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den • houlton • newport • dover • rockland • fort kent • Bar Harbor • millinocket • brewer • presque isle • frankfort • eastpo

H 4 En arv BO er es NU gy t F S Gu es ma id t g ga e, u Pa ide zines rt 2 • M inside e • Cr tro ow h n eal ! of th M ai + ne

Day in the Life Following Local Hospital Volunteers

A Piece of Maine:

NEWPORT Eye on Industry Mad for Madder Root

Kitchen Confidential Chef Devin Finigan of Aragosta

Inside:

Resources for Caribou area veterans In the kitchen with Belfast’s Michael Hurley Savvy Seniors: Caring for the caregiver

Follow the

Music

The Bangor Area’s Growing Music Scene

$5.95

November 2014

Your people, your region, your magazine.

IT’S YOUR LIFE, YOUR MONEY. AT FIRST ADVISORS, WE TOTALLY GET IT. Are you retired or thinking about retiring? Do you have a 401K that needs to be transferred? Talk to the First Advisors team. We specialize in consolidating retirement funds. From investment guidance to financial planning to trust administration, we work hard to make sure you and your financial goals come First. We’re also your neighbors, people you see every day taking part in the community. Call to arrange a meeting at one of our nearby First Advisors offices, or at any of 16 convenient branch offices of The First.

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november 2014

contents

features Small town girl making a global impact / 13 Health care leader Amy Cotton. Mad for madder root / 18 Handprinted organic products from Madder Root of Old Town. A victory for veterans / 20 Local resources for veterans in The County. follow the music / 24 The Bangor area’s music scene is thriving and available every night of the week. Changing lives through volunteering / 32 Volunteers from three area hospitals show what it means to give back.

58

A Piece of Maine: newport / 40 Newport is growing by leaps and bounds.

Farm to table at aragosta / 62 Devin Finigan offers up farm-to-table deliciousness in Stonington.

24 2 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Photos: (top) Mark rediker; [bottom) justin russell

The iron chef / 58 Michael Hurley passes on some unusual cooking techniques and recipes.

Photos: (Clockwise from top left) courtesy of EMMC; forest hart, courtesy of madder root; anne schmidt photography

64

18

32

in every issue

columns

TaLk of the Towns / 8 News from Presque Isle to Greenville.

Metro Wellness / 23 Anxiety and depression sufferers are not alone.

Biz Buzz & sightings / 10 People and places on the move. Unsung hero / 14 Actress and volunteer Dawn Huntt. Metro sports / 48 An inspiring UMPI Owl and a young Olympic hopeful. What’s Happening / 51 Enjoy November to its fullest. Perspectives / 64 The sculptures of Forest Hart.

last word / 72 Finding a healthy balance. Special Section / 73 crown of maine Special bi-monthly feature section focused on The County. Special Section / 81 2014 energy guide, Part 2 More ways to conserve and reduce energy costs at home.

savvy seniors / 66 Caring for the caregiver.

62

real estate / 68 Tour a historic Bangor home. www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 3

editor’s note

W

Melanie Brooks, editor

The Bangor Metro Region

4 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Photo: Kate Crabtree

hen the weather turns cold I’m reminded about new beginnings. That might sound strange, as many of the living things around us are working hard to store food to survive the winter or getting ready to head into hibernation. Plants are slowly dying and the trees are shedding their summer clothes. November is a time for readiness. You need to ready your house for the impending winter, but you also have to ready your body. My summer clothes get sent to the dressers in the basement for their long winter’s nap while my sweaters and boots are finally seeing the light of day—or at least what we have left of it. I always get sick this time of year. I got a flu shot a few weeks ago, just in case. It’s the busiest time at work, as this magazine proves. Not only did our team create a great magazine, we created a wonderful health care supplement called Metro Health+, part two of our energy guide, our special Crown of Maine section, and a booklet for the Maine Harvest Festival. To say we’ve been busy and stressed is an understatement. This is why I suffer a November cold each year. I know I’m going to get it, so I stock up on medication. None of it really seems to work. The vitamins I take don’t stop the cold from coming, and the meds I take during don’t do much to relieve my symptoms. The only cure for me is sleep, which I happen to be very good at. I don’t have any expert health care advice to share with you here, but you can find tons of great info in Metro Health+. Once my fall cold is over, I can truly embrace the changing season. While most of nature is laying low, I enjoy watching the squirrels, chipmunks, and chickadees nibble on the seeds and nuts I have hanging right in front of my living room picture window. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of my family’s favorite holidays, and we look forward to getting together with family that we haven’t seen all summer long. It’s a time to snuggle under the covers with my husband and 2-year-old, and be thankful that we are warm, healthy, and together.

The

www.bangormetro.com 263 State Street, Suite 1 Bangor, Maine 04401 Phone: 207.941.1300

PUBLISHER

Jack Cashman

EDITOR

Melanie Brooks

Independence you want, the Support you need Assisted Living & Memory Care

Birch Bay Retirement Village has an extraordinary assisted living community dedicated to helping residents and their families through the transitions of later life. Residents live in their own apartments supported by professional caregivers. Days are busy—filled with activities, art & crafts projects, exercise, fitness programs and regularly scheduled outings. If that’s the kind of positive, upbeat secure setting you’ve been seeking for your loved one, look no further.

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We currently have Memory Care & Assisted Living private suites available for immediate occupancy. assistant editor

Carol Higgins Taylor carol@bangormetro.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Christine Parker christine@bangormetro.com

assistant advertising DIRECTOR

Stacy Jenkins stacy@bangormetro.com

account executive

Milton McBreairty milton@bangormetro.com

ART DIRECTOR

Call (207) 288-8014 for your personal tour.

designing women Fine Arts and Crafts Show Saturday, November 1, 2014 9am to 4pm Husson University • 1 College Circle , Bangor At the Van Dyke Center for Family Business

staff Photos: justin Russell & Melanie Brooks

Amy Allen

production designer

Sandy Flewelling

traffic manager/ Subscriptions/Accounts payable & receivable

Laura Manzo

POT TERY TEXTILES GL ASS PAINTINGS JEWELRY and MORE Refreshments available • Plenty of parking $2.00 donation at the door to benefit Caring Connections

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 5

6 / Bangor Metro November 2014

FR E S H W A T E R ST O N E CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Tom Avila-Beck

Henry Garfield

Joy Hollowell

Jane Margesson

Emilie Brand Throckmorton

Chris Quimby

CONTRIBUTING Photographers & Artists

Dave Brown

Forest Hart

Ragina Kakos

Mark Rediker

Justin Russell

Anne Schmidt

Bangor Metro Magazine. November 2014, Vol. 10, No. 9. Copyright Š Metro Publishing LLC. Bangor Metro is published ten times annually by Metro Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written permission of the Publisher. Bangor Metro is mailed at standard rates from Portland, Maine. Opinions expressed in either the editorial or advertisements do not represent the opinions of the staff or publisher of Bangor Metro magazine. Advertisers and event sponsors or their agents are responsible for copyrights and accuracy of all material they submit. Bangor Metro magazine to the best of its ability ensures the acuracy of information printed in the publication. Inquiries and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Letters to the editor, story suggestions, and other reader input will be subject to Bangor Metro’s unrestricted right to edit and publish in the magazine both in print and online. Editorial: Queries should be sent to Carol Higgins Taylor at carol@bangormetro.com. Advertising: For advertising questions, please call the Director of Sales, Christine Parker at 207-404-5158. Subscriptions/Address Change: A one year subscription cost is $19.95. Address changes: to ensure delivery, subscribers must notify the magazine of address changes one month in advance of the cover date. Please contact Laura Manzo at 207-404-5150. Accounts Payable/Receivable: For information about your account please contact Laura Manzo at 207-404-5150.

P.O. Box 15, US Route 1 | Orland, ME 04472 207.469.6331 | freshwaterstone.com

Cover photo: Furtseff/Thinkstock.com

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 7

talk of the towns

Presque Isle: A new, free program, Discovery Days, was designed to help County kids, between 4 and 8 years old, make better and healthier choices a habit early in life. Organizations including the Aroostook County Action Program, Healthy Aroostook, the Presque Isle Historical Society, The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC), Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library, Northern Maine Community College, the Maine Potato Board, and PenAir worked together to make Discovery Days a reality. The seven week, hands-on program is on Saturdays and began on September 27. It includes interactive learning opportuni8 / Bangor Metro November 2014

ties that cover various topics such as incorporating physical activity in play, the importance of exercise, proper nutrition, good sleep habits, good oral hygiene, and bone health. Although geared for younger children, older siblings are welcome to participate and parents are invited attend the sessions. The next session is Saturday, November 1, 10 to 11 a.m. at TAMC’s North Street Healthcare and will feature Bone Connection, where attendees will learn about the importance of bones and what needs to be done to keep them healthy. Children can play with two life-

size foam skeleton puzzles. There will also be a hand hygiene station, so children can see how clean (or not) their hands are, and then learn why clean hands are so important. A flu shot clinic, with free flu shots, will also be offered through TAMC’s Aroostook Pediatrics office from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event on Saturday, November 8 from 10 to 11 a.m. will be held at TAMC Conference Center. Color My Plate will teach what colors should be on a plate to ensure a healthful meal. There is also a coloring activity and children can make their own fruit kabobs.

photo: courtesy of TAMC

Healthy Choices, Healthy Kids

photos: (top) courtesy of greenville recreation center; (right) Maksim Kabakou/thinkstock.com and courtesy of Go bangor

Welcome Home Greenville: There’s no place like home, as the residents of Greenville who enjoy attending the recreation center are finding out. After moving from place to place, the Greenville Recreation Center is finally settling into its own space at Leisure Life Resort on Lily Bay Road. The new location has all the amenities, including an office space, adequate room for exercise equipment, and a ping pong table. After years of being located in other places, including the town office and school, Sally Tornquist, recreation director for Greenville, is happy to have a place to call her own. “It’s great to have a large permanent place to offer art classes and dance classes, like ballet, Zumba, and Pilates,” Tornquist says. “There are hardwood floors and a mirrored wall so you can watch your feet as you learn to dance.” Tornquist envisions having activities for every age group both indoor and out. The new location has a driving range and volleyball net. She is looking

forward to holding events for children. “Having a place for the kids to go is important,” Tornquist says. “There was

no place for them to hang out together before we moved here. Now they can come here and play ping pong or cards.”

There’s an App for That Bangor: The City of Bangor has launched its first-ever mobile application (app) called “Go Bangor,” and a newly designed website at www.bangormaine.gov. Recognizing the drastic increase in the use of smart phones, the app and website will better connect residents and visitors with City Hall. The app provides easy access to information including city news, a public meeting calendar, and social media. The “Go Bangor” app is free for users through the Apple App Store and Google Play, and supports both iOS and Android operating systems. Of particular note, the mobile app simplifies the process of submitting a service request to the city. See a pothole? Concerned about graffiti? “Go Bangor” app users can quickly report issues to the city and requests are automatically routed to the appropriate department or individual. “Government needs to be more efficient and responsive at all levels,” says Bangor city council chair Ben Sprague. “Advances in technology help us do that and with the new tools on our website and mobile app, the city will be able to address issues and track service delivery with quantitative results.”

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 9

biz buzz & sightings On the Move SCOTT EDWARDS,

managing partner of Edwards, Faust & Smith, CPAs of Bangor, has been appointed a board member of New England Peer Review (NEPR). NEPR provides a professional and efficient method for monitoring peer reviews. www.efscpa.com

HEATHER MOTT joined the

board of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Mid-Maine. She is employed as the branch manager of BONNEY Staffing Center of Bangor. As a BBBS board member, Mott serves on the agency’s human resources committee. www.bbbsmidmaine.org DR. JARED KOHLBACHER

The board of directors of Penobscot Theatre Company has announced that artistic director BARI NEWPORT has been named producing artistic director, and MARY BUDD, who had served as the theater’s interim managing director since February, has been named executive director. www.penobscottheatre.org Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems announced the establishment of two new positions—chief medical information officer (CMIO) and chief nursing information officer (CNIO). APRIL GIARD, APN, will assume the positon of CNIO. Giard has more than 20 years of experience in health care and has held numerous leadership positions, including vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer at Acadia Hospital. ANGELA TIBERIO, MD, from Dearborn Advisors, a health care professional services firm, will assume the role as interim CMIO. She has more than 25 years of experience in health care. www.emhs.org AMANDA CORSON has joined L.S. Robinson Co. insurance of Southwest Harbor as a personal insurance account executive. She brings 17 years of insurance experience to her new role, and holds the Accredited Customer Service Representative and Accredited Advisor in Insurance designations. www.alleninsuranceandfinancial.com

10 / Bangor Metro November 2014

has joined The Aroostook Medical Center’s orthopedic team as the first full-time surgical podiatrist to ever practice north of Bangor. He completed training in a podiatric surgical residency at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey. www.tamc.org JORDAN BETTS has been promoted to

vice president, commercial portfolio manager at Camden National Bank. Betts assists real estate investors and business owners in financing the acquisition or construction of commercial properties. He belongs to the Maine Real Estate & Development Association. www.camdennational.com SHELLEY SUND has been has hired as

the new marketing and events coordinator at the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce. Sund comes to the Chamber from the Bangor Daily News, where she most recently held a position in sales and marketing graphics. Sund has won numerous newspaper industry awards for her work. www.bangorregion.com BRUCE EDWIN (ED) WYATT, JR., joined

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust as VP/ community banking manager. He has 18 years of experience in commercial lending and will lead the Bank’s efforts to streamline the lending and loan approval process. www.bhbt.com WILL HATT joined the senior lending

team of Skowhegan Savings Bank. Hatt, with more than 20 years of experience in commercial lending, has been named senior vice president of commercial lending for the bank. Previously, Hatt was a senior vice president and COO at

Business Lending Solutions, LLC, and the regional vice president of commercial lending for Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. www.skowhegansavings.com RUSSELL BRAGG has been appointed

northern regional manager of construction services for S.W. Cole Engineering, Inc. He has over 30 years of experience in construction materials testing. Bragg has actively been involved and held leadership and officer positions with the Maine Concrete Technician Certification Board and Associated Constructors of Maine. He is based in Bangor. www.swcole.com

Awards Wine Spectator magazine has honored THE LOOKING GLASS RESTAURANT at the BLUE NOSE INN with the Award of Excellence. This annual award recognized The Looking Glass for its detailed and extensive selection of wines. Each vintage featured on their wine list has been carefully selected to complement the fresh, complex flavors of chef Arturo Montes’ menu. www.lafayettehotels.biz HILLARY S. CARUSO, DMD, MAGD, of

Dover-Foxcroft received the Academy of General Dentistry’s Mastership Award. It is the academy’s highest honor and recipients must complete 1,100 hours of continuing dental education to qualify. She currently practices dentistry at Steinke and Caruso Dental Care in Dover-Foxcroft and Sorrento. www.centralmainesmiles.com Eight attorneys from Bangor-based Eaton Peabody have been included in the 2014 edition of Chambers USA for the state of Maine. Chambers USA bases its rankings on market research. The highlighted attorneys and their practice areas include DANIEL D. MCKAY and DAVID M. AUSTIN in corporate M&A, P. ANDREW HAMILTON in environmental, CLARE HUDSON PAYNE in labor & employment, EDWARD FEIBEL in labor & employment/employee benefits & compensation, BERNARD J. KUBETZ and NEAL F. PRATT in litigation, and KAREN A. HUBER in real estate and real estate/timberland and conservation. www.eatonpeabody.com

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1: Erin, Ben, Jody, and Sarah Cabot at the Center Theatre Gala in Dover-Foxcroft.

