MDI YMCA Hopes To Expand
School system gets $35k grant, Bar Harbor Candidates' Forum, YWCA Hamilton Station, and briefs from multiple towns and nonprofits
MDI Y APPLIES FOR CDS FUNDING TO HELP FURTHER COMMUNITY IMPACT
The Y hopes to use the funds to construct a new Community Youth Development Wing
BAR HARBOR—The Mount Desert Island YMCA has applied again this year through Senator King and Collins’ offices for federal congressional-directed spending funding to help further its community service impact specifically to construct a new addition, the Community Youth Development Wing.
Long-time island residents may consider the Mount Desert Island YMCA location on 21 Park Street the ‘new Y,’ but it opened almost 30 years ago now, after the roof on the ‘old’ YMCA–located at what is now the Abbe Museum–collapsed one early winter morning. Over its long history since its founding in 1899, the Mount Desert Island Y has had many dedicated directors, trustees, staff, donors, and volunteers who all care deeply about our shared community.
A celebration of the Y’s 125 anniversary will take place on Thursday, July 11, at the Bar Harbor Club. Tickets are available through the Y’s website at mdiymca.org or seven days a week during open hours of operation at the Y’s welcome center.
When 21 Park Street was constructed, the Mount Desert Island YMCA was a state-of-the-art facility, purpose-built, and primarily funded by the heroic effort of a local group of supporters. Today, the Y has more than 1,820 individuals of all ages participating in Y programs. This number far exceeds 1995, as well as pre-pandemic times as the Y’s programs continue to evolve, providing meaningful impact for children and adults.
The Y is committed to operating its community center seven days a week for the working families living on our island community. During 2023, 52 percent (or 947) of those children and adults received some form of subsidy, scholarship, and/or reduced fees for childcare, summer camp, or fitness memberships. It also provided discounted, or in some cases completely free, memberships for military veterans thanks to a partnership with the YMCA Alliance of Northern New England and the Maine VA.
For the Y’s youth development programs alone (including preschool age children ages 3-5, afterschool and summer camp programs age 5+ through Grade 4) the Y provided scholarship to the families of 282 children.
The new Community Youth Development Wing will allow the Y to better serve children of our working families as a new hub for youth programs; we have outgrown the existing available spaces inside the Y for our youth programs and activities. Additionally, the Y is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and the addition of new ADA accessible showers and changing facilities for families will better support an environment that includes and allows everyone to grow and thrive, with an intentional focus on those who may be underrepresented or marginalized.
The MDI YMCA’s CEO and Executive Director, Ann Tikkanen said, “Senator Collins’ and Senator King’s representatives have been very supportive of the important work of our community Y, and we are optimistic that the $982,773 of funding that we seek will be leveraged with existing MDI Y financial resources in order to better help the families, children and seniors living and working on Mount Desert Island.”
The Mount Desert Island YMCA’s conceptual building design plans include a second phase of facility reinvestment (an expanded wellness and fitness center, and a first floor kitchen for the community) all of which supports our big goal—to create opportunities for all ages to connect, grow, and thrive.
Generous financial support from the community for the Mount Desert Island YMCA’s Community Youth Development Wing enhances the position of a federal funding request. Donations may be made directly through the Y’s website at mdiymca.org or by getting in touch with Tikkanen at ann@mdiymca.org, or by calling the Y at 207-288-3511. Any and all letters of support may also be sent in, which will be forwarded and included in the CDS funding application process.
Bar Harbor’s Code Enforcement office said that they had not received any plans or applications for the potential wing, which is still in its conceptual phases. It would be sited on the side of the building closer to Main Street.
NOTE FROM US: This week, we’re trying something a bit different with our “briefs.” We’re rounding up local government news from MDI towns and Trenton and then press releases from other groups. This is partly because we don’t want to inundate your mailbox with multiple emails a day for shorter stories and partly because this was a week where we were super busy with a lot of family needs. Let us know what you think (good or bad) if you feel like it! No pressure, obviously.
