US Cellular donates $15,000 to Waterville Boys & Girls Club

U.S. Cellular recently donated $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Waterville to provide K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math educational opportunities to youth, according to a U.S. Cellular release.

U.S. Cellular associates Kirk Fongemie, left, and Gaylon Wilkens recently helped the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Waterville on its Weekend Backpack Initiative. Contributed photo

Kenji Saito

Jessica L. Laliberte

U.S. Cellular is funding Boys & Girls Clubs and 4-H Clubs throughout the company’s markets to deliver STEM, academic and after school enrichment programs, and this is part of a $1.3 million donation to clubs across the country and $46,500 in Maine. This is the third year U.S. Cellular and the youth organizations have collaborated to prepare youth to explore career opportunities and be ready to join the workforce.

“U.S. Cellular is invested in the long-term success of youth, communities and our associates,” said Matt Kasper, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in New England, according to the release.

In 2016, U.S. Cellular associates volunteered at more than 225 Boys & Girls Clubs and 4-H Clubs events, and they are committed to volunteering 35,000 hours in 2017 at a variety of organizations.

Local U.S. Cellular associates recently helped the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Waterville on its Weekend Backpack Initiative, putting together food bags for children, so they have access to healthy food over the weekend.

MaineGeneral program gets new director

Kenji Saito MD, JD has joined MaineGeneral’s Workplace Health as medical director, according to a press release from the hospital.

He also serves as regulatory liaison to MaineGeneral Health.

Saito joins MaineGeneral from The Aroostook Medical Center in Presque Isle, where he was medical director of Occupational Health and Wellness.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from University of Pennsylvania and his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine. Saito also holds a juris doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law. He completed residencies at Mercy Catholic Health System, Darby, Pennsylvania; Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (in ophthalmology); and University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, also in Philadelphia.

Saito serves on the board of directors for the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the New England College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

He is board certified in preventive medicine with specialty training in occupational and environmental medicine.

Maine Ambulance Association hires executive director

The Maine Ambulance Association has hired Jessica L. Laliberte of Waterville as the first executive director of the organization.

Laliberte, a native of Waterville, holds her Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Maine and her master’s of business administration from Thomas College.

Laliberte has worked as a television journalist serving as WABI TV 5 News, first central Maine bureau chief and later as a government relations specialist for the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. She is the president of Liberte Consulting Group LLC, a media relations and public affairs consulting business in Waterville. Laliberte lives in Waterville and is active in many civic and charitable organizations in the area.

The Maine Ambulance Association is a member-driven organization whose membership includes EMS providers and agencies interested in the improvement of the management and delivery of emergency medical services in the state of Maine.

REX award given to Tom Finn Shoe Repair

Tom Finn Shoe Repair is owned by Tom Lacasse. This business, first located at the Augusta Plaza on Western Avenue in 1984, has been located since 1987 at 165 Water St.

Lacasse is a second-generation “cobbler” from Skowhegan who apprenticed under the direction of his dad, Ralph, who had started his trade in 1945.

165 Water St. has been a “Cobbler-Shop” since the mid ’60s, first under Charlie Gilbert and then under John Blake.

Tom Finn Shoe Repair has one of the longest-serving businesses on Water Street.

New equipment helps J.S. McCarthy

J.S. McCarthy Printers, headquartered in Augusta, and Bobst North America Inc. of Roseland, New Jersey, announced the recent signing of an agreement for the purchase of a BOBST SP 104 BM Autoplaten Hot Foil Stamper and Die-Cutter and Bobst Visionfold 110 Specialty Folder-Gluer equipped with Handypack GT, according to a press release from J.S. McCarthy.

Jon Tardiff, vice president of operations, states, “This new equipment will help J.S. McCarthy to meet the growing demand for value added services from the many markets we serve including the Pharmaceutical, Packaging and Greeting Card industries.” Tardiff shared, “Bobst continues to be a great partner for J.S. McCarthy and with this latest purchase the two companies partnered to develop some unique equipment capabilities.”

The equipment compliments previous Bobst purchases and reflects the changing print provider market-place that is looking for added value options for printed products. The equipment is expected to be operational in early August.

Maine B2B Trade Show to be held June 15th in Lewiston

The Lewiston Auburn Economic Growth Council has announced its Maine B2B Trade Show is returning Thursday, June 15 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston. The Maine B2B features over 150 exhibiting companies from across the state of Maine and beyond, and has been well known as a venue to connect with potential clients and make business connections.

Organizers say booth reservations have been very steady for 2017, according to Maine B2B Show Organizer, Travis Dow of Dow Media LLC who said “The Maine B2B Trade Show is the State’s Largest Business to Business Event and we’re very excited at the prospects of bringing a sold-out show to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee this year. We hear there are many new and exciting exhibits planned, there are numerous new exhibiting companies joining us this year as well and most companies from 2016 are returning. This event has always been great place for people who either own their own business or are in the business to business field, to connect with like individuals and find the products and services their business needs to thrive.”

