The community is invited to United Way of Mid Coast Maine’s annual meeting from 8-10 a.m., Wednesday, May 18 at the Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington St., Bath. Registration for the event is available online at uwmcm.org or by calling United Way at 443-9752.
Bath Chief of Police Mike Field and Tom Kivler, senior director of behavioral health at Mid Coast-Parkview Health, will present a talk titled The Opiate Crisis in Midcoast Maine: How Bad Is It? What Can Be Done?
Field and Kivler will talk about the opiate crisis from both law and behavioral-health perspectives, including first-responder issues, crime, addiction, treatment, and preventing drug abuse before it happens.
“Opioid abuse, especially heroin, has become a significant concern in our communities,” Field said. “We can’t fix it alone and need to use a multi-prong approach of prevention, education, treatment and enforcement. Investing in United Way’s early childhood initiatives will be a way to make our communities safe and healthy.”
“Prevention is key. We know from scientific studies that childhood experiences influence health and well-being throughout a person’s life,” said Kivler. “By intervening at an early age, we have the power to help prevent future public-health concerns like the opiate addiction crisis that we’re experiencing now. Working together as a community, we have put programs and systems in place that are right on track.”
The annual meeting will also include nominations of the following individuals for election or reelection to United Way’s board of directors: Claire Berkowitz of the Maine Children’s Alliance, Bill Brillant of Downeast Energy, Matt Cunio of UNUM, Glenn Hutchinson of Bath Savings Institution, Connie Jones of LincolnHealth, Tom Kivler of Mid Coast-Parkview Health, Bruce McDonald of Boothbay Harbor, and Pat Thomas of Bath Iron Works.
Connie Jones will be nominated for election to chairperson of United Way’s board of directors, Nancy Jennings of Bowdoin College as first vice chair, Joel Wegner of Five County Credit Union as second vice chair, and Bowdoin College Vice President for Finance and Assistant Treasurer Matt Orlando as treasurer.
Community Builder awards will be presented to organizations and individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the Midcoast Maine community.
