Step aboard the Mission’s flagship vessel, the 74-foot Sunbeam, during two open houses in the Falmouth-Portland and Boothbay Harbor regions. Visitors can tour the boat and learn about the Mission’s continued commitment to Maine’s outer islands and the Downeast region. Both open houses are open to the public.
The first open house will be held Wednesday, July 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Portland Yacht Club in Falmouth. The second open house takes place Saturday, July 29 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Brown’s Wharf in Boothbay Harbor. Hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. This is the first time in six years the Sunbeam has traveled to this area of Maine. Visitors on July 26 should plan to shuttle to the Sunbeam via skiff.
“We are excited to sail the Sunbeam to southern Maine,” says Mission President John Zavodny. “The Mission has so many friends living further down the coast. We’re excited to give them a chance to tour the boat and learn more about the difference our programs make in our communities. We are glad to be able to make this journey.”
Islands served by Maine Seacoast Mission programming include Chebague, Cliff Island, Frenchboro, Great Cranberry, Great Diamond, Isle au Haut, Islesboro, Islesford, Long Island, Matinicus, Monhegan, North Haven, Peaks, and Swan’s. In 2022, the Sunbeam regularly visited five unbridged islands and welcomed more than a thousand residents onboard for community and health services.
Director of Island Services Douglas Cornman provides support through counseling, education initiatives, and support to someone who needs to talk to providing movement and yoga classes for students at island schools. Sunbeam nurse Simone Babineaux offers flu and Covid vaccination clinics, leads a network of eldercare facilities, provides healthcare check-ups, and connects residents to mainland specialists and provides.
The Mission also reaches Washington and eastern Hancock communities through its Cherryfield location. This campus is home to a bustling food pantry, a volunteer-supported housing improvement program, and educational programs for children in kindergarten through twelfth grade as well as scholarships for post-secondary endeavors.