"Teach for Tech" Grant Makes 3D Printing More Accessible and Ecological
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—The Filabot Full Recycling initiative is creating new opportunities and ways of engaging in innovative educational practices in environmentally- and economically-conscious ways that foster interdisciplinary collaboration, improve engagement, increase student motivation, promote the growth in critical thinking skills, and stimulate thinking about ecologically sustainable practices in a high-tech world.
Funded by a $35,322 "Teach for Tech" grant from the Maine Department of Education, the initiative is part of an project led by MDIRSS/AOS #91 IT Lead Luis Jones-Rodriguez, working with MDIRSS K-8 Educational Technology Lead Cindy Lambert and Pemetic Elementary School IT Integrator Mike Brzezowski, to reignite the district's use of 3D printers for curricular purposes in ways that are more economical and ecological as well as innovative. The district is one of 33 schools or school districts to have received a grant.
What could be more fun and engaging than learning some of the principles of the scientific method and physics by making and launching your own rocket? While many students have done some iteration of the bottle rocket task using a plastic soda bottle and some type of launcher, students at the Pemetic Elementary School will be able to design and create their own rockets using the school's 3D printers, marrying curriculum, practical application, and innovation.
"The 3D printed rockets are part of science class. This year they will do data collection on a standard 'control' rocket and be introduced to a few physics principles. Next year they learn more about the principles governing rockets, and will create a modified design to compete in either an accuracy or a distance challenge," said Brzezowski.
Projects like these can be exciting and interesting for teachers and students alike, but they also can be costly and wasteful. According to 3D4Create, a spool of filament will print 20-30 five- to six-inch tall models with 15-20% infill ("infill" refers to the internal structure of a printed item that gives it weight and strength). Each one kg spool can cost between $19-$32, which makes errors, a natural part of learning, and the inevitable production of waste byproducts costly. Jones-Rodriguez' grant-funded project will allow the school district to make filament from discarded 3D printed projects otherwise destined for landfill, printing waste, and recyclable plastics that can be used in every school. The "Teach for Tech" grant has enabled Jones-Rodriguez to purchase the equipment needed to establish a complete recycling system that, besides producing savings in the schools' budgets, will "also allow the kids to make mistakes" without having to worry about the cost of those errors and promote sustainable practices island-wide. The new equipment can produce recycled filament in any color and in 1.75mm and 2.85mm thicknesses.
The goal, said Jones-Rodriguez, "is that no school will buy filament whatsoever and to have a place where plastics can be recycled instead of put into a landfill."
The recycling and production process will serve all of the MDIRSS/AOS #91. Schools have recycling containers to collect commercial food-grade plastics like soda bottles and milk jugs, and Jones-Rodriguez aspires to collecting materials community-wide one day. Once it is fully operational, he estimates that the district could save an estimated $1,250 a month or $15,000 a year on filament costs.
Sustainability concerns and frustration with limiting resources also were driving factors behind this project. There had been pushback and 3D printing had started to fall out of favor because "anything that is printed was not recyclable," said Jones-Rodriguez. In 2015, there was at least one 3D printer in one of the ten schools in MDIRSS/AOS #91. By 2022-2023, the eight schools on Mount Desert Island had "maybe two each," according to Jones-Rodriguez. Not only were four schools left out of luck, but the ones in place were old and took a long time to print. Their use had fallen because "the old ones would take a week or more" to print items for just one class because they "were prone to failure and very slow." In the pre-COVID era, some of the district's schools were using some printers, including MDI High School, whose Maker Space students produced "ear savers" for face masks during the COVID period. Today the district's schools have been outfitted with new printers that can print up to a "full class's worth" of projects in one day, he said.