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2: Paul Renaude and Corinne Reese at The Trails End Festival in Millinocket. 3: Midcoast Mini Maker Faire organizing committee team members Nathan Davis and Chelsea Avirett in Camden. 4: John Ware and Susan Ware Page of Martime Energy with Staci Coomer and Peter Horch of the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce during the Chamber’s September Business After Hours hosted by Maritime Energy.

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 11

biz buzz & sightings 1

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THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AT PRESQUE ISLE has been awarded a

$50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The funds will assist in the creation of the region’s first facility dedicated to the visual arts. The building at 149 State Street will be transformed into the Northern Maine Center for the Cultural Arts. www.umpi.edu EASTERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE was awarded a $50,000 grant

by the Quimby Family Foundation to help develop a two-year associate in applied science degree in outdoor recreation and tourism. EMCC plans to base the program in Millinocket. The grant application was a joint effort by the Katahdin Region Higher Education Center and Eastern Maine Community College Foundation. www.emcc.edu The EASTPORT ARTS CENTER has been awarded a $50,000 grant by the Quimby Family Foundation. The grant 12 / Bangor Metro November 2014

will allow for a small expansion of hours for the Center’s two part-time staff over the next year, and also the addition of a new part-time development director, Debbie Smith. www.eastportartscenter.com The HUSSON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING received a grant of over $753,000 as part of the Advanced Nursing Education program available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. The funds will expand the scope of a course that helps increase understanding and communication between aspiring health care professionals in different disciplines as well as help support a statewide consortium on interpersonal education. www.husson.edu

Corrections Our apologies to Kamryn Commeau, our Unsung Hero featured in our October issue. We incorrectly identified this young lady as Kathryn.

1: Eastern Maine Walk to End Alzheimer’s had great weather for the 19th Annual Walk in Bangor. Left to right: Bill Anderson of Dirigo Pines; Ross Endres, Maine Alzheimer’s Association Walk Director; Kristie Miner, Eastern Maine Walk Outreach Sub-Committee Chair, and Benjamin Smith, Eastern Maine Walk Committee Chairman. 2: Maggie Hayes and Natalie Tanous with The Mallot Brothers at The Trails End Festival in Millinocket. 3: Maine Savings celebrates its new College Avenue branch in Old Town with a week of events including a Meet and Greet with former University of Maine star and present Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard. Left to right: Maine Savings President John Reed, Howard, and University of Maine Director of Athletics Karlton Creech. 4: Center Theatre Gala Executive Director Angela Bonacasa with Erin Cabot and Lydia Spencer at the theater’s gala in Dover-Foxcroft.

Photo: (Alzheimer’s walk) Steve Bowler

Grants

movers & shakers

A

Small Town Girl Making a

Global Impact

Photo: courtesy of eastern maine medical center

Amy Cotton credits her grandmother for her love of nursing. Cotton has garnered expertise far and wide, and puts what she has learned into practice right here at home. By Carol Higgins Taylor

my Cotton’s grandmother, Clarice Gooch Hoyt, a nurse in Downeast Maine who made house calls on horseback, was a constant source of inspiration to her granddaughter. Cotton calls her a pioneer. Before there was public health nursing in Washington County, Hoyt used to provide nursing care to seasonal immigrant workers and elderly in the region. It had a major impact on Cotton. “I have an audiotape of her talking about her life as a nurse and all the things she did,” says Cotton, who has more than 25 years of experience in health care. When she began her nursing career at Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMMC) in 1987, Cotton says she immediately found that she had a special connection with older adults and their family caregivers. “I loved caring for this clinically complex population and enjoyed hearing their rich life-history stories,” she says. “I was passionate about getting these folks back on their feet again to improve their quality of life.” Cotton, a Hampden native, earned nursing degrees from the University of Maine and University of Southern Maine. She is a board certified Gerontological and Family Nurse Practitioner, has served as president of the National Gerontological Nursing Association (NGNA), and co-chair for the American Academy of Nursing’s Expert Panel on Aging. Cotton was awarded the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing’s inaugural Geriatric Nursing Leadership Award in 2009, and is a 2014 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellow. “I am humbled and honored to be recognized for my nursing work to improve health care delivery and access for the people of Maine,” Cotton says. Cotton has provided patient care in hospitals, family practice offices, nursing homes, and home care settings. She understands the experiences and expectations of patients and families, as they attempt to navigate the complex health delivery system. Cotton, formerly director of operations and senior service quality at EMHS Continuum of Care, assumed the role of EMHS vice president of patient engagement on October 1. In this new position, Cotton will guide EMHS’ transformation of the patient experience within and across all sites of care,

and across the patients’ lifetime continuation of services. “I’m just a Maine girl getting a shot to make a difference in my community,” says Cotton. “In my heart, I feel quite fortunate to have been able to serve in the roles I have had. It truly has been an honor to have so many opportunities within EMHS organizations to see and be a part of the journey to improve patient experience.” Cotton has shared her expertise internationally. She volunteered to help develop senior health services and teach health profession students in India. Her selfless nature made the decision to go to this foreign land fairly simple. “It is easy to think it really isn’t my responsibility to serve others in a foreign country, that someone else should be the doer but I’m glad I asked myself the question, ‘if not me, who?’” she says. Her experience in India changed her life. “I was touched by the young men and women I met who provide home care to elderly Indian residents in Bangalore,” Cotton says. “They struggled with being part of a culture where working in another person’s home is not widely accepted. Many families would disapprove if they found out. I brought back a new perspective on how important it was for me to learn about the cultural background of my patients to be more effective as a health care provider.” Cotton also shares her vision of quality care with nursing home leaders in Maine and presents at national conferences, striving to have an impact on care given to elders across the country. “Improving health care for this underserved and fragile population has been a career highlight for me,” says Cotton. “I am most humbled about the work I have done to transform nursing home health care delivery.” She is quick to announce that she has not done this work alone, touting the amazing team of nursing home leaders and staff she has worked with to develop and truly impact how quality care is measured and how those measurement results can drive improvements in nursing. “I hope I will be positively influencing health care for the people of Maine in 10 years,” Cotton says. “My family lives in all corners of our state. I have a vested interest in ensuring quality and affordable health care is available.” www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 13

unsung hero

The Play’s the Thing

Dawn Huntt of Dexter is a member of several boards of directors, a community theater actress, and a musician. By Dave Brown

B

eing involved with the community is what keeps Dawn Huntt young, she says. And providing service to someone else is an important part of her life. Huntt works parttime as a legal secretary at Michael A. Wiers Law Office in Newport, as well as playing the organ at New Hope Baptist Church in Dexter, Eastern Star in Guilford, and the occassional wedding. She also takes the opportunity to work with nonprofit organizations as a board member for Sebasticook Family Doctors in Newport and the president and charter member of Wayside Theatre in Dexter.

What keeps you doing what you do? I believe the secret to getting older gracefully is to keep active. I always say, if you keep moving, the Angel of Death can’t find you. And there is always something new with the theater—new plays, new costumes, etc. It really feeds my creative side. There is really nothing like seeing people leave the theater smiling or humming one of the songs. You know you’ve made them happy. I hope my family is proud of the life I have lived, the things I have done. I hope they will remember me as being caring, compassionate, and enthusiastic for the things that have brought me such a blessed life. I hope I am their hero. 14 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Inset photo: Huntt played Edith Ann in Wayside Theatre’s variety show, a character made popular by Lily Tomlin on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In in the 1970s.

Photo: david brown/northstar photography

What inspires you to help others? I cared for my sick husband for many years, and though I was working and involved with the theater at that time, after my husband’s death in 2006, I wanted to become more active in the community. I’ve been acting since high school and knew that was something I would love to continue doing. I love performing and seeing what a good time the audience has. People’s lives are so stressful now, and I love being able to bring them some escape by providing entertainment.

S

onny LeClair, owner of Quality Jewelers, has been working in the jewelry business for 30 years. He started out as a jewelry polisher and found that he was adept at making repairs—he could fix just about anything! His thirst for knowledge and business ownership led him to open his own store. In May 2015, Sonny will celebrate 20 years in business. “I love working with the people in Bangor and the surrounding communities because they are down to earth and easy to work with,” he says. Sonny loves his location on Washington Street in downtown Bangor because it’s one of the few places downtown with plenty of parking. Sonny’s salespeople do not work on commission, so you will never work with a pushy salesperson when shopping at Quality Jewelers. This assures customers that they will always receive the highest level of customer service and satisfaction. Looking for something unique? Sonny and his team of jewelers are able to create custom pieces using state-of-the-art equipment, something many other jewelry stores

in the area cannot provide their clients. Sonny has capitalized on his skills as a jewelry repairman, and Quality Jewelers offers the most extensive services in the area. They have the tools to create or repair just about anything that is presented to them. Barbette LeClair, Sonny’s wife, is a GIA-certified gemologist. Her expertise assures clients that they are working with a professional that is not only knowledgeable about the jewelry business, but about the stones they sell. Do you have old or broken jewelry that you no longer wear? Quality Jewelers will buy your gold, silver, or platinum jewelry at the highest price. This is a new aspect to the business, and was started because Sonny didn’t think people were getting a fair shake from the gold buying businesses that were popping up around the area. Because Quality Jewelers does not have the high overhead that other jewelry stores do, they are able to offer the best possible prices on diamonds and other jewelry. They also offer the best prices for customers looking for a reputable place to sell their gold, silver, and platinum.

Quality Jewelers should be your first stop when looking for jewelry by Alex & Ani as well as Caro74 diamonds. “’Caro’ in Italian translates to ‘beloved’,” Sonny says. “The patentpending cut of 16 additional pavilion facets makes each and every Caro74 diamond catch your eye.” From a simple birthday gift to a 10th anniversary diamond ring, Sonny and his team at Quality Jewelers are here to serve you. Their loyal customers trust Sonny with repairing sentimental, heirloom jewelry as well as helping choose new jewelry that will last a lifetime. Sonny’s satisfaction guarantee assures customers that if the gift they purchase to give to a loved one does not leave them speechless, the customer can exchange it for one that does. Quality Jewelers is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Hours are extended during the holiday season, making it easier than ever to get that special someone a gift from a local jeweler who truly cares about their clients and their community. •

business SPOTLIGHT

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Mad for Madder Root These handprinted tea towels, napkins, and bags are produced right in Old Town using organic products and sustainable practices. By Melanie Brooks

