Chamber Updates, Member News

& Tips for Business You Can Use

Friday trivia!

Each week the question will be at the top, answer at the bottom...we encourage you to take a look at everything in between as well 😉

Question: Candy corn is a polarizing candy...regardless of if you hate it or love it, do you know the answer to our trivia question this week?

What was candy corn's original name?

Dear Members,

On Tuesday, Cory attended the groundbreaking at 150 Congress Ave. in Bath for an 84-unit housing project, a partnership between Bath Iron Works/General Dynamics and Developer’s Collaborative, with support from Bath Housing, City staff, and the City Council.

Housing remains a critical need for our businesses, and BIW, one of Maine’s largest employers, feels that most. Some employees have lived in campgrounds or vehicles during warmer months, only to leave when winter comes. The average commute for a BIW worker is 70 miles one way—140 miles round trip daily.

This development, just a 10–12-minute walk to the yard, improves quality of life and allows employees to live, work, and play in the same community.

The site will offer studio, one-, and two-bedroom market-rate apartments, with first placements for BIW workers. Developer’s Collaborative will manage construction and operations, with completion expected by mid-2027. Credit goes to Bath Housing, City staff, and the City Council for crafting the TIFs and incentives that made this possible.

These apartments will be market-rate yet within reach for employees earning yard wages. Though that may not make them “affordable” under the general public’s definition, they reduce competition in the regional market by taking 84 households out of the pool seeking lower-cost options. Combined with BIW’s partnership with the Bath YMCA on child care, this is another investment that benefits the whole community.

If you're interested in reading more or to get an update on the bridge work between Topsham and Brunswick, you can check out Cory's weekly column in the Times Record.

As we wrap up October, we're looking ahead to the Midcoast Tree Festival! We've got a brief update below and will share more information in the coming weeks.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Cory + Brittany

Midcoast Tree Festival 2025

The 7th Annual Midcoast Tree Festival is just weeks away!

Join us for two festive weekends — Nov. 21–23 and Nov. 28–30 — benefiting Spectrum Generations, All Saints Parish, and the Bath-Brunswick-Topsham Regional Chamber.

This holiday tradition fills the hall with 55+ decorated “trees”, each surrounded by $500+ in gifts. Guests purchase 50¢ raffle tickets for a chance to win their favorite tree — it only takes one ticket to win! Admission is $2 (kids under 12 free).

Enjoy gingerbread house making, live entertainment, crafts, concessions, a new wreath decorating event, and plenty of holiday cheer (information below!).

Last year, more than 2,500 families joined the fun — and we can’t wait to welcome you back.

Learn more, become a sponsor, register, or volunteer at midcoastmaine.com/midcoast-tree-festival.

Let’s make this year’s festival the brightest yet!

Upcoming Chamber Events

November 12 @ 12

at Independence Association

3 Industrial Pkwy

Brunswick

Wednesday, November 5th

12:00pm - 1:30pm

Our friends at Independence Association are pleased to host our November 12 @ 12 at their space in Brunswick. Join 11 other local professionals and leaders for a low key networking lunch.



This event is free and lunch is provided by the host. Please email Cory to reserve your spot!

Join us to celebrate five great organizations:
Clark Insurance, Independence Association, Spindleworks, Lemont Block, and the BBTRC

We had two fantastic events this week: Sweetser's ribbon cutting and Drinks with Neighbors! Look for photos on social media in the coming days.

Events, News & Notes

October 31, 2025

Family Fridge at the Brunswick Landing

A partnership of Flight Deck, Wild Oats, and the Landing YMCA

📍Landing YMCA

24 Venture Ave, Brunswick Landing

🗓️ Tuesdays 5:30 AM - 8:00 PM

🍽️ Ready-to-eat or heat meals

If you need dinner, take dinner...no questions asked.

We are deeply concerned by the upcoming loss of food assistance in our community. Starting Tuesday (Election Day), Wild Oats and Flight Deck will be placing and stocking community fridges at the Landing Y. Our teams will prep, cook, and fill these fridges every Tuesday through November. Meals are free for anyone who needs food- individuals and families. The Y’s showers, bathrooms, and facilities are also open for anyone to use during pickup between 5:30AM and 8:00PM

Want to help?

Add a $10 “Family Fridge” donation at checkout at Flight Deck or Wild Oats. Every $10 adds an additional family-sized amount of food to the fridge. Any donation dollars we can't use for further stocking the Landing fridges will be directed to Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program to support their ongoing work.

EVERYTHING...But the Bird!

Thanksgiving pre-order from Iris Eats Maine

419 Harpswell Islands Rd.

Harpswell

Order deadline: November 21st

Want to be the Thanksgiving hero? Iris Eats has you covered.

Want to spend time with family and friends chatting instead of cooking? We’ve got you!

Menu below, online ordering is open now through November 21st!

BDA presents: Brunswick's Early Bird Sale

Brunswick (downtown and around town!)

November 9th

6:00am - 9:00pm

Downtown Brunswick’s biggest shopping event of the year, the Early Bird Sale on Saturday, November 8th! Now, even better with the sidewalk improvements, please support your local merchants that are offering exciting discounts and special offers!

