Flip through the 1913 edition of Sigma Kappa Sorority’s The Triangle newsletter, and you will find Sigma Kappa alumna and assistant missionary to the Mission Hannah Powell requesting the help of her sisters. She wrote, “Would the Sigma sisters minister with their presence? Would they share gifts of teaching, of music, of housewifery…Would they do it, not for a day but for a whole summer, or – for a life?” The answer was an emphatic yes, and in 1918, Sigma Kappa Sorority chose the Mission as their national philanthropy. This year, as Sigma Kappa celebrates their 150th birthday, the organization, and generations of sisters still actively support Maine Seacoast Mission.  

When the sorority chose the Mission as its philanthropic partner, they began to financially support Mission workers who were usually Sigma Kappa sisters that taught on Maine’s islands. For many years, the Mission’s Annual Report listed a “Sigma Kappa Worker” in the staff roll who did work just like Lucy King. Some sisters have also written reports from the sorority supporting the Mission. 

While “Sigma Kappa Worker” is no longer a position, the sorority remains a large supporter of the Mission. Sisters donate regularly to the Scholarships program and the organization and sisters are some of the largest supporters of the Christmas Program. Sisters not only help with material support; they also have donated their time.  

A few years ago, the Sigma Kappa Foundation wanted to create an opportunity for sisters to participate in a deeply important to the Sorority: service. In 2023, the first group of collegiates and alumnae volunteered with the Housing Improvement, Food Security, and Christmas programs on our Downeast Campus in Cherryfield. Another group came this year, to help with these programs again.  

In addition to doing work in the Downeast area, the groups went on the Sunbeam V for planned service trips to an island. Each group huddled on the bow to snap a photograph reminiscent of one taken in the 1950s on Sunbeam III. Few groups can boast a more than 100-year partnership. The Mission is delighted to have a key partner for longer that shares the same values and it can call a friend.  

Join the Mission this summer and tour our  74-foot service boat, the Sunbeam, this summer. Each Friday from July 5 to August 30 at 1:00 p.m., the public is welcome aboard the boat in Northeast Harbor marina. Visitors will learn about the organization’s history and its programming on unbridged islands and in the Downeast region. 

During the tour, attendees will glimpse Sunbeam’s inner workings, learn the Mission’s history of service, and understand what is needed to provide year-round services to island communities. 

“The Sunbeam is recognizable to many,” Mission President John Zavodny remarks, “While she visits with Maine islanders often, we’re excited to welcome the public aboard to learn more about the essential work that happens aboard the boat.” 

These kid-friendly tours are free and open to the public. Each tour lasts 20 minutes. Those interested in attending may sign up at Great Harbor Maritime Museum in Northeast Harbor or contact the Mission at (207) 801-6008 or email [email protected]. Please note the town dock and ramp are not accessible to wheelchairs. Visitors should be able to maneuver up and down stairs. 

Great Harbor Maritime Museum’s exhibit “Beacons of Hope” shares highlights of Maine Seacoast Mission, from its founding in 1905 to present day. This is the second year the museum has highlighted the Mission and its archives. 

The exhibition traces the Mission’s history by featuring information and artifacts documenting the seven Mission boats and healthcare services and outreach to islands, lighthouses, and coastal communities. Some of the items on display include models of Sunbeam III and Sunbeam IV, a portable dentist chair bought by the Mission in 1931, and hooked rugs made by the Mission’s Hooked Rug Department in the 1930s. There are also other photos and artifacts that highlight the work done by Mission employees including nurses, boat captains, and more.

“The Mission’s vast archive covers a period of more than 115 years. From captains’ hats to our remarkable hooked rugs to thousands of handwritten journals and reports from longtime employees. It’s an honor to showcase a small part of this collection with our neighbors at the Great Harbor Maritime Museum,” says Mission President John Zavodny.

Sunbeam tours will take place at 1:00 p.m. every Friday in July and August. These kid-friendly tours are free and open to the public. Each tour lasts 20 minutes. Those interested in attending may sign up at Great Harbor Maritime Museum in Northeast Harbor or contact the Mission at (207) 801-6008 or email [email protected]. Please note the town dock and ramp are not accessible to wheelchairs. Visitors should be able to maneuver up and down stairs. 

Every summer, hundreds of kids take part in the Mission’s EdGE camps in Downeast Maine. These weekly camps include fun activities, time exploring the outdoors, field trips, crafts, games, and much more. The Mission works to make the camps affordable and accessible for families, and part of this includes offering free breakfast and lunch to all campers.  

“We know that many of our families participate in the free lunch and breakfast programs during the school year,” explains Downeast Director Jenny Jones. “It is important for these families that we continue to offer meals throughout the summer.”  To offer these meals at camp, the Mission works with the Maine Department of Education to become a summer meal site. 

To be a certified site, the person preparing the meals must be SafeServ certified and make the meals in a professional kitchen. All meals must meet the USDA nutritional guidelines that schools must follow and the kitchen must pass an inspection each year. Through the program, the Mission is reimbursed for the meals it provides.  

When families register for summer camp, they can decide if their child receives meals, regardless of their income status. Usually around 120 students receive two meals a day across all the sites. The meals are made in one of the participating school’s kitchens and then taken to the different camps. Breakfasts include fruit, a grain, and milk, and are often similar to what a student would receive during a regular school day. A typical lunch will include a sandwich (with protein), fruit, vegetables, and milk. The lunches are usually made to be eaten outside or on the go.  

Parents still have time to register their children for this year’s summer camps in Harrington, Addison, and Machias. Learn more and register.  

The Mission welcomes teams and individual players to compete in the 20th EDGE Tennis Tournament on Saturday, September 7 at the Northeast Harbor Tennis Club. The Tournament benefits EdGE, the Mission’s signature education program.   

Taking place from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the Tournament is composed of men’s doubles and women’s doubles playing at advanced and intermediate levels with eight-player teams competing throughout the day. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all registered players. Players can register as a team of eight players or as an individual. An organization, business, or person can also sponsor a team or individual. Single player participants will be assigned to a team by the Tournament directors. 

Registration for a team of eight is $1,400 and single player registration is $50. An organization, business, or person can also sponsor a team and the committee will assign single player participants. Interested players can contact Development Operations Associate Devin Mack at [email protected] or (207) 801-6010 to register. 

Proceeds from the Tournament fund EdGE. The program offers collaborative and innovative afterschool, summer, in-school, and leadership activities to children in seven schools located along Washington County’s Downeast coast. EdGE provides students opportunities to expand their knowledge and experiences through academic and social support, and peer mentoring. Students challenge themselves, engage with their communities, explore the outdoors, and gain social and leadership skills to build personal, career, and post-secondary education aspirations.   

“In EdGE, students can participate in afterschool, summer camp, and in-school programming,” says EdGE Primary Program Director Isaac Marnik, “Since 2002, EdGE has provided new opportunities for children to discover new things and identify their interests.” 

The Mission would like to thank its Corporate Sponsors and Corporate Donors for continued support. This year’s supporters include Platinum Sponsors Bar Harbor Bank & Trust and Wyman’s of Maine; Bronze Sponsors First National Bank and Goldman Sachs with Maggie Keohan; Copper Sponsors Machias Savings Bank and Acadia Bike & Coastal Kayaking Tours; and Corporate Donor Front Street Shipyard.