LEWISTON, ME — Central Maine Healthcare recently welcomed a new orthopedic surgeon.

Dennis Sullivan, MD, is the newest member of Central Maine Healthcare Orthopedics, specializing in knee and shoulder surgery at Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital.

Dr. Sullivan says he chose this field because he could clearly see how orthopedic surgery directly improve patients’ lives.

“When it comes to my patients, I favor a conservative approach to injuries and arthritic conditions, whenever possible,” Dr. Sullivan said. “I also explain diagnoses in multiple ways, reviewing images and reports, and using anatomical models so my patients understand what’s happening.”

Dr. Sullivan earned his medical degree at the Hospital for Special Surgery, in New York, and completed his residency at the University of Toronto Orthopedic Sports Medicine. He has been a team physician for USA Hockey for 25 years, which included a tournament in the Czech Republic. He was also head team physician for the Portland Pirates from 1994-2008.

Central Maine Orthopedics has been named a Cigna Center of Excellence for hip and knee replacement. It has also been named a Blue Distinction Center by Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

LEWISTON, ME – United Ambulance Service recently received a perfect score in their reaccreditation review by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS). The accreditation review, like the rigorous process used by hospitals and nursing facilities, is conducted every three years and includes an intensive application process and  multi-day on-site inspection by outside experts. Reviewers from across the nation visited the company’s Lewiston and Bridgton service areas evaluating 107 categories.

Since 1981, United Ambulance has been dedicated to providing the highest emergency medical care and transportation possible. United’s Lewiston division was first accredited in 2006 and their Bridgton division soon followed in 2007. Since then they have remained Maine’s first and only accredited ambulance service.

CAAS is a non-profit organization which was established to encourage and promote quality patient care in America’s medical transportation system. The primary focus of the Commission’s standards is high-quality patient care. This is accomplished by establishing national standards which not only address the delivery of patient care, but also the ambulance service’s total operation and its relationships with other agencies, the general public, and the medical community. In most instances the Commission’s standards exceed state and local licensing requirements.

Paul Gosselin, Executive Director of United Ambulance, commented on the achievement, saying, “The reviewers were thoroughly impressed with our service and with the resilience of our community over the past year. While CAAS accreditation is not required for operation, we pursue it because it represents the gold standard in EMS. This reaccreditation validates our continuous efforts and demonstrates our commitment to delivering exceptional emergency medical services to the residents of Androscoggin County.”

United Ambulance’s dedication to excellence in emergency medical services is reflected in its ongoing accreditation status. As a service leader in Maine, the company’s focus remains on providing high-quality care and maintaining strong community connections.

If you are interested in starting a career in EMS or would like more information about United Ambulance Service, visit them online at: www.unitedambulance.com.

AUGUSTA, ME — The Augusta Symphony Orchestra invites the community to experience an afternoon of timeless classical music at their Spring Concert. The performance will take place on Sunday, March 9, at 3:00 PM at Cony High School, 60 Pierce Dr, Augusta, ME.

The program promises to delight music lovers with an inspiring selection of works, starting with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1, and followed by Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 88. After a brief intermission, the ASO will perform Four Norwegian Dances by Edvard Grieg.

Founded in 1920 as a community orchestra, the Augusta Symphony Orchestra has a rich history of bringing exceptional classical music to the community. This concert continues that proud tradition, showcasing the orchestra’s talent and dedication to the arts.

The ASO is led by Conductor and Music Director Jinwook Park. Mr. Park is a member of the Colby College faculty and serves as the Music Director of the Colby Symphony Orchestra, as well as teaching violin and viola. With his passion and commitment to educational outreach, Mr. Park also served as a founder and Music Director of the Kennebec Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra, providing music and music education to the Central Maine community for many years. He has served as the music director of the Augusta Symphony Orchestra since 2021.

Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted to support the orchestra’s mission of making music accessible to all. Mark your calendar and join us for an unforgettable afternoon of music.

