On March 31, Gov. Janet Mills issued an updated  “Healthy at Home” mandate to protect public health and safety in the face of COVID-19, requiring all citizens in Maine to remain at home from April 2 to April 30, with the exception of certain activities.

So what does that mean for outdoor lovers?

Gov. Mills addressed that in her directive during Wednesday,’s press briefing, allowing outdoor activity to continue, but with provisions. The official wording is: “Engaging in outdoor exercise activities, such as walking, hiking, running, or biking, but, only in compliance with the social gathering restriction in Executive Order 14 and all applicable social distancing guidance published by the U.S. and Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

The bottom line is that hiking, walking the dog, strolling, and other outdoor activities are fine and encouraged, as long as people abide by the physical distancing guidelines that are in place. That means separating and leaving six feet between yourself and other people.

This directive comes after a whiplash month of announcements and closings regarding Maine’s national parks, state parks, and beaches and local hiking areas.

On March 18, the National Park Service announced it was waiving entrance fees to state parks as a way to encourage outdoor exercise while social distancing.

Then the people came—too many—crowding beaches, state parks, and public outdoor spaces.

Nearly a week later on March 26, several of Maine’s national parks, including Acadia, the Appalachian Trail Katahdin, Woods and Water announced they were closing, instead, due to COVID-19 precautions. 

According to Jim Britt, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, “Some of our coastal state parks were at or exceeding peak season capacity.” A day later, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry closed 10 coastal parks.

With only local hiking trails now open during the social distancing order, which allows outdoor exercise, local and out-of-state citizens began flocking to the spaces they usually go to.

Only more and more came—too many.

Numerous local Facebook users complained in comments last week about too many cars appearing at Beech Hill Preserve, lined all up and down the road, on public beaches, and at other popular trails, such as Bald Mountain Preserve and the Carriage Hill Trails in Camden, as well as the Georges Highland Trailhead off Route 17. Others pointed out that because of a lack of car-pooling, more individuals are arriving alone, resulting in more cars.

Then on March 28, record volumes of visitors not heeding the parking lot limits prompted Coastal Mountains Land Trust to have to close Beech Hill Preserve temporarily. [Update: CMLT announced on April 1 that Beech Hill Preserve was re-opening with some changes.]

“We did not see this coming,” said CMLT Executive Director Ian Stewart. “Beech Hill is likely to re-open, but with a lot more signage limiting parking. If the parking lot is full, that limits how many people can safely be in one area. When you have excessive parking on the roads, that’s the issue. The key thing is, if you see a parking lot to your favorite spot is full, have a Plan B to go somewhere else. There are a lot of options around here.”

Stewart said Beech Hill Preserve is the only one of their properties to close, although Bald Mountain Preserve has shown excessive use in recent weeks and they are monitoring that. Fernald's Neck Preserve is also temporarily closed, due to mud season.

“If we have to, we may close down other areas, but we think with some education and more signage, it will change some of these practices,” said Stewart. “Not that we’re discouraging people from our properties. We understand that people want to be outside and support their desire to do so. We just want people to spread out and respect the need to keep our communities safe.”

His tips include:

• Observe social distancing even when outdoors: stay six-feet apart. “If you have to go off-trail to do this, you won’t be doing too much damage to the vegetation this time of year to step off to the side.”
• Carry in and carry out. “We’re hunkered down as much as everyone else, so we’re really relying on people to self-enforce this.”
• Plan B: “If your favorite spot is full, just go for a local walk down your own street or in your own neighborhood.”
• Recognize that others have touched the same rocks, trees, picnic tables, etc. Wash hands; sanitize appropriate surfaces, etc.

 

Elsewhere, the Parks and Recreation departments of local towns are issuing their own statement regarding the public use of their outdoor areas. All Kennebunk beaches have been closed as of March 28.

This story will be updated as more information comes in.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Like thousands of small businesses across Maine that have been shuttered and classified as “non-essential” businesses per Gov. Janet Mills’ coronavirus mandates, independent bookstores are finding new ways to get books—which are essential—to their customers.

“Everything changed the day non-essential businesses had to shut down,” said Barbara Klausmeyer, co-owner of Left Bank Books in Belfast. “Shortly before that, we went from half-time to half staff, so when we closed our doors, we let people know in our newsletter, that we’re still open for business as far as shipping packages, ordering from our supplier direct from home and processing books for curbside-pick up.” 

Curbside-pickup is basically a call-ahead system, whereby the book, wrapped in packaging (including a caramel treat) is left literally on the front doorstep, so there is zero face-to-face contact.

In a bookseller’s world, where face-to-face contact is the lifeblood of the business itself, these are very strange times.

Klausmeyer said they aren’t quite set up for delivery, but if a customer is unable to access a book from any of their current models, he or she should give Left Bank Books a call. 207-338-2006.

Owl & Turtle Bookshop Café owners Craig and Maggie White have also temporarily changed their business model. 

“For the last two years we’ve closed the entire month of March for vacation, so timing-wise, it gave us more of an opportunity to brainstorm, talk to other small businesses, and see how to continue doing business,” said Craig. “We’re scheduled to open April 1 for phone, email and website orders, but we can’t yet open the physical shop. We’ll also do curbside pick-up and home delivery as well as direct mailing from the distributor.”

“Maybe we should get a VW bus and fill it with books, just like the Bookmobile in the ‘70s,” said Maggie. “Small businesses have to be creative any way you slice it. We’ve found that the personal connections we’ve made in this business have really made the difference. It’s important to us that people in the community know we’re thinking of them and even if we can’t have a face-to-face conversation with them, we’ll find a way to reach them.”

Lacy Simons, owner of hello hello in Rockland, said the bookshop had closed a few days prior to the state mandate.

“We were operational with a new version of the business when the shut down occurred,” she said. “But it still felt like whiplash.”

The bookshop is doing curbside-pick up and online orders, along with care packages customized to the buyer. 

“We might have shipped two orders a week before and now we’re getting 10 to 15 orders a day,” she said. “But with only myself and one employee, it’s tough. We’re realizing this is a long-game. One of the things keeping me sane is Marco Polo, a group chat with other booksellers that I met through the ABA [American Booksellers Association].”

Currently, hello hello has launched a short-term #shoptheshelves event, which limits special orders to what they already have in stock.

Simons said, “This is probably the fifth time we’ve re-invented our book-selling model.”

With a national mandate of social distancing extending until April 30, at the time of writing this article, it is unknown if a statewide mandate will follow. If that happens, like all small businesses already in jeopardy, including Sherman’s Bookstore in Camden, which had to close unexpectedly for good, keeping an independent bookstore open will be a razor-thin judgment call.

“Nobody has a crystal ball,” said Klausmeyer. “I will say we are feeling enormously supported by this community, including summer people, who are having books shipped from us out of state, so we're hopeful we’ll be able to stay in business.”

“We will not be okay if that happens,” said Craig. “We’ll see. Over the last few years, the café, which has been a place for people to come in every day and socialize, has been more of a revenue source. And though it’s vitally important to stay open to pay the bills, both Maggie and I think it’s more important that people stay home and healthy.”

“We don’t want to be the guinea pig where we open up prematurely and new cases crop up,” added Maggie.

After our interview, Simons announced on a newsletter that she struggled with asking for help, but said in the newsletter: “I’ve looked around this quiet shop, which we’ve worked so hard to make feel like a home for so many, and felt like yelling, ‘I don’t want to give this up! I don’t want to lose this!” 

As a testimony to how much hello hello is beloved in this community, a $15,000 GoFundMe goal reached $14,000 in four days.

Here’s hoping the literary anchors in our communities can hang on just a little bit longer.

Bella Books in Belfast could not be reached for comment.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

MIDCOAST—A newly formed alliance, Maine’s Working Waterfront-Seafood Connect has been the lifeline to keep lobstermen financially afloat. The group began as a Facebook idea last week to take the freshly caught product directly to the people, selling from wharves and parking lots. The reaction from the public has been overwhelmingly positive. And its surprise success is spurring other loosely formed alliances to do the same.

On Saturday, March 28,  the roving seafood market set up camp in the Reny’s parking lot in Camden and sold out of product within two hours.

On Sunday, different lobstermen returned to Reny’s parking lot, both in Camden and in Belfast, and did the same.

The volunteer who put this all together, Ali Farrell, was on hand to witness the scene in Belfast.

“We had four trucks set up and 200 people waiting to buy lobsters and crab,” she said. “The event started at 10 a.m.; people were lined up by 9:30 a.m. and they ended up selling out their catch in 10 minutes. We had to get in another truck by noon. All together in both locations, we did over 3,000 pounds this weekend.”

In Camden, on Sunday, Owls Head lobsterman Donald Williams arrived with his two stern men with multiple crates of hard-shell lobster they hauled Saturday as well as a crate of rock crabs.

“We’re always looking for other markets and when the things we normally do aren’t working, you’ve got to use social media to sell the product,” said Williams, who began working out of the back of his truck, setting up a scale and organizing crates. Williams who lobster fishes independently said, “This time of year is low volume [in terms of catch].”

The Facebook collective that Farrell set up with Maine Working Waterfront-Seafood Connect provided Williams and a number of lobstermen, a new pipeline. 

“It really happened at both the worst and best time, because this time of year we’re not able to do much; there’s not a ton of lobsters out there, but we can at least sell what we catch,” he said.

Unlike strict lobster territories, this new seafood market is open to all and someone else might show up at Reny’s parking lot next week.

“It’s all weather dependent, but everyone is sort of covering each other,” said Farrell. “The lobstermen are all working together really well to ensure there’s enough to sell to everyone.”

“This time of year with everything going on, and with the wharf price for lobster being only $3.50 per pound, this is super helpful to our families,” said William’s sternman Linwood Sedgwick.  “I’ve got three kids. [Jesse Wilgus, William’s other sternman] also has three kids.”

The win-win for the customer is the price and the guarantee of fresh-caught products. Williams was selling lobsters priced at $6 a pound; rock crab at $1 apiece. Cutting out the middleman has allowed lobstermen to make a profit while giving a great deal to the customer. Lobster for example being sold through Hannaford supermarkets is $9.99 per pound.

The crowd of 20 or so people who formed at 10 a.m. in Camden stood the six-feet recommended length apart when making their purchases as did the crowds in Belfast.

An update to the original story states that the selling stations will utilize a drive-through system with a basket on a gaff to exchange money. Gloves and masks will be work by the sellers. Venmo will also be taken as a currency alternative. Buyers are to bring their own bags and coolers.

Marine Patrol has been present in multiple locations ensuring that the lobstermen handling the product are licensed and are exchanging the product properly.

One man standing in line in Camden planned to buy six lobsters.

“Friends of mine are lobstermen,” said Jim Richard, of Camden. “I feel bad for some of these people because their normal buying stations are closed and with Canada’s market is closed. It’s just at a point right now with big investments, fuel and bait and everything going on that at least now,  they have chance to break even. It’s great to be able to come here and contribute a bit and the product is always good.”

Farrell said the initial idea to pre-order seafood [mentioned in PenBay Pilot’s first story on the collective: A new Facebook group directly connects Maine fishermen to local buyers], went out the window. “I had hundreds of people contacting me and with a full-time job and two kids, I couldn’t handle it all,” she said. “We had to go to a first-come-first-serve model.”

The model is now moving at a fast pace, changing locations daily. To keep up on where lobstermen will be selling their catch next, stay tuned to the Maine’s Working Waterfront-Seafood Connect  Facebook page.

Related story: A new Facebook group directly connects fishermen to local buyers

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

Welcome to our new normal, where everything changes on a dime. Folks are getting crafty about how they communicate now; whether it’s a virtual class in place of a face-to-face session, an outdoor event that keeps everyone one fathom apart, or a Zoom meeting where gin and tonics are on the agenda, here we go, weekend two of Weekend Quarantine!

Virtual Happy Hour

Friday, March 27 — Online

Just as I knew it would catch on, the Virtual HH is keeping a lot of people connected and buoyed up during our seclusion. Get one set up yourself with your friends on Facebook, Gchat or Zoom this weekend. Flight Deck Brewing in Brunswick is hosting an online get together Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. The first 100 people can get in on their Zoom party. Happy Hour will kick off with some behind-the-scenes info on what Flight Deck, Moderation and Black Pug are doing for new beer and then open it up for Q&A.  So grab a pint and get ready to meet new people. FMI: Sign up

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Gourmet Dinner at Home

Friday, March 27 through March 29 — Midcoast

The bars, restaurants, brewers, and distillers of this state have had to make whiplash changes to their business models since March 18. At Pen Bay Pilot, we were the first to start listing businesses and now have the area’s most comprehensive list of who is open for business and who is offering take out, delivery, and pick-up. This also includes where to go to buy directly from the fishermen and the farmers each week. And thanks to Maine Brewers Guild, here’s where to go to get your favorite takeout brews. Support your community all weekend and buy take out. Make your friends jealous on the Virtual Zoom Happy Hour. 

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Living Room Dance Party

Friday, March 27— Online

Waterfall Arts did a Living Room Dance Party on Wednesday and now national Facebook events are popping up like this one, where you invite the DJ into your living room and dance like no one is watching (because no one is.) Organize your friends this weekend to do the same on  Zoom, grab a beverage that gives you Happy Feet, and take turns playing DJ. Or if you all have a subscription to Spotify (right now the first month is free) have someone set up a dance party playlist you can all dance to at the same time.

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Killer Road Trip: Social Distancing-Approved Scavenger Hunt

Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29— Bangor

The Willie Wags is brewing up something out of this world for the weekend, putting the finishing touches on an educational, historical and fun scavenger hunt that will take a lucky few to locations around Greater Bangor to complete a (social-distancing-approved) scavenger hunt. All participants will leave with lots of laughs and some amazing selfies they took along their adventure. Pre-registration required with some rules in place. FMI: The Fine Print

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Social Distancing Live Music

Saturday, March 28— Online

Penobscot Pour House in Bangor is teaming up with their regular band, Fire & Ice to make your quarantined Saturday a little more fun. They’re going live on Facebook Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. so link up and drink up and air guitar around your living room.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN—It’s no secret that Maine lobstermen, like so many other small business owners, are hurting right now. Safe to say, even panicking. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, lobster prices have tumbled worldwide resulting in a slowdown of imports. Adding a further blow to the industry, with seafood distributors, exporters and restaurants closing their doors this week, lobstermen and other fishermen are finding themselves with fresh product and no one to buy it.

One local author, Ali Farrell, who is publishing a book about the lives of female lobstermen titled Pretty Rugged (due out this summer) started a special Facebook group page on March 18 called Maine’s Working Waterfront-Seafood Connect, which links up potential buyers directly to lobstermen looking to sell their catch.

“I’ve been visiting the islands to interview lobstermen for the past two years and have so many friends who are fishermen now, so I’ve been keeping up with all of them and what they’re going through,” she said. “They have lobsters in their traps, but since everything has closed down, they have no buyers and no outlets. I figured if I could act as a connector, we could get people the food they need while keeping the fishermen going.”

Farrell is a solutions-based thinker, and author of Pretty Combat: Nonsense, Shenanigans and Tactful Life Domination, a solution-based book that addresses issues of personal nature to Farrell. 

At first, Farrell coordinated between buyers and two lobstermen using her personal Facebook page and then invited a couple more lobstermen to be suppliers.

“I have a ton of friends interested in buying, so I thought I’d connect them up,” she said.

Within one day of starting that Facebook group, Farrell said she took in orders for 960 pounds of lobster from nearly 49 interested buyers. 

She had no idea how much of a local demand it would create. As a work-from-home mom with young children during the COVID-19 school closings, and an author, she realized that this entrepreneurial idea could turn into a full-time effort, so she made the Facebook group public.

“Right now I’ve got one guy in Vinalhaven and one in Harpswell,” she said. “Depending on the weather, the Vinalhaven lobsterman hopes to go hauling Tuesday and be in Rockland by Tuesday afternoon.”

The way it works is this: Farrell is monitoring the orders coming in through Facebook. The lobstermen will haul once a week and buyers can pay for their pre-ordered lobster right off the boat. There’s no middleman to cut the price and the lobster is fresh off the boat.

Starting 3/28, the process will switch to a different format: First come, first serve, farmer’s market-style. Any fisherman is welcome. Fisherman will decide what/if they are selling each week.
No Pre-Orders.

“Right now, lobstermen are not going to haul up traps full of lobsters if there are no buyers, so once the lobstermen have a set number of pre-orders, they’ll go out,” she said.

The current lobster deal being offered is $5 per pound with a 20-lb minimum ($100). All one needs to do is send a message through Facebook to place an order then pick up at a Rockland location (date to be determined). The buyers pay for the lobsters, which are bagged up when they arrive. 

As of March 19, the Facebook community added a pipeline to oysters—$100 for 80 oysters.

“We’re currently arranging for clams and scallops to be available as well,” she said.

Given the precautions around handling cash during the pandemic, Farrell said the lobstermen can receive payment either in cash or by Venmo.

Several fishermen have expressed their gratitude for Farrell’s work in getting them back on the water and generating an income coming in. “Everyone’s in a panic right now and if I can make an easy connection to bring buyers directly to the lobstermen, I will,” she said.

This is a model that can be used in every coastal community. Solving a major local problem with some heart and a Facebook page, Farrell represents the kind of innovation we all need during these times.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

 

 

 

Television producer Shonda Rhimes just wrote on Twitter what a lot of parents are thinking.

Throughout March, school districts in southern, central, western and Midcoast Maine have closed for two weeks or longer as they take precautions against COVID-19.

That has left thousands of parents scrambling, not just for daycare and childcare arrangements, but has also made them homeschoolers, ready or not.  And with libraries, YMCAs and other educational organizations shutting down by the day, parents need some help and guidance. While many districts plan on using remote learning to keep the students educationally engaged, there are other resources parents can access to engage their children educationally. Thanks go to Midcoast Collective Care, a collective of people wanting to help, as they have provided many of these resources on their Facebook group page.

Free Babysitting

What are single parents supposed to do? Or the two-parent household who must work, leaving students home alone? Five Towns Babysitting Task Force has set up an online database of volunteers around Camden-Rockport who are willing to provide free daycare, along with a form to sign up families in need of free child care. FMI: Details

Free Internet

Not every household has the ability to afford WiFi, leaving students home with no access to the outside world or educational resources. Charter Communications announced on March 13 that it would provide free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households. FMI: Details 

During the COVID-19 crisis period, the LTC Family of Companies (Lincolnville Telephone, Tidewater Telecom and LCI Fiber Optic Network) will provide the Internet services below for customers and residents with students at home (K-12 and college) who live in the Tidewater Telecom and Lincolnville Telephone areas. FMI: Details

Comcast is offering wifi hotspots available nationwide due to the coronavirus. To find an Xfinity WiFi Hotspot, check the hotspot location map at wifi.xfinity.com or download the Xfinity WiFi Hotspots app from the App Store or Google Play.

Free Educational Online Subscriptions

Thanks to kidsactivitiesblog.com (a fantastic online resource on its own) they’ve compiled a comprehensive list of more than 100 educational companies offering free subscriptions to their programs while schools are closed. Access them here.

Virtual Field Trips

Just because we can’t travel right now, doesn’t mean we can’t see the world. Incorporate lessons into virtual travel to places such as the Galapagos Islands, the Great Wall of China, national parks, Ancient Greece or even underwater to a coral reef in the Bahamas. FMI: Virtual Field Trips

Video Read-Alouds

Children who can no longer be read to in-person can still be read to online.  Chris Van Dusen, a local author and illustrator, announced on his Facebook page he is offering a series of live reading his children’s stories The Circus Ship and If I Built A School. Teachers at The Miller School in Waldoboro are also offering video read alouds, which you can find on their Facebook page. Additionally, here are also 100 Free Video Read Alouds to engage your children. And artist Mo Willems is doing Lunch Doodles every day teaching kids how to draw.

