Business Spotlight: Taylor’s Firewood and Taylor and Sons Landscaping

 Through years of experience, Bob Taylor knows the value of having a business with diverse operations. His companies, Taylor’s Firewood LLC and Taylor and Sons Landscaping LLC, operate year-round and offer premium delivered firewood for winter heating, an array of landscaping services such as seasonal yard cleanups, mulch spreading, mowing, snow plowing and more.

Bob Taylor has been associated with firewood for as long as he can remember. His father, Robert Taylor, Sr. (known locally as “The Firewood Man”) founded the business when Bob was growing up and he hired his son to start helping stack cords of wood and deliver firewood when he was 15. He’s been at it ever since and took over ownership of the company when his father died 10 years ago, leaving behind decades of successful deliveries to homes throughout the Lakes Region and hundreds of satisfied customers. 

“We don’t take shortcuts for any of our customers,” Bob said. “We do what we say we’ll do and then go above and beyond. In all the years that I’ve been doing this, my philosophy for running a successful business is simple. If I please you, you’re going to tell your friends, your neighbors and your family. Word of mouth is the best advertising I can get. I always do the best I can for my customers and try to make everyone happy. If they’re happy, they’ll certainly call us again and again.”

According to Bob, the best time to purchase firewood is right now. “It’s green and frozen at this time, and there is no sap in the wood,” he said. “It’s seasoned dry wood that is custom split to what the customers want. And it’s from Maine with all of our firewood trucked to us directly from locations in Lyman and Gray. We have good solid tree length ready to be cut to fit your needs.”

The wood is a mix of maple, beech, birch, oak and ash and comes sized per customer request. Taylor’s firewood is dried and seasoned for optimum burning and heating. This process can take up to two years, but it allows moisture to evaporate from wood, yielding firewood that burns safely and efficiently, Bob said.

Delivery from Taylor’s Firewood is offered for free, but should a customer so desire, firewood can also be personally picked up at the company’s wood yard in Standish.

Because they are a small company, Taylor’s Firewood offers shorter wait times for deliveries and orders can be made over the phone with most deliveries made the following day. When a customer places an order, they will get only the most personalized service by talking directly to Bob or his wife and will typically not even reach an answering machine and will certainly not be waiting for an online response. 

Firewood prices are highly competitive compared to other suppliers in the area and Bob said he guarantees you get what you pay for. “When you buy a cord of wood from us that’s exactly what you get,” Bob said. “We make sure it amounts to a cord, unlike some other companies who promise a full cord but deliver less than that.” Multi-cord discounts are also available.

Besides firewood, Bob and his son also provide experienced landscaping and property maintenance solutions, ranging from mowing and mulching to new lawn installations from seed or sod. They specialize in spring and fall cleanups and are also adept at planting trees, flowers and shrubs. Customers can take advantage of Taylor and Sons generous contractor discounts when choosing items to be planted from local dealers.

Mulch delivery service is always free from Taylor and Sons Landscaping and the company offers an assortment of colorful mulch selections to spruce up almost any home, any yard or any business.

Possessing a wealth of horticultural knowledge and years of experience working in all types of Maine landscapes, they can help you transform your property into something any home or business owner can be proud of. Free estimates are offered for all landscaping and snow removal services so don’t wait, call now to be first in line for your spring cleanup and take advantage of the 10 percent discount being offered with this ad.

“We are family owned and operated and dedicated to exceeding our customers’ expectations,” Bob said. “We go the extra mile to ensure the job is done right and to your satisfaction.”

To order firewood, request an estimate or learn more about their services, call Taylor’s Firewood and Taylor and Sons Landscaping today. Reach Sandy at 207-799-2179 or call or text Bob at 207-415-2373. They may not be online, but they are on point when it comes to trusted firewood and landscaping services!  <

Business Spotlight: Maine Real Estate Experts Windham

When you’re in the market to buy or sell a home, choosing the right real estate agent can be a daunting task. You want somebody you can trust to look out for your best interests and a company with experience and expertise in all aspects of the profession. Most importantly, you need to find an agent who knows the local area and neighborhoods and understands what kind of home you want to buy or sell. In Windham, Maine Real Estate Experts is the answer to finding the perfect real estate agents.

Locally owned once more, Maine Real Estate Experts at 887 Roosevelt Trail in Windham take pride in their work and demonstrate daily how buying and selling a home or property should be done.

“We are the same great agents doing what we do best to take care of our clients and our local communities,” said Yvonne Myer, a broker and the Windham office owner/manager for Maine Real Estate Experts. “Our agents offer an exceptional real estate experience, personalized service and experienced REALTORS. We cover all aspects of real estate sales including residential, waterfront, seasonal, land, commercial, and investment properties.”