See the list of participating businesses, and their sales, here!

BHS to expand partner connections

As the Brunswick School District continues to cultivate and foster connections within our community, we are looking to expand our partner connections in order to identify community members and businesses who may be willing to share their experiences, insights, and expertise with our students and teachers. This is optional and not required! 

This sharing could take different forms including supporting a student's curiosity by helping with a class project or extended learning opportunity, supporting a student's need for community service hours, or supporting a student's career exploration and aspirations.  

Please take a moment to complete this brief Community Partner Survey about your skills and knowledge and your willingness to share them with Brunswick students. Your responses will only be used within the school district to help us better connect community members to our students' educational goals. Depending on the needs and interests of our students, you may or may not be contacted. If you are contacted you will be asked to go through the Brunswick School Districts volunteer application process found here Volunteer Application Process.

Thank you for supporting the young people of our community!

Rick Wilson, Community Outreach/Extended Learning Coordinator, BHS

Bonnie Robbins, Community Outreach Coordinator, BJHS

Introducing the 2025 Wild Oats Thanksgiving Menu!

Choose from Wild Oats' homemade sides, their from-scratch desserts, and their brunch options for the perfect, stress-free holiday (well, at least when it comes to the food).

ORDER DEADLINE: November 22nd, 4:00pm

Local Halloween 🎃 & Spooky Events 👻

New Member Spotlight

Ameriprise Financial

Sarah Dunckel, Private Wealth Advisor

2 Front Street

Bath

(207) 751-7473

jillian.vaillancourt@ampf.com

www.ameripriseadvisors.com/sarah.j.dunckel/

At Ameriprise Financial, we believe the right financial advice can prepare you for whatever life brings — both the expected and the unexpected. Led by Sarah Dunckel, a highly credentialed Private Wealth Advisor, our practice offers personalized, goal-based financial planning tailored to your unique needs.

We specialize in helping individuals and families preserve and grow their wealth through:

1:1 Financial Guidance aligned with your personal goals

Customized Portfolio Recommendations and strategies to manage risk

Ongoing Support through regular reviews and digital tools for tracking progress

Complimentary Initial Consultations to help you get started with confidence

Areas of Focus Include:

• Wealth Preservation & Retirement Income Strategies
• Estate & Tax Planning
• Women’s Financial Strategies
• Sustainable & Responsible Investing
• Insurance & Charitable Giving
• Education Savings & Cash Flow Management
• Domestic Partner Planning

Sarah Dunckel holds multiple advanced designations including CFP®, BFA™, and ChFC®, and brings over two decades of experience and an MBA from The College of Saint Rose. As part of the elite group of Ameriprise Private Wealth Advisors, she offers deep expertise and a robust network of resources to help clients explore the full potential of their wealth.

Whether you're planning for retirement, managing a legacy, or navigating life transitions, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Let’s connect — your financial future starts with a conversation.

Have a great weekend!

2025 Election: Ballot Primer

Question 1: Citizen Initiative

Require Voter Photo ID and Change Absentee Ballot and Drop Box Rules Initiative

Do you want to change Maine election laws to eliminate two days of absentee voting, prohibit requests for absentee ballots by phone or family members, end ongoing absentee voter status for seniors and people with disabilities, ban prepaid postage on absentee ballot return envelopes, limit the number of drop boxes, require voters to show certain photo ID before voting, and make other changes to our elections?

🗳️ A “YES” vote is to enact the initiated legislation.  

🗳️ A “NO” vote opposes the initiated legislation. 

Question 2: Citizen Initiative

Extreme Risk Protection Orders to Restrict Firewarms and Weapons Access Initiative

Do you want to allow courts to temporarily prohibit a person from having dangerous weapons if law enforcement, family, or household members show that the person poses a significant danger of causing physical injury to themselves or others? 

🗳️ A “YES” vote is to enact the initiated legislation.  

🗳️ A “NO” vote opposes the initiated legislation. 

You can read the full explanation of the bill from the Maine Citizen's Guide to the Referendums or for a slightly more manageable version, head over to Ballotpedia. Please note that there may be other town-specific questions on the ballot as well.

Polling Locations:

Topsham: Mt. Ararat High School Gym

Bath: Bath Middle School Gym

Harpswell: Harpswell Community School

Brunswick residents: please note that all in-person voting will take place at the Brunswick Rec Center! Early voting remains at Town Hall.

The complete list of polling locations can be found here.

Midcoast Tree Festival 2025

It may seem early but we want you to save the date! Welcome to the 7th Annual Midcoast Tree Festival (MTF)! Whether you’re new to the area or just hearing about the event, we’re glad you’re here.

MTF is a two-weekend holiday fundraiser (Nov. 21–23 & Nov. 28–30) with proceeds split between Spectrum Generations, All Saints Parish, and the Bath Brunswick Topsham Regional Chamber - it's our largest fundraiser of the year and our most favorite.

What to Know

Details are outlined in the PDFs linked below and include:

• Tree Space Registration & Requirements
• Wreath Space Registration & Requirements
• What’s New for 2025
• Sponsorship Info
• Volunteer link

More at midcoastmaine.com/midcoast-tree-festival.

