Mid Maine TimeBank

I have been a member of MMTB for just over a year now. I have given services as well as received them. I recently had a family court matter where I was able to have representation by a lawyer who is a member of MMTB - I am so grateful for that. The outcome of that case was in my favor and I could not have done it without the help of an attorney. An amazing friendship has also developed with myself and another member. We love each other's cats and usually have coffee together every day...we call each other "neighborettes"...this member has taught me through her actions about patience, being a responsible pet owner, and compassion, and she is a walking wealth of knowledge...thanks Stacey! I am interested in learning more about timebanking and helping to do some fundraising events to get MMTB more exposure in the central Maine community. I believe in the concept of time dollars and everyone having value!

I recently had an opportunity to use my work at the TimeBank to create a multi-media project for grad school, including a blog, photos and video. The entire project may be found at:

http://midmainetimebank.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-to-build-social-capital.html

It was great to learn new skills at Gonzaga University and and help my TimeBank at the same time!

-Stacey

If you just want to skip to the video, here it is:

Things have been very crazy over the last couple of months, and it’s time to catch up briefly on introducing new members!

Theresa is a teenager who lives in Waterville with her mom, sister and a cat.  She loves Facebook and is offering to teach folks how to use it. She would also like to help with community projects.

Tina lives in Norridgewock with her spouse/partner, children, cats and other pets. She is available to help with community driving and group projects.

“D” lives in Fairfield with a spouse/partner, cats, dogs. D is offering help with community driving – specifically for such things as errands and shopping, rides to bingo. D wants help with painting, as well as some carpentry/construction projects.

Susan lives in Hallowell and is offering help with community driving.

Mark lives in Oakland with his children and is offering help with community projects.

Iver lives in Skowhegan with his spouse/partner, friends, dogs and cats. Iver speaks both Spanish and French. He is offering community driving (he has a small truck that he can use to help do some moving and help with group projects

Jaime lives in Waterville with her children. She too is offering community driving and help with group projects.

Here is a new article by our founder, Edgar Cahn, on the growing imperative for TimeBanking in the mainstream economy:

http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/time-banking-an-idea-whose-time-has-come?utm_source=wkly20111118&utm_medium=yesemail&utm_campaign=mrCahn

Members, Community Weaver 1.0 has left the building! You may enter the new TimeBank by clicking Login/Join above, and please change your bookmark or favorite for that address before entering your login info. Take a look around and get yourself familiar. Don't be deterred by our apparent location in Denver--I'm fixing that ASAP.

For new members, it's all new to you! To us, it's a busy week, so please be patient while we process your applications.

This new software rocks, and will give us incredible powers of collaboration! So, if you're thinking about joining, catch the wave.

Morning Sentinel Online at:

http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/time-banks-offer-chance-to-swap-most-valuable-commodity_2011-10-22.html

Posted: October 23

Time banks offer chance to swap most valuable commodity

By Erin Rhoda erhoda@mainetoday.com

Staff Writer

MADISON -- Peter Sirois is skilled at carpentry but wants to learn to play guitar. As a member of the Mid Maine TimeBank, if he spends an hour building a bookcase for another member, he can get an hour of labor back from any other bank member, including that guitar lesson.

It's an exchange based on time. No money is involved, and joining the time bank is free. The only problem for Sirois, of Madison, is that he has to travel to Augusta or Waterville to reach a larger pool of members. That's why the network of time bank members is expanding into the Madison and Skowhegan area. "This will create a local economy that will rely only on our neighbors helping each other," Sirois said. "I want to see us go back to helping each other out, and this is one way to do it."

Time banks will be the topic of a free event 6-8 p.m., Monday, at the Local 36 Union Hall, at the corner of Old Point Avenue and Preble Avenue in Madison. Stephanie Rearick, director of a time bank in Madison, Wis., which has more than 1,900 members, is the guest speaker.A time bank works better when joined by lots of people offering diverse skills, said Stacey Jacobsohn, coordinator of the Mid Maine TimeBank, which has an office in Augusta. Its more than 100 members are part of the TimeBanks USA network, which operates around the world.

Though several people in the Madison area are members of Mid Maine TimeBank, many more are needed to create a wide range of givers and receivers, Jacobsohn said. Sirois said he's looking for 30 to 40 people from the Madison area to join. People may be community drivers or check in on the elderly, Jacobsohn said. Others, such as attorneys, masseuses and business consultants, may offer their professional skills. Farmers may give vegetables or shear sheep. Anyone can sign up, she said, including individuals, nonprofit groups, businesses, schools, food banks and local governments. People who want to join must provide references and agree to a background check. Members' donated hours are tracked online and are redeemed by anyone within the time bank. It's not usually a direct exchange, Jacobsohn said. People may seek others who can build a website, rake leaves or teach how to cook ethnic dishes. Jacobsohn said she finds people more often want to give than receive.