For more information about the Augusta Symphony Orchestra and upcoming events, visit www.augustasymphonymaine.org

TURNER, ME – The Signature Soup Food Booth at the Turner Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club’s 24th Annual Vintage One Lunger Race successfully launched Community Credit Union’s 2025 Signature Soup Challenge which raised over $1,000 at the food booth fundraiser. This exciting kick-off marks the beginning of a month-long initiative benefiting the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger.

The Signature Soup Challenge, which runs from February 15 through March 15, invites local businesses to join forces in the fight against hunger. Throughout the month, participating restaurants and retailers will donate a portion of proceeds from their soup, chili, and chowder sales to support the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger, a cause dedicated to alleviating food insecurity in Maine communities.

The participating businesses include:

Thatcher’s Restaurant & Pub

Bakery Barn

Bear Pond Variety

Daddy O’s Diner

Governor’s Restaurant & Bakery

Jimmy’s General Store

The Highland Grille

KP’s Place

Simones’ Hot Dogs

Webb’s Market

“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s kickoff event and appreciate the Turner Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club allowing us to be a food booth vendor at Saturday’s big event,” said Betsy Sibley, Co-Chair for the Ending Hunger Committee at Community Credit Union. “The $1,000 raised at the Vintage One Lunger Race is just the beginning, and we are excited to see how much more we can raise over the next month to support the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger. Together, we are raising awareness and making a real difference in the lives of those facing food insecurity in our community.”

The Signature Soup Challenge has become an annual tradition, uniting local businesses, volunteers, and community members to give back to those in need. By simply enjoying a delicious bowl of soup or chili, participants are directly contributing to the effort to end hunger across Maine.

“We encourage everyone to visit our participating partners throughout the challenge and enjoy some of the best soups and chili in the area,” added Erin Dunn-Kimball, Co-Chair of the Ending Hunger Committee at Community Credit Union. “It’s a tasty way to make an impact, and every bowl served helps provide critical resources to those who need it most.”

For more information about the Signature Soup Challenge, including a list of participating businesses and donation details, please visit https://www.communitycreditunion.com/connect/events-calendar/detail.html?cId=96209&title=5th-annual-signature-soup-challenge or follow the campaign on social media at https://www.facebook.com/share/14SWa9wVB1/.

Community Credit Union is a member-owned, full service financial institution that has been serving its members and all of Androscoggin County since 1945. The Credit Union has a low-income designation from NCUA as well as certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Community Credit Union has branches located at 144 Pine Street, Lewiston, 40 Stanley Street, Auburn and 1025 Auburn Road in Turner serving approximately 12,000 members. For more information, log onto www.communitycreditunion.com.

Volunteers serving soup, chili & chowder at the One Lunger Vintage Snowmobile Race on February 15, 2025, Left to Right Erin Dunn-Kimball, Christine Wilson, Tiffany Mathon, Jessica Blackwell, Lilianna Mathon, Ruth Moubagou

AUBURN, ME — February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. To raise awareness and to promote healthy relationships, the Auburn Public Library is partnering with Safe Voices to present “Identifying Healthy Relationships,” a group activity where participants will learn about the dynamics of dating abuse and healthy relationships. For those interested, stop into the Teen Space on the second floor on February 20th from 2 PM to 3 PM. This program is open to teens ages 12-18 and does not require registration.

For teens looking for one-on-one support, drop-ins with a Safe Voices representative are available on the second floor of the library every second Wednesday of the month from 4 PM to 5 PM.

LEWISTON – AUBURN, ME — Connected Office Technologies (COT), an all-in-one business technology firm in Portland, Maine, is proud to announce that Senior Sales Executive Mack Whittier is expanding its client base within the Lewiston-Auburn area.

Whittier resides in Lewiston and looks forward to helping local businesses and non-profits save money on their printer and document management needs within his hometown.

“When you are depending on business technology to get what you need done, you shouldn’t have to worry about overage fees, copy restrictions, supply depletion, or receiving a bill that’s far more than anticipated. We make sure we understand each client’s personalized needs and deliver in a cost-effective manner,” said Whittier.

