Welcome To Housing Home Goods Bank, Inc. Bi-Weekly Blog, July 10, 2026

Christopher Olsen, Founder and Board of Trustees President

July 6, 2026

Greetings All,

In Maine, they say, “If you don’t like the weather, wait a moment.” The same can be said now for political campaigns. I’m glad that my wife and I listened to “our gut” and voted absentee ahead of the primary elections.

I’m speaking of course of the candidate running for Senator Susan Collin’s seat.

July 7, 2026

Even though my wife is on vacation this week, I am happily staying active. Being retired for me is sort of like the Aerosmith Album title, “Permanent Vacation.” I’m still getting used to it and it’s not too dissimilar to the feeling I had when I went from a regular 9:00 to 5:00 job to being an independent contractor as a real estate agent. 21 years of that was fun and educational but as I have mentioned before, it was so disheartening to see so many people who pay a sizable amount of rent but are priced out of being able to afford a home. To think that the median home price in Maine is well beyond $400,000 is disturbing to me.

Looking forward to hopefully the “signature event” in October, the Counting Your Blessings Camp-In, which is going to be held in the turf room of the Old Town Orono YMCA. We're looking at a Saturday into Sunday, October 17th to October 18th. Rather than going with t-shirt route, we're looking at tote bags, nice cloth ones and I've been trying to reach Betsy Vickery from WS Emerson over in Brewer, they also have Miller's Workshop. I think the price of them would be reasonable, and I think we'd be more likely to see people using a tote bag. T-shirts are all fine and dandy. The only problem with a t-shirt is that people don't wear them, and also you have to come up with multiple sizes, and you never really know who's going to show up at your event. Hand-outs like that can be sponsored by multiple businesses.  

Julius Edwards, PhD is the new president of Eastern Maine Community College. I had the opportunity to meet him at the Penobscot Job Corps public meeting that we had recently, and I am hoping to get a closer tie with Eastern Maine Community College. They have a lot of good programs there, and one of the things that's coming up at the end of this month for our board of trustees meeting. Dennis Wint is talking about how we need to have goals, but I am going to send an email to him sometime soon that we need more “troops” because there is nothing wrong with doing goals, but if you don't have the people to back it up, it's difficult. Because we have several different teams and committees that we need to add people to from the public outreach, which is for tabling events like the ones done at the Bangor Public Library, Together Place as well as Food and Medicine over in Brewer. We also are looking at doing a volunteer reception to educate potential volunteers to join the board or join other groups that are related to Welcome to Housing. One of the places that I hope to lock in is the Rangeley Hall. It's part of Eastern Maine Community College, but it's not really technically on the campus. It's down at the end of Sylvan Road. Not only is everything on one level and there is plenty of parking, including handicap parking, but they also have a wonderful culinary program. It's down the end of Rangeley Road just past Darling's Honda Nissan Volvo.

Speaking of Darling’s, apparently, their ice cream truck was active from June 16th to June 29th this year. We recently received a check for $510, out of the blue from them, so I need to track down who we're going to be sending a ‘thank you ‘note to. We have the request or the grant application almost together for the Lindsay Trust. I emailed them because we had asked in a letter of intent many months ago if we could apply. Their Board invited us to apply. I emailed them, to find out if we needed to resubmit a letter of intent, and they said we're all set. We also have to put together a letter of intent. We were actually invited by the Maine Justice Foundation to apply for a grant. They have a grant program that's for $10,000.

It's very flattering to be approached by an organization such as that. Something similar happened with the podcast coming up. I was surprised to get a text message from the executive director of the Ronald McDonald Houses in Portland and Bangor. She actually sent me a text message asking to be on the podcast, "People, Places, and Parables." Right now, we have a couple of other guests scheduled. One is for a hospice director with Gentiva. We recently purchased ten fans for them, which they split between Stillwater Health Care in Bangor and a nursing home up in Dover-Foxcroft. The lady we're going to be talking with is Melanie Pomeroy.

The other people that we're going to be talking to in a podcast is a lady by the name of Nikki Vachon, and hopefully Emila Tappin. They're both with the Finance Authority of Maine. Finance Authority of Maine helps students with scholarships and guidance for higher education. It’s probably one of the best investments going for people that are trying to achieve a degree. We also just had our French doors finished up at 333 Main Street. They're completely done. The only big project left, I shouldn't say the only big project, but one of the big projects left is the porch. We're hoping to have a group from Penobscot Job Corps if possible. You know, we also have a carpenter from the Masons, one of the four that worked on the entryways a couple of years ago. Hopefully he would be willing as he has already said he'd be willing to supervise a crew.

The new economic development director for Old Town I spoke with several months ago was going to be looking for facade grant money, so we can cover everything from the materials, supplies and so forth that's needed to give that beautiful wraparound porch a facelift. I am still looking forward to catching up with Victor Wood from the Hogan Road Hanford. I am going to make a certificate for him and for his store. Recently, they did the reuasble shopping bag program for nonprofits. If you purchase the bag for two fifty, a dollar goes towards nonprofit. And, he said he's also planning to do something similar this fall with a certain type of plant. I can't remember what type of plant. Also, need to put together a press release for the recognition we received from the SCORE program (Service Corps Retired Executives).

We received the award for successful nonprofit. I never even stopped to think that there are other nonprofits applying, so that was a really nice pat on the back. That I was reminded, and the interesting thing is that the chapter for northern Maine, which has a total of fourteen mentors including Dennis our mentor, they received Chapter of the Year for the entire United States, which is amazing. It says speaks volumes about the quality of the program.

