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Western Maine builders open doors, expect thousands to enter

Oxford Hills, Maine - 3/26/08 - A group of builders rooted in the Oxford Hills community of Western Maine have been constructing the best homes in New England for over 50 years. And, to show off the key to their success, the group will open the doors to more than 50 fully furnished manufactured homes for viewing at New England’s Premiere Housing Show, slated for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 25th - 27th, from 9 am to 5 pm daily. Show admission is free and open to the public.

According to show organizer Kelsey Jewell of the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce, this event is the largest of its kind, in its sixth year, and has historically drawn crowds numbering in the thousands. Attendance is attributed to the high-profile success of its exhibitors, which include such builders as: Design First Homes, Martin's Country Homes, ModSource Modular Sales, Alternative Modular Homes, Schiavi Home Builders, Twin Town Homes, Turn Key Homes of Maine, and Maine Home Crafters, all of Oxford and Mechanic Falls, Maine, on Routes 26 and 121.

Free tours of two building facilities are also available on Saturday and Sunday, through 3 pm daily; attendees are encouraged to visit KBS Building Systems of Route 26, South Paris and Keiser Homes of Route 121, Oxford to learn more about the process of building manufactured housing.

According to industry experts, modular construction is completed free from the nuances of weather and, thus, virtually eliminates the chances of weather related-delays or problems. Additionally, modular housing construction allows for hundreds of options and design possibilities; clients can modify or upgrade their general construction specifications, design their own floor plans, pick the style of windows or siding, choose colors of vinyl, carpet, countertops and bath fixtures. And, because modular homes are often built in one-third the time of a conventional construction project, a home is often inhabitable within a few weeks.

Oxford Hills is the self-proclaimed “housing capitol of New England” and many of the region’s builders are growing with each year. Homes built in the Oxford Hills are now in every New England town and throughout the State of New York. Growth continues as new market segments are developed, including resort and vacation markets. And, because manufactured Housing is built year round, homeowners are able to begin and/or complete their project in any season they wish.

Jewell says that this event will be a perfect opportunity for each attendee “to view the more than 50 homes on display.” Eventually, Jewell hopes that each attendee will “work with an on-site builder to review their dream project, discuss its location, and select customized floor plan, colors, and/or finishes to suit each individual need and desire.” Jewell notes that show exhibitors have the capacity to “build, erect, and put the finishing touches on anything from a one story ranch to a classy, lakefront metropolis,” and many individual builders have a specific market niche that they can utilize to suit the needs of each client.

Financial professionals from such institutions as Androscoggin Bank, Northeast Bank, and Norway Savings Bank will be on-site, each day of the show, answering questions and sharing information with folks who want to know more about affording their dream home and navigating the purchasing process along the way.

Those interested in having a new home built for anywhere in New England this spring -- or others who prefer to be on the delivery schedule for later this year, are encouraged to attend New England’s Premiere Housing Show, in beautiful Oxford Hills Maine, the “housing capitol of New England.”

For more information about show exhibitors, a complete schedule of events, and/or driving direction to show locations, visit www.oxfordhillsmaine.com or call the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce at (207)743-2281.

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Saint Joseph’s College Magazine wins award

The Saint Joseph’s College Magazine won a gold medal in the 23rd Annual Admissions Advertising Awards sponsored by the Admissions Marketing Report. The national awards are given to those entrants whose programs and materials display exceptional quality, creativity and message effectiveness. The magazine won in the category of external publications. Charmaine Daniels of Windham is the editor of the magazine. The director of photography is William McCarthy of Auburn and graphic design is provided by Cheri Bryant Design of Portland.

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BRING MAINE TOGETHER FOR CHILDREN
Maine Celebrates National Week of the Young Child

April 14, 2008 – The University of Southern Maine’s Child and Family Centers asks Mainers to come together for children during the Week of the Young Child (April 13-19, 2008). As part of the national Week of the Young Child (WOYC) celebrated across the country, Maine is honoring young children and all those who make a difference in children’s lives. “All young children need and deserve high-quality early learning experiences that will prepare them for life, and Maine has a great opportunity to do our part to help young children,” said Lori Freid Moses, Director of USM Child and Family Centers. “WOYC is time to recognize the importance of early learning for all young children, and to bring Maine together to help give all young children a great start.”

On Monday, April 14th, from 4:30-5:15pm, USM will kick off the WOYC with a free family concert. Matt Loosigian, a local children’s folk artist will engage children, families and community members in song. USM’s child care staff participated in professional development training with Matt back in February. As part of the week-long WOYC celebration, both of USM’s child care centers will display their children’s artwork in both campus centers. Additionally, USM’s “Supporting Student Parents Task Force” is hosting a kid-friendly brown bag lunch with cookies and tea on Thursday, April 16th from 12:00 – 1:00 for USM’s student parents to be held at the Women’s Resource Center in Portland’s Woodbury Campus Center.

During this week, USM Child and Family Center staff will celebrate months of hard work in preparation for their National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation on-site assessment anticipated later this spring. NAEYC reinvented its accreditation system by establishing national evidence-based standards of excellence and by providing tools to help programs make quality improvements in order to reach these standards. The Portland center’s open house and teacher recognition will take place on Monday, April 14th following the concert: the Gorham center’s open house and teacher recognition will take place after school on Tuesday, April 15th.

WOYC, sponsored by NAEYC, is an opportunity for early childhood programs across the country, including child care and Head Start programs, preschools and elementary schoo8þ@qqÿÿÿÿlZb ls, to hold activities to bring awareness to the needs of young children. Young children and their families depend on high-quality education and care, which help children get a great start, and bring lasting benefits to Maine. WOYC is a time to recognize the importance of early learning and early literacy, and to celebrate the teachers and policies that bring early childhood education to young children.

NAEYC is the largest organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of early education programs for children birth through age eight. Founded in 1926, NAEYC has nearly 100,000 members and a national network of over 300 local, state, and regional affiliates. As of October, 2007, there were 6,143 NAEYC-accredited sites nationwide with Maine’s total number at 66 NAEYC-accredited programs. USM’s Portland center was the first program in Maine to become accredited in the early 1980’s.

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Tennis Anyone?

Hebron, ME (March 31, 2008) -- Hebron Academy Middle School students are anxiously awaiting the melting of the snow so they can begin tennis, an activity some chose for the spring trimester. Each spring, the middle school students have one class period per week where they choose a spring activity. This year, kids chose rock band with Middle School Director Mr. Brouwer, cultural cuisine with English teacher Ms. Lee, tennis with Science teacher Ms. Reedy, History Detectives with History teacher Mr. Middleton, and Frisbee golf with Latin teacher Mr. Jones.

While the tennis and Frisbee groups will have to make due until the snow melts, the History Detectives got off to a great start in the attic of the clock tower of the school building by finding pieces of some rather interesting 1920s motivational posters with sayings like “The world gives its biggest prizes today to those who can do the right thing without being told.” They also found the metal container of a mimeograph machine from the early 1900s. The cultural cuisine crew got off with a bang by making a delicious Korean spicy pasta dish which was devoured by the group. Rock band is always a favorite at the Spring Concert, with past performances of tunes by Joan Jett and Pink Floyd. “It’s a great way for us to interact with the kids outside of the classroom and share mutual interests,” says Mr. Brouwer. For more information about the Middle School, interested families should check the Middle School section of the Hebron Academy website at www.hebronacademy.org

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BETHEL HISTORICAL SOCIETY RECEIVES $500 GRANT TO SUPPORT LECTURE SERIES

Bethel---Stanley R. Howe, Executive Director of the Bethel Historical Society, announced this week the receipt of a $500 grant to support the Society’s 2008 Lecture Series titled “Maine History: Varied and Vivid” from the Maine Humanities Council. Each year the Society offers a series of lectures on local and regional history with often a Maine theme as part of its educational programming.  This year’s offering includes the following: May 8, “Maine and Arnold’s March to Quebec,” by Thomas Desjardin, Ph.D., Historic Site Specialist, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands; June 12, “The Enigma of James G. Blaine,” by Neil Rolde, Maine author and publisher; August 8, Hall Memorial Lecture, “Marsden Hartley: New England History and 1930s Regionalism,” by Donna Cassidy, Ph.D., Professor, American and New England Studies, University of Southern Maine; September 11, “Historic Maine Presidential and Senatorial Election Campaigns as Recalled by the Political Memorabilia of the Time,” by Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr., Maine Historic Preservation Commission and State Historian; October 9, “Marketing Maine Apples,” by Ben B. Conant, Curator, Paris Cape Historical Society; November 13,  “Androscoggin River Water Quality: Past, Present, and Future,” by Barry Mower, Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

“We are pleased to have the support of the Maine Humanities Council once again,” said Howe in announcing the grant.  “It promises to be an interesting time for those interested in local and regional history,” he added.

All lectures are free and will be held in the Dr. Moses Mason House Meeting Room and begin at 7:30 p.m.  

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