Skowhegan Community Food Cupboard was one of eight local food pantries to receive collected canned and boxed goods, toiletry items, along with monetary donations from Franklin Savings Bank. From left are Brynn Witham and Kayla Furbush, both of Franklin Savings Bank. Photo by Faith Rouillard

During the fall months, Franklin Savings Bank employees have been hard at work to support food pantries in their local communities along with Gold Star Service Members and veteran families.

The bank organizes three celebrations a year to celebrate the accomplishments of its employees. For the week of Oct. 25-29, employees transformed a routine celebration into a combined effort to provide for area food pantries. Teams competed in a bankwide food drive, called “Fall Bounty Week,” that highlighted healthy competition among different departments and branches.

“‘Fall Bounty Week’ was full of hope, motivation and positive energy,” said FSB marketing officer, Courtney Austin, according to a news release from the bank. “It means the world to us, as FSB employees, to come to work and be a part of so much more outside these bank walls.”

The employees collected canned and boxed goods, toiletry items, along with monetary donations to be dispersed among eight local food pantries. Donations from employees totaled 2,500 items and more than $1,400.

On top of that, the bank was inspired by the employees’ willingness to give and decided to match their efforts with an $11,000 donation to be divided among the designated food pantries.

The receiving food pantries included Care and Share Food Closet, Farmington; St. Joseph Parish, Farmington; Skowhegan Community Food Cupboard, Praise Assembly of God, Rumford; Wilton United Methodist Church, St. Rose of Lima, Jay; Rangeley Health and Wellness; and Loaves and Fishes, Ellsworth.

The giving does not stop there; every Friday and Saturday, FSB employees have the option to wear jeans to work with a $2 donation. Franklin Savings Bank employees raised over $560 in the month of September to fund Thanksgiving Baskets for Gold Star and veteran families. The bank also donated an additional $800 to help fund the baskets.

These baskets are filled with canned and boxed goods, fresh vegetables, homemade pies donated by various employees, handwritten cards by children of employees, and Hannaford gifts cards for the more perishable items. This year, FSB put together 31 baskets to benefit local families.

Dawn Elliott Contributed photo

Dr. Dawn Elliott joins Franklin Health Women’s Care

FARMINGTON — Dawn Elliott, MD, has joined the Franklin Memorial Hospital medical staff as a physician at Franklin Health Women’s Care. Elliott is a full-scope OB/GYN provider specializing in high-risk pregnancy, perinatal mood disorders, family planning and infertility. She has more than 20 years of patient care experience.

Elliott received her medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington, followed by an OB/GYN residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Fort Lewis, Washington and Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. She most recently provided care at Evans Army Community Hospital in Fort Carson, Colorado. She is board-certified by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

“I am honored to work with women to optimize their well-being,” said Elliott, according to a news release from the hospital. “As an obstetrician-gynecologist, I use evidence-based preventive care, lifestyle modifications and optimized medical and surgical interventions to help women achieve their health care goals.”

Blue Marble Geographics CEO appointed to The Muskie School Of Public Service Board Of Visitors

HALLOWELL — Blue Marble Geographics’ CEO Patrick Cunningham was recently appointed to the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service Board of Visitors.

Patrick Cunningham Contributed photo

The Muskie School of Public Service is Maine’s distinguished public policy school, combining extensive applied research and technical assistance portfolio with rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs in geography-anthropology; tourism and hospitality; policy, planning, and management; and public health. The school is nationally recognized for applying innovative knowledge to critical issues in the fields of sustainable development and health and human service policy and management, and is home to the Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy.

“We are delighted to have Patrick Cunningham join the Muskie School Board of Visitors,” said Dr. Firooza Pavri, associate dean, Muskie School of Public Service, according to a news release from Blue Marble Geographics. “His expertise in the geospatial technologies arena will be an asset to our community, and we look forward to developing new training and experiential opportunities for our students with his assistance.”

“It is an honor to be asked to serve on the Muskie School Board of Visitors,” said Cunningham. “The Muskie School has an excellent graduate study program right here in Maine. Blue Marble serves professionals in public policy, health and geography worldwide with cutting-edge geospatial software. I am excited to bring that experience to the board to hopefully provide some assistance with leveraging GIS at the graduate level at USM.”

Embodying Blue Marble’s tenets of collaboration, community outreach, and education, Cunningham takes knowledge and leadership experience from his work at Blue Marble Geographics to his new position on the Muskie School of Public Service Board of Visitors.

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