Dante’s Birthday Party:

Gorham Food Pantry supporter Dante celebrated his birthday with a socially distant parade and collected 111 pounds of food for the Pantry.

For Dante Miremadi’s recent birthday, he knew that the celebration would be different this year.  With kids unable to get together in large groups, he and his mom Delvina thought that a parade would be fun.  They asked parade participants to consider dropping a food donation on their way by.  Delvina notes, “Neighbors, friends and family all turned out with decorated cars and lots of food!  We were so grateful for everyone’s generosity.”  The pantry is grateful to Dante and Delvina for celebrating Dante’s birthday in a way that helps his neighbors here in Gorham.

LC Students at LifeChurch:

Speaking of grateful, the Pantry is also grateful for LifeChurch’s Youth Group, called LC Students.  They hosted a pantry drive recently at both the Gorham Hannaford and Ace Hardware; they had 14 students and five leaders spread between both locations, collecting food for the pantry.  The initiative was part of a larger project put on annually by LifeChurch called Serve Day, where the local church serves their community.  Between the two sites, the LC Students collected 250 pounds of food for the Gorham Food Pantry.

The Pantry is so grateful to the Gorham community for supporting your neighbors in need, moreso during the pandemic.  Every donation, whether food or monetary, goes a long way toward supporting the community.

Azul Tequila, located at 29 School St, Gorham, is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 

They are now offering patio service, dine in and curbside pickup, as well as Margarigitas to go. You can order online at www.orderAzulTequila.com.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/AzulTequilaME/ or call (207) 222-2008.

By  Kiely Callahan 

Karen Nason has been the owner of Grand Central Wine Bar since last November, and it has been a great addition to the town of Gorham.  She is excited to announce it will be open within the next two weeks. She has owned businesses in New York and New Jersey, gaining significant experience over the years. Born and raised in Gorham, Nason decided it was time for her to come back home, where the opening of Grand Central Wine Bar was successful from the start. 

She got a Class A lounge license, because it made the most sense for the business. When COVID-19 hit, the governor forced all places to close. Since then, restaurants have reopened for takeout and outdoor seating. However, the license that was bought for Grand Central Wine Bar is different from other restaurants that have been able to reopen. It means it’s a lounge bar, not a restaurant, and that is why they are not open. Nason says she wants everyone to know, “We do not want to be closed, we have to be.” Nason has patiently been waiting to be given the okay and move onto the next stage. 

Kegs are being donated, and a friend of Nason’s is donating a cube for the outside. The price to open is $6,000. She is working with the state to open up soon, and to ensure the atmosphere will be safe. 

There have been rumors that the Wine Bar was closing, but Nason has no intention to do that. She states, “We are not closing, we are closed, there’s a difference, and that’s per governor, not my doing.” 

She can say without a doubt she will not be closing, but perhaps, rather reinventing. There is something exciting coming in the near future, but it is under wraps.  

by Catherine Wilson, On Purpose WellBeing Center

I still can’t get over how much Gorham has to offer! In just three short weeks myself and Rhonda Berry, Triathlon Training participant, will be partaking in this year’s Tri For a Cure Virtual event. This year, with COVID19, participants have from August 1 and August 30 to complete the race anywhere and anywhere they would like.  That means that we will be choosing our own place and time, to swim, bike, and run to raise money for Maine Cancer Foundation. It makes us both happy that Maine Cancer Foundation decided to keep The Tri for a Cure on the books this year. This will be my fifth year of either participating in the event or volunteering for the event (injured for two years). This will be Rhonda’s second year. 

When I started training with Rhonda this year with On Purpose WellBeing Centers Signature Beginner/Intermediate Triathlon program, I had no idea we would have these challenges through covid19. But once we canned Zoom training and went out on the roads and water, I switched gears and found that Gorham has widened and groomed a beautiful trail off of Libby Avenue that has been perfectly cool and shady for our runs! As it got warmer, I soon started to think about where we could swim for not only our training (all pools were closed at that point and the ocean was too cold) but also where we could actually do this event on our planned date, August 8. 

I researched where others were training on the Tri for a cure Facebook page and it was quite the same as before. When the lakes opened it was Crystal lake and oceans in Falmouth, Pine Point and some were at the site where the event has been held each year (SMCC campus in South Portland). I did not want our training to be held captive to tides this year and Crystal lake is a long way after a workday. But then, I recalled in years past when walking, biking and on dog adventures, how amazing Shaw Park was. I remembered that it has trails, a swim area and even a bike rack that we can use as a transition area! It has everything we need! Since the end of May we have been out at Shaw Park! 

Rhonda and I have done swim training right off the beach in Presumpscot River, swimming 25 yards up the river and 25 yards back down—it has definitely served us well! It is so close and easy to get to from my Studio on Main Street in Gorham. Clients are excited that I had decided to train there. The water is much warmer than the ocean and we are the only ones there while training. We have done a few run days there and this weekend will be our first bike/run brick—this is when we put the bike and run together in one workout!

