Meditation center
opens in South Portland

SOUTH PORTLAND — Sadhana Meditation Center recently opened in South Portland on the lower level of The Castle at 100 Brickhill Ave.

Sadhana, which means spiritual practice in Sanskrit, is a non-denominational center for meditation and chanting open to people of all faiths.

The Center held its grand opening ceremony on April 10 with a keynote address by Khenmo Nyima Drolma, Abbess of Vajra Dakini Nunnery in Vermont.

Sadhana is open to the public daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., with donations accepted based on affordability.

For a schedule of set group meditation and chanting times, please visit sadhaname.com.

Yarmouth duo release
children’s book

YARMOUTH — Yarmouth authors Gerri Eastment and Denise Cassidy have recently had their first children’s book published.

“Pericles and Philomina” chronicles the true story of Cassidy’s two cats who were injured and abandoned in Athens, Greece, before being rescued and flown to Yarmouth to live with Cassidy.

The book is on sale locally at the Book Review in Falmouth.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit animal rescue efforts in Maine.

Governor awards Maine
businesses, nonprofits
 
WATERVILLE — Five Maine businesses and six nonprofits were recently presented with the 2010 Governor’s Award for Business and Nonprofit Excellence at the annual Colby Institute for Leadership luncheon.

The business awards, administered by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development and sponsored by FairPoint Communications, were presented on behalf of Governor John E. Baldacci to recognize Maine companies that demonstrate a high level of commitment to their community, employees and to manufacturing or service excellence.

The recipients of the business award were Gifford’s Ice Cream, Maine Manufacturing, Old Town Canoe Company – Johnson Outdoors, Sprague & Curtis Real Estate, and Yankee Marina & Boatyard.

The Governor’s Awards for Nonprofit Excellence, sponsored by Healey & Associates, Inc., were presented by the Maine Association of Nonprofits to six Maine nonprofit organizations that have achieved significant results through innovation and sound management practices.

The nonprofit award winners were Health Access Network, Woodfords Family Services, Portland Symphony Orchestra, Spruce Run Association, Hardy Girls Healthy Women, and Youth Arts.

New Ventures

Maine Marine Composites of Portland and Boston-based Resolute Marine Energy, Inc.  were awarded a joint grant for $150,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy for renewable energy technology development. The DOE Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant will be used by the two companies to further develop a wave energy converter that could potentially generate power in the Gulf of Maine.

William J. Michaud has opened a law practice in Portland specializing in education and school-related matters, family law, mediation, and criminal defense.  Michaud is a recent graduate from the University of Maine School of Law. Prior to law school he worked for 28 years in the Maine public school system as a teacher, high school principal, and superintendent of schools.  For more information, please call 776-9626.

Mid-Coast Mental Health Center has joined the Maine Mental Health Partners, further establishing an integrated network of community-based mental health services. MCMHC joins current members Spring Harbor Hospital, Spring Harbor Community Services, Community Counseling Center and Integrated Behavioral Healthcare. Maine Mental Health Partners was developed in 2008 to create greater efficiencies in Maine’s mental health system by growing a network of nonprofit treatment providers who share a common vision and clinical philosophy.  

Seabreeze Property Services, Inc., owned and operated by Pete and John Kelly, was awarded a five-year contract for exterior landscaping services at the Portland International Jetport by the City of Portland. 

Lilley’s Limousine, owned by Dan DeCosta, has relocated from its location at 275 Gorham Road in Scarborough to a new space at 185 U.S. Route One in Scarborough.  The company, which has been in business since 1988, will now be able to store all of its vehicles in an indoor showroom at the new location.

Northeast Investigations, a Portland-based private investigation agency now offers GPS tracking services. For more information, please contact Anthony Orlando at 797-6164 or visit northeastinvestigations.net.

Appointments

Governor Baldacci has appointed the following local residents to the Maine Commission for Community Service:  Stephen Letourneau of Portland, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities Maine; Brenda Peluso of South Portland, director of public policy for the Maine Association of Nonprofits; Joan McDonald of South Portland, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of Maine.

James Harnar of Portland, executive director of the Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership; and Tracy Hawkins of Cumberland, an independent financial consultant, have been appointed to the Spring Harbor Hospital board of trustees.

Oliver “Andy” Andrews, III, of Phippsburg, a private business consultant and former bank executive, was newly elected as member of the board of trustees of Bath Savings Institution.

Jennifer I. Richard of Cumberland, a partner at law firm Drummond & Drummond, LLP, has joined the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine as a member of its board of directors.

Jim Pierce of Topsham, founding member of the MidCoast Collaborative for Access to Transportation, was elected to serve on the board of trustees for the Brunswick-based People Plus center.

Bob Knecht of South Freeport, principle/broker with Town and Shore Associates, LLC; and Dr. John Wise of Portland, principal investigator of Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, were recently elected to the board of directors of Friends of Casco Bay.

The Nature Conservancy of Maine has elected three area residents as members of ts board of trustees. New trustees are Jane Sheehan of Cape Elizabeth, president/CEO of The Foundation for Blood Research; John Sowles of North Yarmouth, recently retired director of ecology, Maine Department of Marine Resources; and Ben Willauer of Freeport, financial advisor with Charter Oak Capital Management.

Andrews

Harnar

Hawkins

Knecht

Michaud

Richard

Wise

Sidebar Elements

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Mary Kelly of Falmouth, pictured left, was recently sworn in by Governor John E. Baldacci to the Maine District Court. Previously, Kelly was a Family Law Magistrate and an Assistant Attorney General.