PORTLAND, ME – In September, the American Red Cross reminds people that giving blood now helps support patients the moment they need medical care. Donors of all types, especially those with types O positive and B negative blood, are asked to make an appointment to give.

National Preparedness Month is underway – a time to remember lifesaving blood products are an essential part of preparedness for every type of disaster, whether it be home fires or natural disasters, such as hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. Severe weather can disrupt blood collections by causing blood drive cancellations and impacting donors’ ability to give. Additionally, trauma patients may need blood product transfusions within minutes of entering emergency rooms. Those who give now could help someone in dire moments.

A little care goes a long way

People coming together to care for one another is the humanitarian spirit shared by our Red Cross community and fans of PEANUTS for the past 75 years. Those who come to give by Sept. 21 will receive an exclusive Red Cross x PEANUTS mystery bag with one of four special T-shirt designs, while supplies last. Thousands of golden tickets are also randomly hidden in mystery bags throughout the country. Donors who find a golden ticket when they open their bag can redeem it through an online form for all four T-shirts!

Bonus: Those who come to give platelets Sept. 22-Oct. 5, 2025, can also receive a classic Red Cross x PEANUTS sweatshirt featuring Snoopy as the coolest beagle in town, Joe Cool, while supplies last. See RedCrossBlood.org/Peanuts for details on all offers.

To book a time to give blood or platelets, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

Additionally, all who come to give Sept. 22-Oct. 19, 2025, will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/Fall for details.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Sept. 18-30

Cumberland

Brunswick

9/24/2025: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Elks Lodge, 179 Park Row

9/26/2025: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., American Legion Post 20, 1 Columbus Drive

Casco

9/24/2025: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Casco Recreation, 940 Meadow Rd

Freeport

9/22/2025: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn Freeport – Old Town Hall Building, 5 Park Street

Gorham

9/18/2025: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Cressey Road Christian Church, 81 Cressey Road

9/27/2025: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Harmony Lodge #38, 33 Cressey Rd

Gray

9/30/2025: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Gray New Gloucester High School, 10 Libby Hill Road

Harrison

9/24/2025: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., United Parish Congregational Church of Harrison and N. Bridgton, 77 Main Street

North Yarmouth

9/26/2025: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wescustogo Hall and Community Center, 120 Memorial Hwy

Portland

9/23/2025: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., University of New England, 716 Stevens Ave

South Portland

9/30/2025: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Eastpoint Christian Church, 345 Clarks Pond Pkwy

Westbrook

9/26/2025: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Westbrook Community Center, 426 Bridge Street

Windham

9/29/2025: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., North Windham Union Church, 723 Roosevelt Trail, Route 302

Yarmouth

9/19/2025: 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Yarmouth Community Center, 20 Mill St

BUXTON, ME – Try our delicious Haddock Supper Buffet – Saturday, September 27, 2025 – 5:00 pm at Living Waters Church, Parker Farm Road, Buxton. Suggested donation: $10 Adult, $5 Child, $20 Family.

Please note: We will offer the option of takeout containers for those who do not want to come inside for seating.

 PORTLAND, ME – Northeast Bank (the “Bank”) (NASDAQ: NBN), announced the hiring of Cecile Plourde as Treasury Management Services Coordinator, part of its Treasury Management Services group.

Plourde joins the bank from Androscoggin Bank, where she served for over 28 years supporting government and municipal banking clients across western, central and southern Maine. In her new role, she will support Northeast Bank’s treasury management clients with account onboarding and customer service needs alongside the Treasury Management Services sales and service team.

“We are pleased to welcome Cecile to our growing Treasury Management Services team,” said Matthew Colpitts, SVP, Director of Treasury Management Services at Northeast Bank. “Her strong knowledge of the government and municipal banking space will help us deliver best-in-class support to clients in Maine and beyond.”

