World’s Finest Gift Card

Small Business Creates a “Too good to be true gift card.”

When faced with tremendous uncertainties in the financial market a small Inn in Gorham, Maine has taken their future into their own hands with the creation of a unique gift card program. The Gift card or gift certificate program is believed to be the first of its kind and according to the owners, “Creates a one of a kind win-win-win situation. My business wins, the consumer wins and the recipient of the gift card wins. A win- win- win situation.”

This new gift card falls into the category of “Too good to be true” and although when something falls into this group it usually is too good to be true but in this case, the gift card is completely legitimate. What separates this gift card or gift certificate from any other card is that this card issues a cash rebate every year the business runs the card program. When the program ends, the last rebate check (prepare yourself) is for the full value of the gift card. Even if the gift card has been redeemed you still receive the full value of the card.

There are some fine print details you should know. First the yearly cash rebate is only 4% of the total value of the card. So if you buy $500 in gift cards you will receive $20 a year in cash rebates. Certainly not enough to retire on but it does add up each year the program operates. If the program runs 5 years than you would receive $100 in cash rebates but you last check would be for the full value. In this case, $500 or in investment terms you earned a 20% return.

The owners agree that the gift card details sound so strange that they often have to repeat the details so people have time for it to sink in. So to repeat: The cards return 4% of the purchase value in cash to the buyer each year of the program and at the termination of the program the buyer receives the full face value of the original purchase price even if the cards were redeemed or given away.

The Inn offering this unique gift card program is a top rated small Bed and Breakfast Inn located in southern Maine called “PineCrest Bed and Breakfast Inn”. The Inn offers premium lodging; fine dining three nights a week, live music and wine tastings. Although currently a 7 room Inn, the owners are using the proceeds from the gift card program as a creative way to help grow the business.

The gift card program creates a pool of funds that finance an expansion that will house additional luxury rooms, a handicapped accessible room for quadriplegics, an indoor personal spa pool and more. Like many small business caught in the turmoil of the commercial financial marketplace and finding their ability to grow threatened by Wall Street, the owners created a way to go beyond traditional financing.

Contact: Matt Mattingly Email: Matt@pinecrestmaine.com
1 South St. Gorham, Maine 04038
Web: www.visitmainegiftcard.com
207-839-5843 or 877-474-6322

Thanksgiving Getaway

GORHAM ME. The most convenient Inn in Southern Maine is bringing back the wildly popular Thanksgiving Getaway. This package has sold out each year and brings a kick off to our holiday season in a new and refreshing way. This special can be customizable to your budget and time constraints.

Start with a two, three or four night stay. (sorry but single nights are not available) Your two night stay comes with a 5% discount off this popular Inns regular rate, three nights receive 7% discount and four nights receive 10% off the regular rate. Regular room rates are from $116 per night to $159 per night.

Your arrival is greeted by a complementary happy hour. We are happy to provide a glass of our award winning house wines from Argentina with cheese and crackers. On thanksgiving day morning, we will serve a light breakfast so there will be plenty of room for the dinner. We will take seating times from 2 PM to 4 PM. Dinner will cost $35 per person and will feature our fabulous Turkey breast wrapped around asparagus and crab meat stuffing and prosciutto. After dinner enjoy your choice of fresh apple pie, pumpkin pie or Maine blueberry pie. All from local farms.

And don’t forget, LL Beans is open 24 hours a day so consider a shopping trip after dinner to walk off the turkey coma. Bring your gifts back to the Inn and we will provide wrapping paper, ribbons, scissors and tape o’plenty. We even will ship your gifts home FedEx for only the shipping cost.

Contact the Inn for booking information.

MUSICFEST ACTS ANNOUNCED

The PineCrest has announced the music acts that will be featured on the main stage this July 27th. The PineCrest Musicfest returns live to the Village of Gorham amidst the Golden Spoon Competition.

1 PM Ellen Tipper www.ellentipper.com
3 PM Beth Wood www.bethwoodmusic.com
5 PM Ameranouche www.ameranouche.com

Tickets to the festival are available at most local retailers or on the day of the event. Tickets to both the Gorham Taste Walk and the Musicfest are available for only a $5 donation. The proceeds from tickets sales benefit four local community groups.

