Good Deeds

The 7th annual Go Red for Women Luncheon and Educational Forum on March 6 raised over $200,000 to advance cardiovascular education, research and advocacy efforts in Maine. The event drew nearly 400 guests who participated in educational workshops, exhibits, health screenings and a silent auction.

Appointments

Cynthia J. Edmunds was recently appointed executive director of Tri-County Literacy. In her new role Edmunds will work to further the organization’s mission to improve lives through improved literacy while fostering partnerships and strategic alliances with local organizations, agencies and stakeholders for the effective delivery of programs and services to clients.

The Maine Center for Creativity recently announced that Andrew Marianski has been elected to the organization’s board of directors to assist in long-range planning, fiscal management with funders and donors and program plans.

Catherine Valenza was recently selected as the executive director of the True North Board of Directors. She takes the helm at True North after serving as interim director since September of 2011. Valenza has been with True North since 2002 and brings a wide range of skills as an administrator, fund raiser and nonprofit leader to the role of executive director.

Clark Insurance recently named three new vice presidents and one new stockholder at its annual meeting. Lee Ramsdell of Scarborough, Jeffrey Lind of Limington and Gregg Ritter of Portland have been named vice presidents. David Hamilton of Gorham has been named a stock holder.

Karen Lovell, an attorney at Bernstein Shur, was recently named the Maine State Chair of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a nonprofit association of lawyers that makes substantial contributions to the field of trusts and estates law through writing, teaching and bar leadership activities.

Karen Frink Wolf, partner at Friedman Gaythwaite Wolf & Leavitt, recently became a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Founded in 1950, the college is composed of the best of the trial bar from the U.S. and Canada. Fellowship is extended by invitation only to experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality.

New Hires

The Maine Island Trail Association recently hired Nan Cummings as its new campaign director. She has been the executive director of Portland Trails for the past 12 years and joined the Maine Island Trail Association in April.

Awards

The Legal Marketing Association recently selected Verrill Dana‘s new website as the second place winner in the Total Website Refresh/Overhaul/Rebrand category of the 2012 Your Honor Awards. Verrill Dana’s website was praised for its engaging user experience, its use of client stories and its effective recruiting section. The redesign was also recognized as the Best of the Web by TechMaine in June 2011.

The 2012 American Red Cross Real Heroes Award for International Service was recently awarded to Dr. Hector Tarraza for his work in applying his healing skills to patients in several countries around the world. Tarraza is an obstetrician at Maine Medical Center, is medical director of Global Health Ministry and serves on four other international medical relief agencies. He takes about five trips each year to places such as Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Haiti, Guatemala, Peru and Columbia.

Rhonda Bianco recently received the American Red Cross 2012 Pay it Forward Real Heroes Award. Bianco was diagnosed with throat and palate cancer and underwent 38 treatments to her face, neck and jaw. During her treatments she stayed at Gary’s House, and as she began to feel better volunteered to cook, wash laundry, clean and wash dishes for residents.

The Maine Environmental Education Association recently announced the winners of its annual environmental education awards. The awards recognize the year’s most outstanding environmental educator, school, business and environmental program in the state. This years’s winners are: Oakhurst Dairy, Maine Environmental Education Association Business of the Year; Lincoln Middle School, Maine Environmental Education Association School of the Year; Kennebec Land Trust, Excellence in Environmental Education Program Award; and Joanne DeFilipp Alex, Eberhard Thiele Environmental Educator of the Year.

The Maine Cancer Foundation recently announced that 17 Maine oncology nurses will travel with the Maine Cancer Foundation to the 37th Annual Nurse Oncology Congress in New Orleans, La. The selected scholarship winners include Mariann Gowell, Diana Harper, Tiffany Eton, Renee Courtemanche, Lori MacWhinney, Jeanette Pretorious, Tamara Breton, Molly Judkins, Lee Bowden, Colleen Dickey, Toni Gerow, Judith Dinsmore, Kim Lynch, Sheryl Search, Bobi Shirley, Dorothy Guild and Michelle Boldiga.   

Jean Hoffman, founder, president and CEO of Putney Inc. was recently named 2012 Business Leader of the year by Mainebiz in the category for businesses with 50 or fewer employees.

U.S. News & World Reports’ 2012 Best Nursing Homes ranking gave Falmouth By the Sea their highest award for excellence, the Five Star Award. Nursing homes throughout the country receive an overall rating from the government based on a composite score in three operational areas including health inspection, nurse staffing and quality care.

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More than $700 was raised for Habitat for Humanity in Falmouth High School’s annual faculty vs. seniors basketball game. Half-time festivities included a free throw contest to win a Red Claws basketball, a raffle for a Habitat for Humanity tool kit and a giant stuffed giraffe wearing a Habitat bandana.