C

hristina Lannan is one part artist and one part businesswoman. She’s also a mom to Edi and a wife to Andy. She has taken her passion and talent for screen printing and created a company that brings her designs to the masses. Madder Root was established in 2010. “It started with an idea—I wanted to do something functional with art,” Lannan says. The Hampden native earned her bachelor’s degree in art education and a bachelor’s of fine arts in screen printing at the University of Maine in Orono. After college Lannan and some friends decided to go on an adventure and hike the Appalachian Trail. She met a guy named Andy on the trail and gave him her telephone number after they finished the hike. He moved back to Buffalo, New York to finish college, and she moved to Boston to work with her sister. They kept in touch and fell in love. She eventually moved to Buffalo and started working for a company that produced hand-printed greeting cards. The couple eventually moved to Maine and got married. Andy began a gradu18 / Bangor Metro November 2014

ate program at the University of Maine and Lannan took a job at the University’s print shop as a tech. When Lannan became pregnant with the couple’s first child, she decided the chemicals she had to work with on a daily basis in the print shop were too harsh, so she decided to try making Madder Root her full-time job. Her leap of faith paid off, and Lannan now employs her husband and another woman, Ashley Brown, full-time. Jamie Brown, Ashley’s husband, works for Lannan part-time. The trio met while attending the University of Maine as undergraduates. Madder Root is run out of the Lannan’s Old Town home. What started as a few designs on tea towels has grown into dozens of designs for tea towels, napkins, and bags. “We come up with a few new designs every year,” Lannan says. The designs, which Lannan draws by hand, are influenced by Maine, but not overtly. Along with mussels, lupines, chickadees, and pine cones, are ball jars, balls of yarn, poppies, and lobster. The bags she began creating found a niche with knitting store owners, who

wanted to order them to offer to their customers to keep their balls of yarn organized. “It opened up a whole new market for us that I hadn’t even thought of,” Lannan says. Knitting shops on the west coast found her bags on her Etsy shop, and started ordering them. Most of Madder Root’s wholesale clients are on the east coast, specifically along U.S. Route 1 in Maine. “We love working with local stores,” Lannan says. “They know so much about the products they carry and being able to deal with shop owners face to face is incredible.” Lannan’s business is split evenly between wholesale and retail. The company is committed to using organic materials and creating their products as sustainably as possible. Even the thread Lannan uses to sew the products together is organic. The linen is shipped to Madder Root in huge rolls; there are 150 yards of material on each roll. Andy is in charge of the prep work, and he cuts the material off of the rolls into a more manageable size and puts it through the washer and dryer. Once it’s been cleaned, he cuts the linen into the correct size for the products Madder Root produces. Andy currently handles most of the screen printing, and Lannan and Brown stitch every piece by hand. The products are then heat set in a dryer and ironed flat. Even the labels on each piece are hand-printed on organic jersey and hand sewn. After the products are folded, they are ready to be sold. Lannan estimates that it probably takes 20 minutes from start to finish to create a one tea towel. That time has become more efficient over time, due to the fact that the team now sews on faster, industrial sewing machines and uses an industrial ironing machine. She has some new product ideas in the works for the future, which include using a new material—recycled organic hemp canvas. “We have a new apron and tote bag design in the works,” Lannan says. They are also working with a place in Lewiston to source scrap leather. But Lannan and her team can only work so fast. “There has been a consistent waiting list where people want to carry our stuff in their store,” Lannan says. “We have to be careful what we commit to, as we want to make sure to have enough inventory without having too much.” It’s a balancing act that Lannan has learned to master.

Photo: courtesy of madder root

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A Victory for Veterans

Thanks to Cary Medical Center, veterans in The County no longer have to travel to Augusta for health care services. By Melanie Brooks

20 / Bangor Metro November 2014

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oland Perry has had multiple surgeries on his ailing knees. A veteran, Perry served for almost six years in the United States Air Force, including a stint in Vietnam. In 1976, one year after leaving the military, his knee problems became serious. Perry credits his bad knees to a combination of genetics and his penchant for running. He trained and ran for the Air Force, competing with other military groups. “I ran everything from the mile to the marathon,” Perry says. “I’ve run a sub 4-minute mile and a sub 30-minute 10K.” While he doesn’t run any more, he

does spend a lot of time swinging a golf club and walking the green. Perry has been the golf pro at the Mars Hill Country Club for five years. The Biddeford native has been splitting his time between Maine and Phoenix, Arizona for years. His knees have gotten so bad that he has trouble performing his duties at the country club without excruciating pain. During a check up with his general practitioner at Cary Medical Center’s VA Clinic in Caribou, he complained about his pain. That’s when Robert Shaw decided that Perry would be an excellent candidate for Project ARCH.

photo: ragina kakos

Project ARCH (Access Received Closer to Home) is a pilot program from the Department of Veterans Affairs that provides health care through contractual arrangements with non-VA providers. Eligibility is based on a few factors, including the veteran’s enrollment for VA health care and their distance from primary, secondary, or acute care. For veterans living in The County, the driving distance to Togus is overwhelming. There are currently five sites in the nation that are participating in the ARCH Program: Caribou, Maine; Farmville, Virginia; Pratt, Kansas; Flagstaff, Arizona; and Billings, Montana. Cary Medical Center has been working with veterans in northern Maine for nearly 30 years. The very first VA outpatient clinic in the country was started in Caribou. “There was a group of veterans back in the 1970s who made it all happen,” says Bill Flagg, director of community relations and development at Cary Medical Center. “They could see the writing on the wall that, as they were getting older, they had to go to Togus for everything, including blood tests and x-rays.” Flagg went to their first meeting at the Caribou VFW and helped establish regular meetings at the hospital. “It took quite a few years to get going,” Flagg says. “These veterans weren’t really thinking about themselves, they were thinking about servicing the next generation.” This clinic not only sparked national discussions about health care for veterans who live in rural areas, it has set the standard for similar clinics throughout the country. Today the clinic serves about 120 veterans per day with more than 9,000 annual visits. After the VA clinic opened, hospital administration worked with the Maine Veterans’ Homes to open a 40-bed longterm care facility and a 30-bed residential care facility for patients with early dementia or Alzheimer’s on the hospital’s campus. The missing link was specialty care, including hospitalization, and that’s where Project ARCH came in. “Project ARCH provided the next level of care for veterans,” says Kris Doody, CEO of Cary Medical Center. “The VA does an exceptional job, and we just want to augment their services. Veteran health care services started off as an opportunity for us, and it quickly became part of our strategic plan. It’s supported by our staff, physicians, and

our board of directors. We meet with veterans and the VA on a regular basis to talk about opportunities for veterans in Aroostook County.” In 2008, Rep. Mike Michaud, who was then the ranking member of the veterans affairs subcommittee on health, helped pass legislation that created Project ARCH. The project was a part of a bill called the Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act. Project ARCH became operational at

Cary Medical Center in the fall of 2010. In 2011, the American Hospital Association (AHA) presented its Award of Honor to Cary Medical Center for its service to America’s veterans. “Cary Medical Center’s work with the VA to establish the outpatient clinic transformed health care for veterans in Maine and across the country,” says AHA president and CEO Rich Umbdenstock. The program was set to expire in September 2014, but thanks to a bill passed

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 21

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by the house and senate, program has been extended. “Without ARCH, so many of our veterans would be traveling hundreds of miles down to Togus just for basic medical care,� says Rep. Mike Michaud. “That’s why it was so important to extend the program.� Project ARCH has been so successful at Cary Medical Center that the hospital has been able to add a second orthopedic surgeon to their team. “It’s been a benefit to our veterans, but it’s also been a benefit to our community,� Doody says. “Our medical staff, nursing staff, and facility staff have been wonderful with our veterans projects. They have great respect and participate in VA training every year. They’ve embraced the ARCH Program.� Perry, who is now recovering in a rehab facility in Madawaska, couldn’t be happier about his recent knee surgery. “There was no running around. Augusta is so far from The County—it’s a fourhour drive for me. If you’re up in Fort Kent or Madawaska, it’s even farther.� Perry is scheduled to have surgery at Cary Medical Center on his other knee in 2015.

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metro wellness

If I knew then what I know now:

Let’s Talk About Anxiety

Anxiety can be isolating but sufferers of this condition need to realize they are not alone. By Emilie Brand Throckmorton

photo: kieferpix/thinkstock.com

A

ccording to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, a staggering 18% of Americans deal with some level of anxiety disorder. I am one of them, though I used to bend over backwards to hide it. In fact, one of the things I got most anxious about for years was the fear of anyone knowing that I was anxious, because you know, how terrible would it have been if anyone thought that I didn’t have it together all of the time? When I share with friends that I have struggled with anxiety, which has ebbed and flowed throughout my adult life, their reaction is almost always, “What?! I had no idea that you ever felt anxious,” to which I reply, “Exactly.” Somewhere along the way, I decided to keep this “weakness” to myself, but as a result, I spent many of my early-adult years without any coping skills for an affliction I couldn’t name or talk about. Anxious feelings are normal emotional reactions that we all have in certain situations. Feeling anxious before a public speaking engagement, or before a first date, or when preparing for a big exam, would all be considered normal. Anxiety is a problem for you, on the other hand, if it feels chronic or irrational, interferes with work or normal life functions, or hinders relationships with friends or family members. I explain my anxiety this way: I can handle a demanding career just fine, and I can compete in long-distance endurance races with only normal butterflies, but sometimes I am overcome by anxious feelings while I’m in the middle of the grocery store. See what I mean? Irrational. My anxiety is certainly not crippling,

nor does it keep me from living a very rich life, but as anyone who has it likely would agree, keeping anxiety at bay or hidden from others is exhausting work. I have been lucky to have a doctor and a therapist who helped me work through it during trying times in my life. I almost never need medication, but I have some with me if I do. Over the years, I have learned some terrific strategies to help me cope. Running is at the top of that list (free therapy!), as are meditating, writing, breathing exercises, and visualizations. I have learned how to take a mental step back and look objectively at my thoughts when my mind starts spinning, and to breathe through unsettled feelings. I just wish I had known about these strategies, or had someone to talk with about anxiety, 20 years ago. As a high school teacher, I meet all kinds of students who deal with anxiety, and some of these students would surprise you. Anxiety is as likely to affect the captain of the football team or the star of the musical as it is the shy student who sits in the back of the classroom. I hate the thought that these kids grow up battling anxiety silently, afraid to admit they need help of some kind. When appropriate, I talk with my students about how I too have struggled with anxiety, and I sense a relief come over them. I seem normal to them, so it’s reassuring to know that I understand this part of their brains. Here are the things I wish I knew when I was younger, and that I wish everyone who has anxiety would understand now: • Having anxiety does not make you weak, or broken, or overly sensitive.

Your brain just works differently than other people’s brains. • Locating the physical feelings associated with your anxiety can help immediately. Ask yourself, and notice, “What happens when I’m anxious? Where do I feel the anxiety in my body?” You may experience light-headedness, a stomachache, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, or pressure in your chest. Learning to recognize and label these feelings takes the power out of them and makes them less scary. • Talking through what makes you anxious with a doctor, therapist, or trusted friend can help you come to understand what your triggers are, and then learn strategies to reprogram your brain not to react to your triggers. • Gritting your teeth and muscling through these difficult feelings will only make them worse. Telling yourself to stop worrying doesn’t work. Often times, you aren’t even anxious about something rational, but rather, an unsettled feeing comes over you out of the blue. There are many options and resources available to you, but you have to ask for help, and you will feel so much better just by doing so. You will feel empowered over your own health by getting informed and taking action, but above all else, please know this: you are so not alone. Emilie Brand Throckmorton is a mom and runner who co-chairs the English Department at Bangor High School and writes the blog One Mom in Maine. www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 23

24 / Bangor Metro November 2014

feature story

Follow the Music

Music lovers have many opportunities to indulge their passion in the Queen City area. By Henry Garfield | Photos by justin russell

“I

’ll bet you can find live music in the Bangor area every single day of the week.” From such conjectures are magazine features born. Not since the 1960s and 70s has the city seen such a wealth and variety of talent. “And you can do it,” I added, “without getting into a car, or paying a cover charge.”

SUNDAY

Everett Dumas entertains the crowd at McLaughlin’s at the Marina Restaurant in Hampden.

My odyssey begins just downriver in Hampden, at McLaughlin’s at the Marina Restaurant, adjacent to Hamlin’s Marina. I’m on my small sailboat, applying a coat of paint to a hatch cover, when I hear music from over by the outdoor fire pit. A crowd has gathered to enjoy the afternoon breeze coming up the river, and the band begins to play “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone.” Which seems incongruous, on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Closer inspection reveals it isn’t a band, but a lone musician: Everett Dumas, accompanying himself on guitar, with a foot-driven looper and a harmonizer he refers to as “the girls.” A machinist by profession, Dumas is a relative newcomer to the local music scene; he’s been playing out since 2008. Interspersing cover songs with his original compositions, he’s been concentrating on his own material lately and collaborating with several other area musicians, with an eye toward putting together a band in the spring. “It’s been a great summer, playing down here,” he says. “Over the winter I’m going to hunker down and concentrate on writing more songs.” www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 25

feature story MONDAY Monday night finds me at the Big Easy Lounge at the Charles Inn, where owner Paul Beaulieu has soldiered through a difficult few months, booking musicians despite the ongoing construction in West Market Square, right outside his door. James Morang, a young, tall, dreadlocked bass player, is hosting an open mic and jam session. Keyboardist and songwriter Kevin Bate is there, as is jazz singer John Nowak, who

Music runs in his family. “My father was a music educator who played the trumpet,” he explains, “and my mother was a dancer and singer.” Though a recent illness has slowed him somewhat, it hasn’t affected his voice; he still plays three or four local gigs each month.

TUESDAY Across the square, Paddy Murphy’s has also been impacted by the recent sewer work. But on Tuesday evenings they offer

Not since the 1960s and 70s has the city seen such a wealth and variety of talent. reminds me of his quartet’s upcoming gig on Friday night. Nowak is a physician assistant at Eastern Maine Medical Center, originally from Baltimore. He sings jazz standards and plays the flugelhorn, an instrument that resembles a trumpet, but has a deeper “darker” sound, as he describes it. His quartet consists of himself and Lincoln Blake on keyboards, Peter DeKlerk on bass, and Jerry Bates on drums. An Irish music circle at Paddy Murphy’s, organized by Chuck Whitney of Ellsworth and Chris Gray of Southwest Harbor.

