CCC Wednesday Communique — February 12, 2025

The Great Backyard Bird Count Starts this Friday, February 14-17.  This is your chance to be part of a worldwide celebration of birds and community. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has the tools to help you plan a perfect GBBC—on your own, or with one of the hundreds of community birding events around the world.

Happy Wednesday!

New this week:

Psychological First Aid

Northern Light Acadia Hospital is pleased to offer FREE training sessions to any organization that believes that Psychological First Aid may be beneficial to those you serve. To learn more or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Community Health Coordinator Joshua Wescoat (Cell: 207-944-5135,  jwescoat@northernlight.org).  See flyer for details.


Brush Lettering Basics
The University of Maine at Machias invites you to Brush Lettering Basics, a free class presented by Alison Brynn Ross today, February 12th, 2 – 4 pm at the Merrill Library.  Download a flyer to share.

UMM Spring Gallery Show

The University of Maine at Machias will open its spring gallery show today, February 12th from 4-6 pm, featuring some of the latest pieces and previous work from five faculty from the Creative Arts Program. The mixed media artwork will be from the collections of Bernie Vinzani, Leslie Bowman, Lauren Luloff, Audra Christie, and Jennie Hahn. Learn more here.


Kids Winter Camp

This winter break, embark on a journey of snowy fun and discovery, FREE for youth ages 9-12! Kids Winter Camp, presented by Cobscook Institute in partnership with Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Downeast Coastal Conservancy, and Cobscook Shores, will take place February 19th–21st from 9 am — 2 pm. From Cobscook Institute, participants will explore protected lands in the Cobscook Bay region. Each day will include indoor activities and outdoor adventures, like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and hiking.  Registration will be run on a lottery basis to give all families a fair chance at a spot in our popular camp. Pre-registration for the lottery is open until February 12th – today! Pre-register here.


Medicare’s Coverage of Ongoing Home Health Services
Did you know Medicare covers ongoing home health services—but many caregivers struggle to access them? Join the Caregiver Action Network for a free webinar on February 19th at 1 pm to learn how to determine eligibility, navigate provider challenges, and discover a new way for family caregivers to get paid for delivering home care. What You’ll Learn:
  • Who qualifies for Medicare-covered home health care
  • Steps to take to access these vital services
  • A new program that helps caregivers get paid to care for their loved ones

4-H Helps Youth Crack into the Egg Business

University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H in Hancock and Washington counties are offering a year-long Egg Business Project for youth ages 11-18. The project provides youth and their families an opportunity to learn about business, entrepreneurship, record keeping, animal husbandry and more, potentially resulting in additional income for youth and their families. Interested individuals are invited to attend an online information session about the project on Monday, February 24 from 6-7 pm. To receive the Zoom link, fill out the interest form on the program webpage.  With support from 4-H staff and local experts, participants will learn about state and local regulations for producing and selling poultry eggs. As part of this project, youth will have the opportunity to develop a business proposal and receive up to $500 in local funding, submit eggs to local agricultural fairs, and complete a project record. This program is open to all Hancock and Washington County youth ages 11-18. All participants will be enrolled as members of the Maine 4-H program upon acceptance. To request a reasonable accommodation contact Leah McCluskey at 207-667-8212 or leah.mccluskey@maine.edu.


PFMLA and Life Beyond It
Employers, don’t miss Rudman Winchell’s Employment Law Power Hour: PFMLA and Life Beyond It, Thursday, February 27th.  The past few weeks have been tumultuous in the employment arena. There are numerous Executive Orders pending at various stages of implementation and stays pending federal court review.  Some of these include:
  • “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”
  • “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing”
  • “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government”
  • “Protecting the American People Against Invasion”

It is imperative to understand the impact of these Orders on the workplace, in addition to sorting out what obligations remain based on State law. We will address these Executive Orders and in the remaining time will have a brief PFMLA check-in, talk about some recent EEOC publications and regulations, and touch on proposed new State legislation.  If you have not already RSVP’d for the free Employment Law Power Hour seminar on Thursday, February 27, at 2 pm, you can do so here.


Guide for Supporting a Loved One with PTSD

Caring for a loved one with PTSD can feel isolating, but you don’t have to do it alone. Our new PTSD Caregiver Guide is here to help you:

  • Recognize PTSD symptoms and how they affect daily life
  • Prepare for doctor visits and medication discussions
  • Manage stress & avoid burnout with real strategies
  • Find 24/7 peer support through our partnership with Kindly Human

This guide is designed for YOU—the caregiver. Whether you’re just starting out or need fresh strategies, it’s filled with expert advice, caregiver stories, and practical tools to make your journey easier.  View the guide here.


Family caregivers who support older relatives are on the rise

The number of family caregivers who support older relatives in either home-based or residential care settings increased by 32% between 2011 and 2022 — a sharp rise that can be attributed to an increase in the number of caregivers living with recipients. Researchers also say this could be partially tied to rising preferences for aging in place. This is according to a joint study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. Additional support came from the National Institute on Aging, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  See full article.

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