Connect with us

Maine

Maine home prices finally fell last month, but don’t celebrate yet

Published

on

Maine home prices finally fell last month, but don’t celebrate yet


After six years of relentless increases, Maine home sale prices finally decreased last month. It’s a welcome change of course after 72 straight months of year-over-year rises and real estate agents say there are signs of a more balanced market ahead. But others caution that one month of good news does not mean the crisis is over.

Maine home buyers paid a median of $376,260 in March, just shy of a 1% dip compared to the same time last year, according to data released Thursday by the Maine Association of Realtors. The median is the price at which half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less.

Home sale prices have been steadily decreasing each month since December’s median of $400,000. But the last year-over-year decrease was in March 2019, when prices fell 0.94% to $200,000.

Meanwhile, 848 houses changed hands last month — a more than 12% increase over the prior month but a roughly 6% drop from March 2024.

Advertisement

January, February and March are typically the state’s quietest months for home buying and selling.

But the busy spring market is ramping up, and according to Jeff Harris, president of the Maine Association of Realtors, it could finally spell good news for buyers.

“We’re seeing the inventory of homes for sale inch upward with nearly 14% more homes on the market in March 2025 compared to March of last year,” he said in a prepared statement.

The increased inventory also means that sales are slowing down, with the average Maine home staying on the market for 22 days, up from 15 days last March. Last year, during the warmer months, homes spent less than a week on the market.

“For many markets, the pace is becoming more reasonable for buyers,” said Harris, who is also a broker with Harris Real Estate in Farmington.

Advertisement

But it’s not a buyer’s market yet. Statewide, there is a 3.6-month supply of unsold inventory, Harris said in an interview. A balanced market is a six-month supply.

“There’s so many buyers out there looking for something more affordable,” he said.

NOT YET A TREND

Paul McKee, the Maine association’s immediate past president, said he’s glad to see prices decrease but cautioned against jumping to conclusions.

“We need things to slow down price-wise. That’s good,” he said. “But there’s always an anomaly somewhere. Until you get a couple of months of this, it’s still one snapshot. … I’m glad to see it but I wouldn’t call it a trend.”

In a month with fewer than 1,000 sales, it doesn’t take much to skew the numbers, he said. For example, there could have been an $8 million sale last year that didn’t happen this year, thus dropping the average.

Advertisement

Michael Sosnowski, co-owner of Maine Home Connection, stressed that while prices have been decreasing, there’s no sign of a market crash.

“It’s more of a stabilization,” he said. “There’s been this phenomenon of price increase fatigue. Where we were was unsustainable.”

While houses may be sitting on the market for longer, on average, competition is still hot, particularly for houses priced below $500,000 in southern Maine.

Sosnowski said a property listed for around $350,000 in Gray recently had about 30 offers.

“Under $500,000, there’s not much different than there was a year ago,” he said. “There’s just not enough properties that are affordable.”

Advertisement

PRICES UP NATIONALLY, REGIONALLY

Maine’s slight price drop bucked national and regional trends.

Nationally, prices increased about 3% to a median sale price of $408,000, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales, however, fell just over 2%

Regionally, sales were flat in the Northeast, but prices jumped more than 7% to a median of $468,000.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the national association, said March’s sluggish sales were a reflection of high mortgage rates and ongoing affordability challenges.

Interest rates have hovered around 7% for the last year or so. Thursday, the average rate for a 30-year loan was 6.81%, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac.

Advertisement

“Residential housing mobility, currently at historical lows, signals the troublesome possibility of less economic mobility for society,” Yun said.

SALES, PRICES A MIXED BAG

The Maine Association of Realtors also looks at three months of data in county-by-county comparisons to get a larger sample size of sale transactions.

The median price increased just over 5% to $382,353 between Jan. 1 and March 31 compared to the same three-month span the year before.

Cumberland County held its spot as Maine’s most expensive county with a median sale price of $550,000. York County was the second-most expensive, with a median sale price of $495,000. Cumberland County saw prices increase by about 3% from the year before, but similar to the statewide trend, York recorded its first decrease — 0.80% — since the three-month span between January and March 2019.

Aroostook County remained the state’s most affordable county, with a median sale price of $143,550. Washington County, with a median of $199,900, was the only other county with a sale price below $200,000.

