Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The University of Maine at Machias, in partnership with the NextStep Domestic Violence Project, will be holding events throughout October that raise awareness about domestic violence.

• Starting Oct. 1 and continuing through the month, the Clothesline Project will be displayed in Merrill Library. The project bears witness to people who have experienced different types of violence through a clothesline filled with shirts decorated by the survivor or someone who cares about them in ways that represent a particular person’s experience.
• On Oct. 10, there will be a Domestic Violence Awareness Walk throughout town starting at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Performing Arts Center. The walk will end at the foot of College Hill at the Domestic Violence Memorial tree, where a candlelight vigil will follow. Participants can share their thoughts and reflect on their direct or indirect experiences with domestic violence, and are also invited to wear T-shirts or make signs in support of domestic violence awareness.

Both events are open to the public. For more information about these events or to request reasonable accommodation, call 207-255-1343.  Learn more here.

You’re invited to our Community Dinner & Game Night at Cobscook Institute on Monday, October 7th, from 5 – 7 pm! This all-ages event is a wonderful opportunity to gather with family and friends for a delicious home-cooked meal featuring garden-fresh ingredients sourced from our local community. Enjoy the flavors of our region while connecting with others over a variety of games. We’ll provide some board games, but feel free to bring your own favorites to share!  This event is free, though donations are appreciated, and drop-ins are welcome! Be sure to check our website for any updates or cancellations. If you’re interested in volunteering to help make this event a success, please reach out to Beana Hopkins. We can’t wait to see you there for a fun-filled evening of food and games.

Join us for our educational workshops & parent support groups.  All support groups and workshops are held virtually, and some may be both virtual and location specific. Our next workshop is on October 7, 2024. Please see the fall quarterly workshops/events flyer and visit https://gearparentnetwork.org/events/ to view more of the workshop descriptions, as well as register for workshops and support groups. Workshops are not recorded in order to safeguard the personal information shared by participants related to the topics during these interactive trainings.

October 4, 8 – 9 am: Got a never-ending To Do list? Constantly thinking of new, different, more things to try? Always adding new tasks and ideas without considering what to eliminate? We often overwhelm ourselves with “more” and overlook the power of “less” in boosting productivity and efficiency.  We’ll focus our conversation on why that is easier said than done, why we constantly add, but rarely SUBTRACT.  We’ll use some of the basic strategies put forth by Leidy Klotz. Leave the session with possibly one less thing “to do”!  Learn more and register.

For the month of October, the StoryWalk® at Porter Memorial Library in Machias will feature, “Hector Fox and the Giant Quest,” by Astrid Sheckles This lovely picture book, the first in a series written and illustrated by Sheckels, highlights the powers of imagination, friendship, and perseverance. Keep reading.