Patriots' Day - Island Connections office closure - Monday, April 15th
MDI Coffee House - Tuesday, April 16th hosted by First National Bank @ YWCA MDI
Earth Day - Saturday, April 22nd
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Welcome to the April 2019
Island Connector!
We share our monthly newsletter to make the most of our connections in the community!
The purpose of the Island Connector is to share our good work and help those who can benefit from our services or who may wish to volunteer and serve our organization for our beloved community. Neighbors Helping Neighbors is what Island Connections is all about and has been for over 20 years.
If you have a family member or know of a neighbor that could benefit from our
free
transportation services, please have them call us at 288-4457.
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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 MONTHS' ISSUE
- Island Connector Message from the Executive Director
- Neighbor Ride Eligibility
- Friendly reminder to our volunteers
- Volunteers - Our heart and Soul
- Neighbors making extra stops
- AARP Senior Scam Alerts
- Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag Program
- Island Connections Annual Popover Event - Monday, May 13th
- 4th Annual Driving for Rides Golf Tournament - Tuesday, May 21st
- MDI Coffee House - April 16th, hosted by First National Bank
- Special Project - We are collecting photos of our volunteers and neighbors
- Office Volunteer Wanted!
- Monthly Giving Program
- On-Line Volunteer Application
- Yummy recipes from our volunteers and friends
- Volunteer Driver Reward Program
- Neighbor & Volunteers of the Month
- Healthy Acadia - Neighbor 4 Neighbor Application
- Events for Seniors
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Message from the Executive Director
Happy Spring!?!? Typically with longer days and warmer temperatures, the feeling of spring is more than welcome after a long, cold winter however Mother Nature apparently had a different agenda. So, we just need to adjust to another couple of days of snow and move on.
There is a silver lining on the horizon for anyone connected to Island Connections! We have the 4th Annual Driving for Rides Golf Tournament to look forward to on Tuesday, May 21st with a rain date of Wednesday, May 29th. If you golf, know someone who golfs, want to be a sponsor or volunteer, please call the office and speak to Dana or myself at 288-4457 to get more information.
First National Bank and First National Wealth Management, the Title Sponsors of the tournament will have 2 teams represented. Why not join them on the course for a great day of golf!
I'm looking forward to watching the Masters this weekend and get in the spring mindset looking at beautiful Amen Corner at Augusta National. I'm going to transfer those visuals to Kebo Valley Golf Course to get the course ready for the Driving for Rides Golf Tournament! We hope to see you there!
All the best,
Doreen Willett
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ISLAND CONNECTIONS OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, APRIL 15TH IN OBSERVANCE OF PATRIOTS' DAY
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Who is eligible for Island Connections
Free
Transportation Services?
For over twenty two years, Island Connections has been providing free transportation for seniors and people with disabilities on Mount Desert Island and the surrounding islands. We would like to ensure that all of our island community members are aware of our ride eligibility policy. We provide rides to seniors 70+, with no questions asked, as well as to both people with temporary AND permanent disabilities. To clarify, this means that if you are temporarily restricted or temporarily disabled to drive due to a medical reason determined by a physician and are under the age of 70, you are eligible for free transportation services with Island Connections. We simply ask you to provide a doctor’s note for our records to support your medical condition. If you are determined to be permanently disabled, under the age of 70 and can provide a benefits statement from the Social Security Administration, you are eligible for free transportation as well. Please share this information with your family, friends and neighbors so that they become fully aware of our ride policy. Thank you.
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Friendly Reminder to Our Volunteers
Please know that your time and privacy are very important to us at Island Connections. We try to adhere to your time constraints and don't give out your telephone numbers to our neighbors for good reason. We want to be sure that our neighbors are respecting our process of providing rides to them. What we don't want to have happen is that the neighbors are calling you directly for rides and not going through Island Connections. This not only disrupts our scheduling process and muddles our ride counts, but it also opens you up to our neighbors calling you for any number of reasons and, as a result you may not feel comfortable doing what they ask, but may end up doing the ride/task out of guilt rather than refuse them. It’s not to say that we don’t want to encourage good relationships between our neighbors and volunteers but believe that there is a line to be drawn so that you aren’t overburdened. We don’t want to hinder the organic friendships and relationships being created, we just want to be sure that you are always comfortable with the relationship.
