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1st Quarter 2024
Island Connector
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Our Mission
Island Connections provides free transportation and other services to seniors and people with disabilities from Mount Desert Island and the surrounding islands to enhance their independence and quality of life by utilizing our core group of dedicated volunteers.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- Message from the Executive Director
- Introducing our Sugar Showdown
- Meet our new Events & Volunteer Coordinator
- "Ride Wise" at Island Connections
- Return of the Reel Pizza Matinee!
- Annual Appeal Update
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Our Office will be closed:
- January 15th - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- February 19th - President's Day
- May 27th - Memorial Day
- June 19th - Juneteenth
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A message from Executive Director Carissa Tinker |
Dear Island Connections family,
Happy New Year! It's hard to believe that's it's only been just over four months since I took over as the Executive Director here at Island Connections! It has been a wonderful experience being able to serve our Neighbors in this new capacity.
I know I will continue learning and growing in this role for years to come, but I can't give enough thanks to our encouraging board, amazing staff, and exceptionally kind volunteers and donors (YOU) for supporting me through this transition, making it as smooth as possible.
We are thrilled to finally be fully staffed once again, with the addition of Sydnie White, our new Events & Volunteer Coordinator! Read more about her below. Sydnie has been working hard on our new upcoming event: the Sugar Showdown. Whether you're an amateur or professional baker and want to put your skills to the test, or just enjoy a tasty treat, this is the event for you! You'll find more information about the event below - I hope to see you there!
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Introducing our first annual "Sugar Showdown" presented by Bar Harbor Savings & Loan
There is so much love involved in what we do here at Island Connections - so we decided that we need a "sweet" Valentine's Day celebration! We want to give a huge thanks to our Title sponsor for the event, Bar Harbor Savings & Loan, and our Hosting sponsor, the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Event Center, for making this event possible.
The baking competition, held Saturday February 10th from 5-7pm at the Atlantic Oceanside Event Center will include three categories: Sweet Surprise, Whoopie Pie, and Showstopper. There is still room to participate as a baker, please visit our website (www.islconnections.org) to register or for more information!
Whether you're an amateur baker or a seasoned pro, you will fit right in with the competition. Fun is the goal, but you may just sway our expert judges, or run away with the Community Choice Award! Medals and gift baskets will be given away to our winners.
For those of you who want to keep your aprons clean, join us for access to try all the tasty treats in the competition and a Showstopper raffle! You'll be given ten tokens to vote for your favorites, and there will be a cash bar, charcuterie, live music, and a fun photo area.
Tickets for the event will be available at the door via cash or check. Cost of attendance is $10/person or $30/family.
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Welcome Sydnie!
Sydnie is our new Events & Volunteer Coordinator here at Island Connections! She's usually here in the office between 9am and 3pm, if you'd like to drop in and say "hi!"
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Sydnie's roots extend deep into the heart of Downeast Maine, where she spent her formative years. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication from the University of Maine and upon graduation, ventured to New York, immersing herself in the dynamic realms of both fashion and school administration.
After a period of exploration in Burlington, VT, Sydnie made a deliberate choice to return to Maine in 2018. Armed with a wealth of knowledge in administrative and logistical processes, she eagerly joins our team, driven by a passion to contribute to an organization dedicated to fostering the thriving of community members.
Growing up in Downeast Maine instilled in Sydnie a profound sense of community stewardship, a value that has remained integral to her identity. Today, she resides in Sullivan with her husband, two little ones—Margaux and Liam—alongside their furry companions: Suki, the dog, and two feline friends, Wiggles and Marilyn. Beyond her professional pursuits, Sydnie treasures every moment spent with her family, relishing opportunities to embrace the natural beauty of Maine through outdoor escapades.
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"Ride Wise" at Island Connections
In 2023, we:
- Completed 5265 Rides
- Added 57 new Neighbors
- Added 28 new Volunteers
Phew - we did it again! Another successful year of providing rides to seniors and people with disabilities in our community. 2023 ended up being our second busiest year on record, only surpassed by 2022 when we completed a total of 5,602 rides.
We are still prioritizing rides to medical appointments and to address food insecurity. It is amazing that our two busiest years on record have occurred after we made the difficult decision to stop providing rides to places like the hair dresser and social events. While we would love to begin providing those types of rides again, the medical need has consistently remained too high for that to be possible.
None of these rides would have been possible without each and every one of our volunteers. From those that pick up a few rides every week, to those that shop for a Neighbor after work when they can, you are all so exceptionally valuable to us and to the wellbeing of our Neighbors. THANK YOU for an amazing year.
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Return of the Reel Pizza Matinee! |
Good news first - the senior matinee is back at Reel Pizza! The bad news - it may not last for long.
These afternoon matinees began in a collaboration with Island Connections, Birch Bay and Reel Pizza. While we are not able to provide transportation at this time, we are invested in the success of this program and want it to continue being available for our early bird Neighbors!
TUESDAY MATINEE @ REEL PIZZA:
Shows will begin at 1PM, doors open at 12:30
This Tuesday (January 16th) they will be playing The Color Purple.
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Annual Appeal Update
Wow! We are consistently blown away by the generosity in our community; thank you to everyone who donated during our end of year Annual Appeal.
This year's Annual Appeal raised over $51,000. Our donors are critical to the success of our program and words are not enough to express our appreciation. We cannot do what we do without you!
If you missed us during the Annual Appeal,
you can still donate to Island Connections below.
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Contact Island Connections:
(207)288-4457
www.islconnections.org
93 Cottage Street, Suite 101
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Office hours are Monday - Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Carissa Tinker, Executive Director
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Island Connections * 93 Cottage Street, Suite 101, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
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