GORHAM, ME – Goodwill Northern New England (Goodwill NNE) is proud to announce a significant milestone in its mission to support people on their path to stability. Through dedicated programs and community partnerships, Goodwill NNE has helped over 10,000 people achieve stability, an achievement that reflects the organization’s commitment to providing support and services to any person achieve their own personal stability. 

“When we set this big goal back in 2017, we knew we had to transform our work,” said Trendy Stanchfield, Senior VP of Mission Services at Goodwill NNE. “Through innovation, collaboration, and a focus on workforce development, we created a model that truly supports the people we serve. We’re grateful for our partners who believed in our vision and helped bring it to life.” 

This milestone is a testament to the hard work of Goodwill NNE staff, the resilience of program participants, and the support of the broader community. From employment services and job training to career support and placement, Goodwill NNE’s workforce development programs have empowered thousands to overcome barriers and build sustainable futures. Since 2017 we’ve learned that overcoming these top 5 barriers, Employment, Education, Housing, Transportation, and Food, was the key to helping us achieve the greatest movement toward our goal of helping provide the tools to helping others to personal stability. 

“We are so proud of the work and the difference we’re making in people’s lives every day, but we didn’t do it alone. We reached this milestone two years early because of our staff, partners, and community,” said Tripp Harrison, President and CEO of Goodwill NNE. “Together, we’ve empowered 10,000 people to achieve personal stability, an incredible milestone that reflects the strength of our mission and the power of community collaboration.”  

Goodwill NNE remains committed to expanding its impact and continuing to serve people across Northern New England. This milestone is not just a number; it represents 10,000 stories of hope, perseverance, and transformation. 

To learn more about Goodwill Northern New England or how to get involved, visit https://goodwillnne.org/about/

NORWAY, ME – Norway Savings Bank is pleased to announce the appointment of Dawn Mugford (pictured below) as Senior Vice President, Chief Risk Officer. Mugford succeeds Carolyn Thomas, who is transitioning into a new role as Senior Vice President, Credit & Special Assets Officer, at the end of the year.

Mugford arrived at NSB in January of 2025 as Senior Vice President, Risk, and was also named the bank’s Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) Officer in July. She possesses more than 20 years of expertise in risk management, audit, and quality assurance in the financial sector. Prior to joining the NSB team, Mugford served as Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Officer at Rockland Trust Bank in Rockland, Massachusetts, and as Senior Vice President and Director of Operational Risk Management and Corporate Securities/Investigations at Eastern Bank in Boston, Massachusetts. She has also worked in the areas of risk, audit, and due diligence for TD Bank in both Canada and the U.S.

“In her career, Dawn has been responsible for reporting of all major risk types as well as expanding on risk management infrastructure to help maintain and grow customer confidence. She has proven herself to be an experienced and effective risk professional and a great fit for our achievement and support culture,” said Dan Walsh, President and CEO of Norway Savings Bank.

“Risk Management is always different and interesting,” said Mugford. “It’s trying to figure out what could possibly go wrong and being prepared for it in the best way possible to support our customers and the communities in which we serve. In my time at NSB, it’s clear that the great culture and reputation it has in the financial industry and beyond is well earned, and I’m looking forward to working with this amazing team in my new role.”

Mugford earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the esteemed Wilfrid Laurier University, a top-rated Canadian business school, and was recently recognized as one of the “Top 50 Women Chief Risk Officers of 2024” by Women We Admire. She has volunteered with a number of organizations, including the American Red Cross (current board member), United Way, Junior Achievement, the Maine Cancer Society, and DOVE (past board member), an organization committed to ending domestic violence. In addition, Mugford is active in the Parkrun movement that offers free community events at which participants can walk, jog, run, volunteer, and socialize. Since her arrival in Maine, she is the co-organizer and event director for a new weekly Parkrun event held at Shaw Cherry Hill Farm in Gorham, where she resides. Mugford is also an active athlete, participating in several Tri-For-A-Cure races, a 70.3 Ironman, the Pan-Mass Challenge, ultramarathons, and successfully hiking Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Looking to make a great career move yourself? Join a positive, team-based culture that will utilize your unique gifts to help you achieve great things! NSB is currently seeking motivated individuals for a number of exciting and dynamic roles. Come take a look: www.norwaysavings.bank/get-to-know-us/careers.

