Last month we previewed the Colonial Theatre’s first storytelling event: Salted Tales: Stories from the Sea held on March 23. (View the story here.) There were many things going on that weekend, so if you missed it, today is your chance to hear the stories on the radio. Part 1 airs today on WERU 89.9 FM and 99.9 Bangor at 10 a.m. Part 2 will air May 15. Check www.weru.org for more information.

This weekend has a little mix of everything; outdoor fun, dress up pretend singing, urban comedy, PechaKucha and more. Time to bloom, people.

Eat More (and a little more) Cheese

Friday, April 17 — Eat More Cheese, Belfast

Updated: Their Facebook post is slightly confusing and if you walk in, they can provide samples of cheese and a bit of prosecco upon request, but their main “tasting” of cheeses with wines is actually happening Tuesday, April 21 at 5 p.m.

If your idea of a completely fab afternoon is sampling imported cheeses and sipping on wine as someone hands you a chocolate cupcake — get in line behind me. Belfast’s Eat More Cheese is celebrating their third anniversary by serving their customers some lovely eats and treats. Moonbat City Baking Co. is whipping up some special treats, using cheese from their shop. There will be Gruyère and chive biscuits, as well as chocolate cupcakes with mascarpone and cream cheese frosting. They’ll also be passing out samples of some of their favorite wines, including a nice bubbly. After all, what party would be complete without some fizz? The festivities will begin at noon and continue until 5 p.m.

PechaKucha Night

Friday, April 17 — Lincoln Street Center, Rockland

Ever wanted to know what it’s like to get hip-checked on roller skates? “Mad Madam Mim,” aka Manette Pottle, a derby girl with Rock Coast Rollers, will be one of eight dynamic presenters lighting up the stage at Lincoln Street Center for the April PechaKucha Night. This is always a good time, a mind opener and a fascinating look at how certain artists, craftspeople and general movers and shakers in our community spend their creative time. Also presenting that night will be Kate McAleer, owner of Bixby Bars (who just won 2015 Young Entrepreneur of the Year — way to go lady!); Johannah Blackman, an organic farmer, Teresa Carey, sailor, writer, ocean advocate; Kevin Strong, founder of Dunk the Junk; Karen Talbot, artist; Geoffrey Warner, furniture maker; and Sandy Weisman, artist and owner of 26 Split Rock Cove. The emcee of the night will be Island Institute jokester and storyteller Scott Sell. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Presentations begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Ballad Of Milli Vanilli Lip-Sync Contest 

Saturday, April 18 Trackside Station, Rockland

You know you do it. You’re sitting in your car and a song from the 1970s comes on and you’re belting out the lyrics at the top of your lungs until you roll to a stop and see that guy from the gym beside you, laughing, because he caught you. Well, the Rock Coast Rollers derby girls have your back for their third annual Ballad of Milli Vanilli Contest (named after the infamous 1980s musical duo who got caught lip-synching their entire album). This is not karaoke (actual singing), but rather lip-syncing (pretend singing) as party goers fake-sing their hearts out to cheesy songs for the crowd’s entertainment — complete with over-the-top costumes. See our article about it last year. Cost: $8; plus $5 per song to complete. Sign up at signupgenius.com. There will be prizes for Most Daring, Best Costume, Best Choreography, Best Solo and Best Group; as well as audience voting with cash for Crowd Favorite. Show starts at 8 p.m. at Trackside Station.

The “Urban Don Rickles” Comes To Rockland

Saturday, April 18 The Strand Theatre, Rockland

When the real Don Rickles likes your comedy chops, you know you’ve made it. Comedian Earl David Reed takes the stage at the Strand Theatre Saturday night and the audience better be ready. A standup comedian for 15 years, he has performed at more than 100 comedy clubs and colleges, and is a favorite in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. His TV credits include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, HBO, Showtime, FOX's Comic Strip Live, A&E's Comedy on the Road and NBC's Friday Night Videos. Tickets are $20 (for 18 and over) and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. FMI: Earl David Reed

Killer Road Trip: Acadia Free Day

Saturday/Sunday, April 18/19 Acadia National Park

Perhaps you haven’t heard the not-so-great news, but on May 1, Acadia National Park will raise their entrance fees to $25 per vehicle even if you only wanted to do a day trip. (There are no single-day fee structures; this fee is valid for seven days). However, for the weekend of April 18 and 19, the park is waiving the fee to commemorate the first weekend of National Park Week. See more info about it in The Wave’s “Road Trip: Five escapades to take this spring.”


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

The enormously popular Humans of New York Facebook page tells stories of thousands of people (all anonymous) from all over the world — with just a photo and a caption. With more than 12 million fans of the page, each day we are treated to a glimpse into someone’s life. Today, a woman was quoted about her fond memories of a Maine summer camp so long ago.

In this brief Q&A with the photographer, Brandon Stanton, she said: “Back in the 1930s, I used to go to summer camp in Maine. Those were the happiest days of my life. There was a great freedom. I rode horseback, walked in the woods, went swimming, made new friends.”

He then asked, “What was your happiest moment at camp?”

“One time I won a tennis match and got 50 points for my team. The whole camp was divided into two teams: Green and Tan. And we competed all summer long to see which team could get the most points. And 50 points was a really big deal! To give some perspective — you’d only get 10 points for riding on the gunnel of a canoe.”

This little vignette made us want to ask our readers: What are some of your fondest memories of summer camp in Maine?

Contact us below or post your answer on our Facebook page; we may contact you for to be included in our upcoming summer issue of The Wave.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Anybody know where this gas station used to be located and the era?

Those who guessed the Camden Yacht Club for last week’s Throwback Thursday photo were correct!

So we don’t give it away, the provider of this week’s photo will be revealed next week!


Send your Throwback Thursday photos to news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN — The year was 1995, Camden, Maine. On any given weekend night, the Sea Dog or Gilbert’s Publick House were the places to be. Celebrated singer-songwriter Jason Spooner was 21 at the time, having just graduated from Colby College. A Connecticut native, he decided to move to Camden to live with several roommates who attended the the former Film and Television Workshops. Spooner, who’d played in bands all through high school and graduated with a degree in performing arts and Spanish with a minor in sociology, was pretty sure he wanted to be a musician, but like most 20-somethings, he wasn’t quite sure how to go about making it work full time in a place where everyone his age had to have several jobs just to pay the rent.

"I lived in this little lake house on Megunticook Lake for two years," he said. "At that age, I was naturally figuring out how to get started. Camden was the first place I'd ever lived year-round out of school. I'll never forget that lake and how it anchored a soul-searching time for me. It was a great place to write. I really took advantage of the beauty of the area and a lot of the songs from my first album were written during my time there.”

Spooner kept plugging.

“I kept trying to finagle ways to continue working as a musician and play gigs,” he said.

He was fortunate at the time to have a fall-back job working for record label located in Waterville, Deluge Entertainment, which taught him how to book bands, marketing and publicity, artist management and studio work — skills that would eventually help him form his own successful band. 

“After a couple of quiet winters though in Camden, it became clear that a city would be the first lily pad I'd need to jump to,” he said.

In the late 1990s, complete with an album’s worth of songs under his belt and a desire to form a band that could start performing in clubs regularly, Spooner moved to Portland where he formed The Jason Spooner Trio.

Nearly two decades later and with four albums under their belt, the band added one more member and decided to leave Portland and relocate back to Camden for the winter of 2014.

“The reason that I left the Midcoast several years back ultimately became the same reason that I returned... simple peace and quiet,” Spooner said. “It’s easy to get lost in the distractions of the city. Life on the coast is simpler and it breeds clarity and focus. It’s a place where you can be left alone with your thoughts, something that is becoming harder and harder to make time for in the era we live in.”

It so happened that in looking for a a Maine studio to record their fifth album chemical, Camden’s technologically advanced studio HEARSTUDIOS came across Spooner’s radar.  The owner and head engineer of HEARSTUDIOS, Jason Hearst happened to be a Colby alumnus and dorm acquaintance of Spooner’s.

“Being there 24/7 and living in the studio’s band house [right next door] made it very seamless and cohesive,” he said. “We could experiment in the studio, track late, talk about the tunes as a group after the sessions over dinner and then get up early, talk more over breakfast and start fresh in the studio... fully focused on the songs and the project. The lack of distraction was unprecedented and we really worked as a team by being focused.”

The Jason Spooner Band’s signature sound appeals to a wide range of audiences, blending a variety of musical influences and flavors into a cohesive, energetic and listenable experience with Roots Rock, Americana, blues, folk and groove-oriented jazz, with some elements of reggae and soul. In addition to glowing recent press in High Times Magazine and USA Today, the band was named one of Relix Magazine's coveted "On The Verge — Bands you should know."

Spooner will share the stage with another prolific and celebrated recording artists Seth Glier at the Strand Theatre in Rockland April 11 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $15/Advance, $18/Day of Show, General Admission. The Strand lobby and balcony bars are open for all concerts for 21+. To buy tickets, or for more information about all upcoming live concerts, films, HD broadcasts, and events at the Strand, visit www.rocklandstrand.com. Tel: (207) 594-0070


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Like a crocus shoving its way through the frozen soil, we are forcing spring to happen this weekend. It’s happening. Grill out, enjoy some great bands or take a spring road trip. We see you spring. Quit hiding.

Weiners and Wine

Thursday, April 9 — Vinolio, Belfast

The question isn't "Why weiners and wine?" The question is "Why wouldn't you pair them?" Vinolio, an artisinal olive oil and vinegar shop, is pairing up with The Moody Dog, Belfast’s gourmet hot dog stand, to offer a free wine and hot dog tasting at Vinolio’s Belfast location (74 Main St.) from 5 to 7 p.m. Along with samples of their sushi dog, a tomato, basil and mozzarella dog, and a classic style dog with all The Moody Dog condiments, they will be offering wines for tasting as well. We’re going to force spring to make an appearance by grilling out. See you there!

Dancing with the Local Stars

Friday, April 10 — Camden Opera House, Camden

Put down the clicker. Better than a reality show, the seventh annual Dancing with the Local Stars is a hyper reality show starring people you work with and interact with every day. Held at the Camden Opera House, professional dancers from Swing & Sway Dancing and Kinetic Energy Alive this season will pair up with locals Ben Curtis, Polly Saltonstall, Heather Hearst, Matt Bixby, Owen Casas, Betsy Kingsley, Craig Ouellette, Erin Ovalle and Lucinda Ziesing. Together they will will waltz, jive, foxtrot, tango, hip hop and swing on stage, wowing the audience and supporting the Wayfinder Schools. Don’t forget the after party at The Smokestack Grill with DJ Terry Frank. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 and under, with prime seating available for $50. Tickets are available at HAVII in Camden and online at wayfinderschools.org. To see a Sneak Peek of what to expect, click here.

Singer-songwriters Jason Spooner and Seth Glier

Saturday, April 11 — Strand Theatre, Rockland

Recording artists Seth Glier and the Jason Spooner Band take the stage on a double bill bringing their own blend of Americana, folk, blues, pop and soul to live performances. Glier, who scored a Grammy nomination, has shared the stage with James Taylor, Ani DiFranco, Martin Sexton, Emmylou Harris and Ryan Adams. And Spooner, having kick-started his musical career in Camden, has come back two decades later to showcase his particular brand of roots rock, Americana, blues, folk and groove-oriented jazz. He has performed with B.B. King, John Mayer, Jackson Browne, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Ray LaMontagne, Susan Tedeschi, Jackie Greene, G. Love, Guster and Blues Traveler. No doubt they both will deliver an energetic performance. Tickets: $15/advance, $18/day of show, general admission. The Strand lobby and balcony bars are open for all concerts for 21+. To buy tickets, visit rocklandstrand.com or call 594-0070.

Twelve Artists: 24 Hours

Saturday, April 11 — CMCA, Rockport

Every couple of years, a certain group of young artists have gotten together, stayed up all night, drinking coffee, and transformed a huge pile of junk and turned it into amazing, artworks by morning. Well, it’s happening again. Resisting Entropy III is taking place at CMCA this weekend. The event is an exercise in creating collaboratively within a condensed timeframe and shared space. The participating artists (David Allen, Alan Clark, Jared Cowan, Bethany Engstrom, Andy Hamm, Alexis Iammarino, Siglinde Langholz, Eric Leppanen, Cristin Millet, Trelawney O’Brien, Jennifer Wilkey, and Andrew White) begin at noon on Friday, confronted with a sizeable heap of discarded and junked materials, and, over the next 24 hours, live and work together to transform the pile into unique and unpredictable artworks. The opening reception will be from 7-9 p.m.

Killer Road Trip: MAMM SLAM Battle of The Bands

Saturday, April 11 — Bayside Bowl, Portland

If the sold-out Trekkapalooza show in Rockland a few weeks ago is any indication of how much Maine supports its teen rock bands, then the MAMM SLAM 2015 Battle of The Bands will be the place to be Saturday night. The Maine Academy of Modern Music hosts this annual event to encourage teen bands and solo performers (singer/songwriters and DJs) to strut their stuff in a public competition. Local Camden band Fading Dawn, which played last year, is back to compete in the preliminary rounds and the finals are May 9 at Asylum in Portland. If they win, they get $1,000, a sponsorship by the Rusty Rocket Foundation, recording time, radio appearances, gigs, a tour of Gateway Mastering, professional marketing direction and scholarships to Maine College of Art of up to $16,000 a year to each band member. The rounds start at 1 p.m. Rock on boys and girls! For information visit MAMM SLAM on Facebook , call 899-3433 or email info@maineacademyofmodernmusic.org.

