ecomaine reaches
recycling milestone

PORTLAND — Municipally-owned waste management nonprofit, ecomaine, has reached a major milestone by processing more than 30,000 tons of recyclable waste in this past year.

The 30,705 tons of recycling processed by ecomaine from July, 2008 – June, 2009, exceeds the total from the first five years of ecomaine’s operation (1991-1996).

Troy Moon, chairman of the ecomaine recycling committee and the City of Portland’s solid waste manager, in a recent press release, attributed ecomaine’s success to continually educating the public about recycling and encouraging recycling through its annual eco-Excellence Awards, open house events, brochures, articles, and community meetings.

Portland law firm named U.S.
Dept. of Energy counsel

PORTLAND — Curtis Thaxter Stevens Broder & Micoleau, LLC, a Portland-based law firm with expertise in renewable energy and electricity transmission industries, was selected as counsel for the U.S. Department of Energy.

The law firm will provide advice and representation under a recently expanded loan guarantee program intended to support development of renewable and other energy projects.

Curtis Thaxter has been active in the renewable energy field, particularly in energy law and financial transactions, since its founding in 1975 by former Governor Kenneth M. Curtis.

Two local companies
receive seed grants

GARDINER — The Maine Technology Institute recently approved seed grants for two local companies to develop products that will advance Maine’s innovation economy in the seven targeted technology sectors.

Port Forty Nine based in Portland received a seed grant of $10,400, with a match of private funds of $18,000, for further development of computer simulation software designed for the educational market.

zumsport LLC based in Yarmouth received a seed grant of $12,370, with a match of private funds of $21,300, to launch its performance food product, zumbitz.

MTI is a publicly financed, private, nonprofit organization created by the Legislature in 1999 to stimulate research and development leading to new products, processes and services.

Good Deeds, Donations

Bowdoin College’s “Give & Go Sale” raised more than $42,000, with net proceeds from the sale distributed to participating local non-profits: A Paw in the Door, Alzheimers Association, American Legion 171, Beth Israel Congregation, Bowdoin Central School Parent Teacher Club, Brunswick Coastal Rotary, Brunswick Trinidad Sister City Association, Brunswick Venture Crew 789, Cathance River Education Alliance, Coastal Maine Great Dane Rescue, Compassion Center of Midcoast Maine, Daughters of Isabella 508, Eagles Wresting Club, Fairhaven Assembly of God Church, Girl Scout Troop 648, Maine Voc-Tech 10, Merriconeag Waldorf School, Merrymeeting Community Shares, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, Pejepscot Historical Society, Saint Mary’s Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Sweetser, Tedford Shelter, and Woolwich Junior Athletics.

Oakhurst Dairy recently donated over $17,000 to The Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine as a result of a recent promotion where the company allocated $.10 from every Oakhurst Orange Juice container sold to Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine.  

The Maine Credit Union League presented $17,000 to 17 state hunger agencies as a result of its Campaign for Ending Hunger “Share the Bread” program. Local agencies to receive the donation include Project Feed, Inc., in Portland and Bath Area Food Bank/Food Pantry in Bath. 

Downeast Energy & Building Supply held its 16th Annual Downeast Energy Classic at the Brunswick Golf Club where more than 140 golfers raised $20,000 for two Mid-Coast charities, Family Focus and Tedford Housing. 

The National Endowment for the Arts awarded Figures of Speech Theatre of Freeport an $18,000 grant through the Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth program. The grant will enable Figures of Speech to offer fee subsidies of up to 50% for teaching residencies and touring performances in under-served Maine schools.

The Cumberland County YMCA’s annual support campaign collected $293,847 in pledges this fiscal year, exceeding its pre-set goal of $280,000, with the help of 108 volunteer campaigners and 35 support volunteers.

TD Banknorth donated $5,000 to the Howard C. Reiche Community School in Portland through the TD Charitable Foundation to help the school’s library purchase new books and technology resources, and support existing library programs.

In its first annual Beach & Bay 5K Run or Walk for AIDS held in Portland and Ogunquit, the Frannie Peabody Center in Portland raised over $35,000.

The Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation awarded Mercy Hospital a grant of $10,000 for interpretive and cross-cultural services.

The Hospice Fund of the Maine Community Foundation awarded VNA Home Health & Hospice in South Portland, an affiliate of the Mercy Health System, a $30,000 two-year grant to expand hospice care to patients from diverse backgrounds.

The Wal-Mart Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to The Center for Grieving Children in Portland to support its free support services offered through outreach, education and peer support. 

MaineHealth, a non-profit healthcare system of providers and healthcare organizations, was awarded a $35,000 grant from the Cardinal Health Foundation to create a standardized discharge planning and medication reconciliation process for use in the 11 hospitals within the MaineHealth system, including Maine Medical Center and Mid Coast Hospital.

Portland-based Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine was awarded a $10,000 matching grant from the Robert and Dorothy Goldberg Foundation. The award matches the $10,000 the Museum & Theatre raised during the 2009 fiscal year in support of its endowment fund.

The Nellie Mae Education Foundation has awarded a $250,000 grant to Jobs for Maine’s Graduates to expand services to more middle and high school students.

Maine Medical Research Institute received nearly $407,000 to continue research into improving treatment for cancer and cardiovascular disease. The funding was awarded by the National Institutes of Health and authorized by the Economic Recovery Act passed by Congress.

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At the Cape Elizabeth Family Fun Day, RE/MAX Oceanside hosted hot air balloon rides to benefit the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. Members of the realty company, pictured above, raised more than $700 in donations to be allocated for purchasing incubator “miracle homes” for use at the children’s hospital.