Celebrate National Kids & Pets Day, tomorrow, April 28th! “What better way is there to honor Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month than by celebrating National Kids and Pets Day on April 28 each year? Born out of a need to raise awareness about picking the right pet for children, this day also celebrates the bond pets and children share and highlights safety tips where our pets and children are concerned.” Learn more here.
Happy Wednesday!
New this week:
Fostering Resilient Environments
Preventing and healing from adversity is possible. No matter our age, there are science-informed ways to support resilience and recovery. On May 12th at 5 pm, the Machias Downeast Recovery Support Center will host a Maine Resilience Building Network training that will review brain science along with an introduction to the nervous systems response to stress providing participants with a model for understanding emotion regulation. The science of compassion and mindfulness will also be explored including new understandings about stress. Participants will leave with strategies, tools and resources that support and promote individual well-being and resilience in others. See flyer for details. Contact Amy Day with questions.
Family Caregiving for People with Cancer and Other Serious Illnesses
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is holding a public workshop on May 16 – 17, “Family Caregiving for People with Cancer and Other Serious Illnesses.” The workshop will feature invited presentations and panel discussions on topics that may include:
- Strategies to better capture, understand, and act on family caregiver input and experience to improve patient care and to support family caregivers.
- Research gaps and opportunities to improve the evidence base to guide caregiving for patients with serious illnesses.
- Potential policy and practice opportunities to support family caregivers and advance family-centered care for serious illness, including new models of care delivery and payment.
- Opportunities to better embed a health equity focus across family caregiving research, policy, and practice.
- Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., use of telehealth and other remote technologies) that could be applied in the context of caregiving for people with cancer and other serious illnesses.
This event can be attended virtually or in person at the Keck Center in Washington, DC. To learn more or to register for the conference, click here.
Upcoming Beegle Institutes
Dr. Donna Beegle’s Poverty and Coaching Institutes are back in person and virtual this June with special guests – June 14-17, 2022. Register now for early bird and team discounts.
- Beegle Poverty Immersion Institute, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 14 and 15 at 8 AM – 3 PM PST: The number one evaluation comment of the Beegle Poverty Institutes is “Life changing.” Dr. Donna Beegle combines lived experience, the perspectives of students and adults impacted by different types of poverty with research and 31 years of educating professionals in all 50 states into two days of immersion activities and learning. Participants will gain proven tools they can apply right away to break the iron cage of poverty and improve equity within our organizations and communities. This experiential institute is designed for professionals from the fields of justice, education, health, social service, faith-based, leaders and community organization members. Register here.
- Beegle Coaching Institute, Thursday and Friday, June 16 and 17 from 8 AM – 3 PM PST: The grounded understanding of poverty and its impacts gained in the Beegle Poverty Institute, allows participants to take poverty informed practices to the next level. This hands on two-day Beegle Certified Coaching Institute prepares participants to work within their organization to increase equity by infusing poverty informed practices into all levels of the organization. Beegle Coaches will conduct professional development, provide leadership for developing system-wide approaches for improving communication, relationships and outcomes. Register here.
Calais Job Fair
Attention Employers: The Machias CareerCenter is holding a job fair at the Calais Community Hospital lower parking lot on May 25th from 11 am — 2 pm. Bring a tent, table and chairs to recruit and promote your business and share your current job postings. To reserve your space, contact Brooke Hachey. See flyer for details.
Farm-to-Table Camp at Rogers Farm
University of Maine Cooperative Extension master gardener volunteers, UMaine Extension 4-H staff and Rob Dumas, UMaine food science innovation coordinator and chef, are hosting a farm-to-table summer camp Aug.1–5, 7:45 a.m.–noon, at Rogers Farm, 914 Bennoch Road, Old Town. Registration is required by May 20. “Farm-to-Table Camp at Rogers Farm” is for youth ages 9–12 interested in growing, harvesting and preparing food and flowers. Participants will sow seeds, care for crops, harvest cut flowers and produce, save seeds and learn how to manage pests and diseases in the garden. Activities also include helping create a collaborative art installation at the farm. The week culminates on the UMaine campus where chef Dumas will focus on developing culinary skills, such as basic food preparation, an understanding of food safety and creating healthy meals with fresh, whole foods. The $50 fee includes all materials and snacks. Register on the camp webpage by May 20. Limited financial assistance is available on request. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact 207-942-7396; katherine.garland@maine.edu.
Drive-Thru Luncheon to Benefit DownEast Teen Leadership Camp
Healthy Acadia, in collaboration with Coastal Washington County Institute of Technology Culinary Arts (CWCIT) students located at Machias Memorial High School, will host a drive-thru luncheon on Thursday, May 5, 2022, with proceeds to benefit DownEast Teen Leadership Camp. The luncheon menu will feature three delicious take-away homemade options with dessert and drink prepared by the culinary arts students. For a detailed menu and to place your order online click here. Ordering is open through Tuesday, May 3, 2022. The minimum suggested donation is $10 per meal. Donations are accepted online or in-person during luncheon meal pick-up. Orders can be picked up at Machias Memorial High School on Thursday, May 5, 2022, between noon and 1 p.m. Delivery may also be arranged. For more information, email Sara McConnell or call (207) 255-3741.
Maine Parents Lead the Nation in Reading to their Kids
Raising Readers recently announced that once again, the National Survey for Children’s Health revealed that Maine parents read to their young children more than parents do in any other state. Congratulations to all the programs focusing on parents reading to their children, like Raising Readers, Sunrise Prevention Council, Maine Families, and more. Visit Raising Readers’ new website to “learn about the special books we choose for Maine children, those books created by Maine authors and illustrators, the emergent literacy milestones happening at a given age, free literacy resources, and so much more! We hope you’ll share our website with families in your professional and personal circles as a go-to clearinghouse for literacy information.”
Chat with us!
Maine CDC is interviewing people living with or at risk of HIV. We need information about your needs and experiences to make a 5-year plan for HIV Prevention and Care Services in Maine. We want to know what people think is working and what is not working with HIV prevention and care services. All interviews will be anonymous. Your name and details that identify you will not be included in the plan. Interviews can happen via an online meeting, a telephone meeting, or in-person at our office, your home, or a neutral private location near where you live. Interviews will be held in April and May. If you would like to participate, send an email to Alyssa.Farmer@maine.gov. As a thank you, community members will receive a $50 food card for their time. If you have any additional questions, please call Alyssa Farmer at 207-592-3983 or 207-287-7395.