LEWISTON, ME (January 27, 2023) — Lacey Fogg, a registered nurse at Central Maine Medical Center, has been chosen to receive the DAISY Award. The DAISY Award is part of an international recognition program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinarily compassionate and skillful care nurses give their patients every day.

Lacey was nominated by Stephanie Mergenthaler, the daughter of one of Lacey’s patients. In her nomination letter, Stephanie highlighted the special attention Lacey gave to her mother following complicated surgery.

“Mom was relieved to see Lacey and immediately felt comfortable and confident in Lacey’s care. Lacey was so attentive and never gave mom or the family the feeling of stress or being rushed, even though we know she had other patients to care for,” Mergenthaler said.

“To say I’m proud of Lacey is an understatement,” said Kris Chaisson, BSN, MS, RN CCRN, senior vice president, chief nursing officer, Central Maine Healthcare. “She is an inspiration to all of us. I hope this award serves as a reminder to every Central Maine Healthcare nurse that the work you do makes a difference in the lives of our patients and the overall quality of life in our communities.”

Below: DAISY award winner, Lacey Fogg, RN

LEWISTON, ME (January 27, 2023) – Lewiston Mayor Carl L. Sheline is seeking at least two citizen volunteers to serve as members of the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Review Committee. The work of the CDBG Committee is to assist the City in developing the specific goals and objectives for the CDBG Consolidated Plan and to annually review and score CDBG funding requests in order to make a recommendation to the City Council for funding. 

Lewiston citizens who are interested in applying must be of low/moderate income and reside in the downtown area in Census Tracks 201-204.  The attached map outlines which neighborhoods are included in these tracks. 

Interested volunteers may contact the City Clerk’s Department to complete a committee application, and the application form is also available on the City’s website at www.lewistonmaine.gov/boardservice for electronic submission.  Applications may be submitted at any time and will be accepted until the positions are filled. 

Residents are welcome to contact the City Clerk’s Department at 513-3124 with any questions they may have regarding the committee appointment process.  Completed applications shall be submitted to the City Clerk’s Department for processing. Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 4:00pm.

LEWISTON, ME (January 18, 2023) — Central Maine Medical Center’s stroke team has earned recertification by The Joint Commission, a non-profit organization that accredits U.S. healthcare organizations and programs.

 According to the American Heart Association, this certification “is the most demanding and designed for those hospitals that have specific abilities to receive and treat complex stroke cases.” 

Angela Dubuc, RN, MSN, CPHQ, System Director of Quality Services, said, “At the closing session, the Joint Commission surveyor expressed how positively thrilled she was with our stroke program at CMMC She described a team that was engaged in performance improvement, excelling in our pre-hospital, ED and ICU care.”

 At a recent ceremony at CMMC, Kris Chaisson, BSN, MS, RN, CCRN, VP of nursing at Central Maine Healthcare, presented the stroke team with the NorthSTAR Award for receiving the Primary Stroke Center recertification. “I could not be prouder of this team,” Chaisson said. “The hard work that went into earning this certification is a reflection on how committed our stroke team is to our patients. To accomplish during one of the most challenging years of the pandemic is especially impressive.”

Below: Kris Chaisson (far right) with members of the CMMC stroke team celebrating recertification

LEWISTON, ME (January 19, 2023) – The Public Theatre’s annual Father-Daughter Valentine Ball returns in-person, and this year’s event is more inclusive than ever to celebrate the diverse families in our community! Treat your child to a festive evening of dressing up and dancing! Children 4-12 years-old are sure to treasure this special time with their loved ones at The Public Theatre’s 25^th Annual Father-Daughter Valentine Ball. 

The Father-Daughter Valentine Ball will take place at The Ramada Inn, in Lewiston, on Saturday, February 11, 2023 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The event will include dancing, raffle baskets (featuring themes for adults and children), a 50/50 raffle, cookies, light refreshments, and an evening’s worth of fun and memories! At the Ball you will also have the opportunity to purchase an 8×10 professional photograph to commemorate the special occasion. Orders and payment will be handled at the event.  