Contact the PineCrest Inn for more details. www.pinecrestmaine.com

Gorham Hosts Taste Walk and Music Fest

The timing for the first-ever event seemed right, with no Gorham Days festival this year.

By ANN S. KIM Staff Writer July 7, 2008

TASTE WALK OF GORHAM AND PINECREST MUSIC FEST AND ART SHOW

WHEN: Sunday, July 27

TASTE WALK: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

MUSIC FESTIVAL AND ART SHOW: 1 to 7 p.m.

ADMISSION: For the taste walk, music festival and art show, the charge is $5. Additional charges for food and beverages consumed at the beer garden.

TO KNOW MORE: For more information, call 839-5843 or e-mail Matt@PineCrestMaine.com. More information will be available at www.pinecrestmaine.com

Later this month, people will be strolling around Gorham’s village, sampling locally grown foods, tasting the fares of area restaurants, listening to music and submitting their own baked goods for judging by local chefs.

The events are part of the Taste Walk of Gorham and PineCrest Music Fest and Art Show organized by Matt Mattingly, the owner of PineCrest Bed and Breakfast Inn.

The idea percolated in Mattingly’s mind for a few years. This summer seemed like an especially good time to jump in because there will be no Gorham Days festival this year, he said.

Mattingly hopes to attract several hundred people to the July 27 event. The proceeds will benefit the Baxter Memorial Library, the Gorham Educational Foundation, the Gorham High School Key Club and a new community endowment.

“We were looking for ways to reintroduce everything that happens locally as far as places to eat as well as the farms,” Mattingly said.

Restaurants will provide samples of their signature dishes and walkers will vote on their favorites. The winner will receive the “Golden Spoon Award.” Folks who grow food also will provide samples along the walk.

Walkers can bring a sweet or savory baked item for a contest judged by local chefs. The winning entry will be featured at a local restaurant.

The taste walk is among a growing number of events that cater to locals and also give Gorham a chance to show itself off to visitors, said Donna Reinheimer, president of the Gorham Business and Civic Exchange.

Michel “Sal” Salvaggio Jr. is eager to showcase the specialties of the TreeHouse Cafe, including focaccia sandwiches and clam chowder.

“I’m out to impress people and win the Golden Spoon outright,” said Salvaggio, who owns and operates the restaurant with two of his brothers.

Sebago Brewing Company wants to support local events, particularly when food and beer are part of the program, said Kai Adams, vice president and brewmaster of the company.

“I definitely want to be part of it because it’s local community,” he said.

The music lineup so far includes Ellen Tipper, who performs a bluesy-style jazz, folk rock musician Beth Wood and Ameranouche, an acoustic hot jazz and folk rock trio.

The South Street property has a history of music that stretches back to 1753, Mattingly said.

The original owner, James Gilkey, was a local philanthropist who brought musicians from Boston to perform in Gorham. In the 1800s, Dudley Folsom, a doctor known for his singing abilities, lived there and in the new house that was built in 1825 after a fire burned down the old one. In the 1900s, the building served as a boarding house run by Abner Lowell, and his daughter, Edith, gave piano lessons there.

Gorham Days had its roots in an art festival organized by a local organization. The town’s Recreation Department later coordinated the event and in recent years involved St. Anne’s Catholic Church, which was celebrating the feast of its patron saint around the same time.

Staff Writer Ann S. Kim can be contacted at 791-6383 or at: akim@pressherald.com

Copyright © 2008 Blethen Maine Newspapers

PINECREST MUSIC FEST

The PineCrest Announced today that a tradition started in the 1750′s has returned to the grounds of the Inn. Several owners of the property now known as the PineCrest Bed and Breakfast Inn, during the last 255 years have each brought something special to the town of Gorham. The original owner, James Gilkey was known for bringing musicians up from Boston to Gorham and hosting performances. Many subsequent owners were musicians, singers and music teachers.

Bringing back the tradition of music on the grounds inspired the innkeepers to host a new music and art festival. The Innkeepers announced today that the Inn will be hosting the this festival July 27th.