Advertisement

Prices increased the most in Hancock County, which saw a 15.6% increase, while they had the steepest drop — about 14% — in Piscataquis County.

Sales were flat in Washington County, but they increased a whopping 81.6% in Waldo County, with 49 sales between January and March last year and 89 over the same period this year.

Androscoggin’s 21% drop in sales was the sharpest in the state.



Source link

Advertisement

Maine

Restoring Order: Why Maine Needs a “Crime Fighter”as Governor

Published

on

Restoring Order: Why Maine Needs a “Crime Fighter”as Governor


By Senator Scott Cyrway

For decades, I have walked the beat, patrolled our roads, and worked within our halls of justice to keep Maine families safe. From my early days as a deputy sheriff in Kennebec County to my time in the State Senate, my guiding star has always been the rule of law.

But today, I look at our state and see a growing shadow. Maine is in real trouble, and if we do not act decisively, the safety and security we once took for granted will become a relic of the past.

We are currently facing a convergence of crises: an unchecked drug epidemic, a rise in organized crime, and a legal system that too often prioritizes the comfort of the offender over the protection of the victim. Our law enforcement officers are being asked to do more with less, facing recruitment shortages and a political climate that often feels more hostile than supportive. Maine doesn’t just need a manager in the governor’s office; we need a proven crime fighter. That is why I am proudly endorsing Bobby Charles for governor.

Advertisement

A Career Built on Justice

My endorsement isn’t based on political convenience; it’s based on a shared lifetime of service. My own career has been defined by the front lines—serving as one of Kennebec County’s most decorated deputies, receiving the Valor and Life Saving awards, and spending years as a D.A.R.E. coordinator to keep our kids off drugs. I know what professional, effective law enforcement looks like.

Bobby Charles doesn’t just talk about “law and order”—he has lived it at the highest levels. Bobby served as the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. He led the fight against global drug cartels and worked as chief counsel in the U.S. House of Representatives, overseeing national security and criminal justice. He understands the mechanics of crime from the street level to the federal level.

The Stakes for Maine

The statistics are sobering. While Maine remains a beautiful place to live, our small towns are being hollowed out by fentanyl, and we are now being targeted by sophisticated international crime syndicates. We are seeing hundreds of illegal, Chinese-owned marijuana houses popping up in our quiet neighborhoods, bringing with them a wave of foreign money laundering and a direct slap in the face to our sovereignty.

Advertisement

Bobby Charles has made a clear, no-nonsense promise: he will increase the law enforcement presence across all 16 counties and ensure that federal and state authorities are working together, not at cross-purposes, to shut these cartels down. He is the only candidate with the background to dismantle the trafficking networks that treat our state like an open market.

As I’ve often said, “Maine is at a crossroads where the safety of our citizens must come before the politics of the day.” We cannot afford to experiment with leadership. We need a governor who has stared down criminals and understands the weight of a badge.

Bobby Charles is a man of integrity, experience, and action. He is the crime fighter Maine needs to restore the peace and ensure that our state remains the safest place in the nation to raise a family. Join me in supporting a leader who will always have the backs of those who wear the uniform.

Scott Cyrway is a Republican State Senator from Albion and a former Kennebec County Deputy Sheriff.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Maine

Maine Mariners clinch home ice for first round of playoffs

Published

on

Maine Mariners clinch home ice for first round of playoffs


Maine Mariners clinch home ice for first round of playoffs

Advertisement

NA

Advertisement

Maine Mariners clinch home ice for first round of playoffs

Updated: 10:38 PM EDT Apr 11, 2026

Editorial Standards

Advertisement

The Maine Mariners will have home ice in the first round of the ECHL Playoffs. Games 1 and 2 in Portland will be on April 24th and 25th at 6:00pm.

The Maine Mariners will have home ice in the first round of the ECHL Playoffs. Games 1 and 2 in Portland will be on April 24th and 25th at 6:00pm.

