FEBRUARY 12, 2026 | ISSUE 6

📣 Welcome New Chamber Member:

Mainely Mirrors



We are delighted to welcome Mainely Mirrors as the newest member of the Chamber!

Rooted in Maine’s coastal heritage and crafted with intentional, artisanal care, Mainely Mirrors brings a fresh blend of handmade beauty, local craftsmanship, and community spirit to the Midcoast.

Each piece reflects the natural charm of our surroundings — from rugged shorelines to quiet forest trails — making their mirrors more than décor, but a celebration of Maine living.

📍 Learn more: www.mainelymirrors.com

Welcome to the Chamber — we’re glad you’re here!

Arts in the Park applications are now open for artists and food vendors!

Visit our website HERE for more info.

UMAINE PROFESSOR & AUTHOR

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LEFT BANK BOOKS

Left Bank Books in downtown Belfast invites the public to a free talk on Sunday, February 22, at 4 p.m., by Maine writer Robert Klose who will tell behind-the-scenes stories of his two remarkable books about adopting young boys from Russia and Ukraine: Adopting Alyosha: A Single Man Finds a Son in Russia and Adopting Anton: A Single Man Seeks a Son in Ukraine.

At age thirty-nine, Klose, a faculty member at the University of Maine, Orono, began a three-year journey through a labyrinth of adoption agencies in the U.S. and abroad, most of whom were unsure how to respond to a single man’s application. Happenstance finally led him to Russia, where he found the child of his dreams in a Moscow orphanage—a climax that reads like a thriller. Seven years later, Klose and his Russian-born son jointly decided they wanted to add another member to their family. Thus began a second odyssey through the international adoption network, which ended with the adoption of Anton in Ukraine. 

Both of Klose’s memoirs have received widespread praise:

            “[Adopting Alyosha] might be considered requisite reading for anyone planning to do what Klose did. . . . [his] account of the long, grueling road he took to adopt a child is often enthralling.”                                                  —Dave Eggers, The New York Times Book Review

            “[In] Adopting Anton we get a detailed picture of Ukraine, its people, lifeways, and inscrutable Slavi Bureaucracy, as well as recollections of adjusting to life at home in Maine.” 

—Dana Wilde, former professor, American University in Bulgaria



Klose teaches Biological Sciences at UMaine in the Honors College. He is a regular contributor of essays to The Christian Science Monitor, and his work has also appeared in Newsweek, The Boston Globe, and various literary magazines. Adopting Anton was a finalist in the Maine Literary Awards.

Reservations for the free event are strongly recommended as seating is limited. To reserve, call Left Bank Books at 207-338-9009, or email: info@leftbankbookshop.com. Ample free parking is available in front of the shop and in an adjacent city lot.

Midcoast Council of Governments is launching a Public Transportation Needs & Interest Survey as part of a regional transit feasibility study. The goal of the survey is to better understand how residents travel today and what would make public transportation a realistic option in the future. Results will inform future planning, funding, and service improvements across the

 Midcoast region.

The survey can be found HERE or by scanning the QR code below.

🎥 From Maine Built Boats ....

In their recent Meet the Builders series, Maine Built Boats President Jon Johansen interviews JB Turner, co-founder and General Manager of Safe Harbor Front Street (formerly Front Street Shipyard, and a Chamber member).

Hear JB share his career path in boatbuilding, the founding of one of New England’s largest yacht yards, and lessons learned over a multi-decade career in Maine’s marine industry.

United Midcoast Charities (UMC) is now accepting community nominations for its 2026Rising Tide Award for Philanthropic Excellence, an annual honor recognizing individuals whose generosity and leadership help strengthen life across Knox and Waldo counties.

The award celebrates people whose actions, whether highly visible or quietly behind the scenes, contribute to a stronger local community through philanthropy, volunteerism, advocacy, or acts of generosity that support neighbors and nonprofit organizations.

“For the past three years, United Midcoast Charities has honored individuals whose commitment to giving has helped lift our entire community,” said Becca Gildred, Executive Director at United Midcoast Charities. “This year, we are excited to invite the broader community to help identify the next person whose generosity truly embodies the spirit of the tide that lifts all boats.”

Past recipients of the Award for Philanthropic Excellence include Sani Wolf Fogel (2023), Karen Foxwell (2024), and Christopher Beebe (2025). Each honoree reflects UMC’s belief that lasting change happens when individuals work together to support nonprofits and ensure essential services remain strong for all.

For the first time, nominations are open to the public. Community members are encouraged to nominate someone who has made a meaningful impact in Knox or Waldo counties by supporting local organizations, strengthening community efforts, or helping meet critical needs.

Nominations require a brief description of why the individual is being nominated, the local organizations or initiatives they have supported, and how their generosity has helped strengthen life in the region. To submit a nomination for the 2026 United Midcoast Charities Rising Tide Award for Philanthropic Excellence, visit www.unitedmidcoastcharities.org/bethetide  and complete the online nomination form.

Nominees may be well-known community leaders or unsung heroes. What matters most is their commitment to generosity, collaboration, compassion, and lifting others.

The recipient of the 2026 Rising Tide Award for Philanthropic Excellence should be available to be honored at United Midcoast Charities’ annual Rising Tide party, held each August.

🤝 Member Collaboration for Community Good🤝

Two of our Chamber members are teaming up this February to support neighbors in need — Stanley Chevrolet and the Belfast Soup Kitchen.

Through Stanley Chevrolet’s Round Up for Change program, customers can choose to round their purchase up to the nearest dollar — or add $2 or $5 — with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the Belfast Soup Kitchen.

It’s a simple way for two local organizations to combine their efforts and make a real impact right here in our community. Small contributions add up — and together, our members are helping take care of Belfast and the midcoast area.

🐾 Members Partnering for Pets!🐾

Two of our Chamber members are teaming up this February to support local animals in need — Belfast LBC and PAWS. Throughout the month, Belfast LBC is helping showcase PAWS’ adoptable dogs and cats right in their store windows 🐶🐱. Customers are also welcome to leave donations for PAWS at the Belfast LBC location — or donate directly to PAWS and receive 10% off an adoption fee.

It’s a great example of local businesses working together to support animals and families in our community.

Visit their Facebook page HERE, FMI.

Retired? Between jobs? Looking for some way to work with kids? Come be a substitute teacher at the Waldo County Tech Center and be a part of the super amazing things they're doing!

The Penobscot Maine Museum is nearing its $30,000 goal to restore Big Jim and bring him to Searsport this summer! Find out more about the project and donate here: https://penobscotmarinemuseum.org/big-jim/

Dorothy Havey, Executive Director

Director@belfastmaine.org

Kim Grindle, Member Relations Coordinator

ChamberOffice@belfastmaine.org

Board of Directors

President: Michelle Curtis, First National Bank

Vice President: Ryan Harnden, Mathews Brothers

Treasurer: Terri Tower, Camden National Bank

Secretary: Megan McAvoy, MaineHealth Waldo Hospital

Haley B. Hall, Esq., Camden Law

John McKeith, The Belfast Center

Mary Tripp, Bank of America

Staff Photography by Dave Waddell, Down East Magazine