New Playground

We now have a playground area behind the Hancock County Transitional apartments. Thanks again to Newland Nursery and to the volunteers who came in on weekends to put this neat stuff together!

Newland Nursery and other volunteers

The volunteers (especially from our board) who worked on the playground did a really great job! Thanks also to the guys from Newland Nursery, who brought their professional expertise to the project. It looks great!

http://www.newlandnursery.com/

good view of the playground feature

This thing looks really cool. Great job, builders!

WNSX Radio

WNSX, FM 97.7 radio was kind enough to broadcast from the pet show event. They helped to raise awareness of animal welfare and domestic violence issues. :)

Hancock County SPCA

The Hancock County SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) supported our event -- and took on the difficult job of helping to judge the pet show. Thanks again!

http://www.spcahancockcounty.org/

the ark shelter

The Ark is a no-kill shelter that does great work in our area. They were kind enough to support this event, and help judge the pet show!

http://www.thearkpets.org/

kitty, kitty

one of only two feline entries -- but more than cute enough to do the job.

auxilliary power

Whoa, boy! I need a hug.

got the goat

two stars of the show -- for obvious reasons.

more pet show pics

ah, but there's more! go figure - I had to stop and do direct service with victims for a few hours. :0

Here, the Lamoine Cheerleaders that ran our little-kid games give the bouncy-house an early-morning "road test." No flips, girls! ;)

And also thanks to Leslie for this cool blog!

Hey, did you know that two minutes ago was the first time I've ever blogged? (Is that really a verb?)

Maybe there's some hope for me.......(doubtful, since I still can't make those little smiley faces in my emails.)

Thanks to Kelly for such an awesome event!

Ok, so I wasn't actually AT the awesome event, but I heard it was GREAT! I know Kelly worked really hard on this, so big thanks to her!!!!!

(I can't believe I missed the chance to see a dog dressed up like Bat Dog!!!)

it's raining, it's monday..

we have a new assistant director...his name is Mark, he seems very nice and we're all hoping that his tenure here is excellent and LONG!! I can hear a client down the hall giving her story to one of our advocates...they're working on a protection order...I hope she gets it...but then I think that anyone who truly feels they NEED an order should get one, no matter what...I know it doesn't quite work that way as it's an impartial JUDGE who makes the ultimate decision...kind of a life or death discission I'm thinking....at least it could be. There was a report on the news this weekend reqarding a police officer in New Hampshire being killed by an abuser when he was called out to investigate a "domestic". I know police officers put everything on the line every day they put on the badge and go into the community but, after hearing lots of bad stories, and after knowning about some very bad dudes both in Hancock and Washington counties, I'm very afraid that one of our Maine "men in blue" could be next....scary...very scary. That's all from a rainy afternoon in Maine...a very "sleepy" kind of afternoon...I really, really just need a NAP!!

super dog!

wait -- get my good side.

I wish I'd remembered my coat

Ah...does anyone else feel a draft in here?

the bouncy house bouncer

Tasha, one of our peer educator colleagues from SODA (Students Opposing Dating Abuse) at Ellsworth High, was kind enough to do a turn as the bouncy-house-bouncer. i.e. helping people in and keeping them from doing flips on one another's heads...that sort of thing. Thanks, Tasha!

animal welfare

We had our Pumpkin Patch Pet Show and Family Fun Day (or something -- I don't have the flier in front of me) this past Saturday. It was great! There were cute animals, cute kids, a bouncy house, and PIZZA! Where is the bad?

The fair was to highlight recent domestic violence/animal welfare legislation that passed in Maine -- thanks in no small part to the testimony of our friend and board member, Sue Walsh. Check this link to learn more about the legislation:

http://www.all-creatures.org/adow/art-20060411.html

And you can see Sue in the picture -- on duty at our animal welfare table at the pet show. Yay, Sue! :)

The Purple Pages

Well, here we go. Welcome to the blog-log of life at The Next Step - a domestic violence prevention project in rural Maine. Check our website at www.nextstepdvproject.org for more details.

Peace! :) leslie joan linder

PS: It is awareness month, and we got some op-eds in local pictures. Check it out while the links last at:

http://bangordailynews.com/news/t/viewpoints.aspx?articleid=141287&zoneid=35

and:

http://ellsworthmaine.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4400&Itemid=46