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CCC Wednesday Communique — November 28, 2018

Happy Wednesday!

This is the Community Caring Collaborative Weekly Communiqué where we share announcements about trainings, meetings and other events, including announcements from our collaborative partners.  Look for links to meeting minutes and agendas in the Meetings section, training registration forms and flyers in the Events section, and job postings and other items of interest in the Announcements section.  Subscribe here to get the Communiqué.  Make sure to add Community Caring Collaborative to your contacts at claurel@cccmaine.org.  Gmail users, check for the Communiqué under the Promotions tab. This mailing goes out every Wednesday, so if you have announcements, please send them to Christine by 5 pm Monday to be included.  Thanks!

Photo above: Reusable Plastic Window Kits – check these out under Needs & Offers.

Announcements

Supporting CCC Barrier Removal Programs: It’s not too late to make a donation to the CCC’s Hope Fund, Dream Fund or Flex Funds supporting programs like Family Futures Downeast.  Click here for more information.

Community Baby Shower: Maine Seacoast Mission is partnering with the Washington County CAN Council to host a community baby shower at the Mission’s downeast campus, 39 Weald Bethel Lane, Cherryfield, December 13th from 1 – 3 pm.  “Bring your partner, family member, or BFF!  We will have gifts, games, information, prizes, refreshments, and more!”  Call/text 263-5270 to RSVP.

Information on Resources Needed:  See the Downeast Recovery Support Center’s need for information on brochures/literature about community resources under the Needs & Offers section of this newsletter.

Maine Geriatrics Conference: Save the dates of June 13th &14th for the 29th annual Maine Geriatrics Conference “where policy meets practice,” at the Harborside Hotel, Bar Harbor.  Speaker lineup includes:

  • Wendy Lustbader, MSW, University of Washington School of Social Work, Seattle, WA.
  • Toni Miles, MD, PhD, University of Georgia, Athens
  • Lewis A. Lipsitz, MD, Institute for Aging Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Boston, MA
  • Mikhail Kogan, MD, George Washington Center for Integrative Medicine, Washington, DC

For more information visit:  https://www.une.edu/com/cme/events/geriatrics-conference

Your announcement could go here: email the details to Christine by 5 pm Monday for inclusion in Wednesday’s Weekly Communiqué.  Photos and links are appreciated (jpg, not gif or png).

Updates

This is where we post updates on programs, initiatives and pending legislation.

One-Time Events 

Trainings, meetings, fairs, and other events that do not repeat on a regular basis

Circle of Hope

November 29, 2018
Eastport Healthcare in Machias (53 Freemont Street) invites you to join this special community circle at 6 pm. The Circle Of Hope gatherings provide a safe venue for attentive responsive solution focused listening for the community, parents, and affected others of loved one’s impacted by substance use disorder.  Download and share this flyer.

MRBN Membership Meeting:
November 29, 2018
8:30 am — 1:30 pm at Educare Central in Waterville (56 Drummond Ave). The day’s agenda and materials will be sent, along with a link to register in advance of the meeting.

ME DOT Public Transit Forums: 
November 29, 2018 – 12-2 pm, The Commons, 152 E Main St, Dover-Foxcroft
November 30, 2018 – 9-11 am, Cohen Community Ctr, Maxwell Rm, 22 Town Farm Rd, Hallowell
ME DOT is holding forums on public transit needs, with a focus on elderly, disabled, and low-income populations. This is an opportunity to discuss needs, strategies, and priorities for the next few years.  Interested parties who are unable to attend are encouraged to share their ideas via e-mail at Transit.MaineDOT@maine.gov or by mail to Transit Planning, MaineDOT, 16 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333-0016.

47th Annual Down East Community Hospital Auxiliary Holiday Fair: 
December 1, 2018
9 am to 2 pm at Rose Gaffney School Gym, Machias.  Over 60 crafters, door prizes, raffles, snack bar available, music and Santa

Winter Kids: 
December 6, 2018 – Calais
Join Healthy Acadia and WinterKids Program Director Marion Doyle at Washington County Community College from 6 – 8 pm for this free 2-hour workshop and explore ways to keep kids active throughout the winter months with engaging, kid-friendly outdoor activities.  Participants will be provided with a binder for their center or school full of activities to keep kids moving, grooving, and learning through the winter months. See flyerfor registration info.

Work and Benefits Navigator Training:
December 7, 2018 – Bangor
DHHS is holding a Work and Benefits Navigator Training for anyone who supports people with disabilities.  The cost is $25 (free to DHHS employees).  Training will be provided by Community Work Incentives Coordinators from Maine Medical Center’s Department of Vocational Services. More information and registration info here.

Family Activity: Creating a Cookie Jar Mix:
December 7, 2018
Free family activity Facilitated by Misty Day, Regional Parent Support Coordinator for G.E.A.R. at MAS Community Health, 60 Main St., Machias from 10 am to 12 pm. Whip up a special gift from the kitchen to show family and friends you truly care! Join us for an Morning of fun and create a cookie jar mix to enjoy with family or use as a homemade gift for that special someone. Personalize your jar by adding your own creative touch.  G.E.A.R. will provide the supplies and feel free to bring a Quart wide mouth canning jar or decorative items from home. To register, please contact Misty Day at 1.800.264.9224 or 485.4253; Email: mday@crisisandcounseling.org.

