ANTHEM VOLUNTEERS FAN OUT TO HELP

More than 90 Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield associates in Maine and their friends and families joined forces to participate in the company’s annual Community Service Day held recently. These efforts helped support three organizations across the state: the Cumberland County YMCA, the American Cancer Society and Special Olympics of Maine. At the YMCA, volunteers refurbished its playground and locker rooms. At the American Cancer Society, volunteers helped on a variety of projects including creating a photo wall to tell stories of various events, painting a mural for the Road to Recovery program and helping the staff prepare for the annual Living with Cancer Conference. Volunteers helped during Special Olympics’ Fun and Fit Day by working with athletes during an indoor soccer tournament.

Additional Photos

Norway Savings presents a $1,000 check to the Steep Falls Village Improvement Society to help with construction of a community park. Courtesy photo

Volunteers do some landscaping work at Camp Sunshine as part of the Harvard Pilgrim Day of Service in May. The team also built a disc golf course for the camp. Courtesy photo

Alena Sarkisov of Portland and her baby, who was born on Mother’s Day; attending nurse Michelle Olkkola of Woolwich; and Inn by the Sea spa manager Malina Payne. Courtesy photo

HOIST ONE FOR LOBSTER STUDY

Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation, a nonprofit research organization in Kennebunk, was beneficiary of a fundraising effort for the Maine lobster industry through Flatbread in Portland. During the month of May, Flatbread and Allagash Brewery set a donation of $1 to the foundation per pint of Allagash beer sold. The foundation collaborates with lobstermen and scientists on industry-based research projects.

BANK BOOSTS PARK EFFORT

Norway Savings recently donated $1,000 to the Steep Falls Village Improvement Society for the community park the group is building in Steep Falls. The organization has raised more than $60,000 in grant money, but is still looking for an additional $12,000 to complete the park.

DISC GOLF FOR CAMP SUNSHINE

Volunteers from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care spent a Friday in May lending a hand at Camp Sunshine, a year-round camp for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The team built a disc golf course and also did some landscaping to get the camp in shape for the summer season. Community Service Days in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire are part of Harvard Pilgrim’s corporate commitment to communities.

SO ORPHANED CHILDREN CAN STUDY

College of the Atlantic’s annual Fandango event raised more than $1,200 to help support AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe. Gloria Kahamba, who reported the fundraising success for COA’s

International student organization, Pangea, extended thanks to the Mount Desert Island community for its support. Funds raised went to Ndini Wako, a Zimbabwean-based organization launched by Tawanda Chabikwa, a 2007 College of the Atlantic graduate from Zimbabwe. Ndini Wako ensures that some of the children whose parents have died of AIDS can study, and also provides books and stationery for an entire school of some 500 children.

A TREAT FOR THREE NEW MOMS

The Inn by the Sea, Cape Elizabeth’s eco-luxury beach resort, offered a special treat for the three new moms who delivered at Maine Medical Center on Mother’s Day. Malina Payne, manager of the Spa at Inn by the Sea, visited the Portland hospital to present gift certificates to the new moms for their choice of the 90-minute Signature Sea Breeze Facial or the 90-minute Signature Sea Waves Massage, to be used whenever mom feels like she needs to relax and unwind. The Spa at Inn by the Sea provides a peaceful setting with sanctuary space, treatment rooms, steam room and showers.

A RECORD FOR POLAR BEAR SCRAMBLE

PeoplesChoice Credit Union held its 7th annual Polar Bear Scramble on the state-of-the-art golf simulators at Fore Season Indoor Golf in Portland. This year’s event featured a sold-out field and raised a record $11,505 for the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger and Maine Special Olympics. In just seven years, the event has raised more than $71,000 for these two causes. Participants included a number of other credit unions from across Maine as well as business partners and friends of PeoplesChoice Credit Union. CPort Credit Union and Salem Advisory Group placed in gross and net awards.

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