The event for On Purpose WellBeing trainees will be starting out at 8 a.m. in the water for our 25 strokes one way and 25 the other way, 11 times. This will make the 1?3 of a mile swim (or as close as possibl). We will run up to the parking lot and take off our wetsuit. After changing into our bike shoes, we will hop on our bikes and take the trail on the left onto the Maine division trail for our 15-mile bike ride, we will go 7.5 out and 7.5 back. Once we are back to our transition site, we will get ready for our 3.1-mile run taking the other end of the trail to the right. 1.6 out and 1.5 back onto the ball field. 

We are excited to do this and almost ready. I am so proud to be training my clients right here in Gorham, but even more proud to be back into the action side of this much needed event. On the Tri for a Cure website you’ll read that since the day after the 2019 Tri for a Cure, Maine Cancer Foundation has been excitedly working towards plans for July 19, 2020. 2020 is “lucky” year 13 for an event that has come to be MCF’s largest fundraiser and which represents a celebration of women who have taken on a personal goal to swim, bike, and run while supporting a cause that is close to them. There has been over 16 million dollars raised for Maine Cancer in the last 12 years from this event. 

Rhonda and I both have people in our lives that have either been touched with cancer and survived or have lost the battle. We both know that it may have been a long 19-week training journey but that does not compare to what loved ones go through when cancer hits. 

If you love Gorham as much as I do, check out all that it has to offer and if you would like to support us please come down to Shaw park on Saturday August 8 and cheer us on. We are going to bring a picnic lunch for after our event and social distance with a small group of friends and family. We will share as much fun as we can without the thousands that we would usually have supporting us during our race.

You can also make a contribution to either of our Tri for a Cure fundraising pages to help us reach our goal to help Maine fight cancer! Thank you Gorham for being such an awesome town, and thank you to any one donating for our event! 

Donation links: Catherine Wilson https://mainecancer.donordrive.com/participant/Catherine-Wilson; Rhonda Berry https://mainecancer.donordrive.com/participant/27971.

On Purpose WellBeing Center is located at 381 Main St #4, Gorham. Visit them online at onpurposewbc.com, call (207) 222-0142, and follow them on Instagram (@onpurpose_wbc) and Facebook (@OnPurposeWBC). 

A few members of Casco Federal Credit Union (Casco FCU) got a special delivery at their front door last Tuesday evening. Casco FCU partnered with Gorham House of Pizza (GHOP) to reach out to elderly community members during the pandemic. Eleven local recipients enjoyed a pasta dinner fresh out of the oven, generously prepared and donated by GHOP. They also received a Hannaford Gift Card and a Safety Kit (with face masks, disposable gloves, and hand sanitizer) donated by Casco FCU. 

Patty Kenney, Casco’s Community Relations Manager, organized the event as a part of the credit union’s ongoing Casco Cares Campaign. “We want our members to know we care and are here for them. COVID-19 has changed the way we interact with our community, but we are finding new ways to connect with those who need our support. The Casco Cares Meal Delivery Project was one small way we could do that,” says Kenney. 

Since it began in March, the Casco Cares Campaign has also raised funds for Maine’s Credit Unions Campaign to End Hunger, as well as, directly supported the Gorham and Standish Food Pantries. You can learn more about Casco FCU and their community work on their website at www.cascofcu.com.

By Jeffrey Ryan

It’s been a few weeks since my first foray on the Sebago-to-the-Sea Trail, so after my little hiatus, I decided to head back for a mid-summer walk from South Windham to Westbrook. There are a couple of really nice things about this walk. First, it’s built on an old railroad grade. In a few places near the South Windham end, the old ties are visible adjacent to the path — no roots or rocks to navigate over or around means that you can walk and take in the wider view at the same time. Further along the trail, you’ll be walking on the ties, which makes the footing a tad trickier. One nice feature about hiking where iron horses once roamed is that the terrain is as flat as can be. Another nice thing about this hike is it’s easy to arrange a one-way hike. When I got to Westbrook, I hailed a ride share service and was back at my vehicle in no time. Alternatively, you can hike down to Westbrook, eat lunch overlooking the falls of the Presumpscot River, then walk back to the beginning, making for a 9.6-mile day.

Parking on the northern end of this section is plentiful, thanks to the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District, who offer room for several cars (watch for the entrance on Route 202. Please note: Parking is no longer available at the South Windham Post Office. Also, please do not park on Blue Seal Feeds property. On the southern end, you’ll find a municipal lot behind the CVS on Main Street.

For the first 1.3 miles (southbound), the trail is unpaved old railroad bed, then becomes a more rugged scramble along railroad ties for the remaining 3.5 miles into Westbrook. 

