Encompass Marketing is excited to announce that Danielle Sicotte has joined the firm as a Project Coordinator. Sicotte brings to the team her strong organizational skills and timeliness to help see client projects through from concept to fruition, particularly in website development, and will assist with managing client social media campaigns.

A native Mainer, Sicotte has returned from Boston as a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Suffolk University, where she received her degree in Advertising with a minor in Marketing. During her time with Suffolk, Sicotte was actively involved with the school working in the Student Activities Office, serving as a Teaching Assistant and was chosen to be a HUB scholar. Sicotte was also a member of the Environmental Club and Suffolk Women in Business. Sicotte is a graduate of St. Dominic Regional High School, and is a prime example of a local Maine student who relocated for higher education, but was ultimately drawn back to Maine. As a high school graduate, Sicotte could often be heard saying she wanted to attend a college that had “more people than pine trees”. She shipped off to Boston, and eventually realized, she missed the pine trees. Sicotte currently resides in Lewiston with her fiancé Nate and their black Lab named Harely.

As part of his summer tour, Jonathan Edwards (www.jonathanedwards.net) will perform at the Camden Opera House (www.camdenoperahouse.com) on July 17, 2010. The event is presented by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) Maine Chapter; proceeds will benefit Good Shepherd Food Bank and the NKBA Maine Chapter Scholarship Fund.

Maine radio legend Don Brown recently sat down with Jonathan to discuss the July 17^th show, his summer tour and plans for a new album. “We are excited to have the opportunity to not only discuss the Camden Opera House show, but also his career as a whole,” says Jack O’Brien, Director of Programming & Operations with BlueBerry Broadcasting, WABK’s parent company. “Jonathan’s decision to team up with NKBA to help support the Good Shepherd Food Bank should be applauded. It is a great cause and BlueBerry Broadcasting, a Maine-owned and operated company, takes pride in reaching out to help Maine communities.”

The interview can be heard on BlueBerry Broadcasting’s family of stations on Sunday, July 11: The Bear (104.7, 103.3, 99.1) and KISS 94.5 at 11pm. The Voice of Maine (103.9, 101.3) at 6am. WABK (104.3) at 7am, WTOS (105.1, 96.7, 101.1) and WQSS (102.5) at 7am. Fox Sports (WAEI AM/FM 97.1/910), WRKD-AM (1450), WFAU-AM (1280), WIGY-FM (97.5) at 6am.

The Food-Bank works with a network of more than 600 partner agencies state-wide, including food pantries, soup kitchens and after school programs, to reach 36,000 Mainers every week. Last year Good Shepherd saved partner agencies more than $23 million in food related expenses.

Known for such classics such as “Sunshine” and “Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy”, Jonathan will be joined by his entire quartet; the show is slated to begin at 8:00pm. Tickets are $25 and $35 available by calling (207) 470-7066; online at www.camdenoperahouse.com. The show is sponsored by Dream Kitchen Studio by Mathews Brothers in Rockland.

Jonathan Edwards has played around the world for over four decades – having stellar career of uncompromising musical integrity, delivering songs of passion, insight and humor all rendered in a pure and powerful tenor.

He began his music career growing up in Minnesota, playing by ear on his piano and guitar. In his teens and twenties he became an integral part of the Boston folk music scene, playing with various mutations of bands and traveling all over New England. Soon he was opening for B. B. King and Allman Brothers Band and recorded his first album, “Jonathan” which featured the now legendary hit cut “Sunshine”. A fierce proclamation of protest and independence set to deceptively upbeat music, “Sunshine” resonated with the thousands and thousands of frustrated and angry young men and women of the day.  “It was just at the time of the Vietnam War and Nixon.  It was looking bad out there. That song meant a lot to a lot of people during that time – especially me,” Jonathan says.  It got its start on a Boston radio station and quickly made its way to the top five on the national charts, earning him a gold record in 1971.

“Sunshine” ushered in a sea change in Jonathan’s life and career, sweeping him up in a current of “overnight” success. These days Jonathan Edwards, a vital and relevant artist in today’s folk and Americana scenes, is most likely to be found on the road with longtime accompanist Stuart Schulman on bass, piano, fiddle, and vocals and Taylor Armerding, formerly of Northern Lights, on mandolin and high-tenor vocals.  “I’ve been … doing what I do best, which is playing live in front of people.  I’ve been concentrating on that and loving it,” he says.

