Time: Sunday, May 13, 2012, 1pm to 4pm Location: York County Shelter Programs, Inc.
147 Shaker Hill Road, Alfred, ME (Map and Directions)
On Mother’s Day on the dining commons at the York County Shelter Programs in Alfred, Maine, will be transformed into a beautiful formal tea house with a welcoming waitstaff, linen tablecloths and napkins, flowers, and lovely music.
Tea and coffee, apple crisp and ice cream, mixed berries shortcake and an array of scrumptious desserts from the Bakery at Notre Dame will be served. Fancy non-alcoholic Shirley Temple and Roy Rogers drinks will be available for the children. A silent auction with various items and gift certificates will be on display.
If you are looking for a unique and affordable way to celebrate Mother’s Day, this will certainly be a great option with the added bonus of supporting a project that is working to eradicate hunger in Maine and New Hampshire. Everyone (not just mothers) is welcome to attend this fundraising Dessert and Tea for the Mothers and Others Against Hunger project. Reservations are encouraged. Please contact Mary Doyle at 207-793-2759 or email mqdoyle@gmail.com
Front row (l-r)Grace King, Emma Maierhofer, Maddie Maierhofer, Back row (l-r): Hannah Peters, Lily Daggett, Emma Peterson
ReVision Energy is pleased to support a group of Yarmouth High School sophomores whose first place finish at the high school level for the state of Maine has earned them the right to compete at the Global Destination ImagiNation (DI) Celebration in Knoxville, TN in May of this year (5/23-5/26). At that event they will be competing against teams from all 50 states and 38 countries. In total, more than 16,000 participants from around the globe will be sharing their solutions to a variety of challenges.
What is DI?
Destination ImagiNation, Inc. is an extraordinary non-profit organization that provides two educational programs for students to learn and experience creativity, teamwork and problem solving. Every year, we reach 100,000 students across the U.S. and in more than 30 countries. Destination ImagiNation, the core program, is an exhilarating after-school activity in which students work in teams to solve mind-bending Challenges and present their solutions at Tournaments.
The challenge the Yarmouth team chose this year is called “The Solar Stage” – it is the scientific challenge among the choices but also involves acting/theater. Each team has 8 minutes to present their solution to the judges. The topline description says:
Create and present a theatrical performance that tells a Story about the use of solar energy.
Integrate research about past and/or current uses of solar energy.
Design and create a Solar Energy Prototype that demonstrates a new way to collect, capture and use solar energy.
Design and provide Theatrical Lighting to illuminate the Presentation and to create special theatrical effects.
This team of girls has done DI since 6th grade. They are now sophomores at Yarmouth High School. Best of luck, team!
Solar at Yarmouth High School
It can’t hurt that there is a solar energy system already at Yarmouth High School to serve as inspiration. In 2007, ReVision Energy partnered with Yarmouth High School to win a Maine-state grant to fund the school’s first renewable energy system (and one of the first solar systems for any school in Maine).
Time: Thursday, May 10, 2012, 6pm – 7:30pm Location: Camden Hills Regional High School, 25 Keelson Dr, Rockport, ME (Map and Directions) Cost: $20 Donation to UMaine Cooperative Extension
In this class, the basic fundamentals of grid-tied photovoltiac systems will be explained, including the major components, design options, expected performance and current savings and incentives. The instructor will be John Luft, ReVision Energy Liberty Branch Manager.
The event will be held by Five Town CSD Adult & Community Education, an award winning program. Over 2,000 people each year participate in some way in our program, whether it is taking a class or teaching one. Their offices and most of our classes are located at Camden Hills Regional High School on Route 90.
Founded in 1994, when Portland’s downtown vacancy rate was 40%, Coffee by Design has from its origins been a promoter of local art and nexus of Portland’s community. From their humble origins, they have grown into a staff of 45, with four coffeehouses (three are icons of Portland’s downtown and one is at LL Bean’s flagship store in Freeport) and a micro-roastery on Portland’s East End.
Always driven by values – and quality – Coffee by Design has tried to do the right thing for decades by being selective with coffee purchasing and nurturing relationships with their coffee growers. They compost their coffee grounds, and were one of the first coffeehouses to offer biodegradable plastic cups. They are big supporters of local art, and Portland Buy Local, and so the next step – local energy – was a natural fit.
“For years, solar had been a dream,” said CBD co-founder Alan Spear, “Originally we had thought we would just get a couple panels up there, but it became clear that the opportunity was to cover our entire roof with solar panels.”
