The community is invited to United Way of Mid Coast Maine’s annual meeting on Wednesday May 18 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington Street in Bath. Registration for the event is available online at uwmcm.org or by calling United Way at 443-9752.

Mike Field, chief of police of Bath, and Tom Kivler, senior director of behavioral health at Mid Coast-Parkview Health, will speak on: The Opiate Crisis in Mid Coast Maine: How Bad Is It? What Can Be Done? The annual meeting is sponsored by Oxford Networks.

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. 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,” said Chief Field.

Kivler added, “Prevention is key. We know from scientific studies that childhood experiences influence health and well-being throughout a person’s life. 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 chair of United Way’s Board of Directors, Nancy Jennings of Bowdoin College will be nominated as first vice chair, Joel Wegner of Five County Credit Union as second vice chair, and Bowdoin College VP 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. United Way of Mid Coast Maine’s mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. In partnership with thousands of donors, United Way works to improve education, financial stability, and health for people in Brunswick and Harpswell, Sagadahoc and Lincoln counties.