Dreaming of summer....hold on, it’s coming. In the mean time, this is an easy one. Where and what is it?

Last week’s Throwback Thursday photo got quite a few guesses but the right answer is that it was the WHITEFIN moving on streets of Rockport in front of Union Hall. No date on the era however!

Photo courtesy of Penobscot Marine Museum via Maine Memory Network


Send your Throwback Thursday photos to news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST — You could call it a “farm-to-model” style of fashion. Janita Martinez, a young artist who grew up in New York City and moved to Rockland three years ago, is about to display her unique fashions tonight at the Maine Farmland Trust Gallery as part of its “Bearing Fruit” show.

Her “Fashions In The Raw” are exotic dresses made entirely from plant, root and vegetable material. 

“Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., my mother owned a crafts and fabric shop and my father worked in Manhattan's garment district, so I was surrounded by sewing and cloth,” she said. “We were a blue collar household, but it was normal for us to pick out material and have dresses made for special occasions. One of my favorite memories is going to Manhattan with my father and picking out the light pink fabric for my Marilyn Monroe inspired prom dress. It came very naturally to me to see the colors and textures of overgrown vegetables and envision it on the contours of the body.”

She got her start farming in New Jersey in 2009. She then moved to Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. In 2012, she took over the post at Primo restaurant as the head farmer and spent three seasons there. “I have since left Primo and I am currently starting my own farm and garden design business called Grounded Local Consulting,” she said.

Last year, Primo had a "home grown" art room, where employees (many of whom are also artists) hung work for a six-week showing. Martinez hung six prints during the month of December. And now, she’s ready for her first gallery show at Maine Farmland Trust Gallery.

“I feel ready,” she said. “This has been a six-year long body of work and I am excited to share with a broader audience.”

To see more of Martinez’ art and dresses, visit our galley to see what they are made of.

“Bearing Fruit” showcases four artists in whose work the organic image plays a central role. The show runs April 3–May 8, with an opening reception Friday, April 3, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. For more information visit: mainefarmlandtrustgallery.org


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Jacinda Martinez, a young artist, photographer and farmer from the Midcoast, created exotic dresses made from all sorts of plant and vegetable materials before taking “fashion shoot” photographs of her creations on models. She is one of four artists participating in the Maine Farmland Trust Galley’s “Bearing Fruit Show” opening on April 3 and continuing to May. There is an opening reception on Friday, April 3, 2015 from 5:00-7:30 p.m. For more information visit: www.mainefarmlandtrustgallery.org

 Click on each photo to see what the dress is made from.

All photos courtesy Jacinda Martinez.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

While the Midcoast catches its breath...we’ve got a buffet of art films, comedy and some amazing stage energy, along with two killer road trips to check outthis weekend.

Hey Big Eyes

Friday, April 3 — Strand Theatre, Rockland

Big Eyes, a Tim Burton film, is a must see for any artist or craftsperson. If you missed it on its initial theater run, you can still see it on the big screen. Big Eyes tells the outrageous true story of one of the most epic art frauds in history. In the 1960s, painter Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz) had reached success beyond belief, revolutionizing the commercialization of popular art with enigmatic paintings of waifs with big eyes. The bizarre and shocking truth would eventually be discovered: Walter's works were actually created by his wife, Margaret (Amy Adams). The Keanes, it seemed, had been living a colossal lie that had fooled the entire world. This film is a collaboration between the Farnsworth Art Museum and the Strand Theatre to focus on artists and the visual arts, with a brief discussion following the screening. Tickets are $7.50 for members, $8.50 for non-members and are for sale at the theater’s box office prior to film which starts at 8 p.m.

Ragged Jack Serves Up Rockabilly

Saturday, April 4 — The Speakeasy, Rockland

Ragged Jack is an American roots rockabilly trio; with powerful vocals, unique instrumentation, and astounding stage energy. If you're looking for a swinging rockabilly recipe, with the flavors of rock n' roll, blues, country and bluegrass, this is the band to see Saturday night. $3 cover, 8 p.m.

Old Timey Vaudeville Gets Funny

Saturday, April 4 — Troy A. Howard Middle School, Belfast

While the rest of the country sees spring warmth this weekend, we in the northeast still get the cold hangover, so why not shore up your flagging spirits with a smorgasbord of entertainment by the New Vaudeville Review. Enjoy local, live, original comedy sketches plus poetry by Noah Dudley, music by singer/songwriter Bridget Matros, stories by Jennifer Armstrong and the Phil Clement House Band at Troy A. Howard Middle School, 173 Lincolnville Ave. (Route 52), Belfast. Cost: $12, at the door or in advance at Left Bank Books.

Killer Road Trip: Pillow Fight!

Saturday, April 4 — Monument Square, Portland

This is just sillyand awesome. Portland's third annual Pillow Fight Day is happening from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Everyone meets up in Monument Square for the biggest pillow fight you've ever seen! Bring your pillow, your A-game and don't forget to bring your friends. This is an all-ages event with a cash giveaway. $100 for BEST COSTUME and the theme is Spring/Easter. So... bunnies, chicks, eggs, chocolate... Get creative. Positive energy only. FMI: Pillow Fight

Killer Road Trip: Parrothead Festival

 April 3-5 — Sunday River, Newry

You don’t have to be a Jimmy Buffett fan (or even a skier) to enjoy this blow-out spring festival weekend. It’s so worth the trip to get out of your winter funk and into  tropical rock bands, margarita mix-offs, spam carving and key lime pie eating contests. On Sunday, there’s even adult Easter egg hunts. Bring some friends and stay the night. FMI: Parrothead Weekend


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

C’mon, you know this one. What era do you think? What about the boat? (Look at the clues).

There was a lot of interest in last week’s Throwback Thursday photo (I love 1980s photos). In case it wasn’t obvious, it was the El Tico Taco Mexican Restaurant on the corner of South Main and Park. One great reader comment came from Sara Lyn Honkonen: I think I spent the first four years of my life in this joint. My Grammy was a waitress here and would always give me the neatest sombreros.

Photo courtesy Penobscot Marine Museum


Send your Throwback Thursday photos to news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN — The staff of Penobscot Bay Pilot got really excited to learn that there was going to be a new Korean barbecue joint opening this spring through a succulent photo shared by Charlie S. White Jr. on the Restaurant Reviews for Midcoast Maine Facebook page. Wolffie was all set to do the story, and we were scheduling the night out.

{Buzzer sound} April Fool’s.

Here are a few other April Fool’s pranks floating around the interwebs today from local businesses.


Archangel Computers

We are excited to announce the opening of our fourth store, conveniently located in beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico - only a six-hour flight away!

(Hours in the new location will be sporadic, as we will probably be far too busy enjoying the sunshine and beaches).


Rockport Fire Department

The Rockport Fire Department is pleased to announce its newest fire truck has arrived!


Schooner Isaac H. Evans

Happy April! Today is the first official day of spring outfitting, and we think it's also the perfect day to reveal our biggest winter project.

After months of negotiations, we are proud to announce our new corporate sponsorship! There are some huge expenses each year in maintaining and operating a 129-year-old National Historic Landmark (over $20,000 in insurance costs, for example), and this new partnering will defray many of those costs, as well as provide funding for some improvements that have not been possible until now. We think our new sponsor is just the right match for us, and we're sure you'll agree, because...We've got Moxie!


The Strand Theatre

World Federation Wrestling is coming to The Strand??? All right!!


Belfast Historical Society and Museum

Wednesday, April 1 has been designated Belfast Community Hawaiian Day! Join us to celebrate the arrival of spring and say goodbye to this long winter by donning shorts, flip flops, flowered shirts, grass skirts and other Hawaiian-inspired attire - TODAY at 4 p.m. Main Street will be closed to vehicular traffic downtown (surf boards permitted!) for a half hour of hula-dancing, hula-hooping and music. Tropical leis and popsicles will be distributed to participants. Capturing this Hawaiian moment with cameras is encouraged.

[Update: we called them to see if this was real and were told it wasn’t on the calendar. But, just now we received an email that it is happening! It’s real.]


 

Maine's governor LePage has announced today a new proposal to raise the state income tax for horror fiction writers who make more than one million dollars a year and live in Bangor to 50%.




AUGUSTA, MAINE –In a bold policy turnaround, Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) today announced the forthcoming installation of a 21 kilowatt solar electric array on the roof of the historic Blaine House, home of Maine Governors.

Email us if you see any other good ones around on social media at news@penbaypilot.com

 

CAMDEN — The kids were told they were going to a school spirit assembly on a Friday mid-morning. Only a little white lie had been built in, given that it was National Fitness Day, which would explain why all the teachers were wearing exercise clothes in school.

Suddenly, as about 20 teachers from Camden-Rockport Middle School came out on the auditorium floor wearing T-shirts with the words “Got Nice?’ on the front, Bruno Mars’ popular dance hit Uptown Funk came blaring through the speakers and just like that — a typical assembly was transformed as the teachers broke out into a coordinated group dance.

Anyone who has checked social media over the weekend has probably seen this video of the C-RMS teachers dancing — a video that now has more than 27,000 views on Facebook. [Note: due to Facebook’s copyright laws regarding the song, it can’t be embedded into this story, but you can see the entire thing without even having a Facebook account by clicking here.]

C-RMS School Nurse Kristin Nelson said she wanted to shake things up for the “Schooner Assembly” on Friday, March 20.

“In the past we’ve done a few staff wellness activities like yoga, but it hasn’t really been well attended,” she said. “So, I was thinking, it would be fun to do something the staff could do that the kids would enjoy and I suggested we all do a dance to the Uptown Funk song.”

The staff seemed very receptive to her idea so she called Kea Tesseyman, a local dance instructor, producer, director and choreographer, to help them.

“Kristin called me in December and asked if I could teach a really cool hip hop dance with her staff,” said Tesseyman. ”So she chose the Uptown Funk song, which I already happened to be using in my own instruction.”

The group of teachers trained once a week for two and a half months prior to the performance. “We’d practice at High Mountain Hall after school and we didn’t want to give it away to kids so in school we called it ‘yoga class,’” said Nelson.  “So, if we were in the hallways talking about it, it would be like: ‘Wink, wink, are you going to yoga this afternoon?’”

“Everybody definitely had a different level of dance experience and for some people it was a real stretch and they had to work really hard,” said Nelson. “It helped a lot of teachers understand what it’s like for students to have to work really hard to do something and still maybe not be great at it. The teachers who had to work hard went to extra practice sessions. We sent videos of the dance steps that they could practice at home.”

Even something that was set up as a lark, still had its challenges.

“We wanted to show them that it’s OK to put yourself out there, be goofy, make mistakes, have a little fun,” said Nelson.

“They were really dedicated,” said Tesseyman. “They came in with incredible energy. They were out of their comfort zone, learning moves just like students. What it confirmed to me is what a fantastic staff we have in our school.”

The day of the assembly, students shuffled into the auditorium thinking this would just be another assembly, no big deal, but the teachers were frazzled.

“We were really nervous, really jittery about it,” said Nelson.

Tesseyman’s 11-year-old son, Adrian, a student at C-RMS, was also deliberately kept in the dark. “We had to keep it a secret, so when he saw me at the assembly and the music came on, he ran down from the bleachers and said, ‘Mom, did you do this?’”

You can see from the video that some kids watching the dance were still in a “not sure what is happening” mode while others were on their feet cheering and dancing along. “We definitely had a high going on,” said Nelson. “We felt great about it and loved the reaction from the kids. But, also, it was such a great team building activity for us. I think it came at a really good time, because a lot of us were feeling defeated after the middle school vote didn’t go our way in addition to being in this mid-winter slump. It really helped us get out of that.”

The student reaction to the event then spilled out into the hallways after the assembly. “We got a lot of high fives,” said Nelson. “Kids were coming up to us and saying, ‘I didn’t know you knew how to do that.’ I don’t think kids realize teachers are people too and like to dance, and laugh and have fun, just like them.”

When Tesseyman produces her Power Performance shows, she works to not only ramp up the dancers’ self-confidence, but also to use their mastery of skills to transform an audience. She knew that some of the teachers were taking more of a risk than others to get up there in front of a middle school audience and were afraid of being judged if they didn’t get all of the steps right.

She said, “They were having the same experience all new dancers have, feeling jittery, worrying how it would come off. I was sitting on the sidelines, watching all of the teachers go through all of the moves we’d practiced, and getting this full-body ‘YES.’ I felt really proud of all of them.”

Tesseyman, who was sitting in the audience with the kids, added, “You could tell clearly, by their faces, they already loved their teachers. This whole thing just made me feel, what a great community to live in.’”


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

The Camden Snow Bowl hosted its third annual Cardboard Box Derby this past Saturday March 21. A spitting snowy day made for a slower run down the slopes, but that didn’t stop the Cardboard Warriors. This under-the-radar event has all of the costumes and creativity of the US National Toboggan Races.

The winners of the Cardboard Derby were:

• Most in a Box (10 people) — Compass Rose Preschool

• Most Enthusiastic — Wiscasset Flyer

• Best Costume — Ghost Busters

• Most Creative — St. George's Dragon

• Most Team Spirit — Pecking Penguins

• Exploding Box — The Sharks

• Fastest:
• 1st — Crazy, Cruzin' Cousins
• 2nd — S.S. Christmas Spirit
• 3rd — Slip Sliding Penguin

• Fastest Solo — Mario

Photos courtesy of Emily McDevitt. To see a gallery of all the costumes and cardboard racers click here.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

We’re updating the Weekend Picks format, scrunching it down and providing a quick peek at not-to-miss events each weekend. Away we go!

