.

Weekly rehearsals take place every Wednesday evening, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the High Street Congregational Church, located between High and Pleasant Streets, in Auburn. Starting in late June, the band will resume its annual weekly Wednesday evening concerts at Festival Plaza in downtown Auburn, weather permitting. A different program of music will be performed each week through mid-August, with songs appealing to audiences both young and old.

According to Band Director Milt Simon, it is not unusual for prospective members to feel a bit reluctant about joining the group. “We understand that, for some, it may have been 20 or more years since they last touched their instrument.” Simon stated. “Most people regain their musical skills relatively quickly. It’s like riding a bicycle. Once you have learned to play, you never forget. You just may have to do some extra practicing.” Simon added that the opportunity to perform in front of large audiences, numbering 200 to 300 people on a weekly basis, is typically quite appealing to amateur and experienced musicians alike.

This summer will mark the organization’s 43rd anniversary season since being formed by Simon back in 1981.

Currently, the ACCB has 46 members, ranging in age from late-teens to early eighties. These members collectively represent some 16 central, southern and western Maine towns.

Additional information about the group is posted on the band’s web site: www.auburncommunityband.com.

Interested musicians are asked to email their intentions to Director Simon at auburncommunityband@gmail.com prior to attending their first rehearsal.

LEWISTON, ME — January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and Safe Voices will be holding a vigil in Lewiston on Monday, Jan. 29 to honor those who have experienced domestic abuse and violence. The vigil is held annually to honor those who have lost their lives or freedom to human trafficking, offer support to those still experiencing this exploitation, and support those who have survived.

The candlelit vigil will start at 2pm and will be held in Dufresne Plaza at 72 Lisbon Street. It will include speakers, a remembrance ceremony, and all are invited to attend and show their support. While many residents don’t know that human trafficking is present in Maine, law enforcement encounter 300-400 cases annually of sex trafficking, which is a form of human trafficking. Domestic abuse and sex trafficking are community issues, representing danger not just to those who live through abuse and exploitation, but to the community at large. Safe Voices invites friends and neighbors to join together to show that the effort to end human sex trafficking must also be a community one.

For more information about this or other Safe Voices events, please contact Safe Voices at 207-795-6744 or info@safevoices.org.

Safe Voices is the domestic abuse and sex trafficking resource center serving Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford Counties. Last year, the agency worked with over 2,200 unique survivors in these counties to help them safety plan, access shelter, work with civil and legal advocates, and work through emergent crises as well as the ongoing, long-term effects of domestic abuse and sex trafficking. The agency has been doing this work in Maine since 1977. Those experiencing or impacted by domestic abuse and needing to reach out should call the agency’s 24-hour helpline at 1-800-559-2927.

PORTLAND & ELLSWORTH — The Maine Community Foundation’s (MaineCF) Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund is now accepting applications from victims and families impacted by the tragic Oct. 25, 2023, shootings in Lewiston.

There are three tiers of fund eligibility: heirs of victims killed, injured victims and those present during the shootings who experienced trauma. The applications and instructions are available at MaineCF’s website. The deadline to submit applications is 5 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 30.

The Broad Recovery Efforts & Organizations Fund of the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund will open for applications in early February. There will be more information in the coming weeks about the steering committee and how nonprofit organizations supporting the broader recovery effort can apply for those funds.

MaineCF will continue to accept contributions to the Victims & Families Fund and the Broad Recovery Efforts & Organizations Fund of the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund until Tuesday, Feb 20. Visit www.mainecf.org/donate to contribute.

For more information, please contact lewiston@mainecf.org.