SABATTUS, ME (November 16, 2022) — The Sabattus Rec Running Club will once again spread some holiday cheer around the Village area as members run/walk the local neighborhoods on Saturday, Dec. 17. The 7th Annual Jingle Jog will start at 10 a.m., from Mixer’s Nightclub parking lot on Sabattus Rd. Any and all ages are welcome to join in the fun, and are encouraged to dress in festive colors/apparel. Bells and lights are also encouraged.

The Jingle Jog (or walk) will last about 30 minutes. Participants will then return to Mixer’s for light refreshments and to see if Santa stopped by. The event is free.  

FMI, email running@sabattusrec.com.

LEWISTON, ME (November 17, 2022) — Thanks to the communities’ support, Lewiston’s Champoux Insurance Agency has officially awarded a $10,000 donation to Make-A-Wish Maine, a local organization dedicated to bringing hope, strength, and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions. Make-A-Wish Maine serves children in 16 counties and this $10,000 donation will allow them to grant one wish to a child in their own state who has been diagnosed with a critical illness. 

Kacey LePage, Account Executive for Champoux Insurance Agency, originally received a $5,000 donation for Make-A-Wish Maine thanks to a submission process with Liberty Mutual® and Safeco Insurance® through their 2022 Make More Happen™ Awards. A story of their local partnership was featured on the official Make More Happen microsite, www.agentgiving.com/Champoux-Insurance-Agency, where Champoux Insurance Agency had the opportunity to raise an additional $5,000 by conducting a local awareness campaign for the nonprofit. Together with the community, the goal was met increasing the total donation to $10,000 for Make-A-Wish Maine!

 Throughout 2022, Liberty Mutual® and Safeco Insurance® will select up to 37 independent agents nationwide for a Make More Happen Award and Liberty Mutual® and Safeco Insurance® will donate up to $370,000 to the nonprofits supported by independent insurance agents. Agencies became eligible for the award by submitting an application and photos demonstrating their commitment to a specific nonprofit.

Make-A-Wish Maine was awarded a $10,000 donation from Champoux Insurance Agency through the 2022 Liberty Mutual® and Safeco Insurance® Make More Happen Awards program. (L-R): Sarah Toomey, Maine Liberty Mutual Senior Territory Manager; Stephanie Davis, Maine Safeco Insurance Senior Territory Manager; Dick Albert, Champoux Insurance Senior Vice President; Diane Champoux, Champoux Insurance President; Nichole Rutherford, Make-A-Wish Maine Director of Development and Kacey LePage, Champoux Insurance Personal Lines Account Executive.

BRUNSWICK, ME  (November 17, 2022) – The Brunswick Downtown Association, (BDA) is pleased to present its Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on the Brunswick Town Mall on Saturday, November 26th. 

BDA’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony is a heart-warming way to kick-off the holiday season in downtown Brunswick. The event will feature performances by the Brunswick High School Chorus and the Una Voce Chamber Choir, free cookies and cocoa, an ice carving demonstration, time with Frosty and Mrs. Claus, and a magical visit from Santa when he arrives on a Firetruck!  At 5:00 Santa will flip the ceremonial switch and light up Brunswick’s Christmas Tree. 

Adults and children of all ages are invited to celebrate the season at this festive community event. 

2 to 5 PM: Free hot cocoa and cookies (provided by Sunnybrook Retirement Community), ice carving, and rides in BDA’s Polar Express Bus! 

2:30 PM: Santa will arrive on a Brunswick Fire Truck. Children are welcome to visit with Santa in the Gazebo until 5 p.m. 

3 PM: Una Voce Chamber Choir performance

4 PM:  Brunswick High School Chorus performance of carols and holiday songs

5 PM: The countdown to the tree lighting begins – Santa will flip the ceremonial switch and light up the Tree! 

Event Sponsors: Presenting: Northeast Bank & The Davis Fund; Supporting: Mechanics Savings; Food Sponsor: Sunnybrook Retirement Community; Christmas Tree Sponsor: Dead River Company. 