The Beatles Come To Rockland

Friday, March 27 — Strand Theatre, Rockland

Those crazy kids! This weekend is coming up on the 10th annual Trekkapalooza hosted by the Rockland youth organization Trekkers. This year’s “Battle of the Bands” competition will feature a Beatles theme with six acts. We covered one of the featured bands in this article: Fading Dawn, Keeping it real for the next generation of musicians. It’s such a kick to see kids come up through the ranks exactly the way musicians should: through hard work, used instruments and fearlessness. The event starts at 7 p.m; doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 the day of the event. Reserve tickets now as Trekkapalooza has sold out in the past. Call 207-594-5095 or order at www.trekkers.org.

Hot Pink Flannel’s 6th annual 'Stache Bash

Saturday, March 28 — Trackside Station, Rockland

Saucy party planners Hot Pink Flannel are throwing their sixth annual ‘Stache Bash honoring the art of the mustache. Whether you go with a baby smooth face or rock the Salvador Dali, it doesn’t matter. This hip party is open to all. Dance to the rockin' tunes of Just Teachers at Trackside Station at 9 p.m. This is 21+ event. Cover is $5 at the door. For costume ideas check out last year’s gallery: 'Stache Bash brings out the mustachioed March 29.

Going ‘Overboard’

Saturday, March 28 — Camden Opera House, Camden

Prepare to be electrified. Boston-based vocal band Overboard, known for energetic live shows, is performing at the Camden Opera House. Their music uses no instruments (and you’ll be astounded by the sound) ranging from classics like Amazing Grace to modern pop such as Moves Like Jagger. (See their Justin Timberlake cover video embedded in this story.) An after party for ticket holders will be held at Natalie’s where the crowd can mingle with the performers and enjoy a specialty cocktail. Tickets for the public performance Saturday night are $25 for adults; under 25 years, $10, and  can be purchased at Bay Chamber Concerts or at the door of the Camden Opera House. The concert starts at 7 p.m. Read more of the story here.

Salty storytelling of hijinks on the high seas

Sunday, March 29 — Colonial Theatre, Belfast

Inspired by the Moth Radio Hour, where people entrance an audience with real stories, the Colonial Theatre will host the first Salted Tales: Stories from the Sea told live from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Rest assured, these won’t be yachtie anecdotes. Prepare to hear from a man who was on a burning aircraft carrier and survived when 45 others perished. Another storyteller will recall how he was captured by Somali pirates and rescued by British officials. Serious stuff! Read more of the story here. Refreshments will be available at intermission. Admission is $5; Penobscot Marine Museum members are free.

Short Film Festival, all Maine made

 Sunday, March 29 — Strand Theatre, Rockland

Shorts. We’re not talking about real Maine men who walk around in 14-degree weather with canvas shorts and a sweatshirt (although that should be a story in itself) we’re talking about the 2015 Maine Short Film Festival, which is finally coming to Rockland after criss-crossing on a theatrical tour all over the state. Read more of the story here. The 90-minute event features half hour or shorter films by all Maine filmmakers. Midcoast Mainers will be treated to Deux Ex Machina, by Seth Campbell Brown, which once premiered at the Camden International Film Festival, featuring local Jack Churchill and his trials and triumphs in building a steampunk motorcycle. To find out the premise of all nine films visit www.mainefilm.org. The cost is $8 per person and the event starts at 3 p.m.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

At Breakwater Farms we’ve recently started beekeeping and making mead from the honey.  I took some frames off my hive earlier this week and extracted the honey. It’s essentially a two-step process. 

But going back to the first part, what you have to do first is take a frame out of the hive. On it will be all of this honeycomb. Some of it will be open and some of it will be capped, which are like little natural wax corks to preserve each honey cell from fermenting or spoiling.

You then take a special long, heated knife and draw it across the outer edge of the frame, which is the outer layer of the honeycomb, to cut off the caps and open the cells. That’s necessary because if the caps are not punctured nothing will come out when you try to extract honey from the frame. Meadmakers usually have a honey extractor, which is essentially a hand-cranked metal drum with a glass top so you can see down to the bottom of the drum. Mine fits three frames and I just crank it while it spins like a washer machine on “spin” cycle. The centrufigal forces the honey out of the comb and down to the bottom of the drum.

When you’re done, you open the spigot and let the raw honey run into a filtered bucket. You have all of this stuff that comes out of honeycombs such as comb, pollen and little pieces of bees that all has to be filtered out.

Then I give the filtered honey to our property manager and mead-maker, and he adds to the honey he’s using to make the mead. Now to make the mead, that’s a whole other story!

— Jeanne Johnson

 Anybody remember this place? Know where it used to be?

Last week’s Throwback Thursday photo got no guesses. Hmph. (Maybe that’s because I forgot to put it up on Facebook.) The photo showed the interior of the A. A. Howes store, located in the Odd Fellows Block on Main Street in Belfast. For many years they sold groceries, medicines and dry goods and the interior looks the same today. It’s now Chases Daily restaurant and food market.

Photo courtesy Rockland Historical Society


Send your Throwback Thursday photos to news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN — The Boston a cappella group Overboard is about to swoop into Camden this weekend. They started off in 2006 as street performers entertaining audiences around Massachusetts, Vermont and Freeport during the summer. But as word of their intense high-energy act spread following their first album, they decided to make performances a full-time gig.

Beyond their tight harmonies, and intricate arrangements, they’re into philanthropy and helping people with their music.

They arrive Friday for a three-day tour, beginning with a free matinee concert for middle school students at the Camden Opera House (where kids will be coming from all over the state to see them).

Friday afternoon, they’ll go to the Camden Hills Regional High School to work with the chorus group. They jam into gear Saturday night with a public performance at the Camden Opera House followed by a free performance for prisoners Sunday at the Maine State Prison.

Bay Chamber Concerts Communication Director Ed Geis said: “It’s not your typical performance, whether it’s a prison or a nursing home. They bring music into the lives of people who don’t usually have access or exposure to it.”

He added: “They are an up-and-coming band. I haven’t seen them live, yet, but what I’ve seen from their videos they’re pretty talented. For five people to get on stage and entertain a crowd with just microphones for an hour and a half will be pretty special.”

So what can you expect?

Their music ranges from classics like Amazing Grace to modern pop such as Moves Like Jagger. (See their Justin Timberlake cover video embedded in this story.)

There will be no musical instruments on stage. Everything you hear, including sound effects and percussion, is a cappella. Just take a listen to some of the tracks on their 2009 Beatles concept album titled Help! Even the sound of the crowd cheering in Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club band comes from vocal tricks.

Overboard has been featured entertainment for the likes of American Idol, PUMA and Mitsubishi, as well as on the CBS Early Show.They were also nominated for 10 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards and 18 A Cappella Community Awards in the last three years.

Tickets for the public performance Saturday night are $25 for adults; under 25 years, $10.  They can be purchased at Bay Chamber Concerts or at the door of the Camden Opera House. The concert starts at 7 p.m.

 Slim Goodbody Corp./John and Christine Burstein of Lincolnville are sponsoring the residency (matinee and workshop) and Camden Harbour Inn is a lodging sponsor”for these event. As such, ticket holders will be invited back to Natalie’s at the end of the Saturday evening performance for specialty cocktails and to mingle with the performers. 

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Postponed once due to the weather, and despite some spitting snow on Saturday, March 21, the third Annual Cardboard Box Derby took place the Camden Snow Bowl.

The Cardboard Warriors of every age sluiced down the specially made slopes for the race. Here's a gallery courtesy of Emily McDevitt.

BELFAST — Everyone loves a good story, yet too often, the best ones told disappear when when the storyteller passes on. On March 29, the Colonial Theatre will host the first Salted Tales: Stories from the Sea told live from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

“We were thinking of the Moth Radio Hour when we came up with this idea,” said Mike Hurley, co-owner of Colonial Theatre. “Our primary concern is to not have too many yachting stories or too many schooner captains, but it’s the working people on the ocean that usually have the most amazing stories.”

Storytellers’ backgrounds will range from U.S. Navy sailor to tug boat captain to commercial fisherman. “Right now we’re getting stories from merchant marines, military navy, commercial fishermen, tugboat captains, and working mariners,” said Hurley.

Story highlights will include a man who was on a burning aircraft carrier and survived when 45 others perished. Another man was captured by Somali pirates and rescued by British officials.

Invariably, Hurley hopes that once people in the audience hear some of the stories, they will be reminded of other stories that need to be told and contribute for future Salted Tales event.

There will be 10 tellers with a story time allowance of eight minutes.The first six stories will be told, followed by intermission, and the last four stories.

There will be time for networking after the event.

Salted Tales: Stories From the Sea Told Live is a joint presentation of the Colonial Theater and Penobscot Marine Museum.  Refreshments will be available at intermission. Admission is $5, Penobscot Marine Museum members are free.  For more information call Mike Hurley, 338-1975, or Kathy Goldner, 548-2529 ext 216.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST — The name of a new Midcoast eatery sounds like what you’d say in the middle of a good story, but it’s not one you’ll forget. Meanwhile in Belfast is the name of a wood-fired pizza place and bar that opened March 19, on the back side of the Brambles building at 2 Cross St.

While the food is upscale pizza with the farm-to-table vibe, the space is warm (from the pizza oven ) and cozy with plenty of light and views of the harbor. The tiny bar area, with multi-colored stools, lends to the casual ambiance. The dining room was packed Friday afternoon. The buzz about this upscale pizza place has been a loosely kept secret around Belfast for awhile with repeat customers coming in on its second day of being open.

The building, recently renovated, used to be called The Ocean House, which at one time in 1897 served hot lunches and daily specials.

Owners Clementina Senatore and Alessandro Scelsi, are both from Italy, born and raised. Before landing in Maine, they traveled extensively, working and studying all over Europe. Scelsi is a certified Neapolitan Master Pizza Chef by Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana in Napoli, Italy. The way their pizzas and other baked goods are prepared come after years of researching and perfecting the recipes and the process.

Their extensive menu serves wood-fired oven sourdough Neapolitan pizza . Dinner menu pizzas range from $10-$16, with two VPN-certified pizzas, The Fisherman (marinara) and The Visionary (Margherita). The most exotic pizza on the menu (and reasonably priced at $24) is The Harbor Master, a complex pizza using local fresh seafood (partially raw), cherry tomatoes, Taggiasche olives, fresh parsley, fresh squeezed lemon juice, ginger and lemongrass dressing.

Lunch menu items and small plates are in the $6 -$10 range and offer a small one-person 9-inch Margherita pizza, as well as salads and Puccia (Puglia style sandwiches).

Their unbleached "00" flour, tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, prosciutto, and Parmiggiano Reggiano all come from Italy. All other ingredients are locally, organically and seasonally sourced. Everything is made from scratch, including the homemade sourdough and fresh "Fior di Latte" mozzarella made the southern Italian traditional way.

Along with pizzas, they offer an impressive list of local and craft beers, ciders, world wide wines, proseccos, cavas and Champagne as well as homemade desserts. The menu also offers gluten free and vegan options.

For more information including their hours, visit: meanwhile-in-belfast.com


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

We’re updating the Weekend Picks format, scrunching it down and providing a quick peek at not-to-miss events each weekend. Away we go!

Sweet Tree Storytelling Slam
Friday, March 20 — Sweet Tree Arts, Hope

You know what’s refreshing? Not seeing a crowd of people staring into the blue screens of their phones for entertainment. This is the third year Sweet tree Arts in Hope has provided a dimly lit stage, a satellite bar from 40 Paper and a group of storytellers ready to blow your socks off.  Someone’s carefully chosen words and facial expressions beaming across an audience and landing in your brain. Now, that’s entertainment. What you might hear at the event: A courageous apology, courage and the things we mistake if for, a story about a skin tight gold suit, a story about stepping out into the unknown, and how a chat room relationship can go too far. The show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available at sweettreearts.org or call 763-2770 to reserve your space. Limited seating, so get there early.

El Grande Portland’s Original Ska Band, The Speakeasy
Friday, March 20  The Speakeasy, Rockland

The buzz last weekend was how Red Baraat, the band up from NYC, made people jump in the air like they just didn’t care—and how much do we need that right now! So, those who couldn’t make it last weekend can get their ska-rock-reggae-funk-punk fix with El Grande, Portland’s original ska band at The Speakeasy in Rockland. El Grande has been playing shows all over the Northeast for the past decade, delivering high energy concerts and tight songs in their live performances. They’ll pump the sludge out of your bilge. Starts at 8 p.m. No cover and shot specials. For a taste of the band: elgrandemusic.com

Cardboard Box Derby
Saturday, March 21  Camden Snow Bowl

Much like the U.S. National Toboggan Championships, the third annual Cardboard Box Derby will bring out the extravagant, the wacky and the whimsically creative in the form of costumes and cardboard racing boxes. Last year’s racers ranged from small, fast cardboard rockets to a gigantic barge complete with a coconut tree to a replica of the Titanic. A great spectator sport, the show begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Snow Bowl, 20 Barnestown Road in Camden. camdensnowbowl.com

Killer Road Trip: Bearded Brew Fest
Saturday, March 21  Sullivan Gym, Portland

Lumbersexuals better take cover because real Maine men are putting their best brews (and beards) forward at the Bearded Brew Fest, taking place at the Sullivan Gym in Portland. The event invites brewers to brew a special beard- or moustache-inspired beer specially for this event, so guests have the opportunity to taste a brand new concoction and to talk to the bearded brewer who made it. Guests will receive a 6-ounce Bearded Brewfest tasting glass and the ability to endlessly sample as many different beers as they like in the three-hour period. ‘Reasonably’ priced food will also be offered onsite. Session One goes from 1 to 4 p.m., Session Two from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.  $27.50 in advance/$30 at the door Saturday. beardedbrewfest.com

Maine Maple Sunday
Sunday, March 22  Cramer Museum, Rockport

Hey shugah! (That’s my southern impression) It’s sugaring time at the Camden-Rockport Historical Society's Cramer House Museum off Route 1 at the Camden and Rockport town line. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. there will be demonstrations of maple syrup making in the circa 1820s sugarhouse at the museum complex. Free maple syrup-ice cream sundaes will also be offered. How often can you go to a Maine Maple Sunday event and someone says, “Here, have a free Maine maple sundae! “There will also be open fire pit cooking and perhaps you can try Maynard Stanley’s famous chuck wagon beans and Maple-Roni. Hot dang!


