by maineseacoast | Jul 9, 2020 | Downeast Campus, Downeast Maine Tiny House Project, Housing Rehabilitation, Maine Seacoast Mission, News, Thank You Thursday, Weald Bethel Community Center
CHERRYFIELD, ME — “Lee Watrous is our all star volunteer/contractor from Gales Ferry CT,” said Housing Rehabilitation Program Manager Scott Shaw in an email about the Downeast Maine Tiny House Project. “Lee has agreed to help us out with the project,” said Scott. Lee is now working on the tiny house at Assabet Valley Regional High School, finishing and preparing the house for transporting to Milbridge, ME. “Lee also offered to work on the home in Milbridge,” said Scott.
Mission fans may remember Lee Watrous and his volunteer work crew in 2018 when they finished the Final Phase of expanding and modernizing the Weald Bethel Community Center. The finished building included a commercial-grade community kitchen, additional dormitory space for Housing Rehabilitation Program volunteers, new EdGE classroom space, and space for weekly community functions.
And for Lee’s work on making Housing Rehab Program area homes safe and warm, one homeowner said, “Absolutely nothing will stop the progress of a job site when Lee Watrous and crew are volunteering with the Mission’s Housing Rehab Program.”
Downeast Campus Director of Service Programs Wendy Harrington called Lee Watrous, “Super Volunteer.”
This is what community looks like.
by maineseacoast | Jul 2, 2020 | Downeast Campus, Food Pantry, Maine Seacoast Mission, News, Thank You Thursday
CHERRYFIELD, ME — It’s Thank you Thursday and today’s shout out of Mission Love goes to Renee Pray.
Renee Pray works as a cook at Milbridge Elementary School during the school year, and with the Mission and other partners during the summer, providing meals to children in the community. She is committed to feeding all children and does it with a smile on her face. The children love her and the meals she creates, especially her chocolate chip cookies.
The Mission offers meals to children at EdGE Summer Camp and through deliveries to childrens’ homes this summer and we couldn’t be more appreciative of Renee Pray and MSAD #37, as we partner in supporting Washington County families.
This is what community looks like.
by maineseacoast | Jun 25, 2020 | Maine Seacoast Mission, News, Thank You Thursday
BAR HARBOR, ME — It’s Thank you Thursday and today’s shout out of Mission Love goes to the 50 Project ReachOut staff and volunteers. Launched in early April 2020, Project ReachOut is based on a simple idea; we are all better off when we connect. A kind word and a simple “how can we help?” can make all the difference. Through Project ReachOut, Mission staff and volunteers call Mission friends and neighbors Downeast and within Maine island communities to check in, offer a word of support, and ask how we can help.
Our 2,300 calls reached more than 1,000 local families, some needing help in several ways including: food assistance, home repairs, fuel assistance, rent/mortgage assistance, car repairs, electric bills, and appliance repairs.
We could not be doing all of this great work without our amazing EdGE crew and volunteer Project ReachOut callers making the connections with the families.
This is what community looks like.
by maineseacoast | Jun 18, 2020 | Downeast Campus, Food Pantry, Maine Seacoast Mission, News, Thank You Thursday, Weald Bethel Community Center
CHERRYFIELD, ME — It’s Thank you Thursday and today’s shout out of Mission Love goes to the Vazquez family, owners/operators of Vazquez Mexican Takeout Restaurant in Milbridge.
The Vazquez family was instrumental in connecting and coordinating our Food Pantry’s recent delivery of food for the Latinx community. In partnership with Mano en Mano, together we were able to arrange a big distribution of many foods that Latinx families love to have in their pantries but that are largely unavailable in our area.
Vazquez children are EdGE alumni! And, in another happy shout out, Mission staff love ordering take-out from their wonderful restaurant!
This is what community looks like.
On the web: https://www.facebook.com/vazquezmex/
by maineseacoast | Jun 3, 2020 | Maine Seacoast Mission, News, Thank You Thursday
It’s Thank you Thursday and today’s shout out of Mission Love goes to Elin MacKinnon. Elin has been a great friend and colleague to Mission staff as well as to so many others in the Downeast community for many years. Through workshops, conversations and coaching, she has helped the Mission build the Family Engagement Program. Currently, she is inspiring families to “dig deep” through the Downeast Family Victory Garden project – “because Mainers are tough!” and she is a bloom of wisdom and caring wherever she goes.
This is what community looks like.
by maineseacoast | May 27, 2020 | Island Outreach, Maine Seacoast Mission, News, Thank You Thursday
BAR HARBOR, ME — It’s Thank you Thursday and today’s shout out of Mission Love goes to the editorial team of The Island Reader. The Island Reader is a multi-arts anthology that showcases Maine’s unbridged island writers and artists. It’s published annually by the Mission through the Sunbeam V’s Island Outreach program. The editorial team is comprised of a dedicated group of island volunteers who work diligently each year to solicit and review submissions and then lovingly craft them into a beautiful anthology that reflects island life and culture.
This year’s editorial team consists of Gary Rainford (editor-in-chief) from Swan’s Island, Douglas Cornman from Mount Desert Island (also the Sunbeam’s Island Outreach Director & Chaplain), Kendra Chubback from Isle au Haut, Ingrid Gaither from Great Cranberry Island, Toby Martin from Islesboro, Kim Peabody from Matinicus, and Sally Rowan from Islesford.
This is The Island Reader’s fourteenth edition. The theme for this year is “Whatever Floats Your Boat.” The editorial team encouraged islanders to capture the wit and whimsy that is so important to embrace when facing the harsh realities of living on one of Maine’s outer islands.
The brainstorm of Reverend Rob Benson, former Pastor to the Outer Islands, The Island Reader has been lovingly guided by many previous editors; most of whom continue to submit their creative writing and artwork for publication. The Mission would also like to give a shout out to them because The Island Reader would not be what it is today, without their creative talent and guidance.
So, thanks to… Anne Bardaglio, Matinicus
Kate Chaplin, Islesford
Donna Cundy, Monhegan
Kaitlyn Duggan, Islesford
Alex Harris, Isle au Haut
Livka Farrell, Monhegan
Kathie Fiveash, Isle au Haut
Rebecca Lenfestey, Frenchboro
Ana Marie Maguire, Swans Island
Erica Millette, Monhegan
Eva Murray, Matinicus
Susanna Roe, Swans Island
Scott Sell, Frenchboro
Kate Shaffer, Isle au Haut
Molly Siegel, Isle au Haut
Skip Stevens, Islesford
The 2020 Whatever Floats Your Boat edition of The Island Reader is available now through Maine Seacoast Mission. Click here.