November 26th is also Small Business Saturday – a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for our community. Let’s go #ShopSmall this November 26th and all season long! 

More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and small businesses create about two-thirds of new jobs in the U.S. each year. Visit Downtown Brunswick on the BIG day to Shop Small! 

 The BDA is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization. For more information about the Brunswick Downtown Association, please visit www.brunswickdowntown.org or call 729-4439.

LEWISTON, ME, (November 16, 2022) – Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) received its ninth consecutive “A” for hospital safety from The Leapfrog Group. This national distinction recognizes CMMC’s success with protecting patients from harm and errors in the hospital. CMMC has received “A” grades for Hospital Safety from Leapfrog Group continuously since Fall 2018. 

“Safety is the number one consideration in everything we do at Central Maine Healthcare,” said Steve Littleson, DBA, FACHE, president and CEO, Central Maine Healthcare. “Getting an “A” grade from the Leapfrog Group nine consecutive times does not happen by accident; it reflects the professionalism and high standards all of our team members practice every day. I could not be prouder of this team for their continued focus on safety that earned them this grade, particularly at this time of unprecedented challenges in the healthcare industry.”

 The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. 

“The Healthcare Purchaser Alliance is grateful for CMHC’s commitment to quality transparency and for the hard work of ensuring safe protocols are followed in the care of their patients,” said Peter Hayes, president and CEO, Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine. “Quality is of utmost importance to the Alliance’s membership, and CMMC’s achievement is great news for everyone they serve.”

 The Leapfrog Group has also ranked Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital, both part of the Central Maine Healthcare system, among the “Top Rural Hospitals” in the U.S.   

Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses evidence-based measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,700 U.S. acute- care hospitals twice a year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent. The results are free to the public.

LEWISTON, ME (November 7, 2022) – The Franco Center has announced that Runnin’ Down a Dream: The Tom Petty Tribute Band will perform on its stage at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.   

This Maine-based band includes members Mike Boucher on lead vocals and guitar; Harry Coddington on lead guitar; Roger Howard on drums; Marty Mclellan on guitar and vocals; and Steve Brown on keyboard and vocals. For over 40 years, Tom Petty created timeless classics with the Heartbreakers, Mudcrutch, The Traveling Wilburys, and released solo albums until his unfortunate death in 2017.  

When five veteran musicians from Maine, with local and national experience, play Petty’s music together, the feeling, meaning, and very soul of these songs are undeniable. “Our show faithfully replicates the style and feel of a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers concert, allowing the audience to experience the music of this extraordinary artist,” said Roger Howard. 

Mike Boucher started playing Tom Petty songs in his high school cover band. During the 1990s, Boucher began to focus his talents on song writing and has continued to sing and play his music for audiences on the East and West coasts.  

In 2007, Boucher called on Harry Coddington to lend his versatile guitar-playing talents to the alt-country band The Gaffers. Most recently, Boucher has been performing around the Portland area with his roots rock band Jeezum Crow. Boucher is also the owner of Sonic Pictures, a video production company based in Portland, Maine.  

Coddington started playing guitar shortly after seeing The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964 when he was six years old. Initially, he was impressed by the bands of the 1960s and ‘70s such as Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cream, The Hollies, The Zombies, The Eagles, Jimi Hendrix, Derek & The Dominos, and the Allman Brothers. He also loved country and instrumental bands such as Johnny Cash, The Ventures, Willy Nelson, The Hellecasters,  Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, The New Nashville Cats, and Johnny Hiland.  

Coddington won the Downeast Country Music Association’s first place “New Country Instrumentalist” for the year 2000. He’s played in many different bands in Florida and now in Maine. He has an affinity for Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, which made dreaming up this band just feel natural.  

Roger Howard started taking drum lessons at age 12 and joined his first garage band at 16. From there he went on to play in an assortment of bands in five states. His wide variety of musical styles include blues, country, alternative, rock, and rhythm and blues.    