 The Father-Daughter Valentine Ball is a wonderful and special community event that brings joy and people together. Tickets are $45 One Adult with One Child, $15 for each additional Child, and $30 for each additional Adult. In past years, Father-Daughter Valentine Ball tickets have sold out quickly, so don’t wait! 

The Father-Daughter Valentine Ball will raise much needed funds to bring live professional theatre to Maine, delighting and inspiring audiences with life-affirming contemporary plays. This event also supports The Public Theatre’s education and outreach programs. Throughout the pandemic, the Theatre has partnered with schools and libraries across Maine to bring the arts—in the form of FREE in-person or virtual workshops, creative collaborations, specially priced student matinees, and more. 

For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, visit thepublictheatre.org. To inquire about sponsorship opportunities please contact the Theatre by phone at 207-782-3200.

LEWISTON, ME (January 20, 2023) – The City of Lewiston welcomes the expansion of F.W. Webb’s new warehouse and showroom, 9 Lexington Street, Lewiston. The 70,000 square foot project is anticipated to be completed by early fall. 

F.W. Webb, a wholesale distributor of construction and engineering goods such as plumbing, heating, and air conditioning products, has had its current facility on Forrestal Street in Lewiston for 23 years. The growing business has outgrown its current location according to Operations Manager Jake Viel. 

“This location will be the largest F.W. Webb building in the central part of the State. It is very close to (I)95, will provide easy access to our customer base, and allow us to support some of the smaller locations in our area,” said Viel. “It is also approximately a fourth of a mile from our current location, which will make the transition to the new building much easier.  We plan to expand our staff and product offering to better support the contractors in our area. On the retail side, we will have a 6,000 square-foot Frank Webb Home Center, nearly double the size of the one in our current building. This will encompass the latest designs in bath, kitchen, and lighting products.” 

“Expansions like this one are a reminder of the ongoing growth, development, and opportunities that are alive and well right here in Lewiston. I am also pleased to hear that the expansion will lead to additional staff offerings.  We are proud to be home base for F.W. Webb and look forward to the expansion opening,” said Mayor Carl L. Sheline. “The fact that F.W. Webb wanted to remain here and expand here speaks extremely well of Lewiston’s business environment.”

AUBURN, ME (January 18, 2023) —  Safe Voices is hosting our first annual Grown-Up Book Fair, a community event and fundraiser aimed at bringing back the magic we experienced at the school book fairs of elementary school. With independent Maine bookstores and artisans, we’ll have all the things you remember from the old days, including books, stickers, stationery, and even a throwback Polaroid photo booth!

Books will be supplied by Quiet City Books of Lewiston and Devaney, Doak & Garrett Booksellers of Farmington, as well as used book sales from the Auburn, Lewiston, and Turner Public Libraries.

A dozen Maine artisans will be selling Book Fair-style products like stationery, stickers, bookmarks, art, and more.

The Hilton will be providing complimentary popcorn and a cash bar, including a specialty cocktail called the Grown-Up Capri Sun.

Maine authors Lynn Steger Strong (author of 2022’s “Flight”), Melody Paul (“Walking the Recovery Road”), and Lynne Schmidt (“Sexytime”) will be signing copies of their work.

Tickets are $28 and available at bit.ly/SV_Books.

What: Grown-Up Book Fair

When: Thursday, Feb. 16, 5pm – 8pm

Where: Hilton Garden Inn Riverfront, Auburn

AUBURN, ME (January 3, 2022) — Brian and Marnie DuBois of the DuBois Realty Group of Keller Williams Realty present a check to Donna Richey, Development Director and Katie Lisnik, Executive Director, both of the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society. This contribution is part of DRG’s Give Where You Live community support campaign where $100 from each real estate closing is designated to one of five local charity partners as selected by DRG clients. 21 of those clients chose GAHS in 2022, enabling the DuBois Realty Group to provide $2,100 in support.

The Give Where You Live program began in 2016 and, combined with other philanthropic efforts of the DuBois Realty Group, has totaled over $120,000 in contributions to local charities and youth programs to date. “All of our team members live, work and play within our service area. We believe we have a responsibility to give back to the communities from which we earn a living and we hope to inspire other local Realtors(R) and businesses to do more of the same,” states Brian DuBois, Broker-Owner.

