Uncommon Paws was voted Best Overall in this year’s Holiday Window Display Contest in Portland. Contributed / Convinced Photography
Portland Holiday Window Display winners announced
Uncommon Paws pet shop was voted Best Overall in this year’s Holiday Window Display Contest, Portland Downtown announced last week.
“Picture perfect is the only way to describe Uncommon Paws’ masterpiece,” a press release from the downtown organization stated. “It’s a true celebration of holiday warmth and cheer – and a stunning showcase for Uncommon Paws’ new digs at 21 Exchange Street.”
Gus & Ruby Letterpress at 28 Exchange St. garnered the most votes on Facebook – almost 350 – making it the Community Choice winner. The runner-up for Community Choice was Waterlily at 28 Milk St. with 325 votes. Other winners included: Maine Craft Portland, Best Theme; Vena’s Fizz House, Best Use of Merchandise; Still A Good Cause, Most Original; Maine College of Art and Coffee By Design, Best Messages of Hope; Colby Company Engineering, Best Newcomer; The Blue Lobster, Best Encapsulates 2020; Juju, Wow Factor; Edgecomb Potters, Honorable Mention. The entries were judged by representatives from three nonprofits, including Emily Page of Creative Portland, Kelly McCormack of Maine Association of Nonprofits and Shultzie Fay Willows of United Way of Greater Portland. All 44 entries can be viewed at Portland Downtown’s Facebook page.
PROPEL gets fired up about Ignition Awards
PROPEL Portland, the young professional’s chapter of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, announced the winners of the organization’s 2020 Ignition Awards during a virtual ceremony Dec. 16. Local business owners, individuals, companies and outstanding young professionals were recognized.
“Although we were forced to shift the event format to virtual, as a board, we felt it was more important than ever to recognize the outstanding efforts of the young professionals and businesses in our community,” said Jillian Kanter, PROPEL president. “We are amazed at the flood of support we received from the community in nominating, voting for and honoring these extremely deserving individuals and businesses.”
The Young Professional of the Year is Nate Moody, retirement investment counselor at Lebel & Harriman, who volunteers with Junior Achievement of Maine, Preble Street Soup Kitchen and Long Creek Youth Development Center. The Maine Ambassador of the Year is Nate Wildes, executive director of Live + Work in Maine. Julia Leighton, the founder of the nonprofit, Let’s Dia-beat This, which helps soften the financial burden for families with children who have diabetes, was named Community Leader of the Year. Evergreen Credit Union was awarded one of two Adaptive Business of the Year awards for providing more Paycheck Protection Program loans to Southern Maine businesses than any other credit union in the state. American Roots, was also named an Adaptive Business for shifting its production during the pandemic to include personal protection equipment. The Unsung Business Hero of the Year is the Portland Sea Dogs. When the pandemic canceled the 2020 baseball season, the Sea Dogs committed to paying every employee who would have worked the 2020 season, even though they did not play a single game of baseball.
Recognition
The Mayer-Rothschild Foundation has announced the University of Maine Center on Aging and The Cedars in Portland will share the inaugural Designation of Excellence in Person-Centered Long-Term Care Award. The partners will be tasked to develop a new standard of excellence in the design, development and implementation of a national standard for residential care of older adults.
Granted
KeyBank teamed with UMaine men’s basketball assistant coach Edniesha Curry to make a $12,500 donation to the Good Shepherd Food Bank, as well as donating gift cards to customers of various small businesses throughout Key’s Maine footprint during the first two weeks of December. In addition, a grant of $5,000 was made to Curry’s charity of choice, the American Cancer Society of Maine. In total, the bank donated more than $30,000 to support the Maine community through the KeyBank Assists campaign.
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