RASA students have been studying every week with Youthlinks instructor Caitlin Schick to learn ‘Thriller’ moves.  The choreography for the event is uniquely structured to offer an easy to learn version of the dance, pairing words and rhythms with physical movements.  Students continue to practice and are preparing their zombie attire for their dancing Z-day.  The infectious moves have even snagged some local community members to join the zombie squadron for the official dance. The more the scarier! Keep your eyeballs peeled -Youthlinks hopes to make Thrill The World an annual event for both students and adults alike in the Midcoast. For more information about the international event, visit www.thrilltheworld.com.

The official event will take place October 29^that Harbor Park in Rockland. The dance will begin exactly at 10 am to coordinate with all other international dances.  Cautious onlookers are encouraged to watch if they dare. 

Youthlinks is a program of Broadreach Family & Community Services located in Rockland that provides community service, leadership and enrichment opportunities to youth ages 11-17 in mid-coast Maine. These programs help youth learn skills, build self-esteem, cultivate social responsibility, develop leadership abilities and connect to their peers, to adult mentors, and to their communities. Youthlinks is funded by grants and the generous donations of individuals and businesses. All programs are free for participating youth.

RASA is a collaborative program of Youthlinks and RSU 13 supported by a 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant from the Maine Department of Education. For more information contact Youthlinks Program Director Amie Hutchison at ahutchison@brmaine.org or visit www.youthlinksonline.org/RASA

Susan McChesney of Phippsburg, Maine is the lucky winner of the  all-inclusive four-day Maine Dream Vacation Raffle.   The raffle was sponsored by the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce and Broadreach Family & Community Services to benefit Youthlinks, a community service and skills enrichment program for area youth.

The winner was officially announced at a drawing ceremony held at the Camden Harbour Inn.  “We are so happy to be able to give Ms. McChesney this phenomenal dream vacation package,” Amie Hutchison, Youthlinks Program Director said, “And we are so very grateful to the Chamber and area businesses for their incredibly open-hearted support of Youthlinks and this raffle.”

Raffle ticket sales were limited to 500.  Tickets were purchased by residents from 24 states- as far away as Alaska and California, though many locals bought tickets as well.  “We want to congratulate Ms. McChesney and thank everyone who purchased tickets to the raffle,” said Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber Executive Director, Dan Bookham.  “September is a great time to visit the Camden and Rockland area.  I can’t think of a better way to have a few days of rejuvenating fun and help local youth at the same time.”

Ms. McChesney and her guest will enjoy a fantastic array of top-notch lodging, fine meals and wonderful activities.   They will spend three nights at the AAA four-diamond Camden Harbour Inn, and enjoy a daily gourmet breakfast, snack, and evening turndown service. Each night they will have dinner at a different nationally acclaimed local restaurant: Camden’s Hartstone Inn, Rockland’s Primo, and Natalie’s, at the Camden Harbor Inn. The prize also includes a $500 gift card provided by Machias Savings Bank, which the winner may use as she pleases.  Ms. McChesney will receive a large Red Claw tote from Sea Bags to take home,  stuffed with local goodies.

Ms. McChesney will choose two of the following enticing activities to round out her vacation: spa services at Beauty Mark Spa,
Camden; a biplane tour over Penobscot Bay, courtesy of the Owls Head Transportation Museum; a round of golf at the oceanfront Samoset
Resort, Rockport; a day sail and picnic aboard the Schooner Olad, Camden; back stage tour of the

Drawing the winning ticket

Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland;  private winemaker’s tour with lunch of Cellardoor Winery, Lincolnville; personal cooking class with Chef Kerry Altiero of Café Miranda, Rockland; personal hike in the Camden Hills with Registered Maine Guide and editor of Down East magazine Paul Doiron and birder/trails expert Kristin Lindquist of Coastal Mountains Land Trust; and a portrait sitting by award-winning photographer Amy Wilton.

