Having been a personal injury attorney for over 40 years, Joe has seen too many lives ruined by dangerous driving. To raise awareness about this important issue, Joe holds the Arrive Alive Creative Contest each year for graduating high school seniors throughout Maine. Now in it's 16th year, seniors may enter by submitting a creative project that sends a message to their peers about the dangers of drinking and driving and/or distracted driving.

Past entries have included essays, poems, paintings, public service announcements, videos, original songs, t-shirts, board games, drawings and more. The more creative, the better! First place winners receive a new laptop computer, second and third place winners receive a new iPad, and everyone who enters wins fun prizes from the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein.

The deadline for this year's contest is May 10th and a complete set of rules and all past winners can be found at ArriveAliveCreativeContest.com. Joe encourages any and all high school seniors in Maine to submit an entry into the contest, and more importantly encourages everyone on the road to practice safe driving techniques.

Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

If you've seen a Joe Bornstein-themed Prius driving around a Maine neighborhood near you, that's because Joe cares deeply about our environment. That's why today he's promoting the Sierra Club's Maine Chapter. Founded in 1892, the Sierra Club is the oldest and largest environmental advocacy organization in North America. Their mission is to explore, enjoy and protect the planet. The Maine Chapter, celebrating our 25th year in 2018, is a volunteer-run grassroots organization, working with volunteers  to: Protect Maine’s wilderness heritage, fight global warming & promote smart growth, safeguard Maine’s clean water and coastline, promote clean air and energy efficiency, hold public officials accountable, and support pro-environment candidates for public office.

Joe urges all Mainers to act as stewards of our state's beautiful environment, and he thanks the Sierra Club for its important work.

As an entrepreneur and businessman, Joe is always looking for bright new ways to innovate. One event where there's sure to be plenty of innovative ideas is TEDxDirigo. The 10th (Xth) edition of this annual event will explore the power of persistence, creativity, and community through The Power of X. The festivities will include 12+ Live TEDx talks and performances, as well as opening & closing receptions

TED's technology team is distributed around the globe, so twice a year, they gather in a different city to plan the coming six months of work and encourage team building while exploring the local culture. At their last event, the team voted to host their spring Tech Summit in Portland. They’re excited to have this lovely city as the backdrop for their brainstorming process.

This fantastic event will take place on Saturday, November 2nd, from 12-6pm at University of New England's Innovation Hall. Joe hopes to see you there!

Learn more about TEDxDirigo here.

Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Joe is happy to once again promote the Boo Bash, a Halloween fundraiser to benefit Simple Gifts. Simple Gifts is an organization that provides financial support and encouragement to patients experiencing a medical crisis, as well as their families. The organization is staffed entirely by volunteers. Joe respects and admires the work that Simple Gifts does, and is happy to spread the word about the Boo Bash, which will be held on Saturday, October 19th, from 7-11 PM, in the function room at the Italian Heritage Center at 40 Westland Ave in Portland. Find more about the organization and the event here. Joe hopes the event goes boo-tifully!

                      Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Today Joe is promoting the McAuley Residence, a transitional housing program serving single women and women with children. The goal of McAuley Residence is to help women acquire the skills that they need to become self-sufficient. For those who are parents, this means a new and better life for their children as well. For nearly 30 years, that goal has been met time and time again. Tomorrow, Saturday October 19th, the McAuley Residence is hosting its annual 5k Run/Walk for Recovery. To be held at the Mercy Fore River Campus in Portland, this event will feature music, food trucks, and flu shots/blood pressure screening (courtesy of Northern Light Home Care & Hospice).

Joe hopes the event is a great success, and urges you to visit this site to learn more about the race, and this site to learn more about the folks at the McAuley Residence and the important work they do for our community.

There are few things Joe loves more than Mainers helping one another out. That's why he's so impressed by the folks at Q97.9, Portland's #1 Hit Music Station, who are hosting another year of Cans for a Cure and making a tremendous effort to fight cancer by raising money for local cancer programs and taking other steps to raise awareness about this important issue. Today, Wednesday October 16th, through Friday the 18th, the Q folks will be at the mall collecting cans. All proceeds will go to the Cancer Community Center, which recently merged with the Dempsey Center. The Dempsey Center provides a personalized, holistic and integrated approach to cancer prevention, education and support. All services are provided at no cost to anyone impacted by cancer regardless of their socioeconomic circumstances or where they receive their medical treatment.

In addition to collecting cans, Q97.9 is hosting an online auction to raise funds for the Dempsey Center's important work.

Learn more about Cans for a Cure here, more about the Dempsey Center here, and find the online auction here.

Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Animal-lovers of Portland, listen up: today Joe is once again promoting Riding to the Top Therapeutic Riding Center (RTT), a non-profit dedicated to helping people with disabilities reach their highest potential through the healing power of horses. Located in Windham, RTT’s 50 acre farm includes a heated indoor arena with attached program and office space, an outdoor riding ring and access to miles of trails. RTT is the largest therapeutic riding program in northern New England. At RTT, children and adults with disabilities work together with horses, volunteers and staff to overcome challenges and reach their highest potential. Through engaging in RTT’s program, all of our lives are enhanced and broadened in an environment that is supportive, innovative, respectful and diverse.

Saturday, October 19th, is RTT's 12th Annual Triple B (BBB) event: Boots, Band & BBQ, when RTT's indoor riding arena turns into a festively themed wonderland, with BBQ dinner, live music and a thrilling “mission based auction” to support RTT’s Rider Scholarship and Horse Funds. Joe thinks all local animal-lovers and party-lovers should check out this great event!

Learn more about RTT here and more about the BBB event here.

Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Joe's ears perk up whenever he hears about efforts to preserve the historic features of Maine that make our state so special, and that's why he's promoting the Friends of the Frank J. Wood Bridge, a group of Brunswick and Topsham residents who came together in 2016 to prevent the Maine Department of Transportation from destroying the historic 1932 Warren Through-Truss bridge that connects the two communities. MDOT plans on replacing the bridge with a modern concrete highway bridge. The National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Historic Bridge Foundation have joined the Friends in filing a suit in Federal court to prevent the destruction of the bridge.

For more information on these efforts, click here for the official website and here for the Facebook page.

Joe wishes the Friends good luck in their efforts, and thanks all Mainers who devote time and energy to preserving our beautiful landscape.