Joe VanWhy, owner and developer of several Maine hospitality properties, is donating $500,000 to the Southern Maine Community College Foundation to benefit hospitality management students and bolster the program’s infrastructure.

“This incredibly generous gift from Joe VanWhy will immediately impact the hospitality management program and its students,” said Joe Cassidy, president of Southern Maine Community College, in a May 18 press release. “This program has a proven track record of positively affecting the lives of Mainers and the hospitality industry in general. This donation will enable the program to update its offerings, expand, and produce even more high-quality, top-performing employees who can fill the industry’s need for a highly-skilled workforce.

“I came to Maine in 1992 when I purchased the Eastland Hotel and immediately fell in love with the way of life and the people,” VanWhy said in an email. “I’ve developed many properties in Maine over the last 30 years. The places and the people of this great state have helped me build a remarkable life. I felt I owed it to the people of Maine to give back.”

According to SMCC, VanWhy chose the donation path for a very personal reason.

“I never had the opportunity to go to college. I’ve always felt that I’ve been missing that piece in my development,” VanWhy said. “This gift allows me to fill that hole a little while giving students who might not otherwise go to college the chance to attend SMCC and learn about the best industry around.”

Cassidy said the gift deserved unique recognition.

“Joe’s commitment to SMCC and our students is special,” Cassidy said. “We are proud to announce that we are naming a program after an individual for the first time in the college’s history — the hospitality management program will become the Southern Maine Community College L. Joe VanWhy School of Hospitality. We can’t thank Joe enough for this transformational gift.”

Hospitality management student John Chilton was eager to see what new opportunities this gift would bring to SMCC.

“SMCC is so affordable already so more of this gift can go to creating experiences for students in the program,” Chilton said in an email. “The program does a fantastic job of bringing students into the field to see the industry firsthand and in real-time. Those outreach opportunities are valuable to help us see what is beyond what we think we can accomplish. Knowing this gift can give hospitality management students more opportunities for bigger goals is truly exciting.”

“I’m hoping this gift shows other donors and companies that SMCC is a great partner to find and develop the next workforce generation,” VanWhy said. “SMCC offers students educational pathways that allow them to go to work now or go on and find a path to more educational growth. I want others to see how they can help make SMCC, their lives, and the state of Maine an even better place.”

The Southern Maine Community College Foundation raises money from businesses, civic groups, community leaders and individuals for academic programs, classrooms and equipment, and scholarships for deserving students. People can support the foundation by calling 207-741-5559 or visiting www.smccME.edu/foundation.

South Portland Land Trust to host clean-up project 

On Saturday, June 3, as part of a celebration of National Trails Day and the kickoff to Love Maine Trails Month, South Portland Land Trust invites the public to join a volunteer trail project on Long Creek Trail. Long Creek Trail is a trail that winds its way high above Long Creek for about three-quarters of a mile through maples and oaks and currently ends at a point at the water’s edge with views of a nearby cove.

Project tasks will vary from cleaning up the trail, cutting back brush, removing invasive species, and making the trail more accessible. Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, clippers/loppers, and sun and tick protection. The trail project will run from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and volunteers can park and check-in at trailhead by the Opportunity Alliance (50 Lydia Lane).

Volunteers are asked to register for this project at southportlandlandtrust.org/upcoming-events/longcreekproject.

Both National Trails Day and Love Maine Trails Month focus on public events, trail service, and stewardship. National Trails Day is an initiative of the American Hiking Society, bringing thousands of people and organizations together to champion and maintain trails across the country. Similarly, Maine Trails Month is an initiative through Maine Trails Coalition focused on helping organizations, municipalities, and volunteers complete trail projects all over the state. Organizers hope the month helps raise awareness of the effort it takes to maintain trails.

For more information, visit americanhiking.org/national-trails-day and mainetrailscoalition.org/love-maine-trails-month.

Maddock earns Assumption University award

In recognition of their commitment to service, 21 members of the Assumption University class of 2023, including Morgan Maddock, of Scarborough, have been awarded the Crown & Shield Award, which honors students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and service during their four years at Assumption.