26 / Bangor Metro November 2014

a double-header: traditional Irish music during the dinner hour, and an open mic from 9:30 p.m. to closing. The Irish music circle is an informal affair, organized by Chuck Whitney, who lives in Ellsworth, and Chris Gray, a resident of Southwest Harbor. It’s a drop-in jam where anyone with an instrument and a taste for Irish music is welcome. “Chris and I agree to be here every

Tuesday, and anyone else who shows up is welcome to sit in,” says Whitney, who by day is a naturalist who works on tour boats in Bar Harbor. In the circle he plays a variety of pennywhistles, which he also makes. His hobby has become a side business: Whitney Whistles. Gray, who looks to be younger by at least a decade than anyone else in the group, plays the Uillean pipes, which translates as “elbow pipes,” a bagpipelike instrument operated by means of a bellows underneath his arm. Gray began dabbling in traditional Irish music while in high school in Bar Harbor. “I don’t know why,” he says. “It just grabbed me.” Pauleena MacDougal sings and plays mandolin and bouzuki, while Heather MacLeod plays a whistle, and both women sing. Dave Higgins and Harry Batty sit in on violin and banjo, respectively. Various members of the group fill in on percussion instruments. The open mic is hosted by Sam Chase, a tall young man with a frizz of hair reminiscent of the young Bob Dylan, who also plays in a band called Rotating Taps. Chase runs open mics on back-to-back

nights: Tuesdays at Paddy Murphy’s and Wednesdays at Tantrum. He pulls up in front shortly after 9 p.m., towing a trailer. “I bring all my own stuff,” he tells me, ticking off items on his fingers. “I bring a full PA, a drum set, a bass, a bass amp, a guitar amp, an electric guitar amp, and an acoustic guitar.” When the evening’s over, sometimes after midnight, he’ll pack it all up, and take it over to Tantrum for the following evening.

John Nowak plays the flugelhorn with a quartet at the Big Easy Lounge at the Charles Inn.

WEDNESDAY “The open mic at Tantrum is more bandoriented,” Chase says. “At Paddy’s, we get more solo singers and guitar players, but at Tantrum it seems to be more of a jam atmosphere.” Tantrum, an open, upstairs bar and lounge of Washington Street in Bangor, boasts more space for musicians to spread out and for patrons to get up and dance. The throbbing beat of recorded disco music prior to the start of live performances prepares patrons for an uptempo evening. Chase, a multi-instrumentalist and singer, usually kicks things off with a solo set, accompanying himself on guitar. On this night, his fourth and final song is a cover of the Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me,” one of the most widely reviled songs of the 80s, or any other era, for that matter. He performs it with a sense of humor, though, doing both the male and female parts, and by the chorus, half the audience is singing along. When it’s my turn to play, I’m tempted to do “Billy, Don’t Be A Hero,” by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, in revenge. But I haven’t practiced it in months.

THURSDAY Not all the music in downtown Bangor is in bars. The Union Street Brick Church, on the corner of Union and Maine Streets, has held Thursday night open mics since 1999, welcoming all comers. It’s a venue for those musicians whose work may not move many drinks, and the atmosphere is family-friendly. “Everybody gets respect here,” says pastor Lee Witting, who bought the building in 2002. Since then, the church has continued to offer an outlet for musicians as well as actors, putting on plays and hosting benefits for community organizations. Dennis Hamrick and Dylan Brennan are the co-hosts of the weekly event, www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 27

which takes place in the main part of the church in warm weather and in a smaller back room when it’s cold. Both are actors and amateur musicians, and they introduce each act with a goofy, Grated cheerfulness. “The core philosophy of the open mic is that it’s open,” Brennan says. “We’re not afraid to go avante-garde. We welcome poets, noise artists, anyone with a desire to perform. Our audiences aren’t massive, but we’re a good place for both new and established artists to try something out on an audience.” He usually arrives around 2:30 p.m. to set up the equipment, most of which has been donated, and to conduct a sound check. The building opens at 4:30 for musicians who want to practice, and performances get under way at about 6:30. Hamrick, an attorney by day, adds that while the church is not a baby-sitting service, it’s a good fit for musicians who are also parents, because they can bring their kids along. Young performers are also welcome. “What sets us apart from other venues is the family-friendliness,” he says. “My favorite thing is to have a little kid come up and do something really terrific, like a piece on the piano or a great vocal performance,” Witting says. “It’s nice to see young people with a lot of talent.” Sometimes residents of the nearby Shaw House, a shelter for homeless teens, show up and give “really incredible performances. They may have to borrow somebody’s guitar, but some of them are incredibly talented.”

FRIDAY

The Union Street Brick Church offers musicians an open mic night every Thursday. 28 / Bangor Metro November 2014

The weekend brings a plethora of choices, but I end up at Thistles Restaurant, at the urging of Sonja Hannington and Brad O’Brien, who tonight are backing 81-yearold jazz guitarist Piero Brovarone on flute and stand-up bass, respectively. “Piero is the most interesting musician in Bangor,” says Hannington, who plays saxophone as well as flute with many local musicians. O’Brien also seems to be everywhere; if you need a bass player; he’s your guy. Originally from Torino, Italy, Piero began playing piano by ear at the age of five. “My parents went out and hired a music teacher, and of course I stopped immediately,” he says. But he was drawn to jazz despite the Fascist regime’s hostility to all things American. “Mussolini secretly loved jazz, but in public, he had to be the tough guy against the Americans,” he recalls. Piero’s father owned black-market

feature story records by Glenn Miller and other jazz musicians, and he applied his musical acumen to learning the form. Mussolini had a son who became a jazz musician, and several years after the war, while still in Italy, Brovarone shared a stage with him. “He’s very old-school,” Hannington says. “He plays all the tunes by memory.” Brovarone came to the United States in 1961, in the early days of the space program, and earned a degree in astrophysics from Columbia University in New York. Upon graduation, he was hired by the Smithsonian Institute, which had a contract with NASA to track artificial satellites. He was eventually placed in charge of a program that monitored satellites from 12 different observations posts around the equator. Believing that Americans had “become blasé” after the moon landing, and in the wake of shrinking space budgets, Brovarone left the Smithsonian in 1972 and went to work for Depositor’s Trust, which became Key Bank. “I didn’t play jazz for 25 years,” he says. In the 1980s, he met a female vocalist who “stimulated me to pick up the guitar again and look

into jazz mechanisms.” He’s been performing ever since, regularly at Thistles for the past 10 years, and at other restaurants, weddings, and private parties around the state. He has a handful of guitar students, and he teaches three Italian courses at the University of Maine. “I’m very busy and very happy,” he says. Sonja Hannington has a degree in social work but now spends most of her time making music and homeschooling her kids. She is much in demand, playing with a number of jazz combos, a local Rolling Stones tribute band of mostly medical people called the Stone Doctors, and in musical productions including Annie at the Penobscot Theatre. Brad O’Brien is equally busy. He has a space at Main Street Music Studios, a musical co-op where he gives lessons and backs other musicians on recordings. He attended a high school in Rhode Island that offered courses in music theory and choral and stage performance. Though he’s had several careers, he now makes his living mostly from music, while working toward a degree in history at the University of Maine at Augusta.

Piero Brovarone is a regular at Thistles Restaurant.

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 29

feature story “As a bass player, you’re generally a side person; you’re never the show,” he says. “It becomes a utilitarian thing, to play in diverse styles. Learning new material quickly is a skill in itself.”

SATURDAY I wrap up the week at the Nocturnem Draft Haus with a craft beer and the vocal stylings of singer-songwriter Stesha Cano, backed by O’Brien on electric bass and Josh Small on guitar. Hannington sometimes sits in on saxophone with this group, affectionately called the Wicked Friggin’ Jerks. In small venues, Cano usually works without a drummer; her voice is more than big enough to fill the room. On this evening, they are joined by trombone player Jim Winters. The venue is cozy, with couches and tables and benches along the wall. Stesha establishes an easy rapport with the audience. Her music ranges from jazz to

classic rock to blues to funk, and she has released two CDs of original material: 2011’s Like A Bee, and last year’s Simple As Everything. Cano spent several months last winter in New Orleans, delving into that city’s famous music scene. When she returned, her singing had acquired a bluesy edge. Her songs, though tightly performed, carry the hint of improvisation. She’s fun to listen to. She’s performed at the Cool Sounds Summer Concert Series in Bangor, as a side act at the American Folk Festival, at art gallery openings, and all over the Ellsworth and Mount Desert Island area, where she grew up. Her longtime band Juicebox plays funk-based rock that appeals to younger, rowdier crowds. Making a living through music, she admits, can be challenging. “There’s no handbook. You wake up in the morning, send out 35 emails, and you’re lucky if

you hear back from two people.” Still, she says, there’s no place she would rather be than the Bangor area. “I love Maine, because you can still make a living here as an artist,” she says. “There are so many talented people around here, and it’s very collaborative. It’s important not to pigeonhole yourself doing one thing. You have to be willing to change your set to accommodate the venue.” Midway through Stesha Cano’s second set, a man named Zachary Bence gets up from one of the tables and installs himself at the bar’s upright piano. Band and singer seamlessly accommodate him as he begins to pick out a melody line. “It wasn’t like this when I moved back to Bangor 10 years ago,” he says later. “Back then, it was hard to find a place to play.” “I hear legends about the good old days,” Cano says. “But I feel lucky to be a part of what’s going on now. This place is a gem.”

Stesha Cano and the Wicked Friggin’ Jerks entertain at Nocturnem Draft Haus.

30 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Equipment for the Wicked Friggin’ Jerks at Nocturnem Draft Haus.

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 31

feature story

Changing Lives Through

Volunteering

Photo: Courtesy of Eastern Maine Medical Center

Volunteers at three area hospitals are changing lives as they donate their skills and time. By Tom Avila-beck

A Eastern Maine Medical Center volunteer Joanne Avila directs a visitor.

hospital is one of those places where, on a daily basis, lives are transformed. Babies are born and loved ones depart. Illnesses are identified and people defy the odds. Broken bones are set, tears are shed, and people discover courage they never knew they had. There are beautiful and lasting stories that play out every single day. Our region is fortunate to be home to a host of outstanding hospitals and medical centers. There are the sprawling campuses where cutting edge discoveries are being made; where new therapies and ways of working are being developed with an eye toward the www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 33

feature story future. There are also cozy historic buildings, where generations of family members have greeted or said farewell to the world, surrounded by walls as familiar as those in their own homes. And, in all of these settings and as all of these stories play out, there are the men and women who have dedicated their lives to the somewhat staggering number of occupations it takes to make a hospital run. There are, of course, the doctors, nurses, and technicians. But there are also the administrators, the cleaning crews, the people who clear snow from the parking lots, and the individuals working in the kitchens. There are also the volunteers, which is amazing when you stop and think about it. So many of us tick through our days wondering how we’ll get one kid to soccer practice and another to a piano lesson, how the groceries will be picked up, or the laundry will get done. When will there be time to rake the lawn and get the gutters cleaned out? It is not without a little wonder that we may think about those folks who find the time in their own busy lives to make our hospital experiences a little more inviting, a bit more comfortable. As it turns out, while it certainly takes a bit of time and dedication, most hospital volunteers will quickly say that the rewards make it all worthwhile. In fact, some can’t imagine not taking the time to be part of these fantastic, lifechanging places.

Eastern Maine Medical Center student volunteers Emma Hennessey and Mary Estes.

34 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Often, when we think about hospital volunteers, our minds rush to a freshfaced teenage girl in the traditional red and white candy striper uniform. It’s not surprising really, as the candy striper has been part of our common vocabulary for some 70 years. The first group of volunteers, members of a high school civics class project wearing uniforms they had sewn themselves, hit the floors of East Orange General Hospital in New Jersey in 1944. At the time, hospitals were a very different place, and photos can be found of candy stripers pushing carts full of candy and magazines, and yes, cigarettes that were available for patients and visitors to purchase. A lot has changed since that group of

Photos: Courtesy of Eastern Maine Medical Center

The Volunteer Coordinator: Eastern Maine Medical Center

Eastern Maine Medical Center volunteers Hannah Allen and Carolyn Thompson.

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Photo: Courtesy of Eastern Maine Medical Center

Eastern Maine Medical Center volunteer Sue Garson delivers flowers to a patient.

girls arrived at East Orange. Martha Wildman is the director of Volunteer Services at Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMMC), a position she’s held for eight years. “We have a huge variety of people volunteering here,” she says. “In the summer, we have the people who used to be called candy stripers, we call them student volunteers now, but during the rest of the year we have retirees who do a number of things for us. We have college students who volunteer for a semester or two so they can have the experience of being in a hospital setting. We have people who are out of work for some reason who come in and volunteer. It’s the whole gamut of ages and people from different walks of life.” The program at EMMC is impressive, with more than 350 volunteers donating some 40,000 hours of service during last year alone. Volunteers range in age from 14-year-old students, coming from 15 area high schools, to a 94-year-old volunteer who does mail delivery for patients two days a week. Three of the hospital’s volunteers have given more than 40 years of continuous service, while another 18 have donated more than 20 years. Volunteers stay busy, helping the patients and giving the professional staff time to focus on their own jobs. “They may do that by helping to direct patients to their departments, delivering mail, or delivering flowers,” says Wildman. “We have some volunteers who do more specific roles with patients, providing support during their illness. We have some who give Reiki sessions to patients who ask. We have volunteers who do clerical work because they prefer to be behind the scenes.” So, how did all those volunteers get started? “When volunteers come on board there is an application process,” says Wildman. “There’s an interview so we can sort out what they are interested in doing, to determine what their skills might be, and what placements are available. There’s a two-hour orientation, a health screen, and a background check. We also check references. And then, when they go to their department, there is an orientation and, depending on the department, there may be further training to go through.” In other words, one shouldn’t walk

feature story in expecting to be helping patients to their appointments that afternoon. “Hospitals are a very regulated environment and people should understand that,� Wildman says. “Depending on the orientation and interview, it usually takes about two weeks to a month to have someone ready. Because of that process, we usually ask volunteers to commit to six months of volunteering or 100 hours of service.� Which is why it’s so important to Wildman, and others in charge of helping to place volunteers, that folks think not just about what they hope to give, but what they might like to get back from their experience. “That’s what helps me make sure that there is a good placement for them,� says Wildman. “I can help them think about it but it’s great when a volunteer has thought it through before they come. I really, really enjoy when I can connect someone to a position that works for them. That’s exciting because it means they’ll bring great energy to the hospital. That’s my favorite thing.�

The Volunteer: Pen Bay Medical Center It was 1901, more than a quarter century before the discovery of penicillin, when a group of nine physicians spent $3,000

Bay is JR. Guimond. In describing Guimond, Pen Bay’s director of Volunteer Services and gift shop manager Judi Trenholm immediately mention his kindness and compassion as part of

“I really enjoy when I can connect someone to a position that works for them. That’s exciting because it means they’ll bring great energy to the hospital.“ –Martha Wildman to purchase a Rockland house that they would transform into a hospital for the region. Little could the men have expected that their 11-bed facility would grow to become Pen Bay Healthcare, a vast network of resources that includes some 100 physicians and 1,500 health care professionals. Pen Bay Medical Center is now the largest community hospital in the Midcoast, carrying on a more than century long tradition of care. Among those volunteering at Pen

what makes the hospital so fortunate to have him as part of their team. Listening to Guimond describe his own experiences at the hospital, you quickly realize that the feeling of gratitude is very much returned. “I spent years with a chronic illness where I was stuck in bed usually four or five times a week,� Guimond explains. “Then, I had an operation that really gave me my life back. I thought, ‘I’m going to give back and I’m going to volunteer.’� Since he started volunteering at Pen

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feature story volunteer. His manner is quiet but friendly, the kind of person who says the most profound things in the simplest way possible. If there’s a pause in the conversation, it’s because he’s given you something kind of astounding to consider. “One of the things that I try to teach my kids is that there are two things you can be in this world—a positive or a negative. You want to go toward being a positive. Being a volunteer at the hospital, you’re able to do that positive in

It’s not likely anyone considered that any of those charter members of the hospital’s volunteer program, a group that grew directly from that first crew of tour guides, would still be donating their time nearly four decades later. But, for 37 years, Hersey has been part of the team, and she shows little intention of slowing down. “People tell me they can’t believe I’m 90,” she says. “One guy was sitting at the front desk when I came in and he said,

Ninety-year-old Ethel Hersey has been volunteering at Mayo Regional Hospital for 37 years.

Bay Medical Center in January of 2012, Guimond has donated more than 1,100 hours of service to the hospital. During the two or three days a week he spends at Pen Bay, Guimond can be found making sure the hospital’s 17 waiting rooms are supplied with fresh magazines and brochures. He’s reached out to magazine companies for donations, ensuring that hospital visitors and patients waiting for procedures have a means of passing the time. With cold and flu season arriving, he also makes certain the various sanitation stations are stocked with masks, tissues, and hand sanitizer. “I volunteer for the PREP department as well,” Guimond says. “They see you before surgery. I get the paperwork ready for the doctors and physician assistants and nurses. I try to get it all together so that the people working in the clinical positions can focus on the patients and aren’t fumbling with papers.” Guimond also fills in at the gift shop when the need arises. “I enjoy doing that very much, because you see the people who just had a baby or are browsing because they are visiting a patient. They want to see a friendly face.” Speaking with Guimond, it becomes clear how well suited he is to the role of 38 / Bangor Metro November 2014

an even greater way,” he says. “Sometimes I escort patients and visitors, not just tell them where to go but take them there. They’re here and they’re afraid, or worried, or confused, and to give them some caring at that time is a great thing to do in your life. Hopefully that will carry on, and they will offer some care to other people.” Guimond says that when he started volunteering he knew he wanted to give. “But I had no idea how much it was going to give back. Even if you contribute just three or four hours a week, in those few hours you’re going to make a big difference in a lot of people’s lives.”

The Charter Member: Mayo Regional Hospital Dover-Foxcroft’s Mayo Regional Hospital traces its roots to a former residence as well, this one the home of Col. Edward J. Mayo. Its history is one of growth and expansion. It was 1974, 40 years after Col. Mayo first willed his home to become Mayo Memorial Hospital, when voters in the region approved the creation of the hospital. Ground was broken for the expanded acute care facility just two years later. Not long after that, Ethel Hersey arrived for her first volunteer assignment. “Well, they had built a new hospital and were going to have an open house,” Hersey remembers. “They asked if I’d like to show people around and I did. And then I just kept on going. I’m still doing it. I love it.”

‘Don’t you tell me you’re 90 the way you run across the floors,’” Hersey says and laughs. “I don’t run. I just walk fast.” The hospital isn’t her only volunteer work in the community. Hersey gives time to her church and the American Legion, and until recently, the Center Theatre, but she clearly feels an affinity for Mayo. “Right now, I’m only there on Wednesdays, but when they raise money for different things or anything like that, I’ll work on it. If they call me, I’m right there.” She arrives early on the days she volunteers, and isn’t afraid to pitch in where her help is needed. “When I started out I did the supper trays, taking supper up, making out the slip of paper for what people ate, and how much they ate, and everything. I did that almost every night,” she says. “Now I train all the new volunteers. I take them around to each office, explain what they can do, and what they aren’t allowed to do. We usually do that about three times but, if they’re not sure, we’ll do it again.” Hersey is easy to talk to, laughing a very contagious laugh and putting you instantly at ease. It’s a generosity of spirit that makes you hope, should you end up needing to spend some time at Mayo, you’ll do so on a day when Hersey is working. If that turns out to be the case, she’ll be ready. “I just love seeing people and talking to them,” says Hersey. “You just try to put a smile on their face. To me that’s very rewarding.”

Photo: Courtesy of mayo regional hospital

“I just love seeing people and talking to them. You just try to put a smile on their face. To me that’s very rewarding.“ –Ethel Hersey

Photo: Courtesy of Pen bay medical center

JR. Guimond began volunteering at Pen Bay Medical Center in 2012, and has donated more than 1,100 hours of service to the hospital. www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 39

a piece of maine: newport

The Hub and Heart

of Sebasticook

By Carol Higgins Taylor

40 / Bangor Metro November 2014

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ike many towns in Maine that line the I-95 corridor, Newport is a rest stop for weary travelers, offering food and lodging. But this community offers so much more than that. Along with the fast-food chains that dot the immediate strip off Exit 159, Newport also boasts a vibrant downtown with quaint shops, services, business offices, and a cultural center, which is a combination of the community library and museum. Newport is steeped in historical pride as the town celebrated its bicen-

Photo: Becky Steinnes

Newport considers itself situated in the middle of all things Maine because it is located at the intersections of all the region’s major highways. The old Maine saying of “You can’t get there from here,” doesn’t apply to Newport.

Photos: courtesy of the Newport Cultural Center

The view driving into downtown Newport.

tennial in July. A photo history book was compiled that features 127 pages of vintage images of Newport, some dating back more than 125 years. This unique tribute to the town outlines its history, its people, and Lake Sebasticook. The book is part of Arcadia’s Images of America series, and its sales benefit historic preservation at the Newport Cultural Center. The Center is the base of operations for the Newport Recreational Department that ensures community members have recreational and educational opportunities suitable for all ages. Along with industry and cultural history, the educational system is an important component to the town and is a source of pride given the fact that Newport is the flagship community for the six-town school district of Regional School Unit 19, formerly called SAD 48.

Top: Newport’s Main Street is decorated for the 1914 Centennial. Middle: Gentleman gather outside Hanson’s Hardware, which opened in 1900 on Main Street. Bottom: A view of Water Street, Newport in 1914. www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 41

a piece of maine: newport

Sebasticook Lake offers four seasons of recreational opportunities. 42 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Newport has dedicated itself to building on its commercial and environmental assets in the hopes of attracting new residents, businesses, and industry to help preserve all that it has to offer.

Photos: (opposite) Becky Steinnes; (this page) courtesy of the Newport Cultural Center

History In 1792, 23,000 acres of land, called East Pond Plantation, was surveyed by Ephriam Ballard and Samuel Weston. Three years later, the land was sold to John Hubbard of Readfield, becoming a township, which was sold to David Greene of Boston, in 1880 for $5,635. Prior to 1800, trappers were said to spend much of the season in the area because the township offered good hunting and fishing possibilities. It was in 1804 that the first permanent, year-round residents, Deacon John Ireland, his wife Sarah, son Daniel, and his brother Joseph, settled in the township. During the early days the settlers had some concerns over the Native Americans, who had undoubtedly occupied the land for centuries. The settlers’ concerns about safety were unnecessary, as the Native Americans were only interested in fishing and trapping. The Natives had a water highway between two great rivers, the Penobscot and Kennebec. Because of their portage on Great East Pond, now known as Lake Sebasticook, the spot became known as New Port, later becoming Newport. The area continued to grow, and in June 1814 was officially incorporated. By 1830, the center of town consisted of a tannery, a grist and saw mill, a carding mill, a wagon maker, a village smith, and a potash plant. The 1840 census reports the population had grown to 1,138. Businesses and industries were established, such as the manufacturing of carriages, sleighs, and pumps by Thomas Dexter. But Newport was plagued by more than a dozen fires between 1847 and 1868, causing the destruction of businesses and homes. Finally, in 1886, the Newport Fire Department was established. In 1880, new industries sprung up in Newport, including a marble, granite, and slate works and a boot and shoe maker. Six years later, the Maine Central Railroad connected to Newport and made it the terminus for its Dexter and Newport Railway. By the 1900s, there were several large dairy farms, including H.P. Hood and

Sons, established in 1946. Their Newport plant was the largest Hood plant in New England. The town was also home to woolen mills, a veneer mill, and two carriage makers. The Newport Public Library was founded and incorporated in 1899 as the Newport Free Public Library Association.

1964, there was a dedicated room in the basement of the new library specifically for historical displays.

Economic Development Newport is a small town with one traffic light. But, according to town manager, James Ricker, that light is a hub.

Newport has dedicated itself to attracting new residents, businesses, and industry to help preserve all that it has to offer. Members paid a dollar each, and the funds raised were used to purchase books. The Newport Woman’s Club decided to form a historical society for the town and by Newport’s 150th birthday in

“The business community has built along that red light,” Ricker says. “In 2014, several new businesses have opened, so it has been a year of economic growth. The town has enjoyed a very diverse tax Spectators gather outside the Bank Building on Main and Water Streets waiting for the Bicentennial Parade.

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 43

This photo: Crossroads Beverage is a new addition to Newport’s business community. Below: Vic Firth Company is the leading manufacturer of drumsticks and mallets.

stats Incorporation Date: June 1814

Median age: 42.6 years

Population: 3,012

Schools: • Nokomis Regional High School • Sebasticook Valley Middle School • Newport-Plymouth Elementary School

Population Density: 111 per square mile Total Square Miles: 36.97 square miles Land Square Miles: 29.50 square miles Water Square Miles: 7.47 square miles 44 / Bangor Metro November 2014

base between residential and business.” Ricker’s philosophy of customer service when it comes to business looking to set up shop in Newport is likely one of the reasons for Newport’s success in business growth. “We not only profess to be business friendly, we are business friendly,” he says. Sometimes government is painted with a broad brush of “bad manners and bureaucracy” but in Newport he and his office work to change that attitude. “What makes me so proud is when a lot of outside developers come into the town office and thank my staff and me because we went the extra distance as they try to open their businesses,” Ricker says. His team supports and helps the developers navigate the rules, regulations, and code requirements instead of the impersonal tactic of just handing the business owner a rule book and a hearty “good luck.” “The bottom line is that we are in the customer service business and if you want to do business in Newport, or are looking to invest in Newport, this office is going to help you,” he says. While some businesses, such as farming and manufacturing, have dwindled over the years, others have stayed the course. “I am very proud of Vic Firth,” Ricker says. “They go the extra mile. They create jobs, good jobs, with benefits. It’s the type of a job that has dependability where the employee can support a family. We are thankful for them.” The Vic Firth Company is the leading manufacturer of drumsticks and mallets in the world. It was a company born out of necessity in 1963 when Vic Firth, a musician with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, desired high-quality drumsticks for the pieces he was performing. Unable to locate these topof-the-line drumsticks, he set about manufacturing them himself. He initially made them for his own personal use, but soon word spread and a company was born. Today, there are more than 100 employees making 80,000-90,000 drumsticks a day. Crossroads Beverage, owned by the Mihan Family Beverage Group that also owns Bangor Wine and Cheese, is a brand new addition to Newport’s business community. The “red light hub” as Ricker calls it, strikes again. “The traffic light is a known entity

Photos: (top) courtesy of Crossroads beverage; (Bottom) Courtesy of vic firth

a piece of maine: newport

and the DOT [Department of Transportation] numbers are through the roof for the amount of traffic through that intersection,” says Eric Mihan, owner of Crossroads Beverage. The crossroads intersection was instrumental in the name choice for the new beverage store located on Main Street. Customers will find an impressive 20 door walk-in beer cave, a craft beer well, a large selection of wines in a variety of price ranges, a tasting bar of Fiore artisan olive oils and vinegars, assorted cheeses, and frozen specialty foods. “Newport is underserved in a lot of ways,” Mihan says. “It’s a bedroom community of larger cities, but has several communities itself.” Mihan opened his shop in Newport to serve these diverse communities, including the outdoorsmen, residents, and commuters driving through on their way elsewhere.