The prize package had also included round-trip airline tickets and a rental car- but since Susan lives close by,  she was happy to donate those options back to support Youthlinks programs.  For more information about Youthlinks, call them at (207) 594-2221, visit their website at www.youthlinksonline.org, or check them out on Facebook.

Photo:  “Drawing the Winning Ticket”   Amie Hutchison- Director, Youthlinks; Raymond Brunyanszki – Co-Owner, Camden Harbour Inn and Natalie’s Restaurant; Dan Bookham- Executive Director, Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce

Youthlinks’ mission is to empower youth to commit to themselves and their communities, broaden their horizons, and acquire healthy life skills through focused enrichment programs and meaningful volunteer work.   Youthlinks offers a diverse menu of in-school, after-school, and summer programs to engage a broad base of youth with varying interests. Their programs rely on creating mutually beneficial relationships with other area non-profit agencies. Through these opportunities, youth are exposed to new experiences, develop new knowledge and
skills and develop pride in the service they give to their community.

Mid-Coast Children’s Services (MCCS) provides Rockland area families with high-quality education, intervention programs.  The programs provide individualized learning opportunities for all  young children,while specializing in serving those with special learning and developmental needs. MCCS early childhood classrooms are nationally accredited and taught by state-certified early childhood teachers.

To find out more about the programs of Youthlinks, MCCS  and Broadreach Family & Community Services, visit us at www.brmaine.org and www.youthlinksonline.org , or call 338-2200.

The Elmina B. Sewall Foundation was established by Mrs., Elmina Brewster Sewall of Kennebunk, Maine in 1982.  The Foundation strives to enhance the quality of life for those in Maine through the conservation of the natural environment and support for the well-being of animals and humans.  The Foundation seeks to inspire the generosity of others and empower those who share its vision to work together for healthy, vibrant communities.

Youthlinks’ mission is to empower youth to commit to themselves and their communities, broaden their horizons, and acquire healthy life skills through focused enrichment programs and meaningful volunteer work.   Youthlinks offers a diverse menu of in-school, after-school, and summer programs to engage a broad base of youth with varying interests. Their programs rely on creating mutually beneficial relationships with other area non-profit agencies. Through these opportunities, youth are exposed to new experiences, develop new knowledge and skills and develop pride in the service they give to their community.

Animal-related programs that partner with local animal shelters are consistently among the most popular offered. The very popular Run-A-Hound Outing Club is an example of a successful and ambitious program.  Last year, the club provided 66 area youth with a program that integrated regular recreational running with a community service animal care program.  The club meets weekly for trail and road runs. Each youth is paired with a homeless dog needing exercise and companionship. This dynamic pairing introduces youth to the benefits of a running practice while developing their skills as caregivers to needy canine companions.  The participating shelter dogs experience increased fitness, socialization, and chances for adoption.

Youthlinks has many exciting animal-related programs planned for its free summer camp and after-school programs.  There are still a limited number of camp slots still available for summer 2011 programming. To find out more about Youthlinks programs, call 594-2221 or visit www.youthlinksonline.org.

The Youthlinks Program of Broadreach Family & Community Services has received a grant from the Maine Children’s Trust to expand the innovative model parent education program, Staying Connected with Your Teen (SCT), to youth and families in Lincoln County, Maine.  The SCT training program has already been very effective in decreasing conflict in  families with teens in Knox and Waldo County.  Youthlinks is accepting applications for SCT, and will begin to offer the  program again in September 2011.  Youthlinks SCT is open to families with teens throughout  Waldo, Knox and now Lincoln County at no charge to participants.  Enrolled families work at their own pace, in the privacy of their own homes, to  complete a series of exercises and reflections that strengthen  communication, cooperation and family management skills.

Youthlinks provides in-school, after-school and summer service-based skills-building programs to youth across Waldo, Knox and Lincoln Counties.   For more information about Youthlinks program for youth or families, please call 594-2221 or visit www.youthlinksonlline.org .