While the complete recycling process is time-consuming, the feeling is it will be worth the effort. The home-grown filament project opens the door to a greater variety in the kinds of items the students can create through the types of recycled plastics that are collected. "Different plastics have different uses," he said. While filament made from food-safe plastics can be more durable, for instance, they have a low heat resistance, which can make them unsuitable for outdoor use. "Nylon from fishermen is what I'm really excited about because that's the most durable." The plastic nylon used in nets and lines has higher heat resistance and is UV-resistant, making it ideal for filament that can be used for products like lampshades and outdoor furniture. "Everyone is excited that it's making 3D printing eco-friendly," Jones-Rodriguez said.
Ultimately the goal is to incorporate 3D printing projects across the curriculum and in different subject areas, Jones-Rodriguez said. At Pemetic Elementary School, that has already started under Brzezowski's guidance. While the Pemetic science class is working with rockets, one of the school's French classes is printing chocolate molds that will be used to create chocolate bars with custom wrappers. The wrappers will "have reference to French culture, history, and symbology" and once the students make and wrap the bars using the molds, they will hold a "French Chocolate Market" at Birch Bay Retirement Village, where students students will be able to talk to the residents about their chocolates and French culture, and residents will be able to "purchase" the chocolates with tokens they have been given, said Brzezowski. From a French classroom to a Maker Space and then into the community, all wrapped up in a chocolate bar, what student could argue with that?
TOWN NEWS
Long-Term Rental Registration Task Force Creeps Closer to an Inspection Process
BAR HARBOR—The Long-Term Rental Registration Task Force met on April 22 to continue its discussion on possible inspections for long-term rentals. A long-term rental, as defined on the Town of Bar Harbor’s website is “any dwelling unit that is rented or available for rent for a period of 30 consecutive days or more, in exchange for compensation.”
During Monday’s meeting, it was apparent that the task force is still treading carefully with the idea of life safety inspections for long-term rentals for fear of driving people out of the long-term rental industry by requiring the building owners to do too much work on the property and/or by having to spend too much money to meet the as of yet undecided inspection standards. The possibility of stressing town resources by adding long-term rental inspections is also a concern.
The general consensus of the task force is that any inspections should be basic and cover the lowest levels of life safety requirements, many of which are already mandated as required for rental properties by the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office. Examples of this low hanging but very important fruit would be smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and clear means of egress.
A number of the task force members believe that long-term tenants develop more of an attachment or sense of personalization for the properties that they are renting and therefore will be more apt to tell the landlord when a problem, such as a dead smoke detector battery, arises.
John Mountford, housing inspector for the Mount Desert Island and Ellsworth Housing Authorities stated that the Jackson Lab has contracted with the housing authority to do the inspections on the lab’s new workforce housing units. Mountford said that the lab has asked the housing authority to inspect those apartments twice a year.
Where to start with the inspections and how often to do the inspections has been an ongoing question for the task force. Code Enforcement Officer Angie Chamberlain suggested that they could start by creating a ranking system based upon how the registrants answered some of the questions on the long-term rental registration form.
For instance, some registrants answered that they did not have smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors or did not have the appropriate number of smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors and maybe these properties should be among the first to be inspected. On the other side of that equation, some long-term rentals actually have fire protection sprinkler systems and should probably be much lower on the inspection urgency list.
Other items that could be used in the ranking metric are the age of the building, if the owner lives on site, and how many, if any, times has the fire department or ambulance been called to the property.
Chamberlain said that before the next meeting, she will try to come up with some language and guidelines for the initial round of long-term rental inspections. The meeting was adjourned without the task force setting a next meeting date.
TOWN OF MOUNT DESERT PLANNING BOARD
MOUNT DESERT—The Mount Desert Planning Board met on April 24 and had an update from the Land Use Zoning Ordinance Advisory Group. The discussion focused initially on maximum lot sizes and if there should be limitations in certain neighborhoods. Work is continuing on that. One of the concerns is the potential purchase of multiple continuous lots, combining them, and then using them to support one large residence rather than multiple small ones.
While the essential character of the neighborhood remains in many areas, the question becomes what the town wants to do about preserving neighborhoods. When it comes to availability and affordability, one planning board member asked, if that ship has sailed. Young professionals, she said, will not have the opportunity to stay or move into a community if certain tools aren’t available.
