PORTLAND, Maine — When people in their twenties and thirties walk into a bar in their hometown in Maine on the night before Thanksgiving, there’s a pretty good chance they’ll see someone they grew up with but haven’t run into for a few years. The pull of Thanksgiving is strong; it brings back folks who are originally from Maine and now live in another state.
The organization Live + Work in Maine has its eye on those people. It wants to turn them into “boomerangs”—individuals who either grew up in Maine or spent some time here, left the state, and then came back. The aim is to get the word out that young people can return to Maine, replant their roots, and find personal and professional fulfillment.
On Thanksgiving weekend Live + Work in Maine will be giving out swag at bars and restaurants from southern to northern Maine as well as getting its message out on social media. It wants to see boomerangs coming back to Maine and bringing their energy, smarts, and affection for our quality of life. Thomas Wolfe achieved fame and fortune when he wrote a novel with a provocative title: You Can’t Go Home Again. Live + Work in Maine has a heartfelt response: Oh, yes, you can.