• The Ellsworth American
• Fellows, Kee, Tymoczko, and Pierson
• Fretz Design
• Healthy Acadia
• Industrial Packing
• Island Flowers
• Island Pool & Spa
• J.R. Crooker Insurance Agency
• Landmark Properties
• Sundial Framing & Photography
• TLC Bookkeeping
• Two Rivers Realty
• Wahl's Dairy Port
• Seaboard Federal Credit Union
• Dental Associates
• Orland House

I also send out a heartfelt thank you to the board--Andy Lacher, Roxanne Jobe, Leon Seymour, Cynthia Kimball, Kathy Coogan, Alvion Kimball, Larry Wahl, Gay Dion, Jeremy Daigle, Rich Rotella, and David Roy. I congratulate and welcome Mark Eastman and Jen Tyne, the newest additions to our fantastic Board. 

I also warmly thank my "dream team," Alecia Smith and Naomi Graychase. I cannot--and do not--do this job alone and I am grateful for Alecia and Naomi every single day. 

I also want to thank everyone for the round of applause they gave me. I was humbled and I feel very fortunate to work with-- and for--this great community.

And last, but not least! I congratulate our 2014 Award Winners

• New Business of the Year: Carrier's Mainely Lobster
• Nonprofit of the Year: RSU 25 Adult & Community Education
• Business Person of the Year: Lynn Musetti & Theresa Allen
• Hans Honders Award for Community Service: Polly Bayer-Lally
• Chamber Volunteer of the Year: Christopher Grindle
• Super Supporter: Larry Wahl
• Long-Standing Chamber Member: Tom Goodman

• A $5 donation nets you a free small popcorn at your next trip to the Alamo
• $10 gets you a complimentary medium Alamo Theatre popcorn, plus a chance to win two tickets to any one 2014 concert at Darling's Waterfront Pavilion
• A $15 donation gets you a large Alamo Theatre popcorn, plus a chance to win two tickets to any one 2014 concert at Darling's Waterfront Pavilion
• $25 will earn you a Projectionist Special, two drinks and a large popcorn. PLUS plus a chance to win two tickets to any one 2014 concert at Darling's Waterfront Pavilion.
• $50 gets you two movie tickets, a large popcorn, and a chance to win two tickets to any one 2014 concert at Darling's Waterfront Pavilion
• $100 gets you two Alamo tickets, a Projectionist Special, and a chance to win two tickets to any one 2014 concert at Darling's Waterfront Pavilion
• $1,000 gets you movie tickets, popcorn and drinks for four, plus four guaranteed tickets and four VIP passes to any one concert at the Darling's Waterfront Pavilion

The Stockton Springs Community Library presents another talk in its popular Armchair Adventure Series.

Ruth Lind, an expert hot air balloonist and local resident, will present "Two Women Explore the Inside of a Supercell Thunderstorm in a Wicker Basket" on Sunday, March 30th at 2:00 PM. Everyone can share in this exciting adventure from the safety of a library chair.

Launching on a calm October evening from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ruth Lind and Carol Rymer Davis intended to land their helium-filled balloon in Maine four days later. But in the warm and steamy skies over West Texas, a rapidly developing supercell thunderstorm had other plans for the two grandmothers. Thunder, lightning, hail, rain and prayer filled their basket, and after a wild ride down to earth and a shocking landing, they found they were definitely NOT in Oz.

Ruth started flying hot air balloons in 1979 on the rocky coast of Maine. In 1987 she was named editor of Ballooning, the Journal of the Balloon Federation of America. As a commercial balloon pilot and editor of the magazine, she has flown hot air balloons all over the world. In 1989, Ruth added gas balloons to her pilot's license.

Ruth describes the experience of participating in the America's Challenge:

"The America's Challenge offers gas balloon pilots in the United States a chance to qualify for the world's most prestigious and oldest aviation competition, the Coupe Gordon Bennett. Rules for both races are simple: launch from the same place at the same time with the same volume of gas, and fly as far as you can. The team that covers the most distance wins. The winning Gordon Bennett team brings the following year's race back to the winner's home country. In September, 2004, Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis won the Gordon Bennett, flying 30-plus hours over the Baltic Sea in the rain and landing in Sweden, above the Arctic Circle. The America's Challenge race launches out of Albuquerque, New Mexico during the giant Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta."

Come to the Stockton Springs Community Library to enjoy Ruth Lind's stories and images. All are welcome and light refreshments will be served. Come early if you want a seat! Our last event was standing room only. For more information visit www.stocktonspringslibrary.org.

Photo courtesy of Ruth Lind

Healthy Acadia, a community health coalition serving Hancock and Washington Counties (and Chamber member), announced recently that Denise Black has joined their staff as Drug Free Communities Project Coordinator.

In a press release, Healthy Acadia said that Denise is responsible for coordinating Healthy Acadia's Drug Free Communities Grant, "an initiative that empowers community participation to support and engage youth and prevent substance abuse across Hancock County."

Denise's previous experience includes serving as the Director for the Blue Hill-based Healthy Peninsula program, where she led the development of programming and the implementation of community health improvement priorities and strategic objectives. Denise has also been active in the Healthy Acadia Coalition, serving on the Coalition's Advisory Council.

A Hancock County Drug Free Communities Coalition meeting is scheduled on Monday, March 31st at the Ellsworth City Hall auditorium. For more information or to get involved, please contact Denise at 667-7171 ordenise@healthyacadia.org.

Drug Free Communities is a federally funded initiative through the Office of National Drug Control Policy and theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Healthy Acadia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that has been working across the region for the past 13 years. Healthy Acadia serves as the Healthy Maine Partnership for Hancock County, coordinating community health services. The coalition creates lasting improvements to the health of communities across Downeast Acadia by connecting individuals with health supports, building partnerships, coordinating education and prevention services, and improving policies and environments.

