Seven area schools receive grants from local education program

Berlin City Auto Group donated $19,095 to seven area schools through its Drive for Education Program created by employees. Blue Point School in Scarborough, Deering High School in Portland, Falmouth Middle School, South Portland High School, Frank I. Brown Elementary School in South Portland, Stevens Brook Elementary School in Bridgton and the Windham Raymond School District received donations up to $3,500 after submitting applications and essays to Drive for Education last month. The awards will be presented at noon Wednesday at Berlin City Toyota of Portland, 191 Riverside St.

Giving Back

Scarborough Terrace Assisted Living received help from “holiday angels” who came to deck the halls of the senior living community, continuing a 12-year tradition from Bud Hanson and his friends from the Stoney Creek Condo Association. Hanson, a former Scarborough Terrace driver, has kept in touch with the staff and residents and enjoys helping however he can. Each year, he and his team decorate five Christmas trees along with the entryway and an outdoor sign.

New Hires, Promotions and Appointments

Southern Maine Geriatrics announced that Dr. Hugh Harwood has been awarded status as a certified medical director by the American Medical Directors Association. Harwood graduated from Middlebury College and New York Medical College. He joined Southern Maine Geriatrics in 2010 and has been in both solo practice and hospital-based practice for over 25 years.

The Maine Community Foundation promoted Jennifer Southard from director of philanthropic services to vice president of donor services and gift planning. Southard holds a bachelor’s in economics from Smith College. While at Smith, she attended the London School of Economics. She lives in Portland and serves on the board of Portland Community Rowing Association.

Holden Agency hired Sarah Ireland as a new account manager for Employee Benefits Solutions, a division of Holden Agency. Ireland was previously an account manager with Turner Barker/Clark Insurance in the employee benefits division.

Christina St.Cyr has joined Yarmouth Boat Yard and Moose Landing Marina to further market their line of boats and experienced service centers. She has experience in the media and digital advertising industry at MaineToday.com, NewsSimply.com and Gannett.

Family physician Lisa Belisle has joined Topsham Family Medicine and Brunswick Family Medicine. Belisle had maintained a private practice in Yarmouth and Portland for more than 10 years. In 2007, she expanded her practice to include medical acupuncture and integrative health.

New Openings & Expansions

Scarborough Family Chiropractic opened a new office, Falmouth Family Chiropractic, at 256 U.S. Route 1 in Falmouth. It also established an umbrella organization, Family Chiropractic Associates, laying the framework for additional growth. Dr. Stacey Cantrell will lead the Falmouth practice. She began practicing chiropractic care in the Portland area in 2005. She is one of three pregnancy and pediatric certified chiropractors in Maine.

Recognition

Daniel Sonenberg, a University of Southern Maine associate professor of music at USM’s School of Music, is the recipient of a $15,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant in opera. His opera, titled “The Summer King,” will be performed in concert on May 8, 2014, at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland, in collaboration with Portland Ovations.

Rising Tide Public Relations has been awarded the Maine Food Strategy Public Awareness and Outreach Contract. Rising Tide will provide strategic communications, media relations and graphic design services to Maine Food Strategy staff and stakeholders. Administered through the Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Food Strategy is a program designed to build alliances across the state’s farm and fishery sectors to promote locally grown, harvested and processed food.