And then the question to the group, the planning board, and the town becomes to what extent does the town want to be involved in that sort of planning, what tools can they use or should they use, or not. That discussion is just at the beginning in the Land Use Zoning Ordinance Advisory Group. You can view the recording of the meeting here.
They also spoke of section 6A of the town code.
An article on its agenda about the Somes-Meynell Wildlife Sanctuary was postponed.
ELL’S PIER RENOVATION
BAR HARBOR—The contractor will begin renovations of the Town Pier on Monday, April 29, and the work will be start on the East side of the Pier. Limited access will be available for the opposite side of the Pier. Work is expected to take about a month to complete.
MEET THE TRENTON CANDIDATES
TRENTON—Candidates for Trenton Select Board and School Committee will meet the public in an informal reception on Sunday, May 5, beginning at 4 p.m. at the Trenton Town Office. Joining the forum are Select Board candidates John Bennett and Carol Perreault, and School Committee candidates Aaron Brown and Stefanie Shattenberg. Select Board candidate Charles Farley is unavailable at that time, but will provide a written statement.
Residents are invited to attend the May 5 event to meet the candidates and learn how they will deal with the important issues facing Trenton. The format will be informal; each candidate will offer brief opening remarks and answer a prepared question, and then the candidates and voters will have a chance to interact conversationally.
A Zoom option will be available for those who wish to participate remotely. Email downeast@lwvme.org for the Zoom registration link.
Trenton voters will elect two members of the Select Board and two members of the School Committee in an election to be held at the Town Office from 2 p.m. on Monday, May 20. Absentee ballots are available now at the Town Office. The Town Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 21, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Trenton Elementary School.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN’S VOTERS BAR HARBOR CANDIDATES’ FORUM
BAR HARBOR—Candidates for Bar Harbor Town Council will meet the public in an online Zoom forum on Wednesday, May 15, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Joining the forum are Town Council candidates Michael Boland, Gary Friedmann, Joseph Minutolo, Charles Sidman, Nina St.Germain, and Nathan Young.
Residents are urged to attend the webinar and learn how the candidates will deal with the important issues facing Bar Harbor. There will be an opportunity for the audience to submit their own questions using the Zoom Q & A function to be presented by the moderator. In order to participate in the Q & A portion of the event, people are encouraged to register for the webinar at www.lwvme.org/Events. The forum will be moderated by Jill Goldthwait. This event is sponsored by the Mount Desert Islander and the League of Women Voters Downeast.
TOWN HILL VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY BAR HARBOR CANDIDATES’ FORUM
TOWN HILL—An in-person candidates forum is set for Wednesday, May 29 at 6 p.m. at the Town Hill Meeting House next to the Town Hill Playground. Town Council candidates Michael Boland, Gary Friedmann, Joseph Minutolo, Charles Sidman, Nina St.Germain, and Nathan Young are scheduled to attend.
This event is in-person and does not have a Zoom option.
Faith DeAmbrose of the Mount Desert Islander and Carrie Jones of the Bar Harbor Story will moderate. The event is sponsored by the Town Hill Village Improvement Society, the Mount Desert Islander and the Bar Harbor Story.
Candidates will answer questions sent in ahead of time and also from the audience (via notecards) at the event.
If you have a question for the candidates, send them by email to news@mdislander.com or carriejonesbooks@gmail.com with “forum” in the subject line. You can also let us know in the comments below.
DETAILS:
Time: 6 p.m. This time has changed.
Location: 1328 State Highway 102 in Bar Harbor (next to the playground)
Format: Question and answer
Public Hearing 5/7 on Shared Accommodations License
BAR HARBOR—The Town Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday, May 7, at 6:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building Council Chambers to hear public comment on an application for a Shared Accommodations License for a new 2-story building at 294 Main Street.
