We are now open:
Tuesday 9am-3pm
Wednesday 9am-3pm
Thursday 9am-3pm
Friday 9am-3pm
Information Center is open 24/7.
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Bucksport Bay Farmers' Market
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How can you get MORE local fruits and vegetables on a limited income? With Maine Harvest Bucks, SNAP/EBT shoppers receive bonus local fruits and vegetables for every SNAP dollar spent. Stop by the information booth to learn more!
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Celebrate! Bucksport 225 & BayFest 20
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The Bucksport Bay Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce this year's Bucksport Bay Festival dates! Friday, July 21, Saturday, July 22, and Sunday, July 23, 2017.
#Thinksummer and join us
for #celebrate225! For more info call 207.469.6818 or visit the festival website.
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Playing at the Alamo Theatre...
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Fri 16 Jun, 6:00 pm
Fri 16 Jun, 8:30 pm
Sat 17 Jun, 6:00 pm
Sat 17 Jun, 8:30 pm
Sun 18 Jun, 2:00 pm
Sun 18 Jun, 6:00 pm
Alamo Theatre Admission Prices
General Admission $8
Students/Seniors $7
Members $5
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Bake sale
The Women's Group (W.S.C.S.) of the
Bucksport United Methodist Church
will have a bake sale on Saturday, June 17 at the Bucksport True Value Hardware store, from 9AM to 1PM.
Pies, cookies, beans and all the usual goodies. Come buy some goodies for "DAD" for Fathers' Day!
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Part-time job
Friends of Fort Knox is looking for help at special events. Would you like to assist at Friends of Fort Knox special events with parking, security, or food sales? This would not be more than 10 days/eves during the season. See our event schedule below. If interested write to [email protected] with name, basic work background and contact information. Applicants should be at least age 18.
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Service work
The Bridge Church will be hosting a mission team coming up from South Carolina June 26-30th.
They would love to serve in any way that week in Bucksport. Please contact Tracy Sullens at 207.852.4930 and let him know what kind of projects are out there you need help with! Do you know of any service projects they could do that week around town?
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The Buck Memorial Library
on Main Street in Bucksport
offers a free story time each
Wednesday from 10:30AM
to 11AM.
Children of all ages are welcome.
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Free Small Business Advising for Bucksport Bay Area
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Thinking about starting a business? Or do you already own one? There's a helpful (free!) small business resource for the Bucksport Bay area ready to help you with everything from starting, to maintaining and growing your business. The business advising is confidential, offered at no charge and provided by the Maine Small Business Development Centers. Space for the consultations is graciously provided by Bangor Savings Bank.
Bangor Savings Bank
89 Main Street
Bucksport
By appointment only
Please contact
Betty Egner at 207.664.2990
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Wahl's Dairy Port flavors of the month
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Flavor-of-the-month
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Bucksport Senior Center Meals program
Meals prepared by RSU25 food service staff. For reservations call 469-3632. Download a printable version of the
calendar here (.pdf).
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Open for the season
PMM in Searsport is open for the season!
This season's exhibits include "Gone Fishing" (May 25 - October 15) and "The Net Result: Our evolving fisheries."
You can also see
"Lincoln County Through Eastern's Eye"
At Boothbay Railway Village
(through June 29), which includes captions by a PMM volunteer.
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BEGINNER-FRIENDLY
Healing Hatha Yoga
Tuesdays 4-5pm
Beth Wright Cancer Resource Center, Ellsworth FREE
(No yoga June 20th, July 4th.)
Wednesdays
3:30-4:30pm
Bucksport Regional Health Center ($12)
(No yoga 21st, 28th or July 5th.)
Thursdays 1-2pm
Beth Wright Cancer Resource Center Ellsworth FREE
(No yoga June 29th, July 6th.)
Discounts for first- responders
All classes FREE to Beth Wright Center clients
All classes are for adults and teens. Anyone under 18 must have a signed waiver from their parent or guardian. Children under 13 are only permitted by special permission from the instructor. Mats and props are provided and no yoga experience is necessary.