Since settling in Maine in the 1980s, Howard has been part of the Maine music scene. His stage experiences have taken him from local bars and clubs to private functions, town fairs, campgrounds, festivals, tour boats, and just about anywhere he can set up a drum set. From early on, Howard had his mind on the business aspect of the being in a band, always willing to go out and meet club owners, managers, and booking agents.   

Playing in Runnin’ Down A Dream is the culmination of everything Howard has learned and experienced over many decades in his extensive musical career.      

Marty Mclellan made his debut at a coffee house performing covers of Neil Young, Grateful Dead, Jim Croce and James Taylor at Hobart College in Geneva, New York in 1982. Following that gig, he was fortunate to hook up with a local musicians club and formed his first band, Xtra Stok.  

In 1995, Mclellan began to jam with local musician Ken Goodman in what would eventually become Blues Barn. The band acquired a new drummer and a new name. Dirty McCurdy marked Mclellan’s first real experience as a frontman. The band covered mostly rock and roll, but also some original material while it continued to adhere to the blues standards it had established in the Blues Barn years.  

Steve Brown’s music career began in the late 1970s when he joined the band White Water in Central Maine playing a beat-up old Wurlitzer electric piano. This led to a brief Holiday Inn tour with an Elvis Presley tribute show.   

Over the years, Brown became an in-demand keyboard player in the New England region. He was a member of some well-known bands including Ricky and the Giants, Elmore Twist Band, Gary Black and the Blues, 43 North and the LA Harley Band. He has been a first-call keyboard fill-in for dozens more bands.   

These five musicians together on the Franco stage will perform the music of Tom Petty with authentic renditions from every stage of his career. Doors and cash bar open an hour before showtime.  

Support for this concert comes from Androscoggin Bank, Maple Way Dental Care, Bennett Radio Group, Sun Journal, Turner Publishing, and Uncle Andy’s Digest, according to Franco Center staff. 

Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door day of show and can be purchased online at www.francocenter.org/shows or by phone at 207-689-2000. Tickets can also be purchased in person at our box office between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  

The Franco Center is at 46 Cedar St., Lewiston. Parking is available in the mill lot. The building is handicap accessible on the Lincoln St. Alley side. 

Runnin’ Down a Dream, a Tom Petty tribute band from Maine, will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Franco Center, 46 Cedar St., Lewiston. Submitted photo.

LEWISTON, ME (November 10, 2022) — The LA Metro Chamber has joined forces with Northeast Bank and the new Target Auburn to help those in need during the holidays this year for the annual “Stuff the Bus”. Northeast Bank’s generous support of Stuff the Bus helps the LA Metro Chamber reach businesses and residents through print, TV, and radio. This initiative invites anyone who would like to donate new toys and clothing to help families during the holidays to drop off their items at the Chamber or at one of the partner drop-off locations listed on their website https://discoverlamaine.com/stuff-the-bus/.  Donations can also be purchased online through the Target Stuff the Bus Wishlist Registry.

In conjunction with the collection of new toys, winter clothing, and items for seniors and pets, the LA Metro Chamber and WIGY Radio are teaming up Tuesday, November 29, starting at 7 AM for a Stuff the Bus Radiothon. Radio host Mark Turcotte and Chamber President + CEO Shanna Cox will be joined in the studio by representatives from the mission-based organizations who help distribute the donated items to local individuals and families. Listeners tuning in will hear more about the Stuff the Bus partners, their mission, and their involvement, which will support more than 1,500 local families, teens, and seniors this year. 

The WIGY radiothon will introduce listeners to the events’ distribution partners – Community Concepts, Kaydenz Kitchen, Lewiston Housing, MAINE Community Integration, New Beginnings, Promise Early Education Center, Safe Voices, Sandcastle Clinical and Educational Services, The Root Cellar, Tri-County Mental Health Services, Trinity Jubilee Center, and the YWCA.