Programs will begin July 5^th and are open to current Rockland
District Middle School students. We will welcome out of area
5^th-8^th grade students on a space-available basis. Camps
will run at RDMS five days a week through August 12^th. Participants
sign up for one week at a time. Campers may choose one week of camp, or all six.
Youth also have a choice of a morning or afternoon session (but not both).
Morning camp will run from 9:00am to 12:00pm and the afternoon session will
begin at 1:00pm and end at 4:00pm. “We are very excited about this new
schedule,” says Club Coordinator Christy Monroe. “Having morning and afternoon
sessions will allow us to accommodate families’ schedules more easily, while
allowing us to serve twice as many kids.”

Encourage you camper to pick a track—or focus area—for each week of camp
based on their interests. Bobcat kids will play field games and sports. Fox kids
will engage in creative art activities. Moose kids will spend their time
volunteering in the community. Visit www.youthlinksonline.org/RASA
for complete program descriptions and registration information.

RASA, a 21^st Century Community Learning Center Program, is a
partnership between Youthlinks, a program of Broadreach Family & Community
Services, and RSU 13.

For most young students, the experience of going to school presents many more
weighty challenges than just tests and homework.  Students have to integrate a
litany of social and emotional information on a daily basis while concurrently
trying to focus on what is being offered in the classroom. Navigating social
expectations which dictate behavior and conformity, learning on how to
communicate with teachers and follow school rules, dealing with bullying or peer
pressure, and trying to process hardships or stress happening at home all take
considerable attention away from academics.  However, just like mathematics or
literacy, core social and emotional skills like positive decision  making,
setting goals, processing stress, and working cooperatively with others hold
lifelong value.  These latter skills help students develop ways to cope with the
everyday intensity of being an adolescent, allowing them a little more mental
energy to tackle their studies.

Schick puts emphasis on these life lessons by making them fun and engaging.
Classes begin with a group game requiring teamwork to get students ready to
participate in class lessons. Working together in a fun way allows students to
drop their guard a little with one another and be receptive to listening and
cooperation.  Lions Quest classes differ from most academic classes because as
Schick tells students “You are already the expert in your life.  I am not here
to teach you about you. Instead, I will be asking for you to think about the
things you experience, and we will work together on developing skills that help
us make good choices around the challenges we face every day.”  There are no
wrong answers, and everyone is asked to participate in discussions using first
person experiences and thoughts.  Because so much of Lions Quest classes are
routed in personal sharing, Schick emphasizes the importance of creating a safe
classroom together as a platform for this different type of group learning.  As
one student summarized, “[In Lions Quest] we learned how to work with each other
and not argue, and the importance of teamwork and having fun together.”

The ultimate goal of Lions Quest and Youthlinks alike is to create a
community that supports the development of capable, and caring young people with
strong character.  Starting in the classroom by strengthening social skills and
emotional resiliency not only helps students thrive in their personal lives but
their academic lives as well.  If students can learn to value themselves, feel
respected by peers, and see adults as allies, the hope is that this combination
carries beyond Lions Quest and into the rest of their lives.

Youthlinks is a program of Broadreach Family & Community Services located
in Rockland that provides community service, leadership and enrichment
opportunities to youth ages 11-17 in mid-coast Maine. These programs help youth
learn skills, build self-esteem, cultivate social responsibility, develop
leadership abilities and connect to their peers, to adult mentors, and to their
communities. Youthlinks is funded by grants and the generous donations of
individuals and businesses. All programs are free for participating youth.

The Play With Your Food program is currently meeting Thursdays 2:30-5pm,
through June 9^th.  All Youthlinks programs are free and open to all
students ages 12-15. For more information or to register a student, contact
Ashley at 975-3878.
Youthlinks is a program of Broadreach Family & Community Services located
in Rockland that provides youth with community service, leadership and
enrichment opportunities. These programs help youth learn skills, build
self-esteem, cultivate social responsibility, develop leadership abilities and
connect to their peers, to adult mentors, and to their communities. Youthlinks
is funded primarily by state grants and the generous donations of individuals,
businesses, and foundations. All Youthlinks programs are free for participating
youth. For more information, visit www.youthlinksonline.org, or call 207-594-2221
207-594-2221.

