The original Weald Bethel Community Center with the old roof gone and the new roof on. (Photos by Scott Shaw.)
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Downeast Campus Facilities and Housing Rehabilitation Manager Scott Shaw sends exciting news of one of the Mission’s best loved, most often used, buildings.
“Here are pics of the original Weald Bethel Chapel part of the current Weald Bethel Community Center getting a new roof. The other Community Center sections are new. This new roof assures the structure is sound for many years to come,” writes Scott Shaw.
Learn more about the Weald Bethel Community Center.
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to Trey Shaw and WK Construction & Sons of Addison, ME.
Trey and his crew have done an amazing job on the renovation of the Mission EdGE Center and now on the exterior of the Community Services Program Center (food pantry),” said Downeast Campus Facilities and Housing Rehabilitation Manager Scott Shaw. “Trey has been very particular and conscientious about all the work he and his crew do to make sure the buildings are getting the makeover they deserve. They have been very accommodating, working around the hours the food pantry serves clients. Trey even offered up his crew to assist with a food order from Good Shepherd Food Bank,” said Scott Shaw.
In 2018 WK Construction’s lull lift enabled Housing Rehabilitation Program volunteers to complete, on time, the final phase of the Mission’s Weald Bethel Community Center. Two years later, WK Construction came to the rescue when the Mission and other organizations were placing on its foundation a tiny house specially designed and built for a military veteran with a disability.
“Once the tiny house was delivered and placed, WK Construction’s lull lift donation saved the crews so much work getting the overhangs and roofing complete. Trey Shaw from WK Construction & Sons were life savers. I can’t say enough about Trey and his crew. They do quality work. They are very knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with,” said Shaw.
With the Mission’s Maine island Covid-19 vaccination clinics very much in the news, we wanted to also share the story of two companion vaccination clinics at our Community Center in Cherryfield. Held in partnership with the Maine Mobile Health Program (MMHP) and Mano en Mano, the first clinic was on April 12. The second clinic was May 13. All told, 112 people received their Covid-19 vaccinations at these two events.
Lisa Tapert, Maine Mobile Health Program CEO, said, “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.”
The Mission was happy to say yes to MMHP’s request to use our Downeast Community Center as home base for the clinics. We appreciate MMHP offering health care access to our community members, and we look forward to helping reach future area health goals.
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 friends and Maine retailers: Marden’s and Renys
Mission Community Resource Coordinator Megan Smith tells us, “For years Marden’s and Renys in Ellsworth have collaborated with our Christmas Program. We provide gift tags to both stores. Each tag has a child’s name and a few gift ideas. We hope shoppers will grab a gift tag and help fulfill a child’s Christmas wish.
“This picture, taken at Marden’s in Ellsworth, shows how well the collaboration works,” said Megan.
Renys: A Maine Adventure, a chain of 16 department stores throughout Maine, has been in business since 1949. It’s headquarters is in Newcastle.
Marden’s Surplus and Salvage, an independent family-run chain of 14 retail stores in Maine, was founded in 1964. Marden’s home office is in Waterville.
Thank you, Marden’s. Thank you, Renys. And thank you to the generous customers at both stores.
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Jillian is active on the Mission’s Downeast Campus whenever, it seems, she’s not traveling as Steward aboard the Sunbeam. Her activities include helping get wrapped Christmas presents from Point A to Points B, C, D, E, F, G, etc.
This is the Mission’s busiest week for the Christmas Program. With two-thirds of the wrapping completed, our volunteer elves are looking at extra shifts to finish the work.
Jillian’s been great at filling her old Honda hatchback with Christmas gifts for families on Maine islands, which will arrive with Jillian aboard the Sunbeam.
With this photo, emailed yesterday, Jillian writes, “I picked up another carload of presents today for Islesboro. Here’s a picture I caught of one of our devoted elves, Dannie, before she raced back inside to wrap more gifts.”