On December 13th, the LA Metro Chamber Team will travel around LA on a Northeast Charter bus, collecting all of the donated gifts from the public drop-off locations and participating businesses and sort the items.  On December 14th the public is invited to the Stuff the Bus Business After Hours at the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn Riverwatch to see the donations first hand and to network with the Stuff the Bus collecting businesses, bus stops, and distribution partners, as well as members of the Chamber Board of Directors and staff.

On December 15th all of the collected community donations will be given to LA’s distribution partner organizations.

To learn more and find out how you can participate, visit https://discoverlamaine.com/stuff-the-bus/

Northeast Bank kicks off Stuff the Bus with a check presentation 

BRUNSWICK, ME (November 7, 2022) — Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP) is offering two Holiday meal options this Thanksgiving. For anyone who wants to celebrate by cooking their own meal, our Thanksgiving Kits are a great option. Kits include: boxed stuffing, gravy mixes, canned corn and green beans, butternut squash, carrots and potatoes.

Meal kits are available for pickup at our Food Pantry from 11am to 3pm on Thursday, November 17th! They are also available for online ordering at Orderahead.org. If you have questions, please call our Food Pantry Coordinator at (207)725-2716 ext. 311 or email dsantora@mchpp.org.

When filling the kits, MCHPP prioritizes supporting local producers as much as possible. This year that included the purchasing of 4,800lbs of carrots from Crystal Spring Farm (Brunswick), 8,000lbs of butternut squash from Six River Farm (Bowdoinham), and 6,000lbs of Maine potatoes from Good Shepherd Food Bank.

Those who would rather pick up a prepared hot meal for their celebration can drop by our Soup Kitchen, which will be serving a to-go meal on Thanksgiving Day from 11am until 12:30pm. No reservations or registration are required- all are welcome.

Our Soup Kitchen Coordinator can be reached for questions at (207)725-2716 ext. 304 or by email at jgoldstein@mchpp.org. Generous funding from residents of Highland Green and 600 gift cards provided by the Albertson Companies Foundation are making these holiday offerings available.

With so many neighbors feeling the pinch of inflation on their household budgets, the public’s generous support is more important than ever before. Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program offers dignity and empowerment by providing all members of our community with access to healthy food. Services include prepared meals, grocery distribution on-site, at local schools, and satellite locations in Harpswell and Lisbon Falls.

The MCHPP food pantry–located at 12 Tenney Way, Brunswick–is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Friday from 11 am–2 pm; Tuesday evenings 4-6 pm; and Saturdays from noon–3 pm; the Soup Kitchen serves freshly made-to-go meals on Mondays–Fridays from 11 am–12:30 pm and Saturdays noon–1:30 pm.

MCHPP is diligently working to maintain the health and safety of our staff, clients, and volunteers. We are committed to ensuring that our services are open and available to any and all in need.

NORWAY, ME (October 31, 2022) — The fifth annual Turkey Trot 4 Hope Scenic 4 Mile Run or 1 Mile Run/Walk will be held Thanksgiving Day, November  24th, at 9am at the Norway Fire Station, 19 Danforth Street, Norway Our many sponsors this year have guaranteed that this will be a great event to benefit the Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine (CRCofWM). This is indeed a day of THANKS where individuals  teams, businesses, and communities can support the work that the CRCofWM does.

You can register individually or as a team at raceroster.com/59121.  Registration through October 31st is $25 and guarantees you a t-shirt. All Maine students K-12 can register for FREE, thanks to a very generous donor. November 1st registration increases to $30. We are fortunate this year to have Back40 doing our timing and announcing. At 10:15am there will be awards for the top runners as well as drawings for prizes for all participants. 