Hands-On Activities for Fidgety Kids

Staring at a screen for hours doesn’t work for many kids, who need to use their hands or engage in physical play to learn. Here are some easy indoor activities for young kids using everyday materials found in your house. FMI: Indoor Activities

Note: This list will be updated regularly with more resources as tips come in. Please send your tips to the address below with the subject line: “For homeschooling story”

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

Despite the fact that there will be no physical events or gatherings for next several weeks, fear not; we can still be social, get our culture fix and be entertained this weekend.

Virtual Coffee Klatch/Happy Hour

Brew a cup or mix up a stiff one, we’re all going to need some social interaction during our social distancing/isolation and naturally, there are already Internet communities for this sort of thing. Coffee & Chat on Facebook is a private group where you can meet new people from all over the world, but what’s really great about this group is that it’s a place for people who are experiencing anxiety or sleeplessness due to recent events. And for the “5 ‘o clock somewhere people,” here’s an article from the New York Times on how friends and co-workers are turning the virtual happy hour into the best part of their day. You can hang out online, video chat and keep the office gossip going through Slack, Facebook, Facetime or Google (G-chat).  If you end up finding one in the Midcoast, that’s open to the public, please email me.

Stroll (virtually) through 12 museums for free

Use Google Street View to wander the halls of the Guggenheim Museum’s collection and when you come to a piece you like, Google even provides info about the artwork. Google Maps lets you travel to another continent without worrying about getting home, where you can peruse The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul. Here are more museums to check out this weekend.

Netflix-watching parties

Time to binge-watch all of the movies, tv shows and documentaries you’ve been saving (here’s a list of what not to miss in March). Netflix Party is a Netflix Party is a Chrome extension for watching Netflix remotely with friends, so now you can get caught on on Schitt’s Creek and all say “Ewww David” in synch on a group chat.

Free Shows on Broadway

For seven days you can have access to Broadway HD and watch critically acclaimed Broadway shows such as Kinky Boots, Swan Lake and yes, even Cats.

Free Access to National Parks

The National Park Service has been authorized to waive all entrance fees during the coronavirus pandemic to encourage social distancing. Call ahead or check online before you go, as not all parks are open this time of year. FMI: Maine parks

Volunteering for Mainers

If you’re healthy and want to help this weekend, Mainers Together is a community-based response to coronavirus and is asking for volunteers to protect the most vulnerable friends and neighbors in your community. FMI: More info.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

Did you feel anxious all weekend? Sort of like that frog in the fable who sits in tepid water that’s slowly being brought to a boil?

On Friday afternoon, during a downpour, I headed to Hannaford Supermarket in Belfast for my usual weekend shop, knowing that they would be out of toilet paper, out of hand sanitizer, etc.  All last week, my Facebook feed showed posts of local grocery stores with empty shelves where the toilet paper and paper towels used to be; I was prepared for that.

On my way to the store, I stopped first at another local shop where a customer was having a conversation with the clerk that went something like this:

Clerk: I was in Walmart yesterday and there was one pack of toilet paper left on the shelf. And we’re out! I have a young kid, so I took it, but then this woman started screaming at me, calling me selfish. I mean, was that hoarding?

Customer: That’s not hoarding! It’s one pack. And you needed it.

Clerk: I had to literally hide the toilet paper in my reusable bag so that other people wouldn’t yell at me as I hit the self- check out. It was awful.

The parking lot at Hannaford’s in Belfast was packed; no surprise. But, when I started to roam the aisles, a feeling of dread began to creep in. The canned goods shelves were nearly gone; the meat in the refrigerated cases, gone. The bread aisle, rapidly emptying. This was more than just toilet paper hoarding. Essentials were now being depleted at an alarming rate.

I knew that so many families couldn’t get to the store until Saturday or Sunday, and they would be shocked to see how little was left once they did. As a shopper, I got into a casual conversation with an employee of Hannaford, a young man in his 20s (I didn’t identify that I was a reporter, nor will I use the person’s name) who told me that he had a four-month-old child at home and couldn’t even get baby wipes or the essentials he needed because lines of people had formed at 7 a.m. that morning and the masses had cleaned out the aisles before anyone else could get there.

As of Sunday, when I returned to the store for one item, new restrictions had been put in place. Hannaford and Shaw’s have both posted COVID-19 statements that high-demand items, such as toilet paper will now have a buying limit.

There is a difference between disaster preparedness and panic buying. Many people know what supplies they need to get through a two-day blizzard. But no one knows how long COVID-19 will last. According to an article in Forbes on consumer motivations, panic buying is fueled by anxiety, exacerbated by a fear of the unknown, and buying more than one needs, e.g. hoarding, is “...a way to assert some control over the situation by taking action.”

As a Maine community (and I consider the entire 16 counties one big community), we are known for our ability to hunker down and get through crises, whether it’s a two-day ice storm or long-term power outages.

With COVID-19 restrictions, closings, and cancellations popping up by the hour all weekend, it was completely understandable that the stories coming out of the media and social media posts are contributing to this increased sense of scarcity and anxiety. (And this is precisely why I resisted writing about this subject until it became impossible not to.)

But let’s make sure this coming weekend and the weeks after, that this feeling of anxiety and scarcity doesn’t devolve into a base response, along with hoarding and the more sinister chain reaction of  in-store brawling and guns drawn that occurred around the U.S. this past weekend.

It’s not the coronavirus I’m afraid of: it’s the worst that can come out in humanity. The selfishness; the “me-first-get-out-of-my-way” mentality; the irrational stockpiling that creates shortages for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and people with children. Food shortages lead to riots all over the world. Don’t think it can’t happen here.

Here are some alternatives to panic buying and suggestions on how to support one another in our communities while we all get through this:

• Stagger out your shopping during the week; buy only one or two high-demand items at a time. Grocery stores are making every effort to re-stock as fast as possible.
  
  
• Consider ordering supplies online through Amazon, Walmart, Target and buy groceries online through Shaws or Hannaford Supermarket
  
  
• Got extra supplies? Offer it to your friends and neighbors who are in desperate need. I have one friend who posted on Facebook that she had extra toilet paper to give away. Another person mentioned she’d be giving free toilet paper to anyone who needed it through Midcoast Message Board. Right now, food pantries are in dire need of basic necessities that have been depleted, so consider donating extra food or supplies you can spare. This is the kind of community compassion and generosity Mainers are renowned for and helps to ease the anxiety of scarcity.
  
  
• Join Midcoast Collective Care on Facebook, a public group which aims to provide resources for communities, including an anonymous Coronavirus Community Assistance Form

 

How to support others in the community while getting your own needs met:

• Buy gift certificates to your local restaurants, cafes and bars and use them later. While people continue to self-isolate, restaurant owners and servers are facing a catastrophic drop in customers; meanwhile, over the weekend, rumbles of bars and restaurants closing in the U.S. might become a possibility in Maine. Support them where you can, buy take-out, and tip well.
  
  
• Support local farm, seafood  CSAs as well as farmer’s markets. This is a secondary hit from fall-off in the restaurant business, as a recent PenBay Pilot story attests, especially when restaurants are forced to buy less from farmers. Update: A new farm product and pick up directory has been created.
  
  
• Eat more lobster! Maine’s lobstering communities are hit hard by Coronavirus as lobster prices tumble due to the worldwide slowdown in imports. Buying locally from seafood purveyors helps keep food on their tables too. This special Facebook group page connects you directly to lobstermen looking to sell their products.

 

That’s all I got people. This is going to get worse before it gets better. But we will get through this by being mindful of how our anxieties drive our behavior and being thoughtful and generous.

 

 

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are still in the works for a number of local restaurants, bars and churches. Note: due to COVID-19 concerns, many establishments are changing their policies by the hour. Check the venue you plan to go to online or call ahead first.

Friday, March 13

• St. George River Café in Warren is celebrating with an open mic night, along with corned beef and Guinness as well as an Irish tune or two from 6 to 8 p.m.

• Bowen’s Tavern in Belfast is also celebrating with four beers on tap, including Smiling Irish Bastard alongside Refueler, King's Pine IPA, and Higgins Irish Red, starting at 6 p.m.

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Saturday, March 14

• Start your morning off with an Irish pancake breakfast. The Freedom Congregational Chuch is hosting a public breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. with pancakes served with local maple syrup, fresh organic eggs from The Village Farm in Freedom, and authentic homemade Irish Soda bread, biscuits and gravy, bacon, sausage, coffee, and juice. $7.00 a person (purchase at the door). FMI: Details

• Liberator Brewing Co. in Rockland is hosting its second annual St Patrick’s Day Event from 1 p.m. until close with a special release of Red Sky Irish Red Ale and Highland Lager along with a boiled dinner, Irish Soda Bread, pulled pork Irish Nachos for sale. No Cover.

• The American Legion in Thomaston is killing two birds with one stone, and hosting a classic colonial New England boiled dinner as its Maine 200 Celebration at 5 p.m. On the menu: corned beef, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions, turnips, and beets using an authentic colonial-era recipe. Everyone is welcomed to celebrate and learn more about Maine’s history, the American Legion, Post 37 and the Post Auxiliary. Adults - $8.00/Children - $5.00/Families - $25.00 (2 adults and children). FMI: Details

• Lake St. George Brewing in Liberty is putting on a pre-St. Paddy’s Day party at 5 p.m. There won’t be any green beer, but the Oystermen will bring the Irish spirit with traditional Irish jigs, reels, and hornpipes and singing (mostly) Irish songs. 

• Trackside Station in Rockland is also hosting a pre-St. Paddy’s Day dance party with MLC live starting at 8:30 p.m.

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Tuesday, March 17

• The Front Street Pub is starting early with a traditional St. Paddy’s Day breakfast, served until noon with Guinness drafts and Irish whiskey specials starting at 8 a.m.

• Cancelled The First Church, UCC, (55 Spring Street, Belfast) is hosting a traditional dinner of corned beef and cabbage, carrots and potatoes, vegetarian fare, beverages, and a special dessert from 5 to 7 p.m. There will be live music, as well as some sing-along Irish tunes. $10 per person and $25 per family.

• Rollie’s Bar & Grill in Belfast, always has an Irish gathering every year, whether or not they advertise it. They’ll open at 11 a.m., with drink and food specials.

Neighborhood in Belfast will be open tomorrow for St Pat’s. 6 Irish Whiskeys, locally raised Corned Beef, and more starting at 4 p.m. They’ll be offering curb-side pick up for your take-out orders. 505-0425.

• The Vintage Room in Camden is hosting an early Irish tasting of food and drink starting at 2 p.m. FMI: Menu and details

• Whale’s Tooth Pub is throwing their annual St. Patrick’s Day party with live Irish music, corned beef and cabbage starting at 5:30 p.m. It’s always packed, so call for reservations: 207-789-5200. Note: they are also allowing people to order Irish dinners to go.

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 If your organization is not listed, it’s because details could be found out about it online. Please contact Kay Stephens for additional listings at news@penbaypilot.com

The one thing that has always united Mainers from the past to the present, and from every corner of the state, is food.

As a tribute to the Pine Tree State’s 200th anniversary of independence, a writer, a photographer, and a book owner are releasing the Maine Bicentennial Community Cookbook this summer.

Karl Schatz and Margaret Hathaway are the husband/wife team behind several books, including The Food Lover’s Guide to Maine and The Portland Maine Chef’s Table. They had the idea to produce a cookbook honoring the Maine Bicentennial and teamed up with Don Lindgren, owner of Rabelais Books, to compile recipes for a Maine Bicentennial Community Cookbook.

“We were involved with the Portland food scene for the last 15 years and we approached the Maine Bicentennial commission to ask if anyone was creating a Bicentennial cookbook,” said Schatz. “No one was, so we took it upon ourselves to put one together. With Don, who had this great collection of historic community cookbooks that go back to the 1870s, the vision took shape as a Maine community cookbook that would include historic recipes, professional recipes, as well as family recipes and food stories from everyday people. And we always had the concept that part of the proceeds of the sale of the book would go to fight hunger in Maine.”

In the fall of 2019, the couple, along with Lindgren, began the work to collect family recipes, food stories, and photos, along with recipes drawn from the state’s historic community cookbooks.

“We wanted recipes passed down in families as well as recipes from some notable Mainers, so we have a recipe from Patrick Dempsey’s family, and one from Stephen King,” said Schatz. “We have recipes from Senators and Congress members and Governor Mills is writing the forward as well as contributing a recipe.”

Schatz said that the book aimed to be inclusive of all new Mainers as well. “We have a recipe from the Somali community in Lewiston as well as a recipe from an Iraqi immigrant.”

With the help of Maine Public as its media sponsor, the project generated more than 350 submissions from all 16 counties in the state. The organizers whittled that down to 200 recipes. With a successful Kickstarter campaign, the cookbook project garnered enough funding to print 3,500 copies of the book, due out in mid-June, 2020.

History of Community Cookbooks

With its plentiful farms, hunting, seafood, and opportunities for foraging, the state of Maine has always been a rich food community. When the European settlers arrived, community suppers became a tradition in small towns, hosted by churches and fraternal organizations as a way to share the wealth with neighbors, often in the form of a baked bean supper.

The very first cookbook compiled and published in Maine was an 1877 community cookbook titled Fish Flesh & Fowl: a Book of Recipes for Cooking by the Ladies of Portland’s State Street Parish.

“There will be a recipe in our book from the 1877 book as well,” said Schatz. “A lot of these family recipes have a historic angle to them with notes attached such as ‘This is what my grandmother made us growing up.’ And inevitably, the notes end with: ‘We’re still cooking this today. And now I make this dish with my grandchildren.’ That’s the key part of what we were looking to capture when putting this book together.”

The beauty of the project is that the shared knowledge passed down from generation to generation will continue for generations to come.

“There are so many recipes in this cookbook that came from previous community cookbooks, so perhaps someone’s grandmother made a certain dish her special family recipe, but it was someone else’s recipe that she made her ‘own,’ ” he said. “This is how food traditions both get started and how they are shared and transmitted across generations and geographic lines. What we’re hoping is that when people all over Maine begin cooking these recipes from our cookbook, it’ll become the family recipe that they can pass down.”

To learn more about the Maine Bicentennial Community Cookbook and to pre-order, (starting in April) visit: maine200cookbook.com

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

WATERVILLE—The next time you watch a film shot in Maine, look closely. The state of Maine isn’t just a backdrop in most of those films—the landscape itself is often what’s known as a “third character” as it often mirrors the film’s mood.

Running up to the Maine Bicentennial, “Maine in the Movies” began March 5 and will continue to March 15, featuring 35 films across all genres that were set in or influenced by Maine. Thanks to the efforts of the Maine Film Center as well as 19 other arts and education organizations and independent cinemas, the 11-day festival is hitting 17 cities across the state.

Most people associate Maine films with book or story adaptations from Stephen King and Richard Russo, but the depth and breadth of films range from small-town life in a blue-collar mill town to feature-length animations to rom-coms set in Portland as well as eerie, cliffside and remote island productions that capitalize on Maine’s spooky reputation.

“Maine is a state of mind and imagination whose enigma and beauty have, from the very beginning, inspired writers, visual artists, and their natural descendants, filmmakers,” said Mike Perreault, MFC executive director, in a news release.

Jean and the Match-Maker (1910) is a short, silent film with a black-and-white border collie named Jean as its breakout star, who manages to be the matchmaker to two shy brothers. The most recent film in the “Maine in the Movies” series, The Lighthouse, (2019) is a psychological horror starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as two lighthouse keepers who start to lose their sanity when a storm strands them on the remote island where they are stationed.  Maine-based writer Sarah Orne Jewett served as a significant point of reference for the dialects used in the film, which was actually shot in Nova Scotia.

Perhaps the best-known film is the novella by Stephen King adapted to film, The Shawshank Redemption, a commentary on criminal justice. Even though the movie depicted Maine as its primary setting, the prison in the film was actually the old Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. Who can forget that dream-like pastoral hayfield at the end of the novella where Red follows clues that Andy Dufrene left him to an oak tree in Buxton, Maine, that Andy describes as “like something out of a Robert Frost poem”? Ironically, the oak tree and farm where the scene was filmed was not in Maine, but near Lucas, OH.

While hayfields and trees can look alike anywhere, there is no mistaking the Maine coast, a lobster fishing community, or the distinct accent of a Mainer whose family goes back generations.

The Midcoast has enjoyed a number of times as a third character in films. In The Bedroom, a 2001 indie crime film, was shot in multiple towns in the Midcoast, and beyond. Camden’s Village Green even made it into two movies: Peyton Place (1957) and Thinner (1996) while Lincolnville and Rockport made appearances in Man Without A Face.

And just about everybody in the Midcoast knows where to direct a tourist who’s looking for “that lighthouse that Forrest Gump ran up.” In fact, the Marshall Point Lighthouse is so popular from the eponymous film that a U.K. man re-enacted the famed run in 2017, as reported by Pen Bay Pilot.

Here is a list of all the locations where Maine-set films were actually shot.

For more information on Maine In The Movies, visit: The Maine Film Center

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

UNION—Zachary Fowler was the winner of “History’s” Alone Season 3 exactly three years ago, which we covered in series of stories.

Since then, Fowler has taken his half-million-dollar winnings and parlayed it into a sustainable YouTube video and production enterprise called Fowler’s Makery and Mischief through a video series such as the “30-Day Survival Challenge,” “Trick Shot Tuesday,”  and “87 Days.”

One of his recent bouts of mischief caught on camera was to strap a GoPro to a lobster he’d just caught in a trap 30 minutes earlier. [See the video]

Fowler said he was inspired to put the GoPro on a lobster because other YouTube creators have put GoPros on turtles and fish to observe their behavior. Being from Maine, the lobster was his natural choice. As he’d recently gotten his five-trap recreational lobster license, he wanted to see what was happening underwater. So he headed down to Rockport Harbor and put his boat in the water.

“I made a special harness for him,” he said. “There was a special GoPro bracket that I melted down and molded, so it could fit on the lobster’s back comfortably with a little cushion and zip ties. I put a buoyancy device on top of that so the equipment wouldn’t weigh him down. We had a milk jug on the surface, so we were able to put him down there on the ocean floor and follow him.

About 30 feet from where he dropped the lobster, Fowler then lowered down a baited trap.

“The surprising thing was he was able to move around and crawl through the seaweed with no problem.  He made it all the way over to it, then you see on camera his antennae touching the trap, where he kind of jumps back, and is like: ‘Nope, not going in there.’”

Most of Fowler’s outdoor videos are instructional, although the footage he took that day was more for fun than for scientific reasons.

“Lobster traps are more like feeding stations and if you watch them on underwater cameras, lobsters are constantly going in and out of them, contrary to what people think is a ‘trap,’” he said.

When he retrieved the lobster, he removed the GoPro from it.

“Then I let him go for his efforts,” said Fowler. “We’ll eat other ones.”

The video has already racked up more than 6.8 million views on YouTube.

After using the money from Alone to build up a YouTube channel he’d already been creating, the young entrepreneur from Union has since built a website and a following of millions of viewers.

“After a year, that money allowed me to make a full-time living with one employee, and now the business sustains itself and we’re up to about four employees,” he said.

Fowler said income comes from his website, which sells products he’s made from his adventures on Alone, YouTube ad income, as well as producing others’ online content.

He’s become an outdoor survival personality through YouTube, garnering hundreds of thousands to millions of views per video.

He said he’s had multiple offers from television production companies to re-appear on TV; but Fowler has turned most of them down.

“I’m doing so well with this business and controlling my own edits to shots that I don’t really see the point,” he said. “Although if there was a chance to go back to [History Channel’s] Alone for an all-star show, I’d be into that.”

For now, the star of the video is one lucky (and trap-savvy) lobster.

To follow Fowler’s videos visit his vlog: Makery & Mischief

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—A well-regarded swap shop at the Rockland solid waste facility nicknamed “Wink’s Place” abruptly closed in early January, 2020, but City Manager Tom Luttrell sees the situation as temporary.

The swap shop, named after David “Wink” Winchenbach, a former gatehouse attendant of the transfer station, started in 2004 as a way for local residents to drop off reusable household items such as clothes, appliances, and other items that the community found uses for. It also served as a sort of a free GoodWill for neighbors and families who were in need.