Connected Office Technologies offers printer programs for a flat monthly fee, including equipment, onsite assistance, remote monitoring, and printer maintenance services providing a full array of production printers, desktop printers, interactive displays, and toner/supplies. Electronic document management systems are also offered by Connected Office Technologies. Co-owners/founders Tom Mitchell and Kyle Romick lead the team at COT, and its clients currently include those from finance, government, healthcare, nonprofit, and education.

Whittier is a 2020 Southern Maine Community College graduate and enjoys providing one-on-one service to clients. He can be reached at (207) 740-8540 (direct line) and at mwhittier@connecttheoffice.com

 LEWISTON, ME – According to a recent study, urban greenspaces are critical components of healthy and sustainable cities. On Tue., Feb. 25, the City of Lewiston invites all to participate in the Sunnyside Park Spark Session to exchange ideas and improvements to the decades’ old park.

 “A true gem in Back Bay Lewiston, Sunnyside Park is a precious and valued resource for our entire community, and especially for the Sunnyside neighborhood,” said Lewiston City Councilor Josh Nagine, Ward 1. “I’m looking forward to friends and neighbors engaging to inform a citizen-driven action plan for improvements and updates at Sunnyside Park and strongly encourage residents with any interest to participate in the process.”

 Nestled in a wooded area along the Androscoggin River, Sunnyside Park lies at the end of Whipple Street, off Main Street. The park currently features two basketball courts, a swing set and multipurpose field.

 All are invited to share their ideas, from bringing back an ice rink, or improving the Riverwalk along the Androscoggin, at the Sunnyside Spark Session. Those unable to attend may email their comments to hello@lewistonmaine.gov.

Sunnyside Park Spark Session

6 PM – 7:30 PM on Tue., Feb. 25, 2025

Lewiston Public Works, 103 Adams St.

Anyone with ideas to bring the park back to life – bring a friend and let’s get brainstorming.

LEWISTON, ME – Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) this month became the first hospital in Maine to complete a dual chamber leadless (wireless) pacemaker implant.

The electrophysiology team at Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute (CMHVI) successfully performed several implants, using the AVEIR ™ dual chamber pacemaker, an implantable device that stimulates the heart’s two main chambers.

While traditional dual chamber pacemakers include wires that risk breaking and may cause infection, the Aveir pacemaker is wireless and therefore has a lower risk of infection.

The new pacemaker was approved by the FDA in 2023 and is ideal for patients who have abnormally slow heart rhythms and require pacing in both chambers of the heart.

“We have had single chamber leadless pacemakers for many years,” said Joseph Dell’Orfano, MD, electrophysiologist at CMMC. “However, when patients experience slow heart rates, they often require pacing in both the top and bottom chambers of their heart. Now we can do this without the need for surgically implanted wires or battery packs. This represents the future of pacemakers. I’m proud that we could bring this technology to our patients in Maine.”

This isn’t the first time in recent history CMHVI has led the way in Maine. Last spring, CMMC became the first hospital to successfully treat atrial fibrillation using Pulsed Field Ablation, a non-thermal device designed to minimize potential damage to the heart.

CMHVI offers advanced treatments for all arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. Last year, its vascular lab earned a three-year accreditation in peripheral arterial, peripheral venous and extracranial cerebrovascular testing from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. CMHVI has also started a dedicated hypertension and lipid clinic and a new preventive cardiology program. Additionally, the vascular surgery team recently performed its 50th TCAR, the latest in minimally invasive procedures to treat carotid disease.

CMHVI’s electrophysiology team poses with Aveir equipment

LEWISTON, ME – SeniorsPlus, the designated Agency on Aging for Western Maine, will hold a breakfast to benefit its Meals on Wheels nutrition program. The 2025 Fill the Plate Breakfast will be held from 7 to 9 a.m. on Friday, March 21, at the Hilton Garden Inn Riverwatch in Auburn. The breakfast will honor Lewiston resident Margaret Craven with the 2025 Ikaria Award and feature a talk by singer Julia Gagnon. Tickets are $30 per person ($35 at the door) and are available at www.seniorsplus.org/march-for-meals or by calling 207-795-4010.  Seats are limited and advance registration is recommended.

