There’s still time to register for CCC’s Vision Day 2026 at the Eastport Arts Center. Join us for a day of brainstorming possibilities for our children, seniors, and everyone in between. Learn more and register here.
Happy Wednesday!
New this week:
- May: Higher Education, Training, Career Technical Professionals, May 21st 9 – 10:30 am
- June: Business/Employers, June 8th 2 – 3:30 pm or June 18th 9 am 10:30 am
- July: Out of School Time Professionals/ Representatives of Municipalities, July 20th 12 – 1:30 pm or July 30th 3 – 4:30 pm
- August: Early Childhood Community Partners/ Non-profits/ SAUs, August 6th 2 – 3:30 pm or August 10th 9 – 10:30 am
- September: Families, September 16th 5:30 – 7 pm or September 21st 5:30 – 7 pm
- October: Early Childhood Provider staff, leadership, owners and operators, October 15th 5:30 – 7 pm or October 20th 2 – 3:30 pm.
Community Action in Aroostook, Washington and Hancock Counties is launching a Mobile Service Unit (MSU) tour across Downeast Maine throughout the remainder of May, specifically designed to reach households who have not yet applied for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) this season. HEAP helps qualified homeowners and renters pay for heating costs, with benefits including assistance with fuel costs, emergency fuel delivery and, for those who qualify, energy-related repairs and utility payments. Applying for HEAP now also helps ensure households are better positioned for when the next heating season begins this fall. With the HEAP program year ending on May 29, the MSU will bring application support directly to rural communities to ensure residents have every opportunity to receive assistance before the deadline. The MSU will also help connect community members with other vital programs and services. Read more….
Tuesday, May 26th, 2-2:30, virtual: Join Caregiver Action Network for Benchmarks of Care: When Caring Hurts – Managing the Emotional Rollercoaster of Caregiving, a free 30-minute webinar built for people balancing work and care. As part of the Benchmarks of Care series, this session will offer guidance on recognizing emotional overload, understanding burnout, and finding healthier ways to respond before the pressure keeps building. Featuring Niya McCray-Brown from Mental Health America, and Paola Zambrana and Nichole Goble from Caregiver Action Network. Register here.
June 2nd, 7 – 8 pm, free: In the Child Care Business Lab: Explore program, we will help you figure out if owning a child care business is right for you. Between the documents to fill out and decisions to make, you might feel overwhelmed and have lots of questions. By participating in Explore and completing individual work, you will build a network and validate that you and your family are ready to embark on your journey to child care business ownership. We’ll break the process down into chunks that make sense to you. Our team will be there along the way to answer your questions and coach you through the process! The Explore program is the first stage of the Child Care Business Lab. Please RSVP to receive the Zoom link for the June 2nd workshop.
Tuesday, June 2nd, 10 — 11 am on Zoom: The Office of Child and Family Services and the Maine Children’s Trust are pleased to announce the next webinar in our Child & Family Well-Being Webinar Series (formerly known as the Prevention Webinar Series) to continue the conversation about how we can all build supportive communities and keep children safe by keeping families strong. This webinar follows a series of recorded webinars held over the past several years where strategies have been shared for what everyone can do to develop and sustain a shared commitment to creating the conditions for family well-being and child safety. This webinar will provide an overview of Maine’s Child Safety and Family Well-being Plan, important changes to statute on neglect and mandated reporting, and upcoming opportunities for Mandated Reporting training. Please register via Zoom here by Friday, May 29th.
Saturday, June 6th, 12 – 6 pm at Kendall Farm in Perry: Join us for the 5th Annual Rhubarb Festival on the first Saturday of June at Kendall Farm in Perry. This year’s theme, Rhubarb is Sexy, celebrates this bold, beautiful vegetable in all its glory—so come dressed in your favorite shades of pink and green! Enjoy delectable rhubarb edibles, local music, delicious food and artisan vendors, live demonstrations on growing, cooking, and preserving rhubarb, plus nutritional education, clever cocktails, and homemade rhubarb wine. Festivities include a rhubarb stalk–eating contest, a fashion show, the return of our beloved rhubarbuterie boards, and the famous tasting table. Admission is free; donations are warmly welcomed. Bring a lawn chair, cash, an appetite, bug repellent and/or sunscreen—and get ready to have fun. Even rhubarb skeptics leave as fans. This is a pet-free and smoke-free event. Learn more here.
June 24th, 12 – 3 pm, Hennessey Training Center, Machias: An introduction to what Restorative Practices are, how they strengthen relationships and connection, foster safer and caring environments, reduce interpersonal conflicts, and offer the tools to resolve conflicts when they do occur. Presented by Downeast Restorative Justice and hosted by the Washington County Recovery Friendly Workplace Network. Lunch will be provided. Register here.
Sunday, June 7th, Pembroke: The 35th annual Cobscook Bay Road Races is less than three weeks away! We’re getting excited for another incredible day of community, support, and scenic views here in Washington County. Whether you’re running, walking, volunteering, or cheering from the sidelines, we’d love to have you join us on June 7th. Every step taken helps support the mission of Down East Hospice Volunteers and the care we provide throughout our community. Help us spread the word by sharing this post and inviting friends and family to participate. Learn more and register here. Download a flyer to share.
The Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging is in the midst of an in-depth strategic planning process, and we need your voice to help guide the next steps of our work. This is your opportunity, as someone who is engaged with TSLCA and who is committed to the work of creating longevity-ready communities in our region, to tell us where you see the greatest needs, and what role you believe TSLCA should play in that future. Your responses will directly inform the direction and focus of our work over the next several years. Whether you’ve been a longtime member or are newer to the network, we want to hear from you. Take the Survey.