For more information about Shared Accommodations Licenses, inspections, and requirements, contact the Code Enforcement office. For more information on the Town Council hearing, contact the Town Clerk's office.
Tremont Voters Have Multiple Decisions at Upcoming Town Meeting
TREMONT—Residents discussed a proposed Short-Term Rental Licensing Ordinance, which would require licenses for short-term renals in town. The licensing fee proposed is $25. It also creates stipulations for what properties can be licensed. For instance, carbon monoxide detectors must be installed, street numbers need to apply to town 911 rules, the property cannot be in arrears, trash must be removed at least weekly during the occupancy of renters.
Residents also looked at the town’s 2023 Comprehensive Plan. The last plan was in 2011. Goals included in the plan are promoting a diverse economy for year-round employment, housing needs, and preserving and improving access to natural resources. The final goal is about transportation, increasing pedestrian-friendly roads and making a bicycle network.
At the May 13 town meeting, voters will also decide the fate of amendments to the land use ordinance. These amendments concern: Harbor Shoreland Zone standards, and would allow multi-family residences and accessory uses in the zone; giving the planning board purview over the approval of garages, sheds, and residential accessory structures; and not requiring permits for rooftop solar arrays for businesses and homes. Voters will also determine the fate of amending the Site Plan Review Ordinance to create a new type of minor site plan review.
Solid Waste Changes Might Go Forward in Southwest Harbor
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—At the May 7 town meeting, Southwest Harbor voters will decide to approve (or not) an ordinance on solid waste. The ordinance was created by the town’s Solid Waste Reduction Task Force. It is meant to help keep natural resources protected, decrease the cost and volume of solid waste; streamline disposal, and keep recyclable and reusable items out of the waste stream. It creates civil penalties for defying the ordinance.
State Senator Nicole Grohoski to Work at College of the Atlantic
BAR HARBOR—The Quietside Journal is reporting that Senator Nicole Grohoski (D-Ellsworth) has taken a job at the College of the Atlantic full-time as its energy project manager.
YWCA’s Proposed Hamilton Station Plans Shown at Annual Meeting
BAR HARBOR—At its annual meeting, the YWCA (MDI) unveiled potential plans for the Hamilton Station projected, located on Route 3. The site is at Hamilton Station and is recognizable by a large red barn.
The YWCA hopes to construct an apartment building, which will contain a community space as well as 18 studio apartments. The entire site is 27 acres.
Coalition Forms for Northeast Creek
BAR HARBOR—The Mount Desert Islander reports that a coalition of people from the College of the Atlantic, Acadia National Park, and Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Bar Harbor Conservation Commission, and Bar Harbor’s planning department who will join “in conversation around the health and sustainability of the watershed.”
Some citizens have expressed concerns about nutrient overloading and aquifer health as the town has discussed growth areas in its comprehensive planning process as well as when different projects in the Town Hill area have come before the town’s planning board.
WATERFRONT BRIEFS
Bar Harbor Shellfish Ordinance Hearing
BAR HARBOR—A public hearing on May 7, at 6:30 p.m. on potential conservation ordinance amendments is scheduled before the Town Council at the Municipal Building on Cottage Street.
The ordinance would add American oysters, quahogs, razor clams, and hen clams to the town’s purview, as well as change bushel limits and license aspects.
PRESS RELEASES
ACADIA SENIOR COLLEGE ART SHOW SET FOR MAY
NORTHEAST HARBOR—An opening reception will be held on Thursday, May 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Northeast Harbor Library.
ASC members and their guests are invited. The show always includes a variety of artistic media and the reception is a chance to meet the artists. I recognize how busy you must be, but we would be so pleased if you could drop in. The show will remain on view in the Melon Room through May.