Advertisement

Advertisement

`;
}

function refreshWeatherIframe(containerId) {
var iframeId = ‘weather-iframe-‘ + containerId;
var iframe = document.getElementById(iframeId);
if (iframe && iframe.src) {
var originalSrc = iframe.src;
iframe.src = originalSrc + (originalSrc.indexOf(‘?’) > -1 ? ‘&’ : ‘?’) + ‘t=” + Date.now();
}
}

function initializeWeatherBox(container) {
var containerId = container.getAttribute(“data-container-id’);
var isWeatherBoxV2 = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’;

function switchWeatherTab(tabName, clickedElement) {
container.querySelectorAll(‘[data-tab-id]’).forEach(function(tab) {
tab.classList.remove(‘open’);
tab.setAttribute(‘aria-selected’, ‘false’);
});

clickedElement.classList.add(‘open’);
clickedElement.setAttribute(‘aria-selected’, ‘true’);

Advertisement

container.querySelectorAll(‘[data-content-id]’).forEach(function(content) {
content.style.display = ‘none’;
content.setAttribute(‘hidden’, ‘true’);
});

var targetContent = container.querySelector(‘[data-content-id=”‘ + tabName + ‘”]’);
if (targetContent) {
targetContent.style.display = ‘block’;
targetContent.removeAttribute(‘hidden’);
}
}

function loadWeatherData() {
// If weather data is already being loaded, wait for it
if (window.weatherDataPromise) {
window.weatherDataPromise.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
}
});
return;
}

var location = { zip: window.DEFAULT_ZIPCODE };

try {
var storedLocations = localStorage.getItem(‘hrst.zip.history’);
if (storedLocations) {
var locations = JSON.parse(storedLocations);
if (locations && locations.length > 0) {
location = locations[0];
}
}
} catch (e) {}

Advertisement

var apiUrl = (window.DEWY_HOSTNAME || ”) + ‘/api/v1/weather/full/’ + location.zip;

if (window.fetch) {
window.weatherDataPromise = fetch(apiUrl)
.then(function(response) { return response.json(); })
.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var article = container.closest(‘.article–wrapper’);
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
return data;
}
})
.catch(function(error) {
console.error(‘Error loading weather:’, error);
// Reset to unknown background on error
updateWeatherBackground(‘unknown’);
});
}
}

function updateWeatherAlertsBar(weatherData) {
var weatherWatchHeader = container.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-header’);
if (!weatherWatchHeader) return;

var weatherWatchText = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-text’);
var weatherWatchLink = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-link’);

if (weatherData.alerts_count > 0) {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header has-alerts”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = `Weather Alerts (${weatherData.alerts_count})`;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
if (!weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’)) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-href’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘href’));
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘onclick’) || ”);
}
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, “https://www.wmtw.com/alerts”);
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, “return handleWeatherLinkClick(event, ‘click_alerts’, ‘click’, ‘mobile-weather’, “https://www.wmtw.com/alerts”);”);
}
} else {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’ ? ‘Watch Latest Forecast’ : ‘Latest Forecast’;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
var initialHref = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’);
var initialOnclick = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’);
if (initialHref) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, initialHref);
}
if (initialOnclick) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, initialOnclick);
}
}
}
}

Advertisement

function updateCurrentWeather(weatherData) {
if (weatherData.current) {
var tempValue = weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;
var skyValue = weatherData.current.sky || ”;
var feelsLikeValue = weatherData.current.feels_like_f || weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;

var tempEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-temp-value’);
if (tempEl) {
tempEl.textContent = tempValue;
tempEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}

var iconEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-icon’);
if (iconEl && weatherData.current.icon_name) {
iconEl.className=”weather-grid–current-icon weather-current-icon icon icon-weather-” + weatherData.current.icon_name;
}

var skyEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–sky’);
if (skyEl) {
skyEl.textContent = skyValue;
skyEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, ‘Current condition: ‘ + skyValue);
}

var feelsEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–feels’);
if (feelsEl) {
feelsEl.textContent = feelsLikeValue + ‘°F’;
feelsEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}

Advertisement

var weatherContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-temp-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
var summary = ‘Current temperature ‘ + tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit, ‘ +
skyValue + ‘, feels like ‘ + feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees’;
weatherContainer.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, summary);
}

updateWeatherBackground(weatherData.current.icon_name);
}
}

function updateWeatherBackground(iconName) {
try {
var bgPath = weatherImages.backgrounds[iconName] || weatherImages.backgrounds.unknown;
container.style.backgroundImage=”url(” + bgPath + ‘)’;
} catch (e) {
console.log(‘Error updating weather background:’, e);
}
}

function updateForecastTabs(weatherData) {
var visibleItems = isWeatherBoxV2 ? 6 : 5;

if (weatherData.hourly) {
var hourlyContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-hourly-forecast’);
if (hourlyContainer) {
var html=””;
var maxHours = Math.min(visibleItems, weatherData.hourly.length);