More details online
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Town of Castine
Castine Historical Society Summer Exhibit - Castine's Devoted Women: Partnership and Social Reform 1910-1962
The Castine Historical Society's 2017 Summer Exhibit Castine's Devoted Women: Partnership and Social Reform 1910-1962focuses on the lives of Mary W. (Molly) Dewson and Mary G. (Polly) Porter who were life-partners during an age of progressive change encompassing woman's right to vote, labor and wage reform, and feminism.
Molly Dewson was one of the first women to have national political power and influence in Washington D.C. She earned the respect and friendship of many high profile political figures including Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt during her work for social reform and women's equality.
The story of the two women over their 50-year partnership is told through their words and those of their contemporaries taken from newspaper clippings, letters and memoirs. The recent gift to the Society of 28 scrapbooks kept by Molly and Polly has provided a wealth of material for the exhibit. Volunteers spent many hours searching through the pages of the scrapbooks to select the most appropriate images to highlight their story. These images were then converted into historical panels, which have striking relevance to today's social and political culture
Admission is free.
June 12 - Labor Day | Monday - Saturday 10 AM-4 PM | Sundays
1-4 PM
Labor Day - Columbus Day |
Friday
,
Saturday
, &
Monday
10 AM-4PM
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Sunday
1-4PM
Fourth of July Celebration
The
4th of July
officially kicks off the Castine summer season. Visitors from around the world return to a place they have long cherished - "Castine Under The Elms and By The Sea."
Family, friends and visitors alike join in the old fashion day style celebration of parades, flag waving, special foods, evening concerts and the best fireworks display over the bay anywhere!
This year, make your reservations early and stay in one of our cottages, homes for rent or one of our cozy B&B's. The Castine
4th of July
Celebration will soon become a family tradition.
Bastille Day Celebration - July 14
The idyllic and historic setting of Castine, Maine, with its pristine Penobscot Bay as a backdrop, is hosting their second annual Bastille Day Celebration on Friday, July 14
th
. This family celebration takes place on the French national holiday and encourages visitors from near and far to experience our Franco-American and Native American culture through music, food, film, lectures, children's activities, and lighthouse tours. Castine traces its French heritage to the Baron de St. Castin. His marriage to Wabanaki Chief Madockawando's daughter linked our French and Native American cultures.
The celebration begins appropriately with a French toast breakfast. You'll learn the art of French cooking during our chef's demonstration. Celebration goers will be encouraged to wear white to our late afternoon "Picnic en Blanc" where you'll be seated at long white tables at the town hall, under the elms, while listening to Franco-American music. Select your designer picnic from our local purveyors or bring your own with French delights. A plethora of other activities allow you to take in the sites while enjoying a lighthouse tour or tasting hand-cranked ice cream while you take in a little history at the Wilson Museum. Jesters, jugglers and dancing clowns will delight children of all ages throughout the day. Historic lectures and films are designed to satisfy even the most discerning history buffs. Complete your celebration experience with a summer evening concert on the waterfront tapping your toes as you watch sail boats in the distance.
Come early and prepare your palate with a French wine tasting on Thursday afternoon or stay overnight and work off the festival with our 5K road race on Saturday morning.
This event is hosted by the Town of Castine's Bastille Day Celebration Committee.
Bastille's Beach & Barron 5K Road Race - July 15th
Join us Saturday July 15, 2017 for the Annual Bastille's Beach & Beacon 5K run starting and ending at the Castine Town D
ock.
$20 registration fee.
Download registration form here (.pdf).
Free t-shirt for first 100 runners. Proceeds benefit The Hatch Community Youth Fund. Race day registration 8-8:45 AM. Race starts at
9 AM.
Plein Air Festival - July 20-22
The Castine Arts Association is pleased to announce the 2017 festival will take place over three days, from July 20 to 22. The coastal town of Castine, Maine is the ideal setting for plein air painting. The town and surrounding Penobscot Bay area is endowed with a rich history of art and has been a popular destination for many of America's most famous artists for over 150 years. The area possesses a stunning collection of beautiful landscapes, rugged coastlines, historic architecture, and an abundance of New England charm.
