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Friday, July 4, 2025 Volume 21 • Issue No. 27
Babygirl Foundation: A Simple Light in the Darkness By Karen Marie Arel Staff Writer STATEWIDE A child’s frightening diagnosis. An ambulance ride to Maine Medical Center. The child’s parents are terrified, yet hopeful that the doctors in Portland can help. This scenario plays out far too many times for children in Maine. The child is admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in the Barbara Bush Wing, and the parents listen intently as they receive the results of the testing. Unsure how long they will be at the hospital, the
reality of the situation hits them – followed by the realization that they didn’t bring any extra clothes, toiletries or even a phone charger.
Then, a knock at the door. In walks a nurse or a social worker with a menu of items available at no charge from the Parent’s Closet, courtesy of the
Babygirl Foundation. The Babygirl Foundation and the story of Tammy and Dave Dube’s decision to start the organization began in the summer of 2008 with the birth of their daughter, Addison. Their precious baby was diagnosed with a genetic condition called SmithLemli-Opitz syndrome when she was less than one week old. Her home for the first month of her life was the PICU at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. Although the outcome was bleak, they brought her home, and over the next 10 years, Addison continued to defy the odds
and fight to win the battle of her life. The family spent hundreds of days and nights in the hospital, and staff noticed that this sweet, precious child had a smile that would brighten up a room. With the arrival of her younger brother in 2013, logistics became overwhelming as Addison was spending more and more time in the hospital. They feared leaving their daughter’s side, knowing that anything could happen when they were not in the room with her. Her condition was deliSee BABYGIRL on page 19 . . .
OYHS Celebrates 125 Years of Preserving York History YORK This summer, the Old York Historical Society (OYHS) celebrates 125 years of preserving York’s history. OYHS’s story begins with the Old Gaol (jail), located in the heart of York Village. The Old Gaol served as Maine’s first prison and was continuously occupied from 1656 to 1860. By the late 19th century, the building had fallen into disrepair. In 1899, a group of local preservation-minded citizens and summer residents launched an effort to restore the landmark. On July 4, 1900, the jail grounds opened to the public as a museum showcasing objects related to York’s past. The driving force behind
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what was then known as the Old Gaol Museum of Colonial Relics was Mary Emily Sowles Perkins (1845-1929). Along with her husband, the Rev. Joshua Newton Perkins (1840-1915), and their daughter, Elizabeth Bishop Perkins (1869-1952), Mary began summering in York in the 1880s. In 1898, the family purchased a colonial-era house on the York River, which they used as their summer home. In 1899, Mary hosted a garden party to raise funds for repairs to the Old Gaol. The following year, she was appointed chair of a committee to care for the building – a role she held for 29 years. The Old Gaol Museum
WELLS The Wells Harbor Shellfish Lab has officially opened for the season. The public research and education facility invites visitors of all ages to explore the wonders of local marine life – from algae and lobsters to horseshoe crabs, clams, and more. One of the main projects inside the lab is a clam tank with 12 silos filled with baby clams. Each summer, the lab raises approximately 500,000 clams as part of an aquaculture initiative aimed at restoring local clam flats and promoting sustainable shellfish practices. After reaching a suitable size in the lab,
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70,000 artifacts and archival items, and serves thousands annually through tours, exhibitions, educational programs, and events – all without federal,
state, or municipal funding. To celebrate its 125th anniversary, OYHS has planned a See OYHS on page 27 . . .
Wells Harbor Shellfish Lab Opens for the Season
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Committee became a subcommittee of the Old York Historical and Improvement Society, which incorporated on July 14, 1900. What began as a modest preservation effort grew into the Old York Historical Society, which now manages 20 historic structures on 11 properties, including the Old Gaol Museum (now a National Historic Landmark), the Perkins House Museum, the Remick Gallery, and, most recently, the McIntire Garrison – the oldest scientifically dated house in Maine. OYHS employs four full-time and 25 part-time staff members, cares for more than
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the clams are then transplanted into natural coastal areas in the region, which may include Wells Bay, Little River Bay, Goosefare Bay, and the York River estuary. The tidal flats provide ideal habitat for clam growth and help repopulate wild clam populations, support the ecosystem, and sustain the local shellfish
industry. Visitors can view the clams up close and learn about the environmental challenges affecting marine habitats, such as invasive green crabs. The lab’s programming is supported in part by grants from the Velux Foundations, a Denmark-based philanthropic organization that funds environmen-
tal research, education, and sustainability projects worldwide. Thanks to this support, the Shellfish Lab offers interactive exhibits, touch tanks with species like hermit crabs and sea stars, and educational displays about coastal ecosystems and the impacts of climate change. Occasionally, the lab also hosts special events, including opportunities to meet local junior lobstermen who sell their catch, offering a hands-on connection to Maine’s seafood industries. The Wells Harbor Shellfish See LAB on page 14 . . .
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