An artist who measures his success by his ability to attract and take good care of an audience for four decades, Jonathan maintains that it is the feedback he receives after his shows that keeps him going.  “It is really gratifying to hear [someone say], ‘Your stuff has meant a lot to me over the years.’”

The “stuff” he’s referring to is a highly respected repertoire that includes such classics as “Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy,” “Sometimes,” “One Day Closer,” “Don’t Cry Blue,” “Emma,”  “Everybody Knows Her,” “Athens County,” and everyone’s favorite ode to putting a good buzz on, “Shanty.”  And then, of course, there’s the anthemic “Sunshine (Go Away Today),” that fierce proclamation of protest and independence that resonated with thousands and thousands of frustrated and angry young men and women when it was first released in 1971.  Almost 40 years later, at show after show, the song continues to be embraced by faithful followers and new fans alike.

Since 1971, Jonathan has released 15 albums, including Blue Ridge, his standard-setting collaboration with bluegrass favorites the Seldom Scene, and Little Hands, his collection of children’s songs, which was honored with a National Library Association award.

As far as album #16, Jonathan says, “Young people that are getting back to the land and trying to get off the power grid encourage me.  My next studio album will reflect some of those themes.”

Tickets are $25 and $35 available by calling (207) 470-7066; online at www.camdenoperahouse.com. The show is sponsored by Dream Kitchen Studio by Rockland.

Christine Force, Director of Development and Marketing at Good Shepherd Food Bank says the entire organization is touched by the generosity of Jonathan Edwards and NKBA.  “The support of local businesses and organizations is vital to our efforts of getting food to those who are at risk of hunger.  Events such as this concert will help the Food-Bank address the growing need of Maine’s hungry.”

The Food-Bank works with a network of more than 600 partner agencies state-wide, including food pantries, soup kitchens and after school programs, to reach 36,000 Mainers every week.  Last year Good Shepherd saved partner agencies more than $23 million in food related expenses.

Known for such classics such as “Sunshine” and “Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy”, Jonathan will be joined by his entire quartet; the show is slated to begin at 8:00pm.  Tickets are $25 and $35 available by calling (207) 470-7066; online at www.camdenoperahouse.com.    The show is sponsored by Dream Kitchen Studio by Mathews Brothers in Rockland.

Jonathan Edwards has played around the world for over four decades – having  stellar career of uncompromising musical integrity, delivering songs of passion, insight and humor all rendered in a pure and powerful tenor.

He began his music career growing up in Minnesota, playing by ear on his piano and guitar.     In his teens and twenties he became an integral part of the Boston folk music scene, playing with various mutations of bands and traveling all over New England.   Soon he was opening for B. B. King and Allman Brothers Band and recorded his first album, “Jonathan” which featured the now legendary hit cut “Sunshine”. A fierce proclamation of protest and independence set to deceptively upbeat music, “Sunshine” resonated with the thousands and thousands of frustrated and angry young men and women of the day.  “It was just at the time of the Vietnam War and Nixon.  It was looking bad out there. That song meant a lot to a lot of people during that time – especially me,” Jonathan says.  It got its start on a Boston radio station and quickly made its way to the top five on the national charts, earning him a gold record in 1971.

“Sunshine” ushered in a sea change in Jonathan’s life and career, sweeping him up in a current of “overnight” success.  These days Jonathan Edwards, a vital and relevant artist in today’s folk

and Americana scenes, is most likely to be found on the road with longtime accompanist Stuart Schulman on bass, piano, fiddle, and vocals and Taylor Armerding, formerly of Northern

Lights, on mandolin and high-tenor vocals.  “I’ve been … doing what I do best, which is playing live in front of people.  I’ve been concentrating on that and loving it,” he says.

An artist who measures his success by his ability to attract and take good care of an audience for four decades, Jonathan maintains that it is the feedback he receives after his shows that keeps him going.  “It is really gratifying to hear [someone say], ‘Your stuff has meant a lot to me over the years.’”

The “stuff” he’s referring to is a highly respected repertoire that includes such classics as “Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy,” “Sometimes,” “One Day Closer,” “Don’t Cry Blue,” “Emma,”  “Everybody Knows Her,” “Athens County,” and everyone’s favorite ode to putting a good buzz on, “Shanty.”  And then, of course, there’s the anthemic “Sunshine (Go Away Today),” that fierce proclamation of protest and independence that resonated with thousands and thousands of frustrated and angry young men and women when it was first released in 1971.  Almost 40 years later, at show after show, the song continues to be embraced by faithful followers and new fans alike.