A participate in Saturday's first annual Youthlinks' Run-A-Hound 5-kilometer run/walk in Rockland stretches with two of his four-legged friends prior to the event.

Rockland — The city streets literally went to the dogs Saturday morning. Well, the pavement also was filled with runners and walkers of all ages, but furry, four-legged canines certainly took center stage in a unique 5-kilometer event.

On a cold, blustery early-spring day, dogs and their owners ran and walked the streets and sidewalks of Rockland as Youthlinks sponsored its first Run-A-Hound 5-Kilometer Fundraising Race.

Many breeds of dogs were represented in the event, with perhaps the most humorous comment of the day coming from Karen Veit who stated, while just starting her walk along the 3.1-mile course, “Kind of strange pairing a greyhound with a non-runner.”

But the dogs of all sizes and shapes were with owners of all shapes, sizes and ages. One wondered who might get tired trekking across the course first — dog or owner.

There also were plenty of fathers and mothers pushing strollers with young children inside. In fact, Peter Scheib of Camden, pushing his daughter in a running carriage, finished first among the field.

Forty-five people participated in the event.

The 5K benefited the animal programs of the organization and is  modeled on one of Youthlinks’ popular service programs, Run-A-Hound, in  which high school students volunteer with local animal shelters by  taking dogs out for a run to exercise and train them.

The Run-A-Hound 5K started and finished at Youthlinks, located  at 420 Broadway in Rockland.

More information on the event is available online at youthlinksonline.org/runahound5k.

Youthlinks, a program of Broadreach Family and Community Services,   serves more than 500 Mid-Coast youth a year through afterschool   enrichment programs, in-school prevention, and summer camps. Many of the   programs include service-learning and animals.

The individual results for runners/walkers were: 1, Scheib, 20:32; 2, Colin Page, 24:00; 3, Ron Hise, 24:57; 4, Heidi Harris, 25:15; 5, Kathy Kandzioka, 26:33; 6, Benjamin Fuller, 25:38; 7, Shannon Thompson, 25:46; 8, Sydney Hall, 26:55; 9, Charlie Charlton, 27:25; 10, Ellen Spring, 27:49; 11, Reade Brower, 27:50; 12, Kathryn Gordon, 28:26; 13, Sophie Hall, 28:33; 14, Kelly Hall, 28:34; 15, Fletcher Hall, 28:37; 16, Joshua Garner, 30:32; 17, Tom Savage, 31:48; 18, Hilary Flagg, 32:39; 19, Mike Cherry, 34:11; 20, Cricket Fuller, 45:19; 21, Gil Munden, 46:22; 22, Toni Mocton, 54:47; and Kathleen Celorer and Melissa Warren.

The individual results for runners/walkers with dogs were: 1, Lloyd Bracy, 24:16; 2, Caitlin Schick, 25:50; 3, Jessie Davis, 26:48; 4, Irene Hopkins, 26:55; 5, Phillip Stuart, 27:11; 6, Scott McPherson, 27:41; 7, Delisa Morong, 27:42; 8, Sandy Bodamer, 30:30; 9, Skip Bracy, 32:25; 10, Elizabeth Noble, 33:02; 11, Alison Scheib, 33:08; 12, Wendy Hart, 39:07; 13, Cindy Harris, 41:30; 14, Kathryn Dermott, 44:29; 15, Nibby Browning, 45:19; 16, Rachel Albury, 46:21; 17, Karen Veit, 53:23; 18, Davon Place, 54:43; 19, Ashley Bickford, 58:09; 20, Marie Finnegan, 58;16; and 21, Angelica Ross, 58:16.

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