Students were honored during a ceremony on May 5, two days before the university held its 106th commencement exercises at the DCU Center in downtown Worcester.

Assumption University also announced that Maddock has been named to the university’s dean’s list for the spring 2023 semester.

Stonehill College celebrates the class of 2023

Stonehill College, located in Easton, Massachusetts, held its 72nd commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 21.

Local residents earning degrees:

Courtney Brochu, Scarborough.

Noah Drapeau, Scarborough.

Sophie Glidden, Scarborough.

Connor LaBonte, Scarborough.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute announces dean’s list

A total of 2,054 undergraduate students achieved the criteria required for Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s spring 2023 dean’s list.

Local residents named to the dean’s list:

Chris Davis, Scarborough, class of 2025, majoring in aerospace engineering.

Parker Frizzle Scarborough, class of 2025, majoring in computer science.

Resident earns WPI degree

On May 13, Henry Yoder, who majored in computer science, was bestowed a bachelor’s degree at WPI’s 154th commencement. Nearly 1,100 undergraduate degrees were awarded during the ceremony.

Scarborough Free Baptist to host Plant and Book Sale

Scarborough Free Baptist Church will host a Plant and Book Sale 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 3. The sale will feature a variety of perennials and herbs (for sun and shade), wild flowers, flowers for bees and hummingbirds, rhubarb, daylilies, peonies, hostas, etc. Gardening items will also be offered. Books will be inside.

Scarborough Free Baptist Church is located at 55 Mussey Road (Eight Corners). The event will begin promptly at 9 a.m.

Kiwanis Club announces June speaker

The Scarborough Kiwanis Club recently announced that its speaker on Friday, June 2 will be Norman Kildow, finance director for the town of Scarborough.

Kildow oversees and manages revenue collections and expenditure payments for the town, and provides financial reporting to town departments and its citizens. The validation vote on Scarborough’s school budget is scheduled for June 27.

The Scarborough Kiwanis Club meets every Friday from noon to 1 p.m. at Cowbell Burger, 185 Route 1, Scarborough. Meetings are always free and open to the public.

For more information, email the club at scarboroughkiwanis2@gmail.com.

Trunk and Treasure Sale at Blue Point Congregational Church

Blue Point Congregational Church will host its Community Trunk and Treasures Sale 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 3. The event will be held rain or shine. Blue Point Congregational Church is located at 236 Pine Point Road in Scarborough.

Friends, family, crafters, all are welcome to sell yard sale items, treasures, or crafts from car trunks in designated parking spots. Set up will begin at 8 a.m. Organizers asked participants to inform them if a canopy will be used.

Parking space rental is $15. Parking space plus a table is $20.

Mike’s Grill will offer hamburgers, hot dogs, soda and chips starting at 10:30 a.m. A church bake table will be available with coffee.

To sign up for a space, visit www.bluepointchurch.org or email bluepointcongregationalchurch@gmail.com.

For more information, call 207-883-6540.

Scarborough artist selected for Art Guild of the Kennebunks

Six area artists have been selected for membership in the Art Guild of the Kennebunks, following a juried event held on April 22, according to Linda Van Tassel, president of the guild. The artists, reflecting a variety of media, subject interest and styles, were selected following a review of submitted work, judged by a jury of the guild’s members.

The new members include:

Jody Agustadt of Gorham: medium – oil

Kailleigh Archibald of Scarborough: medium – oil, colored pencils

Joseph Cousins of Freeport: medium -acrylic, watercolors

Robert Milaschewski of North Berwick: medium – pen & ink

Deborah Platz of Springvale: medium – acrylic

Nancy Van Tassel of Lyman: medium – watercolor

“The the annual juried event,” said Van Tassel in a May 22 news release, “serves to maintain a vital and ever expanding horizon of talent, insight and energy within the guild, securing its position and that of the Kennebunks both locally and in the broader New England artistic community.”

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