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VOLUNTEERS - THE HEART AND SOUL OF
ISLAND CONNECTIONS
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Island Connections Neighbors and Ride Demands
Our volunteers always amaze me and have met the ride demands to complete
401
rides again in the month of March. We added 6 new neighbor and 2 new volunteers as well.
Dana's Joy Riding recruitment Program proved to be an excellent recruiting method for Island Connections. Future dates will be announced. Can we ask YOU, our volunteer drivers, to help spread the word about the amazing work YOU do for our island neighbors and how they can help too by volunteering some of their time to do the same.
As many know, it's actually very easy to help us and rewarding. We have 720 living hours in a month and by donating 1 hour of time, a neighbor can be transported to and from an in town medical appointment. Please share this newsletter with your friends or family members who who want to volunteer for Island Connections . They can merely click on the I wish to apply to Volunteer link below or have them call us at 288-4457 and speak to Dana Mastroianni. Thank you.
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ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING
A VOLUNTEER DRIVER?
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WHY VOLUNTEER?
- It brings people together. You get to meet new people and make new friends.
- It promotes self-growth. You can use your skills and learn new skills.
- You make a difference. Volunteering makes you feel appreciated and needed. It provides an opportunity to give back what has been given to you.
- It strengthens our community and breaks down barriers of fear and misunderstanding.
Thank you for your consideration
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Neighbors needing extra stops with their scheduled rides
As we continue to ensure that our transportation program runs smoothly and effectively, we recognize that our neighbors may not fully understand how important our need to do so may be. We are aware that when our neighbors are able to get out to go to a doctor's appointment or otherwise it may be their only chance to stop to get a gallon of milk or bread. Whatever the need may be, we would like to be able to track this information accurately as extra stops increase the services we provide. This information is important for a number of reasons. Firstly and ideally, we would like to obtain this request directly from the neighbor up front when we enter a ride into our system so that when a volunteer chooses to take a ride they know the expectation and time commitment of that ride. Secondly, we certainly don't want our volunteers to feel guilty or obligated if they don't have the time to make unscheduled stops during any ride. Thirdly, we want to report accurate information when applying for grant funding and also provide that information to our community as to the extent of our services. Lastly and most importantly, to ensure that our volunteers aren't feeling pressured or uncomfortable in any way that would give them pause about providing our neighbors future rides. Our volunteers are our greatest asset and with the increase in the number of rides overall, we want to be sure that the systems we have in place are working for everyone. Therefore, in the event that you have made an extra stop during a scheduled ride, we ask that you contact the office by phone or email so that we can be sure to enter it into RideScheduler. We thank you for your cooperation in this regard.
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AARP Fraud Watch Network - April 2019 State Scam Alerts
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A GREAT WAY TO SUPPORT ISLAND CONNECTIONS!!!
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Hannaford Reusable Bag Program - Our community supporting partners at the Bar Harbor Hannaford have nominated Island Connections as the non-profit to receive the proceeds for the month of May from the Because You Care Reusable Bag Program.
Now's a great time to replace those plastic bags with these reusable bags and help your neighbors through Island Connections! Simply purchase a Because You Care bag at the time of checkout and Island Connections will receive a $ 1.00 donation for each one purchased. Win win!!!
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ISLAND CONNECTIONS
2019 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SAVE THE DATES!
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Annual Popover Event
Jordan Pond House
Monday, May 13
Neighbor Seating 11:30 a.m.
Volunteer Seating 1:30 p.m.
Call Amy to reserve your spot!
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CALLING ALL GOLFERS!!!!
4th Annual Driving for Rides Golf Tournament
Tuesday, May 21 (rain date Wednesday, May 29)
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Thank you to First National Bank and First National Wealth Management for being our Title Sponsors. There are varied levels of sponsorship opportunities available. Contact Dana or Doreen to get more information at 288-4457.
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Annual Dine-Around Day - Saturday, July 20 at participating local restaurants
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4th Annual Running for Rides Mary Parker Memorial 5K - Saturday in October - date to be determined
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THE MDI COFFEE HOUSE IS ON!!!
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Join us for the
last
2019 MDI Coffee House at the YWCA MDI located at 36 Mount Desert Street
in Bar Harbor
from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Bring a friend, meet new friends and enjoy some social time!
