The Courageous Steps Project's CEO announced that all applications and registration forms will begin to be completed via our website. This move will not only allow us to reach a broader audience, but will also save on other costs within the organization. 

We will still offer paper forms, mostly for fundraising events. If you have any questions, or concerns about this, please feel free to email the CEO at: [email protected]. 

The Courageous Steps Project, Inc., a soon-to-be non-profit organization, will be streaming all initiative applications and registration online by January 1st, 2017. By strengthening this area of Courageous Steps, we will bring in more online traffic, and potentially more contributions going towards our endeavors. 

The CEO and Board of Directors appreciate your patience, as we continue to create our roadmap, heading into 2017. 

The Courageous Steps Project CEO and Board of Directors are already getting the early details finalized for the organization's 4th annual walk-run event, set to take place on Sunday May 21st, 2017, with a rain date on Sunday May 28th. 

The event will be held once again at Old Town High School's Victory Field bringing members from surrounding communities, to come walk, or run, to show their support.

The CEO and Board of Directors will be working together, to make this year's event the best yet, even though their will be some changes. 

"Since 2014, Courageous Steps has thrived with the annual walk-run event," said founder & CEO Connor Archer. "Courageous Steps was only anticipated to be an annual walk-run event, not a non-profit organization helping programs across Maine," added Archer. 

Registration details/forms will be available in early 2017, and the format of the fundraiser will be released then too. 

If you have any questions, please contact us at: [email protected]. 

Christian Koelbl's history with using this equipment

For years, Christian Koelbl has included occupational therapy equipment in his classroom to help children with developmental challenges, and other children too. This was all started by former Orland Consolidated School principal Ivan Braun, who gave Christian the start six years go, to begin using this equipment in his classroom. 

Ever since, the Bucksport, ME GH Jewett School kindergarten teacher, has incorporated more  occupational therapy equipment in his classroom, and has benefited so many children. 

Courageous Steps gives back to Christian Koelbl

In August of 2015, the Courageous Steps Project was contacted by Christian Koelbl for more support in his classroom. Because of the many donations throughout the State of Maine, we were proud to award a donation of $300.00 to be used towards Christian's classroom, to further his endeavors as a unique teacher & educator.

Some of the items that he was able to purchase through our support, included, a bracelet fidget, a compression vest used for calming children down, especially those with sensory challenges, a dolphin lap pad, a finger stretcher which strengthens pencil grip comma, a blue weighted wrist pad which promotes keeping the forearm down when writing, the therapy sit disc which promotes gentle movement and tactile stimulation, and other fidgets. 

Beginning of the Courageous Steps Wishlist Initiative

The Courageous Steps Project founder and CEO Connor Archer, launched the Courageous Steps Wishlist Initiative, inspired by Christian Koelbl, to give to classroom teachers in the state of Maine, through the school, who want to make a difference right in that room. 

This initiative is separate from our sensory learning initiative, and our Charitable Giving initiative. Donations typically will vary from $200-$400, depending on the item or items wanting to purchase. If the Wishlist is over $400, the teacher is encouraged to fill out the Charitable Giving application through The Courageous Steps Project. 

When we become an official non-profit organization, in early 2017, we hope to see our Wishlist Initiative grow around the state of Maine, and beyond by 2021. 

Of course, if you want to get involved, please make a contribution to our soon-to-be non-profit organization. As soon as our organization receives confirmation of becoming a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, we will notify you to notify the IRS that your donation is now tax-deductible through the IRS, as the date of our incorporation was July 25, 2016. 

The Courageous Steps Project has been undergoing a transition into an official 501(c)3 non-profit organization. One of the steps needed to complete the process, was to elect a CEO, and Board of Directors. 

As of Thursday October 22nd, 2016, founder Connor Archer, will take on the challenge of filling the duties and daily tasks of being the soon-to-be non-profit organization's first ever CEO (Chief Executive Officer). In order to get Archer to that place, a board of directors had to be established. 

Creating a new organization, Archer had to find people with backgrounds of business, education, marketing, etc. Archer has put together a board compromised of eight board members, who are passionate about the organization's growth in the near future. 

"I am confident that the board of directors will follow my mission & vision of the organization. I know these are a group of passionate leaders in our community, so I have no doubt that we will see more events, more projects, and more positive impacts with this group. 