For many it was a treasure trove.

“I’ve talked to people who said they’ve found old pictures and old wooden boats that had value for them,” said Luttrell.

In January, an incident involving an individual who wouldn’t leave prompted the police to issue a trespass order. That incident was the last straw for the unmonitored shop, which, according to Luttrell, had other issues.

“We had that one complaint with a citizen who was behaving aggressively, but looking into that issue further with my staff, it became clear that the reason we had to close Wink’s Place wasn’t just about this complaint,” he said. “We have heard and our research has shown, that this wasn’t an isolated incident; that there have been other issues of aggressive behavior, and arguments over items. We’ve also had other incidents where people were not following the rules and dumping their household trash in the swap shop.”

There is now a padlock on the door and citizens who have frequented Wink’s have spoken out about the closure on social media and letters to the editor, emphasizing its merits as a resource to the community.

“We’re not trying to close Wink’s down for good,” said Luttrell. “My public services director is researching other swap shops and how they operate and we’re finding the successful ones are only open if there are volunteers to oversee it and to make sure everyone is following the rules.”

Luttrell said the city hopes to re-open Wink’s Place this spring. “There’s a group called Renew Rockland [a group that works toward sustainable communities] and we’re reaching out to see if they want to get involved in the shop,” he said. “We’re looking into it to see if there is any interest in supplying some volunteers to open it back up.”

Luttrell said he has heard the community feedback.

“We just want to let people know that we’re listening to them and know how important Wink’s is to the community,” he said. “It’s nothing we want to penalize the community for the actions of a handful of people. We’re looking at remedies to open it but we need better oversight from people dumping their trash; we’re diligently working toward a resolution and hopefully we can get that solved by the time the warm weather arrives.”

Follow this ongoing story by liking the Rockland Transfer Station’s Facebook group.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—Oceanside’s Art Club President Jose Perreira wants people to know that art isn’t just a class at school. It is a necessary form of communication.

Perreira, a senior, founded the Art Club with his instructors, Lily Hyde and Jared Cowan when he was a sophomore.

The students in the Art Club are holding their first exhibition at Rock City Coffee with an opening reception, Friday, March 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. Proceeds from the exhibition, as well as an online fundraiser auction, are going toward a planned trip to New York City to broaden students’ art education by visiting galleries and museums.

“We got all of the artists from our club together and then opened the submission process to all students and then sort of went through this juried process,” said Perreira. “We probably had about 100 submissions and we decided what was the best of the best and chose 30 pieces and framed them.”

Most of the work is paintings, mixed media, and photography. One of the perks of being in Art Club is that some of the pieces in the show come from Club members themselves. Perreira has two portraits in the show; one for the fundraiser, and one, whose proceeds he will donate to Maine Immigration Refugee Services (MIRS).

“My art reflects elements of MIRS, so that’s why I want to support them,” he said.

That intent ties into what art really means to the students of Oceanside.

“Art can be a great tool for communicating social messages or any form of change,” said Perreira. “For me, I’ve always been interested in the intersection of media and the arts and how it’s used by us and on us in modern times. While I don’t know what’s in my future as an artist, what I’ve learned from this club and running this club is a real passion for communicating through art. Last year, I did a painting that was inspired by my grandfather, who was a Holocaust survivor. He came to the U.S. as a refugee at age 20. If it sold, I was going to donate the proceeds to a local charity here in Maine. I realized by doing something like that, art has a lot of potential, because its use goes far beyond the buyer and can help other people.”

Hyde added, “My goal as a teacher is to create a lifelong appreciation for the arts for these students, so they will always feel comfortable being able to walk into a museum, to talk about art with others. And being able to be passionate about making art even if you don’t consider yourself ‘an artist.’”

New York City Bound

“We budgeted for 15 students and teachers to travel down to New York City for two nights, but right now, the goal is a bit out of our reach,” said Hyde. With the goal in placee, but not necessarily the funding, the Art Club researched alternative ways to make the trip happen. “We talked about maybe instead of staying in a hotel, staying at Columbia University, and to check out their school and their art program while we’re there,” said Hyde.

Perreira said that last year, the Art Club was able to visit Boston and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

But, this year, the student’s sights are set on New York City. 

“Most people I know in Art Club have never been to New York City; most have never been out of Maine,” he said. “I’ve been there many times; my mom’s from there. It’s such a thriving metropolis, that people in our Club will be encouraged to see that there aren’t just working artists in Rockland, there are also tons of them in New York City.” 

The Art Club’s goals would be to visit multiple museums and major art galleries, as well as art schools such as the Fashion Institute of Technology and the School of Visual Arts.

The Rock City Coffee exhibition will be up indefinitely and many students whose work is in the show will be present at the opening reception for any questions and conversation.

Beyond the opening night, the Art Club is hosting a two-week online auction starting March 6 and closing March 20. Local artists, businesses, and organizations have donated gift certificates and original works of art for the online auction. For more information, or to be added to our email auction list, contact lhyde@rsu13.org 

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

It was the break up heard ‘round the country.

On July 26, 1819, Maine formally told Massachusetts: “It’s just not working out...” and began the formal process to become the nation’s 23rd state. The Maine Bicentennial, officially being celebrated March 15, 2020, is just around the corner with dozens of events taking place all over Maine to celebrate the state’s 200th year of statehood.

Before the territories were even called “Maine,” indigenous tribes lived throughout the region prior to European settlers filtering in around the first half of the 17th century.  Maine began as a separate colony in the 1620s, but by 1651, became absorbed by Massachusetts. In 1785, after the Revolutionary War, Mainers began petitioning to be an independent state. 

Maine always had its share of separatists—people who wanted to be free of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Their argument for leaving mostly centered around less political representation and inequitable taxation. Many Mainers felt the state, on its own, could govern itself inexpensively. Between 1814 and 1819, after the War of 1812 when Massachusetts failed to protect Maine, pressure rose to gain independence from Massachusetts. In 1819, voters overwhelmingly supported separation.

The Massachusetts General Court passed legislation to separate the District of Maine from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, but that action hinged on receiving approval from Congress. A struggle ensued regarding the balance of power in Congress, and Maine was given the choice — allow slavery in Missouri and become a state, or withhold extending slavery and remain with Massachusetts. The choice made, on March 15, 1820, and Maine became its own state as part of the Missouri Compromise.

Maine 200 leads the celebrations

Maine 200 is the official host of the celebration of Maine’s Bicentennial with signature events, programs, workshops, artistic and musical performances held all over the state.

“We’re looking at a full calendar the month of March, but we actually started Maine Bicentennial celebrations on July 30, 2019, which was as close as we could come to the actual date of the vote that propelled Maine to statehood, which was July 26, 1820,” said Dave Cheever, vice chairman, Maine Bicentennial Commission.

The state’s capital, Augusta, will be the site of major celebrations on March 15, 2020, on Statehood Day, including speeches, music, cake, and unveiling of the United States Postal Service Bicentennial Postage Stamp. Note: As of Feb. 12, this event has been postponed due to COVID-19 precautions.

Beyond the events in March, the commission wanted to extend the Bicentennial theme to every community in Maine that wishes to honor it in its own way.

“A big New England tradition is to host bean suppers, casserole dinners, and potluck suppers, so we’ve put the Bicentennial bunting on these local celebrations,” he said. “We’re asking people to not only come to feed themselves, but to also come and feed others by bringing a non-perishable food item. We can then re-stock the shelves of the local food pantries.”

A list of statewide suppers in March can be found here.

Maine’s Original Citizens

Cheever said beyond the month of March, Maine 200 is waiting until August of this year to launch the next phase of an important legacy project that began July, 2019.

“What we want to do is bring new citizens to Maine,” he said, “They are citizens familiar to Maine, but silent citizens.”

He was referring to the Eastern white pine tree. Maine is known as the “Pine Tree State” and the Eastern white pine is the official tree of the State of Maine. The commission pinpointed four communities that would be willing to plant juvenile Eastern white pines in a grove with a commemorative Maine Bicentennial marker.

“These communities vowed to take care of these pine groves for the next 100 years,” he said. “What made Maine such a valuable place to the English, French, and Dutch, were the 130-foot-tall eastern white pines. Those became masts for ships that could make transatlantic crossings. Because they were so valuable, they were widely harvested going from the coast inland and around 5,000 trees were taken down. In fact, in Maine, there are still old trees still standing that were marked for the King’s masts.” See that history here. “And because the Eastern white pine was seen as an adaptive resource, it has continued to serve Maine right on through—from ship-building to construction to paper-making.”

To learn more about Maine’s history and the myriad of events local to you, visit: https://www.maine200.org

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

From fantastic, flying worlds to portraits of Donald Trump and Danny DeVito, the children and teen participants of Waterfall Arts’ Young Artists Takeover exhibition offers a glimpse into what motivates them to paint, draw, sculpt and collage.

For the fourth year, Waterfall Arts’ Clifford Gallery has held this showcase featuring the creative work from artists in a half dozen area schools, ranging from preschool to high school. Waterfall Arts presented its Bridge Alumni Award to Joseph Potter, a photographer and senior at Belfast Area High School who went through the Bridge Afterschool Art Program as a sixth-grader.

His work is located just outside the Bridge door and his bio states: “Most of my work takes place in the outdoors. My goal with photography is to explore the capabilities of the camera from close-up to 11,00 feet in the sky.”

The artwork on display offers a range, from dark to humorous, from splashy, primary finger paintings to fine pen and ink. Some of it was assigned; some of it came from the young artist’s creative inspiration. From homeschooled students to those attending public school, each piece in this year’s Takeover offers a glimpse into nature, social justice, animals and even the cult of celebrity.

March 5 is Arts Advocacy Day; a day to appreciate how the Arts are impacting children’s and teenager’s lives and to emphasize to Congress and schools nationwide the value and impact of art education for students.

This following photo gallery below is a sample of one of the hundreds of pieces on display. Each piece is labeled. The ages and grades of some of the artists will be surprising, upon first glance.

The artwork hangs until March 29. The gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information visit: waterfallarts.org

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

DAMARISCOTTA—Currently exhibiting at Rising Tide Co-op in Damariscotta, Heidi Geist has a few mixed media paintings and detailed pen and ink drawings hanging on the wall.

But, if you open the glass door of the nearby beer cooler, more of her artwork is available, on the beer label of the Boothbay Craft Brewery “Thirsty Botanist” cans.

The artwork on the beer label is splashy with primary colors featuring a gardener hidden behind lush vines and floral designs. “I live in this dystopian dream world in my head,” she said of her aesthetic.

Geist, who lives Newcastle, has worked in restaurants and a beer and wine shop for much of her career and has done custom artwork in those industries. Her integration in Portland’s music and beer scene also led to more commissions.

“I’ve been doing beer-related work for about five years,” she said. “It started in Maine and then I began doing a ton of beer labels for breweries around the country.”

She said most of her custom label art has been for Bissell Brothers.

This past fall, Geist finished her “48 Beer Project,” which was a tour of 48 states in order to draw beer labels for one brewery in each state. First, it took her about seven months to plan, set up appointments with various brewers around the U.S. and get sponsorships along the way. She also had to retrofit a pink bus to be her traveling home, but once she got underway August of 2018, she ended up traveling to each state, setting up in a brewing company’s parking lot and going to work.

“The idea was to be in each state five days to a week and hang out with multiple breweries,” she said. “I’d pick one out of each state, and spend time with their staff and customers, feel out the scene, and then go back to my bus, which was retrofitted with a little studio, and start working on their individual beer label. Then, move on to the next brewery and so on.”

“It was more than making beer labels-it was a cultural exploration of the beer industry,” she said.

The beer industry is more than just beer,” she said. “There are subcultures within that—a lot of creative people involved. The musicians, the artists, the beer makers themselves, the food truck purveyors. I wanted to do something more meaningful with the trip, connect to the people in this industry and tell their stories.”

Allagash Brewery ended up being the Maine brewery she collaborated with for the 48 Beer Project with a hand-drawn label with the beer label “Odyssey.”

It took a year of traveling before she got off the road and back into an apartment. Today, she is hitting the reset button and taking a bit of a break from beer labels, while she works another job full-time.

“It’s been quite a transition getting off the road and off this project,” she said. “I still do a few commissions here and there.”

To see her labels visit Great Beer Adventure

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

OWLS HEAD—In the modern world, all types of bicycles—fat bikes, 10-speeds, mountain bikes, ebikes —aren’t just for transportation, they’re also for sport and fun.

But back in the 1800s, they were the predecessor to the automobile, and in some Maine towns, the only way people who didn’t own a horse could get around.

Owls Head Transportation Museum Curator, Rob Verbsky said a recent donation helped spur the creation of their new Bicycles (1868 to 1935) exhibit.

“We received two vintage bicycles from a bike shop that was going out of business in Massachusetts,” he said. Not wanting the bicycles to be thrown out, the owners contacted OHTM to see if the museum could find a home from them.

“One of the bicycles was an1800s tandem bike that we still don’t know that much about yet,” he said, of the gift. “What we do know is that this was a bicycle made for communication. You had to literally pedal in sync at the same pace or you would crash. That’s how you know your relationship was working.”

With the Maine Bicentennial coming up, Verbsky began researching exhibit possibilities around transportation. Beyond the donated tandem bicycle to OHTM, he took a look at the stock of vintage bicycles that had been donated to the Museum over the years and found the connection he was looking for.

“I’m not from Maine, but when I came to [OHTM] two years ago, I started thinking about the year 2020 and researched the bicentennial of Maine to find out what was important to people back then,” he said. “Bicycles are pretty important to Maine’s history, as they were the first attempt in replacing the horse. Horses required a lot of care, but the bicycle was an opportunity for independence and to start learning the kind technical, mechanical skills that were going to be necessary for the emergence of the automobile.”

For the genders, the bicycle was more accessible to men wearing pants, which allowed more freedom of movement than to women and their many layers of petticoats and skirts.

Take the high wheeler, for example. Also known as The Penny Farthing, this style of bicycle had a very large front wheel and a small rear wheel. As ungainly as it looked and as precarious as it was to get on,  it was meant to go very fast—nearly 17 miles an hour.

However, the unwieldy bicycle was built for the male physique and style of clothing.

“Women could not ride this bicycle: it was impossible,” said Verbsky. “The only way you could get on it is to get a rolling start. And women had these long skirts to contend with.”

By the late-1800s, bicycle designers began to consider the female physique into their designs. “It required the invention of the safety bicycle in the late-1800s for women to even have a chance to ride it,” said Verbsky. “Because social commentators at the time only allowed women to ride horses in a dress, the same protocol applied to bicycles.”

For women, bicycles were made smaller with a step-through frame —the sloped top tube.

“The dropped frame was so women could get onto a bicycle while still appearing ‘decent,” he said. “If you go to any store today, you see a women’s-style bike with the dropped frame and a men’s bike with the top tube going straight across. It is exactly the same design as it was from the late 1800s.”

The Velocipede Boneshaker was a cranked pedal bicycle invented around the same time as the high wheeler.

“This was one of the most dangerous ways to ride,” said Verbsky. “You could feel every bump and obstacle in the road. They finally figured out if you attached the pedals to a gear instead of to the wheel, you could get the same power transfer."

The World War II-era saw more changes for bicycle design.

“Bicycles in this era were beginning to gain a reputation for enjoyment and entertainment, particularly for children,” he said. “A lot of features were reminiscent of cars and prepared children for getting used to riding in automobiles.”

To see the various styles of bicycles and the history of each bicycle visit OHTM’s Bicycle Exhibit or visit the museum. The exhibit is currently on display with no end date listed.

For more information, visit: Owls Head Transportation Museum

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

DAMARISCOTTA—Currently exhibiting at Rising Tide Co-op in Damariscotta, Heidi Geist has a few mixed media paintings and detailed pen and ink drawings hanging on the wall.

But, if you open the glass door of the nearby beer cooler, more of her artwork is available, on the beer label of the Boothbay Craft Brewery “Thirsty Botanist” cans.

The artwork on the beer label is splashy with primary colors featuring a gardener hidden behind lush vines and floral designs. “I live in this dystopian dream world in my head,” she said of her aesthetic.

Geist, who lives Newcastle, has worked in restaurants and a beer and wine shop for much of her career and has done custom artwork in those industries. Her integration in Portland’s music and beer scene also led to more commissions.

“I’ve been doing beer-related work for about five years,” she said. “It started in Maine and then I began doing a ton of beer labels for breweries around the country.”

She said most of her custom label art has been for Bissell Brothers.

This past fall, Geist finished her “48 Beer Project,” which was a tour of 48 states in order to draw beer labels for one brewery in each state. First, it took her about seven months to plan, set up appointments with various brewers around the U.S. and get sponsorships along the way. She also had to retrofit a pink bus to be her traveling home, but once she got underway August of 2018, she ended up traveling to each state, setting up in a brewing company’s parking lot and going to work.

“The idea was to be in each state five days to a week and hang out with multiple breweries,” she said. “I’d pick one out of each state, and spend time with their staff and customers, feel out the scene, and then go back to my bus, which was retrofitted with a little studio, and start working on their individual beer label. Then, move on to the next brewery and so on.”

“It was more than making beer labels-it was a cultural exploration of the beer industry,” she said.

The beer industry is more than just beer,” she said. “There are subcultures within that—a lot of creative people involved. The musicians, the artists, the beer makers themselves, the food truck purveyors. I wanted to do something more meaningful with the trip, connect to the people in this industry and tell their stories.”

Allagash Brewery ended up being the Maine brewery she collaborated with for the 48 Beer Project with a hand-drawn label with the beer label “Odyssey.”

It took a year of traveling before she got off the road and back into an apartment. Today, she is hitting the reset button and taking a bit of a break from beer labels, while she works another job full-time.

“It’s been quite a transition getting off the road and off this project,” she said. “I still do a few commissions here and there.”

To see her labels visit Great Beer Adventure

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

ROCKLAND—We first encountered Rachel Jones at a beer-drinking knitting group called “Unraveled” several years ago in a story, “Women who like to knit with a brewski.”

Since then, the fiber artist from Owls Head has taken over an annex studio at Lincoln Street Center in Rockland with her successful shop making and selling unique hand-dyed yarns called On The Round.

Taking one’s hobby and turning it into a lucrative business is a common dream for Americans, but most aren’t ready to go full time with that goal. For many, the pursuit becomes part-time, which is commonly known as the “side business” or “side hustle.”

According to a 2019 study, more than 60 percent of those surveyed wanted to start a side business doing what they loved to do in their spare time, but only 37 percent actually did so. And of those who started the side business, more than half put their energy into it after normal working hours, often on the weekends.

For Jones, the dream started in college, right after her dad died.

“I’ve been a knitter since I was seven, but in my second year of college after my dad passed away, it was an incredibly stressful time, so I jumped back into knitting because I was trying to keep it together,” she said. “It was something to do that put me in a flow state; my mind was busy, my hands were busy and I wasn’t thinking of anything other than being able to focus and chill.”

Her favorite style of knitting was called “in the round,” which knits in a circular pattern, a meditative practice for her.

All through college, she’d knit at parties and give her hats, scarves and fingerless gloves to friends, or sell them randomly at small shows.

First, she starts with super wash Merino wool yarn that is specially treated to pick up colors.	She cooks the yarn in layers of dye, controlling the process using the techniques she learned in college for painting, so that the yarn comes out in solid or speckled multi-colors.	Each batch of cooked yarn produces enough for three rings of yarn. After the yarn is cooled, it is dried, it is then twisted up into skeins and tagged with labels.

While she was getting working on a degree in art education at the University of Maine, Jones, like most students, wasn’t sure what her career path would be after college. When it came time to student teach, she told her advisor: “I want to find a way to knit for a living.”

“I didn’t know what that looked like,” she admitted. “It wasn’t a ‘thing’ in 2004.”

Little did she know a seller’s platform built specifically for the side business called Etsy, would launch in about a year online. But, at that time, Jones had no role models for her dream career—just drive.

