Cooperative Extension: Maine Families

Welcome New Family Visitors

We are excited to welcome two new family visitors to our team. Ray and Kelsey joined us this summer and have started to enroll new families to help us meet the growing needs of our community. Referrals are welcome!

Ray Lightheart

Ray has spent 15+ years supporting young children and families as a teacher, childcare provider, and parent. With a background in early childhood education and experience running a licensed family daycare, they understand both the joys and challenges of raising little ones. Ray brings warmth, compassion, and a deep respect for parents’ knowledge of their child(ren) to their role as a Family Visitor with Maine Families. When not working with families, Ray loves being outdoors—taking nature walks, camping, and swimming—as well as enjoying creative hobbies like knitting, sewing, and needle felting. They also delight in treasure hunting at thrift stores and antique shops, traveling to new places, and reading to explore new ideas. 

Contact Ray by email ray.lightheart@maine.edu.

Kelsey Snapp, LCSW

Kelsey is a lifelong Mainer who always dreamed of raising children in the best state to grow up, and is now doing just that in the Sagadahoc area with her son and daughter. Kelsey is an MSW who has always worked with children and families in various capacities; in home, in school, and through early intervention. She loves seeing families grow and change. In her free time Kelsey loves to bake, binge Netflix, read mystery novels, and go for walks outside.

Contact Kelsey by email kelsey.snapp@maine.edu.

Activity Spotlight

Touch Textures (8-14 months)

This activity helps children focus on using their pincer grasp (thumb and forefinger) when they pick up small objects. Supplying various objects to explore lets children notice small differences between objects using their sense of sight and touch. Repetition helps connect what the child is feeling to their memory bank.

Ongoing Group Connections in the Community

This summer staff visited new community sites in Knox County and discovered the Camden Clubhouse, a sensory play space geared toward families with children birth to age six. Our team partnered with the Clubhouse to plan monthly group connections for our enrolled families. September was the first group held at the Clubhouse and feedback from families was very positive.

We are back at the Rumpus Room in Brunswick and had our first group in October. We are pleased to once again partner with Families CAN! prevention council who will attend our monthly group connections in Brunswick to connect with families and share upcoming events and classes such as the community baby shower.