Myer has been a REALTOR since 1999 and purchased the Windham branch of The Maine Real Estate Network in 2017.

“At that time, The Maine Real Estate Network was the largest and best independent real estate company in Maine,” she said. “There were nearly 20 offices at the height of the company in almost every area of the state. It was a great company to work for but unfortunately the wheels of change are always spinning and TMREN, as it became known, was sold to The Bean Group, one of New Hampshire's largest independent real estate companies.”

After a couple years it became apparent to Myer that it was in the best interest of her agents, the company’s clients and the community to work with a Maine- owned company again.

“I made the decision to affiliate my office with Maine Real Estate Experts, founded by Bill Trask,” Myer said. “Our real estate journeys have been similar and I share his beliefs in how to best take care of our agents, our clients and the local communities in which we serve.”

The Maine Real Estate Experts office in Windham now employs 15 agents and now with 4 offices in the state, Maine Real Estate Experts is up to a total of 65 agents overall.

“The company’s goal for the future is to put more local offices in the markets we serve,” Myers said. “We hope to be a market leader, but more importantly local experts that buyers and sellers alike can count on to guide them through one of the most important transactions of their lives.”

She said that with so many brokerages and agents out there to choose from, finding the right REALTOR should not be strenuous task.

“Our agents are experienced and trustworthy. They will help you along the way to ensure a successful transaction,” Myer said. “We can’t say that there are never issues in a real estate transaction, but that is what we are here to do, navigate the complexities and advise you of options when obstacles arise.”

According to Myer, the agents at the Windham branch service a wide geographic area.

“We have an extensive knowledge in the local communities as well as other areas around the state, many of us have grown up in other towns or cities and bring our life experience to our clients,” she said.

Myer advises speaking to an experienced Maine Real Estate Experts agent prior to looking to purchase or sell property.

“We can help get everything in order for a smooth transaction,” she said. “We can help with the pre-qualification process even if there’s a credit issue.

Sellers are encouraged to reach out before putting their home on the market, so our agents can help prepare the house so it can sell and is attractive to potential buyers.”

For more information about Maine Real Estate Experts in Windham, call 207-894-5722, stop by their office or visit them online at www.mainerealestateexperts.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MaineRealEstateExpertsWindham <

Business Spotlight: AllMed Staffing of New England

Exceptional care and a dedication to personalized service is at the heart of what AllMed Staffing of New England offers to the community.

Located at 744 Roosevelt Trail, Suite 301 in Windham, AllMed Staffing of New England provides quality personnel for personal care, respite relief, cooking, shopping, companionship, reading, writing, computer work, and house cleaning in homes. AllMed also provides staff relief for nursing homes, hospitals, doctor’s offices, schools, group homes and assisted living facilities. 

“The best thing that we do is we truly care about people,” said Pam Charles, Manager of Operations and Staff for AllMed Staffing of New England. “We take the extra steps and go above and beyond and everyone we work with appreciates that.”

With highly competitive pricing and around the clock availability, AllMed Staffing of New England has been a dependable and reliable choice for nursing and staffing solutions for more than 30 years and for the past nine years right here in Windham.    

“We are a personable orientated company,” Charles said. “Our clients are our first priority.”

Like many other businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed more than a few challenges for AllMed Staffing of New England, but Charles said they are meeting the challenges head-on and succeeding.

“We are dedicated to keeping our clients and our staff members safe,” she said. “Our top priority is keeping up to date with CDC regulations and ensuring that we do all we can to keep everyone concerned healthy and safe.”

Because of the very nature of what AllMed Staffing of New England does, when the pandemic first struck, the company was faced with shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) but found a supplier in Maine that could help.

“We drove to Brunswick to get it and eventually PPE supplies became plentiful once more,” Charles said. “It was a challenge that we were able to overcome.”

Making sure employees receive regular testing for the virus so they are safe and cleared to work has also been a significant hurdle for the company.

“The testing aspect certainly hasn’t been easy, but we are making it work,” Charles said. “It’s a bit better now, but still a challenge.”

The outreach for AllMed Staffing of New England is not just limited to the Lakes Region.

“Our company is licensed through the State of Maine and New Hampshire,” Charles said. “We work in Maine and New Hampshire. We are available, we care about our client’s needs. We strive to be the best and we are.”

She said that for nursing personnel, AllMed Staffing offers genuine flexibility and dependability right here in the community and has built a solid reputation as a great company to be associated with.

“Our devotion to going above and beyond is what makes us stand out from all the others,” Charles said. “We provide the personal touches that families remember, such as sending a personalized birthday card to each one of the client’s we work with every year.”  

