South Portland Land Trust has been awarded Maine Trail Coalition’s Completing the Vision Award for the inaugural Love Maine Trails month, taking place from late June through July 2022.

Love Maine Trails month was created as a collective effort of trail stewardship to bring people together to work on a number of trail projects throughout the state. According to coalition, Love Maine Trails Month hosted over 60 projects by 23 organizations across Maine, with over 302 volunteers and 3,451-plus volunteer hours. The Maine Trail Coalition distributed $5,000 between six organizations.

South Portland Land Trust received the Completing the Vision Award for completing the 2.1-mile Clark’s Pond Loop, a 15-year effort. Since the the land trust’s West End Trail Committee was launched in 2006, the trust has completed the initial 1.1-mile Clark’s Pond Trail and later built the Long Creek, Red Brook, and South Branch trails.

Each trail is located within the greater Maine Mall area and provides residents, staff at local businesses, and visitors with access to a high-quality outdoor recreation opportunity. The opening of the Clark’s Pond extension trail enables pedestrians to walk completely around the pond and was built almost exclusively by volunteers and funded by South Portland Land Trust members, Davis Conservation Fund, and the Conservation for All program at the Maine Community Foundation.

According to a South Portland Land Trust news release, “By creating walkways that connect neighborhoods across the city, pedestrians now have safe and enjoyable access through some of the city’s most natural and scenic spaces. The land trust hopes its projects will increase environmental stewardship and support the ongoing efforts of the Long Creek restoration and revitalization project.”

“The South Portland Land Trust is grateful to be part of Love Maine Trails Month and for receiving this award,” said Alex Redfield, land trust president “We are a smaller land trust by many metrics, and programs such as this amplified our volunteer recruitment and engagement activities. ‘Completing the Vision’ is the perfect way to describe this project and we appreciate this recognition.”

The Maine Trail Coalition is planning a 2023 Love Maine Trails Month in June for trails used in the summer and fall, and another month in November for trails more regularly used in the winter. As noted by coalition, “Trails do not maintain themselves and need volunteer labor and dedicated funding to improve, repair, and maintain. If you believe trails need love, visit MaineTrailsCoalition.org to learn more and get involved.”

Organization announces mission to feed neighbors

Three towns, one united team effort has been organized to pack the pantries and raise critical funds for the three food pantries serving the communities of South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, and Scarborough has been announced.

On Saturday, Dec. 17, all three police departments will host a pop-up food drive and fundraiser to benefit the South Portland Food Cupboard, Judy’s Pantry, and the Scarborough Food Pantry.

With the high prices for food and heating fuel, many of neighbors are turning to the food pantries to help stretch tight budgets. “As the weather turns colder, as prices at the grocery stores continue to be high, we are seeing more and more neighbors stop by the food pantry,” said Ellen Parenteau, Scarborough Food Pantry’s volunteer director.

In addition to the nonperishable foods donated to pack the pantries, police and volunteers hope to raise critical funds for the pantries. Local businessman and philanthropist, Eddie Woodin, has issued a challenge match to the three pantries to raise $15,000 for their missions to feed their neighbors.

Donations will be accepted online or in person at any of the three public safety buildings on Saturday, Dec. 17, 9 to 11 a.m. with nonperishable foods or cash (or checks payable to the South Portland Food Cupboard). All funds raised and food collected will be shared with all three pantries serving South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth.

“The real difference-makers are the volunteers over at the food pantries,” Woodin said in an email. “People who go in every week to serve our neighbors; those are the real heroes, alongside our men and women in public safety who are stepping up to respond to the community need with this team effort for our neighbors, especially seniors on fixed incomes, who just can’t make ends meet right now.”

Dwayne Hopkins, director of the Food Cupboard, hopes that residents in the three towns will share what they can to the food drive and fundraiser for the three pantries. “Dropping off a couple extra canned goods might not seem like a big deal or all that impactful,” he said. “But if each of our 55,000 neighbors in South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, and Scarborough gave a couple extra cans or boxes of food, you’re talking 100,000 items that our three pantries can distribute to hundreds of neighbors in need. That is super impactful.”

For more information and a donation link, visit www.fooddrive.me.

Ring in the ‘Noon Year’ with library

South Portland Public Library will host its annual Noon Year’s Eve party at the Main Library on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 11:30 a.m. The event will feature stories, crafts, snacks, a countdown to noon, and a festive balloon drop.

Participants are invited to wear pajamas, dress to impress, or “come as you are.” All ages are welcome. For more information, call Youth Services at 767-7660, ext. 3.

SMCC receives a donation in excess of $1 million

Southern Maine Community College has been provided with a donation in excess of $1 million from a longtime, anonymous donor to benefit students in hands-on trade programs looking to enter the workforce after graduating.

Southern Maine Community College President Joe Cassidy announced the anonymous donation at the 2022 A Light on the Point, the college’s annual awards and fundraising event.

“This anonymous donor completed a gift of over $1 million directly to the SMCC Foundation,” Cassidy said. “That is a big gift in our world. A requirement of the donation is that the entire gift goes directly to students and that it’s completely spent down in ten years, which helps make an immediate impact. This gift is an extraordinary expression of generosity that supports our mission of helping to transform the lives of our students and the communities where they live and work.”

The donor said the goal has always been to impact the lives of hard-working people that need a little support.

“We were originally inspired to give by seeing the hard work of SMCC students first-hand,” the donor said. “We’ve been giving for a while, and now we’re at a place where we feel we can make a real, positive impact on the lives of Southern Maine Community College students. We couldn’t think of a better way to make a difference in our community.”

“We’re going to put a million-plus directly into the hands of SMCC students,” Cassidy said. “We can’t thank this amazing supporter enough.”

To apply for an Southern Maine Community College Foundation scholarship, students should log onto the MyMoney section of the MySMCC student portal, contact the Foundation Office at foundation@smccME.edu or call 207-741-5559.

 

 

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