The Sebasticook Valley Chamber of Commerce is an integral part of the business community in Newport. The Chamber holds an annual event, Sparkle, in the fall, which is a collaborative effort between the chamber and nonprofit organizations from the towns it serves. The nonprofit agencies benefit from the net proceeds of Sparkle in a big way. Over the past eight years, more than $110,000 has been distributed to participating organizations, with each one receiving up to $1,700 annually. “It is the vision of the chamber that by working together in a concentrated effort the annual Sparkle fundraiser will enhance each of the organizations and their efforts in a significant and meaningful way,” says Nicole Robinson, executive director of the Sebasticook Valley Chamber of Commerce. “As one small town charity put it, ‘That’s a lot

of bean suppers,’ all wrapped into one event with a significant payoff.”

Nature and Culture Sebasticook Lake is 4,288 acres in size and offers four seasons of recreational opportunities including fishing, boating, swimming, and winter pursuits of snowmobiling and sled dog racing. The wetlands around Sebasticook Lake and its tributaries are also recognized as a prime area for bird and waterfowl sightings. Both the lake and its shores provide habitats for several wildlife species, such as sea run elwives, smelts, smallmouth bass, white perch, black crappie, and many bird species. The lake is easily accessible, and more than 17,000 people reside within a 10-mile radius of the lake. Newport is seeing more people move into town and there is a genuine feeling

Photo: Becky Steinnes

With a business friendly attitude, downtown Newport is growing and thriving.

Downtown Houlton www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 45

a piece of maine: newport

of community between them. Young families are finding the area to be a good environment to raise children, and retirees are either returning, having left to pursue careers, or are moving to town for the first time to enjoy their golden years. “What’s really great is that we have the young people getting involved in the town and the older folks moving back and bringing with them a wealth of knowledge and rich life experiences,” Ricker says. “It’s a well-rounded community.” Newport’s public library and historical society merged in 2006 to form the Newport Cultural Center, a venture made possible by private donations, grants and a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan. “The historical society needed more space and there was a real need to extend the library,” says Becky Steinnes, director of the Newport Culture Center. Located prominently on Main Street, the building’s design echoes the architecture of the previous structure on the site, part of a historic retail block that 46 / Bangor Metro November 2014

was destroyed by fire in 1991. “The response to the center from the town has been really good and is steadily growing,” says Steinnes. “The computer stations are busy all day and the big comfortable sitting area is filled with people reading.” The mission of the Newport Cultural Center is to inspire lifelong learning and creativity, strengthen the community, and preserve its heritage. The center offers something for everyone under one roof, from the well-stocked children’s reading area and arts and crafts room to a vault for vital public records. There is a climate-controlled area to preserve the library’s collection of historically valuable objects, such as their collection of fishing weirs. These artifacts are a series of stakes used by ancient Native American fishermen to herd fish into a cluster for easy capture. Discovered in 1992, the stakes are thought to date back 5,800 years. Newport celebrated its bicentennial in July with a week of activities, including

the opening of a time capsule from 1914. Sealed in a tin box was a ledger signed by all the attendees of the 1914 centennial, which, according to Steinnes, helped 2014 residents find ancestors. There were badges of police and fire departments and a silent movie made about the town in 1936 by a filmmaker known as the Movie Queen. She earned a living by traveling to towns, making docu-dramas with locals, then returning to the towns when the movie was completed, and charging admission for the showing. A new time capsule, to be opened in 2114, was buried during the recent ceremony. Contents include a letter to Newport the residents of 2114, a magazine, and a commemorative coin set of the bicentennial. “Newport is a strong, friendly community,” Steinnes says. She has lived in town for eight years, having previously lived in other states, and, like Ricker, finds everyone helpful to one another as they come together as a community.

Photo: Becky Steinnes

Inside the Newport Cultural Center’s 200 years of Newport History exhibit.

college sports

A Fort Fairfield boy is signed to the UMPI men’s basketball team. By Rachel Rice

48 / Bangor Metro November 2014

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ast year, the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) men’s basketball program experienced an exciting first—it signed 13year-old Nick Krause to the team. And though Krause isn’t as tall as most of the recruits, with his courage and love of the game, he’s been a true inspiration. Krause, who hails from Fort Fairfield, was able to join the team through a program called Team IMPACT (Inspire, Motivate, and Play Against Challenges Together). The national service organization matches youngsters who have debilitating or life-threatening illnesses with college sports teams. Krause has epilepsy

and has endured the effects of seizures and severe memory loss for the past four years. Being signed to the Owls team and serving as one of its members, however, has given Krause confidence, camaraderie, and an activity he really looks forward to doing throughout the winter. During his first season with the team, Krause was on hand for practices, was one of the team’s loudest cheerers during games, and he and his family had the opportunity to hang out and connect with the Owl student-athletes. The Owl men’s basketball team is looking forward to working with Krause again during the 2014-2015 basketball season.

Photos: courtesy of umpi; (basketball) vjotov/thinkstock.com

An Inspiring Owl

Nick Krause eyes the basket in UMPI’s Wieden Gymnasium after being signed by the UMPI men’s basketball program last December. Pictured with him are a member of the UMPI Owls team and his brother Thomas.

Nick Krause officially became a part of the UMPI Men’s Basketball Program on December 10, 2013, during a special signing ceremony. The then 13-year-old has been an inspirational addition to the team. Pictured with him are his brother Thomas and mother Teri.

“Nick is as much a part of our basketball family as the starting point guard,” says Mike Holmes, UMPI assistant athletic director and men’s basketball coach. “He provides our players a level of inspiration whenever he is around. We are privileged to have Nick joining us again for the 2014-15 season.” Team IMPACT is the brainchild of several close friends, most of whom attended Tufts University together, including Dan Kraft, son of Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and Jay Calnan, who provides office space for the organization at his Quincy, Massachusetts-based business. The group decided it wanted

to take the traditional model of a mentoring program to a new level, according to Dan Walsh, Tufts class of ‘87, who has served as Team IMPACT’s executive director. “The concept itself has been around forever,” Walsh says. Team IMPACT references at least a half-dozen other programs. Among the oldest is Picking Up Butch at Middlebury College. “It’s a really simple concept, really powerful. Everybody wins.” The friends from Tufts provided

the money to start Team IMPACT, and launched the program with the St. Anselm’s College hockey team in Manchester, New Hampshire in 2011. Today, Walsh estimates that Team IMPACT oversees partnerships in 37 states nationwide, with roughly 1,200 children participating. The Owls basketball team couldn’t be happier to be one of Team IMPACT’s many partners, and to welcome Krause into the fold. And while the goal is for Krause to have an amazing experience, it turns out the team is getting something out of it, too—a chance to work with someone who has a lot of heart and courage and is a shining example of what a teammate should be.

STATS

Umpi owls Men’s Basketball team TEAM: University of Maine at Presque Isle Men’s Basketball // Owls NEW HEAD COACH: Mike Holmes 2013-2014 STATS UNDER FORMER COACH JIM CASCIANO: 8-14

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 49

metro sports

Going for

Gold

Emily Tenney plans ahead. She knows where she will be in 2020 and just what she will be doing. By Shelley Farrington

T

50 / Bangor Metro November 2014

“Having my name called for first place was really exciting and having my friend Izzy beside me on the podium as she finished fourth overall was really cool,” Emily recalled. “It was neat to see two of us from the Old Town/Orono YMCA on the national’s podium!” Traci says that her daughter has loved gymnastics since taking a trip to a gymnastics class in Bangor with her Daisy Girl Scout Troop. She began swinging

to trainings led her to asking her parents if she could attend famed Olympic Coach Bela Karoli’s gymnastic camp in Texas. “My number one motivation is the Olympics and watching Gabby Douglas,” Tenney says. “She inspired me to keep working hard and never give up on something I love. I keep going back again and again, getting better each time with the feedback my coaches give me, and my overall goal is the 2020 Olympics.”

“My number one motivation is the Olympics and watching Gabby Douglas.” —Emily Tenney on the bars and running around on the other apparatuses. Someone suggested that Traci enroll her in gymnastics, and the rest is history. It’s no coincidence that Tenney’s highest score was in the floor exercise as that is her favorite event. “It’s where I get to do my tumbling and show everyone the skills I have learned,” she says. Since she began competing at age 8, Traci says a strong but healthy competition has developed with girls from rival Waterville. It’s something that fuels Tenney and keeps her striving to be the best but also gives Traci a chance to reiterate her mantra of “do your best and have fun.” Tenney’s dreams and her commitment

Traci knows she must balance support for her daughter’s desire to be the best with realistic expectations in the cutthroat world of women’s gymnastics, but admits she loves to watch her daughter compete and wonders how far she can go. She seems to already have the single focus every Olympic champ needs. “In her first year [of competition] she had a stuffed animal that she used to pin all the ribbons that she won on,” Traci says. “Blue ribbons for first place, red ribbons for second, white ribbons for third. Now she asks me if she can throw out the white ones because she doesn’t like what they stand for. I won’t let her because she earned them but her favorite color is blue.”

Photo: jeff graziano

he year 2020 seems far away to most of us but it fits quite nicely into Emily Tenney’s schedule. The 10-year-old from Old Town is preparing to fulfill her dream of being a U.S. Olympic Gymnast on the team that takes the floor at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan. Tenney, who has been competing with the Old Town/Orono YMCA for two years and training there since she was 4, took a great step toward that goal as she captured her first national championship this July in Florida. “She really peaked at the right time,” says Traci Tenney, Emily’s mom and number one cheerleader. Emily’s dad, Alan, not only keeps track of his daughter’s scores with a smartphone app, but he also watches the scores of her closest competition. Team Tenney is a family affair. With both Traci and Alan’s phones blowing up with texts and calls during the national competition, Tenney went onto finish first in the floor exercise with a 9.45; first in the bars with a 9.10; second in the vault with a 9.25; and ninth on the beam (she fell once) with a score of 8.725. Her overall score of 36.525 gave her first place and the national championship for her age group. “We were so excited taking pictures and texting,” Traci says, “everyone wanted to know how Emily was doing and what happened. It was wonderful and another girl from Old Town also finished fourth, so it was fun being able to celebrate with everyone.” The “other girl” is Tenney’s friend Izzy Pomarico, and having her friend competing with her and sharing the podium in Florida was special.

what’s happening

november

Photos: (Top) Mike reyna; (right) Jenny Nelson, courtesy Maine Harvest Festival

November 9 The Capitol Steps/ Rockland

November 8 & 9 Maine Harvest Festival/Bangor

Maine Harvest Festival Bangor • November 8 & 9 Celebrate farm fresh at this wonderful annual event. Sample goods from renowned local chefs and over 100 Maine growers, bakers, cheese artisans, vinters, brewers, and more. Don’t miss the live demonstrations and educational presentations. The Capitol Steps Rockland • November 9 This Washington, D.C.–based comedy troupe, which began as a group of Senate staffers, presents a show based on songs from their current album, How to Succeed in Congress Without Really Lying. This troupe has been a Washington, D.C. institution for over 30 years, providing a unique blend of musical and political comedy. www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 51

Events

Theater

November 1 Met Live: Bizet’s Carmen Collins Center for the Arts, Orono The Strand, Rockland Richard Eyre’s mesmerizing production of Bizet’s steamy melodrama returns with mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili singing her signature role of the ill-fated gypsy temptress. 12:55 pm. 581-1755 www.collinscenterforthearts.com 594-0070 • www.rocklandstrand.com November 1 Take Pride in Acadia Day Acadia National Park Bring gloves, a rake, water, your family and friends, and prepare the park for winter. A free lunch follows the morning’s work. Registration is required. 8 am–1 pm. 288-3340 • www.friendsofacadia.com November 1 Monty Python’s Spamalot The Grand, Ellsworth This performance is community theater at it’s best. Don’t miss this funny

Music rendition of a hilarious show. Sat. 7:30 pm; Sun. 2 pm. $20 adults; $15 students ages 13–17; $10 youth ages 10 and under. 667-9500 • www.grandonline.org November 1 Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons Cross Insurance Center, Bangor Thanks to the volcanic success of the Tony-winning musical Jersey Boys, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons are in the spotlight again. Don’t miss this unforgettable stroll down memory lane. Presented by Waterfront Concerts. 7:30 pm. $43.75–$73.75. www.crossinsurancecenter.com November 1 R-Rated Hypnotist Show Spectacular Event Center, Bangor Frank Santos Jr. will turn your friends into rock stars, ballerinas, and many other things during this hilarious show. Ticket includes appetizers. Doors at 7 pm; show at 8 pm. $20. 941-8700 www.spectaculareventcenter.com November 1 & 2 The Mystery of Irma Vep: A Penny Dreadfull Bangor Opera House Complete with vampires, werewolves, mummies, and damsels in distress, this side-splitting spoof evokes horror movies, classic literature, Victorian melodrama, and more. www.penobscottheatre.org November 1 & 2 Annual Arts & Crafts Show Cross Insurance Center, Bangor Start your holiday shopping early this year and give the gift of something made in Maine. Sat. 9 am–4 pm; Sun. 10 am–3 pm. $2. www.unitedmainecraftsmen.com November 5 The Nite Show with Danny Cashman The Gracie Theatre, Bangor Maine’s only late night talk show tapes before a live studio audience. Watch the taping in person and then watch it on WABI/Bangor, FOX8/Presque Isle, or FOX23/Portland on Saturday nights. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance. Ages 16 and older. www.theniteshowmaine.com