Advertisement

for (var i = 0; i 0 ? currentIndex – 1 : tabs.length – 1;
tabs[prevIndex].focus();
break;
case ‘ArrowRight’:
e.preventDefault();
var nextIndex = currentIndex

`;
}

function refreshWeatherIframe(containerId) {
var iframeId = ‘weather-iframe-‘ + containerId;
var iframe = document.getElementById(iframeId);
if (iframe && iframe.src) {
var originalSrc = iframe.src;
iframe.src = originalSrc + (originalSrc.indexOf(‘?’) > -1 ? ‘&’ : ‘?’) + ‘t=” + Date.now();
}
}

function initializeWeatherBox(container) {
var containerId = container.getAttribute(“data-container-id’);
var isWeatherBoxV2 = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’;

function switchWeatherTab(tabName, clickedElement) {
container.querySelectorAll(‘[data-tab-id]’).forEach(function(tab) {
tab.classList.remove(‘open’);
tab.setAttribute(‘aria-selected’, ‘false’);
});

Advertisement

clickedElement.classList.add(‘open’);
clickedElement.setAttribute(‘aria-selected’, ‘true’);

container.querySelectorAll(‘[data-content-id]’).forEach(function(content) {
content.style.display = ‘none’;
content.setAttribute(‘hidden’, ‘true’);
});

var targetContent = container.querySelector(‘[data-content-id=”‘ + tabName + ‘”]’);
if (targetContent) {
targetContent.style.display = ‘block’;
targetContent.removeAttribute(‘hidden’);
}
}

function loadWeatherData() {
// If weather data is already being loaded, wait for it
if (window.weatherDataPromise) {
window.weatherDataPromise.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
}
});
return;
}

var location = { zip: window.DEFAULT_ZIPCODE };

Advertisement

try {
var storedLocations = localStorage.getItem(‘hrst.zip.history’);
if (storedLocations) {
var locations = JSON.parse(storedLocations);
if (locations && locations.length > 0) {
location = locations[0];
}
}
} catch (e) {}

var apiUrl = (window.DEWY_HOSTNAME || ”) + ‘/api/v1/weather/full/’ + location.zip;

if (window.fetch) {
window.weatherDataPromise = fetch(apiUrl)
.then(function(response) { return response.json(); })
.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var article = container.closest(‘.article–wrapper’);
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
return data;
}
})
.catch(function(error) {
console.error(‘Error loading weather:’, error);
// Reset to unknown background on error
updateWeatherBackground(‘unknown’);
});
}
}

function updateWeatherAlertsBar(weatherData) {
var weatherWatchHeader = container.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-header’);
if (!weatherWatchHeader) return;

var weatherWatchText = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-text’);
var weatherWatchLink = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-link’);

Advertisement

if (weatherData.alerts_count > 0) {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header has-alerts”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = `Weather Alerts (${weatherData.alerts_count})`;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
if (!weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’)) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-href’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘href’));
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘onclick’) || ”);
}
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, “https://www.wmtw.com/alerts”);
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, “return handleWeatherLinkClick(event, ‘click_alerts’, ‘click’, ‘sidelist-weather’, “https://www.wmtw.com/alerts”);”);
}
} else {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’ ? ‘Watch Latest Forecast’ : ‘Latest Forecast’;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
var initialHref = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’);
var initialOnclick = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’);
if (initialHref) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, initialHref);
}
if (initialOnclick) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, initialOnclick);
}
}
}
}

function updateCurrentWeather(weatherData) {
if (weatherData.current) {
var tempValue = weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;
var skyValue = weatherData.current.sky || ”;
var feelsLikeValue = weatherData.current.feels_like_f || weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;

var tempEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-temp-value’);
if (tempEl) {
tempEl.textContent = tempValue;
tempEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}

var iconEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-icon’);
if (iconEl && weatherData.current.icon_name) {
iconEl.className=”weather-grid–current-icon weather-current-icon icon icon-weather-” + weatherData.current.icon_name;
}

var skyEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–sky’);
if (skyEl) {
skyEl.textContent = skyValue;
skyEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, ‘Current condition: ‘ + skyValue);
}