If you have an arts and entertainment event that fits within the adult scope of fun and cool things to do for Weekend Picks, contact Kay Stephens at news@penbaypilot.com or like The Killer Convo on Facebook and put her on your events email list.

Take a look at the architectural details of this Belfast store which used to sell medicines, groceries and dry goods. Do you know what this place is now?

 Last week’s Throwback Thursday photo got all the right responses. Said reader Deb Whittier: “This is Bicknell Manufacturing down on Tillson Avenue in Rockland. My grandfather worked there, and my father worked there for a short time as while.”

Photo courtesy Belfast Historical Society and Museum


Throwback Thursday needs your submissions. Send us your “back in the day” photos with a caption at news@penbaypilot.com

HOPE — For Sweet Tree Arts’ third annual Storytelling Slam on March 20,  tellers are going to have to muster more fortitude than just getting up before an audience to tell a story —they’re going to brave the audience’s reaction to relate a tale of courage. Five local tellers are invited to have five minutes each around the chosen theme of 'courage.'

“The variety of stories have a lot of humor in them,” said co-organizer and director of Sweet Tree Arts Lindsay Pinchbeck. This year's tellers are Emily Davis, Robert Kaczor, Caitlin Schick, Scott Sell and David Troup. What you might hear at the event: A courageous apology, courage and the things we mistake if for, a story about a skin tight gold suit, a story about stepping out into the unknown, and how a chat room relationship can go too far.

“This year, in between acts, we’re going to invite the community in a fun way if they want to participate by giving them a story prompt in a jar and if they want to participate, they can tell stories between the storytelling event that night,” said Pinchbeck. “They don’t have to stand up in front of the crowd, they can just tell a story at their table if they feel like it.”

Last year’s event garnered a very enthusiastic crowd and featured Clare Muireann Murphy, an internationally celebrated storyteller. See our previous story here

”People wanted us to do this every month, but it takes a tremendous amount of preparation to get it going,” said Pinchbeck. “The other thing we’ve explored is talking with tellers from the past and seeing how the telling of their story has affected their lives afterward.  I know a couple of people who came up to the stage and told their stories and it took them on a new direction.”

One of the tellers, in particular Kali Bird Isis, has now developed her own business coaching people to heal through their own stories.

Lindsay Pinchbeck will MC the event, starting off with a folk tale around courage to get things rolling.

A cash bar by 40 Paper’s satellite bar will be available as well as desserts. Stories may contain adult content. The show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available at www.sweettreearts.org or call 763-2770 to reserve your space. Limited seating available, so get there early. Sweet Tree Arts is located on the Hope Corner at 4 Church St. Hope.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — With no sight of spring around the corner, the dreary winter white landscape of Maine was transformed into eye candy this past Saturday night when the Farnsworth Art Museum’s Collective hosted its fourth annual BASH in the Farnsworth's Wyeth Center. Drawing inspiration from the Hindu festival of Holi, the outside of the building was coolly illuminated upward with colored lights. Inside, party-goers were treated to inspired  installations by local artists.  This year Jared Cowan of Asymmetrick Arts, Orlando Johnson of Black Hole Gallery, Alexis Iammarino and Trelawney O’Brien filled the space with artwork playing with ‘color’ as theme. The food was provided by Sugar a tree Cakes of Tenants Harbor and Café Miranda along with specialty cocktails.

Red Baraat, an eight-piece brass band from Brooklyn, New York was up for the night to provide live music. NPR recently called them "the best party band in years" and they did not disappoint. Playing Bhangra funk, the band whipped up the crowd to a frenzy as brightly colored confetti rained down on a packed house.

Scott Sell, one of the attendees said: “Throughout the winter around here, you rarely get to see all of your friends and colleagues and friendly-faces-about-town in one place. Usually, you see a few here and there on the street or at potlucks or in the lobby of the Strand. It might have well been a huge block party in the middle of summer on Saturday, with what felt like the whole of the community. And Red Baraat was beyond amazing. There was no choice but to dance the entire time. They were relentlessly funky, they didn't let up for a second. I looked around at one point and saw almost every body jumping as high in the air as they could with huge smiles on their faces. There was so much joy in that room. And although today is incredibly windy and chilly, it felt like winter officially ended on Saturday.”

Added the Farnworth’s special events manager Annie Brown, “The Wyeth Center has never before housed such a wild dance party. Candy, Indian-inspired snacks, Bollywood films and confetti rounded out the night's excitement.”

For more information on the [Collective] visit farnsworthmuseum.org.

Check out our gallery of faces and colorful settings. Photos courtesy Michael O’Neil via the Farnsworth Art Museum.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—Check out the photos from the Farnsworth Art Museum’s Collective after its fourth annual BASH in the Farnsworth's Wyeth Center. Drawing inspiration from the Hindu festival of Holi, the event was a sold-out success. See our accompanying story.

Photos courtesy Michael O’Neil via the Farnsworth Art Museum.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — On the day before St. Patrick’s Day, a group of 16 teenagers from Mid-Coast School of Technology were finishing up the prep work to serve Corned Beef and Cabbage, Shepherd’s Pie, Dublin Coddle, and Fresh Poached Salmon, done up Irish style.

In white chef coats, the students were doing the grunt work behind the scenes — all the prosaic duties of chefs in training — prepping vegetables, cleaning the stainless steel workbenches, doing dishes and resetting the dining tables.

Approximately 40 students, ranging from mostly juniors and seniors, come from schools all over the Midcoast, including from the islands, to participate in the Mid-Coast School of Technology’s Hospitality Program. Classes are split up into morning and afternoon shifts, and between culinary arts and baking/pastry arts.

The result of all of their training is the student-run World Café, held on site in a designated dining room where the public can enjoy full breakfasts and lunches for an average of $5, Tuesday through Friday.

Chef Joshua Gamage is the culinary arts instructor. Chef Carol Pelletier teaches front of the house skills, as well as baking/pastry and nutrition.

“For the first half of the year we get their skills up to speed,” said Gamage. “Then, starting in February, we put it into action with World Café, which teaches kids line cook skills, pasty skills, as well as front of the house skills like waitressing and hostessing. We introduce a new menu each week, which keeps them on their toes. We’ll take anyone who has the passion for it.”

The World Café opened in February and will continue for the next eight weeks. Having finished American and Mexican cuisine week, this is the week the students have been learning what constitutes Irish cuisine.

Under Gamage’s instruction, they’ve learned to make their own corned beef brine.

“What we’re making this week is a lot like new traditional England cooking, which I love,” he said. “A lot of boiled ingredients, a lot of meat and potatoes.”

Every week offers breakfast and lunch items from a different culture.

“I was researching some authentic Irish recipes and we’ll have some Sweet Potato Boxby Pancakes, which is a sweet Irish pancake topped with candied walnuts, whipped cream and maple syrup.” he said.

For lunch, he skewed it more toward traditional Irish pub fare.

“We’ll also introduce a Dublin Coddle, which is sausage and potato soup with carrots and onion, a real hearty soup,” he said.

It’s getting near the end of the afternoon class. Chloe Winchenbach, a student, is busy draining and scrubbing out a massive stainless bin that has been simmering stew the last couple of days.

“My favorite part of this class is making food from scratch,” she said. “I love Shepherd’s Pie, but I’m also excited for Asian week coming up.”

In another part of the kitchen, student Viviana Ramirez had also finished cleaning up her section.

“I like making the sweet potatoes and beets,” she said. “My least favorite? The clean up.”

Originally, she thought she might want to go into hospitality, but the class has shown her it’s not enough of a passion to make it a career.

“I want to go college,” she said. “And in the culinary world, it takes a long time after that to work your way up, and long hours in the kitchen. I actually want to be a dental hygienist.”

Jacob Witham was over at the dish station, finishing the last of the pots and pans. He said he had never been exposed to Irish food before, but he planned on trying some of the dishes they make this week. For him, the best thing about working in culinary arts is the different types of food he gets to make, such as a braised chicken he recently made for the first time.

The worst thing?

“The people,” he said, with a laugh.

Over in the baking room, three more students were wrapping up for the afternoon. They were holding bags of warm pumpkin and chocolate chip cookies they had just made and were happy to share.

Tyler Wedge, Olivia Wheeler and Gina MacDonald showed off the dining room, which looked a lot like a traditional school classroom with elaborately set tables. Each table had a glass vase of fresh flowers and donated olive oil and vinegar bottles from Fiore Artisan Olive Oil and Vinegar, with one of its stores in Rockland.

The kids said they know Irish week is going to be packed. It’s not just that the meals are very affordable (and popular) for a lot of seniors in the area, but that the cooking reminds them of what they used to have growing up, and they’re looking forward to sampling the flavors that remind them of earlier times.

“This class is a choice,” Pelletier said. “The kids coming from these sending schools have to make the decision to be here by their freshman or sophomore year—it’s not mandatory, but it’s a great opportunity to find out if this is something they do or don’t want to do for the rest of their lives.”

The curriculum is run through the American Culinary Federation and runs for two years. If a student successfully completes the program, he or she will already have the equivalent of a year’s education from a culinary college.

“We have so much invested in our hotels and restaurants in the Midcoast, we’re training the next generation,” said Gamage. “I’ve trained so many kids through this program who are now working for local chefs.”

To view the full menu for The World Cafe’s Irish Week and for subsequent weeks after visit Breakfast and Lunch


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

St. Patrick's Day falls on Tuesday this year, making for a super awkward Wednesday work day.  Regardless, here is your rundown of all things Irish and happening around the Midcoast this St. Paddy's Day. Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 17

Cappy’s Chowder House, Camden
Beer Dinner? Really? Yep, head over to Cappy’s for a six-course Scotch-Irish Beer Dinner. Feast on Irish Isle inspired dishes, each paired with a Scottish-Irish beer selection. Bring your appetite to this one. $40 per person, $70 per couple, reservations encouraged.

The Front Street Pub, Belfast
Front Street Pub will be serving some great food specials like corned beef dinner, Guinness pulled pork pizza, nachos and of course GREEN BEER!

Trackside Station, Rockland
Trackside will be celebrating everything green with drink specials, including Little Leprechaun Shots. And in the evening, they'll have some fun giveaways.

Rock Harbor, Rockland
Rock Harbor is gearing up for Patrick's Day with the rockin’ band The 220s, from 9 p.m. to midnight. They'll be tearing out the chairs in the dining room and opening it up for dancing with drink specials and giveaways as well.

Three Tides, Belfast
Three Tides is hosting their 12th St. Patrick’s Day party with Old Grey Goose playing live at 6 p.m. They’ll have 11 (yes it goes to 11) Irish whiskeys, an Irish bangers plate and four Marshall Wharf stouts.

Rollie's Bar and Grill, Belfast
For lunch and dinner, they are serving all-you-can-eat corned beef and fixings. Traditional Irish beers like Guinness and Killians will be on tap and there will be prize giveaways throughout the day.

Hatchet Mountain Publick House, Hope
The crew in Hope will celebrate St. Paddy's Day with Irish food, music and spirits including boiled corn beef and cabbage dinner and Guinness beef stew. They’ll have Harp and Smithwicks on draft as well as Jamesons, Bushmill and Tullamore Dew whiskeys. Irish tenor Rovin Mic O'Flynn will be playing sweet music. They open at 4 p.m., call 763-4565.



Email Kay Stephens with any new additions to this list at news@penbaypilot.com

The Collective BASH may be sold out, but there's still high octane alternatives; plus cardboard box races, Will Mallett and more!

Thursday, March 12

· The Speakeasy's Thursday night supper club hosts "Maine's own" Will Mallett from 7-10 pm.

· Supercluster Arion and Other Phenomena, a show of photographs by Deanna Witman, will be exhibited in The Leonard R. Craig Gallery at the Unity College Center for the Performing Arts with an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Refreshments will be provided. The reception is free and open to the public.

· Open Mic at Highlands Coffee House from 6 to 9 p.m. Get there at 5:30 p.m. to sign up to perform.

· FOG Bar and Cafe is continuing their Drink and Draw Thursday night from 7-11 p.m. Guest artists come with new themes, and art materials are provided. Happy hour goes on all night. No cover.

· Karaoke at Cuzzy's, starts at 9 p.m.

