Welcome to new Chamber Member, Fiore Olive Oils and Vinegars!

 

Please join us in welcoming new Chamber Member, Fiore Olive Oils and Vinegars!

Featuring Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Aged Balsamic Vinegars

With its roots firmly planted in tradition, FIORE Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars has forged a new image of the modern artisan.

From a true respect for the olive tree to the insistence on quality and authenticity, FIORE's extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) offers transparency and purity for the consumer who respects the harmony of nature and nutrition.

FIORE features in-store tasting rooms offering a wide selection of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from around the world and Aged Balsamic Vinegar from Modena, Italy.

To ensure ultimate freshness, FIORE “chases the crush” ensuring a constant supply of the freshest EVOO available from regions growing, harvesting and crushing olives each season.

FIORE and its importers partner with growers in Northern and Southern Hemispheres to identify the latest harvests. Each harvest is analyzed to ensure the consistency of quality and freshness year after year. Once harvested, these oils are available to FIORE and our customers within weeks.

The overemphasis on “Where” EVOO is produced continues to dominate perceptions at the expense of the more important “When, What and How” the oil is produced. The principle barometers of the IOC standard are Chemistry and Freshness. These two variables can be objectively measured and quantified. Since the highest quality EVOO comes from high quality fruit coupled with high quality production processes, the IOC standard encompasses strict requirements for not only the end product but the entire cycle of growth, harvesting and production.

Freshness is the key to quality. When an EVOO is fresh there are significantly more positive sensory attributes detectable by the palate. As any oil ages it oxidizes and loses positive sensory qualities as well as inheriting defects. New testing methods known as the “Fresh Pack” tests objectively quantify Diacylglycerol Content (DAGS) and Pyropheophytins (PPP) the key indicators of freshness of the oil throughout its lifecycle.

Welcome to new Chamber Member Energy Elements!

 

Please join us in welcoming new Chamber Member Energy Elements. Owner Sandy says, "Energy Elements facilitates healthy lifestyle experiences that Nurture through Nature. Through the Health, Hospitality and Tourism in Acadia National Park, Certified Association of Forest and Therapy Guide, Sandra Claire will guide you in the Practice of Shinrin Yoku, Mindful Nature Walk or Forest Bathing.

"Sandra Claire of Energy Elements in Winter Harbor and Bar Harbor offers Guided Walks in the practice of Shinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing. A Certified ANFT Nature and Forest Therapy Guide and Alternative Healing Practitioner in Reiki, Access Consciousness and Energy Psychology.

"As Founder and Executive Director of The Green Gem Holistic Healing Oasis, a Wellness and Alternative Healing Learning Center, she practiced walking/sitting Buddhist Meditation, Master Gardener skills and led tours of the historic Olmsted Landscaped gardens.

"Sandra has been nicknamed “Hummingbird” by hiking companions on the blazed trails of New England. She worked with LLBean and Husson University as a Wellness Coordinator bridging corporate wellness with alternative healing practices.

​"A lifetime of camping, hiking, biking and paddling has enabled Sandra to intimately build a relationship with nature playfully immersed in outdoors activities."

Welcome to new Chamber Member First Express!

 

Please join us in welcoming our newest Chamber Member, First Express!

Your business services center in Bar Harbor, but serving the entire island! They offer UPS and FEDEX shipping, printing and copying services, computer access and even large format printer. Plus, they have a large assortments of paper, cards, stationary and all the office supplies you need. 

Be sure to say "Welcome!" next time you stop in!

Welcome to new Chamber Member The Claremont Hotel!

 Please join us in welcoming The Claremont Hotel to the Chamber!

As you may have heard, the historic Claremont Hotel has new owners, and they have been giving the beautiful property a few updates!

"Exciting changes and luxurious upgrades are happening right now at The Claremont Hotel.

"We are taking great care to retain all the historic charm of this iconic Southwest Harbor property while elevating the guest experience in every way. From the linens and décor of every guest room to the completely reimagined restaurants and bar areas, The Claremont Hotel will deliver a vacation experience like nothing else in Acadia with one of the most beautiful ocean views in the world.

"We’re adding an outdoor swimming pool, multiple decks and an elegant patio with breathtaking views of Somes Sound and Cadillac Mountain. We’re offering more amenities, more services and more experiences to make your vacation as exhilarating or as relaxing as you wish. This is your opportunity to witness the re-birth of one of the most beautiful hotels in Maine while enjoying all the dining, outdoor recreation and boating opportunities that make Acadia so special.

We are delighted to welcome you back for Memorial Day weekend!"

Chris’s Pond needs your help!