The festival will include artist awards and an opportunity to sell work created during the event to the public. There will be a welcome cocktail reception on the evening of July 19th. The festival will conclude on the evening of July 22nd with an exhibition and sale of the art created over three days of painting. Artists may paint at a variety of locations of their choosing within a defined area surrounding the town of Castine.
July 20 | Artist Registration and Festival Launch | 6:00 - 8:30 AM
Artists check-in at the Castine Town Common to obtain their information packet and have their blank canvases stamped for the event. Visitors will enjoy traveling around Castine and capturing the artists at work on Thursday and Friday.
July 22 | Reception Exhibition and Art Sale | Alfond Student Center, Maine Maritime Academy, Pleasant St. | 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Public exhibition and art sale - artists will host their display tables. All submitted artwork, up to a maximum of six paintings, must be available for sale at the exhibition and sale.
Plan to visit Castine during this exciting opportunity to see artists in action, painting in historic Castine where many famous artists have painted before and purchase your favorite work directly from your favorite artist. Be sure to get your accommodation reservations early as the community will be fully booked during this event!
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Friday, June 17th, 2017
Welcome to this week's edition of our Chamber newsletter!
There's still time to "adopt" your ducks before Orland River Day on June 24th! See below for details about where you can get them.
We also welcome our newest member, Tradewinds Variety Plus, opening in Orland soon!
Thanks to everyone who came out to enjoy the Pixie Harbor Hoopla. There are lots more fun events coming up this summer on the waterfront in Bucksport.
Read on to learn about what's on display at Penobscot Marine Museum, what's happening in Castine, and what you can learn in free classes and workshops this summer.
Below, you can also learn about historic cooking, yoga classes, an open mic, a bake sale, and a breakfast buffet.
Scroll down for these things (and more!)...and then...send us your news!
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ADOPT A DUCK TODAY TO WIN $500
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Saturday, June 24, 2017 during Orland River Day we'll host our fifth River Duck Dash.
Here's how the Duck Dash works: Hundreds of rubber ducks are "adopted" for $5.00. When you adopt a duck you receive a certificate with your duck number on it. The numbered ducks are dropped into the Narramissic River on Orland River Day, and the first duck across the finish line wins. The grand prize is $500.00!! To encourage participation and attendees for Orland River Day, if the winner is present, he or she will receive a BONUS prize!
Purchase your chance to win $500 at one of the following Adoption Centers:
- Bucksport Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
- BookStacks
- Ellsworth-Bucksport Dental Associates (Bucksport location)
- Huckleberries Card & Gift
- Alvion & Cindi Kimball of Orland
- Lighthouse Arts Center
- PCT Communications (Bucksport location)
- Private Home Care
- RSU 25 Adult & Community Education
- Seaboard Federal Credit Union
- The Local Variety
- Verona Wine & Design
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June Business Buzz is...
Bob's Small Engines Sales & Service
You can find all your small engine sales and services in Bucksport at Bobs Small Engine on the River Road. They are a Polaris ATV dealer, lawn and garden equipment sales and service and they also sell used snowmobiles and ATV's.
You can give Bob a call at 469.2042 and he will gladly help you.
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Winner
CONGRATULATIONS!
We had 27 entries into the random drawing for the gift certificate to the Challenger Learning Center....Tiffany Butler is the winner!! We were so pleased with the 75+ houses, neighborhoods and tree houses built for our fairy friends! Can't wait until next year.
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Welcome, new member! 
We are happy to welcome our newest member, Tradewinds Variety Plus, to Orland and to the Bucksport Bay Area Chamber of Commerce! A Maine-owned and operated company with a focus on serving their local communities is finishing up construction at 19 Duck Cove Road in Orland where Citgo gas will be sold. We'll keep you updated here on their opening day and everything you need to know.
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Bucksport Regional Health Center
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BRHC
Come join us Fridays this month for our final Healthy Living Workshops at Bucksport Regional Health Center on Broadway in Bucksport!