Since 1971, Jonathan has released 15 albums, including Blue Ridge, his standard-setting collaboration with bluegrass favorites the Seldom Scene, and Little Hands, his collection of children’s songs, which was honored with a National Library Association award.

As far as album #16, Jonathan says, “Young people that are getting back to the land and trying to get off the power grid encourage me.  My next studio album will reflect some of those themes.”

Tickets are $25 and $35 available by calling (207) 470-7066; online at www.camdenoperahouse.com.    The show is sponsored by Dream Kitchen Studio in Rockland.

Auburn Savings Bank “artlight” ads will shine the spotlight on local artists, galleries and events taking place in the area.  This effort by Auburn Savings Bank continues a tradition of giving back to the communities where many of their employees and customers live and do business.

“We believe that one of the keys to an economically viable community, one where people want to live and do business, is having a strong arts culture,” said Allen Sterling, President, Auburn Savings Bank.  The Bates Dance Festival (www.batesdancefestival.org) as well as the ArtVan Program (www.artvanprogram.org) are two examples of programs who will benefit from “artLight” ads. “We feel privileged to have organizations like the Bates Dance Festival and the ArtVan right in our neighborhoods; we are honored to help support their efforts.”

Throughout the year, Auburn Savings Bank will select arts organizations or artists to feature as part of their print advertising campaign.  If you are an artist, belong to an arts organization or know of an event that Auburn Savings should consider for the “artLight” ads, email the information to info@encompassmarketing.com.  For more information about Auburn Savings Bank, visit www.auburnsavings.com.

Media Advisory

BARBARA BUSH TO ANNOUNCE $380,000 IN NEW GRANTS SUPPORTING FAMILY LITERACY IN MAINE
CONTACT
Becky Dyer, Maine Family Literacy Initiative Director

(207) 441-9965
becky@mainefamilyliteracy.com

Benita Somerfield, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy

202-955-6183

benitas@flfw.com

WHERE/WHEN

Thursday, June 10^th, 2010
11:00 am

J. Richard Martin Community Center

189 Alfred Street (Rt. 111)

Biddeford, Maine 04005

EVENT DETAILS

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy’s Maine Family Literacy Initiative will award grants to 8 organizations to plan and design a program that meets the needs of their communities and to 14 organizations to provide quality family literacy programming. Barbara Bush will give brief remarks before recognizing this year’s grant winners.  Mrs. Bush will be joined by First Lady of Maine Karen Baldacci, Maine Family Literacy Initiative Director, Becky Dyer, as well as guest student speaker Amanda Thornton from the Community School in Camden.

BACKGROUND
Since 1996, The Maine Family Literacy Initiative has awarded 226 grants totaling $3,957,090. To learn more, visit www.mainefamilyliteracy.com

Founded by Barbara Bush in 1989, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy supports the development and expansion of family literacy programs — in settings where parents and children read and learn together — across the United States.  Grants are awarded on a competitive basis to nonprofit organizations, correctional institutions, homeless shelters, schools and school districts, libraries and community- and faith-based agencies.  As of April 2010, the Foundation had awarded $35 million to 795 family literacy programs in 50 states including the nation’s capital.In addition to its national program, the Foundation supports the work of 4 statewide initiative in Maine, Texas, Maryland and Florida. The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is a fund of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region in Washington, DC. To learn more, visit www.barbarabushfoundation.com.

“It was interesting because it brought a bunch of schools together to go green”, said Kelsa Mercer, a 6th grader from New Hampshire. Kelsa joined groups of students and educators from across New England and upstate New York, who for two days celebrated their work solving problems faced by their schools and communities.  During the school year students participated in service-learning projects, a teaching method that links community projects with academic studies.

The theme of the student summit, “Green Thumbs” Up for Green Schools, is part of a Green Schools initiative that also funded 35 mini-grants awarded to New England schools.  “Kids get in the community and learn by helping,” said Kaylee Doten from Portland’s Lincoln Middle School. “I know it has been great for me.”

KIDS Consortium’s Fran Rudoff says they could not have pulled all this together without the help of some key supporters. “This was a new approach for us this year.  We were able to provide financial support, with special grants from State Farm Insurance, foundations and other businesses, to all of the student teams for “Green” service learning projects.”