Advertisement

var feelsEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–feels’);
if (feelsEl) {
feelsEl.textContent = feelsLikeValue + ‘°F’;
feelsEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}

var weatherContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-temp-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
var summary = ‘Current temperature ‘ + tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit, ‘ +
skyValue + ‘, feels like ‘ + feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees’;
weatherContainer.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, summary);
}

updateWeatherBackground(weatherData.current.icon_name);
}
}

function updateWeatherBackground(iconName) {
try {
var bgPath = weatherImages.backgrounds[iconName] || weatherImages.backgrounds.unknown;
container.style.backgroundImage=”url(” + bgPath + ‘)’;
} catch (e) {
console.log(‘Error updating weather background:’, e);
}
}

function updateForecastTabs(weatherData) {
var visibleItems = isWeatherBoxV2 ? 6 : 5;

Advertisement

if (weatherData.hourly) {
var hourlyContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-hourly-forecast’);
if (hourlyContainer) {
var html=””;
var maxHours = Math.min(visibleItems, weatherData.hourly.length);

for (var i = 0; i 0 ? currentIndex – 1 : tabs.length – 1;
tabs[prevIndex].focus();
break;
case ‘ArrowRight’:
e.preventDefault();
var nextIndex = currentIndex

Loading more articles…



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Maine

Yoga for Good: Maine woman raising money through movement

Published

on

Yoga for Good: Maine woman raising money through movement


HELPED MORE THAN 300,000 VETERANS VISIT THE MEMORIALS BUILT IN THEIR HONOR. YOU MAY KNOW HER FROM HER POPULAR GOAT YOGA CLASSES… OR THE INSPIRING ‘YOGA FOR GOOD’ SERIES. ASHLEY FLOWERS’ WORK IS ALL ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER. JAMIE AZULAY INTRODUCES US TO THIS WEEK’S COMMUNITY CHAMPION. THIS MAY LOOK LIKE A CLOTHING STORE – IT IS… BUT IT’S ALSO A MAKESHIFT YOGA STUDIO. TOAD AND CO IN PORTLAND IS ONE OF SEVERAL SPOTS YOU CAN FIND ASHLEY FLOWERS LEADING LOCAL YOGIS IN THEIR PRACTICE. “I THINK HEALTHY COMMUNITIES ARE WELL CONNECTED COMMUNITIES.” AND IT’S HERE ON DIAMOND STREET WHERE ASHLEY LEADS ‘YOGA FOR GOOD’ – DONATION-BASED CLASSES THAT SUPPORT LOCAL NON-PROFITS. “EXPERIENCING THAT SENSE OF JOY AND HAPPINESS AND PEACEFULNESS THAT YOGA BRINGS, AND KNOWING THAT YOU’RE ALL COMING TOGETHER TO DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOURSELVES AND THE WORLD, I THINK, IS REALLY POWERFUL.” IN 2 YEARS — 2-THOUSAND DOLLARS HAS BEEN RAISED FOR 9 NON-PROFITS… AND SHE’S ADDING MORE TO THE LINE-UP. THIS WEEK… IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE ADAPTIVE OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER AND THEIR MISSION TO PROVIDE RECREATION PROGRAMMING FOR PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT ABILITIES. “IF YOU CAN BREATHE, YOU CAN DO YOGA. YOGA IS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.” “SHE ALWAYS HAS SUCH GREAT MESSAGES AS A PART OF BEING IN THE YOGA CLASS. IT’S NOT JUST COMING TO YOGA AND STRETCHING AND BREATHING, BUT ALSO WHAT CAN YOU GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER?” COMMUNITY… AND MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE… IS WHAT ASHLEY SAYS YOGA IS ALL ABOUT. “IF YOU COULD HELP PEOPLE TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF RESPECT FOR THEMSELVES, THEN MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE THAT SENSE OF RESPECT TO BUBBLE OUT INTO THE WORLD, AND HEAL THE WORLD