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What's on the menu? Baked beans, casseroles, salads, rolls & biscuits & pies! How much? $8 adult 12 years and up and under 12 years old only $4
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Yoga with Naomi summer schedule updates
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Gentle, beginner-friendly healing hatha yoga
Mark your calendar for these upcoming changes to the Yoga with Naomi schedule:
There will be
no
Yoga with Naomi class at the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center on June 20th, June 29th, July 4th or July 6th.
There will be
no Yoga with Naomi at Bucksport Regional Health Center on June 14th, June 21st, June 28th, or July 5th.
There will be some make-up classes on these days at BRHC:
Friday, June 23rd, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Monday, June 26th, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
$12 per class, free to cancer patients/survivors/cancer caregivers; discounts for first-responders. Everyone welcome.
A new 5-week series of Yoga with Naomi classes begins at BRHC on
July 12th.
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What's up next at Wednesdays on Main?
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Wednesday on Main
6/21/17 Mel Allen, Editor, Yankee Magazine
- Alamo Theatre, 85 Main Street "The Power of Community & 40 years of Yankee Stories"
WEDNESDAY ON MAIN 3RD ANNUAL / SUMMER EVENTS
Our 3rd year of bringing live events to Main Street every Wednesday all summer. All events from 5:30 to 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Donations gratefully accepted. LIMITED SEATING AT OUTDOOR EVENTS - PLEASE BRING A CHAIR www.bucksportwom.com
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Historic cooking with Rachel Snell
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Apple Jelly, Snowballs, and Rural Sociability in 19
th
Century Recipes
Tuesday, June 20, 3 - 5 p.m.
Hutchins Education Center, 112 Perkins St., Castine, Maine
Cooking and eating can be considered mundane tasks, but for people of most times, places, and ethnicities, food contains significant political, economic, and social implications. On Tuesday, June 20 (3 - 5 p.m.) at the Hutchins Education Center in Castine, food historian Rachel Snell, will explore two recipes, apple jelly and snowballs. These represent the application of genteel ideals in rural North America and suggest how those ideals were adapted to fit the rhythms and constraints of rural life. In addition to sampling the recipes, the presentation will discuss serving, dining etiquette, and the connections between food and the performance of femininity in the 19
th
century.
Dr. Rachel A. Snell is an adjunct instructor in History and Honors at the University of Maine. Her doctoral book project,
The Place of Happiness: Recipes, Cookbooks, and the Negotiation of Domesticity in Anglo-America, 1830 - 1880
, gives the reader an in-depth look at the role of food in the mid-to-late 19
th
century. She resides in Old Town, Maine with her family.
This free program is open to the public. For more information, contact the Wilson Museum at (207) 326-9247 or [email protected].
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Sandy Point Community Club 2017
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Oshima Brothers 
Sandy Point Community Club 2017, Open Mic+ announces the Oshima Brothers as their feature act on Wednesday June, 21st. The Open Mic+ starts at
7:00 p.m.
and everyone is welcome to come and sing a song, play a tune, read a poem or tell a story. The feature act starts at
8:00 p.m.
and this month it is the Oshima Brothers, a joyous acoustic group playing original pop and folk music.
Come by after Wednesday on Main in Bucksport, cross Verona Island and the Penobscot Narrows bridge heading south just a bit down the road. You won't be disappointed. Sandy Point Community Club at 684 US Rt 1, Stockton Springs. FMI call 323-7900.
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Bucksport Community Theater
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Healthy Acadia Offers Free "Tai Chi for Health" Series
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Improve heart and lung function
What: Free class series to improve heart and lung function, strength, flexibility and balance and reduce stress
Where: Bucksport Regional Health Center, Bucksport, Maine
Dates and Time:
Tuesdays from 10:00am - 11:00am, June 20 through August 15, 2017*. *There will be no class on July 4.
Healthy Acadia and the Bucksport Regional Health Center are pleased to offer a free "Tai Chi for Health" class series beginning on
June 20 and continuing through August 15, 2017
. The classes will meet once weekly on Tuesdays from
10:00 am to 11:00am
at the Bucksport Regional Health Center's Education Room, 110 Broadway in Bucksport. While classes are free, a $5 donation is suggested.
