GORHAM, ME (September 23, 2022) — Would you like to learn more about the “Food Forest Garden” at Little Falls Activity Center? Can you volunteer a few hours on Oct 1st from 8am to 11am to help put the garden to bed? Could you use some walking onions, thyme, lemon balm, comfrey, tansy, or helianthus for your garden?

Come learn a little about the concept and the plants there for community use, and do a little garden clean-up and plant division.

Please let us know when you are available by filling out the Google Form found on the event Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/656182078969747?ref=newsfeed

FMI email Gail Platts geplatts@gmail.com

Event by Gorham Edible Main St and Food Forest, 40 Acorn St Gorham Maine 04038.

GORHAM, ME (September 22, 2022) — The Portland Water District is encouraging write-in candidate campaigns for an open seat representing Gorham on the Board of Trustees. There will be no candidates listed on the November 8 ballet for the seat which is up for election.

The Portland Water District is governed by a Board of 11 trustees representing the cities and towns it serves. The Board sets important policy and direction to actively protect our water resources and ensure safe and clean public water for over 200,000 people in Greater Portland.

The Board generally meets twice monthly, a workshop session and a regular business meeting. Trustees receive a stipend for meetings attended.

For more information, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 222-1670 or Portland Water District at 774-5961

Here are the fun and passionate running group Gorham Grinders (K-5th graders) at their first fun Cross Country style race. Thank you to Coach Jim Karcanes and all the volunteers who help promote the sport of running for youth!

GORHAM, ME (September 23, 2022) — September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! NGPL library cards are free for residents of Gorham, Standish, Windham and surrounding communities. If you haven’t visited us before, here’s your reminder to get a library card! 2 Standish Neck Rd in Gorham.

GORHAM, ME (September 10, 2022) — In honor of the 10-year anniversary of the WinterKids Downhill 24, WinterKids created the Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund to help get even more kids outside and active across Maine and beyond. This fund will help to address the barriers to healthy outdoor activity, including but not limited to equipment, clothing, and transportation.

For the inaugural year of the WinterKids Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund, we will be granting $25,000 to 4 organizations to help get kids outside and active more often. Winning organizations will be determined by community vote.

APPLICATIONS OPEN: 8/1/22 – 8/15/22

COMMUNITY VOTE: 9/1/22 – 9/30/22

WINNERS ANNOUNCED: Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Each voter may cast their ballot ONCE between 9/1/22 – 9/30/22.

The ballot divides our nominees into three categories: Schools, Parks & Rec, and Nonprofits. You may vote for one organization in each category.

To vote, go to https://winterkids.org/downhill-24/winterkids-downhill-24-outdoor-fund/

Cody Sellick #33

A Senior RB/LB has worked hard this season and this past week was a good leader for the young Rams. 

Hayden Battaglia #55

A Senior OL/DL who consistently helps get things going for the Rams. Called upon to lead block often he graded out at 94% assignment execution.

Patrick Downey #16

Sophomore RB/LB racked up 4 tackles as he stepped in at LB for most of the 2nd half on Saturday afternoon.  

Caden Smith #5

A constant threat as a return guy Caden racked up 125 yards in the return game, pinned SP inside the 20 with a punt and was 1 for 1 on PATs. 

Andre Dube #56

Andre a sophomore OL/DL is a tireless worker and handled a position change last week with ease to help get the Rams ready! 

WESTBROOK, ME (September 16, 2022) – The Maine Bankers Association Employee Benefits Trust has formed a partnership with OMC Wellness that will offer wellness strategy and programming to members of the Trust. OMC Wellness provides population health management, health coaching and proprietary wellness software, all of which are being made available to members of the Benefits Trust and the members’ 3000 employees throughout the state.

“As nearly every industry in the country is struggling with staffing challenges, we’re all thinking about what is most important to the team within our members’ offices,” said Marcia Ferguson, Senior Vice President of insurance of the Maine Bankers Association. “Banks offer good paying jobs with good benefits and truly value the health and well-being of their employees. Being able to focus on the employees, and their own personal, physical and mental goals in health and wellness is extremely important to our members. We have offered a wellness program for more than 15 years and we are excited about this new partnership.”

OMC Wellness was founded in Leeds, ME in 1996 and currently operates as a subsidiary of Wellness Workdays. OMC Wellness works with businesses and organizations, large and small, on effective wellness programs. Using physician-driven approaches and the science of designing and delivering behavior change to drive results, OMC Wellness helps design initiatives that maximize employee recruitment, retention, and engagement.

“We know that the pandemic has taken a toll on mental health and overall stress of individuals in every industry,” said Debra Wein, CEO and founder of Wellness Workdays. “The Maine Bankers Association takes the wellness and health of their members’ employees seriously. OMC Wellness specializes in customizing wellness approaches for organizations of all sizes. Whether it’s a bank with a handful of employees, or the largest bank in Maine with dozens of locations, we are ready to provide each bank with the perfect blend of solutions to engage every employee.”

OMC Wellness, a subsidiary of Wellness Workdays, is based in Maine and works with clients across the United States. The Maine Bankers Association represents the Maine banking industry, eighteen of its 35 member institutions participate in the Benefits Trust with 3000 employees statewide. 

“We take the responsibility of promoting wellness seriously,” said Wein. “Our focus is on promoting outcomes for our client partners. Using a unique, hands-on approach, with a specific focus on behavior change, we are able to help organizations and individuals succeed.”

OMC Wellness focuses on six elements as defined by the Harvard Business School to maximize outcomes. Multi-level leadership, accessibility, program scope & quality, communications, organization alignment and partnerships are used to bring the total health of participating employees to maximum potential.