It wasn’t until she took a college apprenticeship with a fiber artist in Orono that the light bulb went on. The woman she worked with, Jodi Clayton, made felt scarves out of her home and turned that into her wholesale business, One Lupine Fiber Art. While apprenticing with Clayton, who’d by then, moved her business out of her home and into a studio in Bangor, Jones was picking up all of the other components of building a business: how to construct a dye station in an old gutted building and turn it into a working studio, how to dye wool, the day-to-day operations, how to sell retail and wholesale, and more.

After graduating, Jones continued to work for Clayton. Before she knew it, Jones was forming her own ideas for what she wanted to do with her life.

“I realized along the way I am a machine when it comes to production,” she said. “I have an operations brain.”

She runs six pans on six burners for her dye kitchen about four or five days a week.	Her hands are usually stained with the dyes she’s working with but comes off easily.

After having her first child, Jones began to establish her own business plan. “Selling finished knitting is really hard; it’s really time-consuming, so instead I started to make these felt bangles out of trash felt from Jodi’s shop,” she said. “A friend told me about Etsy, and so I started a small online shop and sold something the very first day. It was great.”

The power of the Internet was just becoming apparent to makers and crafters like Jones in the early 2000s. For the next six years, she began hand-dying yarn and selling it on Etsy, utilizing all of the social media platforms—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram—that amplified her business. With the rich colors of dyed yarns, the platforms were ideal for sharing engaging photos as well as photos of her process.

In 2015, she left the Etsy platform, unhappy with the percentage that was being extracted from each sale and put all of her effort into selling through her own website.

“It took effort but was the best decision I ever made,” she said. “Oftentimes, people are scared or resistant to change, but I never was. I throw myself into these situations.”

It was a smart move; she was selling just as well, but now she had a new problem: her business was outgrowing her kitchen space.

“I had wool and yarn everywhere; I was setting up and breaking down the kitchen every night with only two burners,” she said. “I was doing big shows and homeschooling three kids; working all night. It was a lot.”

She moved the production into a new studio for a short while, but the location and space wasn’t ideal. When Lincoln Street Center’s annex came up for rent two years ago, the location was perfect, the plumbing was ideal for her dye kitchen and the space was big enough for inventory.

Now in her second year in the Lincoln Street Center studio, Jones’s business has never been stronger. She ships about 10 to 20 packages of yarn a day, all over the country. “I physically work here about five days a week, but I’m also putting in a lot of time at home on social media and orders,” she said. “I do about 90 percent of my business off my phone.”

For Jones, the hobby is a full-fledged viable business.

“I can fully support my family on this business right now,” she said.

Jones holds several open house evenings at her studio several times a year so people can come in, peruse the yarn, ask questions and get ideas on what they’d like to make. the next studio-wide Lincoln Street Center open house will be on March 29 at 5 p.m.

“People come into the studio and see things I’ve made, then get ideas for what they want to make.”

Jones holds studio open houses several times a year and people are welcome to stop by the studio by chance or by appointment to browse the yarn side of the shop.

 

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

CAMDEN—A small camp that started in the 1960s in the Catskills by families of children with cerebral palsy is generating the biggest buzz after the 107-minute documentary opened at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival in January.

For some 40 years, Camp Jened has been a place of welcoming acceptance and fun for disabled teenagers and adults. Jim LeBrecht was one of its teenaged campers in the 1970s and the experience so transformed his life, he made a documentary about it with Emmy-winning documentary producer and co-director, Nicole Newnham in 2019 titled Crip Camp.

Just when everyone is feeling the confines of deep winter, the Camden International Film Festival is bringing the outdoors and sunshine to Camden Opera House with Crip Camp as its opener for the three-day mini winter festival called “Cabin Fever.”

CIFF Founder Ben Fowlie wanted to get his hands on this film and in a local theater as soon as possible after it was scooped up by Barack and Michelle Obama for their Netflix-based production company Higher Ground.

“As more films are being acquired by online platforms, their windows for public screenings are getting smaller. We saw the writing on the wall and our Cabin Fever Fest was a way for us to address that,” said Fowlie. “Our goal with Cabin Fever is to bring films that people are going to be talking about next January to this community, and give our audiences a sneak peek before they appear in any of the major cities like Boston or New York.”

“Crip Camp won the coveted audience award at Sundance and for good reason. It’s just a really powerful film,” he said. “It’s been described as the birth of a movement doc. The experiences camp attendees had -- experiences around becoming an adult, about finding love and experimenting is what draws you in. And watching them transform into the groundbreaking activists is astronomically moving."

A review in Variety Magazine sums up the overall feeling of the film touching on why the title might seem politically incorrect to outsiders, but is actually a code word for inclusivity. According to reviewer, Peter DeBruge, “...the movie succeeds in enlightening without ever coming across as an ‘eat your spinach’ civics lesson, beginning inside a utopian bubble where people without disabilities are the minority, then broadening the scope to include the more closed-minded outside world to which the campers return — an intimidating obstacle course they collectively helped to reinvent.”

Fowlie said there are numerous Maine connections to Crip Camp.

“The film was edited by Mary Lampson, who is an incredibly accomplished editor living in central Maine. Shane Hofeldt, the assistant editor, also lives in Camden and went to Maine Media Workshops. Ben Levine shot some of the original black and white footage in the film. He's now based in Rockland. [See related story: Creating Social Change From Maine To Mexico.] They’ll all be there for the Q & A afterward.”

Beyond the three days of film screenings, Cabin Fever promises live music, special parties and its signature virtual reality exhibitions called Storyforms, which will be held on the third floor of Camden Opera House, Saturday, Feb. 29 from 12 to 7 p.m.

“With Storyforms, people can come in and have eight to 10 different individual experiences with VR headsets,” said Fowlie. “If you want to kayak around Greenland, this will be your chance to do it."

“For us, it's all about bringing community together to experience the power of storytelling,” he said.

To see the schedule and get tickets visit: Cabin Fever.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

BELFAST—If the Midcoast has a Theatre District, it’s most definitely centered in Belfast.

The Belfast Maskers are an organization for the performing arts that’s been in operation since 1987. In July, 2018, they made the old Church at 17 Court Street their new home. And like any working not-for-profit, improvements have been continual, dependent on the support of the community and grantors.

On Friday, Feb. 21, the doors opened to the public for a tour of the newly developed theater—The Basil Burwell Community Theater, nicknamed “The Bazz” —an intimate jewel box theater with raked seating for up to 100 people.

Visitors were invited into a vibrantly painted lobby, and stairwell created by local artist, Krista Odom of Alpha Libra.

The Belfast Maskers have come full circle in the community in terms of their new home. In the mid-1990s, they had a city-owned building down by the waterfront and operated from that until the building fell into disrepair and the organization had to leave in 2011. After, that they became a wandering troupe of performers, staging their shows in a variety of venues until the old church came up for sale. At one point, the downstairs apartment was owned by a couple who periodically rented the upstairs performance space. But after the last tenant left, the building sat dormant for about 10 years. In the last year and a half, the Belfast Maskers have transformed the downstairs apartment area into several useful rooms, such as a dressing room, a hair, and makeup room, a fully functioning kitchen and a living room/community space. The theater has been built upstairs in this historic building.

“Essentially the downstairs is ‘The Green Room,’ said Sasha Kutsy, President of the Board of Directors. “Also, it’s a place where all of our community events take place. For example, we have a group of teen fiddlers and guitar players that meet on Mondays; we have an improv group that meets here and other groups as well.”

The purpose of the Open House was not only to showcase all of the improvements to the building and performance space, but to let the overall community in to see what potential it has for them.

“It’s a way to invite people who maybe haven’t been to a show before and see what the space is all about and let them know it’s accessible and economical to rent out either the theater or the downstairs community space,” said Artistic Director Meg Nickerson.

The Belfast Maskers currently produce five shows per year staged at the new Basil Burwell Community Theater. The rest of the year, the organization is open to other traveling theater groups, performance groups, or any group that wants to rent the space for creative endeavors or meetings.

“We’re working really hard to create this resource for the community of musicians, performers, artists to use it,” said Kutsy. “We’ve had so many improvements, we want people to see how that could benefit them.”

“We have rented the downstairs space to groups that have work meetings here and fun things like dances, classes, celebrations and movie nights,” said Nickerson. “It’s a place for seniors, children, and everyone in between. It’s also the place to see some amazing, live theater.”

“With The Crosby Center down the street, Belfast really now has a ‘Theatre District,’” said Kutsy. “What works very well is that we’re both different performance spaces. The Crosby Center seats 350-plus people, so that’s appropriate for some productions. And for some productions that are smaller and only want 100 people in the audience, this is the more intimate space with great sightlines from every seat.”

Currently, the organization is busy rehearsing and building sets for the upcoming play As You Like It, re-imagined in 1960s Woodstock March 12 to 22. For more information about the theater itself visit: Belfast Maskers

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday this year, which is naturally the night to go out. So whether you’re going out with your better half, best bud, or the whole family, here’s a virtual tour of all that’s happening in the Midcoast and beyond for a memorable Cheap Dates night.

Rockland/Thomaston

If Valentine’s Day for you is all about the food and you’re looking for a high quality Cheap Date, you might want to check out Midcoast School of Technology’s high school-run Osprey Café on Friday from 12 to 1 p.m. See my recent story on this little known gem. Friday’s menu is New England comfort food for just $10 per person. Clam fritters. Yankee Pot roast. Lobster bisque. Yum. Just be aware, it will be packed! See the menu.

Early in the evening, Rockland Public Library is hosting a “Your Library Loves You” Open House from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The free event will have hot food and soups, drinks, and desserts. Juggler Steve Athearn will be showing you how it’s done while artist Susan Beebe will lead an art activity for kids. Music will be provided by jazz duo Bill Barnes and Dave Briggs in the Reading Room. And if you have a Rockland Public Library card, put your name for door prizes, which will include an iPad and gift cards for local businesses. And hey, as long as you’re at the library (even if you possess a card from another library, feel free to check out a book or DVD.) Details.

For the literary and theatre lovers, The Watts Hall Community Players are looking at love through the lens of a play titled “Love Letters” by A. R. Gurney. This imaginative two-person play is the story of two lifelong friends who read aloud their letters, cards and notes sent and received over decades. Tickets are $5.00 per person will be sold at the door only. Doors open at 7 p.m. $30 for singles, $55 for couples. Details.

Rock Harbor Brewery is getting creative with a wood pallet “Love Art” paint party from 6 to 8 p.m. for singles and couples to paint and create art out of wood pallets. Tickets.

Camden

Penobscot Bay YMCA is throwing an all-ages Valentine’s Day dance from 6 to 8 p.m. Everyone is invited: little kids, grandparents, parents and non-parents. Enjoy a live DJ, plus complimentary refreshments, courtesy of Quarry Hill. Everybody welcome! No need to register. For more information, call 301-6116. Details.

Liberty

Restaurants everywhere are, of course, going big for this night, but there is a  pop up worth mentioning. 51 Main in Liberty is pairing up with Stone’s Throw Catering for a happy hour cocktails and snack special from 4 to 8 p.m. reservations taken between 4 - 8 p.m. Click for Menu For reservations, call 207-691-2821 or email stonesthrowcatering@gmail.com

Belfast

A mellow cider tasting might by on the V Day menu if you go to Perennial Cider Bar & Farm Kitchen from 6 to 9 p.m. to listen to the beauty of sound and string with guitarist Aaron Lefebvre.

Ease into the evening with a special Winter Dance Party with super energy funk, soul, rock ‘n roll band, The Right Track at The Crosby Center (96 Church Street) from 7 to 10 p.m.  Courtesy of a number of Belfast eateries, there will be pizza, sweet treats and even a photo booth. Details.

Then if you really want to shake that tail feather, head on over the Belfast American Legion (143 Church Street) for a Bottomed Out Funk Dance Party going from 9 to 11 p.m. The band will present some funk classics as well as some lesser known tasty funk numbers, with some blues and reggae thrown in. Suggested donation $5 and up. Details

And for more events going on not mentioned here, check out: Three local gifts to give your BFF for Galentine’s Day

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—For years, the Mid-Coast School of Technology’s students in Culinary Arts and Baking/Pastry programs have been putting on a World Café, a hands-on, real life execution of their culinary skills for the public in the form of publicly offered breakfasts and lunches. This winter into spring, they have continued this tradition, but with a few changes.

Whereas in the old building, they had a converted classroom serving as their dining area, MCST’s newly built school features a 118-seat café called Osprey Nest, anchored by two enormous classroom-kitchens, one for culinary arts, and one for baking. On the café side, the roomy restaurant’s oversized windows allow in plenty of light. Anchoring the walls are carving, serving and dessert stations.

What’s also different is the service. As we’ve previously covered in a stories on the World Cafe, the themed a la carte menus were offered four days a week for $5. Now, consolidating their time, the school only offers the World Café each Thursday and Friday from 12 to 1 p.m.

And instead of individually served plates, Café patrons can partake of a buffet of about 10 entrees, side dishes and salads. The price also includes dessert, and beverage all made the Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry students.

“We wanted to switch from a la carte to buffet because it gives students more control over the menu and they can cook more dishes within that cuisine,” said Baking and Pastry instructor Shelby Stevens. “This way it’s not as stressful.”

So far, it’s been a good change for the students. “They’re able to pull off quite a bit and step up to the challenges,” said Stevens. “They love the new kitchens and café and are really excited to be working with new equipment and the new space. As far as our programs, I know both of my classes have doubled and I think Charles Butler’s [Culinary Arts instructor] have as well.”

The World Café has been a loose-kept secret for a long time, but now, it’ll be even harder to get in.

“We had nearly 95 people all within an hour last week,” said Stevens. “The students are doing great. They’re not only making the food, but they’re out there, as serving staff, and they’re proud of what they’re serving.”

Lee Fox, a MCST employee who was manning the host station, mentioned that with all of their real-life cooking and serving experiences, many area restaurants turn to MCST in search of employees. “They call us because they know our students have just as much training as someone who has been in the restaurant industry for years,” said Fox.

“I know a employee of Primo came in for lunch last week and told us if any of our students wanted to apply for a job to come on over,” said Stevens.

First time visitor Mark Tootill of S. Thomaston paid his $10 at the host stand. “The food was fantastic,” he said.  “There were a lot of dishes I didn’t know, but they were very good.

Last week was supposed to be Southern Week, but due to the weather, the school closed both days. “We knew the snow storms might impact our serving days, so we held back on doing most of the prep work,” said Stevens. “We’ll just move onto the next culinary week, which is New England cuisine.”

Here is a glimpse of their ever-evolving weekly menus. To see what’s on the buffet menu for each week, visit their Facebook page.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Coming up Friday, February 14, is either the world’s most romantic holiday or a stressful reminder of one’s relationship status. Actress/comedian Amy Poehler first coined the term “Galentine’s Day” in a 2010 Parks and Recreation episode as a way to celebrate one’s girlfriends, so here’s a way to cheer the great ladies in your life with these three locally made or crafted gifts. 

Products

Handmade Pop Up Shop

United Farmer’s Market of Maine

The back story: On February 14, go to Belfast and pop in The United Farmer's Market of Maine(18 Spring Street, Belfast) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  More than 15 vendors will be open to sell their unique hand-crafted wares, some specially made for that day:  artisan jewelry, gifts, gourmet sweets and treats, custom flowers, soaps, books, and perhaps even some hand-made valentines.

Vendors: Aimee Leclerc Designs (Elegant and Rustic Jewelry); Ancestral French Soaps (organic specialty olive oil soaps); Beading Spirits (Healing Copper Jewelry); Beyond the Sea (Specialty books); Chocolate Pan (Artisan chocolates);  CupKate’s (Cup cakes and sweets); Dan Bennett Jewelry (Hand Forged Jewelry); Heléna Melone (Painted Silks);  Maine Cheesecake Co.  (Truffles and Gluten-free Cheesecakes); Many Hands Farm (Rose Products); Midsummer Night’s Meadow Farm (Fine Woolens and Charcuterie); The Scone Goddess (scones); The Smallest Gap (Photographs); Snow Hill Studios (Ceramics); Sonhado (Organic Lavender and Flax Eye Pillows); Sweet Monkey Business (Cookies); Willow Moon Florist (Custom arrangements and bouquets.)

In their words: “Galentine’s Day is an opportunity for women to celebrate friendship and one another, while supporting local businesswomen and entrepreneurs," said Jenn Brown, of Willow Moon Florists, one of the organizers.

Price/where to find it: Varied.  United Farmer’s Market of Maine

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Farm & Forest Fashion Show

Belfast American Legion Hall

The back story: The Farm & Forest Fiber Flannel Runway Fashion show is a celebration of the working people, land and water of Midcoast Maine. The show will open with someone offering a land and water blessing and sharing about the history of Wabanaki people on this land.

“There will be a giant snail moving across the runway verrrrry slowly with a sign reading "Slow Fashion" ... when the snail reaches the other side, the show will be over. There will be people wearing flannel shirts and pajamas dancing, farmers, artists, crafters and fisherfolk carrying tools of their trades, folks in deerskin, an Evergreen Queen, giant vegetables, local knitted woolens, bark, shells, seaweed.”

The event goes from 4 to 11 p.m. with both a contra dance and a funk party at the end.

In their words: “The fashion show is going to be a fun, creative, multi-generational experience that celebrates the land and water of Maine and the working people,” said organizer Chelsea Cartwright, who helped put together the event with co-organizer Corallina Breuer. “You can go with a partner or go by yourself. With contra dances you dance with everybody so it’s a nice way to shake off the February blahs. And it takes the pressure out of of meeting people;  focus is really on community and love.”

Price/Where To Find It: $5-$50 sliding scale. Fashion Show

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One Special Night Out

Cold Chocolate

Camden Opera House

 

The back story: On February 14, the acoustic duo Cold Chocolate is set to play The Blue Café on the third floor of the Camden Opera House. The band has been described as a, “genre-bending Americana band that fuses folk, funk, and bluegrass to create unique a sound all their own.” This Boston group regularly performs at venues and music festivals up and down the East Coast, fusing bluegrass and roots with a dash of funk. Playing guitar, upright bass, percussion, and three-part harmony, come get energized with this rocking trio. Show starts at 7 p.m. Learn more about them.

In their own words: “As for the band name itself, Guitarist Ethan Robbins told us: “It has to do with my brothers and I visiting my grandfather growing up, and how he'd always have frozen Milky Ways in his freezer for us on arrival. It became a tradition and something we looked forward to all year.  There’s nothing’s sweeter than a night of Cold Chocolate on Valentine's Day. Except, maybe, eating actual chocolate left in the freezer overnight. But why not do both? See us at the Blue Café on Feb. 14!”

Price/where to find it: Free! (Donations accepted) but no reservations required. Camden Opera House

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST—The sound of construction can be heard in and around the two buildings that comprise Marshall Wharf Brewing and Three Tides these days. It’s business as usual for builder Daniel Waldron, co-owner of Whitecap Builders; but he isn’t just working on the buildings. He and his wife, Kathleen Dunckel, recently purchased the brewery building and property prior to a public auction on January 29. They also purchased the brewery business and Three Tides business.

As a former employee of Three Tides and Marshall Wharf Brewing, Waldron couldn’t get the brewery off his mind. It had abruptly closed in April 2019 after floods over the previous winter had caused severe damage, according to an article in the Bangor Daily News.

“I started seriously considering buying it last June,” said Waldron. As it got closer and closer to the auction, we kept thinking, ‘how can we make this happen?’”

As a builder, Waldron eyed the buildings with a certain perspective that comes with the territory.

“I fell in love with that brewery building when I was working here,” he said. “It was an old grainery and has been standing here on the Belfast waterfront since the late 1800s and the upper levels of the building have never been touched.”

Rising tides, storm surge and climate change made the brewery extremely vulnerable to flooding, a calamity which destroyed a substantial amount of the hard work done by original owners David and Sarah Carlson. According to BDN, a one-two punch in the winter and spring of 2019 in the form of floods wiped out their stainless steel tanks that contained finished beer and then took out more smaller tanks two months later.

To be viable as a brewery in the long run, Waldron said the entire building needs to be jacked up approximately eight feet from the current first floor elevation.