52 / Bangor Metro November 2014

November 5 Appe-teasers for Holiday Entertaining Tenants Harbor Bruce and Alicia Hammat host this Georges River Land Trust event. A variety of scrumptious appetizers prepared by local chefs will be on the menu. $5:30 pm. $35 members; $45 nonmembers. 594-5166 • www.georgesriver.org November 6 NT Live: Skylight The Strand, Rockland Bill Nighy and Carey Mulligan feature the highly-anticipated production of David Hare’s Skylight, directed by Stephen Daldry. Broadcast live from the West End by National Theatre Live. 2 & 7 pm. $23 adults; $15 youth ages 18 and younger. 594-0070 • www.rocklandstrand.com November 7 20th Annual Early Bird Sale & Bed Races Bar Harbor Set you alarm early, because the early bird gets the deals as you shop in your pajamas for extra discounts in downtown Bar Harbor. Sale hours are 6–9 am. The bed and pajama parade begins at the Village Green at 10 am with the bed races immediately following on Cottage Street. www.barharborinfo.com November 7–9 & 14–16 Last of the Boys Eastport Arts Center Stage East is sponsoring The Magnificant Liars production of Last of the Boys by Steven Diets. The play is directed by Lou Esposito and produced by Anne Moody. The cast includes Scott Sortman, Michael Moody, Lauren Simpson, Ellie Budzko, and Ryan French. Fri. and Sat. 7 pm; Sun. 3 pm. $12 adult; free for youth under 18 and veterans. 853-4650 www.eastportartscenter.com November 8 Trekkers 4th Annual Auction Owls Head Transportation Museum This year’s event, “Bid Big, Laugh Loud” features auctioneer and comedian Bucky Lewis. All proceeds benefit Trekkers students. The evening will

include a live and silent auction, a dessert buffet, and the Bucky Lewis Show. 5:45–8:30 pm. $5. www.owlshead.org November 8 & 9 Maine Harvest Festival Cross Insurance Center, Bangor Celebrate farm fresh at this wonderful annual event. Sample goods from renowned local chefs and over 100 Maine growers, bakers, cheese artisans, vinters, brewers, and more. Don’t miss the live demonstrations and educational presentations. Sat. 10 am–6 pm; Sun. 10 am–4 pm. $7; free for kids ages 12 and under. www.maineharvestfestival.com November 8 & 9 Ghost Brothers of Darkland County Collins Center for the Arts, Orono This southern gothic, supernatural musical was written by Stephen King and will be performed by an ensemble cast of actors and musicians. Sat. 8 pm; Sun. 2 pm. $39, $59, and $79. 581-1755 www.collinscenterforthearts.com November 9 The Capitol Steps The Strand, Rockland This Washington, D.C.–based comedy troupe, which began as a group of Senate staffers, presents a show based on songs from their current album, “How to Succeed in Congress Without Really Lying.” This troupe has been a Washington, D.C. institution for over 30 years, providing a unique blend of musical and political comedy. 7:30 pm. $40 in advance; $45 day of show. 594-0070 • www.rocklandstrand.com November 13–15 Juice Conference 4.0 The Strand, Rockland Maine’s creative economy conference draws industry leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, innovators, and policy makers from across New England. The theme of this year’s conference is Imagining Trust. This event is produced by Midcoast Magnet. www.juiceconference.org November 14 Comedy Show Spectacular Event Center, Bangor

Steve Scarfo and Jay Grove take the stage for a night full of laughs. Tickets include appetizers. 8:30 pm. $15. 941-8700 www.spectaculareventcenter.com November 15 Mind Body Spirit Festival University of Maine Hutchinson Center, Belfast Enjoy this festival of holistic health practitioners, readings from psychics and mediums, gems, aura readings, workshops, and more. Portions of the proceeds benefit the Habitat for Humanity of Waldo County. 10 am–4 pm. $5. www.mindbodyspiritfestival.org November 15 Maine Discovery Museum Annual Gala Art Auction Hilton Garden Inn, Bangor This event features 70 fabulous oneof-a-kind artworks in various media. Proceeds support the museum’s mission to provide a fun, hands-on place where art, science, and nature come alive. Preview, cash bar, and silent auction begins at 5 pm, followed by dinner at 6:30 pm, and a live auction at 8 pm. $50. 262-7200 www.mainediscoverymuseum.org November 15 & 16 The Gifted Hand Fine Art, Craft, and Gift Show Atlantic Oceanside Hotel and Event Center, Bar Harbor Ellsworth’s premier winter craft show will feature over 65 locally and nationally recognized artisans. Sat. 10 am­­–5 pm; Sun. 10 am–4 pm. $3; free for children 12 and under. 664-2404 • www.giftedhandshow.com November 18 Dancing Pros Live! Hosted by Alan Thicke Collins Center for the Arts, Orono The world’s finest dancers battle it out live on stage and the audience decides the best dance couple. This is an unforgettable live competition show created by Edyta Sliwinska and Alec Mazo from Dancing With the Stars. 7 pm. $38–$78. 581-1755 www.collinscenterforthearts.com

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Events

Theater

Music

November 19 Belfast Area Chamber Business After Hours Shrine Club, Northport Avenue, Belfast This after hours event is hosted by Rollies and the Shrine Club. 5–7 pm. 338-5900 • www.belfastmaine.org

and The Ballroom Thieves joined by special guest the Maine Youth Rock Orchestra. 8 pm. $18 in advance; $23 day of show. 594-0070 • www.rocklandstrand.com

November 22 Met Opera Live: The Barber of Seville The Strand, Rockland The Met’s production of Rossini’s classic comedy features some of the most instantly recognizable melodies in all of opera. Michele Mariotti conducts the vivid and tuneful score. Broadcast live from New York City. 1 pm. $27 adults; $15 youth ages 18 and younger. 594-0070 • www.rocklandstrand.com November 22 Hollerfest 2 The Strand, Rockland This live musical show features Darlingside, The Ghost of Paul Reverse,

November 23 BSO: Classical Kings Collins Center for the Arts, Orono Mozart and Beethoven, kings of the classical era, face off in this concert featuring pianist Daniel Shapiro. Conducted by Lucas Richman. 3 pm. $19–$45. 581-1755 www.collinscenterforthearts.com November 24–26 Rotary Auction Watson Hall, Houlton The Rotary Auction is in its 29th year and better than ever, with items donated by area individuals and businesses. Proceeds benefit area nonprofits. Auction is held live at Watson Hall and streamed live through

WHOU. 6–10 pm. www.greaterhoulton.com November 27 Piscataquis Regional YMCA Turkey Trot 5K Run & Walk Dover-Foxcroft Start your Thanksgiving Day off on the right foot. Male and female winners will receive a homemade pie. 8:30 am. $8 adults; free for kids. 564-7111 • www.prymca.org November 28 Crooked Still The Strand, Rockland For the first time since 2014, alternative bluegrass band Crooked Still will reunite for a very special show in Maine. 7:30 pm. $20 in advance; $23 day of show. 594-0070 • www.rocklandstrand.com November 28 & 29 Christmas Craft Fair Gentile Memorial Building, Houlton This craft fair is so popular that there is

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a waiting list for table rental. It’s a great place to stock up on locally produced items such as jewelry, handmade soap, lotions, wooden toys, and more. 9 am–5 pm. www.greaterhoulton.com November 28–30 40th Annual Thanksgiving Arts & Crafts Show Brewer Auditorium Make it a Maine-made holiday by shopping locally and giving the gift of quality. Fri. 10 am–4 pm; Sat. 9 am–4 pm; Sun. 10 am–3 pm. $2. www.unitedmainecraftsmen.com November 29 Holiday Light Parade Houlton The theme of this year’s parade is Home for the Holidays. The parade begins at Andy’s IGA parking lot, proceeds down Route 1 toward town, up through Market

Music Square, and ends at the community Christmas tree. Children have the opportunity to visit with Santa. 6 pm. www.greaterhoulton.com November 29 Annual Turkey Trot 5K Caribou High School This fun, annual event starts at 10 am, registration begins at 9 am. Work off that Thanksgiving meal with your friends and family. www.pichamber.com

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November 29 & 30 Annual Arts and Craft Fair University of Maine at Fort Kent This annual event is held in the UMFK gymnasium and always has a great turn out. Get a jump on your holiday shopping. 834-5354 www.fortkentchamber.com

Simply click Events Add an event and follow the instructions. Deadline for December events: October 31

museums Aroostook County

New Sweden Historical Society & Museum www.maineswedishcolony.info Oakfield Railroad Museum www.oakfieldmuseum.org Northern Maine Museum of Science/UMaine Presque Isle www.umpi.edu St. Agatha Historical Society & House 543-6911 St. Francis Historical Society Museum 398-3387 Acadian Village www.connectmaine.com/ acadianvillage Woodland Historical Society Museums 493-3081 or 498-8430

Hancock County Abbe Museum www.abbemuseum.org

Bar Harbor Historical Society Museum www.barharborhistorical.org George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History www.coamuseum.org Mount Desert Oceanarium & Lobster Hatchery www.theoceanarium.com Sieur de Monts Spring & Nature Center www.acadia.ws/sieur-demonts.htm

Wilson Museum www.wilsonmuseum.org Salome Sellers House 367-2629 Birdsacre-Stanwood Wildlife Sanctuary & Homestead www.birdsacre.com The Telephone Museum www.thetelephonemuseum.org Woodlawn Museum www.woodlawnmuseum.org Great Harbor Maritime Museum 276-5650 Seal Cove Auto Museum www.sealcoveautomuseum.org Wendell Gilley Museum www.wendellgilleymuseum.org

Knox County

Camden–Rockport Historical Society/Conway HomesteadCramer Museum Complex www.conwayhouse.org Friendship Museum 832-4221 Owls Head Transportation Museum www.owlshead.org Coastal Children’s Museum www.coastalchildrens museum.org Farnsworth Art Museum & Wyeth Center www.farnsworthmuseum.org Maine Lighthouse Museum www.mainelighthouse museum.com

56 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Center for Maine Contemporary Art www.cmcanow.org

Dexter Historical Society Museums 924-5721

General Henry Knox Museum www.generalknoxmuseum.org

Hampden Historical Society’s Kinsley House Museums 862-3182

Thomaston Historical Society & Museum www.thomastonhistorical society.com

Penobscot Indian Nation Museum www.penobscotnation.org

Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage/Union Fairgrounds www.matthewsmuseum.org

Lee Historical Society & Museum 738-5014

Vinalhaven Historical Society Museum www.vinalhaven historicalsociety.org

Old Town Museum 827-7256

Penobscot County Bangor Museum & History Center’s Hill House www.bangormuseum.org Bangor Police Museum 947-7384 Cole Land Transportation Museum www.colemuseum.org Maine Discovery Museum www.mainediscovery museum.org University of Maine Museum of Art www.umma.umaine.edu Leonard’s Mills www.leonardsmills.com Brewer Historical Society’s Clewley Museum www.brewermaine.gov

Hudson Museum, University of Maine/Collins Center for the Arts www.umaine.edu/ hudsonmuseum Page Farm & Home Museum www.umaine.edu/pagefarm The Patten Lumbermen’s Museum www.lumbermensmuseum.org

Piscataquis County Blacksmith Shop Museum 564-8618

S/S Katahdin & Moosehead Marine Museum www.katahdincruises.com Monson Museum 876-3073

Waldo County

Belfast Historical Society & Museum www.belfastmuseum.org

Islesboro Historical Society 734-6733 Davistown Museum www.davistownmuseum.org Lincolnville Historical Society Museum www.lincolnvillehistory.org Penobscot Marine Museum www.penobscotmarine museum.org

Washington County Cherryfield-Narraguagus Historical Society www.cherryfieldhistorical.com Raye’s Mustard Mill Museum www.rayesmustard.com Tides Institute & Museum of Art www.tidesinstitute.org Maine Coast Sardine History Museum 497-2961 Lubec Historical Society Museum 733-2274 Robert S. Peacock Fire Museum 733-2341 West Quoddy Head Visitor Center & Museum www.westquoddy.com Burnham Tavern Museum www.burnhamtavern.com Milbridge Historical Society Museum www.milbridgehistorical society.org

food file

“I

The IRON Chef Creativity is this Belfast businessman’s recipe for success. By Joy Hollowell | Photos by mark rediker

58 / Bangor Metro November 2014

’m making something I’ve never made before,” says Michael Hurley in an excited tone. The kitchen table of his High Street home in Belfast is covered with random ingredients. There are several pumpkins, a cookie sheet of toasted bread cubes, and bowls filled with this and that. “I’ve always wanted to make a stuffed pumpkin,” he says, adding with a laugh, “When I told my wife that I was going to do this, her first reaction was to shriek.” Hurley readily admits he is not a “foodie.” He and his wife, Therese Bagnardia, are co-owners of The Colonial Theatre in downtown Belfast, so they mostly work nights. In addition, Hurley sits on the Belfast City Council and runs several businesses. “So often, it’s just survival meals,” he says. “Lots of salads.” Hurley sets a ceramic pie plate on the table. Inside is a small pumpkin with the insides scraped out. He takes off the carved top and sets it to the side. “I was reading different recipes on the Internet and what they all kind of said was, there’s no right way.” He grabs a handful of bread chunks and places them in the bottom of the pumpkin, followed by shredded carrots and a mixture of shredded Gruyere and cheddar cheeses. "Oh,” says Hurley, suddenly stopping. “You know what I wanted to make you first?” He walks over to the kitchen counter where an iron is plugged in. “Ever see the Benny and Joon movie?” Hurley asks, tapping the silver plate of the appliance to see if it’s hot. “My wife loved that movie. She would leave me for Johnny Depp if she could,” he says with a loud chuckle. In the 1993 film, Depp’s character “Sam” uses an iron to cook grilled cheese. “We’ve actually done it a lot,” says Hurley. “The thing is, you can’t do it with a steam iron. You need a flat surface.” As Hurley places the iron on top of the generously buttered sandwich, a loud sizzle seeps out. “Oh yeah, it’s broiling,” he says. “OK, we’ll let that start grilling.” He walks back over to his pumpkin on the table and grabs a bowl full of nuts. “These are walnuts and pumpkin seeds that I roasted,” he says, tossing them on top of his stuffing layers. He then adds crumbled cooked bacon, sautéed leaks, and apple chunks.

