Photo courtesy of the Dodo.com – for Animal People
Happy Wednesday!
New this week:
Hospice Volunteer Training
Downeast Hospice Volunteers invites you to attend our 6-day hospice volunteer training on June 16, 17, 23, 24, 28, 29 from 10 am — 3 pm (must attend all days) at Down East Community Hospital. COVID-19 restrictions apply. Download a flyer to share. Registration and pre-interview required. Gas cards available. Learn more here or call 454-7521 ext. 126, email downeasthospice@yahoo.com.
Suicide Prevention: Care for Caregivers & Veterans
The VA Maine Healthcare System invites you to save the date of June 8th for their annual Caregiver Support Summit. The theme this year is Suicide Prevention: Care for Caregivers & Veterans. We are pleased to bring you some great speakers this year, including: Tracy Charette, PMHNP-BC, Suicide Prevention Coordinator; Dr. Susan Hage, Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; and Dr. Audrey Johnson, VA Whole Health Psychologist. This event will be via WEBEX from 8 am – 12 pm. Due to the short time frame and upcoming holiday, please RSVP by Wednesday, May 25th to Tammy Holman, General Caregiver Support Program Coordinator (Tammy.Holman@va.gov or 207-623-8411 x7987) with the name of your representative and their contact information. Community partners, VA partners, or anyone interested is welcome to attend. See invitation for agenda and other details.
Family Outdoor Fun
Maine Families Community Connections is hosting several walks this month (see flyer for details). Come join us in exploring some fun outdoor spaces with your children.
Group Plans June 4 Hike and Talk
Youth Maine Recovery Advocacy Project (ME-RAP) and Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Partnerships for Success are teaming up for a hike on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at Roque Bluffs State Park. The approximately three-mile trail network leads hikers through orchards, fields, and woods bordering the rocky shores of Great Cove and Pond Cove. The chosen route will be determined by the group, and participants are invited to join in a shared picnic lunch, sponsored by Healthy Acadia and Maine Youth Action Network, after the hike. Learn more here, or contact Sara McConnell, Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Partnerships for Success Coordinator, at Sara@HealthyAcadia.org or call 207-255-3741.
Finding Our Way Down East
Finding Our Way Down East is back! Wayfinder Schools’ virtual race gives you the opportunity to virtually race up the coast of Maine from Kittery to Calais. Earn your miles by walking, biking, running, swimming, or paddling in your own community. The best part? You can support Wayfinder Schools along the way by collecting donations from your friends and family. This year we are honored to be a Maine Marathon non-profit beneficiary. What better way to put all those training miles to good use than by logging them in our Finding Our Way Down East race and supporting Wayfinder Schools along the way! If you are not looking to train for a marathon this summer, have no fear. We also have monthly 65k and 22k virtual races to choose from. For more information on all of our races, click here. We hope you join us this summer, and thank you for your support!
ZERO TO THREE Fellowship 2022-2024
Are you a champion for babies? Do you aspire to be an innovative, transformative leader? Do you have an aspirational vision that can change the world for infants and toddlers? ZERO TO THREE is currently seeking early and mid-career leaders for our 2022-24 class who reflect the broad diversity of the infant-family field and are passionate about advancing the well-being of young children and their families. Think of Fellowship as an opportunity to supercharge your career and your work. And among numerous other benefits, Fellows will also receive an invitation to attend our in-person portion of our Annual Conference this December in San Diego. The ZERO TO THREE Fellowship application period is Monday, May 2, 2022 thru Monday, June 13, 2022. Learn more here. If you have any questions, please contact Lynette Aytch, PsyD at laytch@zerotothree.org, or call (202) 857-2967.
UMaine Extension hosts interactive Maine plant sales map
May and early June mark the planting season in Maine gardens, and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteers program is again hosting an interactive plant sales map. The 2022 Spring Plant Sale Fundraisers in Maine map listings are alphabetical by date. Find more information about the map and how to add a group’s sale to it on the map webpage. Another timely resource is the UMaine Extension publication “Best Practices for Plant Sale Donors and Buyers in Maine,” available for free download. Being an informed plant sale donor or buyer helps raise funds for organizations, and it means getting the right plant for the right spot in a garden and avoiding future problems. More information is available on the UMaine Extension Garden and Yard website, or by contacting 207-581-8211 or lynne.holland@maine.edu.
FFD Pilot Program
Family Futures Downeast will be accepting a limited number of parents with children ages 8-18. Apply or find more information at www.familyfuturesdowneast.org. Call or text (207) 812-2005, email – acox@sunrisecounty.org or message us on Facebook and Instagram! Download a flyer to share.
Healthy Acadia is Hiring
Healthy Acadia has several positions open, including a new Community Equity Coordinator position that we are seeking to fill. Healthy Acadia has been hard at work examining our internal DEI (Diversity/Equity/Inclusion) lens and this position is one more step in a great direction. We are particularly looking for a person who is fluent in Spanish. All position descriptions can be found here. Please share widely!
The Caregiver’s Guide to Caring for Someone With Depression
As difficult as it is to experience depression, it can be just as challenging to watch someone you care about who is struggling with this mental illness. Being a caregiver for someone with depression requires knowing how to provide both emotional and physical support. And if you’re new to the role, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. To help you get started, here’s a guide full of expert-backed tips. Talking about mental illness can be uncomfortable, so it’s important that you create a safe space for someone who is depressed to open up. Read full article. (From: Parade | Published: May 6, 2022)