Say goodbye to "Old Man Winter" and get set for spring with these March yoga offerings from Mike Bouscaren! On Monday, March 18 from 4:00-5:00pm Mike will lead a session of Passive Yoga Stretch, and the next morning on March 19 at 8:30 everyone is invited back for Divine Play Yoga.

Mt. Desert 365 will be holding their 2nd Annual “Business Boot Camp” on March 7-10, and once again this year The Neighborhood House will serve as the venue for the program’s wrap-up. The “Pitch Competition” will take place in the Great Hall on Sunday afternoon, March 10, and is open to the public.

Any excuse to enjoy pie is okay by us, so naturally when we found about about “National Pi Day,” it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. While yes, technically speaking, “Pi Day” refers to the mathematical term associated with the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter (3.14159…), it’s actually celebrated around the world every March 14 (3.14) with (you guessed it) PIE!

It’s school vacation week, which means it’s also a great opportunity for families to check out the Community Cafe! This week’s Cafe luncheon is generously being sponsored by our friends from First National Bank, and features a menu guests of all ages are sure to enjoy. Baked potatoes with an array of “fixings” will be offered, including chili, sour cream, green onion, bacon, cheese sauce, salsa, and more. Paired with the “Baked Potato Bar” will be a Zesty Broccoli Salad, and as always, plenty of desserts.

On Friday, February 8, The Neighborhood House was transformed with red, white, pink, and purple valentine decor to welcome over 100 very special guests to the annual Sweetheart Valentine Dance. The evening included lots of kid (and dad) friendly hors d’oeuvres, a plethora of sweets, photo booth, party favors, music, and dancing.

On Wednesday, February 13, the American Red Cross will be holding a blood drive at The Neighborhood House, sponsored by the Northeast Harbor Ambulance Service. Standard blood as well as
”Power Red” donations will be greatly accepted between the hours of 11am and 4pm. You can book your donation time in advance online at redcrossblood.org or via phone at 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Our next-door neighbors from the Parish of St. Mary & St. Jude are generously sponsoring the Community Cafe on Thursday, February 7. The comfort-food inspired menu includes Warm Open Faced Turkey Sandwiches (vegetarian option available), mashed potatoes, a zesty kale salad, and plenty of homemade desserts. What could be better than that?

Winter is in full swing, and that means heating season is here as well. For many families on Mt. Desert Island and its surrounding communities, paying for that heat can be a struggle. That’s the precise reason The Neighborhood House and our friends at Harbor House Community Service Center teamed up to form the MDI Community Campfire Coalition. The mission is simple—provide heating assistance to families on MDI, the Cranberry Isles, and Swan’s Island.

Girls are invited to grab their dancing shoes, along with dad, grandad, or any other "father figure," and join us on Friday, Feb. 8 for our annual Sweetheart Valentine Dance.

The evening will include music, dancing, hors d'oeuvres, lots of sweets, party favors, and fun! Festivities get underway at 6pm. Tickets are $20 per "couple," and just $10 for extra guests. Payments can be made at the door, but space is limited, so please give us a call to RSVP or for any questions at 276-5039 or via email.

Already wildly popular, the Community Cafe luncheons continues to grow in numbers and attract new faces at lunch. Unfortunately, not everyone can get away from work to join us for lunch, which is why once again this year, Les and the crew from Island Towing & Auto Repair have stepped in to sponsor a special nighttime Community Cafe.

Great news! Instructor Mike Bouscaren will be offering a couple of installments of Passive Yoga Stretch and Divine Play Yoga in January and February! Grab your Calendar and mark down the following:

Wrapping Up A Fantastic 2018

With a whole lot of help, we managed to pack plenty of fun into just twelve months. There's a much needed emphasis on "revitalization" within our community as of late, and we're happy to report that there's more happening at The Neighborhood House now than at any point in its 100+ year history.