March of Dimes staff

BREWER – The March of Dimes Northern Maine Division has welcomed Cindy Ault to the Maine State Chapter. She began serving as an administrative assistant in fundraising at the Brewer office in May.

After receiving an associate’s degree in business, Ault completed a bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Maine in 2001. Along with working at the March of Dimes, Ault, a former secretary of the MD board of directors, volunteers with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Bangor as a fundraising chairman. She also served as an administrative assistant at Penquis Regional Transition Board.

Ault is planning the March of Dimes Fall Dinner Auction scheduled for Oct. 18 at the Bangor Elks Club. Her responsibilities include contacting local restaurants and businesses, requesting donations and assembling various gift packages for the auction. A few of the packages acquired include tickets to Nova Scotia aboard The CAT, and golf greens fees to exclusive resorts in the Bangor and Bar Harbor areas.

Ault joins Gene Staffiere, who has served as northern Maine director for nearly five years, and a family of more than 1,300-plus employees nationwide and more than 3 million volunteers who make a positive impact on the health of babies.

From formal balls, chef auctions and dinners, to motorcycle rides, golf tournaments and WalkAmerica, each fundraising activity raises money to help the March of Dimes fund vital, cutting-edge research. For more information about March of Dimes, call Cindy Ault or Gene Staffiere at 989-3376 or e-mail at Gstaffiere@marchofdimes.com.

Successful golf tournament

HERMON – A full field of 36 teams took to the Hermon Meadows Golf Club recently to tee up for the Children’s Miracle Network of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems. The result was a record setting $63,000 raised for the organization.

“We actually had to turn people away who wanted to play,” said Nancy Dysart, CMN director for Eastern Maine Charities. This year’s tournament marks the ninth year of growth for the event, not only in the amount of money raised, but in the number of participants.

The team of Alan Anderson, Mike Bednar, Tom Caron and Jim Greer took home top honors for gross score. Scott Garland, Mark Reynolds and George Swanson captured first for net score.

Hospice camp for children

SANGERVILLE – Pine Tree Hospice, a local organization offering aid to people and their families facing end of life issues, will host a weekend camp for children ages 10 to 15 who have suffered the loss of a parent, sibling, close relative or friend. The camp will be held Aug. 12-14 at the East Sangerville Grange. It allows campers to meet other children who have experienced a similar loss. There is no cost to the family or child.

To obtain information or to volunteer, call Pine Tree Hospice at 564-4346.

Pharmacy mail-order grant

INDIAN ISLAND – Gov. John Baldacci announced recently that the Penobscot Indian Nation received a $500,000 Rural Business Enterprise Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Office. The grant will help the Penobscot Indian Nation implement PIN Rx, Maine’s first pharmacy mail-order distribution center.

Currently, Maine people who utilize pharmacy mail-order services do not have a Maine-based vendor and often face logistical challenges, such as long waits, in order to obtain the prescriptions they need.

Based at Indian Island, PIN Rx will provide pharmacy mail-order services beginning this summer to the State of Maine Pharmacy Program, which includes MaineCare, Drugs for the Elderly and Maine Rx Plus members. Additionally, private groups and businesses will be able to purchase medications more cheaply through PIN Rx.

Starting in January, PIN Rx will be available to beneficiaries of Medicare Part D, Medicare’s prescription drug program, which is scheduled to begin at that time.