 

Please send letters of support for the expansion project at Chris’s Pond to the Southwest Harbor Selectmen before February 3rd. This exciting project is in partnership with the Town of Southwest Harbor, Maine Coast Heritage Trust and the Island Housing Authority. If the project is successful we will secure improved access to the pond, more land to use around the pond for the SWH community and safer parking. Letters can be brief and include personal stories of your visits to the pond or just your support for the project. Please email letters to the Conservation Commission at: chrispondswh@gmail.com or send to: Southwest Harbor Conservation Commission, PO Box 263, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679. The Conservation Commission will be collecting your letters of support and sharing them with the Selectmen prior to a February 9th meeting when they will review the proposal to continue moving the project forward.

COVID-19 Vaccine Public Service Announcement - 1.13.21

 

Mount Desert Island Hospital administered its first vaccinations for COVID-19 to frontline healthcare staff in late December. Since then, it has received a limited supply of doses designated for frontline and community healthcare workers and older adults living in congregate care facilities.

Governor Janet Mills announced today, January 13, updates to Maine’s vaccine distribution strategy that prioritizes older residents, those with underlying conditions, emergency service personnel and others critical to Maine’s COVID-19 response. Under the new guidelines, Maine’s limited vaccine supply will be prioritized for those 70 and older, additional emergency service personnel such as police and firefighters; and those critical to Maine’s COVID-19 response. The updated strategy also focuses on adults of all ages with underlying medical conditions that place them at greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19.

Current recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include two phases. Phase 1 includes three tiers, 1a, 1b and 1c. Phase 2 includes community vaccination. The State of Maine has set vaccination priorities in accordance with this guidance as well as sub-tiering instructions for hospitals and health care facilities.

Current priorities in Maine Phase 1a include healthcare workers, EMS and residents of long-term care facilities. Phase 1b includes people age 70 and older and frontline essential workers. Phase 1c includes people ages 65-70, people of all ages with high-risk medical conditions, and other essential workers. Phase 2 includes all people ages 16 and older who are not in Phase 1, with vaccine starting to become available to the general public. This approach is subject to change as Maine updates vaccination priorities and strategy in accordance with federal guidelines.

MDI Hospital is continually monitoring state and federal vaccine planning guidelines and availability to ensure that our community can be vaccinated as quickly and efficiently as possible when supply becomes available. Our ability to vaccinate our community is currently contingent on the supply we are allocated each week. Due to the limited supply of vaccine, MDI Hospital does not currently have a guaranteed weekly allocation of doses. MDI Hospital will be notified by the state when supply will be available to begin the updated prioritization strategy and will continue to update our community as new information is received. The Governor has said that additional information on vaccination for people age 70 and older in Maine will be available the week of January 18 and asked older Mainers to wait to contact their health care providers about getting vaccinated.

When supply becomes consistently available, vaccines will be available through our primary care clinics based on state guidance. We thank you for your patience during these dynamic times. If you would like more information, MDI Hospital has set up an email address for vaccine-related questions, covidvaccine@mdihospital.org.

COVID-19 Public Service Announcement

Mount Desert Island Hospital has seen an increase in COVID-19 positivity on MDI and surrounding communities following the holiday season. We strongly encourage everyone to remain vigilant, monitor for symptoms, wear a mask, practice good hand hygiene, maintain physical distancing and avoid crowded situations with poor ventilation.

Due to the increase in positivity, MDI Hospital will be providing access to our Winter Testing Facility on Sunday, January 3, 2021. The call line 207-801-5520 will open at 8:00 am to schedule testing for anyone who believes they may have come in contact with a COVID-19 positive community member. If we are on the line when you call, please leave a message so we can ensure your call is returned. Testing on Sunday will take place from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm.  The facility is located adjacent to 6 Stanwood Place in Bar Harbor.

In recent weeks, our state has seen the highest increase in cases since the beginning of the pandemic. We have also seen the first shipments of COVID-19 vaccination arrive in our state. As we have been throughout the pandemic, MDI Hospital remains committed to being as transparent as possible throughout this process. Supply of vaccine will be limited at first, and it is more important than ever that we maintain COVID-19 safety precautions.

Over the next several months, vaccines will begin to be available to protect those in Maine at the highest risk. The State of Maine has set vaccination priorities in accordance with the latest federal guidelines. Current recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include two phases. Phase 1 includes three tiers, 1a, 1b and 1c. Phase 1a includes health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities. Phase 1b includes people age 75 and older and frontline essential workers. Phase 1c includes people ages 65 to 74, people ages 16 to 64 with high-risk medical conditions, and other essential workers. Phase 2 includes all people ages 16 and older who are not in Phase 1, with vaccine starting to become available to the general public.

This approach is subject to change as Maine receives new vaccination guidance. The State has established a new webpage to help everyone stay up to date on the latest vaccine information: www.maine.gov/covid19/vaccines. As we wait for COVID-19 vaccine supply to increase, please continue to maintain physical distancing, wear a mask, practice good hand hygiene and avoid crowded situations with poor ventilation. Thank you for helping to protect the health and well-being of our invaluable community.