“Our four-step process to drive results is unique,” said Wein. “The results have been proven. It works, and considering everything happening around us, the timing for the Maine Bankers Association couldn’t be better.”

More details about OMC Wellness can be found at www.omcwellness.com. 

More details about the Maine Bankers Association can be found at www.MaineBankers.com. 

GORHAM, ME (September 17, 2022) — KLA Engraving is hosting our second annual craft/vendor fair at the Shaw Gym in Gorham from 9am – 3pm.

Interested vendors please fill out the form on our Facebook page to reserve your space.

GORHAM, ME (September 16, 2022) — Absentee ballots are now available for request for the November 8, 2022 Annual Municipal Election and State Election. You may request an absentee ballot by

visiting http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/AbsenteeBallot/index.pl, or by calling the Town Clerk’s office at 222-1670, and one will be sent to you when available.

Absentee ballots must be returned no later than 8pm on Election Day.  You can return your ballots by mail (two stamps required) or drop them off in the Ballot Box at the Municipal Center.

You may also return you ballots in person to the Town Clerk’s Office during regular business hours.

How Do I Register to Vote?

By mail: Click here to complete an application and then print it out and mail it to the Town Clerk’s office.  Mailed applications must be received by Oct. 18 to vote in the general election.

In person: Pick up a registration application or return a completed one to the Town Clerk’s Office  You can also pick up an application from any Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch office or in most state and federal social services offices. But if you try to register through another government agency within 30 days of an election, you’ll be warned that your registration might not make it to the registrar in time and that you should instead register in person. You can also register to vote at the polls on Election Day.

Important Dates:

August 8 – Absentee ballots may be requested  

We will mail your ballot to you once absentee ballots arrive (around October 8) 

October  11– Absentee voting begins

If you requested your ballot, we will mail it to you.  If you would like to vote absentee in person, you may do so at the Town City Clerk’s office , starting Tuesday, October 11 and any time the Town Clerk’s office is open:  Monday-Wednesday, 8:00am-4:00pm, Thursday, 8:00-6:30 and Friday, 8:00-1:00. 

October 18 – Last day for Registrar’s office to receive mail-in voter cards

After this date, voter registration changes and enrollments must be done in person 

Beginning October 24 thru November 3

You may vote absentee in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Center, October 24-October 28; Monday – Wednesday, 8:00am-4:00pm, Thursday, 8:00am-6:30pm, Friday, 8:00am-1:00p, and October 31-November 3; Monday-Wednesday, 8:00am-4:00pm, Thursday, 8:00am-7:00pm.

November 3 – Last day an absentee ballot may be requested without special circumstances 

November 8 — Election Day!  All polling places will be open from 7:00am-8:00pm.   

Absentee ballots must be returned to the Town Clerk’s Office by 8:00pm on Election Day. New voters may register to vote and vote at the polling place on Election Day. 

PORTLAND, ME (Grassroots Newswire) (September 15, 2022) — For local entrepreneur Bill George, owner of Bin There Dump That of Portland, the ongoing interest in decluttering is a good thing. The residential-sized dumpsters that are Bin There Dump That’s specialty offer a convenient way for property owners to dispose of unwanted bulky items. But while most clutter is an annoying and sometimes embarrassing accumulation of excess consumer goods, Bill warns that there can be a dangerous side to clutter as well.

The week of October 9-15 is the 100th Anniversary of Fire Prevention Week™, an awareness event sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to educate the public on how to minimize fire risks in the home and, equally as important, how to respond when a fire breaks out. This year’s theme, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape™” emphasizes having an escape plan if a fire does break out. “While it’s true that clutter can pose a hazard as the source of a fire,” said Bill, “another dangerous side of clutter is that it might block a critical escape route.”

The NFPA warns that you may have as little as two minutes to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. This means that your ability to get out of a burning home depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advance escape route planning. The NFPA offers tips and resources for planning at https://www.nfpa.org/Events/Events/Fire-Prevention-Week/About, but they emphasize that it’s not enough to simply plan. “It’s also important to practice using your escape routes, and that includes ensuring that they are not blocked1,” says Bill. “That makes Fire Prevention Week a perfect time to begin your decluttering campaign, clearing out bins of toys and clothing, unneeded furniture, stacks of books and magazines, and other miscellaneous “stuff” that could impede access to your fire escape routes.”

Keep in mind, adds Bill, that if you do need to escape from a fire, you may be dealing with the constant blaring of alarms, dense smoke, searing heat, and darkness. The more you practice your escape plan, and the easier it is to reach your escape point, the greater your chances of survival. Bin There Dump That offers some eye-opening statistics on clutter, along with some tips for getting it under control, at https://bintheredumpthatusa.com/decluttering-tips-for-your-home.

Bin There Dump That specializes in residential-friendly, dumpsters with double-door access that are designed for jobs ranging from simple yard clean-up chores to full remodeling construction projects. To learn more about renting a dumpster, or to discuss a project with a Bin There Dump That Dumpster Consultant, please contact Bin There Dump That of Portland at (207) 224-0337 or portlandme@bintheredumpthat.com. For more dumpster planning tips, or to learn more about Bin There Dump That, please visit bintheredumpthatusa.com

About Bin There Dump That

Bin There Dump That is North America’s leading residential friendly dumpster company, founded in 2002 by Mark Crossett. Mark teamed up with That Franchise Group in 2004 to begin franchising in North America. The franchise has since grown to over 200 territories across the United States and Canada. Known for its appealing bright green bins and residential friendly service, it is unrivaled in the industry. For more information about Bin There Dump That and our business opportunities, please visit www.bintheredumpthatfranchise.com or call 905-582-1234.