Healthy Acadia Presents New Programs That Will Explore Nature-Based Restorative Practices

Healthy Acadia and Maine Outdoor School are excited to announce two new exploratory summer programs. “Nature-Based Restorative Practices,” a three-day program scheduled for Tuesday, August 18 through Thursday, August 20, 2020, will introduce youth entering grades 7 through 12 this fall to restorative practices and how they tie into our natural world. Restorative practices are rooted in First Nation and indigenous community traditions and philosophies and designed to proactively build healthy relationships and a sense of community to prevent and address conflict and wrongdoing. The program will be facilitated by Corrie Hunkler, Healthy Acadia’s Youth Engagement Coordinator, and Hazel Stark, Registered Maine Guide and co-founder of Maine Outdoor School, L3C, and will pair the Maine Youth Action Network’s Restorative Practices curriculum with fun and engaging activities such as hiking, listening, reflecting, being curious, and responding to our natural surroundings. The program is designed to help youth develop outdoor and conflict-resolution skills and an increased awareness of their community and the natural world. On day three, the group will apply what they have learned by engaging in a community project. The program will be held at the Machias River Preserve, a 5.5-mile network of trails managed by the Downeast Coastal Conservancy and located off Route 1A in Machias. Sessions will meet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, and participants are asked to bring their own bagged lunch. Snacks and water will be provided. All COVID-19 prevention guidelines for Maine summer youth programs and outdoor recreation activities will be followed. Restorative Practices Training for Adults On Thursday, August 20, 2020, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Healthy Acadia, Maine Youth Action Network, and Maine Outdoor School will host a training session for educators and others who work with children and young adults. Participants will explore Restorative Practices and ways to incorporate them into their work. The training session will be held at Middle River Park in Machias. Please bring a camp chair.

There is no cost to participants for either program, however, advance registration is required. For more information or to register, please contact Corrie Hunkler at (207) 598-8519 or corrie.hunkler@healthyacadia.org. Healthy Acadia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that engages in a broad range of initiatives to build healthier communities and make it easier for people to lead healthy lives across Washington and Hancock counties, Maine. Learn more at www.healthyacadia.org. Maine Outdoor School’s educational programs focus on personal and community resilience through custom-tailored outdoor, place-based experiences. Learn more at www.maineoutdoorschool.org.

Fund to Help Those in Recovery Stay Connected

For people struggling with substance use disorder, COVID-19 has created new challenges and barriers for those seeking recovery. Support meetings, coaching sessions, and many clinical treatments have moved to online or virtual formats. Not everyone in this corner of the state has access to reliable cell phone or internet service. The economic impact of the pandemic on many of the region’s business sectors has also meant that many people have lost income, making it even more difficult for them to access virtual support. Healthy Acadia has received grant funding from the Elmina B Sewall Foundation and Machias Savings Bank to help remove these technology and communications barriers for people in recovery who reside in Hancock or Washington County. “It is more important than ever that community members in recovery have reliable communications,” said Penny Guisinger Healthy Acadia’s Recovery Programs Director. “Staying connected to peers and other supports can be vital to an individual’s recovery success.” Donna Mitchell, Program Administrator for the Maine Alliance for Recovery Coaching (Maine-ARC) recalled a recent conversation with someone who has been sober for 20 years but is having a struggling without traditional support meetings. “If it is this [pandemic] hard for someone with that much 'time', it must be crushing for a person considering recovery or newly into the recovery process,” said Mitchell. Individuals in recovery can apply for funds to cover the cost of a cell phone, assistance with covering the cost of home internet, cell phone service or an upgrade to service, phone cards with minutes and data, as well as other possibilities that will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The application can be completed online at https://forms.gle/QqZHDvmCiT7XwY4v6. For more information about the grant, or to request a printable application, contact Beth Alteri at (207) 460-2312 or at beth.alteri@healthyacadia.org Healthy Acadia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that engages in a broad range of initiatives to build healthier communities and make it easier for people to lead healthy lives across Washington and Hancock counties, Maine. Learn more at www.healthyacadia.org.

Welcome to our new Chamber Member Great Cranberry Island Historical Society!

Please join us in welcoming Great Cranberry Island Historical Society to the Chamber. GCIHS runs a beautiful museum on gorgeous Cranberry Island - as they declare proudly, "It's worth the trip"!

"The Great Cranberry Island Historical Society (GCIHS) collects, preserves and studies the history and genealogy of Great Cranberry and its neighboring islands, and presents diverse cultural and educational programs.The GCIHS promotes a strong sense of community through its museum, archives, cafe, and lively arts center in the Cranberry House. The grounds also include a public trail to the shore, three gardens, and Sammy Sanford’s Cabin. Every day during the summer, a free shuttle carries visitors from the town dock down the length of the island and back."

Check them out at: https://www.gcihs.org/ and when you get a chance to visit, stop in and say "welcome"!