· Cappy's Chowder House is holding game night Thursdays with Cards Against Humanity from 6 to 9 p.m. Meet people who share your sense of humor and enjoy drink and food specials. FMI: Facebook

Friday, March 13

· Recording artists and Maine natives Ellis Paul and Howie Day will appear at the Strand Theatre at 7:30 p.m. General admission. The lobby and balcony bars are open for all concerts for 21+. For ticket purchase and more information: click here

· Want to get out of here before the snow hits and see some color? Trip to Boston Flower & Garden Show. Bus stops from Belfast south along Rte. 1. Only a few tickets left! FMI: Call 594-7754.

· Blind Albert plays his brand of folk, rock, blues at The Narrows Tavern, Waldoboro, at 8 p.m. No cover.

· The Ale House String Band plays lively acoustic at Rock City Café from 7 to 9 p.m. No cover.

· Bill Barnes Trio plays The Speakeasy from 8 to 11 p.m. Who cares if it's another Friday the 13th? Come out and hang with the Trio at Rockland's coolest and swingin'est nightspot With Spike Hyssong on bass and Jeff Densmore on drums.

· It's Friday night dancing at East Belfast Elementary School with Katie Tranzillo teaching West Coast swing. Admission is free. The lessons will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., with the regular open dance running from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Bring a change of shoes to avoid damaging the wood floors.

Saturday, March 14

· The good news? The following is going to be the funkiest party of the weekend. The bad news? If you have no tickets, they are sold out! the Farnsworth Art Museum's [Collective] membership group will host their fourth annual BASH, featuring Red Baraat, an eight-piece brass band from Brooklyn, N.Y. Given the weather, people may opt not to go, so maybe you can buy directly using Midcoast Message Board. See our story.

· Aurora Jazz Project is jazzing it up at Rock City Café from 7 to 9 p.m. No cover.

· Sam Ladd and Jeff Hall will play acoustic light rock at Fireside Inn in Belfast at 5 p.m.

· Raised by Wolves plays the Highlands Coffee House at 7 p.m. Latin, jazz, blues and more. No cover.

· The Juke Rockets are bringing high octane blues to The Speakeasy from 8 to 11 p.m. ! It's time to get out on the dance floor!

Sunday, March 15

· The Mike Whitehead Group brings some serious jazz to Highlands Coffee House for an aprés brunch scene from 1 to 3 pm.

· The public is invited to dance the salsa, merengue and bachata at Swing & Sway Dancing in Rockland. Donation requested. Beginners welcome. FMI: 593-7914.

· Rock Harbor Brewing Co. will be hosting a cribbage tournament every Sunday beginning at 8 p.m.

· Musicians, bring instruments and voices and make music together at Sail, Power and Steam Museum at Sharp's Point South, 75 Mechanic St. in Rockland. Free. FMI: 701-5050 or 701-7627. Coffee and cookies provided. Every Sunday, rain or shine.

Want to know where to go for happy hour every day of the week? Check out our updated Guide To Midcoast Happy Hours.


If you have an arts and entertainment event that fits within the adult scope of fun and cool things to do for Weekend Picks, contact Kay Stephens at news@penbaypilot.com or like The Killer Convo on Facebook and put her on your events email list.

Look familiar? Do you know what this building in Rockland was at one point and where it was located? Do you know what’s there now?

 Last week’s Throwback Thursday photos were easy, weren’t they? They were aeriel photos of The Knox Mill when the renovations were complete in 1993. Reader Yvonne Coffman got that right!

This week’s photo courtesy Rockland, Maine History Facebook Page



Throwback Thursday needs your submissions. Send us your “back in the day” photos with a caption at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKPORT—This is the first year that the Maine Fishermen’s Forum held at the Samoset Resort created a special Seafood Celebration event, allowing notable chefs to speak about their process as they demonstrated how to make delicious seafood dishes in front of an audience, many of whom were able to try the creations afterwards.

Chef Lynn Archer, of  the Brass Compass, made a Lobster Risotto; Chef Barton Seaver made Smoked Lobster and Seaweed Salad along with Sautéed Kelp with Blood Orange and Onion. Chef Brian Hill, of Francine Bistro and Shepherd’s Pie, made a dry roasted rope-grown mussels atop white pine needles; and Chef Dave Pasternack of Esca Restaurant in New York City, made a Lobster and Mahogany Quahog and Pollock Ceviche.

To see more photos of the chefs in action creating these delicious dishes, view our gallery.

Thanks go to Maine Sea Grant for providing some of these photos.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — On Saturday, March 14, the Farnsworth Art Museum’s [Collective] membership group will host its fourth annual BASH. David Troup, the museum’s Communications Officer said: “Annie Brown, our special events manager, felt strongly that we needed to move our annual bash from October to March for two reasons. One, we’re not a Halloween party and two, by March, we’re all ready for a celebration — this year probably more than ever.”

Drawing inspiration from the Hindu festival of Holi, the Collective’s group plans to model the party after the spring festival of colors. During Holi, people of every age and caste play, chase each other and throw dry colored powder all over one another. It’s a uninhibited free-for-all, signifying a spiritual victory of good over evil and a joyful embrace of spring after a long winter.

Sounds just about perfect for the Midcoast right about now.

The Collective BASH, which is open to members and nonmembers alike, will take place at the Farnsworth's Wyeth Center, on the corner of Union Street and Grace Street in Rockland.

“The Wyeth Center is closed right now for the season and all the art is off the wall so we can use this amazing space and completely reinvent it with art installations by local artists,” said Troup.

The main highlight of the party will feature live music in the form of Red Baraat, an eight-piece brass band from Brooklyn, New York. The Village Voice characterized it: "Red Baraat have the locomotion of an army... they're nonstop revelry for any light soul who can match their boundless energy, a fiery blend of raucous Indian bhangra and funky New Orleans brass. The result, needless to say, is completely riotous. Their debut CD, Chaal Baby is an unstoppable blend of Bollywood hijacks and funk freakier than anything Madlib picked up on his trip to India."

“This is considered one of the hottest bands out of Brooklyn,” said Troup. “They’re just incredible, through the roof. They’re on an international tour right now and will be coming back to the U.S., hitting Maine on the way.”

A dance floor, Indian-themed snacks and two bars will round out the festivities. Party goers are encouraged to wear colorful attire. Tickets to this sure-to-be-sold out event are free for Collective members and $20 for nonmembers. The event starts at 8 p.m. For more information or to purchase a ticket, please visitwww.thecollectivebash.com.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKPORT—While whipping up a smoked lobster and seaweed salad for the audience during a master class held at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum over the weekend, executive chef Barton Seaver made some salient points about Maine seafood that directly aligned with the Forum’s emphasis on sustainability.

To paraphrase, he said that most of us, when thinking about Maine seafood, have our eyes pointed out to sea with a romantic notion that what drives the seafood industry is somehow out there, unseen on the waves. In reality, we should make a 180-degree turn and look at the houses, trucks and fishing gear of the men and women in our community — for what sustains them to be able to make a living is what sustains us as diners.

“Fish are part of the biological ecosystem,” he explained. “Seafood is the result of human interaction with such, and a fishery as it is defined, is a human economic structure, purposed with feeding people, creating jobs, and enabling traditions and heritage. Too often though, we don’t understand fisheries as food productions systems. Just as you wouldn’t walk into the woods to find a ‘hunt,’ why do we think we go out from the harbor to find a ‘fishery’? A fishery is the sum of millions of decisions made every day by men and women for the purposes of sustaining themselves and providing food for our tables.”

Seaver, who opened seven restaurants and gained numerous awards and acclaim for his food and for environmentally conscious businesses, is known for being a conservationist.

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he traveled to the seaside village of Essaouira in Morocco, where survival is directly linked to the oceans. His time spent with the locals, who taught him generations-old fishing methods and shaped his belief that, at its root, sustainability is both an ecological and a humanitarian issue.

He also pointed out how limited we are when it comes to choosing seafood. In his book, For Cod and Country, he states that even though there are hundreds of types of fish for sale, most chefs are only familiar with a few varieties.

“We have moved away from the Catch of the Day mentality,” he said. “The fact is, we so demand cod that we’re not willing to eat pollock, haddock, hake, cusk, Ling, wolf, monk, dog, or skates — even though it costs the fisherman the same amount of effort, fuel and labor to land that fish. From a culinary perspective, it is equally as valuable and from a health perspective, it equally serves the purpose of a nutritious dinner. But yet, our irrational lack of demand and our narrow scope of culinary ingenuity has forced fishermen to operate in a system that is governed by irrational demand.”

In his talk, he emphasized using locally harvested seaweed in salads. Preparing a dish of sautéed kelp with blood orange and onion, he said, “A dish like this, fresh, beautiful, full of vibrant flavors, balance—that’s what we really need to do, and that’s where I thinks chefs certainly have an opportunity.”

At the same time, he underscored the need as well for the public to open their minds to more locally harvested choices when dining out.

This is the first year that the Maine Fishermen’s Forum had created a special Seafood Celebration event, allowing notable chefs to speak about their process as they demonstrated how to make delicious seafood dishes in front of an audience, many of whom were able to try the creations afterwards.

Chef Lynn Archer, of  the Brass Compass, made a lobster risotto; Chef Brian Hill, of Francine Bistro and Shepherd’s Pie, made a dry roasted rope-grown mussels atop white pine needles; and Chef Dave Pasternack, of Esca Restaurant in New York City, made a  lobster and mahogany quahog and pollock ceviche.

To see more photos of the chefs in action creating these delicious dishes, view our gallery.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Pursuant to a story we covered earlier this week, What a bad accident teaches us, 24 year old David Harrington of Washington, who recently suffered multiple injuries from a bad car accident, surpassed his Go Fund Me goal of $800 to buy or rent an electric wheelchair (thanks in part of Penobscot Bay Pilot readers who followed his story.)

He was able to purchase a motorized wheelchair from a person having a yard sale in Damariscotta, who brought it over to him. The wheelchair is going a long way to ease his pain as he gets around. As David said himself as an update on his page, “You guys are so amazing. Your support is more than I could ever have hoped for. Thank you so much!”


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Welcome to our ongoing feature Behind the Slides, where we meet up with a presenter at PechaKucha Night and find out the deeper story beneath the images the presenter chose to portray.

Meghan Vigeant was one of the presenters of PechaKucha Night, held at the Blue Goose in Northport Feb 27. Like the other presenters, she took the audience through her creative process in a visual storytelling format with a 20-second-per-image, 20-image slideshow. Meghan is a personal historian and owner of Legacy Preserves in Hope, ME. She helps people make books about their lives.

Note: Vigeant's PechaKucha slides appear in the right column. Click on the photos to match them with the actual slide notes (in italics). Beneath the slide notes will be the deeper story.


Personal histories

There was an article in the New York Times about the importance of knowing your family history. In a study at Emory University, kids who knew stories about their family had higher self-esteem. They could handle stress better.

As a personal historian I listen to people tell me their stories, type it up, edit it, add photos and make it into a book they can share with family and friends.

Three types of narratives

The article talked about three kinds of family narratives. The ascending narrative essentially goes like this: "Well, honey, our family came to this country with nothing, but look at us now." The descending narrative goes the other way round: "Kid, we had it all, then we lost everything." The Oscillating narrative: "Sweetheart, we've had our ups and downs. But we've always stuck it out as a family."

The article was followed by a lot of angry comments from folks with descending narratives who didn't want to pass on family legacies of slave-owner ancestors, or mom the alcoholic, or grandpa the child molester. (Of course, sharing these kinds of stories with children deserves careful consideration, and saved for appropriate age.) However, I would argue that both the descending and ascending narratives are incomplete. If you were to dig back far enough, wide enough, or even look at your story, I bet you will find the oscillating narrative.

My own narrative

My great-grandfather, Albert Pepin, a French-Canadian working on the railroads in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, was probably drunk when a train ran over both of his legs. But, he survived, got two prosthetic legs, and learned how to drive. He ran for city clerk, and became a chef.

This is an example of an "oscillating narrative" from my own family.

Great Grandpa

Great Grandpa was doing quite well until he was hit again, this time by a trolley car, and was killed, leaving my great-grandmother Ida to raise their four children. Even though she only had a third grade education, she took in laundry and boarders and sent all four of her kids to college and three of them to graduate school. They went on to become a doctor, an engineer, a dietician, and a businesswoman.

My mother heard this story many times as a child, but she never understood it. They always left out the drunken part. She knew something was missing. It was only until her older brother, aired the family's dirty laundry and let her in on the secret one day that grandpa had a drinking problem.

The best part

For me, (the drunk part) that's the best part of the story. He's not just some martyr who gets run over twice in his life. He made mistakes. To me, it makes his efforts to overcome a disability all that more admirable.

Knowing both our success stories and ugly stories gives us a sense of resiliency. It helps us to see how, despite our faults, we can survive hardships and go on to thrive and laugh about it all.

The good and the bad

My recommendations to you are to find out your stories and share them, the good and the bad. Finally, make it last. Write it down or record it. Make a book or a video. Do something so that your story can be remembered and shared again.

If you're too busy or overwhelmed by the idea of finding and documenting your stories there are personal historians like myself who can help.

 Meghan Vigeant is a personal historian and owner of Legacy Preserves, www.legacypreserves.com. For more information about PechaKucha visit them on Facebook.

Related story: The Way of Karate


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 It’s a gastric-centered weekend from The Maine Fishermen’s Forum’s seafood master class demo to a Chili/Chowder Cookoff and BBQ extravaganza. And the Maine Restaurant Week is still going on, so don’t forget to check out what some of our local restaurants are serving for an affordable lunch or night out.

