Aviva and Jeff Shaw with Their Son in the Front Row Cut the Ribbon This Afternoon at the Maine Academy of Modern Music, 144 Foe Street,  Portland, for the non-profits Grand Opening, Its Second Facility in Portland. In the Background are Board Members and Music Teachers.

Nick Damore, a Volunteer at the Second Annual Press at Mt. Joy Orchard. Enjoys Some of the Delicious Fruits of His Labor Today.

Volunteers at the Second Annual Mt. Joy Orchard Cider Press Celebration Pose in Front of the Press This Afternoon.  Volunteer Alyssa Gavlik, one of the Volunteers Site on the Ground on the Right Near the Press.

Today was a perfect day to be outdoors in the warm sunshine.  And that’s exactly where two of the finest kind spent the afternoon with their friends, board members, staff members and volunteers.  OTTO’s supplied pizza for the occasion.

For the Maine Academy of Modern Music, this Grand Opening was a celebration of the second Academy in Portland.  The other Academy is located at 125 Presumpscot Street.  The third facility in Maine is the immensely  popular Academy in Bangor.  The 144 Fore Street location was formerly the home of the VA  Health Clinic until it relocated out Commercial Street, Portland.

Aviva, Director of Development, and a founder with her husband Jeff Shaw,  said their program is active in Washington County.  That’s  where MAMM’s in-school programs for students in grades K-8 is very popular.  All told, MAMM has over 500 students statewide and is growing every day.

The best cider ever produced by anyone on this earth was produced at the second annual Cider Press Celebration this afternoon beside the Mt. Joy Orchard on Munjoy HIll by the volunteers at the Friends of Mt. Joy.

The  cider was composed of 600 lbs. of apples donated by the Cumberland County Food Security Council, Jim Hanna, Executive Director.  About fifty people attended the occasion,  Many of them brought “roadside” apples with them according to Nick Damore, a volunteer at the Orchard.  The press was rented for free from the Maine Tool Library on Anderson Street.

This year the cider included other fruit donated by guests and volunteers.  Those other fruits included grapes and pears.  “This is the best cider I’ve ever had,” said Doug Anderson, one of the guests.  “If they could bottle it and sell it, the world would be a better place!” he said.

“I’m placing my order for this cider for next year already,” said this blogger.  “It was outstanding with the addition of fruits to the apple mix.”