That opportunity was a grant from Efficiency Maine, which offered a $20,000 grant for energy efficiency upgrades, including solar. ReVision Energy and CBD partnered to work on the grant, which was no small feat in itself. “It was a lot of work,” comments CBD’s other co-founder, Mary Allen Lindeman. “Luckily we had ReVision’s great staff to help us through the process and put the whole thing together.”
Even after they successfully secured the grant, being able to install solar was not certain. CBD still needed to come up with the capital for the other half of the project, and the condition of their Washington Ave roof space required additional investment. But, as the grant’s deadline started to approach, conditions started lining up for CBD to make the project happen. “We just couldn’t let this pass us by,” Lindeman said, “So we decided to make it happen and realize our dream.”
Solar Powered Coffee Roasting
44 solar electric panels installed for Coffee by Design's Washington Ave roastery in Portland, Maine
That solar dream? 44 grid-tied photovoltaic panels which cover just about every usable inch of roofspace on their Washington Ave roastery. The system – enough to power 2 homes – is expected to produce about half of the power used in the facility, offsetting roughly 18,000 lbs of C02 emissions from conventional electricity sources.
“The install went great, I couldn’t imagine it going any better,” says Spear. “[ReVision Energy Project Manager] Josh was great, very easy to work with, and things went very smoothly. We had full retail operations going and only heard positive things from our customers – who are always the first to tell us if things are awry.”
In fact, word from customers so far has been outstanding. Lindeman and Spear both comment on their Facebook posts about solar, which attracted the most ‘likes’ and comments of any to date. The highly visible system has become a talking point about solar in the whole East End neighborhood. And being part of the neighborhood is, ultimately, what Coffee by Design is all about.
“For us, this was an opportunity to really think about who we [Coffee by Design] are and focus on our values,” Lindeman adds. “We decided that solar was part of those values and so we went for it – and we have been thrilled to see our customers respond positively to our commitment.”
You can get your own cup of solar brewed joe at any of Coffee by Design’s coffeehouses, on India Street, Congress Street, or Washington Ave in Portland, and in the L.L. Bean Flagship Store in Freeport. Live further afield? You can order coffee online.
Time: Saturday, May 5, 9:30am to 12pm Location: Two Echo Cohousing, Echo Road, Brunswick, ME (Map and Directions)
Come join us for a walking solar tour featuring three homes and a business in the Two Echo Co-housing Community in Brunswick, Maine. We will be meeting at 9:30am at Two Echo’s Common House. We’ll start with coffee, introductions and a brief discussion on solar energy and then begin our tour led by the homeowners.
The first stop will be a home with both solar hot water and solar electricity. Next we’ll look at a home and business with solar electricity featured on both. Finally we’ll end our tour at a home with solar hot water, solar electricity and a wood boiler providing heat in the house.
A ReVision Energy representative will be available to help answer questions. This tour is free and open to the public. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to learn more on how solar energy can work for you! Please contact jen@revisionenergy.com or call (207) 221-6342 with any questions. Pre-registration is not required.
This spring, Outdoor Research Associates of Portsmouth is partnering with the Cape Eleuthera Institute in the Bahamas to launch a new eco tourism program, with proceeds to benefit the New Hampshire Coastal Protection Partnership, your local nonprofit working to protect the natural resources of the Granite State’s coastal watershed.
Dr. Josh Carroll will lead NH Coast donors on a multi-day journey to the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI), an environmental education and research center located on the turquoise shores of Eleuthera Island. Donors who contribute $2,750 will enjoy a five-day stay from May 3-7, with an extended eight-day eco vacation available from May 3-10 for those who donate $3,600. Round trip airfare and open-air beachfront accommodations are included, along with meals made from ingredients grown in CEI’s own organic garden and locally harvested fish and meats.
“The trip will include opportunities to take part in shark and coral research, visits to remote coral reefs, snorkeling, spear fishing, sailing on crystal waters, and relaxing around beach bonfires, all while learning about sustainability, island culture, and marine resources management,” Josh says.
“The CEI campus is solar powered, utilizes rainwater catchment, and all their vehicles run on biodiesel produced on site,” he notes. “Just by living there for a few days, people are going to absorb a lot about sustainability, and hopefully bring it home with them.”
“Our friends at ReVision Energy are even sponsoring carbon offsets to cover the greenhouse gas emissions we create on the flight down.”
Here’s your opportunity to learn about Ecotourism, tourism impacts, natural resource management practices in a developing island, get involved with marine research projects, snorkel, kayak, tour the island, and more!