Author Talk with Timmon Wallis: Warheads to Windmills: Preventing Climate Catastrophe and Nuclear War
BAR HARBOR—Join us at the Jesup Memorial Library for an author talk with Timmon Wallis. Timmon Wallis will talk about his latest book, Warheads to Windmills: Preventing Climate Catastrophe and Nuclear War, which explains the seriousness of these two existential threats to humanity, the urgency of adequately and comprehensively addressing them, and most importantly, how to do that. Wallis has written extensively about these issues since graduating from College of the Atlantic back in the 1970s. He brings an encyclopedic level of knowledge and a lifetime of experience to bear on two of the most pressing issues of our time. And his message is ultimately a hopeful one, as he presents the evidence for a growing global movement that is determined to fight for the survival of the planet before it's too late - and knows how to succeed!
Timmon (Milne) Wallis graduated from College of the Atlantic in 1978. After leaving MDI, Timmon went on to get a PhD in Peace Studies from Bradford University in England and worked on peace projects in a number of war-torn countries, including Bosnia, Chechnya, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and South Sudan, before becoming Executive Director of Nonviolent Peaceforce, an international nonprofit working to protect civilians in warzones all over the world. In 2017, he was a member of the team that won the Nobel Peace Prize for successfully negotiating the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Timmon is currently the national coordinator of the Warheads to Windmills Coalition, which brings together national, state, and local organizations working to address both climate change and nuclear weapons. His latest book, Warheads to Windmills: Preventing Climate Catastrophe and Nuclear War, is a manual for activists working on these two issues and was published by Indispensable Press in December 2023.
Free and open to the public. Register at: https://www.jesuplibrary.org/events/wallis
“Bald Eagles, Bear Cubs, and Hermit Bill: Memories of a Wildlife Biologist in Maine” with Ron Joseph
BAR HARBOR—Join us at the Jesup Memorial Library for an author talk with Ron Joseph. In Bald Eagles, Bear Cubs, and Hermits: Memoirs of a Wildlife Biologist, Ron shares his stories of growing up in rural Maine, working as a wildlife biologist, and meeting Mainers like retired dairy farmers Ruth and Martin French of Dover-Foxcroft, who repurposed their barn's empty cow stalls into a wildlife rehabilitation center. The couple specialized in rescuing orphaned bear cubs, providing solitary cubs with teddy bears as temporary surrogate litter mates while biologists scrambled to find sow bears willing to adopt the orphans. The book includes humorous stories, bordering on the absurd, many of which have previously been published in Down East, Maine Boats Homes and Harbors, Bangor Daily News, Moosehead Messenger, PenBay Pilot, and elsewhere.
Author Ronald Joseph was born in Waterville, Maine. Spending childhood summers on his maternal grandparents' nearby dairy farm, he became fascinated with songbirds, often spending hours perched on stacks of hay bales in a post-and-beam barn watching swallows dart in and out to feed their nestlings. Birdwatching became Ron's passion, inspiring him to pursue a B.S. degree in wildlife conservation and a M.S. in zoology. In 1978, he began a 33-year career, first as a state wildlife biologist, and later as a federal biologist specializing in the restoration of eagles, peregrines, and other endangered species in Maine. Now retired, Ron volunteers for the Kennebec Land Trust, participates in the Maine Bird Atlas, a statewide citizen science project evaluating songbird population trends, and leads Maine birding trips. This is his first book.
Free and open to the public. Register at: https://www.jesuplibrary.org/events/joseph
Listening Session to Gather Input from Communities of Color
ELLSWORTH—Healthy Acadia is partnering with Maine’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous & Tribal Populations (Permanent Commission) to hold a Listening Session for and by Black, Indigenous, Latine, and other People of Color on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the Moore Community Center, 125 State Street, Ellsworth. The purpose of this session is to gather feedback and perspectives from Black, Latine, Indigenous, and other People of Color about what is needed to heal and thrive. Input given during this evening will be shared with the Permanent Commission as well as Healthy Acadia, in order to guide their work and priorities for the coming years. Free dinner, transportation support, translation, and childcare will be offered.
