The Mission’s May 2021 eNewsletter is available to read online or download in PDF format.
Table of Contents:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2021
For More Information
Contact: Scott K Fish, Communications & Marketing
sfish@seacoastmission.org or 207-458-7185
Dakin Hewlett Joins Maine Seacoast Mission as EdGE Journey Program Manager
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Maine Seacoast Mission announces the addition of Dakin Hewlett as the Journey Program Manager. The Mission EdGE Journey Program is an Emanuel and Pauline A. Lerner Foundation Aspirations Incubator grantee, focusing on mentoring, supporting, and working alongside youth and their families; providing leadership opportunities, community involvement, and travel opportunities.
Prior to joining the Mission, Ms. Hewlett served as Delaware Nature Society’s Watershed Education Coordinator where she developed and implemented two youth programs – the Wilmington Youth Environmental Corps and Trail Ambassador programs. The programs provided mentoring, career skill development, outdoor activities, and community engagement projects to support youth aspirations.
Mission Downeast Director Melvin D. Adams III, Ed.D. said, “I’m excited to welcome Dakin to the Downeast Campus team. Her passion for engaging youth voices in the work, supporting youth, and collaborating with communities to increase youth aspirations and success is clear. She is dedicated to learn about history, culture, and place in which she works,” said Mel Adams.
Dakin Hewlett said, “I’m excited to join the dedicated team at Maine Seacoast Mission and to be a part of the organization’s commitment to serving Downeast communities. I’m thankful for the opportunity to engage students and their families through Journey, and look forward to continuing the long-term investment in building relationships, and activating voices of youth leaders in the community,” said Hewlett.
Since 1905, the Maine Seacoast Mission has supported communities in some of Maine’s most isolated villages and islands. The Mission connects people to each other, to education, to food, and to wellness.
On the web: EdGE Journey
Our Zoom Open Mic sessions end soon. For a few months now, on Wednesday’s, 6 to 8 pm, we gather online to play and listen to music. It is a Covid adaptation of the Open Mic events we held live in colder months at our Weald Bethel Community Center in Cherryfield.
Art and I and a handful of regulars join in every week to listen. Art sets his computer on his kitchen table and putters while listening. So does Alane. I find it entertaining to watch them move about, doing their thing. A few of us eat while watching. When he’s not playing guitar, Scott sometimes plays cribbage.
What started as a handful of regulars grew to 14 households joining online. Lots of smiling faces on the computer screen. Not being limited by our Downeast location was a pleasant surprise.
George, Lynne, and John each joined and played from different spots in Florida. Linda Zoomed in from Northern VA. Steve’s high school friend from Portland, OR sang last week. My nephew watched from NH. Josh set up a stage at his place with fancy blinking lights. His family participated from various ME locations. Before Josh headed to tree plant in PA, his own crowd and fan club was online for his exit performance.
My extended Family from Easthampton, MA – including Chris and Jim – have been regular audience members. Chris is my brother-in-love’s sister. I usually only see them at Thanksgiving dinners. It has been wonderful getting to know them better while singing their folk song duets and Beatles covers. My friend Art said, “I’m going to miss Chris and Jim when our Zoom Open Mics end this month.” I know exactly what he means. Maybe they will visit Cherryfield when our Open Mic is in-person again. I hope so.
To be sure, Open Mic via Zoom has its limitations on sound quality. Scott Shaw, and my partner, Steve, oversee the live Open Mic events. They have spent hours trying to figure out the sweet spots within Zoom.
Weak internet connections can make performers volumes drop out for a second. Or if their sound is too busy or full it starts clipping.
But all that matters not so much. We were glad to support each other and hear live music. We all pretty quickly accepted the reduced sound quality, because the heart in the song always comes through.
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to the Maine Mobile Health Program based in Augusta. MMHP is Maine’s only farmworker health organization.
“Community members in [the Downeast] area have faced challenges accessing vaccine appointments through the large vaccination sites. And there aren’t too many of those sites close to this area,” said MMHP CEO Lisa Tapert.
The Mission was happy to say yes to MMHP’s request to use our Downeast Community Center in Cherryfield as a base for a Covid-19 vaccination clinic. MMHP brought the clinic to the area in collaboration with Mission partner Mano en Mano out of Milbridge.
The Mission appreciates MMHP offering health care access to our community members. And we look forward to helping reach future area health goals. This is what community looks like.
On the web http://www.mainemobile.org
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to Scout Troop 139 of Cherryfield led by Scott Davis, Amanda Davis, Lorena Caler, and Kaitlin Merchant.
Saturday April 17, Troop 139 held a food drive to help the community members who frequent the Mission food pantry. The Troop set up tables at three locations: 4 Corners Shop ‘n Save in Columbia, Bayside Shop ‘n Save in Milbridge, and Matthews Country Store in Steuben.
Troop 139 food drive participants were Hannah Roeber, Emery Merchant, Isaac Merchant, Acadia Verway, Maddie Gay, Sabrina Davis, Kiya Bunnell, Danny Caler, Bishmita Dahl.
Mission Food Programs Coordinator Stephanie Moores said of the drive, “Our food pantry tables were full. I was very excited to have so much food to put away. Canned veggies, fruit, cereal, pasta, soup, even diapers and baby formula!” Stephanie said Troop 139 “also raised over $645 for the pantry. We are so thankful.”
This is what community looks like.
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Power in partnership. A huge thank-you to our community volunteers, the Maine Seacoast Mission, Maine Mobile Health Program, and Maine DHHS for making this possible. At last week’s Community Vaccine Clinic 58 people received vaccines, access to interpreters, and some tasty treats.
If you have any questions or are interested in attending a vaccine clinic in the future, please contact Juan Jose at: 207-210-1997.
View more pics.