Community Baby Shower:
December 13, 2018
Maine Seacoast Mission is partnering with the Washington County CAN Council to host a community baby shower at the Mission’s downeast campus, 39 Weald Bethel Lane, Cherryfield, from 1 – 3 pm.  “Bring your partner, family member, or BFF!  We will have gifts, games, information, prizes, refreshments, and more!”  Call/text 263-5270 to RSVP.

Maine Geriatrics Conference: 
June 13-14, 2019
Save these dates for the 29th annual Maine Geriatrics Conference “where policy meets practice,” at the Harborside Hotel, Bar Harbor.  Speaker lineup includes:

  • Wendy Lustbader, MSW, University of Washington School of Social Work, Seattle, WA.
  • Toni Miles, MD, PhD, University of Georgia, Athens
  • Lewis A. Lipsitz, MD, Institute for Aging Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Boston, MA
  • Mikhail Kogan, MD, George Washington Center for Integrative Medicine, Washington, DC

For more information visit:  https://www.une.edu/com/cme/events/geriatrics-conference.

Serial Classes & Groups

classes, play groups, support circles and other repeating events

WC CAN Council Classes: 
Circle of Parents: for parents with children who have special needs

Co-Parenting Classes:

  • Calais Congregational Church (21 Calais Ave, Calais), Tuesdays 3 — 4:30 pm 11/6 through 12/18
  • Sunrise Opportunities (232 Court Street), Wednesdays 3 — 4:30 pm 11/7 through 1/2

Contact Mandie Pepperman with questions about any of these classes at 263-5270.

Chronic Pain Self-Management Program: Healthy Acadia is offering a free 6-week workshop on “Taking Action on Pain” to help people gain new tools to manage chronic pain and maintain an active and fulfilling life.  The program will run on Thursdays from November 1 – December 13, 5:15 pm to 7:45 pm at the Down East Community Hospital conference room – light refreshments provided.  See flyer for details and registration information.

Free Tobacco Cessation Classes: A Freshstart Tobacco Cessation group will meet on Mondays from 5:15 to 6:15 pm beginning November 5 and continuing through November 26, 2018 at Healthy Acadia’s office located at 121 Court Street, Machias. Classes will provide face-to-face group support sessions designed to help smokers plan a successful quit attempt by providing essential information, skills for coping with cravings, and group support.  See press release for details and registration info – download this flyer to send to friends and colleages.

Nurturing Program: The CAN Council invites parents to a multi-session educational program sharing tips and tricks to help navigate the difficult challenges of parenting.  Lots of opportunity for discussion and questions – free refreshments and childcare.  Text/call Mandie at 263-5270 to sign up.  See flyer for locations and dates.

Calais Circle of Parents Playgroup:
The WC CAN Council with partner Maine Families is holding a playgroup on Tuesdays 11 am – 12 pm beginning in September at the Calais Recreation Center, 344 Main Street. “Get a chance to meet other parents while your kiddo gets some energy out.” Contact Mandie Pepperman with questions at is 263-5270.

Community of Practice Groups:
6-8 pm
Maine Roads to Quality invites Early Care & Education professionals to join one of 2 community of practice groups (see flyers below):

For more information or to register, please contact Theresa Fisk, District Early Childhood and Youth Coordinator –  207-956-2070 or email: theresa.fisk@maine.edu.

Standing Meetings

Monthly and quarterly meetings

Washington County Food Pantry Network: Washington County Food and Fuel Alliance invites you to mark your calendar for the next meeting of this county-wide organization.  The network offers technical and infrastructure support and education to all of the county’s pantries as well as to provide an opportunity for pantries to share successes and struggles. Dessert, beverages and gas cards will be provided to all food pantry participants. Meeting dates (Thursdays) and locations for 2019 are as follows:

  • March 7, 1-3 pm ( March 21 for a snow date)at Eastport’s Labor of Love Food Pantry, 1137 County Road, (route 190), Eastport
  • June 6, 1-3 pm; Location to be determined.
  • Oct 3,  1-3 pm; Location to be determined.

Questions? Contact Regina Grabrovac at our Machias Healthy Acadia office by phone at 255 3741 or by email at regina@healthyacadia.org

Calais Area Breast Cancer Support Group: meets on the 4th Friday of each month at 3 PM at the Calais United Methodist Church, 849 Main St. (downstairs parlor), in Calais.  This free “gathering” is a comforting and safe environment to find encouragement and hope.  Open to all that have a breast cancer diagnosis.  FMI call Marianne at 454-0501. Download a flyer for more information.

Caregivers Support Group: Join other family/informal caregivers monthly for a supportive meeting at the Maine Veterans Home in Machias, facilitated by Lisa King, LCPC, on the first Friday of the month from 2-4 pm. Contact Lisa King for more information.