“It’s been there so long it’s sinking,” he said. “Currently, the first floor of the building is 38 inches below the sea wall. We just need to get it jacked up on piers, out of the ocean’s way.”

“We do this every day,” he said, of the construction. “For me, the immediate challenge is getting the brewery and restaurant back up and running again.”

Waldron, who has been in the restaurant business 20 years as a supplement to his construction work, served as a Three Tides bartender. Dunckel is a professor at Unity College. With three children, the couple is spending every available moment to bring back the beloved brewery and bar to the way people remember it.

At the time of this interview the couple had a verbal agreement to lease the Three Tides property from the current owner with intent to purchase it in the future.

As for Three Tides, Waldron doesn’t need to do anything drastic.

“The kitchen needs some new equipment a potential expansion, but we’re planning on leaving it mostly the way it was,” he said.

The couple said they are working toward a spring re-opening while they work on planning, engineering and a slew of city, state and federal permitting applications for the major rehabilitation of the brewery building.

“We’ve got protections in place for flooding right now,” he said. “We’ll operate out of both spaces, until all the permits are in place and then the brewery will need to shut down again and brew offsite, so we can jack the building up.”

The Belfast community has expressed an outpouring of excitement toward the re-opening.

“David and Sarah were super supportive and the community has been off the hook since we posted the plans on Facebook,” said Waldron. “Other restaurants and brewers, such as Danny McGovern,  have also reached out and given us their support.”

Jared Mahrunic, MW’s head brewer, is returning to restart the brewery. One of the biggest questions the couple is getting is: “Will the same beers come back?”

The answer is yes.

“Everything will still be branded Marshall Wharf and all of the beers that people love will be coming back,” said Waldron. “We’re honing in on what Marshall Wharf already does well.”

He said: “We’re not quite sure what capacity we’ll offer food yet It’ll be light fare, tapas to start.”

As for entertainment, Marshall Wharf Brewing has always served as an anchor for the major Belfast music festivals and harbor parties.

“I think that’s definitely on the horizon,” said Dunckel.

“We’ve already been contacted by bands and my take on that is that it’ll be a soft, subtle start as we get going,” said Waldron. “But the music side has always been a big thing for us. If we revive anything for now, it’ll probably be the Marshall Wharf beer and mussel festival in October, depending on how much beer we have available then.”

Basically, Belfast is getting the same brewery they’ve always loved back.

“Coming here after work in July or August and grabbing a pint and seeing the people you work with, people in your community and tourists hanging out, enjoying the sun down in the Three Tides beer garden on the harbor — this place has always felt like an old English pub,” said Waldron. “That’s how it’s going to be again.”

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAMDEN—With low temperatures after a freezing ice storm the night before, the U.S. National Toboggan Championships officially kicked off Saturday, February 8 and the more seasoned costumed toboggan teams combined warmth with pageantry this year. (Note: wigs always add that extra level of insulation and you can’t go wrong with a full body costume that hides extra long john layers).

The chute was closed for on Friday due to the rainy/icy weather, but Saturday’s sunny, frigid temperatures brought out all of the teams, ice shacks, tailgate parties and spectators. Camden’s “Mardi Gras on Ice” was once again, underway.

With a maximum number of 400 toboggan teams, this year was sold out, which made for plenty of downtime on the ice, while hundreds waited in line with toboggans for their chance to race. Up top, five food vendors kept the crowds fed while The Sea Dog Brewing Company provided a warm Beer Tent with cold brews for people to socialize.

Tobogganville

What can we say about all the ice shanties, Eskimo Fishing Shelters, heated trailers and makeshift fire pits that dotted Hosmer Pond? It’s a locals’ hang out and always has been, but it’s a celebratory event where all spectators are welcome to come up, say hello, maybe even get a bite to eat and an adult beverage to share. Anyone in a ridiculous costume is that much more welcome.

Two bands livened up the scene with a high school steel drums band right in front of the infamous Big Kahoonas trailer (see embedded video). While the kids were banging the sticks in front, the teams were banging the Stupid Stick in back.

Reprising a tradition J.D. Orlando Construction Co. started 10 years ago, and co-sponsored by Meklin Excavation, a combination of well-known local musicians took a small stage by the boat landing to rock the Pond with a number of classic rock hits. Musicians Noah Plotkin and Jason Dean were on drums; Glenn Dubois on bass, and Emmett Lalor and Joel Watson played guitar. While their fingers were battling the frigid temps, they had the crowd warmed up by dancing.

Check out our gallery for more twice-as-ice photos of a spectacular day in Camden, Maine.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

BELFAST—Every year, Colburn Shoe Store, on Main Street in Belfast, has a February sale on shoes. This year, owner Colby Horne, a fifth generation owner of the oldest shoe store in America, had a great idea.

After watching a segment on Channel 2 about a woman in Maine who sells cheesecake out of her garage bakery on the honor system, Horne took a look around at all the inventory that he knew wasn’t going to sell and decided to emulate the woman’s goodwill by giving shoes away on the honor system.

“After our sale, it’s always a pretty good barometer to me what’s going to sell and what’s going to sit in storage,” he said. “Instead of these shoes sitting on the shelf and not have a purpose, why don’t we give them a purpose? They’re no good sitting here—let’s get them out the door.”

On Tuesday, February 4,  Horne made an announcement on Colburn’s Facebook page that they were going to set up a “Pay What You Can” rack in the basement as a donation station for men’s, women’s and children’s shoes with no expectation of payment. 

“Leave nothing or leave $100, it’s up to you” read the post. 

The post and the gesture have generated a flurry of media attention as well as a flood of positive feedback from the Belfast community.

“It’s been overwhelming, the amount of people who’ve texted me or stopped by,” he said. “I had an email from one of one of my old high school teachers and another teacher came by and gave me $50 to put toward it. It’s very heartwarming.”

The gesture comes straight from the heart.

“I’ve lived here 26 years of the 36 years I’ve been in Maine and I know there is a need for folks in the area to get something on their feet that’s better than they have, especially for kids,” he said. “Kids definitely need to be taken care of; they don’t have the ability to do it themselves. As business owners in the area, we all have extra stuff that’s just sitting in inventory. For the most part, you’ve already paid for it. This is not supposed to be a moneymaking venture—that’s what the rest of the store is for. This is just a small portion of the store to help people who needs help.”

Within the last 48 hours he’s had a number of customers come through and choose shoes from the rack. Of the 25 pairs of shoes that have been put out for donation, more than half the inventory has been taken.

“I haven’t counted the donation box,” he said. “That’s a big portion of it. I don’t want it to be embarrassing for anyone. I want a safe, no-judgment place for people to come if they need shoes for themselves or their kids. If you have a couple bucks, cool. If you don’t...that’s fine.”

Horne said this initiative is now going to be year-round.

“We’re going to be our best to sustain it and have shoes all year long,” he said.  “The need for footwear is year-round and we’ll do the best with our vendors to keep some never-worn shoes on that rack.”

Horne said that some people have asked if they can donate some lightly-used shoes to the initiative, but he wants to keep the inventory brand new. “I want people to walk away with quality new shoes,” he said.

Those looking to donate lightly used shoes can seek out resources in Maine through Waldo County Technical Center’s Clothing Closet.

To stay tuned to Colburn Shoe Co. and the initiative visit their Facebook page.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

 

WARREN—University of New England college student William Cox, 19, has found a novel way to offset the cost of his college books and materials. He’s offering custom hand-drawn portraits to the Midcoast community.

Without a website or professional presence, he recently posted on Midcoast Message Board, a FB group with almost 26,000 members, that he was looking for commissions in order to pay for his college supplies.

He posted some of his recent portraits and the response from the community was not only overwhelmingly positive in terms of his artwork, but many also praised his ingenuity and fortitude. As a result of that one post, he picked up about five new customers for commissioned portraits.

“From that one post, I made about $600, which allowed me to pay for all of my college books and a calculator,” he said. “I couldn’t believe how expensive that calculator was; I’m still bamboozled by that.”

Cox grew up in Warren and attended Medomak High School, taking as many art classes as he could.

“I really started being committed to drawing in middle school,” he said. “Growing up we didn’t have TV or cable internet so I kind of just occupied my mind with drawing and found I really liked it.”

Now, as a freshman at UNE, he’s double majoring in animal behavior (pre-vet) and studio art.

His portraits are mostly done in graphite pencil and charcoal and are often recreations of sentimental photographs and of people’s pets. Take a look at the inspiration behind each one.

This one was one of my first customers to show interest in my art and in the end she has bought three of my pieces of her children. This is one of her and her daughter.

This is an old photo of somebody’s parents and he wanted me to recreate it so he could give it to his mother.	The same customer who I’d done the mother-daughter portrait for wanted another done of her other daughter. This one was done in charcoal on gray paper. Then I used pastels for the pops of color.	I actually was testing out this type of paper and I threw together Stevie Nicks, cause she’s awesome. My friends’ mom was crazy over it and wouldn’t not let me sell it to her, so it became hers.

One departure from his portraits is his favorite, an oil painting that depicts a hellish landscape above the ocean waterline and tranquility below. “The concept was climate change and it reflects the destruction of humans upon the ocean and coral reefs.”

The artwork was entered into two competitions and won an Honorable Mention from both the Bowseat and the Scholastic Arts Awards of New of England.	“This is my friend True; he has the best hair ever. His last name is Crane so I incorporated the birds into his portrait.”

 

Given his love of animals, he has done a number of pet portraits for people.

“I love drawing dogs, so that part is fun,” he said.

With a full course load at school, he doesn’t have a lot of time to draw, but is open for more commissions, because he’s got a new goal to work toward.

“I got accepted through UNE to study abroad in Morocco in the spring of 2021 and I’m excited about that, so I will continue to do portraits to help pay my way there,” he said. Everyone who goes there has the best stories. It’s so surreal. You can spend an entire weekend in the Sahara Desert riding camels and stargazing and I can’t wait.”

The experience will undoubtedly spark the inspiration for more portraits.

“Oh, it definitely will,” he said.

To view more of Cox’ work visit his Facebook page.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Unlike some of the U.S. National Toboggan Championships teams who’ve sported elaborate and over-the-top costumes in the past 29 years, the founding members of Big Kahoonas— Bruce Richards, Chris Lepow and Edwin Greenrose, along with original member Bill Patten, didn’t worry too much about style. The uniform has always been a dark green embroidered sweatshirt with a fleece hat or ball cap. That’s it, Bub.

Most of the Kahoonas’ energy goes into the making of the toboggan, along with their myriad strategies to win as many of the races as they can. 

But, if you want to know where the real secret sauce comes from — behold The Stupid Stick.

Shamans may need ayahuasca in order to conjure the divine—all the Big Kahoonas need is a wooden toboggan runner and eight plastic shot glasses of Dr. McGillicuddy, a flavored spirit that doubles as Prestone De-Icer window washer fluid. On the count of three, The Stupid Stick is tipped back and everyone takes a community shot of the Doctor.

Since they first started competing in 1994, when they were all about 24 or 25 years old, the Big Kahoonas have always raced in multiple heats of two-, three-, and four-person teams. As the years have gone by, the fourth member of the team usually revolves out. With the addition of Greg Sheldon this year, the Fabulous Four are ready to tackle the chute again.

Asked what keeps the momentum up to keep the team together for the 30th year, and Richards will tell you it comes right down to good old-fashioned competition—with his brother, Sean.

“My brother’s team is the Throbbin Boggins and they started a year before we did,” said Richards. “They are our biggest competitor and our partners in crime, as well. So, we can’t stop.”

The team met at Greenrose’s shop in Union last week to work on their latest iteration of a toboggan with ash slats. All told, the team has probably fashioned 10 to 15 toboggans in their racing career.

“We used to build new ones every couple of years,” said Greenrose, who is a builder in his profession.

Richards is an exterminator. “I just kill stuff,” he said.

This year, the team went all Martha Stewart and decided to cut an ash tree down themselves to make the toboggan. They finished off the design by steam bending the runners over a circular form with a steam box.

“Bruce is the one who comes up with these crazy ideas for design,” said Greenrose.

“They work!” Richards shot back.

“We’ve tried all kinds of stuff over the years, different waxes, different combination of the wooden slats, different hand rails,” said Greenrose. “The new ones seems to go faster. This one we’re working on eliminates the hand rails, so it might be a little more flexible. We’ll see if it helps. It’s funny I tell people how long we’ve been doing this and when it comes to building the style of toboggan, we are right back to where we first started in its design. Our same sled, our same finish, our same wax.”

The team doesn’t ever do practice runs, but has faith nothing will go wrong.

“We’ll probably stop half way down,” said Greenrose.

Given how many combinations of teams the Big Kahoonas have, they will be stationed at The Camden Snow Bowl all weekend long, running multiple heats. The payoff for them is about community.

“It’s fun to get together, it’s not like we hang out all of the time,” said Greenrose.

The big white trailer in the parking lot that serves as their home base belongs to Throbbin Boggins and the two teams share it well.

“We just put a Big Kahoonas sticker on the trailer to drive my brother crazy,” said Richards.

It also serves as their warming shack and makeshift bar.

“We make use of The Stupid Stick every 20 minutes,” said Greenrose. “People are always coming by the trailer to say hi. Our whole area is always packed. We have people you don’t see all year long until the Toboggan Races. All the teams give each other hell. It’s pretty good camaraderie.”

In years past, the weather has had a major effect on the teams’ racing times. If it’s frigid cold this year, that’s fine—it’s better for racing. But if it’s snowing or if Hosmer Pond is bumpy, the team members —who always roll off the sled at the bottom to avoid scarring the wood—will probably walk away with bruises the size of hematomas.  That’s OK.

But if it’s raining, that’s going to be bad. Real bad.

“Because, I’m the one in front and the second you hit Hosmer Pond, the sled hits a lake of ice water,” said Greenrose. “It’s like going through a frozen log flume. The water shoots right up my pant leg. And you know I’ll be sick three days later.”

Featured on this year’s U.S. National Toboggan Championships official poster, the Big Kahoonas have a fan club, but they don’t let it go to their heads.

“Our whole name is a play on words for you know...” Richards trails off, leaving the meaning up to interpretation, but insinuating it has something to do with the particular part of men’s anatomy that symbolizes courage. “But it’s about a bunch of guys doing stupid stuff.”

For more information on the Camden Snow Bowl’s U.S. National Toboggan Championships visit Camden Snow Bowl

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Kay Stephens has been writing about the U.S. National Toboggan Championships since 1999. She can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

CAMDEN—For the last 29 years, costume-clad teams have waited with anticipation at the top of Camden Snow Bowl’s famed toboggan chute for the lever to be pulled and the platform to drop. At that moment, crowds cheer as the sled screams down the icy wooden toboggan chute and slides out onto Hosmer Pond.

This year, February 7 to 9, marks the 30th annual U.S. National Toboggan Championships and the moment everyone waits for has been captured on this year’s poster.

Members of the Camden Snow Bowl, where the event has always been held, had an artistic hand in creating this year’s poster.

For nearly a decade, Camden Snow Bowl Assistant Manager and U.S. Toboggan Nationals Championship Chairperson Holly Anderson has worked with Adventure Advertising in Rockport for poster designs. This year’s poster was designed and art directed by Adventure Advertising’s former owners Joe and Ginny Ryan.

“Ginny and I came up with the point of view perspective: taken from the top of the chute looking down rather than looking up the chute from the pond,” said Ryan. “I asked Ginny, Holly and Stuart [Young, chute master] to pose in the positions that I wanted. I then drafted the poster design using clips from photography that included the pond, surrounding mountains, Tobogganville, and spectators. It looks a little like a ransom note at this stage. Then, I worked with Patrica Bartkowiak, an illustrator from Buffalo, N.Y., to direct style, placement and color. We were inspired by vintage Norwegian winter travel posters.”

The history of the poster has taken all sorts of directions over the years, said Anderson.

“One of the earliest and iconic posters were Maine animals, a moose, a loon, and a bear on a toboggan,” she said. “Then, when Jeff Kuhler was here, he had connections to a Boston agency and they submitted three different poster designs, including the Grim Reaper riding on the back of a toboggan. Before then, we just made and sold posters as souvenirs. Today, the poster is actually the cover of the program. There were a few years where we did a contest and the winner of the contest designed the poster. But in the last few years, we’ve pretty much stuck with a scenic concept and an illustration.”

The Mayor of Tobogganville

Anderson, who has volunteered as co-chairman f the U.S. National Toboggan Championships meetings since 2005, cemented her role with the annual event when she joined the Camden Snow Bowl in 2017. One year a team mailed her a registration with the subtitle: “The Honorable Mayor of Tobogganville,” a moniker that has since stuck.

“I share this role with Stuart Young, chute master, who runs the mechanical stuff, the chute work, and we have a great committee who is the eyes and ears of the event,” said Anderson.

One thing she began to consistently notice on Ryan’s posters is a figure in a reddish-orange L.L. Bean parka with fur on the hood in the crowd.

“That’s me,” she said. “I have that exact jacket. If you look at the posters over the last five years, it became this ‘Where’s Waldo’ moment for me. I didn’t put it together for the longest time until this year, I looked back on all of these past posters and asked Joe, ‘Did you put me in there this year again?” And he said, ‘Duh.’”

The 2020 poster features The Big Kahoonas, a four-person toboggan team, which has been part of the Toboggan Championships for the last 29 years and qualifies for The Worlds race this year. This is a one-run, winner takes all race.

“We chose to feature them because they’ve been racing forever, and we thought it would be fitting to feature them for the 30th anniversary poster.”

Stay tuned for our forthcoming story: “You gotta have brass ones to hang with The Big Kahoonas.”

For more information on the Camden Snow Bowl’s U.S. National Toboggan Championships visit Camden Snow Bowl

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

BELFAST— Belfast just got a new co-working space.

“The Commons,” a ground floor space at 158 High Street in downtown Belfast next to the vinyl record shop, opened to the public on Monday, January 20, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The 375-square foot room is a cross between a shared workspace and a hub for community, particularly those who are involved with climate, environmental, and social justice work.

The space is a welcome addition, as evidenced by the nearly 100 citizens who came to the grand opening.  The event was so packed, people were standing outside and up the stairwell just to hear what was going on inside.

The Commons is intended as both a physical location for the founding members of four organizations to use as well as a public space four days a week for the public to come in and exchange ideas, engage in conversation, hold meetings or just get in out of the cold. The four founding organizations are Local Citizens for SMART Growth, Belfast Area Community Rights, Friends of Harriet L Hartley Conservation Area and Midcoast Maine Extinction Rebellion

Donna Broderick, who is affiliated with two of the four organizations, is a core member of The Commons.

“The opening was beyond what we could imagine in terms of turn out,” she said.  “During our soft opening, the Peace and Justice Group of Waldo County expressed an interest in having their monthly meetings there. And at our official opening, a youth climate change group that’s forming in the Midcoast indicated they want to have their meetings there as well. The character of the space is really going to be formed by the individuals and organizations that step up to use it and I imagine that will change as time goes by.”

Broderick added: “We decided collectively to open a space where we could have board meetings, public events, educational nights and whatever people want. Part of it was that we needed a physical space for people who wanted to know more about our organizations and didn’t know how to do it.”

Inside the room is a meeting table, chairs, a desk, storage, a coffee station and free WiFi. The room can accommodate approximately 12 to 15 people comfortably.

“We had some people donate some printers, but mostly, people are bringing in their own laptops,” said Broderick.

The Commons does not yet have a website. Their public hours are on Monday from 10 a.m to 1 p.m., and Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“A lot of people told us: ‘this place is really the heart and energy of Belfast,’” she said. “Belfast has had a rugged couple of years with the announcement of the Nordic Aquafarms proposal and there’s been a lot of animosity and a lot of divide in this town. So, part of the intention of this space is to create bonding and bridges for people on both sides of this issue. It was really interesting that a lot of people who feel one way or another about the Nordic project came to check out the space.”

Space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, giving priority to the founding members.

To learn more about how your organization can use this space, call 207-507-7108 or contact thecommons158@gmail.com ( Wait 24-48 hours for a reply).