I also need to take some time to learn how to upload more information to the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce website, because they actually have a chamber news that goes out in addition to the newsletter. There is also a place to post stories, photos, and so forth. So that'll be something to look forward to. And let's see, I am also still learning how to use Canva and I am learning from Lisa Maxie, on that because pretty soon this fall, they're going to be replacing or getting rid of the support for Microsoft Publisher. Speaking of Lisa Maxey, she actually spoke with Dale Hamilton, who is the head of the community health and counseling program Community, Health and Counseling Agency, which has been around since 1883.

She had been talking to him a while back. She gave me a heads up, and when he finally reached out to me, I was amazing. I was amazed at the option that they're offering, and that's to become a corporate member, corporate member of the community health and counseling group. It's the group that actually votes on board members and brings board members to be considered. Leadership guiding strategic direction and amplifying community voices. If it sounds like I am reading, it's because I am. Advocacy promoting access to community-based health care services, stewardship supporting responsible growth and resource allocation, and connection to serve as a bridge between CH and CS and the community. That last part about connection is something I am really looking forward to, because for years now, I've realized that one of my joys in life is playing, almost like a game of concentration, but with people and other people and resources. When somebody needs something, I'll talk to somebody, I'll learn about what they do, and then the next day or so, I talk to somebody else who would be a great person to line up with that first person. And, what blows my mind is the corporate members that are posted on the Facebook page are a lot of familiar names: Pamela Coffey-Paine. David Cole, Karen Cole's husband (Karen came up with the idea for the observatory on the Penobscot Narrows Bridge when David served as the Department of Transportation Commissioner under Governor John Baldacci), James Cox who I've known since we moved here in 1986; he was a city councilor for years. He's an attorney. Doctor Robert Dana. I am really excited and I am hoping he stays there for a while. Doctor Robert Dana used to be the Dean of Students at the University of Maine for years. I first met him when I worked for the American Cancer Society, and he and I went to visit Bangor High School and talk to the students about the drawbacks of smoking.

He reminds me of like the professors in some of the Jerry Lewis movies where he's extremely smart, and he was talking to the kids about “borderline behavior.” I remember seeing a couple of the kids have this look on their faces of not quite sure what he was talking about. And I chirped up, I said, "Acting up," and all of a sudden, the light came on in their faces. John Dawson from ERA Dawson Bradford's another great gentleman, Doctor Jeffrey Gratwick who was a has been on the city council in the past. He's a dentist, an activist, and an avid bike rider. And here is a real stranger, Mister David Green. David is our chapter chair for SCORE. He is in the group Darcy Main-Boyington, who has been with economic development department forever, over in the city of Brewer. Billy Miller is the retired pharmacist from Miller Drug who was in my old Kiwanis Club. .

Miller Drug was purchased by Northern Light Pharmacy, Joe Pickering, who headed up I believe can't remember what community health council he was an executive director. Marianne Saxl, another great lady. Marianne's mother Jan Saxl used to be on the city council. And if I am not mistaken, I think she may have been on the school board when we first came to the area. Ed Troscianiec. He helps people going through divorces. He's a I don't know if it's forensic accounting, but he helps if somebody is making a claim against their soon-to-be former spouse. He helps them out. A really nice guy I see him at many of the Chamber of Commerce events.

Shawn Yardley needs no introduction as he has done so much for families and children. He also adopted three sisters years ago that were up for adoption at the same time. He moved to Bowerbank, and apparently, he's moved back to the area. He's very much of an activist and did a LOT in the human services field. He also spoke at the luncheon learn for Welcome to Housing years ago at the Cliff Eames Learning Center, which was owned by Bangor Savings, which is now owned by OHI. And last but not least is a gentleman by the name of Tim Woodcock. He is an attorney. He was the one that years ago wanted the museum to acquire the brick church, which is now owned by the Brick Church and The Storehouse program. So, there is a lot of good stuff going on, but just being asked to be in a group like this is extremely flattering. It's no different from the CEO of the Ronald McDonald Houses to contact me out of the blue and really validate that the podcast is worth listening to because she actually wants to be interviewed by it, so there is a lot of good things going on this summer. And thankfully, I have an AI recording device, so I don't have carpal tunnel or bloodshot eyes.

July 11, 2026

Today I learned MORE about video editing. Lisa Maxcy and her husband, Glenn came overy today to work with me to produce a video to go with Lisa’s application for the Bangor Regional Leadership Institute (BRLI). It’s a “boot camp” sort of thing sponsored by the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce (BRCC). BRCC also is tied to Fusion Bangor, which as I have mentioned before, is the modern version of the Jaycees, or Junior Chamber of Commerce.

The BRLI program has been around for a number of years and has helped many people learn leadership skills by working together and the program I believe is held over a period of a few months. Using the Riverside program, I uploaded her video so it could be edited and make sure it was within the 3 to 5 minutes in length. There was a glitch about 2:48 minutes in that made her look like she was imitating Max Headroom. Originally, she had prepared a multiple page write up that she tried to read. It was tough between her nerves and trying to change pages as it was written out by hand on a reuseable notepad that has pages that work like a dry erage board.

Then just a little while ago, the lady who oversees a hospice program reached out to me via text. The same lady who asked about getting some fans… (not crazed admirers but the pedestal kind that move a LOT of air, ALMOST as much hot air that I expend daily) Apparently, she liked the video I recently posted on Facebook and mentioned she would like to talk about becoming a part of our “team.” It was funny because I had the same thought but didn’t pursue it right away but my hopes were answered.

Of all the nonprofits I have either worked for as a staffer or as a volunteer, Welcome To Housing seems to be the easiest one to get volunteers for.

I’m going to call it a (couple) week for now.

Have a good couple of weeks and hopefully the humidity takes a hike.

Sincerely yours,
Christopher Olsen
Founder and Board of Trustees President