It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to our Thinklab friends in Colorado.
Many people first learned of the power of telemedicine — the art of providing health services by internet — when outdated federal restrictions were lifted in the fight against Covid-19. Yet, telemedicine has been a part of Maine Seacoast Mission’s work among remote island communities for several decades.
Just within the last few years, advances in telemedicine equipment have enabled Island Health Services Director Sharon Daley, RN to carry across the islands 12-pounds of gear offering as many health options as Sharon’s equipment aboard the Mission’s 74-foot Sunbeam.
More recently, Thinklabs gifted four island elder care homes digital telemedicine stethoscopes. The Thinklabs One stethoscope is called “the smallest most powerful stethoscope in the world.” The stethoscope data is deliverable in real time to medical doctors or other health professionals on the mainland, which, in turn, saves elder patients time, travel, and expense.
State to State, this is what community looks like.
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to The Community Caring Collaborative (CCC) of East Machias, ME.
The CCC, founded in 2007, focuses in a growing number of areas, “to address the issues of at-risk infants, young children, and their families” in Washington County. The CCC is doing that work by finding ways to help nonprofits, government agencies, and other entities do their own work inside Washington County to address “the challenges of poverty, trauma, substance abuse, major health issues, the process of aging, or other factors can make people vulnerable.”
Mission Director of Services Programs Wendy Harrington said, “By building the CCC we have been better able to see the ways we can work together and strengthen what’s going on for the people in our county.” Wendy praises CCC as mentors, a partner organization, and for their generosity. “They’ve just been a good friend,” she summarizes. “Washington County is stronger because of the work CCC has done.”
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to Elisabeth Marnik, PhD for sharing her experience and knowledge regarding Covid–19 vaccinations.
Elisabeth is Assistant Professor of Molecular Biochemistry at Husson University. She did her PhD in Genetics at the Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in collaboration with The Jackson Laboratory. Her dissertation research, completed in Dr. Derry Roopenian’s lab, focused on using genetics to understand the normal adaptive immune response, and how it is altered in autoimmune disease. She did her postdoctoral fellowship at The MDI Biological Laboratory with Dr. Dustin Updike.
Elisabeth is passionate about making science accessible for everyone. That motivates her work with undergraduates and her science outreach to the broader community. We so appreciate her recent presentation to Mission staff; her insights will help keep our staff and communities informed about essential public health information.
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to Jenny Jones for her five years’ local food security work as Bar Harbor Food Pantry’s (BHFP) executive director. Through a series of programs, BHFP provides people in Hancock County with drop by food distribution of perishable goods, non-perishable goods, free healthy meals, fresh produce, and even a retail boutique for second-hand clothing.
During her time at the pantry the programming and capacity of the organization was greatly expanded, reaching new families and creating new partnerships. She is leaving BHFP for a new position at Good Shepherd Food Bank where her position will entail supporting Northern and Eastern Maine food security agencies, including the BHFP.
Thank you for your work at Bar Harbor Food Pantry, Jenny. And the Mission looks forward to working with you at Good Shepherd.
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to Karen and Corey at Z Studio Design, Bar Harbor.
The Mission works with many partners in order to strengthen community, including several that help us get the word out about our activities. Z Studio creates visual communications for print and web that project their clients’ messages accurately, persuasively, and beautifully. They have come through for us on many, many excellent graphic designs. Whether it’s a special logo for our signature Christmas Program, or the complete layout for our newsletter, “The Bulletin” — Karen and Corey always excel in their work and in their understanding of ours!
Mission Development Associate Anna Silver said, “I have worked with Karen both as a Mission volunteer and as a designer. She is generous and talented. She and her associate, Corey, are kind and creative. I always look forward to collaborating with them, knowing they will create beautiful designs. And despite how harried I may be, Corey and Karen at Z Studio remain calm.” We are grateful!
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to Laura and Tom, and the many kind, memorable people Mission staff encounter in our daily work.
Sunbeam Steward Jillian says of Laura and Tom, “They have refreshing spirt and I always enjoy our conversations when I pass them on the slip. Here they are on their boat which docks near the Sunbeam in our lovely little water neighborhood in Northeast Harbor. These two,” adds Jillian, “are making a good life together on their own terms.”
From the Sunbeam, to the Downeast Campus, to our Mount Desert Island headquarters, to our social media, we appreciate and look forward to the people we encounter who help the Mission with their kind words, their ideas, and their camaraderie.