Thursday, March 5

· A chef-studded seafood celebration and after party reception is being held at The Maine Fishermen’s Forum at the Samoset today. The noon-4 p.m seafood celebration is free to the public. The following reception, from 5 to 7 p.m., is $25 - RSVP by email maineseafood101@gmail.com. See our story about it here.

·  It’s Fajita Thursday at La Vida Restaurant in Belfast. Buy one Fajita dinner, get one 50 percent off. All day every Thursday. Or join them for happy hour 2:30-5:30 p.m. with food and drink specials and margaritas.

· Green Drinks happy hour is happening at Harvest Moon Pizza in Waldoboro. Green Drinks is an organic happy hour to network with friends and neighbors who care about the region’s lands, waters and natural resources. The event is free and open to the public. Appetizers will be provided and a cash bar of beer and wine will be available.

· Open Mic at Highlands Coffee House from 6 to 9 p.m. Get there at 5:30 p.m. to sign up to perform.

· FOG Bar and Cafe is continuing their Drink and Draw Thursday night from 7-11 p.m. Guest artists come with new themes, and art materials are provided. Happy gour goes on all night. No cover.

· Karaoke at Cuzzy’s, starts at 9 p.m.

· Cappy’s Chowder House is holding game night Thursdays with Cards Against Humanity from 6 to 9 p.m. Meet people who share your sense of humor and enjoy drink and food specials. FMI: Facebook

Friday, March 6

· The Rusty Hinges, an acoustic band, is playing at Rock City Café from 7 to 9 p.m.  No cover.

· Three Button Deluxe is bringing you a little swing, a little rockabilly and a lot of great music at The Speakeasy, 8-11 p.m.

· This is cool. The Farnsworth Art Museum present the first 2015 showing of the international short film series, Rockland Shorts. Titled Scared Silly, the screening will take place at the Strand Theatre in Rockland. Screening starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by an after party at FOG Bar and Restraurant. See our story here.

Saturday, March 7

·  The the nationally recognized and award-winning documentary, Miss Representation, which demonstrates in sometimes shocking ways how girls internalize negative media messages, will be screened in Rockland at the Strand Theatre at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available in advance at Miss Representation or at the theater box office the day of the show.

· Country Dance at the Union Masonic Hall on Sennebec Road in Union. Music by The Frye Mt. Band, 7-11 p.m., 50/50 raffle, door prizes, snack bar, BYOB. $10 per person.

· Aurora Jazz Project is jazzing it up at Rock City Café from 7 to 9 p.m.  No cover.

Sunday, March 8

· The public is invited to taste, enjoy and judge the Rockland Fire Department Chili and Chowder Cookoff from 2 to 5 p.m. at Trackside Station in Rockland. The cost is $20 per entry with all proceeds benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. For those interested in just attending, the benefit is $10 at the door.

· Watershed will host its 5th annual Ski-A-Thon at the Camden Snow Bowl. With a donation of $20 to the school's financial aid program, skiers ski free and participate in a pledge drive that earns money for every run down the mountain. FMI: will.galloway@watershed-school.org.

· Denny Williams to perform original music at Harbor Square Gallery in Rockland at 2 p.m. $10 at the door.

· Snowmobilers BBQ public event is happening at The Bog Tavern in Waldoboro at 1 p.m. For $15 per person you get BBQ, cornbread, beans, coleslaw and potato salad. Braaaapp Braaaaaap!

· The public is invited to dance the salsa, merengue and bachata at Swing & Sway Dancing, Rockland. Donation requested. FMI: 593-7914. Beginners welcome.

· Rock Harbor Brewing Co. will be hosting a cribbage tournament every Sunday beginning at 8 p.m.

· Musicians, bring instruments and voices and make music together at Sail, Power and Steam Museum at Sharp's Point South, 75 Mechanic St. in Rockland. Free. FMI: 701-5050 or 701-7627. Coffee and cookies provided. Every Sunday, rain or shine.

Want to know where to go for happy hour every day of the week? Check out our updated Guide To Midcoast Happy Hours.


 If you have an arts and entertainment event that fits within the adult scope of fun and cool things to do for Weekend Picks, contact Kay Stephens at news@penbaypilot.com or like The Killer Convo on Facebook and put her on your events email list.

This week’s TBT is a side by side of a renovation done in Camden. It’s pretty obvious where this is, but do you know when the renovation took place?

Last week’s Throwback Thursday photo wasn’t as much of a stumper as I thought it would be, for within seconds, a reader emailed us with the correct answer. David Martin wrote: “That is Mark Island in the center, Saddle Island a bit to the left, and the south end of Lassell's Island at the left. North Haven in the distance.” The photo submitted by Camden Public Library dated the photo as 1933.

This week’s photos submitted by Holly Edwards


Throwback Thursday needs your submissions. Send us your “back in the day” photos with a caption at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST — It’s been an up-and-down couple of weeks for Waldo County Woodshed, a new Belfast nonprofit made up of volunteers who work to provide firewood to families in need in Waldo County. Similar to a citizen-initiated food bank, the organization became a 501(c)(3) two weeks ago and were excited to distribute firewood to six families in desperate need of firewood for warmth.

The second to last weekend in February, volunteers worked a half day that Saturday to split and cut four-and-a-half cords of wood that the nonprofit had purchased.

“We had students from Orono College working on a Saturday with our Board members,” said Dawn Caswell, general manager. “We had three cord cut and delivered that day with another cord and half waiting for the families [to pick up].”

At some point during the day after that weekend, a man and a woman in a black pickup truck drove up to the wood yard where the wood was stored and enlisted the help of the wood lot manager (who assumed they were one of the designated families) in loading up not just one, but two truckloads of the wood, clearing the Shed’s inventory completely out. Only a short time later did the Waldo County Woodshed president discover they’d been robbed.

Unfortunately, right around the time of the discovery a couple days later, the designated six families showed up at the delivery spot, hoping to bring back home donated firewood, only to find it bare.

This has been one of the coldest winters Maine has seen in years. That night, the temperature was set to be minus 10 degrees. “These people don’t have heat; they don’t have oil, nothing,” said Caswell. “All we were able to do is send them home with literally an armful of firewood.”

Predictably, the reaction to the theft was shrill, with one person commenting on the Waldo County Woodshed’s Facebook page:

“OMG who could be that rude and careless really. If you see this post you jerk, bring back the wood. You’re not the only one in need while you sit there warm in your house and other families sit there freezing tonight. Wish I had enough wood for the poor people going without because of this ***hole. Not impressed at all. These people go out of their way to help the people of Waldo county and you ruin it. Like I said karma will get you and I hope it gets you good.”

Word began to spread of the situation, and small donations came pouring in from local residents. Woodcutter Justin Gushee donated a cord of split and cut wood. The Waldo County Woodshed was also able to purchase three more cords of wood from Gushee, which he offered to cut for free.

On Feb. 28, locals Adam Way and his wife, Tracy Boardman, took inventory of their own firewood supply and realized they could spare a truckload.  Adam reached out to the Waldo County Sheriff's Office and with two deputy’s help, came by in the late night to load and deliver a half cord of firewood to a new, protected spot for the Waldo County Woodshed.

“They’re not looking for publicity; they just really wanted to donate,” said Caswell. “I didn’t talk to [Way and Boardman] personally, but if I could say anything it would be the support they’ve given the Waldo County Woodshed right now at this time of need is amazing. We can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done.” Since then, two of the families have been able to come back and get wood to last them until the temperatures rise. The four other families are making arrangements to do the same.

Asked if she thought the thieves might be in a similar desperate situation, she said, “I would really like to hope that they really needed it, but they could have just asked us. We have people on the list and it’s typically no more than five days tops before we can get them something, even half a truckload.”

The investigation into the theft is ongoing. If anyone has any tips, please contact the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office at 207-338-6786.

This is the Waldo County Woodshed’s first winter of being able to give wood to deserving families. They’re currently buying more wood and seasoning it for next season. To learn more, follow their Facebook page or visit their website waldocountywoodshed.org


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

WASHINGTON — “I don't really expect anything... but if anyone can help even a little I would be so grateful.”

Last Friday morning, David Harrington had just dropped his wife, Inga Tumanova, off at Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast, where she works in the lab, when he was about to turn into a gas station to grab some gas and a breakfast sandwich. This was their morning routine.

At 24 years old, he is the only one in the household with a driver’s license and each morning he would take her to work from their home in Washington and pick her up again in the evening. On this morning, he planned on going back home to study a particular computer program toward his goal of earning computer certifications for employment.

The police report differs from David’s testimony, but what he remembers is driving 10 to 15 miles per hour, getting ready to turn and another driver going about 25-30 miles over the limit before the crash occurred.

“That’s what I remembered and what everyone I spoke to afterward told me,” he said.

The airbag deployed; his car’s windows and doors were bashed in. At some point, he lost consciousness. An ambulance immediately brought David back to the same hospital where his wife works. “They called down and had another co-worker tell her face to face to make sure she was okay and sent her right over,” he said.

Among his injuries, he suffered a minor concussion with head wounds. One foot was dislocated and his ankle was broken in two different places. His other foot has a small fracture. One of his ribs is broken, as well as one wrist. In addition, he suffered severe internal bruising.

Beyond the car getting totaled, with his wife now having to rely on co-workers to get her to and from work, David faces other obstacles. He is back at home, his days filled with calls to doctors, lawyers, the police and social services, while his studying is left to the side, for the moment. He cares for his two disabled parents at home, who can only give him limited support while his wife is at work. He said his injuries are excruciating, and he has been left largely to care for himself during the day.

He also needs access to an electric wheelchair. The only help he could get was the free use of a traditional wheelchair, which he currently has, but with splints on his feet and the use of only one hand to propel his weight, it’s tremendously painful and awkward to get around.

Inga is covered by health insurance, but since David has been studying to be a computer technician, he said he didn’t have the money for health insurance.

Like a lot of Mainers trying to make ends meet, this accident couldn’t have come at a worse time for the couple. Finding a motorized wheelchair is not a cheap expense, so David started a Go Fund Me page. In speaking with David, it’s evident that he doesn’t like asking for help and it bothers him to have done so, but feeling a sense of desperation, he said he had to.

“This has taught me that everybody needs help at some point and as hard as things have been, it could have been much much worse,” he said. “I’m just so grateful to the people who have helped in any way that they can.”

This has not been an easy winter for many people. The most recent Maine Bureau of Highway accident statistics (2012) show that the number of serious injuries in vehicle crashes is higher than it’s been in the last four years. So, what does a serious accident like this teach someone who is young, uninsured and not prepared for the kind of hard life lessons that have piled up on David? 

For the injured, it puts them in a vulnerable position to re-evaluate what support systems (and lack thereof) they have in place, and either find gratitude in the support they’re lucky to have, or vow to find new support systems once they are healed. This also isn’t just about making health insurance a priority. This can be a hard transformation to come through (especially when re-evaluating friendships and family relationships) but ultimately, it helps sharpen one’s perspective on what’s essential in a newly healed life — and what’s not.

For those coming off a long period of healing, it can heighten one’s sensitivity to the suffering of others. Compassion isn’t just an emotion; it’s a skill. And throughout all of the frustration, fear and anger David is currently experiencing as he makes his way through these obstacles, he said he is learning what it means to help others and allow himself to be helped.

Taking a cue from Bill Packard’s column earlier this week, in our small town communities, everyone seems to know one another. We often talk, compare, and judge what people should or should not have done in certain circumstances, but when someone truly needs help, we drop the “shoulds” and show compassion.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST — With wedding season just around the corner, artist Jennifer Lisa, designer of eclectic jewelry called Quench Metalworks, decided to put a new spin on the old adage “Something borrowed...”

In this new feature, we examine how an artist chose to construct a certain piece — and in this case, a necklace constructed of vintage parts. “I wanted to make something that was an heirloom-worthy necklace for a bride to wear,” she said.

In the design, (pictured), she took a an vintage mother of pearl button with a swan and clipped off the shank on the back. She then applied a piece of her own great-grandmother’s embroidered linen, and added some antique linen for fringe and four pearls.

”The fringe is to provide the illusion that the swan is swimming in water,” she said.

She didn’t make the piece for anyone in particular; she just had the inspiration and put it together. However, now that she has posted some photos from her creations, she’s starting to get calls from brides.

“If a bride has a grandmother who provides a vintage handkerchief, I can customize the piece with that, or say an old postcard sent from a grandfather to a grandmother—anything that builds on a family tradition,” Lisa said.

Lisa, who grew up in south China, Maine, decided after many years of running her own one-woman jewelry business, it was time to open a bricks and mortar store, also named Quench, in Belfast six months ago. Quench is located at 9 Beaver St. Along with her own designs, Quench represents the work of more than 25 artisans and designers from New England and beyond. And there, people can find home goods, pottery, paper and leather goods, jewelry, bags, leather and body care items — all hand crafted by artisans.

To learn more about Quench visit http://quenchmaine.com


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — Shorts in winter, it’s what we all look forward to this time of year. The Farnsworth Art Museum and the Strand Theatre are screening the first of the 2015 international short film series, Rockland Shorts, on March 6 and it’s promising to be a hilarious, if not unsettling, evening.

The theme of this year’s short film series is “Scared Silly.” Rockland Shorts Program Director Sally Levi said, “Basically, this series covers everything we’re afraid of, from environmental issues to relationships to really scary content. The theme is a play on fear and each movie has a different take on it. But, we have a lot of comedy, as well as genuinely scary films.”