In a talk titled “The Music in My Veins,” singer Julia Gagnon will reflect on her upbringing and the people who helped her carve a path from Cumberland, Maine, to the Hollywood stage and millions of television fans. Gagnon was born in Guatemala and raised in Cumberland, Maine, by her adoptive family. A quiet kid, she didn’t share her gift of singing until her middle school chorus teacher gave her a solo in the school concert. Gagnon gained national acclaim after placing in the top seven performers of the 22nd season of “American Idol.” Gagnon is a student at the University of Southern Maine.

The event includes the presentation of the 2025 Ikaria Award, which recognizes an individual or organization for singular and outstanding contributions toward improving the lives of older adults. 2025 honoree Margaret Craven recently stepped down from the Maine State Legislature.

Ikaria is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It is considered one of the world’s five “Blue Zones” – places where an estimated one in three members of the population regularly lives an active life into their 90s.

The Fill the Plate Breakfast is presented in conjunction with March for Meals, a national campaign of Meals on Wheels America.

Last year, SeniorsPlus delivered more than 152,000 meals to 1,800 homebound older adults and adults with disabilities in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties through its Meals on Wheels program.  Each meal provides one-third of the recommended daily allowance of nutrition, a safety check, and a visit to these vulnerable adults. The majority of the clients of Meals on Wheels are lower income or on fixed income.

The overall program goal of SeniorsPlus is to assist older adults and adults with disabilities in our tri-county area to remain at home safely for as long as possible. The overwhelming majority of older adults (greater than 95% in an AARP survey) wish to remain at home until they die. The Meals on Wheels program provides nourishment, socialization and regular safety checks.

Since 1972, SeniorsPlus has been improving the lives of older adults and adults with disabilities. As the designated Area Agency on Aging for Western Maine, SeniorsPlus provides statewide services with an emphasis on Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties for core services (ie nutrition and information and assistance) that support independent living, healthy aging, and fight isolation. The mission of SeniorsPlus is to enrich the lives of older people and adults with disabilities, their families and communities, and to support them to make informed choices. SeniorsPlus envisions a future where all older adults and individuals with disabilities are engaged and respected while living quality, independent lives in the communities of their choice. Annually, SeniorsPlus serves 8,000 individuals and fields 101,000 phone inquiries. SeniorsPlus offers a network of support, including information and assistance, short-term care management, Medicare counseling, caregiver support and respite, health and wellness education, benefits counseling, and Meals on Wheels and congregate dining. 

Singer Julia Gagnon will be the featured speaker on Friday, March 21 at the 2025 Fill the Plate Breakfast to benefit Meals on Wheels at SeniorsPlus.

LEWISTON, ME — Central Maine Healthcare team members are wearing red on Fridays throughout the month of February.

February is American Heart Month, a time when everyone-especially women-are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death for women in the US. and around the world.

The team at Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute (CMHVI) encourages everyone to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle choices that include a balanced diet, exercise and stress management.

“Heart Month is a chance for us to remind everyone that you can make a difference in your life by taking charge of your own health,” said Michael Berlowitz, MD, chief of CMHVI. “Get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked. If you smoke, quit. Get a good night’s sleep and be sure to get regular heart health screenings.”

Every Wednesday this month, CMHVI will host a heart health booth in the lobby of 60 High St. on the CMMC campus from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 

CMHVI offers advanced treatments for all arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. Last year, its vascular lab earned a three-year accreditation in peripheral arterial, peripheral venous and extracranial cerebrovascular testing from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. CMHVI was the first in Maine to offer pulsed field ablation, a new technology to treat atrial fibrillation more safely and in less time. CMHVI also started a dedicated hypertension and lipid clinic and a new preventive cardiology program. The vascular surgery team recently performed its 50th TCAR, the latest in minimally invasive procedures to treat carotid disease.

Central Maine Healthcare team members wearing red pose in the shape of a heart.