Participants in CCC’s Frontline Worker Forum: Strategies for support during a rapidly changing landscape, facilitated by CCC’s Clinical Director, Julie Redding, last Friday in the parish hall of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, the beautiful 19th Century Gothic church in Calais. This venue proved to be a warm and compassionate setting for a convening of empathic service providers in challenging times. Local and statewide frontline workers and managers were invited to participate as panelists, with contributions by CCC staff: Charley Martin-Berry, Abby Frutchey, and Dante Zanoni.
Happy Wednesday!
New this week:
Spring Gardening Webinar Series
University of Maine Cooperative Extension will begin its Spring Gardening Webinar Series: Building Food Security in Maine with “Big Yields on Small Plots: Maximizing Your Garden’s Footprint” on Tuesday, March 24, from 6–7:15 pm. Led by Carrick Gambell, urban agriculture professional, this webinar will introduce participants to strategies to get the most out of their garden, no matter the size. Topics will include succession and companion planting, trellising and season extension. Designed for gardeners of all levels, participants will leave with practical steps to grow food for themselves, their families and their communities. Registration is required; sliding scale fee options are available. Register on the event webpage to attend live or receive the recording link. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Rebecca Gray at 207-356-1348 or extension.gardening@maine.edu.
Strengthening Complex Care Through Family Caregiver Integration
Bladder Cancer Caregiver Roundtable
March 31st, 2-3 pm: Are you caring for a veteran living with bladder cancer? We are reaching out to share an opportunity that may be of interest to caregivers in the bladder cancer community — particularly those supporting a veteran. Caregiver Action Network is hosting a virtual Bladder Cancer Caregiver Roundtable, and while we are focused on the unique experiences of military and veteran families — including navigating VA systems and military culture — we also welcome civilian caregivers who may benefit from the conversation. Sign up here by March 17th.
Scion Exchange & Seed Swap
NatCon 2026
April 27-29, Denver: The biggest event in behavioral health care is fast approaching from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing — we’ll be in Denver next month — but you can still save if you act now. With hundreds of speakers, sessions and networking opportunities, NatCon is where our field comes together to recharge and move forward. Join us as we turn ideas into action. Register for NatCon by March 12 to save $100!
Bird Fest School Days Returns
Bird Fest School Days is a two-day event held before the Downeast Spring Birding Festival for students in grades 5-6 (ages 10-12). This year, the program is offered on May 5 at Cobscook Institute for Cobscook Bay area schools and homeschool groups and again on May 19 at the Moosehorn for Calais area schools and homeschool groups. Students, cycling through four stations, will dissect owl pellets, learn about mist netting, play an active migration game, and go on a bird-watching walk. Learn more and register here.
Maine middle schools are invited to take part in the Teens to Trails Life Happens Outside® Challenge, a weeklong statewide initiative encouraging students and educators to spend more time outdoors. From May 8–15, 2026, participating schools will log their outdoor time for a chance to earn cash prizes—all while promoting wellness, connection, and hands-on learning in nature. This fun, low‑barrier challenge is designed to help school communities prioritize outdoor activity in any form, whether it’s class time, recreation, or unstructured play. Resources and graphics are available to help schools easily share and participate. Learn more here.
EAAA will host the annual Healthy Aging Expo on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the Anah Shrine in Bangor. Vendor Registration Now Open: We are excited to share that vendor registration is now open! If your organization is interested in participating, we encourage you to act soon, as space is limited.
Maine Seacoast Mission is accepting applications now until April 15th for its scholarships program for the 2026-2027 academic year. Open to current high school seniors and adult learners, the Mission welcomes applicants who live in Washington or Hancock counties or on a Maine outer island served by the Mission. Learn more here.
The Washington County Extension Association seeks nominations for the 2026 Norman W. Duzen Volunteer Award, honoring a Washington County resident whose volunteerism has enhanced the lives of community members. Norman W. Duzen had a special place in his heart for the people of Washington County and donated many hours of his time to make their lives better. University of Maine Cooperative Extension Washington County staff and the WCEA Executive Committee established the Norman W. Duzen Community Service Award in his honor. The recipient will receive a wooden keepsake box, engraved with their name, at the WCEA annual meeting in June. The recipient’s name also will be added to a plaque at the Washington County Extension office. The deadline for nominations is Friday, April 17. Nominee form and more information are available on the award webpage or by contacting 800.287.1542 (in Maine), 207-255-3345 or tara.a.wood@maine.edu.
— By Kate McCarty, published in Spoonful: Bite-Size Food & Nutrition Information. UMaine Extension Master Food Preserver Volunteers recently attended Flowering in the North, a conference for flower growers in New England. We shared a rose petal jelly made from dried rose petals with attendees and it was a hit! The resulting jelly smelled very floral, like you’d expect, and and had a subtle sweet-tart flavor from the lemon juice and sugar. It was a beautiful rose color, with no artificial food coloring added. Read more.