Book Trick or Treat, Hospital News, Library and COA Excitement
Our press releases and briefs from this past week
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Side Street Cafe.
Each week, we compile press releases and briefs that have been sent in to us and send it to you as one story. This is this week’s compilation!
BOOK TRICK OR TREAT
Book Trick or Treat at the Library!
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—It’s Book Trick or Treat at the library! The Southwest Harbor Public Library will have an array of trick or treat books available for babies, kids, and teens on Wednesday, October 30, 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. Come in and get warm, show off your costume, and choose a free book!
Can’t make it on the 30?
Trick or treat for a free book on Halloween Day any time between 9:00 a.m. & 5:00 p.m. No registration required. For info visit www.swhplibrary.org or call the Library, 207-244-7065.
TIGER RAFFLE COUNTDOWN!
BAR HARBOR—Picture yourself as the the very first winner on November 1, winning 2 tickets to the Americana Christmas Show at Gracie Theatre AND a $25 gift certificate & 2 glasses from Fogtown Bar Harbor!
Or maybe you will be November 2's winner and receive two tickets to Sean Heely's Celtic Christmas Show at Collins Center for the Arts, a $50 gift certificate from Crazy Sumo, AND a $25 gift certificate from Side Treats Frozen Yogurt.
Or November 3 could be your lucky day when you win $100 Red Sox Game Voucher donated by Edward Jones - Financial Advisor: Elise Frank, a $100 gift certificate to McKays Public House, and coffee from Coffee Matter! Wow!
We've heard that CES students are already selling up a storm of raffle entries! Go Tigers!
Artist Laure Drogoul to discuss work
BAR HARBOR — Artist, olfactory spelunker, and cobbler of situations, Laure Drogoul explores her installations and performances with plastics, fashion, and other post-consumer goods at an artist’s talk at College of the Atlantic on Friday, Nov. 8. The talk, which is free and open to the public, takes place in McCormick Lecture Hall beginning at 4:10 p.m.
Drogoul, who lives in Baltimore, Maryland, crafts installations and performances that embrace play, humor, and horror to invite the viewer in as an active participant. Drogoul’s works explore cultural and environmental phenomena with the hope of fostering a deeper understanding of our shared world. Her work often features materials that are forever part of our environment, such as dry-cleaning bags.
Most recently Drogoul made sculptural work at The Creative Residency at TerraCycle, an organization whose mission is to eliminate the idea of waste. This residency is a trade-based program providing areas for art creation, materials for upcycling, and exhibition space for regional artists in exchange for work on projects.
Drogoul exhibits widely, including at The International House of Japan, Washington Project for the Arts, The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore Museum of Art, Wave Hill Public Garden and Cultural Center, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, as well as many street corners, alleys, and fallow urban spaces. She has received Maryland State Arts Council Independent Artist Awards, the Franklin Furnace FUND for Performance Art, was a recipient of a US–Japan Creative Artist Fellowship, and was honored with Baltimore’s Janet and Walter Sondheim Art Prize. Learn more about the artist at lauredrogoul.com.
FALL FESTIVAL AT THE NOR’EASTER
HALLOWEEN AT BEERWORKS
JACK MARTELL SPEAKS ABOUT THE CAUSEWAY CLUB HISTORY
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—The Southwest Harbor Historical Society will be hosting a program on Saturday October 26 at 4 PM. Jack Martel of Southwest Harbor will be the presenter on the history of The Causeway Club. He has been an active member of this golf club for years. Manset Meetinghouse 192 Seawall Rd Southwest Harbor, home of the Southwest Harbor Historical Society will be the host. 244-8063 contact number
Blue Star Memorial Marker Veterans Day Ceremony
BAR HARBOR—The Bar Harbor Garden Club (BHGC) is holding its annual Blue Star Memorial Marker Ceremony on Veterans Day, November 11, 2024, at 11 a.m., Route 3, Bar Harbor. The public is invited to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism and pay tribute to our service men and women.
