Maine Seacoast Mission holds 2022 Sunbeam Gala  – Mount Desert Islander

MOUNT DESERT —The Maine Seacoast Mission’s 2022 Sunbeam Award Gala was held final month on the Bar Harbor Membership. This yr’s Sunbeam Award recipients are Les Coleman and 9 Downeast Schooling Companions, all of whom had been acknowledged for his or her work with the Mission’s schooling programming. 

The Schooling Companions embrace Beals Elementary, Cherryfield Elementary, D.W. Merritt Elementary, Harrington Elementary, Jonesport Elementary, Milbridge Elementary, Rose M. Gaffney Elementary, Narraguagus Excessive College and Sumner Memorial Excessive College. This fall marks 20 years for the reason that starting of the EdGE program in Washington County.  

Right now, EdGE has grown to be the Mission’s signature youth improvement program Downeast and serves round 700 college students in kindergarten by way of eighth grade and their households every year by way of afterschool and management packages and summer season camps. EdGE packages embrace outside recreation, tutoring and STEM, in addition to nourishment, help and training for college kids and their households by way of the Mission’s Household Engagement program. 

“It was such an honor to be within the room with the very leaders who began EdGE, a very transformational youth improvement program in Downeast Maine. Seeing the standing ovation for the awardees is a second I’ll always remember and an actual spotlight of my time with the Mission,” mentioned Mission President John Zavodny. 

Sponsors of this yr’s occasion had been Bar Harbor Financial institution & Belief, Wyman’s of Maine, Cross Insurance coverage, Eaton Peabody, First Nationwide Financial institution, Maggie Keohan, Goldman Sachs, Billings Diesel & Marine, Birchbrook, Brookings-Smith, Acadia Bike & Coastal Kayaking Excursions, Entrance Road Shipyard, J.T. Rosborough, Inc. and The Snowman Group.