The trail is 28 miles total in length, section 4 being 4.8 miles. The trail rating is easy to moderate. The property is managed by Sebago to the Sea Coalition. For more information visit www.SebagototheSea.org.

Jeffrey Ryan is a Maine-based hiker, photographer, public speaker and author of several books about the outdoors. Learn more at www.JeffRyanAuthor.com.  

Mariners masks have arrived and are now available for purchase on the Mariners merchandise store at https://marinersmerch.corecommerce.com. Masks are washable, reusable and one size fits most. Masks have a 2-ply barrier, are lightweight and comfortable. Masks are made in the USA. These are not medical grade masks and are not intended to be used as medical grade PPE. 

Created by Chef Dorene Mills

Serves: 6 – 8

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

A surprise twist with a Tea infused Simple Syrup helps to build flavor with seasonal stone fruits of Peaches and Plums, while a simple ready to bake biscuit offers a fluffy layer of buttery goodness.

Recipe:

Fresh Peaches 5 ea.   

Fresh Plums 4 ea.

Simple Syrup – can be found in the liquor aisle ½ Cup

Black Tea bags 2 bags

Refrigerated Jumbo Buttermilk Biscuits 1 container (8 each)

Butter, unsalted 4 Tbs                       

Method:

 Clean and wash fruit, then slice around the circumference of each twisting to separate the halves. Remove the pit of each fruit. Slice into 1/2″ wedges and set aside

In a microwave safe cup, add the simple syrup and the tea bags and microwave for 3 – 30 second intervals, checking to make sure the syrup is warmed. Set aside with tea bags in to allow it to infuse the syrup.

Take a large oven safe pan or cast-iron pan and heat on burner of stove on medium high heat. Add 3 Tbs butter and allow to melt, but don’t burn.

Add in sliced fruit, allowing it to caramelize on each side, then turn the burner down to low.

Remove the tea bags from the syrup, squeezing the excess back into the cup to capture the flavor of the tea. Add the simple syrup into the pan with the fruit and allow to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove pan from the heat and open the biscuits, laying them around on top of the fruit in a single layer.

Melt the remaining butter and brush over the biscuits. Place in the oven at 350°F for 15-18 minutes until biscuits are cooked through and browned on the top.

Scoop and enjoy with your favorite whipped cream or topping, or vanilla ice cream

Note: If you’re a fan of berries, please feel free to add fresh or frozen into the pan before baking in the oven!

Gorham Aroma Joe’s is open every day from 4:30 a.m.  to 10 p.m., for drive-thru, Door Dash/Uber Eats, take-out and in the café with limited dining seats.

Aroma Joe’s asks that their customers to please wear masks and follow six feet social distancing. Some dining tables and seats have been removed to ensure the six feet apart standard is adhered to, as well as the addition of floor stickers for waiting in line. There are also sanitizing stations with sanitizer wipes and hand sanitizer, along with extra cleaning measures for the employees to follow.

Aroma Joe’s recently launched their new Aroma Joe’s Rewards App which features mobile paying, special App only deals and discounts as well as the ability to build rewards points! Download it today!

By Janice Pompeo of John & Janice Real Estate Team

As self-employed people ourselves (realtors), we have seen the swift impact the current situation has had on those businesses around us on so many levels.  We would like to not speak of the negative but focus on the positive.  We see local businesses around us reopening (with respect to the CDC guidelines) and many patrons so thankful to be able to leave their homes and have interactions with others.

Recently Sebago Brewing, at 616 Main Street Gorham, re-opened their brewery and tasting room.  This was a highly anticipated event for many of the local fans!  They put a large tent up filled with socially distanced tables and chairs on the lawn beyond their already current patio (the tent was provided by Party Time Rentals; another locally owned Gorham business of the Allens located at 25 Elm Street). Their employees are maintaining strict guidelines and procedures so that all guests can feel comfortable getting back out and enjoying a brick oven pizza —oh, and a locally brewed beer!

We recently spoke with one of the owners, Brad Monarch, and his future outlook on business was cautiously good. He, like many others, are hoping that people will stay safe going out and supporting the business. They have a plan in place to open all of their restaurants in the next two months.  He said that it is very important to have properly trained staff and for customers alike to be respectful of others and do their part.

We met with Paul and Bri, owners of the Blue Pig, they too shared an optimistic view of what lies ahead.  They added more tables outside (that they built themselves we must add!) and have done the necessary changes to adhere to the guidelines. “Business has been great since our re-opening” said Paul.  There have been lines outside their door waiting for an empty table!

The overall message that we would like for you take from this is to support local businesses.  Gorham has so many small businesses that flourish only because of you — get back out there and let’s get our local economy strong once more!

Of course, it goes without saying, we are always here for all of your Real Estate needs!