Advertisement

Yoga for Good: Maine woman raising money through movement

Updated: 11:49 AM EDT Apr 11, 2026

Editorial Standards

Advertisement

Ashley Flowers started “Yoga for Good,” a donation-based class series in support of local nonprofits, in 2024. Since then, she’s raised $2,000 for nine organizations.Flowers said, “Experiencing that sense of joy and happiness and peacefulness that yoga brings, and knowing that you’re all coming together to do something good for yourselves and the world, I think, is really powerful.”Toad & Co hosts “Yoga for Good” in the back of their Portland clothing store. After class, they collect payment, which is a suggested $15 donation. However, attendees are encouraged to pay what they can. “I don’t ever want to turn someone away from yoga because money is an issue,” Flowers said. All proceeds go directly to the cause. The most recent class on April 10 was held in support of the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center. The AOEC is a nonprofit aimed at providing recreation programming for people with different abilities. Inclusivity is a priority in Flowers’ practice. “If you can breathe, you can do yoga,” she said. “Yoga is accessible to everyone.” The AOEC has been the beneficiary of five Yoga for Good classes. When asked about working with Flowers, the nonprofit’s program and development coordinator, Alessa Foley, said, “She always has such great messages as a part of being in the yoga class. It’s not just coming to yoga and stretching and breathing, but also what can you give back to the community, and how can we work together to support each other?”That’s what Flowers thinks yoga is all about. She said, “If you could help people to cultivate a sense of respect for themselves, then maybe you could have that sense of respect to bubble out into the world and heal the world.” When Flowers is not teaching at Toad & Co, you may find her leading goat yoga at Smiling Hill Farm, online classes, or workshops at other local farms. She feels operating without a brick-and-mortar studio is a good way to support her community by drawing people into local businesses. “I think healthy communities are well-connected communities,” she said. Flowers has already lined up the next five Yoga for Good classes, which will run through September. RSVPs can be made on her website. Fri. May 8 at 8 a.m. — Adaptive Outdoor Education CenterSat. June 13 at 9 a.m. — Dempsey CenterSat. July 11 at 11 a.m. — Impact HorseSat. August 8 at 9 a.m. — Dempsey Center Fri. Sept 11 at 8 a.m. — Sea Change Yoga

Ashley Flowers started “Yoga for Good,” a donation-based class series in support of local nonprofits, in 2024. Since then, she’s raised $2,000 for nine organizations.

Flowers said, “Experiencing that sense of joy and happiness and peacefulness that yoga brings, and knowing that you’re all coming together to do something good for yourselves and the world, I think, is really powerful.”

Advertisement

Toad & Co hosts “Yoga for Good” in the back of their Portland clothing store. After class, they collect payment, which is a suggested $15 donation. However, attendees are encouraged to pay what they can. “I don’t ever want to turn someone away from yoga because money is an issue,” Flowers said.

All proceeds go directly to the cause. The most recent class on April 10 was held in support of the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center. The AOEC is a nonprofit aimed at providing recreation programming for people with different abilities.

Inclusivity is a priority in Flowers’ practice. “If you can breathe, you can do yoga,” she said. “Yoga is accessible to everyone.”

Advertisement

The AOEC has been the beneficiary of five Yoga for Good classes. When asked about working with Flowers, the nonprofit’s program and development coordinator, Alessa Foley, said, “She always has such great messages as a part of being in the yoga class. It’s not just coming to yoga and stretching and breathing, but also what can you give back to the community, and how can we work together to support each other?”

That’s what Flowers thinks yoga is all about. She said, “If you could help people to cultivate a sense of respect for themselves, then maybe you could have that sense of respect to bubble out into the world and heal the world.”

When Flowers is not teaching at Toad & Co, you may find her leading goat yoga at Smiling Hill Farm, online classes, or workshops at other local farms. She feels operating without a brick-and-mortar studio is a good way to support her community by drawing people into local businesses.

“I think healthy communities are well-connected communities,” she said.

Flowers has already lined up the next five Yoga for Good classes, which will run through September. RSVPs can be made on her website.

Advertisement
  • Fri. May 8 at 8 a.m. — Adaptive Outdoor Education Center
  • Sat. June 13 at 9 a.m. — Dempsey Center
  • Sat. July 11 at 11 a.m. — Impact Horse
  • Sat. August 8 at 9 a.m. — Dempsey Center
  • Fri. Sept 11 at 8 a.m. — Sea Change Yoga



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending