CCC Wednesday Communique — August 16, 2023

This Saturday, August 19th, is World Humanitarian Day. Each year the UN runs a World Humanitarian Day campaign to bring together the global humanitarian community.  This year’s slogan is  “Showing unwavering commitment to deliver for the communities it serves, no matter who, no matter where and #NoMatterWhat.”

Happy Wednesday!

New this week:

Recharging Our Heroes

Recharging Our Heroes: Exploring Self Care with ECE Professionals  is the title of Maine Roads to Quality’s 4th annual fall conference at WCCC in Calais on Saturday, September 30th from 9 am — 3 pm.  Keynote presentation: My Love/Hate Relationship with Self Care with Tara Williams, who will share about her experience working in early childhood education and parenting while living in survival mode and working too hard. Featured Presentation: Rediscovering Personal Joy & Well-being with Lanette Pottle, and Moving Beyond By Looking at Adverse Childhood Experiences with Brittany Ray.  $20 registration fee.  Learn more and register for this conference. Download a flyer to share.


Overdose Awareness Day

On Thursday, August 31, 2023, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Healthy Acadia’s INSPIRE Recovery Center will host an International Overdose Awareness Day remembrance event at Knowlton Park in Ellsworth to remember and honor the lives lost to overdose, and to support the families and friends impacted. Maine saw its highest number of overdose deaths in 2022, with more than 700 lives lost to substance overdose last year.  These losses impact our state and our communities in unmeasurable ways. International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died from overdose, and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. This year’s focus, “Recognizing those people who go unseen” acknowledges affected others – such as emergency responders and medical personnel, colleagues, classmates, and others who may go unseen in the crisis. Read more here.


 Great Maine Lumberjack Show

NextStep invites you to our first annual DownEast Lumberjack and Jill competition to celebrate NextStep’s 30th year. This feat of skill and strength is going to be held in honor of the thousands of brave and innovative domestic violence survivors we’ve served over the years.  $30 per person with 4 people per team, October 8th, 9 am – 2 pm, 127 Bar Harbor Road, Trenton. Learn more and register here.


New WCACE Trainings

Washington County Adult & Community Education is pleased to offer 4 new trainings teaching highly valuable skills for today’s economy:

  • CAD I – CAD is a computer-aided design program that is used by a lot of professionals such as architects, interior designers, builders, plumbers
  • CAD II – continuation of CAD I
  • CompTIA A+ – entry-level certification for PC computer service technicians.
  • CCMA – Clinically Certified Medial Assistant.

Finding Your Way When Cancer Treatment Ends

When cancer treatment ends, the impact of cancer can often continue.  Join the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center online September 6th, 5pm to 6:30 pm to learn techniques for coping with the new physical and emotional reality of your post-treatment cancer journey.  For more information or to register, call 207-664-0339 or email info@bethwrightcancercenter.org.


Relationships, Family, and Mental Health

Free, virtual event on August 23, 11 am — 12 pm. The complicated nature of mental illnesses can make relationships challenging, and caregiver stress — the emotional and physical stress of caregiving — is common. Learn strategies to set boundaries, respond to difficult behavior, and manage your own stress in this one-hour webinar with a licensed therapist. Instructor Jaymi Dormaier is a Licensed Master Social Worker with ten years of experience in the mental health field. In Jaymi’s career as a social worker and therapist she has worked with diverse populations focusing on anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, foster care, adoption, homelessness, and addiction. She is passionate about helping others live a life they love. Register here.


Understanding and Responding to
Dementia-Related Behavior

August 24, 2023,  1 pm — 2 pm online event.  Behavior is a powerful form of communication and is one of the primary ways for people with dementia to communicate their needs and feelings as the ability to use language is lost. However, some behaviors can present real challenges for caregivers to manage. Join the Alzheimer’s Association on August 24th to learn to decode behavioral messages, identify common behavior triggers, and learn strategies to help intervene with some of the most common behavioral challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. Register here.


Estate Planning, Probate or Long Term Care Planning

2 – 3 pm virtual event:  Virtual Ask the Expert: Estate Planning, Probate or Long Term Care Planning.  Do you have questions about estate planning, probate or long term care planning? Maybe you’ve wondered if estate planning is only for the very wealthy?  Join the Alzheimer’s Association on August 29th to learn tips for managing someone else’s finances, how to prepare for future care costs and the benefits of early planning. This event will feature Nick Maggard, an estate planning and elder law attorney. Please note that Nick cannot provide legal advice but informational guidance only. You can submit your questions when registering, but we can’t guarantee that every one will be answered. A second program will be in November. This will not be recorded.  Register here.


Respite for ME Grants

Learn about a new respite program for caregivers administered by Eastern Area Agency on Aging in this flyer.  With the fiscal year coming to an end, there are updates being made that will be announced later.  Please reach out to Suzanne Cote with any questions.


Open Positions at UMM

More information and application instructions can be found by clicking on the University of Maine at Machias tab on this page.

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