This class series will use the Tai Chi for Health Institute's diabetes curriculum. The class series is appropriate not just for people who have pre-diabetes or diabetes, but for anyone who wants an opportunity to learn how to improve their heart and lung functions, as well as their strength and balance. The course teaches exercises that promote movement control through the integration of mind and body. In addition, practicing tai chi increases confidence while reducing stress, further promoting health and wellbeing.
To enroll in this class series, or for more information about other "Tai Chi for Health" programs, contact Nina Zeldin at 667-7171, or
[email protected]
.
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Backyard Plants for Food and Medicine
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Wilson Museum
Friday, June 23 at 3 p.m.
Hutchins Education Center, 
112 Perkins Street, Castine, ME
There is a rich history in Maine of using local plants as both food and medicine. Join Dr. Nate Petley, naturopathic doctor and clinical herbalist, at the Wilson Museum's Hutchins Education Center in Castine, on Friday, June 23 at 3 p.m., as he shares his favorite easy-to-find and easy-to-recognize backyard herbs. He will discuss how to identify, harvest, and process them before using. Come learn how to use your wild surroundings to enhance your diet and health.
Dr. Petley is from central Maine and is the founder of Maine Center for Natural Health, a naturopathic clinic in the Old Post Office in downtown Waterville. He is an accomplished herbalist and lecturer throughout New England sharing his expertise in naturopathic and botanical medicine. Dr. Petley blends the art and science of herbalism in his clinic and classroom, relying on his 20 years of experience studying, wildcrafting, and making herbal medicine.
This program is open to the public and free of charge. For more information contact Wilson Museum 207-326-9247 or www.wilsonmuseum.org.
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Challenge Cancer Downeast
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Healthy Acadia and Rose Eden Lobster Partner to Challenge Cancer Downeast
Bar Harbor. Rose Eden Lobster will be donating 10% of proceeds from sales the week of
June 25 through July 1
to support Healthy Acadia and the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center's cancer prevention, education, and treatment services. This partnership is part of Healthy Acadia's Hungry for Health 2017 campaign to Challenge Cancer Downeast. This is the second year of the annual "Hungry for Health" campaign, which addresses a critical community health need each year.
Rose Eden Lobster partnered with Healthy Acadia in 2016 for their "Hungry for Health" campaign to help turn the tide on the opioid epidemic. They were eager to participate in this year's campaign. "Cancer has touched so many lives in our community, and it is time to support the fight against cancer", says Rose Eden Lobster manager Dylan Tibbetts. "Join us for some local fresh seafood, and help support cancer services."
Healthy Acadia and the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center have recently launched a Cancer Patient Navigator Program funded in part through a Maine Cancer Foundation grant. This service provides caring, effective support for individuals facing cancer. Healthy Acadia also offers a wide variety of cancer and other chronic disease prevention services to reduce the likelihood of a cancer diagnosis for you or a loved one. Funds from the Hungry for Health 2017 campaign will enable Healthy Acadia and the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center to continue and to build these services.
Come by Rose Eden Lobster, located at 864 State Highway 3 in Bar Harbor, and enjoy a lobster dinner and blueberry pie, or take lobsters or shell fish to go, live or cooked! From
June 25 through July 1
, you can leave satisfied in more ways than one knowing that you are challenging cancer Downeast just by dining out. Find more information about Rose Eden Lobster on Facebook at "Rose Eden Lobster FMR Travelin' Lobster."
To learn about additional Hungry for Health 2017 events, visit
www.healthyacadia.org
and go to "
What's new!
". To host an event, volunteer, or otherwise get involved, please contact Shoshona at
[email protected]
or by calling 667-7171.
