June 2024

Jun 1

Written By Andrea Saunders

JUNE News from Heart of Ellsworth

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Heart of Ellsworth News

PrideFest Coming Soon to a Park Near You!

Sunday, June 9
11:30 am - 4 pm

Ellsworth PrideFest 2024 is coming to Knowlton Park on June 9th. This is a FREE, annual, family-friendly event for people who embrace diversity and love.

There will be live music by I Want My MTV and Lasers in the Jungle, drag show performance by Curbside Queens, dancing, and community speakers including Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. There will also be craft tents and vendors, story time, food and merchandise vendors, a silent auction, local tables for area organizations, and more!

Special thanks to our major 2024 sponsors: Hannaford, TD Bank, Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital, Healthy Acadia, Northern Light Blue Hill Hospital, and Desert Harvest.

Get more details on PrideFest here

Join Us in Welcoming Our Newest Board Members

With a deep-rooted passion for trees and the environment, Tabatha Sue White has dedicated her career to urban forestry, arboriculture, and landscape design. As a certified arborist since 2009, Tabatha has coordinated tree-planting initiatives in Boston and New York City, procuring and planting thousands of high-quality street trees.

She brings extensive experience in project management, procurement, and community engagement to her role on the Heart of Ellsworth Board. Tabatha is committed to advancing the mission of the Heart of Ellsworth, working to enhance the beauty, vitality, and sustainability of the Ellsworth community, the community in which she was proudly born and raised.

"Having grown up in Ellsworth, I always saw its potential, but it wasn't until I ventured to cities like Boston and New York City that I truly appreciated my hometown. Returning in 2016, I felt a strong desire to contribute and enhance this community. After a year of volunteering with Heart of Ellsworth, I'm thrilled to join the Board of Directors. I'm eager to play a role in propelling our city forward towards its vision of becoming a vibrant Main Street Community."

Born and raised in Bar Harbor, Eliza Worrick went to college and grad school at Clark University, then spent nearly a decade living in Austin, TX, and Denver, CO, working in various marketing communications roles at nonprofits, startups, and higher education institutions. She moved back to Hancock County in 2020 and decided to put down roots in Ellsworth at the end of 2022.

To connect more deeply with her new city, Eliza joined the Heart of Ellsworth Promotions and Events Committee, a role that inspired her to join the Board of Directors. She is the Digital Marketing Manager at Friends of Acadia and in her spare time can be found in the kitchen trying a new recipe or hiking with her dog, Juno.

“I am thrilled to join the Heart of Ellsworth Board. Since moving here in September 2022, I have fallen in love with this city. I grew up just half an hour away in Bar Harbor and visited Ellsworth infrequently, but since becoming a full-time resident I’ve been enjoying getting acquainted with a new-to-me side of the city; one that is vibrant, fun, and fosters an entrepreneurial spirit.”

Learn more about the Heart of Ellsworth Board of Directors

Just Launched: Entrepreneur Resource Hub

Looking to start or buy a business?
Searching for tools and resources to grow your existing business?

We've got you covered! In May, we launched the Entrepreneur Resource Hub, a comprehensive collection of resources tailored to support our local entrepreneurs and business owners.

You'll find resources at the city, state, and national level. You'll also find links to banks, reports, market research and more to help your business thrive.

Visit our Entrepreneur Resource Hub

Bangor Federal Credit Union Donates $10,000 to Loaves & Fishes to Help Combat Food Insecurity

Recently, several employees of Bangor Federal Credit Union met with volunteers at Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry in Ellsworth to present them with a check for $10,000 to aid in the organization’s continued battle against food insecurity in Hancock County.

It’s in the spirit of alleviating food insecurity that Bangor Federal proudly participates in the Maine Credit Union League’s Campaign for Ending Hunger. Since 1990, credit unions around the state have collectively raised more than $13.5 million. Last year, Bangor Federal raised nearly $32,000.

“Giving back to our communities is a large part of our mission”, said Cody Morgan, Marketing Director at Bangor Federal. “That’s what makes moments like this so immensely special to us. We feel so incredibly blessed to be able support them and their continued movement towards ending food insecurity in our neighborhoods, amongst our friends, and in our families.”

Learn more about Bangor Federal Credit Union

Community Events

Mindfulness and Gardening - Healthy Acadia

Thurs., June 6: 5-6 pm

Special Guest Jen Harry will delve into the parallels between gardening and life. Participants will uncover the shared principles of gardening and mindfulness practices, exploring how they offer similar lessons. Through discussion, explore mindfulness techniques inspired by the wisdom of nature, aiming to cultivate heightened awareness, acceptance, self-compassion, peace, and joy within the garden of our lives.

Online via Zoom

FREE
FMI + Register: Website

Outdoor Recreation Fair - City of Ellsworth

Sat., June 8: 10 am-3 pm

Explore the Outdoor Recreation Fair at the Union River Center for Innovation! Discover exciting opportunities for adventure seekers:

Kayaking demos by Pinniped Kayak
Pop-up gear repair
Community groups supporting trails & outdoor activities around Ellsworth
Local businesses championing regional recreation
Enter the Sunrise Trail ATV raffle!