Why We Do It

All Saints Parish provides essential community support including emergency aid and school funding. Spectrum Generations delivers over 300,000 meals annually to older and disabled adults through Meals on Wheels. The BBRC supports 16 communities through workforce development, marketing, and advocacy.

How It Works

55 decorated “trees” each feature $500+ in gifts - we have artificial traditional-looking trees, and structures that resemble trees - the creativity knows no bounds! Guests buy 50¢ raffle tickets, dropping their tickets in for their favorite trees for a chance to win the tree and everything that surrounds it. The more tickets you drop, the better your chances, but it only takes one to win! Entry is $2 (kids under 12 free), with assistance available for those who need it.

The festival also includes a gingerbread house making contest, live entertainment, crafts, concessions, a new wreath decorating event this year, a silent auction, and a welcoming holiday atmosphere. Volunteers and sponsors make it all possible, and the impact ripples throughout our region. Over 2,500 families came through last year!

Thank you for being part of the magic!

Cory and the entire MTF Team 🎄

The BBTRC Newsletter is generously sponsored by

our 2025 Cornerstone Real Estate Member: 

The BBTRC News & Notes are generously sponsored by

our 2025 Cornerstone Banking Member: 

The BBTRC News & Notes are generously sponsored by

our 2025 Cornerstone Commercial Real Estate Member: 

The BBTRC News & Notes are generously sponsored by

our 2025 Cornerstone Healthcare Member: 

The BBTRC News & Notes are generously sponsored by

our 2025 Cornerstone Automotive Sales Member: 

Chamber Resources

Last week we sent out an email full of information on sponsorship opportunities for 2025. We made a downloadable document for you to reference here.

In addition, we've created a one-pager that outlines the benefits of joining the BBTRC. We're always eager to welcome new members but we also know that our current members are some of the best resource we have! The downloadable document is here and also below.

2025 Cornerstone Memberships

Cory is booking meetings all month long for Cornerstone Membership visits. These businesses are interested in elevating their commitment with the chamber to include sponsorship of the events and programs that the chamber initiates annually.  There are three levels of Cornerstone Membership for 2025, and they include all of your dues (or most of your dues at the third level) for 12 months. 

The top level is the Cornerstone Member level ($5000 annually) which includes:

• 12 months of dues for your main and branch offices
• Industry exclusivity
• Top level marketing package and mentions and chamber events and chamber programs, including: BBTRC Awards Dinner, Hacker’s Ball, Chamber After Hours, 12 @ 12, and much more
• Complimentary Tickets to the BBTRC Awards Dinner in March
• Cornerstones are limited to 8 industry-specific businesses only (meaning 8 businesses from 8 separate industries)

The second level is the Chamber Partner level ($2000 annually) which includes:

• 12 months of dues for your main and branch offices
• Secondary level marketing package and mentions at chamber events and chamber programs, including: BBTRC Awards Dinner, Hacker’s Ball, monthly Chamber After Hours, monthly 12 @ 12, and much more
• Complimentary Tickets to the BBTRC Awards Dinner in March
• There is no industry exclusivity or limited amount of spots at this level- we will accept as many businesses who want to join us at this level

The third level is the Chamber Supporter level ($1000 annually) which includes:

• $400 dues voucher towards 12 months of dues
• Tertiary level marketing package and mentions at chamber events and chamber programs, including: BBTRC Awards Dinner, Hacker’s Ball, monthly Chamber After Hours, monthly 12 @ 12, and much more
• Complimentary Ticket to the BBTRC Awards Dinner in March
• We will accept as many businesses who want to join us at this level

For the full package, see the listing below. E-mail Cory (or call) if you're interested! Even if you’re not sure he can lay out the 2025 plan and talk about how your business or organization may fit a Cornerstone Membership.  

Chamber Works Program Updates

We wanted to again highlight some very exciting news about our workforce programs.

If your business is interested meeting students and showcasing your careers through:

• Work-Study Internships
• Job Shadows
• Career Bus Tours
• In-School Chats

…then we would love for you to take 5 minutes now to sign up. There are two ways to sign up and/or get more information...



If you're ready to register to be considered for either career bus tours or work-study internship programs, please fill out the following forms and e-mail them back to Cory.

Brunswick Landing Neighborhood News

We’re thrilled to announce launch of Brunswick Landing Neighborhood News, a new publication of the BBTRC focusing on Brunswick Landing events and business updates, news from MRRA, and infrastructure information. It is intended to both highlight things happening on Brunswick Landing, and to share information that is highly-impactful to Brunswick Landing businesses.

Please note that this is a separate newsletter from the weekly Chamber newsletter. If you would like to be included, you must sign up using this link.

Anyone is welcome to sign up however submissions will be limited to BL businesses and BL news with very few exceptions. Feel free to submit anything you think may be relevant but we will be the final arbiters of what is included. That said, your submission could very well end up in our regular Chamber newsletter. 

After Hours, 12 @ 12, & Cornerstone Info

Chamber After Hours hosts get the chance to show off their space to 60-80 attendees and educated them on their organization. More information and application can be found below.