Newsletter - September 3, 2026

SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 | ISSUE 33

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In Our Last Newsletter...

1) Job Board

2) Events Calendar

3) Belfast Maskers

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Check the monthly calendar on our website and save the date for upcoming events in our community!

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Chamber Members - You can submit your events by logging into your

ChamberMaster account or email

chamberoffice@belfastmaine.org

Still looking for that new job? Need to know what's available in the greater Belfast area? See who's hiring!

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Chamber Members - You can submit your job postings by logging into your

ChamberMaster account or email

chamberoffice@belfastmaine.org

EVENTS

September 3 - 13

FMI or to purchase tickets, visit the Belfast Masker's

page HERE

Fall Tree Walk with Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition

Time & Location

Sep 05, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Belfast Armistice Bridge, Belfast Armistice Bridge, Belfast, ME 04915, USA

About the event

Oak, ash, white pine, balsam fir, sweet views of the bay, and lots of info: explore the Rail Trail with Erda Grass and Cloe Chunn. Meet at the Belfast Footbridge.

MAINE AUTHORS JUDY SANDLER

LEFT BANK BOOKS

SEPTEMBER 8TH at 7PM

Seating for this event is limited, and reservations are strongly recommended by calling Left Bank Books at 207-338-9009 or sending an email to: info@leftbankbookshop.com

Eli Lev

(Folk Pop / Singer-Songwriter)

Friday, September 11th, 2026 at 6:00 PM

at Marshall Wharf Brewing Company

FMI https://eli-lev.com/tour

Nonprofit Fundraising Training in Belfast

Belfast Flying Shoes invites local nonprofits and other public benefit community organizations to “Fundraising in Challenging Times”, a training facilitated by Andy Robinson on Wednesday, September 16 in Belfast.

Nonprofit leaders across the region are worried about surviving and thriving in the current environment. The good news is that those same nonprofits are staffed by creative and proactive people. Let’s all be part of the rising tide that lifts all boats!

During this training, participants will learn specific steps to prioritize core programs, raise money differently, and partner more effectively with peers. We’ll cover topics like redefining fundraising, diversifying income, program planning, and protecting core programs; collaborating with peers and

partners; and engaging board members and volunteers more effectively. This is an interactive program with discounted pricing for teams.

Preregistration is required. Registration is on a sliding scale of $60 - $120 per participant, with discounts for additional people from the same organization. Details and registration at belfastflyingshoes.org/events/ or email belfastflyingshoes@gmail.com

Our instructor, Andy Robinson (andyrobinsononline.com) provides training and consulting for nonprofits,

businesses, and government agencies. Over the past 30 years, Andy has worked with clients in 47 US states and across Canada. He’s designed and facilitated thousands of workshops, webinars, retreats, and programs covering a variety of topics, including fundraising, board development, marketing, leadership

development, facilitation, planning, change management, alternatives to the 501(c)(3), and train-the-trainer programs. Andy is the author of six books, including Train Your Board (and Everyone Else) to Raise Money, trainyourboard.com. His latest is What Every Board Member Needs to Know, Do,

and Avoid. A frequent visitor to Maine, he lives in Plainfield, Vermont.

Founded in 2005, Belfast Flying Shoes builds community and cultivates well-being through the joy of traditional music and dance for people of all backgrounds and identities in Midcoast Maine. Among the nonprofit’s diverse programs are monthly dances in Belfast and Rockport, a radio show and podcast, and

programs for older adults, incarcerated men, and students and staff at local PreK-12 schools.

Grove Cemetery Tour with An American Revolution Theme

Saturday, September 19, tour starts at 1:00

Join Megan Pinette, Historical Society President and Belfast Cemetery Trustee on a “Revolutionary Belfast” themed walk through Grove Cemetery. Grove Cemetery is located at 262 Belmont Avenue. The tour will take place on Saturday, September 19 and the tour starts at 1:00. Meet at the Grove Cemetery Chapel. Parking is available in the cemetery. Featured will be John Cochran, Boston Tea Party participant, Mrs. Jane Durham, her extensive memory recalls the Penobscot Expedition, and William Crosby, with his childhood memory of the night before the Battle of Lexington. A suggested donation of $10.00 to benefit the Chapel Restoration Fund. The tour lasts about an hour +.

Join us for a free talk on Red Flag Implementation: Next Steps

Tuesday, September 29, 4:00–5:30 p.m.

Mid-Coast School of Technology, Rockland

Wednesday, September 30, 3:00–4:30 p.m.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay

Free (pre-registration appreciated)

Last November, Maine voters passed a referendum to enact an Extreme Risk Protection Order law - commonly known as the Red Flag Law - by more than 60%. The harder work now begins: ensuring this new civil court process is accessible to those who need it, through education, training, and proactive community engagement.

This presentation on Red Flag and Yellow Flag processes, will identify points of overlap and key differences, explore court forms developed for Red Flag petitions, and open the floor for feedback.

Retired federal prosecutor, National Domestic Violence Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Justice, and current teacher at the University of Maine School of Law, Margaret Groban, returns to New Hope Midcoast to follow up on the passage of Red Flag Laws in Maine.

For more information visit: https://newhopemidcoast.org/speaker-series-main/

ANNOUNCEMENTS & NEWS

Waldo CAP announces USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program Income Eligibility Guidelines

BELFAST – Waldo Community Action Partners announces its participation in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program. Meals are available at no separate charge to all enrolled participants.

Waldo Community Action Partners is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, ancestry or national origin. For more information, contact the above identified institution.

Child and Adult Care Food Program

Income Eligibility Guidelines Effective from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027

Eligibility Scale for “FREE” Meals

Please Note: When determining income at the monthly level, please use the following criteria:

Weekly Income x 4.333 weeks Bi-weekly Income x 2.15 weeks

For further information on participating centers and/or homes, contact the above institution.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-

OASCR P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf , from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation.

About WCAP: Waldo Community Action Partners is a charitable, educational, 501(c)(3) private non-profit organization located in Belfast, Maine. It is designed to utilize and mobilize public and private resources to assist low-income Waldo County residents in the alleviation of poverty and address its underlying causes. For additional information, please visit www.waldocap.org.

Request for Bids: Snow and Ice Removal

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore, located at 92 Belmont Ave., Belfast, is requesting bids from local companies for driveway and parking lot snow and ice removal.

Requirements:

- Must provide a certificate of liability insurance and workers' compensation.

Submission Deadline:

- Tuesday, October 13th, 2026, by 5:00 PM.

How to Submit:

- Email: restoremanager.hfhwc@gmail.com

- Drop-off: Habitat for Humanity ReStore during business hours (Wednesday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM; Thursday through Saturday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM).

For questions, please contact the ReStore Manager, Jill Riley, at 207-218-1682.

Consider Becoming a Chamber Member!

Our Vision is that the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce will be recognized as a major catalyst for developing a thriving and connected business community and visitor destination choice in the region.

The Mission of the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce

is to champion a thriving business environment for its members through promotion, networking, advocacy, community partnerships and access to relevant information.

Follow the link above to find information about membership benefits and learn how we can promote you and help you achieve your goals. Your support helps us to better promote our region and businesses!