GORHAM, ME – *Calendars were a big hit again this year and we are planning to do them again earlier in the fall, since we are dealing with a new print company. The theme will be discussed at the September meeting, bring your ideas!

*Just a reminder that the new mailing address for the Historical Society is 28 Cherry Hill Rd.

*Yearly membership dues will be collected in November at our annual meeting. It is $10 per person. This year we are going to begin to collect business memberships/corporate sponsorships at $50 per year which will include some advertising on our website and social media pages.

For access to the archives or for donations Call Archivist Kelly Dearborn 207 831 4220

Fall Meeting Schedule: All Meetings are at the Cherry Hill Barn and open to the public

Sunday October 5th 3pm (program TBD)

Sunday November 2nd – Annual Meeting

Sunday December 7th – Annual Holiday Gathering

If any members have any ideas for topics/presentations/speakers, please contact President Suzie Phillips 207 892 9847

WESTBROOK, ME – Presumpscot Regional Land Trust is are thrilled to invite you to the Trail Opening Celebration of Rivermeadow Nature Preserve in Westbrook on Saturday, September 13th, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Trail Opening Celebration Details:

What: Grand Opening of the Rivermeadow Preserve in Westbrook

Where: Parking is located at the Cornelia Warren Four Seasons Rink, 58 Lincoln Street, Westbrook

When: Saturday, September 13 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

To sign up for the event, visit PRLT’s website.

GORHAM, ME – The University of Southern Maine is thrilled to announce the opening of 20 Walks, a solo exhibition by Maine-based artist Lin Lisberger. 20 Walks is a meditation on the somatic journeys that keep us grounded. Featuring sculptural contemplations in Lisberger’s primary medium, wood, this exhibition considers how our memory of place is tied to the physical and what details our minds rely on to recall embodied experiences.

From the artist: “As a sculptor, I have always been interested in combining abstraction and narrative in my work. 20 Walks references the physical memory of my own walks in places at home and around the world. Each piece captures a sense of place along with the memory of a particular personal moment or sight. The goal of these pieces is to evoke a recollection, not tell all the details. This form of abstraction keeps the pieces simpler, more elegant, and hopefully visceral, while always keeping form essential.”

20 Walks is on view from September 18 to December 10, 2025, at the University of Southern Maine Art Gallery, Gorham campus. Please join us for the satellite programming series on Gorham’s trail systems, Why We Walk, featuring artist-led hikes in conversation with nature experts from urban trail expert and writer Miles Howard to meditation teacher Patti Dodd.

The first of the Why We Walk series takes place Saturday, September 20th, at 11 am and is co-led by Miles Howard.

Please RSVP to participate in this conversational group hike. Join us in celebrating the opening reception for 20 Walks on Thursday, September 18th, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on our Gorham campus at 5 University Way, 04038. This event is open to attendees of all ages, free of charge.

GORHAM, ME – We at North Gorham Public Library are sad to announce that we had to say goodbye to Paula Boyce, who leads our weekly Story Hour. She decided to accept a teaching position at a nearby college. Her shoes will be hard to fill, but if you’d like to try, please send us an email at libng@north-gorham.lib.me.us

This is a volunteer position.

Story Hour is held every Wednesday from 10:30 to 11:30 in the library. It is geared toward toddlers and preschoolers, and features sing-alongs, reading a short story, and making a simple craft. The kids also usually play with the puzzles and toys we have on hand. We can have anywhere from two to 10 children.

GORHAM, ME – Vendor applications are open for Fall Fest & Makers Market @ Orchard Ridge Farm in Gorham, ME Saturday, October 18th from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (rain or shine) 236 Sebago Lake Rd.

You can apply at our Instagram and website.