Local companies earn
energy efficiency grants

AUGUSTA – More than $8.9 million in Energy Efficiency Grants were awarded to 16 Maine companies under Maine’s Industrial Grant Program.

Three of the 16 companies selected are located in the greater Portland and Mid-Coast area. Local grantees include Fairchild Semiconductor of South Portland, $537,000; Maine Renewable Energy Consortium of South Portland $1,000,000; and Bowdoin College of Brunswick, $400,000.

Funding for the The Industrial Grant Program comes from the federal Recovery Act and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative funds distributed by the Energy and Carbon Savings Trust.  

Maine Public Utility Commission’s Efficiency Maine program, which administers the grant program, selected grantees based on how well the project added value to the Maine economy, saved energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Bowdoin’s Arctic museum
receives major gift

BRUNSWICK — Bowdoin College’s Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum received a major gift of Inuit art from Robert and Judith Toll of California.

The gift of 130 Canadian Inuit soapstone and antler carvings and 67 prints recently arrived at the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum and Arctic Studies Center. The Tolls intend it to be the first of a series of gifts of Inuit art they plan to give the Arctic Museum.

Museum staff have catalogued the collection and are preparing it for a fall, 2010 exhibition.

Area teachers certified
in financial literacy

PORTLAND — The Institute for Financial Literacy recently certified 42 Maine teachers from its training program, Maine Teachers Take FLITE.

The FLITE Program, Financial Literacy Instructional Techniques for Educators is a training program for K-12 teachers that provides training on how to teach financial literacy effectively in the classroom.

Local teachers that were named Certified Educators in Personal Finance are Carlo Bufano, Jobs for Maine’s Graduates; Bob Goddard, Brunswick High School; Stephanie Knight, Falmouth Middle School; C. Maria Morris, Morse High School; Christine Munroe, South Portland High School and Memorial Middle School; and Glenn Tracey, Greely High School.

Donations

The Maine Health Access Foundation has granted Mercy Hospital $230,000 over a three-year period to provide resources to patients and their physicians form managing chronic conditions. In partnership with Community Counseling Services, Amistad, Community Dental, Mercy’s Fore River Family Practice will employ a patient navigator to ensure the healthcare needs of those with chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and underlying mental illness are being met.

The Museum of African Culture in Portland received a $10,000 donation from the Glickman Family Foundation to support its outreach educational programming to schools throughout northern New England.

Maine Preservation and Greater Portland Landmarks recently received funding totalling $460,000 for historic building repair and preservation. Funders include Maine Community Foundation’s Belvedere Fund for Historic Preservation, $180,000 over three years; Maine Downtown Center of the Maine Development Foundation, $10,000; Boston-based Jane’s Trust, $130,000; and National Trust for Historic Preservation, $150,000. Two new field service representatives will review Maine historic buildings needing repair and offer guidance, recommendations and referrals to organizations, local governments, and building and home owners engaged in preservation projects.

The Sturdivant Island Tuna Tournament, a big-game fishing event held yearly out of Spring Point Marina in South Portland, raised $37,500 for charity. Contributions were made to the following schools to support scholarships: Southern Maine Community College, $10,000; Northern Maine Community College, $7,500; Washington County Community College, $7,500;  University of New England, $7,500; and the Byron R. Gouzie Foundation, $5,000.

Professional Certifications

Joe de Silva, owner of Natural Fitness in Falmouth, recently became a Fellow of Applied Functional Science, the first Fellow in Maine, through the Gray Institute’s GIFT Program after completing a 40-week program in the “Principles- Strategies- Techniques Process” of Applied Functional Science.

Marianne Russo, owner of Nellie’s Tea and Gifts in South Portland, was named a Certified Tea Specialist by the U.S. Tea Association.

Sarah Filliter, LMT and Reiki Master based in Yarmouth, has been certified as a ARCB nationally certified reflexologist.

Carrie Martin and Lisa Wentzell of Powers Real Estate in Yarmouth have earned their Associate Broker licenses.  

Logo Owl Promotional Advertising, a full service promotional marketing company founded by Gwen Hall of Cumberland, received national certification from The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
 
Barbara Babkirk, founder of Heart At Work Career Counseling in Portland has received the designation of Master Career Counselor by the National Career Development Association.

Cape Elizabeth professional geriatric care manager Paula Banks, owner of Paula Banks Consulting and Two Lights Home Care, has earned the Care Manager Certification from the National Academy of Certified Care Managers.

Arian Eigen Heald, consulting manager at Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, has been awarded the Certified Forensic Analyst credential in Digital Forensics by the Global Information Assurance Certification.

The Radiology Program at Parkview Adventist Medical Center in Brunswick was awarded accreditation for stereotactic breast biopsy by the American College of Radiology, adding to its accreditation in ultrasound, breast ultrasound, CT, and mammography.
 
Fitness trainer Liz Bradford, owner of Enerjoy Health/Fitness Programs Inc., in West Falmouth, has earned her Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist Certification from the American Council on Exercise.

Kimberly Volk, chief financial officer for Spinnaker Trust in Portland, was recently awarded the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers, a subsidiary of the American Bankers Association.

de Silva

Babkirk

Bradford

Martin

Volk

Wentzell

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More than 470 people attended Portland Rotary’s Second Annual Pizza Bowl, resulting in $4,000 raised to benefit charities supported by Portland Rotary, and 650 pounds of food collected for the Salvation Army’s emergency food pantry. Eleven local restaurants participated in the event, including Anania’s, Bernie’s of Falmouth, Domino’s, Flatbread’s, Gorham House of Pizza, Joe’s New York Pizza, Leonardo’s, Papa John’s, Pat’s Pizza of Yarmouth, Portland Pie Co., and Ricetta’s of Falmouth. Portland Pie Co. won the People’s Choice Award, with the judges giving out the following awards: Best Pizza Crust, Flatbread Company; Best Pizza Cheese, Pat’s Pizza of Yarmouth; Best Pizza Sauce, Portland Pie Co.; Best Specialty Pizza,   Ricetta’s of Falmouth. Pictured here are Kate Furtado, with her daughter, Elizabeth, enjoying a slice of pizza.