Attendees from more than 30 schools came together at the University of New Hampshire on May 25^th and 26^th.  The keynote presenter, UNH professor Cameron Wake discussed the importance of service learning and how it can be used to educate about climate issues.  “There is theory and there is practice”, he said.  “Service learning enables students to practice, experience and see the world.  Simply hearing and reading about theories does not work for many students.”

“I hope students will take Cameron’s message seriously,” says Rudoff.  “That the future of our planet is in their hands and that it will require everyone taking small steps at home to be “green”, and much bigger collective efforts to make our communities more sustainable.”

For their service learning project, the students from the Lisbon Central School (Lisbon, CT.) spent the academic year planning the student summit.  They learned and applied many skills, such as problem solving and team work.  Student planners also learned how important it is to persevere to meet goals.

“It was a great experience to have the summit be our project,” said 7^th grade student Albert Tulli.  “I had a hand in lining up the keynote speaker and other projects.  It was certainly interesting watching it all come together, we started with an idea and now the conference is over.”

The event’s Green Schools theme encourages participants to work together to make their schools and communities more environmentally friendly.    7^th grader Morgan Gray said she learned a great deal from students she had never met before.  “So many great ideas were presented.  Students in different places realized different issues in their towns, shared solutions at the summit, and now the rest of us can take those ideas back home with us.”

Rudoff says if anything, she hopes students will come away from this summit knowing they are uniquely qualified to act.  “Individually and collectively, my hope is that through service-learning, students understand how the knowledge and skills they are learning in school can be applied to the real world.”

KIDS Consortium, based in Auburn, Me., works with teachers, administrators and students to involve students in addressing real challenges faced by their communities. Through service-learning, students identify, research and work to address local community needs. With guidance from KIDS, teachers match those projects to school curricula, providing a powerful hands-on learning experience that improves the community and brings academics to life. For more information, visit www.kidsconsortium.org.

In addition to State Farm and Downeast Energy, grants from Hannaford, Wheelabrator, Walmart, Kennebunk Savings Bank, UBS, Poland Spring Water, the Horizon Foundation, the Sam L. Cohen Foundation, L.L. Bean, United Way of York County, Lee Auto Malls, R. H. Reny, Inc., and the Learn and Serve America Program at the Corporation for National and Community Service make this year’s Green Schools Summit possible.

During 2009 Maine’s CAPs assisted 70,000 people with LIHEAP fuel assistance (estimated through June 10), with an average benefit of $861 dollars.  More than 1,500 homes were weatherized.  Matt Smith believes weatherizing and repairing homes is an investment that should yield long term benefits.  “Energy costs will vary from year to year.  Making homes more energy efficient will make things easier on families and hopefully decrease the need for those families to seek our assistance with fuel bills in the future.  The savings that each family realizes will be spent locally to support other needs such as food and transportation.”

Penquis, the agency that works primarily with residents in Penobscot, Piscataquis and Knox County, provided LIHEAP funding for 11,000 households, they also have the largest number of children enrolled in Head Start Programs. For the year ending May, 31, 2009, Penquis served 603 children in Head Start and 101 children in Early Head Start.  State wide over 3800 children are enrolled in Head Start programs.

“What is happening in Community Action Agencies across the is extraordinary.   Maine’s agencies are assisting tens of thousands of families in more than one way.  Our breadth of services and having many services under one umbrella enables us to respond effectively and efficiently to the very real needs of Maine’s families”, says Smith.

MCAA (www.mainecommunityaction.org) represents Community Action Programs (CAPs) that provide services to low income people in all 16 counties in Maine. Fuel assistance, subsided childcare, Head Start, transportation programs, baby formula and food support through WIC (Women, Infants & Children), and home weatherization are just some of the programs provided through Maine CAPs.

The mission of the National Technical Honor Society is to honor and award achievement, promote educational excellence and to enhance career opportunities for students engaged in career and technical education.

Sarah Patrie, a senior from Lewiston High School received the Kenneth C. Jordan Student of the Year Award.  The award named for the first director at LRTC, Mr. Jordan served in that capacity from 1969-1991.

The Lois Barr Community Service Scholarship was presented to Megan Pelletier, also a senior from Lewiston High School.  Lois Barr has dedicated her life work to serving the cultural, spiritual, developmental, and healthcare needs of area residents; it is in that sprit that the award was given to Megan.