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Castine
When: Monday June 26 - 5pm
Where: Hutchins Education Center,
Wilson Museum, Perkins Street
Cost: $50 per person - Cash Bar
Proceeds to benefit:
"1779-1783 Fort George - Protected by the Crown"
September 9-10 ~ Celebrating Castine's Fort George
During the American Revolution
Brought to you by Friends of Castine Fortifications
For more information and for reservations, contact:[email protected]
Please make checks payable to:"Castine Community Partners"
*Memo Line- FOCF Dinner*
Tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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Buckstown to Bucksport : A Walk through Time
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Founder's Day Celebration
Tuesday, June 27th, 5:30 - 7:30PM,
Lighthouse Art Center
We invite you to join us to commemorate the Incorporation of our Hometown in 1792.
The Town of Bucksport and the Bucksport Bay Area Chamber invite you
to join Mayor David Keene, town officials and members of the Bucksport Historical Society
for a Founder's Day Celebration on June 27th.
An evening of music, art, and conversation with friends and neighbors!
This event is a fundraiser for our Celebrate! Bucksport 225 Bayfest activities in July honoring the Town of Bucksport's proud heritage and bright future.
Light hors d'oeuvres and a Cash Bar
Proceeds go to support Celebrate! Bucksport 225 Bayfest
Tickets: $22.50/each or join our Host Committee
If you'd like to learn of other ways to support Celebrate! Bucksport 225 Bayfest activities please email [email protected].
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Second Annual Kitchen to Table International Buffet
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Stockton Springs Community Library July 15th
The
Friday
Night Supper Club of the Stockton Springs Community Library will host the 2nd Annual Kitchen to Table International Buffet at the library on Saturday, July 15th starting at
6 pm
.
For the second year, this past winter and spring gourmet Chef Jerry Dunn led a cookbook club at the Stockton Springs Community Library that became known as the
Friday
Night Supper Club. We invited daring and innovative cooks to challenge themselves to prepare international cuisine from cookbooks that reflected unique regional and healthy dishes as well as regional culture. The supper club members volunteered to produce a second international buffet to benefit the library.
The buffet will include: appetizers, soup, entrees, vegetables and dessert and will feature a variety of dishes from around the world. Tickets are $35 each and will go on sale starting June 19th. Visit the library or call 567-4147 to purchase tickets. The event is BYOB.
Tickets will be available for advance purchase at the library during open hours beginning June 19th. Library hours are
Monday
3 - 5 pm
, Tuesday
4 - 7 pm
, Wednesday
3 - 5 pm
,
Thursday
9 am - Noon
and
6:30 - 8:30 pm
, and
Saturday
9 am - 3 pm
.
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2nd Annual Great Event Community Yard Sale
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Community Yard Sale in Stockton Springs Space Rental Begins
Stockton Springs Community Library (SSCL) will host The GREAT EVENT on September 9th and space rentals for the Giant Yard Sale start now. Mark your calendars and SAVE THE DATE for the giant yard sale, barbecue, tea room, bake sale, homemade donuts, children's events, and much more!
The town of Stockton Springs will be filled with a festive atmosphere on Saturday, September 9th and everyone is invited to join in the celebration to be held on the grounds of the library and the Stockton Springs Town Office. Last year's event was a great success and we expect that all 25 of the spaces will be rented, so sign up early.
Rental of space at the Giant Yard Sale has begun. Spaces are approximately 10' x 15'. Cost is $30 if you sign up before July 1st and $35 after July 1st (if there are any spaces left). You may bring your own table or you can rent a table for an extra $5. The GREAT EVENT will happen rain or shine. To reserve your space you must fill out an application and pay in advance either by check or cash. Come to the library during open hours to pick up an application. Library hours are Monday
3:00 - 5:00 pm
, Tuesday
4:00 - 7:00 pm
, Wednesday
3:00 - 5:00 pm
, Thursday
9:00 am - Noon
and
6:30 - 8:30 pm
, and Saturday
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
.
For more information call 567-4147 or visit
www.stocktonspringslibrary.org
.
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Free "Taking Action for Health" Workshop
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Healthy Acadia Offers Free "Taking Action for Health" Workshop for
People Experiencing Chronic Disease
What: Six free workshops in which participants gain new tools to help manage chronic conditions and maintain an active and fulfilling life.
