With as much as our communities have been through over the last several weeks, and as I run into more and more people affected by the tragedy in Lewiston and throughout Maine, I’ve decided to write my typical Thanksgiving column a few weeks early. I think we all could use some good news, and there are several great things happening in the area that deserve to be congratulated and recognized. Who knows — this may be a part one of several thankful thoughts this month. Some of these are big and some are small, and that’s okay, too. Good things come in all sizes. Here we go, in no particular order.

onelewiston.org

The Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Chamber and the governor’s office created onelewiston.org, which is a website with links to validated philanthropic initiatives in the region and also a resource database for other unique information. It’s unfortunate that there are people in this world who will take advantage of tragic situations to create fraudulent philanthropic websites; however, I’m thankful for the quick action and leadership that created onelewiston.org to help out so many.

There are many moving parts to creating something like this so quickly, and dozens of stakeholders worked tireless hours to get us that vital information. The site also includes contact information for a variety of mental health services and a description of what they do, a section for families who need some tips in talking with their children and teenagers about violence, and resources for business that include crisis planning and active shooter plans.

Please visit this site in case there is anyone you know that could use help. There are also donation links if you have the means to support the communities philanthropically.

‘The Realistic Joneses’

The Theater Project in Brunswick has a wonderful, small-cast show happening now in their space on School Street in Brunswick called “The Realistic Joneses” by Will Eno. Most theater lovers enjoy flashy musicals with song and dance, but there are some non-musical gems that happen every year in our region that are worthy of note, too. This four-person, character-driven show focuses on two couples who live next door. “Character-driven” is a euphemism for “more conversation than action,” and the four actors excel in making the moments and conversations seem so very real, and Eno’s words are so rich they invite the audience to slip away into this story for 90 minutes.

If you’re looking for a quiet night out, grab some food at one of our great restaurants, then head over to the theater. I’m thankful small theaters exist to provide us with meaningful artistic pieces like this one. This is the final weekend with shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening, and a closing Sunday matinee. For more information, check out theaterproject.com.

Bed Races on Saturday

I’m very excited to be a part of the Bed Races capping off the Early Bird Sale in downtown Brunswick this Saturday, Nov. 11. The Brunswick Downtown Association organizes both events and the bed races are back after missing last year. One of the reasons they didn’t happen last year was because of a lack of bed race teams that could participate. As I stated in last week’s column, I get it — we’re all stretched thin and not engaging is so much easier than committing to help.

That’s why this year I’m thankful so many teams have stepped up to participate and that the BDA continues to have this silly event as part of the Early Bird Sale. The Bed Races don’t serve any higher purpose than to bring joy and let people act like fools for a few memorable moments — we can all use a little more of that. I look forward to seeing you all on Park Row on Saturday.

MTF 2023 already breaking records

It looks like we have already topped our most trees ever for the Midcoast Tree Festival, and the event is still a week and a half away. We also have more sponsors than ever. Our previous record for trees was last year’s 41 tree spaces, and we already have 47 trees with a few more pending, which is incredible.

I’m so thankful for the numerous businesses that continue to step up every year to support this fundraiser for our chamber, Spectrum Generations and All Saints Parish. We open Nov. 17 for two weekends, and we can’t wait for you to see these trees. Keep an eye on the Midcoast Tree Festival Facebook page for more updates, and if you want to volunteer or give a last minute donation, contact the chamber office or go online to the chamber website at midcoastmaine.com.

Internships and bus tours expanding

If your business would like to give an opportunity to explore your industry through some internships, we have a sign-up for you! Our chamber has been meeting one-on-one with businesses to gather their internship opportunities and bus tour opportunities to showcase careers for students. We’ve realized that though one-on-one meetings are great for answering questions, we have many more businesses that want to be involved and students seeking opportunities. Thus, we’ve decided to send the registration forms out broadly, and once they are returned to us, we’ll then follow up with any clarifying questions.

So, if you’re interested in being a potential host site for an internship or a bus tour of students, please log on to our website at midcoastmaine.com. On the homepage, you will find the Chamber Works 2030 tab and under that you will find both forms. Please note: These forms do not guarantee internship placements or tours but rather put you on the list to be considered by students and administrators. As students express interest in different career paths, this database will help connect students to potential careers.

I’m thankful for the partnerships with the schools to connect with the students and thankful for the businesses willing to open their doors for those wanting to learn.

Cory King is executive director of the Bath-Brunswick Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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