CHERRYFIELD, ME — Maine Seacoast Mission joins Housing Rehabilitation Program Manager Scott Shaw in saying “Thank you!” to Trinity Lutheran Church, Camp Hill, PA volunteers for their recent good work in Maine.
“They installed a new wheelchair ramp, installed windows and did some drywall and interior painting for an elderly woman’s Winter Harbor home,” said Scott Shaw.
Architect’s drawing of the Downeast Maine Tiny House.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2019
CONTACT: Sarah Nugent
Telephone No: 207-664-2424 Ext. 5944
Email – Sarah.nugent@downeastcommunitypartners.org
Downeast Maine Tiny House Project Unveiled
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Downeast Community Partners, in affiliation with Maine Seacoast Mission, Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, and the C.F. Adams Foundation held a press conference on Monday, June 10th at the Weald Bethel Community Center, Weald Bethel Lane, Cherryfield, ME to unveil the Downeast Tiny House Project.
The four entities have a long successful track record of working together to make family homes safe and warm in rural Downeast Maine. The Downeast Tiny House Project has the four groups building a brand new tiny house to be located in Cherryfield, Maine , for a formerly homeless US military veteran with a disability. The veteran, who has asked to remain anonymous, is also helping with financing the Project.
Maine Seacoast Mission Housing Rehabilitation Program Manager Scott Shaw said, “The prior work of these four groups is in housing rehabilitation. That is, selecting Downeast family homes needing roofing, siding, skirting, wheelchair accessibility, windows, doors, flooring, exterior and interior painting, so the families living in these homes will be safe and warm.
“With our housing rehabilitation, the families involved have skin in the game. That criteria is true of the Tiny House Project too. What’s new with building the Downeast Tiny House Project — it is a brand new home for a local military veteran,” Scott Shaw said.
The 560-square foot Tiny House, designed by Maine architect Jeri D.W. Spurling of Spurling Design in Islesford, ME, will be set on private property.
As of this writing, Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School students in Massachusetts, under supervision of Director of Technical Programs Russell P. Mangsen and Lead Carpentry Teacher Bill Italiano, are constructing the home. Once finished, the home will be trucked to Maine, placed on a foundation, and finished for occupancy.
“Assabet Valley and Maine Seacoast Mission have been discussing the possibility of constructing a tiny home for years, to enhance construction programs teaching and learning for grade 9 and 10 students preparing for off-campus construction projects in grades 11 and Grade 12,” said Director Russell Mangsen.
“We are extremely excited about this excellent student learning opportunity which will provide an energy-efficient home for a deserving individual in Cherryfield, Maine,” Director Mangsen said.
“DCP has had a program to serve homeless veterans, currently has a program to provide housing to veterans, and employs several veterans, so this project has a strong personal connection for us,” said Bobbi Harris, DCP Housing Director and 22 year retired Navy veteran.
The Project is also a pilot project for, perhaps, tiny houses for other military veterans and/or Downeast senior citizens.
The Downeast Maine Tiny House Project is made possible through the generous funding of the C.F. Adams Foundation.
The Downeast Maine Tiny House Project blog, managed by DCP’s Sue Unger, will serve throughout the Project as the information center for Project news. https://www.downeastmainetinyhouseproject.com
For more information on how your company can support this program, call Scott Shaw at the Maine Seacoast Mission at 207-546-5869.
Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School volunteers with Housing Rehabilitation Program Manager Scott Shaw
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Housing Rehabilitation Program Manager Scott Shaw sent this photo of “a new wheel chair ramp built by the Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School on the Community Center this past week/weekend!”
What a fantastic addition to the Weald Bethel Community Center, making it easier than ever for people relying on wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers — or who have difficulty using stairs — to get in-and-out of the Community Center and enjoy the events.
Thank you, Assabet School volunteers.
Learn how your support of the Mission’s Housing Rehabilitation Program helps many Downeast coast community people in so many ways.
Wednesday Spinners at Weald Bethel Community Center (Photo by Scott Shaw)
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Followers of the Mission’s blog and/or social media may remember an October 29, 2018 story of the Wednesday Spinners traveling aboard the Sunbeam V to Isle au Haut.
Island Outreach Director Douglas Cornman said at that time:
“As I understand it, the Spinners have been meeting weekly, for over forty years, to share their craft, learn from one another, and spend a day together doing something they love. They meet every Wednesday during the Fall, Winter and Spring. In Summer they need the extra day to shear their flocks, card and dye the fleece and spin the wool for their own use or to sell.”
Thank you, Maine-based artist Audra Christie, for hosting the Wednesday Spinners earlier this month at the Weald Bethel Community Center, Cherryfield, ME. And a tip of the hat to the Mission’s Downeast Campus Facilities Manager Scott Shaw for sharing this photo with a note saying, “No amount of snow can stop their Spinning Wheels from turning.
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Thank you to Downeast Campus Facilities Manager Scott Shaw for these photos taken at the Campus’s Weald Bethel Community Center on a recent Open Mic night. “The Open Mic has been gaining momentum and has quite the eclectic group of musicians attending,” said Scott Shaw. ”Everything from Spoken word, to Sea Shanty’s to some good old Rock and Roll.
The event has also brought out a contingency of cribbage players (shown here in one photo) to kick those cabin fever blues and listen to some live music!
Musician’s are encouraged to bring their instruments to the Weald Bethel Community Center Open Mic nights every Wednesday, 6-8 pm.