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

 

The power of your local library card just got 70x more powerful.

As public libraries serve as welcoming “third” spaces in our Midcoast communities, there are so many new resources and programs offered that the public has access to. Only, so many people still don’t know about them.

Not surprisingly, it was Maine’s librarians themselves who brainstormed alternative ways to give more people in the state broader access to libraries.  At The Maine Library Association's Fall 2018 Conference (including the Maine InfoNet Pre-Conference) librarians in attendance “expressed a strong desire to develop initiatives that would strengthen broader library resource sharing across Maine,” according to Maine.gov’s website.

That conversation developed into a pilot program called the Maine Reciprocal Borrowing Program in September 2019, which will wrap in September 2020.  

It's referred to as “walk-in,” borrowing card, because if you possess a local library card, you can walk into 68 libraries around the state and check out items.

A van goes around weekly to the libraries and does delivery service, scanning the bar codes and bringing the inter-library loan items back to the original libraries. Many libraries have deliveries every week day; some libraries have fewer.

Amy Levine, director of Rockland Public Library said, “We jumped on board as soon as we knew the state was going to do this pilot program, because it’s just such a great opportunity to extend our services. People like the flexibility and the opportunity to walk into most of the libraries in the state and check something out on the spot.”

The Advantages of Having a Card

For young and low-income residents

In the past, if you wanted a library card, you usually got the cheapest deal in the town you lived in, often for free. But, that limited you to the offerings of that particular library. If you lived outside the town, you had to pay for a non-resident library card. The tiers have changed over the years, but today, a single non-resident membership in some Midcoast libraries is nearly $50, (due in part to how the library is funded by taxpayers). Still, with rents, food costs and utilities in Maine higher than the national average, choosing necessities over purchasing a library card tends to be the case.

Now, if you are a resident of Camden, Rockport, Rockland, or Belfast, you can obtain a free card and access certain unique items and collections of other libraries that were previously off limits to non-cardholders.

For college and grad students

College and graduate students in Maine, now are also finding this pilot system incredibly convenient. Colby, Bates and Bowdoin are all participating as well, so Midcoast collegiates can borrow school-related materials from the colleges, and return them to their participating hometown libraries, eliminating the need for a long commute.

Immediate access

Adding to the power of the card is the already existing Interlibrary Loan Service (LLC), where participating libraries use a courier to deliver library books and materials from one library to another.

“If someone wants a book, we can usually get it in less than a week, through the van delivery, if it’s not a really popular title, but if the person needs it right now, he or she can go to the library where it is available, walk in and check it out right on the spot,” said Levine.

Not everything is allowed to be borrowed, however.

“Every library has a few things off limit, and for us it’s about the devices,” said Levine. “For example, we have a telescope and musical instruments that are not available for this program.”

Steve Norman, director of Belfast Free Library, said of the new pilot program, “This is another example of how libraries work together to provide better service to the public. There was a small group of libraries in southern Maine that had reciprocal borrowing agreement for a couple of years and we also used their model as our template.”

“People who commute are especially pleased,” he said. “If they live in a town with a participating library, yet work in another town with a participating library, [borrowing and returning materials] works out very well for them.”

Norman said almost everything that a Belfast Free Library card holder can check out works out the same for a cardholder from a participating library. “They can check out everything with the exception of special equipment and kits,” he said.

For at least eight more months, Maine taxpayers and residents should put their cards to work at participating libraries and literally “check out” new resources while they still can.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

The power of your local library card just got 70x more powerful.

As public libraries serve as welcoming “third” spaces in our Midcoast communities, there are so many new resources and programs offered that the public has access to. Only, so many people still don’t know about them.

Not surprisingly, it was Maine’s librarians themselves who brainstormed alternative ways to give more people in the state broader access to libraries.  At The Maine Library Association's Fall 2018 Conference (including the Maine InfoNet Pre-Conference) librarians in attendance “expressed a strong desire to develop initiatives that would strengthen broader library resource sharing across Maine,” according to Maine.gov’s website.

That conversation developed into a pilot program called the Maine Reciprocal Borrowing Program in September 2019, which will wrap in September 2020.  

It's referred to as “walk-in,” borrowing card, because if you possess a local library card, you can walk into 68 libraries around the state and check out items.

A van goes around weekly to the libraries and does delivery service, scanning the bar codes and bringing the inter-library loan items back to the original libraries. Many libraries have deliveries every week day; some libraries have fewer.

Amy Levine, director of Rockland Public Library said, “We jumped on board as soon as we knew the state was going to do this pilot program, because it’s just such a great opportunity to extend our services. People like the flexibility and the opportunity to walk into most of the libraries in the state and check something out on the spot.”

The Advantages of Having a Card

For young and low-income residents

In the past, if you wanted a library card, you usually got the cheapest deal in the town you lived in, often for free. But, that limited you to the offerings of that particular library. If you lived outside the town, you had to pay for a non-resident library card. The tiers have changed over the years, but today, a single non-resident membership in some Midcoast libraries is nearly $50, (due in part to how the library is funded by taxpayers). Still, with rents, food costs and utilities in Maine higher than the national average, choosing necessities over purchasing a library card tends to be the case.

Now, if you are a resident of Camden, Rockport, Rockland, or Belfast, you can obtain a free card and access certain unique items and collections of other libraries that were previously off limits to non-cardholders.

For college and grad students

College and graduate students in Maine, now are also finding this pilot system incredibly convenient. Colby, Bates and Bowdoin are all participating as well, so Midcoast collegiates can borrow school-related materials from the colleges, and return them to their participating hometown libraries, eliminating the need for a long commute.

Immediate access

Adding to the power of the card is the already existing Interlibrary Loan Service (LLC), where participating libraries use a courier to deliver library books and materials from one library to another.

“If someone wants a book, we can usually get it in less than a week, through the van delivery, if it’s not a really popular title, but if the person needs it right now, he or she can go to the library where it is available, walk in and check it out right on the spot,” said Levine.

Not everything is allowed to be borrowed, however.

“Every library has a few things off limit, and for us it’s about the devices,” said Levine. “For example, we have a telescope and musical instruments that are not available for this program.”

Steve Norman, director of Belfast Free Library, said of the new pilot program, “This is another example of how libraries work together to provide better service to the public. There was a small group of libraries in southern Maine that had reciprocal borrowing agreement for a couple of years and we also used their model as our template.”

“People who commute are especially pleased,” he said. “If they live in a town with a participating library, yet work in another town with a participating library, [borrowing and returning materials] works out very well for them.”

Norman said almost everything that a Belfast Free Library card holder can check out works out the same for a cardholder from a participating library. “They can check out everything with the exception of special equipment and kits,” he said.

For at least eight more months, Maine taxpayers and residents should put their cards to work at participating libraries and literally “check out” new resources while they still can.

---

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

MONTVILLE—Artist Felicia Cinquegrana lives in the deep woods of Montville, but she doesn’t even need to venture outside for inspiration. Trees are all around—her house, her studio, and in her art.

Her hand-engraved jewelry and paintings are only part of her collection, but they all share the same quality: A bare etching of a tree, its branches in stark movement, giving the impression of reaching out.

“My husband and I moved to Montville, Maine, from Rhode Island five years ago,” she said.

With master’s degree in art education and a bachelor of fine arts in sculpture, she and her husband, who works as a wooden boatbuilder,  have even bigger plans than being artists.

“Our original intention was to come up here to start an art camp for at-risk kids,” she said. “We’re currently building our own house off the grid, a straw bale timberframe and still working on it, so my studio is currently in the living room. But eventually I’ll have my own studio and educational studios on our land.”

Cinquegrana downplays it, but turns out, both she and her husband John Puckett, were featured last winter on a “Building off the grid” episode on Discovery.com.

While she supports herself as an artist, the developing plan is to eventually offer the public classes in boat building, art, and wilderness immersion.

“We’re really interested in teaching kids any process or activity that requires them to work with their hands, to build anything and to problem solve with critical and creative thinking,” she said.

Her designs on sterling silver cuffs, earring and pendants are all hand engraved free form using a flex shaft with diamond tip. Then, they’re polished with a patina.

“It’s almost like scrimshaw,” she said.

Her ink paintings are all on birch, and all of the frames are made scraps from the boats her husband builds.

The design of her particular trees always alters slightly, but originated from a giant triptych she’d worked on for six months.

“I’ve always drawn trees since I was a little kid,” she said. “I climbed trees. They just comforted me, And about 10 years ago this particular design came to me. My dad was sick, and I just worked on this piece in this free flow state without having to overthink it. It was just for myself. It was such a meditation for me and then I just started making them for others.”

Though her artwork leans toward a Japanese theme, she said it’s not deliberate.

“When I lived in Chicago in school, I’d go to museums on lunch break into these wings and stare at this ancient Japanese art, and I think I unintentionally put that into my work. The more I work on them, the more they evolve into this figurative flow. They’re not necessarily ornate, but people find a calmness in them.”

To learn about their forthcoming camp visit: Ohana Roots Traditional Craft and Wilderness Camp.

To learn more about her artwork, visit Felicia Grace Designs or see her in person at United Farmers Market in Belfast every Saturday.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

AUBURN—Since 2002, Jennifer Marchigiani and her former husband have transformed an entire house into a M*A*S*H unit for injured and orphaned wildlife—the kind of animals that animal shelters can’t take—skunks, raccoons, fox, fawns, opossums, porcupines, beavers, chipmunks, squirrels, mice, even bats.

Marchigiani is a licensed as a wildlife rehabilitator who specializes in these animals and currently runs Misfits Rehab out of a home in Auburn. Her background stems from a lifelong love of wild animals as a child, including a multiple stints working at pet stores, as a vet tech, and as a zookeeper.

“You name it—anything smaller than a moose, we take it in,” she said. The only creature she doesn’t take are birds. Avian Haven, is known statewide for being the best bird rehabilitator.

Explaining where all of these “misfits” come from, she said: “People find animals in the woods, on road sides. A lot of the bats are found in people’s houses. Mice go into cars in the fall. And if the mom mouse runs away, people constantly bring me the nest of babies.”

Though the adorable factor is evident in her social media posts, the reality is that the job is far from glamorous. The distinct musk of wildlife is present in the basement where cages and enclosures line the walls surrounded by a work table covered in medicines, IV bag, pet food—even a bowl of wriggling meal worms—a snack for bats.

But, it’s the hours that make this volunteer job a true labor of love.

This winter, she is caring for 17 or 18 animals, but that number balloons in the spring and summer, when more animals have their babies. 

“Every day we clean and feed the animals twice a day,” she said. “When we get a nest of babies that have to be fed every two hours round the clock, there’s no time for sleep— for anything,” she said, adding she receives help from her friends, volunteers and her former husband. “That’s when it gets crazy—when you have a three litters of six animals. By the time you’re done with a two-hour session, you got to start all over again.”

Marchigiani’ is one of 53 volunteer wildlife rehabilitators who operate out of their homes in Maine. In Waldo county alone, there are six rehabilitators, including Avian Haven. The best way to find out who takes in which kind of animal and where is through the Maine.gov website

“If you go through that website, it shows by county rehabilitators in the area,” she said. “And if you are tech savvy, go to Animal Help Now website or download the app on your phone and wherever you are, it will show you where the nearest wildlife rehabilitator is. If you’re in Auburn, you know I’m here, but if you’re on a family vacation in Massachusetts and find a gull with an injured wing, it will show you exactly where to take the animal.”

Every day, 365 days a year, the animals all need food, medicine and bedding. Marchigiani has smartly set up a donation widget with every Facebook post she makes of an animal, but even though she receives donations through Facebook and through yearly donation drives, it’s never enough.

“I was really nervous this year when we did our books and we discovered we had $15,000 in credit card debt for the animals,” she said.

Asked if there is a point where financially, this operation cannot sustain itself, she answered: “Well if you tell me, I’ll always make it viable. But the reality is we normally run between $5,000 to $10,000 in debt, and this year, we’re beyond that.”

To date, her highest profile guest was an opossum named Percy, a critical intake, who had his tail cut off by a Rumford man in 2019, who was facing a summons for animal cruelty before he was hit by a car weeks later and died.

“Percy was in the hospital three times for surgeries,” she said, noting that she’s got at least three veterinarians on speed dial.

Percy was taken to Misfits Rehab, where Marchigiani and a friend built him a special enclosure in the basement, complete with cat towers, a giant hamster wheel and a poster of a female opossum.

At the time of this interview, Marchigiani revealed that Percy had just passed away two days earlier. She visibly tried to contain her emotions while discussing it.

“He was at the end of his life span, and had congestive heart failure,” she said. “They only live four years. Everybody loved him. He’d had such a rough life.”

In the time she has been doing this, Marchigiani has learned to “let the animal go,” both emotionally and literally, when, the rehabilitation is complete, and they are physically released back into the wild.

She has been bitten by four different animals that were tested positive for rabies—but it comes with the territory and she has had her rabies shot.

Rescuing a critical intake is also a special skill.

“If you’re amped up, they will be stressed; but if you’re calm, it will go a long way to calm them down in a high-stress situation,” she said.

The other grim side to being a rehabber is knowing when to put an animal down.

“People see the cute pictures on Facebook and they express they want to have access to animals the way I do, but what they don’t see is if an animal is not in shape to be operated on and we can’t do anything more for it, we have to let them go,” she said.

To learn more about the animals she’s currently caring for visit Misfits Rehab Facebook page.

To become a wildlife rehabilitator visit: www.maine.gov.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

TENANTS HARBOR—St. George School Second Grade Teacher Alison Babb had been working on a unit on the concept of “empathy” recently and a particular idea struck home with one student in her class, Liam Ward.

“Liam came into class recently and asked me, ‘Ms. Babb, can we do something to help Australia? It’s on fire,’ ” said Babb.   Reports have been published that Australia’s ongoing bushfires have killed a billion wildlife animals so far.   “I asked him to pitch the idea to our crew during morning time, and the support was overwhelming,” she said. “The room was buzzing. Students who hadn’t heard of the news from their parents asked what was going on and peers gently explained the situation. We then brainstormed many ways to help and decided to set aside some time this week to learn about what’s happening and create posters to educate and to create a donation station to collect money outside of our classroom. We also decided to hold a bake sale to raise money.”   Ms. Babb sent a flyer home to all families, and Liam’s mom posted the flyer on a Facebook fundraiser.   With a modest goal of $400 in mind, Liam’s mother, Summer Stuart Ward, wrote a post on Facebook: “Liam collected toys from his room that he wants to sell to raise money. I am beyond shocked at his determination to raise money for this. In tears and bursting with pride thinking about it. And now his sister wants to get the middle schoolers on board to help. Thank you all for helping him make this a reality. It is beyond what we expected.”   Within one week, that goal exploded, the fundraiser collecting nearly $4,000 in local donations, including a $1,000 check from Meklin & Sons Excavation.   On Monday, January 13, the anteroom outside Ms. Babb’s classroom had two tables filled with a variety of baked treats, which many of the students, their parents and staff made for the public bake sale.   Inside Ms. Babb’s classroom, it was Quiet Time. Liam was playing with his LEGOs. When asked what made him come up with the donation idea, he said: “They should have a little help from us. We [the U.S.] sent fire fighters over and money, but I thought we [our second grade class] should, too.”   Other students in Ms. Babb’s class have been moved by this turn of events and the entire class is enthusiastic about helping.   “Ms Babb showed us some pictures on the smart board of what was happening in Australia and I felt really scared,” said Skylar. “When kids can get through it and kids can be really good at it [fundraising] and they can build a lot of things over and over again.”   The bake sale was a success, raising $1,500 in a day, bringing the total donations to date to $6,575.   “The school and Liam’s mom and I are going to sit down and choose the charity that is specifically working on assisting the wildlife and the preserving the environment,” said Ms. Babb.   This unexpected outpouring of donations has shown the children that they can band together and organize more fundraisers for future causes.   “We raised 4,000 and our goal was only $400 and it makes us feel really good for Australia,” said Ben.   Back to empathy. Ms. Babb circled the students back to the original premise of what inspired this act of kindness.   “Empathy means when someone gets hurt, you should ask them ‘Are you OK?’” said Gracie.   “The collective goodness that has sprouted from one child’s question—and the power it demonstrates — is the definition of inspiration,” said Babb.  “No matter how young you are, you can make a difference.”   For more information on how the money will be allocated or to donate, “like” the Facebook fundraiser.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com                        

MIDCOAST— It’s a known fact that farmers in Maine work overtime to sustain their businesses; there is no such thing as 9 to 5. 

A team of Maine farmers, came up with a fairly innovative idea two years ago: Why plant more crops than you can sell and compete with other farms if you can collaborate, save time and money and offer customers even more variety than ever before?

That’s just what Adrienne Lee, owner of New Beat Farm, did when she co-founded Daybreak Growers Alliance, a multi-farm share program, along with Christa Bahner, owner-operator of Bahner Farm in Belmont, and Colleen Hanlon-Smith, an owner Locust Grove Orchards in Albion.

Lee, who already operated a own horse-powered multi-farm CSA before her piloting the Daybreak CSA in 2019, saw potential in a group of Maine farms working together, making the most of each farm’s strengths. Unity Food Hub had started this creative model for farm-share collaborative, but had to close at the end of 2017 and a group of farmers who’d participated in that model wanted to replicate a similar multi-farm CSA, but of their own design. As of 2020, more than 20 farms around Maine are collaborating in Daybreak Growers Alliance.

In a traditional CSA where you pay for a share and pick up a box of whatever the farmer has grown in season, perhaps not everything in that box is to your liking. If beets and rutabega are what’s in that share and you don’t like those vegetables, you’re stuck with them.

Not so with Daybreak Growers Alliance, whose website model is closer to an online curbside grocery pick up.

“We use Harvie, an online farm software program that helps us offer customizable shares where our shareholders can choose share preferences and swap items in and out of their share boxes,” said Lee.

For example, a Winter Bounty CSA share from January to May is $36 for one or two adults or small family, which is delivered bi-weekly contains a mixture of hardy greens and storage vegetables. Each share also includes a unique pantry item from one of the farms to compliment the vegetables, such as local dried beans for hearty soups and stews, canned tomatoes and salsa or local cornmeal to make bread and muffins. Customers can also buy customized Meat Shares.

The website allows each customer to customize that box with a “Share Add-On” such as free-range eggs, cheese, yogurt and bread. Best of all, the website “recognizes” that customization and produces recipes for that particular combination of ingredients. So, say you purchased garlic grown from Hallbrook Farm; it comes with this recipe: Garlic - Hallbrook Farm - Pea Shoots and Chicken in Garlic Sauce

With meal kit companies such as Hello Fresh vying for Maine customers, Daybreak Growers Alliance offers not just a healthy, and cost-effective alternative, but every dollar spent is not going to a mega corporation; it’s going back to the Maine growers.

“Because we are working collaboratively with so many farms, we are able to offer a diversity of products throughout the wintertime that just one farm couldn’t justify growing–both the volume and the variety of winter storage crops,” said Lee.

Every share is boxed individually, customizable to each order. Currently they deliver shares to  Belfast at The Crosby Center on Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. and to Maine Street Meats in Rockport Tuesdays 4:30 to 6 p.m. They also  also have deliveries to offices in the Midcoast, which is another way to access their shares.

Daybreak also offers deliveries at various Maine locations and farms.

People ordering off the website don’t realize how much time it takes to communicate, prepare each individual order, pack it and deliver it, so they are trying to price the services in a way that works for everyone.

“We’re trying to factor in this time while still keeping a sustainable model,” said Lee. “We want to give our customers value and quality pricing, but we also have to compensate our farmers and employees so that it is sustainable.”

To learn more about Daybreak Growers Alliance and how to sign up for a CSA visit: Daybreak Growers Alliance.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST—Broken zippers, a busted toaster, holey sweaters and buzzing electronics—it was like the Island of Misfit Toys in the small back room of the Belfast Fiber Arts store on Saturday, January 4, where a crowd of people with older or worn items in their hands, looked for an expert repair.

