Name: Misty Coolidge
Address: 37 Peacock Hill Road, New Gloucester (home). Also own 1084 Lewiston Road, 1070 Lewiston Road, and 18 Coolidge Lane in New Gloucester
Personal: Age 43, Married to Peter deBear, Three children – 4 yr old twins Eva & Caden starting Dunn School’s Pre-K program this fall, and 2 yr old Grace
Education: Bachelor Degree Legal Studies/Pre-Law, English Minor – Husson University, Bangor ME (1998)
Professional Experience:
-Self-Employed Coolidge Family Farm, LLC (Owner) – A wedding venue located at 1084 Lewiston Road. I serve many roles as the owner of this business including sales, marketing, legal work (contracts), general contractor, landscaper, wedding planner and events coordinator, and Notary Public. Entering my 5th season!! J
Maine Mixologist, LLC (Owner) – A mobile bar business for weddings and other events based out of my home but travels all over the state every weekend. I have twenty-five (25) bartenders who work for me and coordinate 75-90 events per year. Entering my 9th season!! J
Gray Meetinghouse, LLC (Owner), dba Coolidge Chapel – A newly restored vintage chapel (the old Gray Baptist Church) located at 16 Shaker Road, Gray. Saved and purchased in 2017, I’ve restored and opened this new venue in hopes of it becoming a Town gathering place for events, weddings, networking, dinner parties, bridal/baby showers, birthday parties, etc.
Dead River Company (Paralegal) – I was laid off from DRC in 2017 after 15 years as their Real Estate Paralegal handing their entire real estate portfolio across the country. Duties included writing all contracts and leases for their shopping centers, negotiating with attorneys, filing and managing their LLCs, maintaining insurance policies, working with all their tenants, sending rent escalation letters, etc.
Civic Experience:
Current: -Notary Public (Commission expires 12/18/21) -Member of New Gloucester Democrats -Victoria Mansion Gaslight League Member & Steering Committee -Husson University Board of Visitors -President Kappa Delta Phi Kappa Lambda Alumnae Association -Secretary Kappa Delta Phi Lambda Alumnae Association -International Ms. Northeast 2019 -Weekly volunteer at Good Shephard Food Bank, Auburn -https://www.sunjournal.com/2019/04/21/face-time-wedding-expert-misty-coolidge/
Former: -Mrs. Maine International 2018 -Ran for Maine State House of Representatives in 2018, District 65
Reasons for Running? What do you hope to contribute?
Despite purchasing my business property here in 2013, we only recently moved our family here in 2016 from Portland. Having fallen in love with this great little Town I knew this was going to be our forever home and the perfect place to raise our family. I’ve happily settled in since then and want to be involved in any way that I can in the community. Now with Eva and Caden entering the school system this fall, I’m excited about learning about how the school system works. I know that I have a lot to learn but I’m an optimistic overachiever with an abnormal amount of energy so I hope to bring that and my open mind to the school board.
What are the greatest challenges facing the school district and what would you do to address these?
Prior to moving here with little ones, I was told that maybe I should ‘reconsider’ New Gloucester because the school system ‘isn’t great’ (by a family looking to relocate from New Gloucester). Despite such negativity, I never let that second guess our decision to move here because I too am from a small town. I’m not familiar with any politics or challenges specifically, but overall I hope to change that outlook so that families want to move here because of the school system. I also want it to be a safe and healthy environment for our children to learn and grow. I want it to be a place where well educated teachers want to come, make an above average wage, and teach our children in the ways they’ve been educated to do so.