Levi said two short films that jump out at her (pun fully intended) include Ain't No Fish, directed by Mike Cash and Tom Gasek. The title of this four-minute animation from the UK/US was influenced by the optimistic late 1940s show tune Some Days There Just Ain't No Fish, which centers around oil spills that have had devastating effects on wildlife and the sea.

“It’s really a silly film, but covers a very real subject we’re dealing with now,” she said.

Another film that kills her (I must stop) is Day 40, which is also an animated six-minute short, directed by Sol Friedman from Canada, and described as “an unholy take on Noah’s Ark.”

“This one has a zombie twist,” said Levi.

The evening will have three live Skype interviews with three of the directors as well as a “small special surprise for everybody” said Levi. An after-party with specialty drinks will be taking place at FOG Bar and Grill.

The rest of the lineup for Scared Silly will includes:

· First Prize, directed by Kevin McMullin, live action, U.S.

· One Year Lease, directed by Brian Bolster, documentary, U.S.

· The Man Who Sat on A Toilet, directed by Bernardo Britto, animation, U.S.

· The Lottery, directed by Shahir Daud, live action, New Zealand

· In The Air of Christopher Gray, directed by Felix Massie, animation, U.K.

· Knock, directed by Joseph I. Martinez, live action, U.S.

The Farnsworth's education department is responsible for the series.

The fee for the series is $8 for members and $10 for nonmembers. Tickets will be for sale at the Strand's box office directly prior to the screening.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

This weekend officially ushers in March and higher temps, so break out the T-shirts and shorts! Across the next four days, because we want all weekends to be four days long, enjoy some  swamp groove and bluegrass, take free dance lessons, check out PechaKucha Night and dance your buns off Saturday night, with three venues to choose from. Bring it on!

Thursday, Feb. 26

· Open Mic at Highlands Coffee House from 6 to 9 p.m. Get there at 5:30 p.m. to sign up to play.

· FOG Bar and Cafe is continuing their Drink and Draw Thursday night from 7-11 p.m. Guest artists come with new themes, and materials provided. Happy Hour goes on all night. No cover.

· Karaoke at Cuzzy’s, starts at 9 p.m.

· Cappy’s Chowder House is doing game night Thursdays with Cards Against Humanity from 6 to 9 p.m. Meet people who share your sense of humor and enjoy drink and food specials. FMI: Facebook

Friday, Feb. 27

· Eric Green and Justice for the River play at the Camden Opera House  at 7:30 p.m. Green’s music is a mix of rustic Americana and ‘swamp groove.’ Tickets are $10 each; children 12 and under are free. FMI: Eric Green

· Blind Albert is back for more blues at The Speakeasy, 8-11 p.m.

· Venus in Fur, the ‘Thinking Person’s ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ plays all weekend at the Belfast Playhouse, starting Friday at 8 p.m. FMI: See our story.

· East Belfast Elementary School will be open for a free dance lesson. Earl and Deb Jellison will teach BalSwing, a version of Balboa. Dance upon a large, finished wooden dance floor and listen to the beat on the school’s sound system. The lessons will be 6:30-7:30 p.m., with the regular open dance running 7:30-9:30 p.m. Bring a change of shoes so as to avoid damaging the wood floors.

· K2 Music continues its free Music After Hours series with Bluegrass Night, 6-8 p.m. The public is welcome to stop by and check out all things bluegrass.

· Husband-wife duo The Royal Bones play Rock City Café from 7 to 9 p.m.  These are two musical souls who desire to be honest about their lives, emotions, their faith, struggles and hopes while crafting gorgeous, vocally driven music. No cover.

· PechaKucha Night (that’s Peh-cha Kuh-cha) will host the next evening of lightning-fast presentations and visual storytelling at the Blue Goose in Northport, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and the program commencing at 7 p.m. Tickets will be $5 at the door. FMI on presenters and other info: PechaKucha

· Trackside Station is hosting Name That Tune with Annette Lorraine Young, starting at 7 p.m.

· Bowen’s Tavern in Belfast has a DJ playing from 7 p.m. to midnight

· Open Mic at the Time Out Pub downstairs.

· Karaoke at The Myrtle Street Tavern starts at 9 p.m., 21+.

· Celtic Band Jam at Bell the Cat in Belfast goes from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 28

· "Raise the Roof" Contra Dance, takes place at Lincoln Street Center. Get a lesson and light Café Miranda dinner starting at at 6 p.m.  Dance starts at 7 p.m. $10/adults and $8 students/$20 for both dinner and dance. Tickets: HAV II, Camden Real Estate Company and Jaret and Cohn Real Estate (Rockland) or call 542-1990.

· Just Teachers is playing a dance at Point Lookout Resort to benefit CRMS Japan Student Exchange Program from 8 to 11 p.m. Hors d’ouvres will be served. Cash bar. $10 entry. FMI: Benefit

· Another dance! ...with music by True Country, at the Union Masonic Hall on Sennebec Road, 7-11 p.m. $10.00 per person, 50/50 raffle, door prizes, snack bar, BYOB.

· Tom Albury plays prog-folk (progressive folk) at Rock City Café from 7 to 9 p.m.  No cover.

·  Front Street Pub is having a Cuba Libre party! Giveaways and party specials. Starts at 9 p.m.

· American roots and rockabilly band Ragged Jack plays The Speakeasy from 8 to 11 p.m.

· Blind Albert is holding a Blues Jam from 7-10 p.m. at the Highlands Coffee House. No cover and open to the public!

· Two swing dance workshops in authentic Lindy Hop (whoa, talk about a great workout!) are planned at High Mountain Hall, 5-7 p.m. Cost: $10 for one workshop, $18 for both. FMI: Workshop

· Trackside Station hosts the Fireball Girls, a promo with giveaways and drink specials. Music by DJ VJ starts at 9 p.m.

Sunday, March 1

· Snowball, Belfast's inaugural winter festival, will take place at Waterfall Arts and the adjoining Community Ice Rink , 1-4 p.m. FMI: Snowball

· Jazz musicians of all levels are invited to sit in with the Mike Whitehead Group at the Highlands Coffee House in Thomaston. Open to the public; free. FMI: 354-4162.

· The public is invited to dance the salsa, merengue and bachata at Swing & Sway Dancing, Rockland. Donation requested. FMI: 593-7914. Beginners welcome.

· Rock Harbor Brewing Co. will be hosting a cribbage tournament every Sunday beginning at 8 p.m.

· Musicians, bring instruments and voices and make music together at Sail, Power and Steam Museum at Sharp's Point South, 75 Mechanic St., Rockland. Free. FMI: 701-5050 or 701-7627. Coffee and cookies provided. Every Sunday, rain or shine.

Want to know where to go for happy hour every day of the week? Check out our updated Guide To Midcoast Happy Hours.


 If you have an arts and entertainment event that fits within the adult scope of fun and cool things to do for Weekend Picks, contact Kay Stephens at news@penbaypilot.com or like The Killer Convo on Facebook and put her on your events list.

The way the freezy, frozen winter has been going, I thought this was a fairly appropriate photo. Do you know where this is and what island is in the distance? Bonus if you can guess the year.

Only one of you guessed last week’s Throwback Thursday photo correctly.Reader Charlyn Lombaerde said “Dickens Rope Bridge, known as the snowmobile bridge over the Ducktrap at Camp UMaine 4-H Camp & Learning Center at Tanglewood.”

This week’s photo courtesy Camden Public Library


Throwback Thursday needs your submissions. Send us your “back in the day” photos with a caption at news@penbaypilot.com

“I feel like in Maine you’ve just got to pronounce the words like you don’t give a sh** about them.” This comes from a West Coast citizen trying to pronounce Vinalhaven for the first time in a viral video going around created by Movoto Originals via Maine Memes. The short video has six West Coasters trying to pronounce Saco, Vinalhaven, Skowhegan, Isle au Haut, Wytopitlock, and finally Passagassawakeag River.

The name of the town is presented to them along with the phonetic pronunciation, and it’s pretty funny how often the Flatlanders end up sounding like the Swedish Chef.

Now, it’s pretty hard to flub Saco, but they do. As the video progresses, the town name gets harder to pronounce and by the end, even Mainers have to laugh at how badly the last one is butchered. Can you pronounce it?

A real estate company with a sense of humor named Movoto is behind this sharable video. They aim “to create unique, and most importantly, fun real estate related stories.” You can check out more of Movoto’s Maine videos at the following website: movoto.com/blog/?s=maine


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

This weekend is about the highbrow entertainment from the Camden Conference events all over Midcoast to Venus In Fur’s funny, sassy spin on girl power. And don’t forget the Oscars Sunday night with a red carpet event before the festivities.

Thursday, Feb. 19

· To Russia with... love? The Camden Conference kicks off this weekend with a completely cool event at Fog Bar and Cafe with a screening of the documentary, Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, about the Russian all-female band Pussy Riot. Admission is free. The film is presented by CMCA in conjunction with the Camden International Film Festival and Camden Conference 2015: Russia Resurgent. Q/A with the film maker will follow the screening. Show goes from 8-9:30 p.m.

· The Postman Cometh plays at The Speakeasy from 8-11 p.m.

· Open Mic at Highlands Coffee House from 6 to 9 p.m. Get there at 5:30 p.m. to sign up to play.

· FOG Bar and Cafe is continuing their Drink and Draw Thursday night from 7-11 p.m. Guest artists come with new themes and materials provided. Happy Hour goes on all night. No cover.

· Karaoke at Cuzzy’s, starts at 9 p.m.

· Each Thursday, Cappy’s Chowder House is doing game night with Cards Against Humanity from 6 -9 p.m. Meet people who share your sense of humor and enjoy drink and food specials. FMI: Facebook


Friday, Feb. 20

· The 220s, a fave of the Midcoast music scene will celebrate the release of their CD at The Speakeasy, 7-11 p.m.,The band weaves the influence of Funk through the base of Prog Rock. They will be playing the songs from the album, in it's entirety, as well as selections from their favorite artists such as Pink Floyd, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Neil Young, Led Zeppelin, and Sublime. FMI: 220s

· Venus in Fur, the ‘Thinking Person’s ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ plays all weekend at the Belfast Playhouse, starting Friday night at 8 p.m. FMI: See our story.

· Amy Nicole and Zydeco Soul bring the Big Easy to the Samoset Resort. Cost: $20 advance; $25 at door; $150 advance for table of 10. FMI: 596-6055. Doors open 7 p.m.

· The Rusty Hinges, a  country folk/blues group plays Thinking of Spring concert at The Highlands Coffee House, 189 Main St./Route 1, Thomaston. FMI: 354-4162.

· Singer/songwriter Stesha Cano warms up Rock City Café from 7-9 p.m.  No cover.

· Rockland Food Service is holding its monthly beer and wine tasting from 4-6 pm.

· Trackside Station is hosting an all ages Open Mic and Karaoke evening with Annette Lorraine Young, from 6 to 9 p.m.

· Bowen’s Tavern in Belfast has a DJ playing from 7 p.m. - 12 a.m.

· Open Mic at the Time Out Pub downstairs.

· Karaoke at The Myrtle Street Tavern, starts at 9 p.m., 21+. · Celtic Band Jam at Bell the Cat, Belfast goes from 6:30-9 p.m.


Saturday, Feb. 21

· For some real old-timey outdoor fun, the New England Runnersled Championships are taking place on the back side of Hogback Mountain in Montville. Starts at 8 a.m. Shine your runners! FMI: Facebook

· “Hard folk” band St. Huckleberry plays Rock City Café from 7-9 p.m.  No cover.

· The Speakeasy changes musical gears and present Mes Amis, a gypsy jazz combo. Music starts at 8pm and goes until 11p.m. No Cover.

· 3rd Annual Edward Gorey Birthday Catoonery!  In honor of the birthday and genius of Edward Gorey, Maggie Trout brings her Free Art to Atlantic Baking Company in Rockland from 1-3 p.m. Come with your favorite word containing, or sounding like "cat", a cat idiom, expression, or human or feline friend in mind to be drawn as a cartoon, in celebration of the "O of it all" that is Edward Gorey's greatest legacy.


Sunday, Feb. 22

· Rounding out the Camden Conference, author Suzanne Massie (Trust But Verify: Reagan, Russia and Me) will be giving a talk on the culture of Russia at the Owl and Turtle Bookshop will host Suzanne Massie, 2-4 p.m.. Massie will present a talk on her experiences with the people and culture of Russia. 

· The Strand Theatre will again roll out the red carpet for the glittering 87th Annual Academy Awards ceremony with a free live screening. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the Red Carpet previews; the ceremony begins at 7 p.m., and the broadcast will continue until the last statuette is presented.

· Rock Harbor Brewing Co. will be hosting a cribbage tournament every Sunday beginning at 8 p.m.

· Musicians, bring instruments and voices and make music together at Sail, Power and Steam Museum at Sharp's Point South, 75 Mechanic St., Rockland. Free. FMI: 701-5050 or 701-7627. Coffee and cookies provided. Every Sunday, rain or shine.

Want to know where to go for happy hour every day of the week? Check out our updated Guide To Midcoast Happy Hours.


 If you have an arts and entertainment event that fits within the adult scope of fun and cool things to do for Weekend Picks, contact Kay Stephens at news@penbaypilot.com or like The Killer Convo on Facebook and put her on your events list.