The Belfast Repair Cafe is a band of “fix-perts,” all volunteers, who come together every couple of months to lend their expertise and repair broken items for free.

Marcia Cooper, of Belfast Repair Café said, “We’re part of the Belfast Community Works, a nonprofit, and we’ve been doing this for a couple of years.”

This past Saturday marked their third time at Belfast Fiberarts, who donates the space for free.

Jasmine Fowler and Sasha Kutsy, founders of Belfast Community Works were initially looking for a Maker Space for their kids when they collaborated to join the international Repair Café movement in a local environment.

“For me it’s about sustainability, not creating more trash or products that are poorly made,” said Fowler. “Secondary to that is creating community. All of these people coming together and sharing skills is what’s it’s about.”

“Relearning so many of these skills that we are losing is also important, “ added Kutsy. “And like Jasmine, the biggest part for me is the community-building, just meeting your neighbors and discovering everyone’s skills that can be put to use, building those connections.”

“Last month, a gentleman came in with an old tattered quilt that he’d made with his mom when he was nine years old,” said Kutsy. “He brought it in and said ‘I don’t care if it’s perfect; I just want it to last.’ None of us are professional quilters, but he trusted we’d just put it back together enough and he left pretty happy.”

The Repair Café is always looking for people with a variety of skills, not just in sewing or electronics.

“We had someone come in with a broken vase and since we don’t have anyone who can repair ceramics at the moment, but could use that skill,” said Fowler.

Even those who are curious to see what the Repair Cafe is all about are welcome.

“We just had someone a minute ago come in and tell us he didn’t have anything to fix, he just wanted to see what was happening back here,” said Fowler. Then he left his name and said he was handy and could volunteer next time.”

Meanwhile on the electronic side....

 

Paul Eagle sat at one of two  “electronics” stations, working on various radios, switches and lamps that were put forth on the table.

“I’ve been a repair person on and off in electronics and mechanics and have always worked on my car and fixed things,” he said. “If you know the basic principles of electronics, it’s fun to try and figure out the problem.”

Eagle, who has been with the Belfast Repair Café for a year, said most common items brought in are lamps, toasters, mixers, blenders, and vacuum cleaners.

“We encourage people to participate in the repair so they can learn something,” he said.

“People don’t want to throw it into the landfill,” said Cooper. “And let’s face it, this stuff is designed to break and end up there,” said Cooper. “And it’s probably cheaper to buy a new one, but if you can fix it, you’re not adding to the landfill or wasting your money on another piece of junk.”

Bart Read, an engineering manager, worked on an electric heater at the other station.

“We’ve isolated it down to the switch as the problem–it took about five minutes to come to that conclusion,” Read said.  “It’s totally fun. The other thing is if we can’t get it work again, it’s not the end of the world. But, we do have to make sure that in rewiring, the repair doesn’t cause more problems.”

Read said not everything can get a second life.

“We’ve had stuff that’s come in where a mouse chewed through all of the wires of a remote control car and there was no fixing that. So we said forget it,” he said smiling.

The Repair Café takes donations to defray the cost of advertising and other nominal costs. They also use the Belfast Community Works Facebook page to promote their upcoming cafes while they continue to work on a website. In advance of the next Repair Café and encourage people to fill out a form on their website or post a comment on their Facebook page of what they intend to bring in next time, so the volunteers can have the right tools on hand.

APPLETON—On Sunday, January 5, the goats penned in at Appleton Creamery were watching a steady stream of visitors with growing excitement as neighbors and community members stopped by to toss their Christmas tree onto a growing pile of evergreen and spruce trees in the front yard.

Even though owners Caitlin and Bradley Hunter have been accepting recycled Christmas trees informally for years, this past Sunday marked their third formal event: Christmas Tree Drop Off Day.

“We invited people to drop off trees for years, but this is the third year we’ve made it formal as part of the Midcoast Cheese Trail,” said Caitlin, whom along with their daughter, Fiona, offered hot chocolate and cookies to the visitors. “Currently the goats are dry, which means they’re not milking now, so there is no chance of balsam-flavored milk getting into the cheese. It’s a nice winter snack for them — as it’s high in fiber and in vitamin C — but also as entertainment value. Goats are not grazers like sheep and cows. They’re like deer, so they prefer to nibble on small trees, brambles, rose bushes, and raspberry bushes.”

Looking back at the goats, who were enthusiastically, poking their heads through the fencing to receive some attention from the visitors, she added, “But, I think it would be cool to have evergreen-flavored cheese in Maine.”

Asked if she might experiment with that next year, she said: “I might. You heard that here first.”

The Hunters’ breeds include Alpines, Nubians, and half-Nigerians.

“Normally they eat hay,” said Caitlin. “They always get excited when they see the tree drop off. They love people but they also know they’re going to have a treat.”

For the safety of the goats, it’s required that all trees dropped off are free from tinsel, ornaments, leftover hooks and sprays.

Caitlin enjoyed seeing folks come out to see a working farm in winter. Their annual offer to take discarded trees also serves as a environmental service, keeping trees out of the landfill.

“Most of the trees around here are locally grown, so it all gets recycled back to where it came from,” said Caitlin.

The only other working farm to offer a Christmas Tree Drop-Off Day was the Hart-To-Hart Farm in Albion, nearly an hour away, so this was a convenient option for Midcoast residents. 

With 40 or so trees donated this year, the goat snack would last all winter.

“We feed them one tree a day in addition to their regular food of hay,” said Brandon. “We ration it out to one tree a day, so not to shock their system. The trees last until March. But if they get dry and brittle, we don’t feed them anymore.”

For more information on what other farms and creameries are up to this winter, visit Midcoast Cheese Trail.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

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Eating healthier, fitness goals, reducing screen time, of course these resolutions are all good but, in this new year what if you’re asking yourself: “What do I have to look forward to?”

Among a myriad of New Year’s articles on what you should be thinking about for your 2020 goals, exercising your creativity is often last on the list, such as in this NBC story on how to be happier in 2020.

But it should be first, particularly for many non “outdoor people” who tend to hibernate in the winter. Feeding the creative mind has tons of mind-body benefits, including stimulating your mental health, reducing anxiety and depression and helping you solve problems better. As with every Cheap Dates article, we strive to find fun, interesting and relatively inexpensive events around the Midcoast and beyond for you and your sweetheart or a buddy. Here are a number of public events to check out for January.

CMCA Art Lab for All Ages

Saturday, January 4 — Rockland

In this month’s ArtLab session, the focus will be on collaborating on a paper collage installation. Using paper, ink and scissors to create numerous cut-out-illustrations to make a temporary installation in the ArtLab documented by a time-lapse video, participants will get to view previous works of featured artist Astrid Bowlby. This session is free and open to all from 2 to 4 p.m. FMI: CMCA Here’s a Calendar for other Art Lab dates.

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Waterfall Arts

Saturday, January 4— Belfast

Art Therapists Melissa Kelly and Lisa Cohn are doing a Saturday session from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. called “Finding Balance in the New Year.” This is an ideal workshop for those who wish to be more creative, but don’t know where to start. If you know that some kind of creative outlet is needed to jump start your sense of wonder again, this meditative workshop will focus on using mobile making as metaphor to find balance. Supplies will be provided but feel free to bring your own special objects and materials as well. FMI: Balance

If you miss that, Waterfall Arts is hosting Art Hive open studio sessions Thursdays in January from 1 to 5 p.m. for all ages. A variety of materials will be available for you to create with, including: Paints, Pastels, Collage, Fiber arts, etc. FMI: Art Hive

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Yoga and Art Night: Watercolors

Saturday, January 4— Belfast

This inspirational all-levels yoga class held by Ananda Yoga and Wellness will get your creativity flowing through breath and movement, followed by a guided art class using watercolors. The all-levels yoga class will spark your imagination and creativity, from 3 to 5 p.m. FMI: Ananda Yoga

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Papercutting

Tuesday, January 14 — Camden

Camden Public Librarian Loraine will teach the basic skills used in the ancient art of papercutting. Using sharp blades and paper, she’ll help participants  make some truly beautiful designs. Templates will be available for use, or participants can create their own. This is a workshop for adults. Registration is required, and spaces are limited. There is a $10 fee. Please call 236-3440 to register. FMI: to see more Jumpstart sessions

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Mandala Painting

Sunday, January 12 —Cushing

Try a relaxing painting experience with creating a traditional Mandala design/Tree of Life/abstract design on beach stones gathered locally. Krafter’s Junction at Bearcub will provide all materials provided for a $15 class fee.
Class size is limited, be sure to reserve a space early. Class starts at 1 p.m. FMI: Mandala

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Watercolor Journaling

Wednesday, January 15 — Lincolnville

Record your day, your thoughts, your garden, your dreams—in watercolor. Bring your supplies and join this friendly and sharing group for artistic journaling every first and third Wednesdays at the Lincolnville Community Library from 4 to 6 p.m.

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Story Hour a.k.a. MOTH Radio Hour

Tuesday, January 28 —Warren

The Saint George River Cafe invites you to come up on their cozy stage and tell stories of the strange, the unbelievable, the triumphant, the terrifying and poignant from 6 to 7 p.m. Free to the public. FMI: Story Hour

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

CAMDEN—Earlier this month, Matthew Storin, the former editor of the Boston Globe, gave a talk to an audience of some 70 people at the Camden Public Library in conjunction with The Camden Conference.

At a time when the mainstream media is often under siege, when reporting objectively in a post-truth era has become one of journalists’ biggest challenges, Storin had some stories to tell.

But first, a little bit about Storin himself. Prior to the Globe, he was editor of the Chicago Sun-Times, executive editor of the (NY) Daily News, editor of Maine Times and national editor of U.S. News & World Report. His reporting career, which began in his hometown at the Springfield (Mass.) Daily News, included stints in Washington for the Griffin-Larrabee News Bureau and later the Globe, for whom he covered Congress, the White House, and later Asia. Based in Tokyo, he covered the late stages of the wars in Cambodia and Vietnam. After retiring from the Globe, he served as associate vice president for communications at his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, where he also was concurrent professor of journalism. 

PenBay Pilot contacted Storin after his Camden Public Library talk to ask him what were some of the audience’s major questions.

Pilot: what did people want to know about the daily life of journalists and the inner world of newspapers?

Storin: One of the questions I often get asked, is ‘Are most newspapers liberal?’ The short answer is yes, but it’s more complicated than that.

A certain type of person is attracted to journalism and that type tends to “want to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.’ That is the role of the press, though oversimplified. When newspaper reporters report on something the Trump administration did or said, that’s the purpose of journalism. Then, there will be, in my opinion, another three stories that go out of their way to find something negative that might not necessarily be an important story. For instance, Ivanka Trump went to Japan about a year ago and there were fewer than expected in attendance and they made a story out of that. And I think, ‘big deal, it’s not that important.’ On the other hand, I point out to my conservative friends when they start railing about the press is that almost every scandal you know about Hillary Clinton was reported first in The New York Times.

Pilot: Something many people don’t understand is that all journalists who earn their educational degrees are trained in the principles and values of ethical journalism—correct?

Storin: Yes, and also they are trained to be looking for abuses of power and government overreach. And that’s where you get to the question of what some detached observers might say is bias. I will say that journalists definitely tend to have a trust in government in the general sense. Now at the same time, they are quick to leap on what they perceive is an abuse by government, particularly in the financial area, say government overspending or some wasteful program. But what they’re really looking for is a story. Journalists ideally would write a story about their best friend if their best friend had screwed up.

Pilot: Touching on bias, because journalists are also human beings with their own political views, what, is the essential job of the ethical, fair journalist?

Storin: This is the most challenging time I’ve seen for journalists in my professional life.  The combination of lies and out-of-context statements by this administration, coupled with the echo chamber of some Fox News broadcasts, primarily Fox and Friends, threaten the very bedrock of news reporting.  (I’m not talking about opinion commentators.)  Obviously it is more important than ever to be accurate in reporting, but also in the choice of language and topics, newspapers need to be careful not to overreact.  Some reporting in our national newspapers is absolutely essential to holding this administration to account, but I think there are excesses.  Sometimes, to use an old expression, stories make ‘mountains out of molehills’ just because Trump is such a different character, particularly on Twitter. 

Pilot: What can journalists do to continue to earn and keep the trust of their readers and to maintain their own credibility?

Storin: Other than what I’ve already said, they should stick to facts on social media, primarily Twitter and Facebook.  And in an appearances on TV, they should be extremely judicious in their language.  I also think news organizations need to reveal more about their staff people, making clear that they are folks just like everyone else, doing a job as best they can.  I notice that both The New York Times and The Washington Post are doing this a bit, but they need to do more.

Pilot: What can the average citizen do to become better informed, to seek out fair and balanced journalism and to positively participate in meaningful discussion online?

Storin: They need to make at least some effort. I’m afraid many of us do not.  They need to be sure they know the organization producing what they are reading, particularly online,  I think someone who reads either the Times or the Post, should also read The Wall Street Journal, including its editorial page.  The latter is a far better venue for conservative opinion than much of Fox News or other conservative media.  The Journal’s news reporting (separate editors from the opinion pages) is straighter than the Times or Post.

To test the “truthfulness” factor of any story one finds online or to determine whether a source is “fake news” type the name of the media source in Media Bias Fact Check website.

The Camden Conference’s 2020 theme is “The Media Revolution: Changing The World” to be held February 21-23 in Camden, Maine. FMI: Camden Conference.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

 

 

 

For the last 28 years, the 50 state park systems of the United States have been encouraging people to get off the couch on January 1 and get the blood pumping.

First Day Hikes, began locally in Massachusetts in 1992 and went nationwide in 2012. Last year, more than 55,000 people got into it and collectively walked more than 133,000 miles on the guided hikes, including snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on New Year's Day. It’s not only a motivating way to get active, but also a fun, sociable experience for friends and family, especially as we head into the deeper part of winter, when people tend to stay inside and hibernate. We have three local Midcoast Maine hikes to get you moving, two of which are inspired but not affiliated with the First Day Hike. There are others farther afield, as well, in case you want to travel.

Beech Hill Preserve

Wednesday, January 1 — Rockport

The Summit Trail is an easy trail is less than a mile and leads up to the bald hilltop with sweeping view of the Penobscot Bay. No need for a guided hike, you’ll have plenty of people around on this gentle upward slope to the open fields that lead to Beech Nut, a sod-roofed stone hut. The hike starts at 11:30 a.m. and goes until 1:30 p.m. An added incentive? Cookies and hot chocolate will be provided in the hut at the top.  Here’s the trail map.

Lake St. George State Park

Wednesday, January 1— Lake St. George

Go for a leisurely one-mile hike through the day use area and campground or a three-mile hike across the lake around Hawaii 2 Island, dependent on ice conditions. Meet at the first Day Use parking lot past the entry booth starting at 10 a.m. and going until 1 p.m. Bring your snowshoes, creepers, skis and or hiking boots, and dress for the weather. A warming hut will be located inside the barn. Snacks and hot beverages will be provided. Leashed dogs are welcome. This is a beginner level hike. More info.

Georges River

Saturday, January 4 — Searsmont

Note the date for this one as it takes place a few days after the New Year, but meet up at the the Searsmont Town Library by 9:45 a.m. to car pool to the trailhead. On this family friendly hike, exploring the wilds of Searsmont with  guides Sarah Crosby and Bill Evans (who have been hiking, bushwhacking, skiing and snowshoeing the area for many years). Take an easy two-mile stroll along the Georges River in an exploration of some of the dam areas. Bring clothes and footwear appropriate to the weather. Hosted by the Searsmont Town Library and Georges River Land Trust, here’s more info.

For more information visit  First Day Hikes and check out the five Maine state parks also participating.

 

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Kay stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

ROCKLAND—On December 30, 1919, The Courier-Gazette put out its Tuesday issue for its usual price of three cents for a single copy.

The headlines were nothing spectacular on that day, even though it was the day before New Year’s Eve. Maine, along with the rest of the U.S., was just about to enter a decade known as the Roaring ‘20s.

The newspaper industry was concerned about a partisan and capitalistic threat to democracy, according to a small piece on the inside pages. “The world is in greater peril today than during the war period. One half of the world is determined to subdue the other half. Capital is in conflict with Labor for supremacy. Labor is in conflict with Capital for supremacy and the rank and file are paying for the conflict.”

The News

A few column inches were reserved for local tidbits of color. One gentleman (unnamed by the paper) who worked on Rockland’s Main Street, was thrilled, to say the least, to receive an unexpected Christmas gift.

“Don’t open this until you get home,” said a Main Street businessman, the day before Christmas, handing an envelope to his clerk. When the envelope was opened, a hundred dollar bill dropped out. And this handsome gift was by no means a misplaced one.

The prominent section of the front page was reserved to announce that Arctic Explorer Donald B. MacMillan was visiting the Midcoast for the purpose of commissioning a boat called Bowdoin to be built in Boothbay the following year for an upcoming expedition.

Central Maine Power had private investigators looking into malicious mischief done by some disgruntled power customers. “This investigation shows that the interruptions were due to the fact that “someone shot away insulators on the high tension line of the company,” according to the report.

In the Shipping News, The Courier-Gazette reported that the owners of the schooner Lavina M. Snow contacted the Coast Guard to assist their schooner, which had been stranded on the southwestern point of the Abaco, Bahama Islands.

Over in Camden, there was mention of The Penobscot Woolen Mill, “Camden’s newest industry,” located on the corner of Washington and Mechanic Streets and “handy to to the trolley line,” which was using the Megunticook River as its power source. The mill had about 20 looms at that point, employing 50-60 people.

And in other news sure to rankle local citizens who made their own cider, the front page noted that a collector for internal revenue for the District of Maine proposed that all sweet cider be taxed from now on.

Advertisements

In December 1919, Maine was still the only state under legal Prohibition, so any revelry that was being planned for the following day had to be done under covert action. A bold and accusatory advertisement with the all-caps title DRUG HABIT appeared at the bottom of the front section. It was paid for by The Neal Institute, a Portland franchise of an Iowa company, which claimed it could cure those with drug and alcohol problems within three days.

Other ads placed within the paper announced post-Christmas bargains, with Christmas nuts on sale at 35 cents per pound, fresh cod at 25 cents per pound and two large grapefruit for only 25 cents.

Automobile dealers were already looking ahead to the latest 1920 models of Buicks and Chevrolets, Scripps-Booth and G.M.Cs., which could be purchased at The Rockland Motor Mart (care of Dyer’s Garage Tel. 124.)

New Year’s Eve

 

Little could be gleaned about the Midcoast’s plans for a festive New Year, but some planned to go ice skating that evening from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Skating Rink at Training Station. The Empire Theater was “business as usual” with a Wednesday night New Year’s Eve screening of “The Outcasts of Poker Flat.” The novel, adapted into film featured a rakish gambler who fell in love with a girl young enough to be his daughter. Not to be outdone, the Park Theatre planned a racy NYE show of “Bathing Beauties in Person,” a Mack Sennett five-reel comedy for 25 cents plus War Tax.

For fans of a more rowdy New Year’s Eve, the Rockland A.C. Spear Block was putting on two wrestling championship matches between Patsy McCarty (the Irish Giant of New York) vs. Charles Metro (of Laconia, N.H.) with another match between Kid Bolduc from Lewiston and Young Stecher from N.Y.   And lest you think this was only for men, there were “Special Seats for the Ladies” from $1.00 to $1.50 in ticket prices.

Looking Ahead

The Tuesday issue didn’t offer any reminiscing editorials or any year-end retrospectives. One only had to skip ahead two days into the future to see what values The Courier-Gazette reflected upon in its January 1, 1920 issue.

These prophecies for the year 1920 were an annual tradition, printed by The Courier-Gazette. “Made by Dr. Delmer Eugene Croft and adduced from the Pythogorean Code” these prophecies are laid out in essay form one by one, taking up most of the front page.

And as a new day passed, Mainers continued their lives, forging ahead through another winter, as they always have.