The Listening Session will be led and facilitated by Jacques Newell Taylor. Jacques is the founder of The Exercise Design Lab in Bar Harbor and developer of Neuro-Logic Training (N-LT). He has over 25 years of experience and education in the fields of applied neuroscience and exercise science. Jacques also has a background in performance as a stage actor and musician. He has performed at the Public Theater in New York and in many of New York's Jazz clubs. Jacques serves as the MC for the annual Juneteenth Commemoration in Ellsworth and is a Board member with Healthy Acadia. He lives with his wife and two children in Southwest Harbor.
Registration is encouraged but not required. Register online at bit.ly/bipoc-524. For more information on this event, please reach out to Jacques Newell Taylor, at jacques.taylor@gmail.com or by calling 323-578-9089.
The Permanent Commission is an independent entity with a mission to work toward ending structural racism so all communities can thrive. To achieve its mission, the Permanent Commission is empowered to advise and consult all three branches of Maine government, and to introduce legislation. The Permanent Commission examines racial disparities as one tool to combat structural racism and improve the quality of life for all Mainers. To learn more, visit https://www.pcritp.me
Healthy Acadia is a 501(C)(3) community health organization building vibrant communities and making it easier for everyone to lead healthy lives throughout Washington and Hancock counties. For more information about Healthy Acadia’s health and wellness programs and services, visit https://www.healthyacadia.org
Healthy Acadia Announces Mini-Grant Opportunities for Licensed Early Child Care Sites to Expand Healthy Eating and Active Living Initiatives
ELLSWORTH—Healthy Acadia is thrilled to announce the launch of $1,000 mini-grant funding opportunities available to licensed Early Child Care sites through their Healthy Eating Active Living, a Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention program.
Healthy Acadia is pleased to solicit applications from Hancock and Washington County child cares for projects resulting in improved nutrition, increased physical activity, reduced recreational screen time, and reduced consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by children in the childcare setting and at home. Early care sites may request funds to purchase supplies for growing their own gardens or outdoor play equipment with a goal of increasing healthy eating and physical activity.
Applications are being accepted through May 6, 2024.
For more information and to view the request for proposals, and/or apply, contact: Sandy Fortin sandy.fortin@healthyacadia.org or (207) 667-7171. Applications are due by Monday, May 6, 2024.
Healthy Acadia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that engages in a broad range of initiatives to build healthier communities and make it easier for people to lead healthy lives across Washington and Hancock counties, Maine. Learn more at www.healthyacadia.org.
LANDSCAPE OF CHANGE AT THE SCIENCE CAFE!
May 13, 2024 I 5 PM I Online
Part of the on-going "Landscape of Change" collaboration, join speakers Raney Bench, Catherine Schmitt, and others to share your observations of sea level rise and its impacts, and learn how to get involved.
A collaborative effort to document and understand sea level rise on MDI continues with new partners and new initiatives, as the island contends with the significant damage to coastal ecosystems and properties seen this winter.
This work inspired a series of art installations indicating where future sea levels will be and how they will impact the landscape and infrastructure. The Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Gulf of Maine Research Institute are new partners this year, bringing together new resources in a new effort to engage island communities in documenting and planning for sea level rise.
Mount Desert Island Historical Society Executive Director Raney Bench is passionate about the power of the past and how history impacts our daily lives. She has built a career in small museum work and loves to see people light up when they encounter an interesting or surprising object or artifact. Raney has worked in several small New England museums in education, exhibits, collections management, and as an Executive Director.
As Science Communication Specialist, Catherine Schmitt works with Schoodic Institute and National Park Service staff to write and share stories of science past and present, manage communications for Second Century Stewardship, and provide science communication training for researchers working in our national parks.
What Are Science Cafés?
MDI Bio Lab’s Science Cafés provide an informal introduction to ground-breaking biomedical research by its scientists, scholars from near and far and from local experts in other fields as well. Each Café lasts about one hour; the floor is open for questions and discussion. It can get lively and it’s always engaging. MDI Science Cafés are open to the public and free of charge. For more information, visit our website.
COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL EVENTS
Correction: We’ve updated information about the YWCA project.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