Please join the BHGC at the Blue Star Memorial Marker to offer hope and healing through the remembrance of our living and fallen heroes. The program includes special readings, remarks from local veterans and an opportunity to share your personal memories. The BHGC’s Blue Star Memorial Marker was originally erected in 1972 as a tribute and an expression of thanks, respect and remembrance, to all men and women who had served, were serving, or would serve in the armed forces of the United States.
Garden Clubs nationwide believe in a living memorial, preferring to help beautify and preserve the country these men and women had fought for, rather than build stone monuments in their honor. Since World War I, a Blue Star Banner displayed in the window of a home told others that a family member was serving in the Armed Forces. Based on this legacy, the Blue Star Memorial Program began in 1944 with the planting of Dogwood trees as a living memorial to Veterans of World War II.
The Bar Harbor Garden Club is a member of the Garden Club Federation of Maine, New England Garden Clubs, and National Garden Clubs.
Bar Harbor Historical Society’s Free Community Day Event
BAR HARBOR — Join the Bar Harbor Historical Society at La Rochelle on Saturday, October 26th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for its annual Free Community Day!
Explore the historic mansion and museum with a day of free museum admission, live music, fun games, sweet treats, “Dorr” prizes, and a scavenger hunt. There will also be a Halloween art demonstration by artist Jennifer Booher that is suitable for all ages!
The Bar Harbor Historical Society is a community and institutional leader that welcomes residents and visitors alike to discover the past in order to understand the present, and to take pride in community connections. It is a dynamic, bustling regional center for research, dialogue, and learning where stories are told through multiple media daily. Its mission is to effectively display, preserve, and interpret Bar Harbor’s rich past through its unique collections, ensuring access, enjoyment, and educational opportunities for all.
Admission to the event is free. For more information about the event and the Historical Society’s museum, please head to barharborhistorical.org/
Kids’ Corner Basket Raffle Raises Over $20,000, Surpassing Fundraising Goal
BAR HARBOR—Kids’ Corner is thrilled to announce the overwhelming success of its annual Basket Raffle fundraiser! Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, we not only met our fundraising goal of $15,000 but exceeded it, raising an astounding $20,400.
Asst. Director Stacie Gray sold over $3,000 worth of raffle tickets—the most ever sold by an individual in the history of our Basket Raffle. Collectively, the Kids' Corner teachers sold over $7,000 worth of tickets, showing their incredible dedication to our mission of serving the children and families in our community.
This achievement was made possible by the tremendous support from the local community and the many businesses that donated to the raffle. The funds raised will go directly towards essential improvements at Kids' Corner, including new furniture, toys, and playground upgrades—enhancements that tuition alone cannot cover.
"We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed, from our generous business partners to the individuals who purchased tickets. Your support is invaluable, and it will make a lasting difference in the lives of the children we serve," said Lori Krupke, Executive Director of Kids’ Corner.
Congratulations to our raffle winners:
- Boston Bound: Spencer Laurendeau
- Opulent Seaside Getaway: Anne Micci
- Bar Harbor Bliss: Debbie Krupke
- Sports and Adventures: Troy White
- Lucky Strike: Shimon Newman
- Wellness and Wholeness: Kayla Boucher
- Dining Extravaganza: Steve Boucher
- Timeless Treasures: Steve White
- Farm and Sea Bounty: Matt Brestle
- Rainy Day: Vicki Vroom
- Maine Magic and Outdoor Escapes: Jennifer Pinkham
- The Wandering Traveler: Sandra Perlman
Next year, Kids’ Corner will be celebrating its 35th anniversary, marking over three decades of dedication to the children and families of Bar Harbor. If you didn’t have a chance to enter the raffle but would still like to support us, we welcome donations through our website at www.kidscornerbarharbor.org.
Since its founding in 1990, Kids' Corner has been a cornerstone of the Ellsworth community, nurturing more than 1,000 young minds. With 75 years of combined teaching experience, our staff is now welcoming the second generation of Kids’ Corner children. The relationships we've built and the impact we've had on so many lives are a testament to the importance of community involvement and support.