Immediately following the trade show portion of the event, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., is the B2B/Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce After Hours, sponsored by Androscoggin Bank. The After Hours event will feature Live Music by Three Point Jazz, meeting & mingling, a full bar and food from Rails Restaurant, Jasmine Cafe Asian Fusion Lounge & The Chickadee of Lewiston. This special After Hours event is open to Maine B2B Exhibitors and their staff, LA Metro Chamber of Commerce Members and other business folks.

For more info on the Maine B2B Trade Show, log on to B2BMaine.com or email b2b@laegc.org.

KeyBank hosting Neighbors Make the Difference Day

On May 24, KeyBank will host its 27th annual Neighbors Make the Difference Day. Employees in the Augusta area will spend the day volunteering with community organizations and service projects, including the Humane Society and Kennebec Cider. They will join hundreds of KeyBank employees in receiving paid time off to volunteer in the neighborhoods where they live and work. In Maine, they will volunteer more than 1,200 hours in a single day.

Statewide KeyBank Volunteer Projects are as follows:

Augusta: Colonial Theater — Volunteers will assist with general clean up, organizing and painting.

Belfast: Harbor Hill Center — Employees will perform general cleaning duties.

Buxton: Day One — Employees will be working on improvements throughout the facilities.

Camden: Camden Public Library — Volunteers will work outside at Camden Harbor Park and Ampitheater to clean up the facilities

Guilford: Guilford Food Cupboard — Volunteers will support the Backpack Program.

Lewiston: Tree Street Youth — Participants will paint the preschool rooms.

Waterville: Humane Society Waterville — Participants will socialize dogs and perform landscaping and organizing duties.

Wilton: Wilton Tyngtown Club — All of the flower boxes on Main Street will receive freshly planted flowers and new mulch from employee volunteers.

Winthrop: Kennebec Cider — Employees will prune the apple orchard for the upcoming season.

Many of the bank’s branches will close at noon on May 24 to accommodate employee volunteers; customers will have access to ATMs, as well as online and mobile banking. In 2016, close to 6,000 Key employees volunteered across the country with more than 720 nonprofit agencies, committing a total of 23,000 hours to community organizations and projects.

The following Maine KeyBank branches will remain open on May 24, all other branches will close at noon:

Belfast — Drive-up

Lewiston

Waterville KMD — Lobby & Drive-up

Whitten Road — Drive-up

Neighbors Make the Difference Day launched in 1991, with a group of KeyBank employees in Alaska who volunteered for service projects. By 1993, Key extended the concept to many of the communities it served, making it an official day of employee volunteerism. Now, Neighbors Make the Difference Day is a hallmark program and leading corporate volunteerism effort in America, showcasing Key’s commitment to its communities.

“KeyBank is focused on supporting neighborhood prosperity in throughout the state of Maine said Sterling Kozlowski, KeyBank Maine Market President. “Neighbors Make the Difference Day allows our employees the opportunity to volunteer their time with organizations and projects that help stabilize our neighborhoods and support our community.”

To participate in the social media conversation on May 24, follow #NeighborsDay and #IAmKey, @KeyBank on Twitter and KeyBank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/keybank.

For more information about KeyBank’s culture of service and commitment to philanthropy and volunteerism, visit www.key.com/philanthropy.

Richmond KOA open for season

The Augusta/Gardiner KOA Journey campground, located at 30 Mallard Drive in Richmond, is now open for the 2017 summer camping season, according to a press release from the company.

“It’s always exciting to have a new camping season begin,” said KOA President and CEO Pat Hittmeier. “Owners from across North America are ready to provide outstanding experiences to camping guests from around the world. We anticipate this year will be a tremendous one full of great adventures for campers everywhere.”

To make that adventure even more exciting, KOA has teamed with Keystone RV Company to offer a great prize package through the “What’s Behind The Yellow Sign?” giveaway. The grand prize winner will receive a 2017 Keystone Outback Travel Trailer valued at $28,292, as well as a $500 KOA gift card and $1000 in cash.

The giveaway will run through May 31. Campers can enter daily by visiting www.BehindTheSignGiveaway.com or on the Kampgrounds of America Inc. Facebook page.

KOA has just released its 2017 Edition of the KOA Directory, a complete travel atlas of every U.S. state and Canadian province. It includes a descriptive listing of each KOA campground, including the Augusta/Gardiner KOA Journey, as well as detailed maps and directions to each location. It is free at any KOA campground and available online.

Compiled from contributed releases

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