When: The course will run May 3-10, 2012 (see How it Works, below)
Where: Cape Eleuthera Institute, Cape Eleuthera, the Bahamas
How it works: Donations of $2,750 to NH Coast are eligible for an all-inclusive spot on the May 3-7 trip. Donations of $3600 to NH Coast are eligible for an all-inclusive spot on the extended trip, May 3-10. All proceeds benefit NH Coast, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization.
Time: Thursday, May 3, 2012, 6pm – 7:30pm Location: Camden Hills Regional High School, 25 Keelson Dr, Rockport, ME (Map and Directions) Cost: $20 Donation to UMaine Cooperative Extension
In this class, the basic fundamentals of solar hot water systems will be explained, including the major components, design options, expected performance and current savings and incentives. The instructor will be John Luft, ReVision Energy Liberty Branch Manager.
The event will be held by Five Town CSD Adult & Community Education, an award winning program. Over 2,000 people each year participate in some way in our program, whether it is taking a class or teaching one. Their offices and most of our classes are located at Camden Hills Regional High School on Route 90.
Thank you to everyone who rallied to “Check in” support for YMCA Camp Huckins! With your help we raised $500 in funds which will go towards camp scholarships.
For May, our nonprofit in the spotlight is the Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restorationproject. As of this moment, the folks in Damariscotta Mills are waiting eagerly for the annual running of the alewives.
Damariscotta Mills is home to the state’s oldest, most productive, and most publicly accessible alewife run. Built by the towns of Nobleboro and Newcastle in 1807, the fish ladder was originally built of local stone packed with clay in an overflow outlet of Damariscotta Lake. The fish ladder may never have been a particularly efficient passageway as it followed the natural lay of the land, which is often steep and narrow. The fish ladder has undergone many repairs and renovations in its long history but none of them has been comprehensive or specifically designed for efficient fish passage until the current effort.
Why Enhance Fish Passage for Alewives?
Annual run of the alewives. Photo courtesy of Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration
Alewives are an important part of the food chain and they contribute to the health of the marine environment and to the lakes and streams where the fish spawn. In the spring, alewives are a critical source of food for wildlife and their young as well as a source of fresh bait for local lobstermen who are setting out gear after a winter ashore. The Towns of Newcastle and Nobleboro have harvested alewives at Damariscotta Mills since the 1700s and, by balancing conservation and economic goals, they have carefully tended the Damariscotta River alewife stocks. However, pressure from offshore fishing and environmental degradation have taken a toll on fish stocks. Today, harvesting is only carried out when a sufficient number of alewives are reaching Damariscotta Lake to spawn. All funds received for harvested alewives are spent to maintain and restore the fish ladder and harvesting area.
Noting the historical, environmental, and economic value of the alewives, the Towns of Nobleboro and Newcastle and the Nobleboro Historical Society, backed by a solid community-based initiative, embarked on an ambitious project to rebuild the fish ladder in 2007. In the ensuing five years, two-thirds of the historic stone structure has been re-built to specifications provided by US Fish and Wildlife Service Fish Ladder Engineer Curtis Orvis and Maine Department of Marine Resources fisheries biologist Gail Whipplehauser. Work to date has been funded by community fundraising events, donations, and grants, including a $92,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
At present, the most deteriorated and least accessible third of the fish ladder has still to be addressed. Creative and innovative methods must be devised to remove the current crumbling pools and rebuild them to the new design specifications. Work to date has cost nearly $600,000 and it is projected that another $350,000 – $400,000 will be needed to complete the restoration.
Even partially complete, the results of the restoration have been impressive. The number of alewives reaching Damariscotta Lake to spawn has nearly doubled and even greater numbers are expected once the restoration is complete.
Time to Check In!
You can help support Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration in restoring this vital fish passage by participating in our Check in for Charity campaign. Fill in your name in the form below to earn $1 towards our $500 fundraising goal for Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration this month.
On Mother’s Day on the dining commons at the York County Shelter Programs in Alfred, Maine, will be transformed into a beautiful formal tea house with a welcoming waitstaff, linen tablecloths and napkins, flowers, and lovely music.
In this class, the basic fundamentals of grid-tied photovoltiac systems will be explained, including the major components, design options, expected performance and current savings and incentives. The instructor will be John Luft, ReVision Energy Liberty Branch Manager.
Come join us for a walking solar tour featuring three homes and a business in the 
Dr. Josh Carroll will lead NH Coast donors on a multi-day journey to the 
Thank you to everyone who rallied to “Check in” support for YMCA 