The funds raised through this event will ensure that Kids' Corner continues to provide a nurturing environment for all children who walk through our doors. Once again, we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this event possible.
For more information about Kids' Corner and future events, please contact Lori Krupke at 207-288-9503.
About Kids’ Corner
Kids' Corner is a non-profit, community-based childcare center in Bar Harbor, ME. It was designed primarily to serve the needs of families and businesses in the Mount Desert Island area. Kids' Corner opened its doors in September of 1990 after three years of planning. Representatives from eight local businesses in cooperation with a group of island citizens were responsible for its conception and realization.
MDI Hospital Receives $10,000 Connection, Health, and Equity Through Food (CHEF) Grant from the Maine Council on Aging
BAR HARBOR— Mount Desert Island (MDI) Hospital is grateful to announce a pivotal grant award geared toward addressing the needs of older people in our service area. Through its Connection, Health, and Equity Through Food (CHEF) project, the Maine Council on Aging funds organizations and projects supporting the needs of diverse older adults, including improving equitable access to food, and increasing opportunities for socialization. MDI Hospital has received a $10,000 CHEF grant to support the 2024 MDI Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), an ongoing partnership with Healthy Acadia that surveys a range of community members; analyzes the resulting data to broadly assess our region's health and well-being; and collaborates to develop durable solutions to the assessment's findings. More than 40 community leaders from health organizations, educational institutions, food pantries, YMCA, and chambers of commerce also serve in CHNA working groups, carrying forward the project's identified goals.
The CHEF grant supports MDI Hospital's strategic planning work, focused on a key goal: Older people will thrive, live comfortably and safely age in place in our local service area. The MDI CHNA partners are creating a multi-year action plan to attain this goal, drawing on the combined strengths of the social-service organizations involved.
CHEF's funding is specifically targeted toward food insecurity, social isolation, and barriers to accessing food or social connection--all of which have been pinpointed via the CHNA survey as challenges faced by older people in the MDI Region.
Strategies to be implemented by the MDI CHNA's group members include the following:
Engage older people in community to help maintain mental and emotional wellbeing.
Assure immediate access for older residents to address acute symptoms, both physical and mental health needs.
Restart the Hancock County Healthy Aging Network or a similar model of inter-organization coordination.
Build on partnerships that exist through Island Connections for transportation to community events.
Increase and promote multigenerational interactions and activities.
Increase awareness of opportunities for volunteerism and civic engagement, with a special focus on engaging retirees.
Coordinate and promote ways for youth and young adults to help older neighbors.
Create coordinated focus to help families and caregivers support loved ones as they age, especially when recovering after acute events.
According to Chrissi Maguire, president and CEO of MDI Hospital, "The MDI CHNA's solutions are feasible, achievable, and driven from within our Island region by project partners and organizers. We're very grateful to the Maine Council on Aging for this CHEF grant, which will help us bring these important strategies to reality."
The 2024 MDI CHNA project will work to ensure that the survey report's goals and recommendations are adopted and implemented by a broad range of organizations, social service groups, and community members. Ultimately, this plan will specifically benefit the health, food needs, and social well-being of 5,580 older people residing in the 10-town service area of MDI Hospital: Bar Harbor, Cranberry Isles, Frenchboro, Hancock, Lamoine, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor, Swan’s Island, Tremont, and Trenton.
Tips to Reduce Browntail Moth Hair Exposure During Fall Outdoor Activities
AUGUSTA—The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Maine Forest Service (MFS), and 211 Maine remind residents and visitors to protect themselves from browntail moth hairs this fall.
Browntail moth caterpillars shed tiny, toxic hairs that can get stirred up during outdoor activities such as raking, mowing, and typical fall yard work. Those hairs can cause a skin rash similar to poison ivy. When hairs become airborne, they can be inhaled and cause breathing trouble. The hairs can stay toxic in the environment for up to three years, especially in dry or sheltered areas. The MFS found evidence of browntail moths in all Maine counties, with the majority of activity in southern and central Maine.