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OFFICE VOLUNTEER WANTED
We are looking for an upbeat individual to volunteer in the office for up to 5 hours per week to work under the direction of the Executive Director to answer incoming calls, data entry, a variety of correspondence and help with special projects.
If you're interested, please call Doreen at 288-4457.
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Special Project!
We want your photos!
In an attempt to truly tell the great part of the Island Connections' story, we need to get photos of our volunteers and neighbors in action. Are you willing to take some photos of yourself along with a neighbor? We would love for you to take a few moments with your cell phones to take a couple of shots with you and a neighbor you are driving and provide a little tidbit of your experience as a volunteer driver. These photos will be used in marketing pieces, on our website and social media outlets to help build awareness of Island Connections. Photo release will be provided to be signed by both the volunteer and driver.
Thank you in advance for your kind consideration.
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Champion Connectors Circle Monthly Giving Program
As part of our annual appeal, we are able to offer an online giving option that offers you the ability to support Island Connections on a monthly basis. We invite you to seriously consider our
Champion Connector’s Circle Program
for the following reasons. Monthly giving makes it easier for you to plan ahead for your annual giving, and alleviates the potential challenge of a large outlay of funds at the end of the year.
Your donation can be easily and securely debited from a credit card or bank account of your choosing.
You can set it up to debit your account automatically each month, and not have to think about it again. And it helps Island Connections by providing a consistent and steady cash flow stream throughout the year. All you need to do is click on the link below and simply follow the instructions for the monthly giving program. It’s that easy! Please note that one time gifts can be made on this giving link as well.
If you require any additional assistance or have any questions, please call Doreen at 207-288-4457.
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Monthly recipes from our friends, neighbors & volunteers
of Island Connections
This month, our recipe comes from the Delish Dinners on-line site. Please send us your recipes to be featured here and shared for all to enjoy! Email to [email protected]!
Blueberry Lemon Buttermilk Scones
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SCONES
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) cold butter, cut into cubes
1 c. blueberries
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 large egg, beaten
2/3 c. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp. melted butter, for brushing
1 tbsp. coarse sugar, for sprinkling
FOR THE LEMON GLAZE (OPTIONAL)
1/2 c. powdered sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 tbsp. heavy cream
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and use your hands (or a pastry cutter) to cut butter into flour until crumbles are the size of peas. Add blueberries and lemon zest and toss to coat.
- Make a well in mixture, then add buttermilk, egg, and extracts. Mix with your hands until just combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into an 8” circle. Cut into 8 triangles and place on prepared baking sheet. Brush scones with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Bake until lightly golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon zest and juice, and cream until smooth. Drizzle over cooled scones as desired.
Test Kitchen Tips:
- The almond extract is optional. If you only have vanilla extract, use 1 teaspoon.
- If you don't have coarse sugar, just sprinkle more granulated sugar on top before baking.
- You don't need to make the icing. In fact, the scones are insanely delicious without.
Bon Apetit!
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DO YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEER DRIVER REWARDS PROGRAM?
Back in 2011, when gas prices were climbing higher than we had seen, Island Connections started a Driver Rewards Program to help our volunteer drivers who were working hard for our neighbors each day.
The way it works is that points are accumulated for every ride given by a volunteer to a neighbor. The point system is based on the number of rides given and destination of the rides. Each month Amy Manring, our Transportation Coordinator, reviews all of the data to create a list of those volunteers who have accumulated 30 points at which time we mail each of them a $ 25.00 gift card from Irving/Circle K. Their points revert back to 0 and they begin accumulating all over again. It's our way of giving back to those who give of themselves, their time and their resources. All of our active volunteers are eligible to accumulate points by driving for Island Connections.
Island Connections Driver Rewards Program is made possible through grant funding provided by the Hattie A. and Fred C. Lynam Trust Fund through Bar Harbor Bank and Trust Services.
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We are so fortunate to have so many wonderful neighbors be served by our outstanding volunteers who give of their time and resources. I wish to lend a reminder that YOU, as an Island Connections volunteer, may be the only person that a neighbor may come in contact with that day, that week or otherwise. Not only is the ride they are receiving important but the social aspect of the time spent together goes quite a long way.
Please keep in mind that they look forward to their time with you and by nurturing the relationship it can make all the difference to build trust and a real sense of security while in your care. We always want our neighbors to feel safe, secure and confident in your ability to get them where they they need to go while building a lasting friendship.
