Join us for an afternoon with Cynthia Flores of Labor Movement. Cynthia will be coaching functional movement patterning to work with those whose livelihood depends on using their bodies. She will discuss movement, health, & wellness from an athletic perspective in order to increase work productivity and help decrease workplace injuries. Time will be spent learning tips on managing food, fluid, sleep, and stress related to athletic performance over long days and seasons, followed by moving through four basic movement patterns: hinge, squat, push and pull, along with the importance of core stability. Each participant will leave with tips focused on ways to improve their overall movement patterning and work-related well-being. This event is open to ALL TRADESPEOPLE, not just women in the trades.

Please RSVP to info@tradeswomencollective.org

View Labor Movement’s Website https://www.labor-movement.com/

Learn the basics for safe operation of power tools. Practice using circular saw, table saw, chop saw and drills & drivers. Read plans to build sawhorses and learn about fastener and material selection. Participants will build sawhorses to take home.

Register here

Learn the basics for safe operation of power tools. Practice using circular saw, table saw, chop saw and drills & drivers. Read plans to build toolboxes and learn about fastener and material selection. Participants will build toolboxes to take home.

Register here

Join us at Erica Moody- Fine Metalworker’s studio for a tour and small business workshop. Erica will be sharing information on running your small, creative business more effectively. Afterwards, join us for a meeting to discuss current and upcoming Tradeswomen in Maine events and topics.

PRESS RELEASE: “Windows Into Our Past: Community Learning Through Historic Preservation” Applications Open March 20th-April 20th for Historic Window Restoration Workshop Hands-on training with Maine master craftsman Les Fossel

Applications will open March 20th for 30 days for a hands-on historic window restoration workshop designed to teach the increasingly rare craft of repairing traditional wooden windows. The workshop, “Windows Into Our Past: Community Learning Through Historic Preservation,” will take place Sunday, May 17, 2026 in the Ellsworth area. The workshop is open to tradespeople, homeowners, and preservation advocates, and space is limited to 15 participants. Applications will be accepted March 20 through April 20, and participants will be selected through an application process. The workshop is free to participants, supported through a federal preservation grant. The training will be led by Les Fossel, a Maine-based master craftsman and teacher of traditional building restoration techniques. For many decades Fossel has specialized in the repair and preservation of historic houses, with particular expertise in restoring original wooden windows and other architectural elements found in early New England buildings. In the workshop, Fossel will guide participants through practical and traditional methods for repairing historic windows, addressing common problems such as rotten sash joints, weathered sills, bowed meeting rails, and frame joint decay. Supporting the Restoration of the Old Jail The workshop is organized by the Ellsworth Historical Society as part of a Community Engagement Project connected to the REvitalizeME Downtown funding for rehabilitation of the Old Hancock County Sheriff’s Home and Jail, an 1886 Queen Anne–style building in Ellsworth’s historic district. “EHS offers this Community Engagement Project to deepen public understanding of historic preservation right as we begin our major ReVitalizeME Downtown project to rehabilitate all the Ellsworth Historical Society www.EllsworthHistory.org PO Box 355 Ellsworth, ME 04605 windows on the Old Jail,” said Bill Fogle, president of the Ellsworth Historical Society. “We want to emphasize educational impact through hands-on training and give the public access to these valuable preservation techniques.” Supported by the REvitalizeME Downtown Program The workshop is supported through the REvitalizeME Downtown program, funded by the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. According to Anne Ball of the Maine Development Foundation, which administers the program in Maine, the grants are designed to strengthen historic downtowns throughout the state. Ellsworth qualifies for this grant because of Heart of Ellsworth’s success in positioning Ellsworth as an accredited National Main Street participant. “REvitalizeME Downtown offers grants to historic properties for preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation in the downtown areas of communities served by the Maine Downtown Center,” Ball said. “These investments help drive economic development while preserving the character of Maine’s historic buildings.” The program also requires a community education component as part of each project. “Between five and twenty percent of the required project match must be used to educate and engage the community through a Community Engagement Project,” Ball explained. “The goal is to help the public understand the value of historic preservation and the impact these projects have on local communities.” Why Historic Window Skills Matter Across the country, thousands of wooden windows are removed from historic buildings each year, largely because few people still know how to repair them. Yet historic windows are central to a building’s architectural character, reflecting the craftsmanship, materials, and glass of their era. With simple repairs, routine maintenance, and properly fitted storm windows, historic wood windows can be just as energy efficient as modern replacements—and often more durable. “There is generally not a conflict between historic preservation and sustainability—if you know what you're doing,” said restorer Les Fossel. “The apparent conflict often comes from a lack of experience necessary to make energy efficiency work in early buildings.” Most heat loss in traditional buildings occurs through roofs and uninsulated walls rather than windows. Many windows built before 1940 were made from dense old-growth lumber and designed with individual parts that can be repaired. Preserving these windows not only saves resources but also protects the historic character of buildings, from homes to mills, where window patterns are often a defining feature.

Workshop Application Applications for the workshop will be open March 20 through April 20, and 15 participants will be selected. The workshop is free to participants through support from the REvitalizeME grant, and successful applicants will be notified by April 27, 2026. Applications and additional information are available at: https://rb.gy/194vi9

Tradeswomen of Maine will be part of the Maine Lobster Festival this year. Come for fun, comradery, and maybe some candy. Talk to your local tradeswomen. Learn more about how you can become part of the labor shortage here in Maine.