Maine Driving Dynamics is a Maine-sponsored five-hour defensive driving course that offers all drivers the opportunity to improve their defensive driving skills. The course includes a discussion of collision avoidance techniques, safety issues, driver habits and attitudes, and the basic elements that constantly challenge drivers on Maine’s highways. It is taught by a certified Maine Driving Dynamics instructor in a format that engages students with lectures, videos, and class discussion/participation. Those completing the course will receive a 3-point credit on their driving record. Students 55 and older can receive an insurance discount from their insurer.

Finance Authority of Maine’s (FAME) College Access and Financial Education team has put together a series of virtual workshops specifically for adults. All sessions are free, but you must register in advance. An email with a link to the online session will be sent in advance of the class.

Do you have children who will be looking at college in the next few years or might you be thinking of returning to school yourself? Now is a great time to start thinking about the college financial aid process and ways to boost college savings. The earlier you start, the more confident and relaxed you will feel when it is time to apply for financial aid. Join Jessica Whittier, College Access Counselor with the Finance Authority of Maine for this 1-hour workshop as we talk all things paying for college. Students must have an audio- and video-enabled laptop, desktop, or tablet with reliable internet to participate in class. We do not recommend using a smartphone.

Make your own cards with love. These classes will teach you how to make beautiful cards, providing instructions and techniques. You will make four unique cards, and each class will teach a different design. The instructor fee is $5 per class (payable the night of each class) and there is always a door prize. All supplies are provided.

Join us for a hybrid workshop/plant walk! We will cover the basics of an ethical and relational harvest, as well as address safety concerns, proper timing and technique, and positive identification (when in doubt - spit it out!) We’ll also talk about how to preserve your harvest so that you’re able to best work with what you’ve gathered. On our plant walk, we will be able to meet our plant neighbors face to face and familiarize ourselves with their look, feel, taste, smell, and environment. Each attendee will receive a handout filled with plant profiles, recipes and formulas, instructions and techniques, blank forms, and helpful charts. 

In a non-threatening, safe, women- only environment with no live ammunition present, learn the basics of handgun safety when kept in your home or throughout your daily routine; how to handle a pistol safely; parts of a pistol and ammunition; fundamentals of pistol shooting including holding, stance, and aiming; common malfunctions; cleaning; and selecting a pistol just right for you. You may not

bring your own handgun or any ammunition to class, but the instructor will have safe, unloaded examples to share. You will receive a textbook. The optional two-hour range time at Lincoln County Rifle Club in Damariscotta is separately scheduled during daylight hours during the week and has a fee of $50 payable to the instructor. If you go to the range, you’ll fire either your own pistol or one from the instructor and try to put five rounds of ammunition through four separate target circles at 10 feet using only 20 rounds. You will need 50 rounds of ammunition for your personal handgun. If you are “renting” a pistol from the instructor, she will have 50 rounds of ammunition for you for a cost of $25 for a total cost of $75. To pass this nationally rated course and get certified, you must attend all sessions and actively participate, pass a written examination, and pass the 10-foot shooting qualification, all within two weeks of the last class session. Certification can be used to apply for a concealed carry permit.

Questions about Medicare? Join Jo-Ann Neal for this informational seminar outlining the basics of Medicare. Jo-Ann will answer your questions including what Medicare does and does NOT cover when to enroll, the difference between MedicareAdvantage and Medicare Supplement Plans, and which plan is best for you. Following the presentation, Jo-Ann will be available for a question and answer session. Jo-Ann Neal of Allen Insurance and Financial is a licensed insurance agent specializing in Medicare. Jo-Ann joined Allen Insurance and Financial in May 2013, bringing with her 10+ years of human resources and benefits administration experience. In 2016, she earned a Benefits Account Manager certification from the National Association of Health Insurance Underwriters and became appointed to work with customers on Medicare plans.

Your instructor, Chris Toy is the author of 6 popular cookbooks, a private chef, and has taught Asian-fusion cooking for several Maine community education programs. Cooking students will learn how to prepare a variety of recipes from Asia, Europe, and the Americas incorporating traditional and local ingredients. Each meal will actively engage cooks with the tools, techniques, and stories behind the dishes being created.

Step back to a time when President Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor, and their family escaped to their “beautiful little island” in the Canadian Maritimes, Campobello Island. We will be exclusive guests of the international park, staying in historic Victorian cottages. Workshop participants will explore and paint the same coastal scenery enjoyed by the summer residents at the turn of the 20th century. All meals are included in the workshop fee as well as specially planned optional evening activities designed to extend your learning from the day’s workshops, including a private concert by award-winning Celtic Fiddle player, Katherine Moller, in the Victorian parlor of Hubbard House. Register for the retreat then call Sherry Mitchell at 506-752-2922 to make room reservations. Acadian Arts Retreats participants will have exclusive overnight accommodations in the park. 

Comments from recent Acadian Arts Retreats participants: 

“I learned so much that Chris taught me, and the recipes were attainable."  “Chris speaks slowly and encourages questions."

Your instructor, Mary Laury is an accomplished watercolorist and highly esteemed teacher. She encourages all her students to believe they can be successful. Painting is an exciting medium; it flows and moves and does beautiful things. If you have never painted in watercolors, we will start at the beginning. If you have painted before, you will pick up some new tips and tricks as well. We all learn together!

Step back to a time when President Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor, and their family escaped to their “beautiful little island” in the Canadian Maritimes, Campobello Island. We will be exclusive guests of the international park, staying in historic Victorian cottages. Workshop participants will explore and paint the same coastal scenery enjoyed by the summer residents at the turn of the 20th century. All meals are included in the workshop fee as well as specially planned optional evening activities designed to extend your learning from the day’s workshops. including a private concert by award-winning Celtic Fiddle player, Katherine Moller, in the Victorian parlor of Hubbard House. Register for the retreat then call Sherry Mitchell at 506-752-2922 to make room reservations. Acadian Arts Retreats participants will have exclusive overnight accommodations in the park. 

Feedback from recent Acadian Arts Retreats participants: 

“Mary is a wonderful guide and a gifted teacher.”  “Very helpful watercolor instruction."