“While we know that the family members will continue to be very involved in our community, we thought it was appropriate to mark the close of this chapter, of the family’s Building Community through Downeast Energy,” Barbara Reinertsen, executive director of the local United Way chapter, said in presenting the award.
Reinertsen noted that the Morrells have given continuously to United Way since the Brunswick Area United Fund started in 1958, and that each member has served as a United Way volunteer.
“For United Way, they’ve done everything we have ever asked of them, and sometimes more than we would think to ask,” Reinertsen said.
“The Morrells have also provided personal time and board service, regular, generous giving, and special gifts for facilities to many of the organizations that make up our community,” said Reinertsen, citing Mid Coast Hospital, the Mid Coast Hospital Auxiliary, the Topsham Public Library, Curtis Memorial Library, Bowdoin College, the Maine State Music Theatre, Bath-Brunswick Mental Health, People Plus, the Puffin Project of the National Audubon Society, the KIDS Consortium, the American Red Cross, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, the Bath Area Family YMCA, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, the First Parish Church historic steeple restoration, and the Joshua Chamberlain Memorial.
“Basically, if you live or work in this community, your life has been influenced by the Morrell family’s work,” said Reinertsen. “I think all of us want to thank you for all you have done to build the community we call home, and to wish you well in this new chapter in your lives.”
Other awards
Additional Community Builder Awards were presented to the Volunteer Administrators of Midcoast Maine, for the group’s work in helping professionals at nonprofit agencies learn how to make effective use of volunteers, and to the Waldoboro Parent Café team.
United Way board member Bob Davis of Border Trust was recognized for winning a 6 Who Care Volunteerism Award, as was Brunswick High School senior and former United Way intern Julia Brown, who recently received Maine’s Youth Volunteer of the Year Award.
Annual meeting
The keynote speaker for Tuesday’s annual meeting was Ed Cervone, acting president of the Maine Development Foundation, which recently with the Maine State Chamber of Commerce produced a report titled “Investment in Young Children = Real Economic Development.”
Cervone praised United Way of Mid Coast Maine for its strategic emphasis on early childhood, for its participation in the Maine Children’s Growth Council through staff member Peter Lindsay, and for its collaboration with other groups in the state on this issue.
United Way board chairwoman Pam Bowerman gave an overview of results achieved by United Way and its partner agencies during the past year, and thanked the United Way’s administrative assistant Sandy Caparratto and campaign processor Lili Hall for 10 years of service each with the organization.
Bowerman and former executive director Eric Buch and former board chairwoman Lois Skillings thanked Reinertsen for 20 years of service to United Way.
Also at the meeting, Bob Beaumont, a retired pastor and counselor and a chaplain at Parkview Adventist Medical Center, was elected as chairman of United Way’s board of directors, and Dennis Unger of University College at Bath/Brunswick and George Reichert of The Times Record were elected as first and second vice chairmen.
Matt Orlando, comptroller of Bowdoin College, was elected as treasurer.
Jim Donovan, CEO of Lincoln County Healthcare, attorney Jon Doyle of Richmond, Bath Chief of Police Mike Field, Laura Fortman of the Frances Perkins Center, Fred Haer, CEO of FHC, Matt Orlando of Bowdoin College, George Reichert of The Times Record and Suzanne Umland of Coastal Enterprises, Inc., were elected or reelected to the board.
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