Corporate Sponsorships

In 1982, Merle Hallett of Handy Boat and Dan Wellehan, of Sebago, Inc., organized and launched the first MS Regatta. Twenty-eight years later, the Regatta has grown into a four-day festival of sailboats, powerboats, and tugboats—under the banner of the MS Harborfest—and all for the benefit of the Maine Chapter of the National MS Society.

Since its beginning, the MS Harborfest has attracted hundreds of skippers and volunteers who have raised nearly $2 million to help end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis. The MS Harborfest includes the largest charity sailing event in New England. Weekend activities include sailboat, tugboat and powerboat parades, waterfront displays and exhibitions, a charity auction, a tugboat muster and competition, a shoreside festival, a sailboat regatta, a powerboat poker run, and post-event parties and award ceremonies. 2009 marked the 28th Anniversary of the MS Harborfest.

About the Maine Chapter of the National MS Society

The Maine Chapter of the National MS Society, operating from offices in Falmouth and the Bangor area, serves approximately 3,000 families living with MS in Maine. Nearly one in every 400 Maine residents has been diagnosed with MS, a prevalence rate substantially higher than the nation as a whole. The Maine Chapter offers information and education, financial assistance, care management and peer and group support.

About Multiple Sclerosis

MS interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and stops people from moving. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Portland, Maine

Making Strides is not a race; it is a celebration of survivorship, an occasion to express hope, and a shared goal to end a disease that threatens the lives of so many people we love. When you participate in Making Strides, you’re helping create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays.

In 2009, nearly 700,000 walkers across the country joined the American Cancer Society in our united fight against breast cancer. Together, we raised $60 million through Making Strides events - and we did it one donation at a time. The nearly 3,000 walkers in Portland - including 175 survivors - raised $250,000, and we're hoping to do even better this year.

Their Mission

Since 1985

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland's mission is to eliminate poverty housing in the Greater Portland area. Habitat for Humanity is a people-to-people partnership, drawing prospective Habitat families and communities together with volunteers and resources to build decent, affordable housing for families whose income is above public housing guidelines and who are unable to qualify for conventional mortgages.

Qualified families are given a “hand up”, not a hand out, paying a monthly no-interest mortgage to Habitat. These monies, in turn, go back into building more simple, decent, affordable homes. Habitat is committed to the development and uplifting of families and communities, not only to the construction of houses.

About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland have provided safe, decent, affordable housing for over 200 people in the area. They have always been committed to the development and uplifing of families and communities, not only to the construction of houses.

Their programs include Homeownership, Youth United, and ReStore. On a typical housing project, there will be about 800 volunteers sharing in the building of the house. Each year Habitat has built up to five houses.