Most people affected by the hairs develop a localized rash that lasts for a few hours up to several days. In more sensitive people, the rash can be severe and last for weeks. Hairs may also cause respiratory distress. Treatment for the rash or breathing problems caused by browntail moth hairs focuses on relieving symptoms and eliminating further exposure.
To reduce exposure to browntail moth hairs:
Stay informed about browntail moth hotspots by visiting the Interactive Browntail Moth Dashboard to see where MFS notes high activity. Then, be proactive, know the risks, take steps to protect yourself, and monitor your surroundings.
When performing outdoor activities that may stir up caterpillar hairs:
Aim for damp days or spray vegetation with water. Moisture helps keep the hairs from becoming airborne.
Cover your face and any exposed skin by wearing a long sleeve shirt, long pants, goggles, a respirator/dust mask, a hat, and a disposable coverall.
Tightly secure clothing around the neck, wrists, and ankles.
Avoid using leaf blowers in areas known to have infestations.
Take cool showers and change clothes after outdoor activities in infested areas.
Dry laundry inside to avoid getting hairs on clothing.
For more information:
Contact 211 Maine for answers to frequently asked questions on browntail moths: Dial 211 or 1-866-811-5695 Text your zip code to 898-211
Maine CDC Browntail Moth website: www.maine.gov/dhhs/browntailmoth Maine Forest Service Browntail Moth website: www.maine.gov/dacf/knockoutbtm
TAKE PRIDE IN ACADIA DAY
BAR HARBOR — Help put the carriage roads to sleep during Take Pride in Acadia Day on Nov. 2.
Join friends, neighbors, and other Acadia-loving volunteers to help “put the park to bed” for the winter and enjoy a lunch of the 4 Cs: cider, chili, cornbread and cake.
Always held on the first Saturday of November, Take Pride in Acadia Day brings out enthusiastic volunteers of all ages to rake leaves and clear drainage ditches along miles of carriage roads in preparation for the cold weather, a press release stated. This important work reduces costly washouts that occur from rain and ice during the winter and spring.
Whether a seasoned raker or a first timer, everyone is welcome to participate. While volunteers get a lot done, it’s also a lively and easy-going day in the park on what will hopefully be a splendid fall day.
Groups will be out in the field at assigned work sites and then come together in the afternoon for lunch at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center.
Sign up with friends, family, neighbors, a school group or on your own. Equipment including rakes, snacks and water is provided and volunteers are also treated to a bit of Take Pride in Acadia Day swag.
Registration is required by Friday, Oct. 25 at friendsofacadia.org/get-involved/events/take-pride-in-acadia/.
CALL FOR EXHIBITORS
Women’s History Month Exhibit March 2025
“Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations”
MOUNT DESERT—Mount Desert Island libraries invite individuals and groups of all ages of the Mount Desert Island community to exhibit in March 2025. We welcome pieces inspired by the National Women’s History Alliance 2025 theme “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and inspiring Generations.” Starting in January 2025, looking for details about registration on each libraries’ website. Exhibitors are encouraged to show at multiple libraries.
The Women’s History 2025 theme celebrates the collective strength and influence of women who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship, and leadership. Through their efforts, they have served as an inspiration for all generations — both past and present. From classrooms to boardrooms, and from grassroots movements to global initiatives, women educators and leaders have played a pivotal role in nurturing minds and inspiring transformative action. The 2025 theme spotlights the contributions women have made to the American educational system, the free marketplace of ideas, and the very fabric of our democracy.
https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/
We encourage participants to use any media to create a work for the exhibit that exemplifies the theme. One does not need to be an “artist” to participate. Exhibit pieces we welcome are, but not limited to, collage, jewelry, literature, musical compositions, needle work, painting, photography, poetry, quilting, rug hooking, sculpture, sewing and weaving. We also encourage group projects such as quilts, shared stitchery pieces, or any collaborative process.