You will receive a free T-shirt if you register by October 31st. There will be timing for runners, prizes and water stations throughout the course. Prizes will also be awarded to the highest fundraisers. Organizers also encourage anyone to join in the fun VIRTUALLY from November 20th – 27th anytime, anywhere, in support of the CRCofWM. Your route can be a favorite trail, a walk with your dog, a daily running route, or even a treadmill. If you run virtually, your T-shirts will be mailed to you and we would love to see where you chose to participate by posting on our Facebook page or #turkeytrot4hope.

“This is the signature fundraising event for Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine and this year we hope to have many more participants actively fundraising,” commented Gene Benner, committee co-chair. “We challenge each Turkey Trot 4 Hope participant to help us raise much needed funds to support people in western Maine affected by cancer.” 

CRCofWM’s mission is to embrace anyone affected by cancer in a community that offers hope and caring through support, education and concepts in healthy living. CRCofWM offer one to one support, free wellness programs and classes, support groups, travel and food assistance, and comfort items to anyone impacted by cancer….because no one should face cancer alone. For more information www.crcofwm.org or 207-890-0329.

The 5th Annual Turkey Trot 4 Hope will be held in-person and virtually this year. All proceeds benefit the Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine. Visit raceroster.com/59121 to register

LEWISTON, ME (November 2, 2022) — It’s a kind of female “Sherlock Holmes” meets “Arsenic & Old Lace” in this entertaining murder mystery with a modern female sensibility. When a series of single women are mysteriously murdered in a London neighborhood, two strong-willed sisters team up with an American actress to catch the killer and solve the crime.

The Victorian Ladies Detective Collective will be performed at The Public Theatre, Lewiston/Auburn’s Professional Theatre, on Thurs Nov 10 at 7:30, Fri Nov 11 at 7:30, Sat Nov 12 at 3pm and 7:30 and Sun Nov 13 at 2pm. Tickets are $25. For reservations call 782-3200 or visit thepublictheatre.org.  Location: 31 Maple St, Lewiston

LEWISTON, ME (November 4, 2022) — Maine nonprofit takes aim at helping those facing something no one wants to think about- the loss of a child.  Launched at the beginning of 2019, Madeline’s Mission seeks to provide a path toward wellness, healing, and hope for families surviving child loss.  Madeline’s Mission recently gifted a Cuddle Cot Bassinet to Androscoggin’s Hospice House on Stetson Road in Auburn, a priceless gift to families who have just lost a child.

Thus far, Madeline’s Mission has provided 7 Cuddle Cots to mostly hospitals.  Androscoggin was the first Hospice House to receive a Cuddle Cot for families who have lost an infant or very young child.  As Founder and President, Amie Marzen puts it, “we are delighted to provide the gift of time to families to say goodbye.”  The Cuddle Cot is a welcomed addition to Androscoggin’s pilot perinatal bereavement program, Cherished.  The $3,000 Cuddle Cot gift was made possible by funds raised mostly online and through social media, bringing area parents together for this important cause.  Many donated in memory of babies or young children gone too soon- including the organization’s namesake, Madeline.

The gift to Androscoggin Hospice House was facilitated by Amy Dulac, Androscoggin’s Bereavement Service Coordinator who has teamed up with Ms. Marzen and Madeline’s Mission on several other trainings and events.  Also representing Madeline’s Mission was Board Member and Maternity Delivery Nurse, Kim Paraddi, RN.

A Cuddle Cot is a specialized crib which resembles a bassinet or “Moses basket” but has a cooled mattress pad which allows families to spend more time with their infant after a loss.  With the cooling mattress, families can spend priceless extra hours and days together in their hospital room.  Allowing time for more pictures, bonding, and saying goodbye.  When the time is already cut so short with the loss of an infant who had not yet gotten a chance to experience the world, the extra time together as a family is truly priceless.  Without the availability of a Cuddle Cot, families are forced to have a quicker goodbye due to body deterioration.  Studies have shown that the extra time together is beneficial for the mental health of the parents and surviving loved ones.  It provides a chance for grandparents, brothers, and sisters to meet the new baby, and truly have a moment to say hello before saying goodbye.