Happy Wednesday!
New this week:
Cobscook Institute is hosting beginner & intermediate level classes in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for adult learners on Tuesday evenings from June through September. Classes begin on June 16th with Beginner Google Docs. Learn more here.
For those living in Hancock & Washington Counties with brain injuries, caregivers & supporters. You’re invited to join our support group on Zoom. See flyer for details. Register here. For more information, email downeastbisupportgroup@gmail.com or join the Downeast Maine Brain Injury Support Group on Facebook.
& Annual Meeting
June 24th, 6 pm at the Reynolds Center at UMM: The Washington County Extension Association will hold its annual meeting, featuring the Norman W. Duzen Community Service Award and the University of Maine Volunteer Pen Award. Alison Enslin of Milbridge will receive the Norman W. Duzen Community Service Award for sharing her many talents with Maine Seacoast Mission Food Pantry, the Women for Healthy Rural Living Community Advisory Council and Garden and as an AARP Tax Aide Program Coordinator. She supports organizations such as the Harrington Health Center, Milbridge Historical Society and Mano en Mano. Kaysie Logan, who nominated Alison for the award stated, “Her endless commitments to the people in her community are honorable.” Tanya Zivkovic will receive the University of Maine Volunteer Pen Award. Zivkovic is being recognized for her many contributions to 4-H. This free, public event will feature light refreshments and showcase many programs and services offered by Extension. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore Extension’s collection of Virtual Field Trips (VFTs), online learning experiences where participants can step inside a goat barn, ride along in a tractor, and see aquaculture processes through virtual reality headsets. These immersive educational experiences are designed to engage learners of all ages. Participants are encouraged to register on the event webpage to ensure an accurate headcount for refreshments. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact UMaine Extension in Washington County at 207-.255-3345 or 800-287-1542 (toll-free in Maine).
for a Loved One with Cognitive Issues
June 25th, 2 pm, virtual: Caring for a loved one with cognitive issues can reshape daily life in ways other people do not always see. It can mean repeated questions, confusion, safety concerns, behavior changes, and the emotional strain of not knowing what each day will bring. Join Caregiver Action Network for Benchmarks of Care: Unique Challenges When Caring for a Loved One with Cognitive Issues: a free virtual training built for working caregivers. As part of the Benchmarks of Care series, this session will offer guidance on communication changes, behavior shifts, daily unpredictability, and the pressure that can come with balancing work and care. Featuring Rob Liebreich from Goodwin Living, along with Paola Zambrana and Nichole Goble from Caregiver Action Network. Register here.
The Maine CDC is seeking to fill a full-time Public Health Nurse I position based out of the Machias regional state office. Nursing services include maternal and child health support, adult health services, communicable disease control, lead poisoning management, asthma management, immunizations, and migrant and refugee health services. More information on Core Responsibilities, Qualifications, and How to Apply can be found here: Public Health Nurse I- New Grads Welcome. Closing date for applications is June 25th.
CCSME Annual Membership Meeting
June 26th, 9 am – 12 Noon on Zoom, $20 or free to CCSME members: Policy decisions and organizational practices shape how behavioral health care is delivered, experienced, and sustained. Many leaders face a persistent gap between the values embedded in policy, such as shared decision-making, inclusion, and person-centered care, and the realities of daily practice. This session explores how leadership decisions, organizational culture, and operational structures can serve as powerful levers for influencing whether these principles become lived practice within behavioral health organizations. Keynote speaker is Cristina Oliveri, MHA, a healthcare leader with 15+ years of experience across Federally Qualified Health Centers, hospital systems, and community-based organizations. Learn more and register here.
Nominations for the Maine Children’s Alliance Giraffe Awards close on June 30th. Nominate a champion here. See our announcement under One-time Events for more info on this event.
Build Your Bookkeeping Future
Tuesdays, July 7th, 14th and 21, 1 – 3 pm, Main Street Business Building, Machias: Washington County Adult & Community Education is offering a 3-class series on bookkeeping, including basic bookkeeping, Excel for business, and Quickbooks Training. See flyer for details.
Strengthening Rural Health Care Networks
Across Northern Border Region
The Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), in partnership with the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is pleased to announce the availability of funding through the Rural Northern Border Region Network Planning (RNBR-NP) Program. The program will provide approximately 18 awards of up to $100,000 each to support the development and strengthening of healthcare networks serving rural communities across Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. A total of $1.8 million is expected to be available in Fiscal Year 2026. Awards will support a one-year project period beginning September 30, 2026. Application deadline is July 10th. Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend an informational webinar to learn more about program requirements, eligibility, and the application process. Webinar registration information is available through the funding opportunity announcement where you can learn more and apply for this opportunity.
Let’s Talk AI
Tuesday, July 28th, 11 am – 12 Noon, virtual: Artificial intelligence is showing up everywhere, from our inboxes to our favorite apps, and it can be hard to know what to make of it. This session offers a low-pressure space to ask questions, share what you’ve noticed, and get grounded in what AI actually is, how it works, and where it tends to go wrong. Facilitator Andy Chandler returns to lead an open, exploratory conversation designed for aging services professionals and community leaders. Whether you are just starting to encounter AI in your work or already using it regularly, this session will help you think more critically about the tools you use, the information you encounter, and how to stay safe and informed in a rapidly changing landscape. Register here.
Cultural Competency Save-the-Date
Save the date of August 28th for an in person CCC Cultural Competency training presented by Elizabeth Neptune of Neptune Advantage. Location, exact time and details coming soon!
Intimate Partner Violence Training
Registration is open for a two-day, 12-hour Intimate Partner Violence training that fulfills the Maine State licensure requirements for social work and clinical staff. Presented by the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, this training will be hosted by the CCC at a location in Machias on September 30th and October 1st. Learn more and register here by September 24th. Register yourself or a group. Cost is $150 to cover presenter fees.
Pine Tree Legal offers free legal assistance for people facing civil legal issues involving tenants rights, credit card debt, utility-company problems, SSI and SSDI, and veterans law like discharge upgrades, among many other types of civil legal issues. Stop by our office at 13 Cooper St in Machias for free legal help every Monday, 9-11:30, or come to our free legal clinic at the Calais District Court every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, 10-12. We are also available by phone: (207) 255-8656.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Family Independence (OFI), in partnership with the Maine Department of Education, is announcing the return of the summer 2026 SUN Bucks and SUN Meals Programs. Together, the federally-funded SUN Programs help ensure eligible Maine children continue to have access to nutritious food during the summer months when school meals and snacks are unavailable. SUN Bucks — also known as Summer EBT — provides eligible families with a one-time $120 food benefit per school-aged child to help purchase groceries during the summer months. SUN Meals are offered statewide in communities where children have increased need for nutrition support. In addition to traditional meal sites, SUN Meals To-Go provides pick-up and delivery options in many rural areas where transportation or distance may make accessing congregate meal sites more difficult. Most eligible households have already received an eligibility notice from OFI. Families who did not receive SUN Bucks by June 5 but believe their children may qualify can apply through My Maine Connection or by mail. Applications must be received by August 15, 2026; and benefits must be used within approximately four months of when they were issued.