Work Group & Poverty Busters: Join this meeting of direct service providers to share resources and network with other providers in your area on the first Wednesday of each month in the large conference room at SCEC’s building at 7 Ames Way, Machias, from 1 to 3:00 pm.  Download notes from October’s meeting.   November meeting notes coming soon.

Needs & Offers

Send us your agency/community needs or offers, such as job recruiting or housing needs.

Reusable, plastic interior storm windows:  Maine Seacoast Mission has purchased these easy to install, no blow dryer or plastic sheeting needed, storm window inserts and are offering them free of charge. They can be adapted to any size window and are clear, high-quality plastic.  Contact  Scott Shaw at 546-5869 for more information or email Charley or Christine at the CCC if you’d like to pick up a kit.  The CCC is storing  two sizes, typical window size and extra-large (sliding door size) in our office at 7 Ames Way, Machias.

Supporting CCC Barrier Removal Programs: It’s not too late to make a donation to the CCC’s Hope Fund, Dream Fund or Flex Funds which support programs like Family Futures Downeast.  Click here for more information about helping Washington County families move forward.

Information on Resources Needed:  Amy Day, Manager of AMHC’s Downeast Recovery Support Center in Machias, is looking for brochures/literature about community resources.  She is currently at the center from 10 am to 6 pm, M-F.  Organizations and community can stop in anytime during those hours to check out the center, talk about services, and provide information.  The center is located on Free Street at the former location of Wings.  Amy’s contact info is 271-0115 and aday@amhc.org.

SCEC is hiring: Sunrise County Economic Council is hiring a part-time (10 hours/week) Information Technology Support Specialist.  SCEC’s mission is to create jobs and prosperity in Washington County, Maine. The IT Support Specialist supports this mission by monitoring and maintaining Sunrise County Economic Council’s computer systems and networks.  Qualifications include:
•    (1) A two year college degree or
•    (2) Completion of a specialized course of study at a business or trade school or
•    (3) Completion of a specialized and extensive in-house training or apprenticeship program.
•    Technical competency and on the job experience may be considered in lieu of educational requirements
For a full job description and application requirements, please visit http://sunrisecounty.org or contact Jen Peters at scec@sunrisecounty.org or 207-255-0983. The application deadline is Tuesday, November 27, 2018.

CCC Partner Survey: As the CCC finishes the final year of our 3-year strategic plan, we’re evaluating how well we accomplished our goals and commitments to you and to community members in Washington County.  Our intern, MSW student Nicole Cannizzaro, has compiled data for participation in CCC activities by collaborative partners over the past year.  Highlights of this look back reveal that:

  • A total of 61 organizations interacted with the CCC;
  • Partners showed up 139 times to monthly convenings of Work Group/Poverty Busters and CCC;
  • 27 partner organizations participated in program efforts like Thriving in Place, Family Futures Downeast, and Mentor/Neighbor design;
  • 24 partner organizations participated in the June 12th Family Discovery Day in Calais; and
  • 130 applications from partner organizations were submitted to the Hope and Dream Funds.
  • 392 people attended CCC Trainings.

But numbers alone can’t paint a full picture of the CCC’s impact, so we’re asking you to complete a simple survey on the effectiveness of the CCC in its 4 major areas of commitment.  We are excited to read your responses and thankful for your time, your honesty, and your partnership!  Here is a link to the survey.  Thank you!

Holiday Needs & Offers

This is a new section where we can share information on where/how to help families and individuals in WC celebrate the holidays.  Don’t see your program here?  Please send Christine the info.

Community Christmas Giving Tree: coordinated by elves in memory of Helen Vose, founder of the
program, at Holy Name Parish Hall on Broadway in Machias. Opening day is Tuesday, November 27th and the program will close on Friday, December 14th. For more information see their facebook page or  contact Janelle Look (259-4411) or Debra

Let’s All Have a Merrier Christmas: coordinated by Rhonda French in Jonesport, this program seeks to match gifts with requests using an online form (must be submitted by parent or legal guardian) up until November 30th.  Requests (up to 3 toys) are for children 15 and under.  Parents can pick up gifts at 2 locations:https://www.facebook.com/The-Community-Christmas-Giving-Tree-497800970232943/

  • Jonesport Pentecostal Church – 10 Lamson Road, Jonesport, Thursday, December 20 – 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. & Friday, December 21 – 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • Washington County Community College Assembly Room – One College Drive, Calais, Friday, December 21 – 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Donations may be made online here.  Contact Rhonda (call or text) with questions at 207-446-0723 or email:  rhonda@merrierchristmas.com.

Maine Seacoast Mission Christmas Program: coordinated by Marilyn Nickson, this program provides clothing, toiletries and fun gifts for children and adults on the islands and in Hancock and Washington counties over the holidays.  Download the Christmas Wish List here with instructions on what items are most needed and where to send donations.  Contact Marilyn with questions at mnickson@seacoastmission.org or 207-546-5867.  The Mission also operates the “Elves’ Workshop” in the Weald Bethel Community Center, where people can choose the gifts they would like to give to their families.

Favorite Resources

Send us your favorite links to share with other Communique readers.

 

Photo courtesy of Susan Bennett, Downeast Thunder Farm