The festivities begin with a Taste Walk through the village of Gorham from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM. Several restaurants and cafes will be serving samples of a signature disk or item to the walkers. Each person is asked to vote for their favorite taste of Gorham. The restaurant or cafe winning the most number of votes will receive the GOLDEN SPOON AWARD.

The Music Fest follows the Taste Walk from 1:00 PM to 7 PM and will provide an entire afternoon of great live music outdoors. There will also be a beer and wine garden available as well as the PineCrest club will be providing a great summer grill out.

Later this week, the Inn will announce the line up of musicians who will be performing during the music fest.

Tickets to the entire day are only $5 each and the proceeds from 100% of the ticket sales will be donated to four local community groups, each selected specifically for their continued commitment to the betterment of the Gorham community.

The PineCrest Inn located in the heart of the Village of Gorham is one of the highest rated Bed and Breakfasts in Maine. The PineCrest location makes it the most convenient Bed and Breakfast in southern Maine.

For more details on the festival contact Matt Mattingly at 207-839-5843 or email at matt@pinecrestmaine.com

LAST MINUTE TRAVEL SPECIALS FOR MAINE

GORHAM, ME

The most convienient Inn in Southern Maine annouces a last minute June Travel New England Special rate. THis rate applies to any available room but not available with any other offer.

Book Three Nights between June 10th and June 19th at full rate and recieve a discount equal to a full tank of gas. Simply bring a gas reciept showing your fill up and we will credit that amount to your three night stay. Date of reciept must be within one day of your arrival.

Also recieve a complementary glass of our outstanding house wine to enjoy on our screened side porch. Stay over a Friday and enjoy dinner in our private restaurant. A fine dining opportunity to experience some of the best fine dining Maine has to offer.

During your stay, take time to enjoy visits to 6 area lighthouses, many beaches, parks and islands. Take time to take time from the daily grind and enjoy, relax and explore.

Contact the PineCrest directly at 207-839-5843 or book online at www.pinecrestmaine.com. Be sure to ask for the June Gas Saver in the comments section of the booking pages.

PineCrest Inn Goes Green

The PineCrest Bed and Breakfast Inn has always been green. Even when green was still just a color. Even when being green was only a song by Kermit the frog. Even when it wasn’t cool or in style to announce your “greenness”.

From the beginning we used biodegradable detergent. From the beginning we recycled our plastics and metals. From the beginning we mulched our grass clippings and landscape cuttings. From the beginning was asked guests to re-use towels for more than one day and to turn the heat down in rooms when they left for the day or turn the a/c temperature up when leaving for the day. Even when no one knew what a CFL was.

But it wasn’t until this year that we began to look officially at what the PineCrest Bed and Breakfast could do to shed some dependency on oil when we realized that there is something more important than the depth of your greenness.

While exploring ways to reduce our energy consumption I discovered that going green should not be the focus but rather going local. Going local was almost in fact going green. What began as an exercise to find alternative ways to heat the Inn began a mission to fully change our philosophy. We now purchase more food from locally grown and raised sources than from imported produce. We refrain from any product not with a US origin. We met with local farms to see what was being grown and raised. We changed our dinner menu to reflect what we was available.

Our energy work has lead us to wood and corn fired boilers for heat and solar panels for domestic hot water. The final conversion may take us up to a year to complete but will be worth it. If each person takes one extra step on responsibility we will see measurable results coast to coast.

Each guest room comes with additional blankets, complementary bottled water from Maine water springs, environmentally sensitive amenities such as soap, shampoo and conditional bottled using recycled plastics and biodegradable packaging. We supply one newspaper for all guests to share. We suggest activities that are either free or very low cost to vacationers. We offer discounts for multi night stays since it costs us less for someone to stay several nights that it does to stay one night.

We offer a little marketplace with all snacks and drinks under $1 and the movies are on us. Guests borrow from our personal 300 DVD collection. The taps in our bar pour local beer. Our garden has tomatoes, peppers, sweet basil, Thai basil, mint, parsley, shallots, chives, edible marigolds and more.

When exploring your vacationing options consider the value and responsability of your trip. See us here at http://www.pinecrestmaine.com/ where you can relax for reasonable rates right in the center of the top four destination locations of Southern Maine. A family friendly Inn.