"That's our biggest challenge is people getting over the stigma of asking for help. Sometimes they don't even know what they need," she said. "It's very important in the time bank that you also learn to receive." Giving to others helps communities become self sufficient, she said. "We can take care of each other. We have all these skills and lots of work to do, and the only thing that's missing is the money. So let's not let that get in the way," she said.

Erin Rhoda -- 612-2368

erhoda@centralmaine.com

UMA Homecoming on Saturday, October 15, 2011, includes an introduction to Time Banking presented by Stacey Jacobsohn of the Mid Maine Timebank (and UMA classes of '83 and '09). Two similar sessions between 1-4 pm will be given to familiarize folks to Time Banking basics. Anyone who is interested in using local time credits to help us build community in practical ways is welcome! Come learn how Time Banking builds our capacity and resilience as a community through respect and reciprocity.

10/15/11

12-6 pm on the Campus Green

Students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends of UMA are all invited to enjoy a day filled with music, crafts, art, workshops, soccer, farmers markets and food. Come support the UMA community as they reach out to support you. For more information, visit UMA's website at http://www.uma.edu/Homecoming2011.html

Or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=208387592551043

The Mid Maine TimeBank is hosting Stephanie Rearick of TimeBanks USA in Madison, Maine – Monday, October 24, 2011 

To celebrate United Nations Day, we will meet to discuss local, complimentary currencies as a unifying force for community benefit. The meeting will be held from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Local 36 Union Hall, located at the corner of Old Point Road and Preble Avenue.

The event is open to TimeBank members and the public at no charge. Our guest speaker, Stephanie Rearick, is on an international tour promoting Time Banking and local applications of cooperative currencies. She has achieved notable success as Director of Dane County TimeBank, originating in Madison, Wisconsin. Dane County TimeBank boasts over 1900 active members and hundreds of organizations working together, and has spread to surrounding communities in Wisconsin. Madison, Maine welcomes her innovation and stories of resilience, sustainability, and successful Co-Production.

To learn more about how large TimeBanks make a real difference, check out http://www.danecountytimebank.org/

To learn how to make Mid Maine TimeBank a large TimeBank, come to the meeting in Madison. It starts with making the time!

Check out Stephanie Rearick at http://www.stephanierearick.com She is also an accomplished musician!

Timebankers:

As you know, we are not a political organization. As an organization that is made up of residents of our local communities, we have members who represent many different political parties and ideologies. We do, however, encourage everyone to be involved in the democratic process; therefore we post information from various members about upcoming meetings or gatherings that support the democratic process. All of our members are free to send information to be posted on our website that they feel will support this goal. Our fiscal sponsor ROSC often sends us information on meetings/projects they think our members might be interested in. Please feel free to check their website for programs they are putting on. Everything that ROSC sponsors is affordable for all of our members, regardless of income. http://resourcesfororganizing.org/

ROSC, along with many different organizations, will be participating in an event happening in June 2012 which may interest some of our members: the One Class-One Cause March on Washington to End Poverty. You can obtain more information via e-mail, at endpoverty2012@gmail.com , by phone, at (313)964-0618, or at www.end-poverty.com . The website also contains an endorsement form for folks to fill out if they would like to do so.

For our fellow timebankers who did not attend the wonderful get-together with Michelle and Bob Geaghan at their home in Waterville, we wanted to let you know that we had a great time and hope it will be only the first of many events where our members can come together with their neighbors and families. It was a very warm day – too warm to do much in the way of physical activity – but we definitely enjoyed each other’s company!

As has so often happened lately, the talk turned to the current political and economic unrest in both our beautiful state of Maine and in the halls of our nation’s Capitol. While our membership spans the political spectrum, everyone at the summer event had one thing in common – having been touched by job loss or fear for our finances and security. Folks acknowledged being very grateful for the friendships we have formed and the services we have exchanged, and for the fact that at least that aspect of our lives can be counted on.

We also discussed the need for a community garden, and Michelle and Bob have offered their very large back yard for us to use! Bob is excited, as it will definitely mean less mowing for him. (-_-) We talked about growing both flowers and vegetables. Members would receive Time Dollars when they help in the garden, and flowers and produce grown there would be available for members to buy with Time Dollars. If any of our Waterville members are interested in helping get this project off the ground, please call Sheila, Stacey or Michelle.

We also want to encourage members in every neighborhood to plan home-based gatherings. We had lots of good talk and good food at the recent one in Waterville, and we hope to see all of you at the next one, wherever it turns out to be. Remember: You too can have an event at your home just by getting in touch with Sheila or Stacey. Continue to check our website for information on upcoming neighborhood events.