With under 10,000 year-round residents, the Boothbay region is home to over 50 nonprofit organizations that serve their peninsula and beyond. In the spirit of #GivingTuesday, a national holiday for philanthropic giving set for Dec. 2, 2014, the effort has been dubbed #BoothbayTreasures, to express both how the community treasures the work they do and how the nonprofits treasure their local supporters.

These articles and the entire #BoothbayTreasures movement are meant to spotlight some of the important work being done by your neighbors. We hope you will learn something new about the many community and business services, health and wellness resources, nature and science organizations, and cultural institutions in the region; and perhaps you will be inspired to give back to one (or more!) of these nonprofits on #GivingTuesday.

This week, we share with you the participating nonprofits that work to promote, and as well as provide, health and wellness in the Boothbay region.

Since 1976, the Boothbay Region Ambulance Service has been providing care and transportation for the residents of the Boothbay Region. The ill and injured are treated by a thirty-eight member staff with routine and emergency transfers, as well as home visit community paramedicine services. A rapid response vehicle supplements the program. Learn more at www.barsems.org.

The Boothbay Region District Nursing Association keeps their operation running with only one staff person and nine dedicated volunteers. They have been fulfilling their mission to provide in-home nursing care and instruction, emphasizing prevention of disease, with raising the standards of health in the community as the ultimate goal, since 1952. A registered nurse provides treatments and procedures, allocation of medications, instruction and demonstration, and oversees physicians orders in the client’s home. To learn more, contact Leigh Sherrill at kitleigh@roadrunner.com or Pat Yetman at pqyetman@myfairpoint.net.

The Boothbay Region Health & Wellness Foundation was founded in2013 to promote the health and wellness of all residents, visitors and those who have ties to the community.Their 50 volunteerswork to establish an empowered, informed and healthy community with local, affordable resources, and a proactive support network to keep everyone happy and healthy. Examples of their work include leading patient & provider workshops, procuring start-up funding for service providers and grant writing for strategic initiatives. Visit http://boothbaywellness.org to find out more.

The Boothbay Region YMCA has been a part of the community since 1955. Their mission is to strengthen Christian principles and the universal values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body. They have a staff of 15 year-round employees, 75 part-time staff throughout the year, and over 400 volunteers that assist in running the YMCA facilities. They offer classes and programs for community members of all ages. Find out more at www.boothbayregionymca.org.

With a staff of over 1,200, and 400 volunteers, Lincoln County Healthcare has been working to ensure access to high-quality, patient-centered, and affordable care since 2007. They are a full-service healthcare system with campuses in Boothbay Harbor and Damariscotta, with a commitment to providing care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. The Boothbay Harbor facilities offer urgent care, outpatient hospital services, assisted living, independent living, Alzheimer’s care, adult day services, and long-term nursing care. Explore Lincoln County Healthcare further at www.lchcare.org.

Founded in 1998, Lincoln County Triad is a collaboration between the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, the Chiefs of Police in Lincoln County, and the seniors of Lincoln County in order to reduce the criminal victimization of older persons. The Triad works to provide a safer community for seniors and reduce the fear of crime with projects such as informing seniors of local scams, giving 3,500 emergency 911 cell phones to Lincoln County residents and distributing over 5,000 File of Life packets to Lincoln County residents. Go to www.wiscassetpd.org/triad.htm to learn more.

To find out more on the #BoothbayTreasures initiative, visit Boothbay Treasures on Facebook or on www.boothbayregister.com. This Dec. 2 we encourage you to celebrate the National Day of Giving, #GivingTuesday, by giving back to a local nonprofit. For more information on #GivingTuesday, go to www.givingtuesday.org.