Union River Center for Innovation
415 Water Street

FMI: Facebook

Stuffed Animal Sleepover - Woodlawn

Fri., June 14 - Sat., June 15

Stuffed animals 12" tall or less are invited to spend the night at Woodlawn. Drop off your stuffed animal on Friday, June 14 from 1-3 pm. When you pick them up on Saturday, June 15, at 10 am, you'll learn about all of the adventures they've had overnight, hear a story, and have some treats.

Woodlawn
19 Black House Dr.

FREE, but space is limited to 12 participants
FMI & RSVP: Website

Ellsworth City Council Meeting

Mon., June 17: 6 pm

You can tune in and participate in Ellsworth City Council meetings through various online methods.

Please visit the City Council webpage for meeting notices and participation instructions.

1 City Hall Plaza + Online
Ellsworth

FREE
FMI: Website

Entrepreneurial Explorer Series - Union River Center for Innovation

Wed., June 26: 6-7:30 pm

June launches URCI's Entrepreneurial Explorer Series. This month, join other entrepreneurs to learn about "Pricing - How to Maintain Your Margins." Stay tuned for more details and how to register for this and other upcoming sessions.

Union River Center for Innovation
415 Water St.

FREE
FMI: Website & Facebook

Outdoor Women Lead x Fogtown Fundraiser - Fogtown Brewing Company

Sat., June 29: 4-8 pm

Join Fogtown Brewing Company in Ellsworth to support OWLette Summer Camp, a free summer camp for Downeast girls, led collaboratively by Women for Healthy Rural Living and Maine Outdoor School.

Your purchase of Fogtown’s drink and pizza specials at this event will help support this impactful program!

Fogtown Brewing Company
25 Pine St.

FMI: Website

Community News

Seabreeze Independent School
Now Enrolling for Fall 2024!

Seabreeze Independent School is a Montessori school providing individually oriented education for students aged 3 through sixth grade.

Lessons and activities are both indoor and outdoor and include practical life (home economics, wilderness skills, and interpersonal skills), sensorial, geography, history, science, math, language, music, art, and weekly nature walks. They also visit culturally prominent sites as part of their monthly field trips.

They are currently enrolling for the 2024-2025 school year. Visit their website for more information or email
seabreezeindependentschool@gmail.com with questions.

Visit Maine Museums for FREE

The Ellsworth Public Library is proud to offer you access to a number of museums through your EPL patron card.

Visit ellsworthlibrary.net/museum-passes/ or contact the library at 207-667-6363 if you would like more information or to reserve museum passes for you and your family.

Partnering institutions include: Ellsworth Public Library, Farnsworth Art Museum, Maine Maritime Museum, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Oceanarium and Education Center, and Maine Discovery Museum.

Don't have an EPL patron card yet? Click here to find out how you can get one.

Interested in Summer Programming at Artsworth?

Artsworth, Ellsworth's community art space at 25 Pine Street, is gauging interest in providing arts programming for school-age children during the summer break from school. They would offer art classes once or twice per week and age groups would be broken up into grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and High School.

This programming would focus on visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, jewelry-making, etc.), emphasizing creativity, individualized instruction, and pace. Artsworth's Board is seeking to bring their mission to younger people during a time of year in which they might need something to keep them busy and excited about learning something new!

If you or your child is interested in an opportunity like this, please email artsworthstudios@gmail.com.

Downtown News

New Spots Coming to Downtown!

Downtown is getting ready for summer and some exciting new businesses are opening up!

Get ready to shop! A new consignment and vintage shop, Raven and Maine, will join State Street in July.

Down a few doors, at 16 State St. next to MacRevival, artist studios are available to rent! Contact (207) 479-5011 (text only) to schedule a viewing and make downtown Ellsworth your next studio location.

The Sweet Spot Candy Store has its GRAND opening on June 8th from 10 am - 4 pm! With over 500 varieties of candy and novelties, you’re guaranteed to find something to delight you. (We will feature the Sweet Spot Candy Store in the June edition of the Ellsworth Business Pulse – subscribe here!)

And, we're sure you've heard about the opening of The Newberry Exchange, 142 Main St. It features three businesses: Black Moon Public House (opening soon), Vinyl Vogue, a music and vinyl shop, and Trio, a gift store with Maine-made gifts.

Check out all of the exciting happenings the next time you're downtown.

Thank you for supporting Heart of Ellsworth!

Heart of Ellsworth is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Your gift is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

DONATE HERE

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Please submit via our online form at: heartofellsworth.org/newsletters

Thank You!

SAVE THE DATES

June 9 PRIDE Fest
Oct. 5-6 Art of Ellsworth: Maine Craft Weekend
Oct. 15 Meet the Candidates
Nov. 7-10 Downeast Cider + Cheese Festival
Nov. 30 Small Business Saturday