Freeport Community Services has hired an interim executive director and has filled a newly created position of events/communications coordinator.

Emily Chaleff, a consultant, started on Sept. 12 as the interim executive director, filling the void left by Melanie Sachs, who left on Sept. 6 to become interim executive director of Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine.

Nancy Trottier of Gray is the new events/communications coodinator, a part-time position.

Both Chaleff and Gray are paying a good deal of attention right now to the 22nd annual Freeport Community Services Chowdah Challenge, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 1. The Chowdah Challenge is part of the hugely popular Freeport Fall Festival, coming up for the 18th year on Oct. 1-2, on and around the L.L. Bean Campus.

“The first order of business is keeping the trains running on time,” said Chaleff. “Most people here know the Chowdah Challenge is coming up in October. I’m working on that with Connie Trottier.”

Chaleff came on as a consultant last winter to help Freeport Community Services work on implementation of a three-year development plan. Even while Chaleff and her staff are working on that fundraising event, they are planning the annual meeting, scheduled for Oct. 24.

Chaleff said she expects to stay on in her half-time position until at least the end of November. FCS has done the job posting for the full-time position of executive director.

Chaleff, who was executive director for the Jewish Community Alliance in Portland prior to becoming a consultant, said she is working on building community relationships, expanding the volunteer base and just making certain that “everything is in place” for the new executive director.

“It’s operational, and it’s administrative,” she said of her position.

Trottier, 54, comes to FCA from a similar position as director of events and programming at the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce. She is an adjunct faculty member for events at Southern Maine Community College.

“This is a self-contained, new position,” Trottier said of her new job at the agency. “I will drive fundraising for three major events – the Chowdah Challenge, the White Nights Auction in January and the annual FCS Freeze Out in Feburary.”

She is also organizing the annual meeting.

“They really wanted to have one person focus on these events, to take them to a new level,” Trottier said. “It’s an opportunity. They have a very active board, so that’s a nice piece.”

Trottier said that board members are out getting local restaurants to donate dishes for the Chowdah Challenge, held every year on the steps of the L.L. Bean Home Store. Last Thursday, she was cutting the ballots, and getting them ready.

Trottier said she has fun planning such events.

“You’re always thinking for the end,” she said, “and in the end, it’s people participating, and you’re the driver to make that happen.”

Nancy Trottier of Gray, newly hired events/communications coordinator for Freeport Community Services, gets ready to cut sheets of ballots to be used in the Annual Freeport Community Services Chowdah Challenge on Oct. 1.

Nancy Trottier of Gray, newly hired events/communications coordinator for Freeport Community Services, gets ready to cut sheets of ballots, to be used in the Annual Freeport Community Services Chowdah Challenge on Oct. 1.

Emily Chaleff is the interim executive director of Freeport Community Services.