Typically, I try to walk on the sunny side of the street, highlighting what is going well, what are promising signs for our region and mentioning ways we can all come together for the common good. However, it’s also important to recognize the reality of certain situations, and these past few weeks, as productive as my conversations have been, many people I encounter seem stretched out and a bit overwhelmed. The reasons for this are many, including the extra tension in our news cycles as we approach what increasingly feels like a critical election for the future of our nation, a wind down of the tourism season, inflation fears headed into winter heating season, local businesses changing hands or closing, water safety issues, and much more. Everyone seems a bit frazzled right now, and the frazzling doesn’t seem unwarranted.

This week, I want to point towards a few good things, in case you missed some of the good or if you just need to be reminded that though we can all get overwhelmed at times, that successes abound, too.

Best of the Midcoast Awards Night

The Times Record unveiled its “Best of the Midcoast” awards a week or two ago, in a ceremony at the Lemont Block event space. I happened to be there chatting with some friends before going in and was thrilled to see groups of employees from local businesses bubbling with energy as they arrived. Everyone was dressed up for the photo opportunity that the night promised, and the event delivered on that promise. Each finalist and award winner got a round of applause, along with hoots and affirmations, and the award winners would then get a team photo at the selfie stations set up on site to capture the memory.

It was fulfilling to see so many businesses celebrating with their teams for being recognized for doing great work in their field. There was such pride in the room — it was palpable — and kudos to the TR team for pulling off such a great night.

Volvo toots its horn for Bath

A few weeks back, Volvo filmed a national commercial in downtown Bath! What a great experience for so many locals and businesses who got to show why Bath is such an idyllic place to be. Huge shoutout to the City of Bath and Main Street Bath for coordinating the efforts along with the businesses that gussied up their spaces in anticipation for the shoot and those businesses that altered their operations to accommodate the shoot (like Byrne’s Irish Pub and Bath Natural Food Market for getting their deliveries in unique ways). Union + Co. is the featured backdrop, and Sean, Mandy and their team should be so proud that they have created a space that is so desirable as said backdrop. Again, another proud moment for our region.

Autumnfest this weekend In Bath

Also, a couple dozen businesses are having special promotions this Saturday in Bath for Autumnfest. There will also be crafts for kids and so much more. Visit either the Main Street Bath website (visitbath.com) or its Facebook page for the latest updates as some businesses are still signing up! It’s heartwarming seeing businesses working together to go the extra mile.

Oasis Free Clinic grand opening next week

For those who don’t know the impact of Oasis Free Clinic, it is incredible. They provide free health care services to low- and no-income individuals. This is done through numerous grants, donations and a ton of medical professionals donating time and resources to aid this underserved population with dental and medical care. Next week, there will be a tangible celebration of that as Oasis Free Clinic will have a ribbon-cutting for its brand-new offices up near the Parkview campus of MaineHealth in Brunswick (331 Maine St., Suite 4).

To provide the services is an accomplishment on its own, but to be able to fundraise and provide a new space that can help expand services is quite another. Congrats to Oasis Free Clinic’s Board of Directors, Executive Director Anita Ruff and their team of staff and volunteers. The open house is from 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, with the ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m.

Cousin’s Beverage and Redemption ribbon-cutting

Two final successes to mention, as when any new business comes to the region, it is always worth of celebration. The next ribbon-cutting we have is at Cousin’s Beverage and Cousin’s Redemption on Bath Road in Brunswick at 4 p.m. Thursday Oct. 3. This is a great reminder to all that we want to share your successes with you, and if you haven’t had a ribbon-cutting and want to, we’d love to do that, just as we are doing for Cousin’s! We celebrate all businesses, and we’d love to shine a light on you, too. We encourage everyone to come join us Thursday.

Walter’s Café ribbon-cutting

Finally, last Friday, I got invited by our friends at the Brunswick Downtown Association to a small ribbon-cutting for Walter’s Café, a brilliant new space downstairs in the Tontine Mall in Brunswick. If you haven’t heard, Walter is indeed the namesake and chef of the iconic Portland restaurant named Walter’s that so many in this region love and remember. The vision they have for this space and what they have already done to make it feel warm and inviting is truly wonderful. They do breakfast and lunch now and, in November, will begin dinner service. To hear how they want to add to this space is inspiring. What caught me most, though, was Walter’s words during the ribbon-cutting and how much the support from Maine Community Bank has meant to him, and the openness of the people of Brunswick. He has felt so overwhelmingly welcomed and accepted in the region already, and when it comes to overwhelming, that’s the kind of overwhelming that fills me up, too.

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