FREEPORT, Maine — Maine Distilleries, LLC, producer of Cold River Vodka, Cold River Blueberry Flavored Vodka and Cold River Gin is proud to announce that it will be donating one pound of potatoes to prominent food banks in each state for every bottle of Cold River sold in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts during the first quarter of 2012. Maine Distilleries, of Freeport, Maine, in coordination with family-owned Green Thumb Farms, of Fryeburg, Maine, is partnering with The Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn, Maine, The New Hampshire Food Bank in Manchester, NH, and the Greater Boston Food Continue reading >>>

FREEPORT, Maine — Maine potatoes like those used to create high-end vodka and gin soon will find their way to tabletops of the needy in a new program launched by Maine Distilleries. For every bottle of Maine Distilleries’ Cold River vodka and gin that is sold in the first three months of next year in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, the company plans to donate a pound of potatoes to food banks in those states. Consuming about 12 pounds of potatoes for every bottle — which amounts to nearly Continue reading >>>

The Los Angeles Times published an article this week highlighting anecdotes about Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney from his volunteer ecclesiastical service in the LDS Church from 1981-94. Continue reading >>>

(Courtesy: West Roxbury YMCA)Pictured, The Martha's Vineyard YMCA, is an example of what the new West Roxbury Y will look like after its planned renovation and expansion project. By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent A neighborhood businessman announced this week he will donate $50,000 to kick-start the latest fund-raising campaign to pay for a $13-million plan to overhaul and nearly double the size of the 60-year-old West Roxbury YMCA. The financial pledge from Alan MacKinnon, owner of The Gardens at Gethsemane cemetery and 13-year board member of the West Roxbury Y, will help launch an effort Continue reading >>>

  Now each time Carol Ouellette drives past Town Hall she'll think of her husband, Roger. Carol and 125 other people gathered in the dark Thursday for the Hospice of the North Shore Greater Boston's tree of light ceremony, to remember loved ones who have died. They stood bundled in jackets on the lawn by the big dark evergreen and cupped candles in their hands. Candlelight flickered and played over their faces. Hospice Chaplain Sharon Dunbar-Link said the lights on the tree recall loved ones. "The light that we hold also represents their spirit," she said. She invited them to speak the names Continue reading >>>

  In 2011, the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry distributed approximately 171,000 pounds (85.5 tons) of food in 12,300 bags to clients. That food fed approximately 225 Wakefield families who visited the pantry about 4,182 times during the year for an average of 349 visits per month. So how does it all get done? Through the hard work of a dedicated group of about 40 volunteers, plus many generous Wakefield groups, individuals and business. According to Maureen Miller, Director of Operations, the pantry strives to organize itself around key functions staffed by volunteers who are committed Continue reading >>>

[The following was contributed by the Northeast Youth Ballet.] The Northeast Youth Ballet presents The Nutcracker tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Lynn Memorial Auditorium in Lynn, MA. The Nutcracker is the enchanting journey of a young girl named Clara in 1835’s Germany who embarks on a journey through a winter wonderland to a palace of sugary sweets. Featuring the talents of more than 100 dancers who auditioned from the Greater Boston area, the production is set to be staged once again at the Lynn Memorial Auditorium, Lynn, Massachusetts. The newly renovated Lynn Memorial Auditorium has also hosted Continue reading >>>

Stephen Bebis, founder, president, and chief executive of Canada’s largest golf retailer, Golf Town, has left the company. His departure, several months after overseeing a $25 million expansion into the U.S. market, came as a surprise to analysts in the golf retail industry, and corporate officials would shed no light on the situation. "I can confirm that as of this week, Stephen Bebis is no longer with Golf Town," John Pierce, VP of public affairs with OMERS Private Equity, the pension-fund manager that owns the company, told us in an e-mail on Thursday. "We do not have a statement Continue reading >>>

MEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Century Bank, the largest family-run bank in New England, today announced it was recognized as the “#1 Lender to Veterans for 2011” by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Additionally, Century Bank was presented with a certificate from Senator John F. Kerry for being the number one lender to veteran entrepreneurs in 2011. “Century Bank is proud to provide financial resources and services to men and women before, during and after their deployment.” “Our family and our company Continue reading >>>

Need in Wakefield has increased by 20 percent this year, but that's actually not a surprise, said Maureen Miller, director of operations at the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry. That's because the amount of families who need help putting food on the table has increased by 20 percent or more every year since 2007."We had a large increase for the first time in 2007, then two years in 2008 and 2009 where need increased by 30 percent each year," Miller said. "We keep thinking it's going to flatten out, but it's grown by 20% every year for the last several years." Statewide trendAccording to the latest Continue reading >>>