Jesup Memorial Library, www.jesuplibrary.org, lledwards@jesuplibrary.org
Bass Harbor Memorial Library, www.bassharborlibrary.com, librarian@bassharborlibrary.com
Northeast Harbor Library, www.nehlibrary.org, kyoung@nehlibrary.org
Somesville Library Association, www.somesvillelibrary.org, info@somesvillelibrary.org
Southwest Harbor Public Library, www.swhplibrary.org, exhibits@swhplibrary.org
CLIMATE AMBASSADORS
Monday, November 18 at 4:00 p.m.
Read more and register here
For nearly three years, A Climate to Thrive has facilitated a space to foster collaboration, resource-sharing, collective learning, and community and to reduce duplication of effort amongst community-driven climate initiatives throughout Maine and beyond. The Local Leads the Way program launched in January 2022 and an evolving group of participants has met nearly every month since. As the program heads towards its third birthday, we are taking time, as a group, to consider the best next steps to support community-driven climate action. In our monthly call in November, we will explore how community-driven climate action groups coming together form a movement and how best to support the power and insight in that collective as we move into a new year, the implementation of the updated state climate action plan, and a new legislative session.
You can read more about Local Leads the Way and register to join our call on November 18 at 4:00 p.m. at the Local Leads the Way webpage.
Climate Ambassadors, Statewide Session Begins January!
Register online today!
Join a virtual session of the Climate Ambassadors Program in January 2025! The program spans five Thursday evenings from 6:00 - 7:30 beginning January 9 and ending February 6.
The Climate Ambassadors Program was designed to support participants in stepping into impactful participation in climate solutions. The program guides participants in basic climate science, understanding top solutions, exploring effective climate communication, and mapping a sustainable pathway for their own participation in climate action. Perhaps most importantly, the program builds a strong sense of community amongst participants. All ages are welcome! As the upcoming program will take place online, folks are welcome to join from Maine and beyond. Note, one session will dive into state-specific planning.
Indian Slide Guitar Master To Perform
BAR HARBOR — World-renowned master of the Indian slide guitar Debashish Bhattacharya brings his talents to the College of the Atlantic on Friday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. The show takes place in the Thomas S. Gates, Jr. Community Center. Admission at the door is $10 to the general public, free for the COA community.
Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya is considered by some to be the greatest slide guitarist in the world. He is an undisputed master of the demanding technique and discipline of both Hindustani classical music and modern world fusion. A “virtuoso’s virtuoso,” he has revolutionized a number of technical aspects of performance on the instrument. He also has designed and patented four types of guitar for performing raga music, which he has named Chaturangui, Ghandharvi, Anandi, and Pushpa Veena. These guitars are played lap style, with a small steel bar and finger picks.
Bhattacharya has played extensively around the globe, logging in over 3,000 live performances and 27 albums. He has performed both live and on recordings with musical icons such as Ustad Zakir Hussain, John McLaughlin, Jerry Douglas, Derek Trucks, and many other world renowned musicians. In India, he has performed for Pandit Ravi Shankar and also appeared in countless Indian music festivals.
His large body of work has garnered extensive recognition, including two Grammy nominations, the Billboard top 10, Songlines Magazine top 10, Central Asia and Asia pacific world music top 10, Amazon top 100 albums, 2016 Songlines Music Award, 2007 BBC Planet Award, 2005 Asiatic society Gold medal, the 1984 President of India Gold Medal, 2022 World Music Hall of Fame, and is an Empanelled Artist of the Indian government’s Indian Council of Cultural Relations.
His latest recording “The Sound of the Soul” marks his 28th album, featuring Bhattacharya in an intimate setting with the great percussion masters, Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri on tabla and Pt. Akhilesh Gundechha on pakhawaj. The record includes virtuosic performances of four Hindustani classical pieces, ranging in character from breathtaking high tempo to subtle meditative to lyrical folk. The collaboration among these great artists provides a deeply emotional and intellectually satisfying experience.
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