News Briefs

Grants Available from the Maine Community Foundation
For Projects That Strengthen Communities

Ellsworth--Nonprofit and public organizations seeking funding for projects that draw upon the strengths of the community and foster collaboration are encouraged to apply to the Maine Community Foundation's Community Building Grants Program.

A committee consisting of community leaders from around the state will review proposals that support new initiatives or projects rather than fund on-going support. Projects should focus on the assets and strengths of the community. Grants in the past have supported efforts to foster local leadership, civic engagement, or preservation of cultural or environmental resources. Applicants are encouraged to build partnerships between and among community groups to plan, advance and evaluate a proposed project, including involving people they hope to serve in the project's design and implementation.

January 15, 2006, is the next deadline for applying for grants. Applicants will be notified in late March. Application, guidelines and a list of recent grants can be found at www.mainecf.org. Only nonprofit organizations with 501 (c)(3) tax status or public agencies are eligible for funding.
A statewide organization with offices in Portland and Ellsworth, the Maine Community Foundation works in partnership with donors and community groups to strengthen Maine communities. For more information, call 1-877-700-6800.

Tate House Museum Receives $4150 Grant

Portland, ME - The Tate House Museum recently received a $4150 grant from the Rines-Thompson Fund of the Maine Community Foundation (MCF) to support development of a Grant Funding Process.

According to Dr. Ernest L. Plummer, Executive Director of the Tate House Museum, in 2004, Tate House Museum, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation was organized to operate the Tate House, a 250-year-old historic house museum. This grant will allow the new organization to establish a sustainable Grant Funding process that can provide the support needed to accomplish our mission.

The Tate House is a property of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Maine and has been open as a museum since 1935. The house, the only 18th century house museum in the Greater Portland Area, was build by Captain George Tate, an agent for London mercantile interests who had a license to cut and ship Maine white pines as masts for the Royal Navy fleet. It serves as a window on 18th century Colonial Life and the Mast Trade, one of the catalysts for the American War of Independence.

A statewide organization with offices in Ellsworth and Portland, the Maine Community Foundation works in partnership with donors and community groups to strengthen Maine. For more information, visit the Foundation's website at www.mainecf.org or call toll-free 1-877-700-6800.

Attorney General Rowe kicks off media campaign aimed at keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors
Two Public Service Announcements to Begin Airing
By Jessica Maurer, Special Attorney General's Office

Attorney General Steve Rowe announced that two new public service announcements (PSAs) aimed at keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors will begin airing this week. The PSAs were produced by the Office of the Attorney General and are an attempt to educate adults about the importance of underage drinking laws.

Rowe said, "As we head into the holiday season, many youth will attend parties with adult friends and family members. It is critically important for adults to realize that providing alcohol to minors is illegal and can have tragic consequences."

The PSAs remind adults that underage drinking laws protect children. One PSA tells parents that providing alcohol to minors in violation of the law teaches teens that they can choose which laws to obey. The other focuses on the prevalence of youth drinking in Maine and the effect alcohol has on developing brains.

Rowe hopes the PSAs will raise awareness of the extent of the problem of underage drinking in Maine and will make adults think twice before they provide alcohol to minors. "If the average Maine child is taking his or her first drink of alcohol at age 13 and if one sixth of high school freshmen are binge drinking each month, we have a serious problem. The earlier a child starts drinking, the greater the chances of alcohol addiction, and the greater the chances the child will suffer brain damage. These very young children aren't buying alcohol in stores; they're getting it from adults. We have to stop the flow of alcohol to our children."

Rowe praised District Attorneys in Maine for their commitment to prosecute adults who provide alcohol to minors. He also praised the efforts of the law enforcement agencies that are actively working with community leaders to address underage drinking. Rowe stressed that stopping underage drinking starts with the whole community.

The PSAs have been provided to Maine radio stations and will be aired on stations across Maine throughout December. The PSAs can be downloaded at:

http://www.maine.gov/ag/dynld/audio/psa_did_you_know.mp3
http://www.maine.gov/ag/dynld/audio/psa_parent.mp3
December 5th is Alcohol Awareness Day and December 5th through the 9th is Alcohol Awareness Week.

Maine Historical Society to accept toys, books, games, movies and music donations on behalf of Starbucks Holiday Angels Joy Drive

Portland, ME ~ Maine Historical Society is pleased to announce it will collect toys, books, games, movies and music donations during its annual Family Christmas Activities at the Longfellow House on Saturday, December 10. These new, unwrapped items will be donated to Starbucks annual Holiday Angels Joy Drive to benefit the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation.

Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation will use these toys and books as gifts for hospitalized children throughout the year. Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation is a non-profit organization transforming the lives of seriously ill children and their families through programs that educate them, uplift their spirits, foster a sense of community, and help alleviate the pain and fear of prolonged illness. To learn more about the organization, visit its web site at www.starlight.org.

Through Dec. 25, customers are also invited to drop off new, unwrapped books and toys at local Starbucks stores. In Portland: 176 Middle St.; 594 Congress St.; 91 Auburn St. In South Portland: 200 Running Hill Rd.; 354 Maine Mall Rd. Recommended gifts include books, board games, puzzles, hand-held games (including batteries), crafts, building toys, DVDs, compact discs, dolls and infant items. Customers who wish to make a financial donation can visit www.starbucks.com or www.starlight.org. Donated items will be distributed to Maine Medical Center, Portland.

For more information regarding the Starbucks annual Holiday Angels Joy Drive to benefit the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation, contact Nancy Brock, store manager, Starbucks Coffee Company, 176 Middle Street, Portland, 761-2797. Toy and Book Drop off at Maine Historical Society Saturday, December 10th, 2005 10:00 am - 5:00 pm 489 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 207-774-1822 www.mainehistory.org

Army Pvt. Charles W. Stetson has graduated from the Infantryman One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Columbus, Ga. The training consists of Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training.

During the nine weeks of basic combat training, the soldier received training in drill and ceremonies, weapons, map reading, tactics, military courtesy, military justice, physical fitness, first aid, and Army history, core values and traditions. Additional training included development of basic combat skills and battlefield operations and tactics, and experiencing use of various weapons and weapons defenses available to the infantry crewman.

The Advanced Individual Training course is designed to train infantry soldiers to perform reconnaissance operations; employ, fire and recover anti-personnel and anti-tank mines; locate and neutralize land mines and operate target and sight equipment; operate and maintain communications equipment and radio networks; construct field firing aids for infantry weapons; and perform infantry combat exercises and dismounted battle drills, which includes survival procedures in a nuclear, biological or chemical contaminated area.

He is the son of John and Katy Stetson of Ledgewood Drive, Falmouth, Maine. The private is a 2005 graduate of North Yarmouth Academy, Yarmouth, Maine.