Dempsey Center

Celebrate the Harvest [Rock Row]
2025-09-03 12:15 - 12:45, 2025-09-10 12:15 - 12:45 (America/New_York) | Dempsey Center – Rock Row, 11 Rock Row, Westbrook, ME, 04092, United States
Want to spruce up your vegetable repertoire this summer? Our Dempsey Garden Volunteers harvest fresh produce for the Center each week from mid-July until the last of the squash ripens in September. If you are looking for new recipes or want to sample a vegetable you haven’t had before, drop in to Celebrate the Harvest! Join us to try something new courtesy of our guest cook!

Sign up for one week or every week!

Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, CSO, LD, Nutrition Program Manager.

Open to the public. Public sign up at https://www.dempseycenter.org/services/classes-workshops/public/.

Cooking for Health + Healing [Rock Row]
2025-09-03 14:30 - 16:30, 2025-09-10 14:30 - 16:30, 2025-09-17 14:30 - 16:30, 2025-09-24 14:30 - 16:30, 2025-10-01 14:30 - 16:30, 2025-10-08 14:30 - 16:30, 2025-10-15 14:30 - 16:30, 2025-10-22 14:30 - 16:30 and 5 more dates | Dempsey Center – Rock Row, 11 Rock Row, Westbrook, ME, 04092, United States
Improve your skills in the kitchen and discover the role of food as it relates to overall health during and after cancer treatment. In this 4-week series, you will learn how food can be used to support health, regain strength, reduce your risk of cancer and other chronic illnesses, while discovering new ways to add nutrients to your diet. Each week, clients will participate in preparing recipes with assistance from our nutritionist.

Featured weekly topics include:

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Eating for a Healthy Heart
Carbohydrates and Fiber
Adding Color to Your Plate

Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, CSO, LD, Nutrition Program Manager.

Open to all Dempsey Center Clients.
Participants are strongly urged to attend all sessions.
Registration closes August 26.
Please note that this class does require participation, which may include standing and moving about our demonstration kitchen. Sign up requires a telephone consult before attending.
Participants must bring their own containers to transport prepared food home.

Nutrition + Exercise for Bone Health [Lewiston]
2025-09-09 17:00 - 18:30 | Dempsey Center – Lewiston (17 High Street), 17 High Street, Lewiston, ME, 04240, United States
Loss of bone density is common as people age and can be a result of nutrition deficiency, physical inactivity, or genetic factors. Certain types of cancer and their treatments may also contribute to weakened bones, also known as osteoporosis.
This workshop will review diet and exercise guidelines to support your musculoskeletal system as you go through treatment and beyond.

Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, LD and Tish Caldwell, Movement & Fitness manager.

Soups On! [Rock Row]
2025-10-15 15:00 - 16:30, 2025-10-30 17:00 - 18:30 | Dempsey Center – Rock Row, 11 Rock Row, Westbrook, ME, 04092, United States
Calling all soup lovers! Learn the art of making delicious soup and adjusting the flavor to meet your personal taste bud needs. Discover new recipes and tricks to freeze your favorites for later meals.
Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, LD.
Open to adult Dempsey Center clients.

Nutrition + Exercise for Breast Cancer [Rock Row]
2025-10-17 10:00 - 11:30 | Dempsey Center – Rock Row, 11 Rock Row, Westbrook, ME, 04092, United States
A healthy diet and regular exercise can enhance well-being when you have breast cancer and can help reduce risk of a breast cancer diagnosis. This program will review the latest evidence available on how diet and exercise impact risk and provide tips to help manage the side effects of breast cancer treatment.

Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, LD and Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center’s Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.

Open to all Dempsey Center Clients.
This series will have both an in-person and virtual audience. You are signing up to attend in-person at Rock Row.

Make Your Own Salve [Rock Row]
2025-11-13 15:00 - 16:30 | Dempsey Center – Rock Row, 11 Rock Row, Westbrook, ME, 04092, United States
Soften up itchy winter skin! Join us to prepare a calendula-infused salve to help heal your first line of immune defense—the skin—and learn about how to grow and process the calendula to make the salve at home.

Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, LD.

Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

Connect + Experience: Meal Kit Demonstration [Rock Row]
2025-11-19 15:00 - 16:30 | Dempsey Center – Rock Row, 11 Rock Row, Westbrook, ME, 04092, United States
Looking for ways to stretch your food dollars? Experience a community meal and cooking demonstration led by University of New England (UNE) graduate students. Learn how to turn a Meals for Maine pantry kit into a delicious, budget-friendly dish, connect with others impacted by cancer, and enjoy a late-afternoon tea together. Each participant will receive a meal kit to take home.

Led by Michelle Small, Trisha Mason – UNE Director of Service Learning, and UNE Graduate Students.

Open to the public.

Mediterranean Diet for the Holidays [Rock Row]
2025-12-11 15:00 - 16:30 | Dempsey Center – Rock Row, 11 Rock Row, Westbrook, ME, 04092, United States
Eating well during the holidays can be a challenge. Learn about the Mediterranean Diet, an eating style inspired by the cuisines of Greece, Italy, and other countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. This diet has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer and other types of chronic disease. Enjoy a cooking demonstration and discuss strategies to help you maintain healthy eating habits during the holidays, while still enjoying your favorite foods.
Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, LD.
Open to adult Dempsey Center clients.
This workshop will have both a virtual and in-person audience. You are signing up to attend in-person in Rock Row.

Mediterranean Diet for the Holidays [Dempsey Connects]
2025-12-11 15:00 - 16:30 | Dempsey Connects
Eating well during the holidays can be a challenge. Learn about the Mediterranean Diet, an eating style inspired by the cuisines of Greece, Italy, and other countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. This diet has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer and other types of chronic disease. Enjoy a cooking demonstration and discuss strategies to help you maintain healthy eating habits during the holidays, while still enjoying your favorite foods.
Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, LD.
Open to adult Dempsey Center clients.
This workshop will have both a virtual and in-person audience. You are signing up to attend virtually.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet [Lewiston]
2026-01-13 13:00 - 14:00 | Dempsey Center – Lewiston (17 High Street), 17 High Street, Lewiston, ME, 04240, United States
Reducing the amount of inflammation in your body can help to lower risks of chronic disease including cancer, heart disease, and more. Together in this workshop, we will learn what an anti-inflammatory diet consists of, including foods that help reduce and foods that may promote inflammation.

Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, CSO, LD.

Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

Spice Around the World [Dempsey Connects]
2026-01-14 12:15 - 13:15, 2026-01-21 12:15 - 13:15, 2026-01-28 12:15 - 13:15 | Dempsey Connects
The use of spices when cooking can be intimidating and when taste sensation has been impacted by treatment, spices can be either helpful or more challenging to incorporate into dishes. So let’s explore spices together! In this workshop, we’ll discover new spices that can add interesting flavors to food while providing health-supporting nutrients. Each week, we’ll make a quick recipe featuring a different spice profile and, of course, sample and chat about food! Your taste buds will thank you!

Open to the public.

Led by Judy Donnelly and a team of volunteer assistants.

Spice Around the World [Rock Row]
2026-01-14 12:15 - 13:15 | Dempsey Center – Rock Row, 11 Rock Row, Westbrook, ME, 04092, United States

Nutrition + Exercise for Breast Cancer [Dempsey Connects]
2026-01-23 10:00 - 11:30 | Dempsey Connects
A healthy diet and regular exercise can enhance wellbeing when you have breast cancer and can help reduce risk of a breast cancer diagnosis. This program will review the latest evidence available on how diet and exercise impact risk and provide tips to help manage the side effects of breast cancer treatment.

Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, LD and Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center’s Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.

Open to all Dempsey Center Clients.
This series will have both an in-person and virtual audience. You are signing up to attend virtually.

Nutrition + Exercise for Breast Cancer [Rock Row]
2026-01-23 10:00 - 11:30 | Dempsey Center – Rock Row, 11 Rock Row, Westbrook, ME, 04092, United States
A healthy diet and regular exercise can enhance wellbeing when you have breast cancer and can help reduce risk of a breast cancer diagnosis. This program will review the latest evidence available on how diet and exercise impact risk and provide tips to help manage the side effects of breast cancer treatment.

Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, LD and Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center’s Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.

Open to all Dempsey Center Clients.
This series will have both an in-person and virtual audience. You are signing up to attend in-person at Rock Row.