Archer's first task of being CEO, will be to finish the paperwork for obtaining 501(c)3 non-profit status through the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). With that said, Archer has made a budget that has flexibility in it, incase the timeline of receiving the status is delayed.

"With the support of our board of directors, and the support of many other individuals, this transition will flow much smoothly, added Archer. 

The Courageous Steps Project is excited to announce many upcoming events that we are hosting, or partnering with. 

First off, on Thursday December 1st, our organization is teaming up with Texas Road House in Bangor, for a Dine-In night from 3pm to 10pm. In order for your support to count, you have to bring a small flyer in with you of our event, or you have to show your phone with the flyer on it. 10% of proceeds from the night, including our small raffle & donations bin, will benefit Courageous Steps endeavors. 

If you can't make it out to eat on the 1st, your in luck. On Saturday December 3rd, from 9am to 2pm, the Courageous Steps Project will be taking part in the OTES PTC's Holiday Bazaar at Old Town Elementary School. We will be selling Yankee Candle products, and most likely, Courageous Steps stress balls. We will also take donations, and online orders for other Yankee Candle products. 

If you know someone who wants to get involved with our organization, stop by at the Maine Discovery Museum on Sunday December 4th from 4pm to 6pm, to learn more about our endeavors. We will also have a donation bin available that day. 

Other fundraising events going on, include our Yankee Candle fundraiser from now until December 31st. 40% of those proceeds benefit Courageous Steps endeavors. Visit our homepage, to click on the fundraiser link, with the code on it.

Founder & CEO Connor Archer, and the Courageous Steps Board of Directors, look forward to seeing many faces at these events. If you have any questions, please email us at: [email protected]. 

The Courageous Steps Project's Charitable Giving fund recently distributed it's first Charitable Giving grant since the launching of the Charitable Giving fund this past summer. 

The lucky recipient was the RSU #19 Autism Leader team, which serves the communities of Newport, Corinna, Palmyra, St. Albans, Hartland, Etna, Dixmont, and Plymouth. 

This team will purchase three more finger print sensors for a computer program that monitors health issues with children that may have certain developmental challenges. The team will also purchase a television for a karaoke set that was purchased with another grant, for a special education room at one of their schools. 

The Courageous Steps Project hopes to continue providing assistance to more communities, like the communities served by RSU #19. This is the first donation in the region too, so we hope to continue expanding in the region so we can help this community too. 

"We are excited to see where our Charitable Giving initiative goes. We hope to expand our efforts like the 'One Word' Challenge, and the Wishlist initiative into this region too. Our board of directors, along with myself, are excited to continue to move this organization forward" said founder Connor Archer. 

If you want to support programs like this one, please visit our contributions page, to find out how to donate. If you want to send a donation by mail, please mail it to: The Courageous Steps Project, P.O. Box 1, Stillwater, ME 04489. 

The Courageous Steps Project, has some opportunities and events coming up as a way to get involved. 

Our first confirmed event for this span of time, will be our booth at the OTES PTC Holiday Bazaar on Saturday December 3rd at Old Town Elementary School. At this event, The Courageous Steps Project will be taking orders for it's Yankee Candle online fundraiser, selling items left-over from our claiming fundraiser, other products, and will be giving out information about our organization. Make sure to come join us from 9am to 2pm at Old Town Elementary School. 

The Courageous Steps Project will be concluding it's 3rd fall season of operations, and will be transitioning into a non-profit organization structure in January of 2017, with some of that happening in November and December of this year. This all has been made possible by founder Connor Archer, who has put together this organization's structure together.

​Archer will become the founder and CEO of the organization, taking on his biggest challenge yet since founding the organization over two years ago. Archer will now have the task of continuing to expand the organization, and collect corporate & individual support for the organization, while continuing to fulfill the mission/vision of the organization. 

"With our transition occurring, we are also trying to take on more of these type of small fundraisers with other organizations, to continue to spreading the word about what our organization is" said Archer in a statement released by the organization. 

The Veazie Community School principal Matthew Cyr, sent pictures of the kids using robotics kits in the special education setting. This is becoming an important way to help children develop their motor skills. 

The Veazie Community School has received $1,200 from The Courageous Steps Project, two heavy boxes full of school supplies, and was the first school to take part in our Courageous Steps 'One Word' Challenge. 

We are hoping to continue to support the Veazie Community School in the future.