Among the races sponsors are Chamber members BookStacks and Ocean's Edge Realty.

What: Free, evidence-based substance abuse prevention trainings and presentations for area health and service providers

Where:  Ellsworth City Hall, Auditorium

When:  April 9, 2014

Time:  10:00am - 5:20pm (three 20 minute presentations and trainings will be repeated four times throughout the day. Link to complete schedule on Healthy Acadia's website: www.healthyacadia.org)

Healthy Acadia, a community health coalition and Healthy Maine Partnership serving the Downeast Acadia region, is excited to sponsor a "Provider Day," on April 9, 2014 at the Ellsworth's City Hall Auditorium. Healthy Acadia staff will be offering three different 20-minute trainings and presentations on substance abuse prevention geared toward area health and service providers. These sessions will be repeated throughout the day, from 10:00 am to 5:20 pm. Providers may attend any or all of the three sessions at any time during the day, as best meets their needs and availability. All trainings and presentations are offered at no cost. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided. 

"These trainings and presentations can give providers valuable tools and information to best serve clients and help prevent substance abuse. We're looking forward to working with area providers to support our community members and build healthier communities," stated Elizabeth Lyles of Healthy Acadia. "These presentations can also be tailored and held at individual organizations or providers' offices at a future date."

Staff will offer three sessions. The Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) training will inform health providers and medical personnel of changes, updates, and best practices in the program. The PMP gives providers comprehensive information on the prescription drugs prescribed to their patients. Through this information, providers can ensure that patients receive the care and treatment they need, while preventing over-prescribing that can lead to misuse and abuse. 

The Screening Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) training is for medical providers and community organizations. Staff will provide training on the SBIRT tool, which can be used to identify substance misuse or potentially risky behaviors, and direct patients to resources for treatment.

Finally, staff will offer a presentation on "Marijuana: Impact on the Brain, the Body, the Future." This presentation will inform community organizations, community members, and healthcare professionals about the risks of youth marijuana use and provide resources for prevention.

Please contact Elizabeth at 667-7171 or elizabeth@healthyacadia.org to RSVP for the Provider Day, to get more information, or for any questions.

This March, Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport will launch the Maine Boatbuilding Forum, a monthly conversation with boat builders about the "how" and "why" of the boats they build. The forums will also examine ideas, trends, and controversies in the boating world. 

Maine Coastal News publisher Jon Johansen will serve as moderator.    

The second forum will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2014 at 7pm.

Topic: Small Wooden Boats

Featuring: boat builders Dale Cottrell, Greg Rossel, Richard Stanley, Chris Stickney and others

Join the small boat builders of Penobscot Bay who create the craft that allow us enjoy a day of rowing and sailing, and trailer it home at the end of the day. Expect a lively discussion of updated designs versus staying true to tradition, power tools versus hand tools and how to walk away with the boat of your dreams.

The third forum will be:

Thursday, May 8, 2014 at 7pm

Topic: Boat Builders of Mount Desert Island

Featuring: boat buildersRichard Helmke, Richard and Ralph Stanley and others

Mount Desert Island is home to high-end yacht builders, lobster boat builders, and traditional sloop builders. Join us for a discussion of how a 108 mile square island's boat designers can cater to the summer residents, the lobstermen and commercial fishermen still plying the waters just offshore, and everyone in between.

The talks will be at the Penobscot Marine Museum's Main Street Gallery, Route One,  Searsport, Maine.  Tickets are $8 members and $10 non-members.  For more information go to www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org or call 207-548-2529 or 0334.

EPIC Maine (Exploring Pathways to Industries & Careers), a career exploration event for young people (ages 16-24) will be happening on the campus of Eastern Maine Community College in the middle of a weekday (Thursday, April 24th from 10-3). 

 You can find more details at www.epicmaine.net or download this flyer (.pdf).

A free webinar is available about how to achieve greater success in hiring National Guard members and other veterans.

You can view it here: http://www.CenterForAmerica.org/webinar.html    

No registration is necessary to view the webinar.

This 50-minute video features Stacy Bayton and Erin Voirol. In 2013, their nonprofit organizations placed more than 3,700 veterans and Guard members with employers.  

The goal of the webinar is to help employers and HR managers avoid common mistakes that often prevent opportunities to hire qualified veterans from coming to fruition. Stacy and Erin provide many expert tips that will help increase the chances for successful hiring. There are 11 slides that appear automatically in sync with the oral presentation.

The 2014 Bucksport Bay Festival in July will have a Forest Products theme. The Maine Forest Products Council is enthusiastic about the event and is reaching out to its members to provide educational exhibits during the event.

Displays may cover some or all of these topics:

o   Forest Land Ownership and Forestry

o   Logging and Timber Harvesting

o   Pulp and Paper

o   Sawmills and Lumber Production

o   OSB Panels and Boards

o   Biomass Energy

o   Wood Pellets

And Verso is planning to offer tours of the mill to festival guests.

Since 1962, the Maine Federation of Business and Professional Women aka Business and Professional Women/ME has been helping women achieve economic self-sufficiency by awarding scholarships to outstanding and deserving women. 

Recipients of these scholarships have gone on to take their place in the ranks of working women who contribute to the economic well being of their families and the State of Maine.

In 1987, the BPW/Maine Futurama Foundation was established to provide an ongoing endowment to ensure the continued availability of scholarships. The Foundation is a 501(c) ( 3) organization. 

BPW/Maine Futurama Foundation offers six scholarships annual with support of BPW/Maine. Please visit our sister organization's web page at (http://www.bpwmefoundation.org/) for applications and information on the scholarships.