CAMDEN — The Frost Heave Challenge has a winner! Between Jan. 30 and Feb. 8, participating restaurants and bars in the Camden-Rockport area each created a special cocktail incorporating the frost heave theme of this year’s Winterfest and punch cards were distributed to the hundreds of locals and visitors so they could vote on the best cocktail. Bartenders from Cappy’s Chowder House & Restaurant, The Samoset Resort, 40 Paper, Natalie’s, The Waterfront, Smokestack Grill, Shepherd’s Pie and Cuzzy’s Bar & Restaurant all had something special up their collective sleeve. A few thought the contest would naturally favor the bars with the most mixology experience, but imagine the surprise, when the ballots came in and the local “keeping it real” establishment of Cuzzy’s emerged as the winner.

Bartenders Melanie Ilvonen and Heather Fortin came up with “The Warm and Cuzzy.”

“It’s a spin off on the owner [Chris] Cuzzy’s favorite drink with Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey with Apple Pie Midnight Moon moonshine, which has a hint of apples and cinnamon,” said Melanie.  “Then, we add the hot cider. It’s a very simple comfort drink, almost like sipping dessert,” she said. “I think our staff had a lot to do with spreading the news of the drink word of mouth and it was just really popular over toboggan weekend.”

To make the drink, watch our video of Melanie as she puts it all together or try the ingredients at home.

  • Rim glass with cinnamon sugar mixture
  • 1 jigger Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey
  • 1 jigger Apple Pie Midnight Moon moonshine
  • Fill with warmed apple cider
  • Garnish with cinnamon stick and orange slice

To see all of our past “What’s In That Cocktail” series (with video!), check out our “Iconic Cocktails” resource page: The best craft cocktails in the Midcoast


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN - Camden National Bank President and CEO Greg Dufour was driving behind a school bus one day last winter when he noticed school children get off at a local motel. In the parking lot, there were multiple cars—unusual for the winter, when occupancy is usually way down. So, he inquired about it and found out that it is where homeless families are often put up temporarily.

Midcoast Hospitality House, which opened a year ago, was responsible for this agreement in order to get families off the streets before their facilities opened. The motel continues to serve as an overflow location for people that Hospitality House is unable to accommodate.

The sight of kids living in motels made an impact on Dufour, who, with his wife, Doreen, have three children of their own. It developed into conversations about what the bank could do, and last month, Camden National Bank launched a new initiative called Hope@Home. In 2015, every time someone finances a home purchase through Camden National Bank, the bank donates $100 to Maine's homeless shelters. 

“It wasn’t just one person who came up with this concept; we really wanted to find one cause that wasn’t really on the radar,” said Dufour. “It really took us some time to understand the root of homelessness in this state. We met with a lot of individuals who spearhead homeless shelters so we could research the best way to serve our homeless populations.”

There are approximately 7,500 people in Maine who are currently homeless, which is up 23 percent from 2013. In Knox County alone, there are nearly 400 people in need of permanent housing.

“We know there is homelessness for all sorts of reasons; it comes from addiction, from domestic violence and from unfortunate life situations,” he said. “But it is not for us worry about how they became homeless, just to know that they are. If we can provide money to shelters, and more importantly, engage Mainers and get them thinking about this issue, that’s what we’re aiming for.”

Given the often negative public perception of homelessness that persists, it is significant that a bank has tackled this particular issue head on. Dufour recalled a meeting he had last week with one of the directors of the Hope House in Bangor, which is the second largest homeless shelter in Maine and the only shelter north of Portland accepting homeless people who engage in substance abuse. “When I was talking with them, they said they take in 60-70 addicts a night,” he said. “I asked if they were in recovery, and they said, no, they were active addicts. But, all of their assigned caseworkers know these 60-70 people personally and they’re trying to get them into recovery programs. So, the way I think about it, our initiative is not just giving them a roof over their head at night, it’s helping to save some of these people’s lives.”

Another reason this was a risky initiative for a bank to take is the fact that a great deal of society is still recovering from the financial crisis of 2007-2008, which came about, in part, to unethical practices made by financial institutions and high-risk mortgages that people could no longer pay.

“The more our team discussed it, we realized there were a lot of reasons why we probably shouldn’t be touching this subject,” he said. “I think that it’s something a bank wouldn’t typically want to get into, and we weren’t really sure how people would react. We could have talked ourselves out of it, but we wanted to take the risk and we wanted to shed light on this issue. So what if we’re having some difficult conversations around it, as long as we’re helping somebody.”

This past week, thanks to the customers who made the choice where to allocate their Hope@Home bonus, Dufour was able to take checks to Midcoast Hospitality House in Rockport and New Hope For Women in Rockland. Dufour said they don’t have any restrictions on the money given, as long as the organization is a nonprofit that deals with homelessness in some way.

Kathleen Morgan, executive director of New Hope For Women said, “Camden National Bank's Hope at Home program is inspired. It is a gift to the community when an institution as important as Camden National Bank takes a leadership role and collaborates with nonprofits to improve the lives of others. All of us at New Hope are grateful for the support we receive from this program.”

Stephanie Primm, director of Hospitality House, also voiced her appreciation. “This initiative is incredible on a number of levels,” she said. “All of the services we offer people to get them back to independent, sustainable and productive lives is very expensive, as you can imagine. So, the funding will support all of that. I just commend them for really launching a campaign that is going to raise awareness to help shed light on the problem and help demystify the perception of homelessness.”

Dufour said feedback from his employees about the initiative has been enthusiastic as well. “I had one of my branch managers email me and tell me she was glad we were doing this,” he said. “She said she’d gone to high school with several classmates, who are now homeless. The other thing is, from a company perspective, our employees volunteer a lot in their communities and with this initiative, they are asking how they do even more to help people who are homeless.”

Dufour is encouraged that this initiative will grow organically within the community. “We think the time is right for the homelessness cause to get a little more visibility,” he said. “Maybe this will even spur more people or other businesses to volunteer or donate on their own,” he added, citing how Darling’s Auto donated a van to Hospitality House in order to get residents to their medical appointments and job interviews.

To see more about this initiative including what organizations are being served statewide visit: Hope@Home

For more information visit Midcoast Hospitality House and New Hope For Women

For more on homeless assistance and families needing help with finding permanent housing visit Maine Housing


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Ah summertime. . .we can only dream. Does this particular scene look familiar to you?

Last week’s Throwback Thursday photo was an easy one; of course it was Camden. Many guessed correctly that the ice wagon was passing by what is now known as Cappy’s Chaowder House and Restaurant, but what we never found out was what the building used to be in 1912 when the photo was taken.

Reader Clifford Blastow wins with this interesting comment: “The ice wagon looks to be coming out of Bayview street in front of Cappy's in Camden. Had to be after 1870 because you can see the old Civil War monument that used to be at the top of the hill. They had power and telephone by then and I see an automobile up the road on the right. I would date it at 1910-1915.

This week’s photo courtesy of the Facbeook page You Knew You Grew Up in Camden-Rockport Maine when...


Throwback Thursday needs your submissions. Send us your “back in the day” photos with a caption at news@penbaypilot.com

Move over “Fifty Shades,” Midcoast Actor’s Studio has a provocative play with lead characters who actually have chemistry.

Venus in Fur is a play-within-a-play currently showing at Belfast’s Playhouse in the next couple of weeks. The 2010 Broadway play, originally written by David Ives, is an adaptation of the 1870 novel Venus in Furs by the Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, which happens to be the novel that inspired the term masochism.

Interested now?

Here’s a glimpse of the plot:

Venus in Fur focuses on Thomas Novachek, the writer-director of a new play opening in New York City. The play begins with Novachek on the telephone lamenting the inadequacies of the actresses who have showed up that day to audition for the lead character, Wanda von Dunayev. Suddenly, at the last minute, a new actress, Vanda Jordan (Johannah Blackman), bursts in. At first it's hard to imagine that she will please this very particular and exasperated writer/director: She's brash, vulgar and unschooled. But she convinces him to let her audition for the part of Wanda, with the director/writer reading the part of Severin von Kushemski. Much happens during this dynamic reading, as lightning flashes and thunder crashes outside, with a highly emotional, erotically-charged script adapted from one of the raciest novels of the 19th-Century. They talk, plead, argue, caress and more.

Jason Bannister, founder and artistic director of the Midcoast Actor’s Studio, said it was coincidental that the play opened right around the same time as the movie everyone is talking about.

“We didn’t mean to open it at the same time, but everyone is making comparisons to the movie Fifty Shades of Grey. But, this is much better. There’s definitely humor in there, a play of words in interesting situations.”

The play, directed by Robin Jones, features Tyler Johnstone and Johanna Blackman as the lead characters.

“There’s a big change from beginning to end for both the male and female characters. He’s not really impressed with her when she first arrives as he’s had a long day of horrible auditions, but by the end, he’s been totally transformed by this mysterious creature.”

Asked what what the play’s theme centers around, he said: “Power. I think the tag line that Robin came up with was based on the Oscar Wilde quote ‘Everything in the world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power.’"

Performances continue this weekend until March 1 at the Playhouse 107 Main St. in Belfast. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 5 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for those over 65. This production is for mature audiences only and limited seating available.

For tickets call the box office at 370-7592, email midcoastactors@gmail.com, visit midcoastactors.org.


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Is it spring yet? What? There’s more snow coming this weekend? *Starts to ugly cry* This always feels like the half way point to the winter. This weekend is Valentine’s Day or Un Valentine’s Day, whichever you prefer. Whatever you do, enjoy it—we’re in for the long haul.

Thursday, Feb. 12

· Open Mic at Highlands Coffee House from 6 to 9 p.m. Get there at 5:30 p.m. to sign up to play.

· FOG Bar and Cafe is continuing their Drink & Draw Thursday night from 7-11 p.m. Guest artists come with new themes and materials provided. Happy Hour goes on all night. No cover.

· Karaoke at Cuzzy’s, starts at 9 p.m.

· Each Thursday, Cappy’s Chowder House is doing game night with Cards Against Humanity  from 6 -9 p.m. Meet people who share your sense of humor and enjoy drink and food specials. FMI: Facebook

Friday, Feb. 13

· BeauSoleil, Cajun revivalists perform a blend of New Orleans jazz, blues rock, folk, swamp pop, Zydeco, country and bluegrass at the Strand Theatre. They are regular guests on Garrison Keillor's National Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion, and have appeared on countless stages from the Grand Ole Opry to the Newport Folk Festival. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. and it’s $25.00 admission.

· Happy Un Valentine’s Day at Rock Harbor Brewing Co. with an open mic and their first Un Valentine’s Songwriting Competition, which starts at 8 p.m. With 14 entries
and three judges, this is sure to be highly entertaining. No cover.

· By the Bay jazz trio plays at Rock City Café from 7-9 p.m. The trio performs arrangements of works by many composers from the Golden Age of American Song, as well as numerous Latin rhythm standards.

· The Speakeasy is hosting Shy Green, an original and Grateful Dead tribute jam band. Music starts at 8pm and goes until 11 p.m. No cover.

· East Belfast Elementary School is doing a free dance with Terence and Annette Lee teaching the Jitterbug. The lessons will go from 6:30-7:30 p.m., with the regular open dance running 7:30-9:30 p.m. Bring a change of shoes to avoid damaging the wood floors.

· Bowen’s Tavern in Belfast has a DJ playing from 7 p.m. - 12 a.m.

· Open Mic at the Time Out Pub downstairs.

· Karaoke at The Myrtle Street Tavern, starts at 9 p.m., 21+.

· Celtic Band Jam at Bell the Cat, Belfast goes from 6:30-9 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 14

· Velocipede is heating up Rock City Café from 7-9 p.m. Hailing from Maine, Julia Plumb (fiddle, viola, foot percussion) and Baron Collins-Hill (mandolin, tenor guitar) play original and traditional fiddle tunes from New England, Quebec, Appalachia, Scandinavia, and the British Isles. No cover.

·  Trekkers' are hosting a “V Day Part-tay” at the Samoset Resort. Social hour and cash bar goes from 7-8 p.m.; 7 - 11:30 p.m., hors d’oeuvres and light refreshments, along with a silent auction and 50/50 raffle. Just Teachers, the ever-popular band plays 8-11:30 p.m. Tickets are $15: Call 594-5095 or email: shari@Trekkers.org; or visit trekkers.org/valentines-day-dance-fundraiser/

· Trackside Station in Rockland is hosting a Valentine’s Rockin’ Dinner Dance with Two Dollar Pistol, which begins playing at 9 p.m.

·The Speakeasy is hosting blues man, Blind Albert. Music starts at 8pm and goes until 11p.m. No Cover.

Sunday, Feb. 15

· The Fourth Annual Chili and Chowder Cookoff is happening at Trackside Station in Rockland. Only $10 entry fee will get you some of the best homemade chowder and chili around and benefits Muscular Dystrophy Association of Maine from 2-5 p.m.

· Front Street Pub in Belfast is celebrating Fat Tuesday a little early from Feb. 15-17, serving up all of your New Orleans favorite foods!

· Rock Harbor Brewing Co. will be hosting a cribbage tournament every Sunday beginning at 8 p.m.

· Musicians, bring instruments and voices and make music together at Sail, Power and Steam Museum at Sharp's Point South, 75 Mechanic St., Rockland. Free. FMI: 701-5050 or 701-7627. Coffee and cookies provided. Every Sunday, rain or shine.

Want to know where to go for happy hour every day of the week? Check out our updated Guide To Midcoast Happy Hours.


 If you have an arts and entertainment event that fits within the adult scope of fun and cool things to do for Weekend Picks, contact Kay Stephens at news@penbaypilot.com or like The Killer Convo on Facebook and put her on your events list.