Health care forum set for Dec. 1

The Maine State Chamber of Commerce will host a health care forum from 8:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 1 at the Senator Inn in Augusta, according to a press release from the chamber.

The forum will feature a presentation by local and national experts on the status of the national health care reform law and what Maine employers need to know heading into 2016. The event is free. Pre-registration is required. Go to www.mainechamber.org or email adowning@mainechamber.org to register.

MaineGeneral, Franklin Memorial, Redington-Fairview among hospitals recognized for addressing tobacco

On Nov. 10, the Maine Tobacco-Free Hospital Network, a program of the Breathe Easy Coalition of Maine, recognized 33 Maine hospitals through the annual Gold Star Standards of Excellence program during a recognition event at the Maine Hospital Association. The program encourages and awards Maine hospitals for meeting best-practice standards around creating a tobacco-free environment and supporting tobacco-free lifestyles.

MaineGeneral Medical Center and Franklin Memorial Hospital were among 26 hospitals statewide to receive the highest Gold Star award level. Redington-Fairview General Hospital received silver level recognition.

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“Hospitals are health and wellness role models for their communities, so it’s important for them to set an example around reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke,” said Breathe Easy Coalition program coordinator Sarah Mayberry. “The Gold Star Standards of Excellence program is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of Maine hospitals to create policies addressing these issues.”

All Maine hospitals that meet at least seven of the ten standards are invited to apply, and they are recognized at the gold, silver or bronze level depending on the number of evidence-based strategies they have met. The ten Gold Star Standards of Excellence include creating a 100 percent tobacco-free campus, implementing evidence-based treatment strategies, promoting smoke-free lodging options for visitors, and providing tobacco treatment and medication benefits for employees.

The 33 recognized hospitals included:

Gold Level (met all 10 standards): Acadia Hospital, Bridgton Hospital, Cary Medical Center, Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital, Central Maine Medical Center, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Franklin Memorial Hospital, Houlton Regional Hospital, LincolnHealth, Maine Medical Center, MaineGeneral Medical Center, Mayo Regional Hospital, Mercy Hospital, Mid Coast Hospital, Millinocket Regional Hospital, Mount Desert Island Hospital, Northern Maine Medical Center, Penobscot Valley Hospital, Pen Bay Medical Center, Rumford Hospital, Sebasticook Valley Hospital, Southern Maine Health Care, Spring Harbor Hospital, Stephens Memorial Hospital, The Aroostook Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital;

Silver Level (met 9 standards): Redington-Fairview General Hospital and York Hospital;

Bronze Level (met 7-8 standards): Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, Calais Regional Hospital, Down East Community Hospital, New England Rehabilitation Hospital of Portland and St. Mary’s Health System.

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Haskins Printing merges with Skowhegan Press

Skowhegan Press recently announced that it has acquired R.N. Haskins Printing Company. The sale was completed in May.

Rick Haskins and his wife, Barb, retired after many years in the printing business and wanted to ensure their printing customers would be cared for, their employees would keep their jobs and that the business would remain in the greater Waterville community — goals which Skowhegan Press said are being met. Haskins will continue to operate out of Oakland, and Skowhegan Press has retained all of the Haskins employees.

Order entry and invoicing have been combined and are done out of the Parlin Street office in Skowhegan, but the new Haskins facility is a full-service printing business and operates as a sister company to Skowhegan Press.

A large part of the original acquisition plan was to relocate Haskins as soon as possible. In order to reduce overhead, Haskins moved out of the 10,000-square-foot building at 25 Industrial Drive, which had been sized to house some obsolete large equipment. The company moved across the street to a 3,000-square-foot building at 14 Industrial Drive.

“Our long-term vision is to maintain our presence in Oakland and expand our business there,” said Jeremy Martinez, president of Skowhegan Press.

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Haskins can be reached at 465-2155, as well as www.haskinsprinting.com. All email and phone services have been merged with Skowhegan Press.

Nancy Tracy named senior vice president at Camden National Bank

Camden National Bank has announced the promotion of Nancy Tracy to senior vice president of retail banking for central and western Maine. Based out of the Waterville banking center, Tracy will continue to report to June Parent, executive vice president and senior retail banking manager for Camden National Bank, and will oversee 19 branches from Greenville to Auburn.

Tracy joined Camden National Bank in July 2011 as vice president and retail regional manager for the southern/central region. During her four years with the company, she has built a team by using one-on-one sessions and group meetings to create relationships with her employees. In addition, she serves as a point of contact for customers throughout her region, frequently meeting with them and partnering with other business lines to help find solutions to their financial needs.

“Nancy readily accepts new projects and challenges and consistently works to help her team and Camden be the best they can be,” said Parent. “We are so pleased to be able to recognize her hard work and dedication to our company and her commitment to our customers with this promotion.”

With more than 21 years of experience in the banking industry, Tracy is a certified business banker and mortgage lender who brings a wealth of expertise to her position as well as a commitment to the communities she represents. An active volunteer throughout her career, Nancy has served on the Sidney Planning Board and has supported the efforts of nonprofit organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Big Brothers Big Sisters and local family violence and disabled veterans groups through her ongoing community involvement.

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Augusta campground wins national award

The Augusta/Gardiner KOA Journey has earned the 2016 KOA President’s Award from Kampgrounds of America, the world’s largest system of family friendly, open-to-the-public campgrounds.

The award was presented Nov. 18 at KOA’s annual international convention in Daytona Beach, Florida. KOA is celebrating its 53rd Anniversary in 2015.

The KOA President’s Award is presented every year to campgrounds that receive high scores in customer service from their campers and also receive top scores in KOA’s annual quality review. KOA surveys hundreds of thousands of campers each year regarding their KOA camping experience.

“We know that our overall success at KOA hinges on the experience our campground owners provide to our guests,” said KOA President Pat Hittmeier. “Our owners just keep getting better and better at providing great camping for our guests. At the same time, they continue to invest in their KOA properties to add activities and amenities that ensure our success in the future.”

“It’s an honor to recognize these great KOA owners for their efforts,” Hittmeier said. “The KOA President’s Award is well deserved.”

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To find out more about the Augusta KOA or any of the other 490 KOAs in the U.S. or Canada, visit www.KOA.com.

KVCAP honors community champions at awards dinner

The Kennebec Valley Community Action Program hosted its annual awards dinner and 50th anniversary celebration in Waterville on Nov. 18.

Healey & Associates was recognized as the Business of the Year for their steadfast belief in and support for nonprofits across the state, and MaineGeneral Health was presented with the Community Leader Award for its partnership on numerous projects that have had a lasting, positive impact on the local community. The Community Action in Action Award was presented to Patty Tardiff for her tireless commitment to the Cony Village project, expanding affordable housing options for Augusta residents.

Raymond Richard, KVCAP’s first executive director who served from 1965 until 2008, was honored with the Founders Recognition for his vision and commitment to community action. Patricia Kosma, KVCAP’s chief executive officer from 2008 until her retirement in 2015, received the Exemplary Leadership Award for steering the agency through turbulent economic times. Caitlyn Brennan and William Tiner III were this year’s recipients of the Community Star Awards, which are given to past or present program participants who have shown determination and perseverance as they experienced many accomplishments and found success in reaching their goals.

For more information about KVCAP, call 1-800-542-8227 or visit www.kvcap.org.

Compiled from contributed releases


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