Where: Bucksport Regional Health Center, 110 Broadway, Bucksport, Maine
Dates: Fridays,
July 7 - August 11, 2017
Time:
12:30pm - 3:00pm
Registration is required.
Healthy Acadia, in partnership with the Bucksport Regional Health Center, is pleased to offer a free, "Taking Action for Health" workshop series at the Bucksport Regional Health Center from
12:30pm to 3:00pm
, starting
July 7 and continuing through August 11, 2017
. "Taking Action for Health" is Healthy Acadia's Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, an interactive, evidence-based workshop series that is open to anyone who has any type of chronic disease or cares for someone who does. Chronic diseases include, but are not limited to, arthritis, high blood pressure, cancer, depression, diabetes, and addiction.
During the workshops, people with various chronic health challenges will explore:
Decision-making
Communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals
Techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation
Appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and
endurance
Appropriate use of medications
Nutrition
Evaluating new treatments
Workshop participants will each receive a copy of the companion book, Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, and an audio relaxation CD, "Relaxation for Mind and Body." Light refreshments will be provided.
Evidence demonstrates that this program's highly participatory process makes it effective. Participants provide each other with mutual support and share their successes. This helps increase participants' self-assurance in their ability to manage their health and maintain active, fulfilling lives.
Contact Jessica Richards at 469-7371, ext. 260, or
[email protected]
to register or for more information about "Taking Action for Health."
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Food is Medicine: Increasing Access to Healthy Foods for Better Health
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Healthy Acadia
According the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 200,000 Mainers, or approximately 15% of the states' residents, are food insecure, meaning that they lack regular access to enough nutritious food to lead a healthy life. A diet that includes adequate amounts of healthful foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits can reduce or prevent the incidence and severity of many chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
Funded by the CDC's Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH), Healthy Acadia, EMHS, and partners throughout northern Maine are working to increase the number of Hancock and Washington county residents with improved access to healthy food and beverage options. Now in year three 3 of the program, the partners are focused on improving healthy food access in three major areas: hospital settings, food pantries, and through clinical community linkages. Mount Desert Island Hospital, a PICH Healthy Hospitals partner, has improved access to healthy foods for its employees by incorporating simple changes in its campus cafeteria.
Imagine This. You head to the cafeteria for lunch. Grabbing a tray, you start toward the service line to assemble your meal, when a rainbow of color next to the cash register catches your eye. Brilliant oranges, sunny yellow bananas, and crisp, shiny apples in vibrant shades of red and green have been arranged strategically alongside bottles of ice-cold, crystal-clear spring water. Instead of your usual macaroni-and-cheese, you grab a couple of hard-boiled eggs and head over to the tantalizing display. As you approach, you inhale the light and uplifting citrus scent. You pause, and your gaze is drawn to the verdant Granny Smith apples. Your mouth waters as you imagine biting into one, its crisp tart juice tickling your tongue. You reach for the largest one and place it on your tray, along with a bottle of pure, ice-cold water.
The new, strategically-placed fresh fruit and water station in their campus cafeteria was implemented in an effort to increase employee access to healthy food and beverage options for the more than 500 employees of the Mount Desert Island Hospital (MDIH). This small change is the result of MDIH partnering with Healthy Acadia through the Healthy Hospital Initiative.
Research shows that when healthy food items are easily seen and readily available, people will often select a healthier product. Improved access to healthy foods can result from small, incremental changes in policies, environmental and system changes within hospitals. According to MDIH Food Service Director Marion McLellan RD, since she has relocated the fresh fruit closer to the cash register, the cafeteria is "flying through the fruit, especially the oranges!" One MDIH employee said she really wanted to buy some cookies but the oranges, "...looked really good and were a healthier choice."
For more information about Healthy Hospitals and other initiatives funded through the CDC's Partnerships to Improve Community Health in Hancock and Washington counties, contact
Sandie Dubay
(Hancock County) at 667-7171 or
Regina Grabrovac
(Washington County) at 255-3741.
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