To see more past issues of The Courier Gazette, visit: Courier-Gazette. To learn how to access more digital archives of Maine newspapers visit: Digital Maine.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

We’re not just getting a new year culminating this Tuesday night, we’re getting a new decade; hence all of the Roaring ‘20s parties that are happening for New Year’s Eve. Whether you’re a day partier, a happy-hour-then-bag-it-and go-home type or a diehard up ‘til midnight and beyond, Penobscot Bay Pilot has the complete rundown on what’s happening for New Year’s Eve in the Midcoast, including new venues and events. Enjoy your night and stay safe!

Belfast

New Year's By The Bay

This is one of Belfast’s biggest events of the year. The 22nd Annual New Year’s By The Bay celebration will take place in 12 venues within walking distance throughout downtown Belfast, beginning at 2 p.m. with music and performance events all day and evening and culminating in the midnight bonfire at the Belfast Public Landing. The three bands capping off the night this year include The Dolphin Strikers, New Years by the Bay and The Right Track from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. at the Belfast Boat House. Adult tickets: $20; children under five are free. For more information visit nybb.org.

Perennial Cider Bar

For their first NYE, Perennial opens at 5 p.m. for a public celebration. You can believe organic sparkling cider will be involved.

Front Street Pub

Join them for a fun no-cover event to ring in the New Year starting at 9 p.m.  DJ and dancing along with giveaways and a countdown to 2020.

Bowen’s Tavern

Bowen’s will be hosting the band Recall, which kicks off at 8 p.m. to help ring in the new year! $5 cover charge includes champagne toast at midnight. 

Bazz Theater

The Belfast Maskers have a special event at Bazz Theater (17 Court Street) from 4 to 5 p.m. Join in on a round of a cappella songs, circle singing and a gathering “led in the spirit of jubilance, unity and community.”

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Camden

Joyful Dancing will be putting on a Roaring ‘20s NYE party at High Mountain Hall from 7 to 10 p.m. A $10 entrance fee gets you a dance lesson  from 7 to 8:00 p.m. in solo Charleston and partnered Charleston. From 8:00 to 10:00 p.m., there will be dancing to a mix of tunes from the 1920s swing era with contemporary music as well. No partner or experience needed. Prizes for best outfits.

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Rockland

Trackside Station

Rock in the New Year with Red House, a live band at Trackside Station. Ages 21-plus after 9 p.m. Complimentary champagne toast at midnight and watch the ball drop on a 150-inch screen.

FOG Bar and Café

The Blind Albert Band is rocking FOG Bar and Café with their annual masquerade theme which is “wacky & wonderful handmade & collected masks.” The festivities start at 8:30 p.m. No cover This year boasts an eco-friendly confetti drop at midnight.

Ada’s Kitchen

Ada’s is going with a Monte Carolo and Roaring ‘20s theme this NYE from 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. The $65 ticket price covers your dinner, games, a DJ, and dancing all night, plus a glass of Prosecco to toast to the New Year. Limited seating is available for dinner. FMI: Tickets.

The Speakeasy

The Roaring ‘20s is the perfect theme for The Speakeasy (just below Eclipse), with live music by The Don Brewer Blues Project.There will be hors d'oeuvres, cash bar, and a champagne toast at midnight. Other surprises will be revealed at the party, which kicks off 9 p.m. Ticket Prices: $30 per person or $50 per couple.

The Samoset

Ring in the New Year at Samoset Resort with dancing, cash bar, and live entertainment featuring Creatures of Habit. Event starts at 9pm; 21+ Tickets $25 and can only be bought online.

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Hope

New Year’s Eve at The Farmhouse

Barrettstown Farmhouse is holding a public informal evening of live music from Emmett Lalor and Friends. The band will play until 12 a.m. and afterwards, a house DJ will be playing a set into the new year.

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Union

The Pour Farm

The Pour Farm is doing a NYE Tap Takeover at Sterlingtown Public House from 3 to 9 p.m. with live music starting at 5 p.m. and shareable menus.

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Searsmont

Threshers Brewing Co.

Threshers will be also hosting a 1920s costume party with prizes. The 220s will be playing live and the band starts at 9 p.m.

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South Thomaston

Waterman’s Beach Brewery

“We know some people have to start the new year with a work day, so we decided to celebrate early.” Waterman’s is sending 2019 out in a blaze starting at 2 p.m. with a bonfire on the beach and live tunes by The Hardshells starting at 5:00 p.m.

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And Beyond

Here are a few NYE celebrations worth traveling for.

Downtown Countdown —  Bangor

Celebrate Maine’s largest public New Year's Eve in downtown Bangor with bars, restaurants, clubs and cultural organizations all coordinating the celebration. Then, meet in the square at midnight for the annual ball drop from the roof of Paddy Murphy’s. FMI: Schedule

Primo Cubano Dance Party — Portland

One Longfellow Square is welcoming Primo Cubano back to start the new year right with an evening of music and dancing, with an open floor and plenty of energy on stage. The evening will cap off with a champagne toast at midnight. 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show. $20 adv., $25 day of. FMI: Tickets

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Note: If your establishment isn’t listed here it’s because either we were unable to find any details of your event posted online or it was restaurant seating only, not a public party. We will be adding more details and more New Year's events as they become available. Please check back! To contact us with more details, email  news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN—After all of the gifts are unwrapped, the leftovers are put away and the hoopla dies down, it’s time for the adult equivalent of that last little bit of chocolate or candy cane in the bottom of your stocking. It can be found in Old St. Nick, a deliciously frosty cocktail crafted at Hoxbill in Camden Harbor.

Beverage Director Marcus Carter collaborated on the invention of this drink just in time for the holidays.

Upon the first swig, it’s an arctic blast of peppermint, followed by the sweet crunch of candy cane and rounded out by creamy maple. Then, take a bite of gooey toasted marshmallow—the cocktail’s garnish. 

It is a jolly, jolly sip—and meant to be savored, preferably by a roaring fire.

This cocktail takes a bit of preparation. First the rim of a martini glass is dipped in melted chocolate. After putting a candy cane in a Ziploc bag and smashing it down to granules with a hammer, Carter then dips the rim a second time, so the glass comes away coated with chunky, swirly bits.

“People are loving it,” said Carter.  “It is a dessert drink, however, not typically one you’d start out with. People are coming in after they’ve had dinner at home and giving it a try. Or after a meal here,  instead of dessert, this caps off the night with a sweet finish.”

Watch the video to see how the cocktail is made. You’ll need:

• 2 oz grain vodka such as Ice Pik
• 1 oz. Vermont Ice Maple Créme
• 6 drops peppermint extract
• ½ oz. simple syrup
• ½ oz. chocolate sauce
• Toast a marshmallow and spear with garnish pick

 

Add components into a shaker full of ice. Shake until ice crystals form and pour the drink neat, into the martini glass, and present with marshmallow.

Make the cocktail yourself this holiday week or have it made for you. Hoxbill is not open on December 25, but will be open the following day.

Related: See some of our past holiday cocktails.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

ROCKLAND—On Wednesday, December 18, a classroom in Rockland’s  South School looked like a book sale with 4,600 children’s books filling every available table and box underneath.

The best part? Every single book was given away for free.

This is the fifth year educator Jenny West got to feel like Oprah Winfrey and do the “Favorite Things” Giveaway, in which every student from South School got to pick 10 books to keep and bring home.

“I started the Books in Every Nook program years ago because I’m a reading teacher here at South School and I was finding that many students didn’t have books in their homes,” she said. “So, to solve that problem, I came up with the idea of gathering new and used children’s books and then re-distributing them to students once a year.”

Not many people realize how much work goes on behind the scenes to do this giveaway. West spends her time year-round collecting books and a number of volunteers help her to set it up. “I get books everywhere,” she said. “I collect a lot over the summer from library book sales. I go to yard sales. I get books from local publishers and authors who donate books every year and then I get people who donate money for me to go out buy books.”

“In past years, we’d typically allow students take five books home, but we have 300 students this year, and with so many to give away,  I’m allowing them to take home 10,” said West.

In 20-minute increments, each grade assembled inside the classroom where West explained how to select a book and how many could be taken. The reaction from the students when they discovered they could select 10 this time, was to simultaneously throw their hands up in the air and cheer or jump excitedly up and down. And then, like an episode of Supermarket Sweep, the kids swarmed the tables, looking for books that interested them.

“We carefully planned this to get the books in their hands right before they took off for Christmas break,” said West.

Asked what types of books she knows how to buy for the students, she said, “They love nonfiction. They love reading about real things, especially animals. I don’t think I have a single nonfiction book about animals left and I bought a good 300 of them.”

The older grades tend to like the chapter books and more fiction titles.

The entire room organized like a library: in fiction sections, nonfiction, picture books, chapter books, poetry, biography, even a Christmas section.

At one point a 2nd grade boy walked up to West. “Do you have anything scary?” he asked.

She instructed him to search the far table. “There’s a bunch of Goosebump books over there,” she said. Delighted, he found a couple of R. L. Stine’s best sellers.

“We’ll probably give away 3,000 books today,” she said. “At the end of the school year, we do an open house and I give away the rest then for the summer break.”

Dressed like a Christmas Elf, West said, “This is my favorite day of the year. It’s so great to see that kids still love books. The first group of students that came in this morning only to discover they could keep 10 books this time—they went wild. One little girl asked me, ‘We get to keep these forever?’”

For more information about the program contact jwest@rsu13.org

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

Giving someone the gift of services or an experience this season is one way to free the world of extra stuff and clutter, but it also supports many of the hard-working businesses in our community at the same time. It’s a win-win! So each week, until Dec. 25, we will bring you this series until you can’t take it anymore. Ready. Set. Go.

Traveling Escape Games

Edgecomb, Maine (But Will Travel)

Traveling Escape Games Edgecomb, Maine (But Will Travel)

The back story: People may remember Midcoast Escape Rooms, the family and friend game that puts you in a locked room with clues to get out. Well, now that business model has changed and owner Martha Manchester is bringing the same type of game to your house.

“I loved the puzzle and game part of it, so I changed the idea to bring the puzzles and props to someone’s homes,” she said. “We have two games: the Museum Heist or the Pirate Pillage. I come to your house, and set up the game for you. It’s awesome for groups of friends or families all together for the holidays. People solve a series of puzzles, decipher codes, unravel clues and complete the mission of finding treasure before your hour is up.  It’s a cross between an Escape Room and a Scavenger Hunt. We’re actually giving away real treasures if they can solve such as pearl earrings, and money clips or key rings.”

Cost: $30 per person with a minimum of six people per game. Martha is the Puzzle Master. She’ll stay for the hour to set up and break down. She can bring the games to houses within 50 miles of Edgecomb. FMI: Traveling Escape Games

In her words: “People love getting together and solve all the puzzles with the goal of keeping the treasures, but it’s hilarious, especially right down to the wire. People are crazy, frantic, it’s hysterical.”

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A Night at The Strand

Rockland, Maine

The back story: Between first-run indie films, live eclectic performances and HD worldwide broadcasts, The Strand Theatre is a great escape for a few hours, and is the perfect way to lift up the person in your life with a little cultural infusion. “Take a look at our calendar and if you know someone would really enjoy a particular performance, you can buy a gift card for that performance or as many as you like,”  said Jana Herbener, marketing and community relations manager.

Cost: An affordable stocking stuffer is a $9 movie in the form of a gift card, and a Fan Membership is $50. “With a Fan Membership, every time you come to a movie you’d pay $2.00 less than a regular ticket, but you also get a free movie on your birthday, a free one-time movie pass and admission to two of our Member Appreciation Movie Parties, so in essence, the $50 membership gets you free in four times a year,” she said. “This past year we screened ‘Love Actually,’ and ‘Thelma and Louise’ for our Member Appreciation Movie Parties. We have hors d'oeuvres and sometimes movie trivia to make it fun.”

In her own words: “A gift for someone else is also a gift for us, because it helps us maintain and expand our programming and offer performances that other places may not be able to offer,” she said.

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An Art Membership-The Art Loft

Rockland, Maine

The back story: The Art Loft, Rockland and Knox County’s community art center, is under a new director and new direction these days. Perhaps you have a budding artist on your holiday list who could use a creative boost. “Our memberships are normally for a full year, but we are now offering an introductory membership for adults, which is good for five months — from January 1 to May 31,” said director David Blanchard. All members receive 20 percent off fees for classes in drawing and painting at the Art Loft, as well as advance notifications for all classes. “So, if a class has a limit of say eight people, as an Introductory Member, you’ll be the first to hear about it and have the best shot of getting in,” he said.  Members also gain admission, for a very small fee, to the Members’ Studio, (which is open only to Members). “That gives you a time you can come in and create during certain scheduled hours, sharing the space and comraderie with others,” he said. There are also Members-only art exhibitions at the Art Loft, which gives many budding artists their first chance to show their work in public. They also get 20 percent off at Huston-Tuttle, which sells art supplies in Rockland. “If you sign up for just one of our typical four-session classes during January through May, you’ll save about $30, which essentially pays for the Membership itself,” he said.

Cost: $31.75 A gift membership can be purchased through artloftrockland.org

 

For families of seriously ill children, teens and babies, this is a difficult time of year. Television advertisements blast happy home-for-the-holidays messages, while Christmas songs on the radio extol the joys of family all being together.

With a child in the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, however, families have enough to worry about without having to think about gift-buying for the holidays.

Two fifth graders from Warren Community School wanted to ease the burdens of parents and bring some joy to their children this season. “

As part of ‘WCS Gives Back’ a program at our school which emphasizes gratitude during November and December, we really work hard to encourage our students to display this character trait,” said Assistant Principal Jessica Berry. “One of our students, Jennika Shuman, inspired her class to start a food pantry drive in November. That was so successful, her buddy Summer Staples came to me afterward to ask if we could organize a toy drive for the children who have to stay in the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital this Christmas.”

Berry knew that Vicki Murray, owner of Laugh Loud Smile Big, a cupcake and custom goods store in Rockport, often donated cupcakes and gifts to BBCH and elected to pair up with Murray as the delivery vehicle for the toy drive.

After putting out the message to the community, Warren Community School was able to collect three full boxes, more than 40 gifts, thanks to parents, teachers and other members of the community. Thanks to Murray’s coordination with BBCH and a special Christmas Wish List, items donated ranged from onesies for infants to gift cards for teenagers.

Murray took the gifts down on Friday, December 13.

“As Summer helped load the items into the car, she kept saying, ‘Wow there are so many toys here!’ said Berry. “She was so proud of what she had accomplished. We want our students to be participants in their community, and to learn how to support and give back to others.”

Murray had her own connections to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. Her daughter needed to stay there after she was born and again, briefly when she was 10.

“They gave her wonderful care,” she said. “When she got upset, they had this Magic Closet or what they call the ‘Oww-ie Box’ and it was filled with toys. They let her pick a toy and it would distract her and calm her enough to carry through a procedure.”

For the last seven years, Murray has taken gifts and cupcakes to children whenever the hospital has called her.

Murray has a permanent box out front in the store year round for anyone who wishes to donate a toy or a gift card to BBCH.

“Whenever we do our cupcake donations, we grab whatever is in the box out front and bring that down with us,” she said. “People donate craft supplies along with gifts. And we even get gift cards for the nurses. What they take home with them emotionally every night, we can’t imagine.”

During the holidays, people’s thought turn naturally to giving and the box out front of Laugh Loud Smile Big overfills with donations from people in the Midcoast. Murray said last year, her pick up truck was so full of donated gifts that they had to make two trips down to Portland.  “

“When kids come in to the store with their parents, they see the gift box and wonder what it’s for,” said Murray. “I often hear parents teaching their children the importance of giving back, especially this time of year.”

Murray recognizes it’s a commitment to drive down to Portland multiple times a month with donations and cupcakes, but said, “it’s my passion.”

However, she insists that it the Midcoast community that allows her to be the bearer of good tidings.

“We have grandmothers come in and hand me $100 bills and tell me to make someone happy. We have parents come in with beautifully wrapped gifts for someone else’s children. We’re in tears in the kitchen half the time when people come in with gifts.”

So many of the gifts given to the children go home with them as reminders of what they survived and the comfort that it brought them. Donations to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital can be made beyond the Christmas season and dropped off at Laugh Loud Smile Big for birthdays, special occasions, and even just a reward for getting through a tough chemotherapy session. To help out visit Laugh Loud Smile Big’s Facebook page.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

SEARSMONT—Every Saturday, Bob MacGregor, founder and president of Waldo County Woodshed, can be found with other volunteers in Searsmont from 8:30 a.m. to noon, cutting, splitting and stacking wood for the benefit of other people. For the last six years, this volunteer-run, nonprofit has made sure families in Waldo county get through the winter with enough firewood to heat their homes. Last year, they gave out 170 cords worth $40,000.

On Saturday, December 9, the group held a Wood Processing Day, a volunteer event, to make it easier for families to pick up free firewood.

Local arborist, Travis Hamilton, of Arbor Tech, contacted MacGregor and asked him if he could use ‘a bunch of arborists with saws, splitters, tractors and trucks volunteering for a day.’

MacGregor was thrilled.

“We try to have several volunteer days each season, but this time, having a group of arborists who are trained in chainsaw safety come to us—that was something new,” he said. “It was a great help to have them out there working on their own without supervision.”

Hamilton arrived with his crew of five, and 10 volunteers in all put in about six hours that Saturday sawing the wood, splitting it with three wood splitters, and stacking it into wire racks.

“We cut as much wood as we could process,” said Hamilton, noting that some people who came to collect firewood for their families  hung around afterward to help chop and stack more wood for others.

“People that need wood can just come and grab some in these quarter-cord bundles stacked up in these wire racks,” said Hamilton. “The idea is that if you take some wood, in return, just spend a little time fill up the rack for the next person. There’s a big pile  of loose cord wood nearby.”

“I had a guy mention to me the other day, ‘If I only refill one rack, you’re not getting ahead; I should fill two racks,’” recalled MacGregor.  “That’s the kind of thing I like to see as we are just a bunch of volunteers ourselves. ”

Even though there’s no pre-screening, Waldo County Woodshed has some sensible rules in place for those in need of wood to ensure that the wood distributed evenly. Those rules can be found on a pinned post on their Facebook page.

“The most important thing is to call ahead,” said MacGregor. “We have a volunteer scheduler that takes all the phone calls and directs people to the right site on the right day. By knowing how many people to expect at each site we can make sure we have enough wood and volunteers at the sites.”

You don’t need to qualify for anything,” said Hamilton. “It’s on the honor system. He’s not charging people; he’s not screening anyone. I think a couple people may have taken advantage of that in the past, but if someone needs wood that bad, Bob just says, ‘Go ahead and take it.’”

“Sometimes, we have people come each week, sometimes just enough to get them through before LIHEAP kicks in, but we just want to make sure we have enough to distribute out to everybody,” said MacGregor.

“This is the first year my crew and I volunteered,” continued Hamilton. “I would bring Bob my surplus wood from job sites. I have all the wood I can shake a stick at, literally. So, I try to give it away to people who need it, whether it’s my friends, or someone in the community.We’re a wood-rich community and people shouldn’t have to worry about staying warm. It’s important to give back, especially during the holidays. It makes us feel good that we’re able to do it.”

MacGregor said he doesn’t want to take business away from loggers and people who sell firewood for a living, so they fund-raise to buy wood from loggers and to process it, keeping everyone in business. “We do get a little bit of wood donated, but for the most part, we just prefer to buy it from loggers whatever the going rate it,” he said.

MacGregor isn’t looking for a lot of accolades. Formerly involved in the wood industry, he knows a lot of people who rely on wood heat as their primary source each winter.

“I just do it because people need help and we’re able to provide it,” he said.

Waldo County Woodshed has eight distribution sites around Waldo with Searsmont at their main yard. They will be opening another facility in Knox Count early next year at the Warren Transfer Station.

MacGregor encourages people to volunteer if they have a few hours on a Saturday morning.

“You don’t have to call ahead,” he said. “Just come out to Searsmont and we’ll find you something to do,” he said.

Donations can be made online or mailed to P.O. Box 401 Belfast. for more information visit: Waldo County Woodshed.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com