Other local charities include the Auburn-Lewiston YMCA, the Dempsey Center, Trinity Jubilee Center, and Wounded Heroes of Maine. Marnie reflected, “We are overwhelmed with the success of this program. Our goal was to donate $10,000 annually and now we’ve doubled those initial benchmarks in six years through the outpouring of support from our clients and their unwavering loyalty to our business. Truly humbling.”

The DuBois Realty Group can be contacted by calling 207-344-3230 or online at www.duboisrealtygroup.net or by stopping by the office located at 243 Mt. Auburn Avenue in Auburn (office park located behind Home Depot).

The Woman’s Hospital Association (WHA) Rotating Art Gallery at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston is proud to be displaying original works of art by the late A. E. Dahlbeck, E. Jordan and Ruth Drinkwater.

A.E. Dahlbeck was a world traveler who spent much of her working years as a registered nurse and later in Pennsylvania as a teacher, returning to Maine to continue her love of painting.

Edmund “Ned” Jordan was a Pennsylvania artist who had a chemistry degree from Temple University and was a Chemical Researcher at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Research Center, but painting was his passion and he left a large and impressive collection of paintings when he died.

Born in Pennsylvania, Ruth Drinkwater moved to Maine after her marriage, taking painting classes with a local artist in Kennebunkport. Her art complimented her gift as a talented seamstress who worked for both Peck’s Department Store and Morin’s Bridal. She painted views of the life around her up until the final month before her death several years ago.

As her son, Rev. Gary Drinkwater states, “She would have been proud to have her paintings displayed at Central Maine Medical Center.”

These paintings are being offered during the month of January at half their original value to encourage sales benefiting the CMMC Woman’s Hospital Association, The Transfiguration Anglican Church of Mechanic Falls and the Greenwood Gallery in Auburn. The works on display may be purchased through the WHA Gift Shop located adjacent to the main lobby at Central Maine Medical Center.

 Below: ‘Pemaquid Point Lighthouse’ by A.E. Dahlbeck

AUBURN, ME (January 13, 2022) — Temple Shalom is proud to present “Under a Yellow Star”, on Sunday, January 22 at 4:00 pm. A peer-education play, based on real children and their writings during the Holocaust. The cast members (MSAD 17 students) are representing these children. Students have researched their roles as well as other survivors. Students will be teaching peers and others about the Holocaust, tolerance and understanding of the difference between people.

Students have also researched the camps, the ghettos, the Kindertransport, The Righteous Among Nations propaganda and censorship. Students have worked through many exercises to understand why normal German citizens went along with Hitler’s pogrom. They have also researched genocides and crimes against humanity before and after WWII.

After the performance the children, who range in age from 5-16 and three adult actors, will come back onto the stage to answer questions from the audience about the Holocaust. The cast members will talk about what kids can do to help create a diverse, accepting and welcoming community for all. This look at the Holocaust from a child’s perspective helps children understand the dangers of prejudice and discrimination and how it can spread on a large scale.

This performance is geared to adults and students in 5th through 8th grade. The performance will be held at Temple Shalom, 74 Bradman Street, Auburn, Maine on Sunday, January22, 2023 at 4:00 pm. The performance is approximately 90 minutes, is free and open to the public.

Under a Yellow Star is sponsored by SAD 17, Maine Humanities Council, Oxford Hills Rotary, Norway Savings Bank, Oxford Federal Credit Union, Dirigo Federal Credit Union, Bearfoot Realty and private donors

The Terrence McNally comedy “It’s Only A Play” opens this weekend at Community Little Theatre (CLT). Pictured here left to right in a scene from the show are Brian Pfohl, who portrays the playwright Peter Austin; Jamie Bannister, who plays the producer Julia Budder; and Jen Groover, who plays the diva Virginia Noyes. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on January 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28; and at 2:00 p.m. on January 22 and 29. All performances will be held at the theatre at 30 Academy Street in Auburn. Call 207-783-0958 or visit LACLT.com for tickets and information.