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To all of our volunteers -
Thank you for supporting our neighbors in every way that you do.
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Neighbor of the Month
The April Neighbor of the Month is
Patti Kennedy. Patti has been a neighbor for a short time and we love that we are able to help her with her transportation needs. She is such a sweet neighbor and appreciates all of her drivers. We are so happy to have Patty in the Island Connections' family!
Volunteers of the Month
The April Volunteer of the Month is
David Parker who did 18 drives for our neighbors in March! A lot of those rides were to the grocery store and to dialysis for a number of neighbors. David continues to support us every chance he gets. We appreciate everything you do for us and our neighbors!
The Urgent Driver of the Month
is Ken Collins who in addition to his "regular" drives provided numerous urgent drives for an individual neighbor as well as filled in to deliver meals for the Meals on Wheels Program for the Southwest Harbor area. Thank you Ken for your dedication to our mission!
Our Special Mention Drivers
are Roger Bremekamp,
Deb Fisher, Jim Grover, Carol Johnston, and Sarah and Grover Nevells.
Thank YOU ALL for ALL you do to help ensure that our neighbors are getting to their needed appointments, etc.
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The neighbor4neighbor Fund Now Accepting Applications
What: neighbor4neighbor Fund, a program of Healthy Acadia, is now accepting applications from seniors for grants up to $500 for unexpected expenses
Where: Hancock and Washington counties
Dates and Time: Applications accepted year round. Apply online:
The neighbor4neighbor Fund, a program of Healthy Acadia, is now accepting applications from seniors who are facing any one of many life crises which arise unexpectedly and for which a senior may not have adequate funds. The neighbor4neighbor Fund’s mini-grants, capped at $500.00, cover such things as new eyeglasses, dentures, medical equipment, household repairs, or other one-time challenges which can arise and undermine a senior’s ability to live independently and have a high quality of life.
The philosophy of the neighbor4neighbor Fund is that small grants can make a big difference in a senior’s life and the fund works to provide this kind of financial assistance. The goal is to help people to be healthy, stay in their homes and be able to function independently. Many seniors are struggling just to meet their most basic needs, so unexpected expenses are not part of their budget.
The neighbor4neighbor Fund is open to seniors in both Hancock and Washington Counties and is administered by Healthy Acadia.
Please contact Nina Zeldin at 667-7171 or
[email protected] to receive an application or learn more about neighbor4neighbor. Applications can also be downloaded by clicking the link below:
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Senior Expo vendor registration information coming soon, stay tuned!
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HELPFUL INFORMATION:
FROM THE BAR HARBOR FIRE DEPARTMENT
Representatives of the Fire Department share the following advice: we should all have carbon monoxide and smoke detectors on each level of our homes; all detectors have expiration dates-so check and replace if needed; and of course replace batteries routinely. If a senior is having difficulty installing a detector or changing a detector battery, the Fire Department graciously offers to come and do that for you. They request you call them on the non urgent line to request this and they will plan a time to come and assist you.
FROM
THE BAR HARBOR POLICE DEPARTMENT
Members of the Police Dept spoke at a gathering last year to advise all citizens to report any suspicious or unsafe items to them. They ask if you accidentally dial 911 that you stay on the line—this negates the need for them to follow up on a hang up call. The Police note that if you have a problem they might assist with –such as needing sand for icy steps that you are not able to go obtain yourself---please call them on the non urgent line and they will make plans to help you.
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Local Transportation for Seniors
BAR HARBOR SHUTTLE
(year round service operated by Downeast Transportation)
This bus operates on Tuesdays
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We would love your feedback on how we're doing in our community. Please feel free to call or e-mail with your comments.
If you are in need of information about Island Connections or in need of a ride, please contact our Transportation Coordinator, Amy Manring.
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday
9:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Telephone: 207-288-4457
Doreen Willett
Executive Director
Island Connections
www.islconnections.org
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
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Have you given any thought to
Planned Giving?
Perhaps you would like to speak to us about leaving a bequest to Island Connections but didn't know how to get started.
Contact Doreen Willett to start the conversation about creating a sustainable giving plan. We thank you for your consideration.
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Island Connections * 93 Cottage Street, Suite 101, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
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