Portland, ME- Easter Seals Maine recently named seven new board members.

Newly elected board members are Debby Abbondanza of Yarmouth, Andre (Andy) Baillargeon of Gorham, Lisa Baillargeon of Gorham, Jennifer Buzzell of Saco, Joshua R. Dow of Cumberland Center, Maureen Keeley of Portland, and Maryann Kelly of Scarborough.

Debby Abbondanza is Senior Loan Officer at First Financial Mortgage Corporation, Andy Baillargeon is VP at JHA, Lisa Baillargeon is Director of Communications at UNUM, Jennifer Buzzell is Sales and Education Manager of L’Oreal Professionnel, Joshua Dow is member/attorney at Pearce & Dow, LLC, Maureen Keeley is an independent consultant, and Maryann Kelly is Director of Labor Relations at Blethen Maine Newspapers.

Easter Seals Maine provides exceptional services to ensure that all people with disabilities or special needs and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play in their communities. For more information, please call 207.828.0754 or visit eastersealsme.org.

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BRUNSWICK, MAINE – Downeast Energy & Building Supply will be giving away heating oil on February 9. Downeast, a third-generation, family-owned business, will host an open house at its building supply store at 18 Spring Street on February 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 pm. Every hour, there will be a drawing for $200 worth of heating oil along with many other giveaways and Captain Puffin will be on hand to greet children. Downeast Energy & Building Supply is also working with the Family Crisis Services and asking people to bring in their old cell phones and donate them to the organization. The phones will be recycled and given to domestic violence victims.

“We are excited about the opportunity to give back to the community by offering the heating oil drawing and to also help the Family Crisis Services,” says Betsy Morrell, vice president of Downeast Energy & Building Supply. “Downeast Energy has been in the kitchen design business for many years and this will also be a day when we invite people to come in and meet our experienced kitchen designers who can help plan their exciting and new kitchens. “

Steve Edmondson, the Domestic Violence Investigator for the Sagadahoc County District Attorney’s Office and partner with Family Crisis Services on this project added, “This cell phone program has been instrumental in helping many domestic violence victims when in trouble. We appreciate Downeast Energy & Building Supply participating in the program and bringing attention to this serious problem in Maine.”

For the cell phone drop off there are a few things people should know:

• Working cell phones preferred
• Please bring wall chargers
• Please delete all personal information from the data storage including phone book and call log

If you have any questions about the cell phone donation please contact Troy Pattison at Downeast Energy & Building Supply at 207-319-1219.

The company has launched its new Web site www.downeastkitchens.com to better serve their customers.

About Downeast Energy & Building Supply
Downeast Energy and Building Supply has 13 offices in southern and central Maine and Dover, NH, and a building supply store and lumber yard in Brunswick, Maine. For more information, please visit www.downeastenergy.com.

PORTLAND, ME: Dr. David J. Stuchiner, Chairman of the Iris Network’s Board of Directors, announced Wednesday the appointment of James E. Phipps as the new President/CEO of The Iris Network.

Mr. Phipps comes to The Iris Network having served 18 years on the organization’s Board of Directors, most recently as its former Chairman. Prior to his arrival at the Iris Network, Mr. Phipps was an attorney and partner at the Portland-based law firm Preti, Flaherty, LLP. For over 20 years, Mr. Phipps has been representing nonprofit organizations in areas such as rehabilitation, health care, education, and transportation, with assistance in Medicare compliance and nonprofit tax issues.

Mr. Phipps is a graduate of Florida State University. He earned a joint MBA/Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Maine State Bar Association. Mr. Phipps lives on Chebeague Island, ME with his wife and two daughters.

“The Search Committee was impressed by Mr. Phipps’ long history of dedication to the Iris Network and to the visually impaired and blind community of Maine,” said Nancy Hawes, Board Member and Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. “As a leading attorney in the state of Maine representing nonprofits, Mr. Phipps will help guide the organization toward accomplishing its mission to serve as a resource for people across Maine with vision loss.”

Mr. Phipps will begin his duties as President /CEO in March 2008.

The Iris Network serves as a state wide resource and catalyst for people who are visually impaired or blind so they can attain their determined level of independence and integration into the community. Headquartered in Portland, the Iris Network has outreach offices in Bangor, Brewer, Ellsworth, Houlton, Lewiston and Saco.

Visit www.theiris.org for more information.

Portland-The Center for Grieving Children’s 11th Annual Auction & Dinner Gala sponsored by Re/MAX By The Bay, Geneva Ventures and Spectrum Medical Group will be held Friday, February 1st at the Holiday Inn by the Bay. Doors open at 5:30 PM. A limited number of tickets are still available at $90 each. All proceeds raised at the benefit auction will be used to support the services provided by The Center – a place where children and families who are grieving the death or facing the serious illness of a family member or friend can turn to for support, community outreach, and education.

The Center is also sponsoring a raffle with the grand prize of a Trip for two to the 2009 Super Bowl in Tampa Florida. This once in a lifetime opportunity includes: two tickets to the game, airfare voucher, game transfers, 2 tickets to the NFL experience and 4 nights hotel accommodations. Only 350 tickets are being sold and are available for $100 each. Tickets are available on our website www.cgcmaine.org or by calling The Center at 775-5216.

The evening’s events begin with a Silent Auction and Cocktail Reception. The Silent Auction features over 100 items donated by local businesses and other supporters of The Center. This event is also a celebration of The Center’s 20th Anniversary and as part of this celebration we will hand out our first Bill Hemmen’s Founder Award.

Following the Silent Auction will be Dinner and the Live Auction with items that include a Kid’s Crooked House, a Condo in Miami for a week, and tickets to a Red Sox/Yankees Game.

Don’t miss the fun – call The Center at 775-5216, email us at cgc@cgcmaine.org, or visit our website www.cgcmaine.org for more information or to order your tickets today!

The Center for Grieving Children’s mission is to provide loving support to grieving children, teens, families, and the community through peer support, outreach, and education. We honor and encourage the safe expression of grief and loss. We provide a loving community to foster the discovery and development of each child’s own resiliency and emotional well-being.