Polar Plunge

Volunteers, some rather chilly, raised over $7,000 for Chebeague Island’s teen programs over the weekend of Jan. 18-19. A Rock-A-Thon went for 12 hours, and the much-anticipated Polar Plunge drew 10 participants. The water temperature was 33 degrees, and at least two hardy souls, Island Institute Fellow Leah McDonald and staff member Chris Cash, went

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Wonder Dog Jenny

Islesboro Central School students were recently entertained by wonder dog “Jenny,” a seven-year-old black Lab who has been attention-trained to work as a “scent-discrimination” finder of objects and people. Jenny’s owner, professional dog trainer Frances Plessner, takes Jenny to nursing homes and schools where the exquisitely-behaved canine can show off her bag of tricks.

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Monks, Native Americans visit North Haven

For the most part, human diversity exists on Maine islands in color only, and that thanks to individuals or couples who have adopted children of other cultures. It was therefore a mind-expanding time on North Haven when Arnold Neptune, a Penobscot Indian elder, presented workshops on the history and culture of the Penobscot Nation, and

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Programming for the future

During the past six months, we’ve been thinking hard about the future – about the complex challenges facing Maine island communities, about the Institute’s various island service programs and about the financial uncertainties we have all experienced during the past few years. Three months ago, as part of a long range planning effort, we hired

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