For job seekers, AllMed Staffing of New England offers high-pay, benefits, with jobs offered in homecare, facilities per diem, or travel.

“With over 30 years of experience, we know what different local facilities provide,” Charles said. “We’ll work with you to find the perfect fit.”

For clients, AllMed Staffing of New England provides highly qualified medical staff, stringent screening, staffing for travel or per diem assignments, the ability to choose staffing from many different specialties, and 24/7 on-call support. They know what to look for in a candidate and strive to find just the right person for that particular position.

“AllMed Staffing of New England is committed to consistently providing highly qualified, professional staff to our customers. We are dedicated to excellence in staffing services as we continually strive to exceed the expectations of our customers,” Charles said. “Our mission is based on treating our customers and staff with dignity as we adhere to the principles of integrity, excellence, and dependability at all times. We provide our clients with flexible, cost-effective healthcare staffing solutions, and we provide our healthcare professionals with rewarding jobs.”    

For more information about AllMed Staffing of New England, call 207-894-5833 or at www.allmedne.com or on Facebook at AllMed Staffing of New England. <

 

Nonprofit Spotlight: Polar Dip and Ice Fishing Derby

The calendar may say February and temperatures could dip well below freezing, but that won’t halt the resumption of the annual Polar Dip and Ice Fishing Derby the weekend of Feb. 20 at Raymond Beach.

Both events will have a slightly different look this year as a result of COVID-19 precautions and the Polar Dip will have a new sponsor in the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, but it’s all intended to be a spirited good time to raise money for deserving local charitable causes.

As far as the Polar Dip goes, the event resumes in 2021 after there was no Polar Dip last year.

“The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce has not been part of the event in the past,” said Robin Mullins, executive director of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. “George Bartlett from Busy Bee Laundry in Windham is a member of the Sebago Lakes Rotary Club and wanted to bring the Polar Dip back as part of the Sebago Lakes Rotary Fishing Derby for 2021. He approached me and asked if I would help. I quickly jumped at that and asked if proceeds could benefit the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber's Charitable Trust, or what we call Feed The Need. We contribute annually to the food pantries in the Sebago Lakes Region in Casco, Gray, Naples, New Gloucester, Raymond, Sebago, Standish and Windham and George agreed.”

Mullins said the chamber is excited to be a part of the Polar Dip because all proceeds stay here in the Sebago Lakes Region and they are able to host the festivities despite COVID-19.

“The event is co-hosted by the Sebago Lakes Rotary Club and Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, it only seems fitting that the monies stay local to the Sebago Lakes Region food pantries,” she said. “People want to get out and it is exciting we are giving folks a chance to get outside and help fight food insecurity in our region at the same time.”

Because of some virus restrictions, Mullins said they only have spots for 12 teams for the Polar Dip and spots are filling fast.

“So if anyone wants to join the fun, they need to sign up ASAP,” Mullins said. “In order to participate, jumpers need to get at least one donation (sponsor forms are on the chamber website) for Feed The Need. There will be prizes donated by Hannaford Supermarkets for teams raising the most funds and for the best team costumes.”

She said because of limited space, the chamber does not expect donations to exceed more than $5,000.

“We will also be limiting the amount of people viewing the event in-person. We will have jumpers videoed and will have on Facebook Live so family and friends can watch brave jumpers take the plunge,” Mullins said. “We do have other alternatives if people want to give, but do not jump into the frigid Sebago Lake in mid-February.”

People can gather sponsors and video themselves and post videos on the chamber’s Facebook page.

“Or they can give directly to Feed The Need via our website,” she said.

Information regarding Feed The Need and participation in the Polar Dip or other winter challenges can be found at www.SebagoLakesChamber.com.

The Ice Fishing Derby was the idea of Sebago Lake Rotary Club member Tom Noonan in 2001 and in cooperation with the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department. It has grown to become the rotary club’s largest fundraising effort and has supported hundreds of charities over the past 19 years donating over $1 million in that span.

In 2014, under the leadership of Rotarian, Toby Pennels, the derby gained notoriety as one of only four derbies in the United States to be featured in a new television program being filmed for the National Geographic Channel and ran in June 2014.

This year’s derby welcomes a new Gold Sponsor, General Dynamics/BIW and official media sponsor, Channel 8 WMTW | Maine’s CW for 2021. The derby will be held Feb. 20 to Feb. 21 and the grand prize will be a 2021 ATV purchased from Windham Powersports, and every entry will qualify to win even if they do not fish.

Proceeds will benefit the Salvation Army, food pantries and other Rotary focused charities. The club is also adding an Ice shack contest this year and a 50/50 raffle to benefit wildlife conservation, with details on the icefishingderby.com website. <