The keynote speaker during the ceremony was Rep. Michael Beaulieu (Auburn).  Rep. Beaulieu is a long time supporter of Career and Technical Education and is a retired teacher from Lewiston High School.

LRTC serves students from 6 area high schools (Edward Little, Leavitt, Lewiston, Lisbon, Oak Hill, Poland.  For more information about career and technical education at LRTC, visit www.lewiston.mainecte.org, or students are encouraged to meet with a guidance counselor or advisor.

As part of LRTC’s National Technical Honor Society induction ceremony, students raise their right hand and take the National Technical Honor Society pledge. The event took place on May 19th at the Green Ladle in Lewiston

Students and Educators Convene at Regional Summit at UNH, Durham Campus

Focus on Climate Change and Other Environmental Issues

• Hundreds of New England students share community problem-solving experiences
• Cameron Wake, UNH, keynotes the Summit at 1:35 pm Tuesday, May 25
• Great photo ops of K-12 students start at 2 pm Tuesday, Memorial Union Building

Durham, NH—Hundreds of K-12 students from across New England will gather at the University of New Hampshire, Durham Campus, May 25-26, 2010, for the 10th annual KIDS Consortium Student Summit on Service-Learning. They will celebrate their work solving real problems faced by their schools and communities through service-learning, a teaching method that links community projects with academic studies. The event’s theme, “Green Thumbs” Up for Green Schools, is part of a Green Schools initiative that also funded 35 mini-grants awarded to New England schools.

Attendees will come from more than 30 schools across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont to this unique event to share their results and ideas for future work. The Summit’s reach expands each year. The 2010 Summit will mark the first time that New York schools have participated.

From elementary students who established a school-wide composting program, to middle school students who worked to reduce invasive species in a local wetland, to high school students who started a school garden, youth teams throughout New England have made their schools and communities more environmentally sustainable. These student teams will all give oral presentations and display exhibits at the Green Schools Student Summit this year.

Through these service-learning projects and the opportunity to present at the Student Summit, youth learn to be communicators, problem-solvers and active members of their community. This year, major corporate sponsors are State Farm Insurance and Downeast Energy.

“It’s exciting to see so many young people thinking about the environment and engaged in driving positive action to make their schools greener. These young leaders are not just our future—they’re also our present,” said Marvin Rosenblum, founder of KIDS Consortium.

Seventh and eighth grade students at Lisbon Central School in Lisbon, Conn., have been planning the Summit throughout the school year as one of their own service-learning projects, with KIDS Consortium as their community partner.

The event’s Green Schools theme encourages participants to work together to make their schools and communities more environmentally friendly. The keynote speaker, Cameron Wake, is a research associate professor with the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space at UNH. He will speak about climate and environmental change and how the actions of individuals can make a difference. Using this theme, students and educators at the Summit will have fun showcasing their work, reflecting on their experiences and learning new skills.

KIDS Consortium, based in Auburn, Me., works with teachers, administrators and students to involve students in addressing real challenges faced by their communities. Through service-learning, students identify, research and work to address local community needs. With guidance from KIDS, teachers match those projects to school curricula, providing a powerful hands-on learning experience that improves the community and brings academics to life. For more information, visit www.kidsconsortium.org.

In addition to State Farm and Downeast Energy, grants from Hannaford, Wheelabrator, Walmart, Kennebunk Savings Bank, UBS, Poland Spring Water, the Horizon Foundation, the Sam L. Cohen Foundation, L.L. Bean, United Way of York County, Lee Auto Malls, R. H. Reny, Inc., and the Learn and Serve America Program at the Corporation for National and Community Service make this year’s Green Schools Summit possible.

Encompass focuses on marketing non-profit organizations and over the years, have had the honor of working with some incredible organizations, including LRTC and the Maine Association of Career and Technical Educators (www.mainecte.org).

Candace Sanborn, Managing Partner at Encompass Marketing, says the Encompass Marketing team was looking for a way to give back to the area in which they are privileged to live and work. “We all live in towns which are served by LRTC.  We felt it appropriate to offer a scholarship that will help a young man or woman pursue a career in a field that is near and dear to our hearts.”

The scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior from LRTC who has been accepted to a two or four-year college program and is intending to pursue studies in marketing or subjects that relate to the marketing field. These can include graphic design, public relations, photography, creative writing, website development/programming.

For more information or to apply for the scholarship, LRTC students are encouraged to speak with John Cook, LRTC’s Students Services coordinator, at 795-4144.