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Michael Hurley and his baked stuffed pumpkin.

“Whatever I had in the fridge, I’m basically throwing in,” he says. Hurley sidesteps back to check on his Benny and Joon-inspired grilled cheese. “Eh, a little longer,” he says after lifting the iron. Having numerous irons in the fire is nothing new to Hurley. In fact, it could be his life mantra. Hurley moved to Belfast in 1977 and two years later opened the Belfast Cafe. Other businesses followed, including a gift shop, the Colonial Theatre, and the Temple Theatre in Houlton. Hurley also runs a fiberglass company where last spring, they delivered four-

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"I’m good at getting stuff done because I’ve done so many different things.” foot high World Series rings and bobble head statues that now sit inside Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. And then, there’s his invention. “Ever see one of these?” Hurley asks, holding up a small flat blade attached www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 59

food file to a plastic handle. “It’s a mini-scraper. My business partner and I invented it. You can find them worldwide. I’ve been making them for 24 years now.” In 2000, he decided to try public office. Hurley served three terms as mayor then took a break. He returned in 2010 as a city councilor, where he’s now in his third term. Slowing down is not an option for the almost 64-year-old. “You know the old saying—you want to get something done, ask a busy person? I’m good at getting stuff done because I’ve done so many different things.” He whisks together heavy cream, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and pepper. Hurley pours it over the stuffed pumpkin mixture. He picks up some fresh thyme and scrunches the tiny leaves on top, releasing an herbal aroma. “OK,” Hurley says, “I think that looks really good.” He sets the dish in the oven then goes over to check on the grilled cheese. Hurley lifts the iron off, revealing a perfectly crisped sandwich. “Yup,” he says, “that’s done.” After 30 minutes, Hurley checked on the pumpkin. “Whadda you say, want

The final touches for the baked stuffed pumpkin.

to stick a spoon in there?” he asks, lifting it onto the table. Cheese oozes over the sides of the pumpkin in just the right places. He takes a bite, scraping the insides to include the pumpkin itself in the taste test. “Hey, that’s pretty good,” Hur-

ley announces, with a hint of surprise. He places the stem portion on top, slightly askew, for presentation. Hurley steps back for a moment to admire his latest accomplishment. “That’s going on the Thanksgiving table,” he says proudly.

recipe Michael Hurley’s Anything Goes Baked Stuffed Pumpkin 1 small to medium sized pumpkin 2 cups stale bread cubes, baked to crisp ½ cup shredded carrots ½ cup each shredded cheddar and Gruyere cheese (or whatever flavors you like) ¼ cup each roasted pumpkin seeds and chopped walnuts ¼ cup crumbled cooked bacon ¼ cup sautéed leeks 1 apple, peel on, cut into cubes 1 cup heavy cream (can use light cream also) ½ tsp. nutmeg ½ tsp. ginger Fresh roasted thyme (a stem should work) Salt and pepper to taste Prepare pumpkin by removing top. Keep with stem intact. Scrape out inside of pumpkin. Place in oven-safe dish. Place bread cubes in bottom of pumpkin and then layer in shredded carrots, cheeses, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, bacon, leeks, and apple. You may have to stuff ingredients down a bit to make it all fit. Whisk together cream with spices. Pour over mixture. Add thyme leaves to top. Place dish in oven set at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Serve with pumpkin top slightly off center, for show.

60 / Bangor Metro November 2014

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kitchen confidential Where are you from and how did you end up in Maine? I’m from South Wardsboro, Vermont. I came to Maine on vacation with my sister and met my future husband! What is your first food memory? One of my first memories is peeling garlic at the kitchen table with my chef father. What are some of your early cooking experiences? I would say planting a garden with my mom and making pesto and sauces with the plants we grew. We also made ice cream all the time, too, with the milk from our cow. Any family influences on your style and taste? I grew up in the country. We utilized our land. It was how you lived. We had a garden and animals, and that’s certainly influenced how I cook in my restaurant and how I live my life. Where did you study or apprentice? I didn’t go to culinary school. I studied photography at the Savannah College of Art and Design, but I had started working in restaurants with my dad when I was a little girl. I was constantly interested in everything that was going on around me. I thought everyone was just raised with good food made from scratch. In recent years I’ve apprentices at Per Se Restaurant and the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, both in New York. I’ve also worked at restaurants in Spain and Italy.

Aragosta

Devin Finigan’s childhood was filled with gardening and great food. Her love of Deer Isle prompted this Vermonter’s move to Maine, and her farm to table restaurant was created. by Melanie Brooks 62 / Bangor Metro November 2014

What do you consider to be your pivotal career move? Opening Aragosta. When did Aragosta open? We opened June 2, 2013. It was my dream and it was meant to be. What do you love about your location? Being in Stonington, the waterfront, the

Photos: Anne Schmidt photography

Farm to Table at

When did you realize you were a chef? I realized I was a chef while working at the Blue Hill Inn. I’d always been a cook my whole life, but I knew I was a chef when a new restaurant was being opened based entirely on me and what I wanted to do.

Left: Chef Devin Finigan. This photo: Stonington lobster ravioli.

indoor and outdoor seating, and the way the size of the kitchen and the dining room are exactly perfect for me and the way I work. What is your favorite ingredient to work with? Just one ingredient? Lobster. I just love to showcase it. Tell me about the signature dish we are featuring? My lobster ravioli. It came about on a cold winter day in Maine six years ago when I was catering a private party. Since then I’ve tried to improve it and make it better and better each year.

When was the last time you really surprised yourself in the kitchen? This past May we did a benefit dinner at a local farm to benefit the Island Food Pantry. I made a lobster sausage that I had never tried or thought of before, and it came out amazing. What does a perfect day off look like? Sitting in my backyard with my husband

and dog, drinking coffee, and enjoying the summer sun. What would you want your last meal to be? A porcini tagliatelle with chianti-chingale ragu, fresh pecorino, and a beautiful glass of Nebbiolo. What do you love most about your job? Being able to be creative.

more info Aragosta 27 Main Street, stonington 207-367-5500

Your favorite restaurant? It’s got to be Primo Restaurant. Melissa Kelly rocks it!

Hours: Lunch: Wed.–Sat. 11 am–2 pm. Dinner: Mon.–Sat. 5 pm–9 pm.

What is your least favorite job-related task? Writing checks!

Specialties: Lobster ravioli, locally-sourced oysters, house-cured charcuterie, and house-made ice cream.

First timer tip: Ask questions about the food, wines, farms, and the chef. Sample menu item: Stonington lobster ravioli. Meat from an entire lobster, butterpoached house-made pasta featuring Four Season Farm eggs, citrus beurre blanc, lemon confit, and farm greens.

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 63

per spectives

Forest Hart

64 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Forest Hart has dedicated his life and career to the appreciation and study of wildlife and art. He began drawing and painting animals when he was old enough to hold crayons and pencils. He became interested in taxidermy at 10-yearsold, when he found a beautiful gray squirrel that had been hit by a car. At 21, Hart became an apprentice at the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh, PA, studying advanced taxidermy, mold making, and sculpture. He wanted to work with texture, incorporate more movement, and produce artwork in a lasting material, so he began working in bronze, which has given him the freedom to do striking pieces from paperweight size to monuments.

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 65

In Sickness and In Health,

and For Love

Caregiving for an aging or ill loved one is challenging but it can also be rewarding. Almost everyone has been or will be a caregiver at some point in their lives. By Jane Margesson 66 / Bangor Metro November 2014

M

illions of Americans across the country and right here in Maine struggle each day with the challenges of caregiving. For many, caregiving has become a part-time or even full-time job, depending on their circumstances and what they can afford in outside help. Caregiver burnout is common. After all, finding time for personal activities can be hard for anyone with our busy schedules and obligations. If you are a caregiver, however, claiming even a little time for yourself can feel quite out of reach. Recently, AARP Maine released the results of their 2014 Survey of Maine Registered Voters age 50 and older. This survey collected the opinions of 2,000 Mainers, both AARP members and nonmembers, regarding a broad range of

issues that impact people over the age of 50 and their families. Not surprisingly, one of the top issues of concern was caregiving. The survey revealed that most registered Maine voters age 50 and older have been family caregivers (59%) or expect to be in the future (48%). As the number of caregivers in Maine continues to grow, we will see an even greater need for support services that help people stay in their homes and communities where we know they want to be. Today, unpaid family caregivers provide the bulk of care for older Mainers, in part because the cost of long-term care remains unaffordable for most middle income families. In Maine each year, more than 191,000 residents help their aging parents, spouses, and other loved ones stay at home by providing

Photo: absolut_100/thinkstock.com

savvy seniors

assistance with bathing and dressing, transportation, finances, complex medical tasks like wound care and injections, and more. The annual value of this unpaid care totals approximately $2.3 billion, according to the 2011 AARP Report Valuing the Invaluable. Maine women are particularly impacted by caregiving. Women who par‌when the care ticipated in the Registered Voter Survey you need can make were more likely than men to say they all the difference. are currently or have been a caregiver (65% vs. 53%). This is significant as nationally, women have on average 12 We are anpersonalized, environment that Delivering fewer years in the paid workforce over strives to offer structured, skilled professional service for in a their lifetimes, in large part due to carerehabilitation opportunities giving responsibilities. The time out of andof enjoyable setting. people positive in need short-term, the workforce not only lowers women’s long-term rehabilitation lifetime earnings and savings, but also and skilled nursing care. lowers their ultimate Social Security and pension benefits. The subsequent retirement savings loss substantially 334 Stillwater Avenue increases women’s risk of long-term Bangor, Maine 04401 economic insecurity. www.stillwater-healthcare.com Besides the often difficult daily routine, these financial worries can greatly Stillwater Healthcare is an affiAvenue liate of 335 Stillwater contribute to caregiver burnout. There Bangor, Maine 04401 are many ways each of us can offer someone relief from the stresses of careDGPLQVWLOOZDWHU#Ă€ UVWDWODQWLF FRP giving. The gift of time can be the great207¡947¡1111 est luxury! If you know someone who could use a break, why not offer to lend Stillwater Healthcare is a sister facility with a hand so they can have an afternoon Ross Manor, affiliated with Rosscare and First or an evening off to go to a movie, have Atlantic Healthcare and a member of lunch with a friend, or just get outside for Together We’re Stronger a breather? As a caregiver myself, I know how much those breaks matter. On a bad day, they can mean the Stillwater_BMet_Ad_0811_4c.indd 1 8/23/11 world. AARP has created a wonderful online community called the Caregiving Resource Center, which offers an incredible array of resources for caregivers in addition to information for those who might wish to help. Among other tools, there is a caregiver support line, information about available local services and supports, and advice on legal and financial matters. As we approach the winter months, caregivers can become especially isolated. Whether we reach out by telephone, email, or through social media sites, we can all play a positive role in the life of a caregiver. A modest effort can make a world of difference.

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Visit bangormetro.com and check out our online magazine! www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 67

real estate

Home Sweet

Home L

ove checking out the homes of your friends and family? Here’s your chance to take a sneak peek inside a historic Bangor home. John and Lynda Rohman welcomed the public during Eastern Maine Medical Center Auxiliary’s 10th Annual Kitchen Tour recently, and let Bangor Metro take a look all around their stunning home. The Rohmans house was built in 1864, and includes many original features including tin ceilings, wooden shutters, and a Monson slate sink in the kitchen. The home is magical both inside and out, with amazing gardens and a meandering brick path. Take a look for yourself...

68 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Love a good open house? One local couple opens their 150-year-old home to Bangor Metro. Photos by justin russell

Opposite page: A sweeping stairway welcomes guests. Clockwise from top left: The Rohmans’ sun-filled living room. Brick paths lead through the gardens surrounding the home. A view from the street. John and Lynda Rohman. The sunroom overlooks the beautiful gardens.

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 69

real estate Moving Companies

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Planning a

Move? Top Tips and Tricks from Fox & Ginn Movers

When packing items into boxes, remember that concentrated weight like dishes or books should be in small boxes. Light, bulky items like comforters or pillows go in large boxes. Label by room on the side of the box, this helps to identify them when they’re stacked!

70 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Top to bottom: The Rohmans’ kitchen was chosen for Eastern Maine Medical Center Auxiliary’s most recent Kitchen Tour. The fireplace and built-in bookcases add warmth and character. Beautifully rennovated kitchen cabinets. The attic offers a fun and hidden hideaway space.

Photos: (moving sidebar) DAJ, Ingram Publishing, & XiXinXing/thinkstock.com

Being organized is the key to a successful move!

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last word

Health is What

You Make It From doughnuts to exercise, is there a happy medium when it comes to getting healthy? By Chris Quimby

Chris Quimby is a husband, father, Christian comedian, writer, and graphic designer from Brooks. Visit him on the web at chrisquimby.com or nachotree.com. 72 / Bangor Metro November 2014

image: Cristian Guerreschi/thinkstock.com

S

ome people probably think that a humor column does not require very much work—that all I must do is sit down at a computer and record every stupid thought that passes through my brain. That is simply not true. Be assured that each column only contains a small percentage of my mental waste. Much like the unwanted dinners of your youth, the remainder gets spread around in a redistribution on the plate of my life in such places as Facebook statuses, off-handed comments to friends, and tiring creative meanderings directed at my teenaged children. And sometimes I engage in great gobs of research before a single word is written. For example, if I were to write a piece about doughnuts, I might consider it wise to spend some time with a few Boston cream doughnuts in order to get myself in the right state of mind. Today, desiring to write about health care, I watched an interesting YouTube video called What Kills Us? How We Understand Risk. Although the title is blunt and morbid, it is a topic of great concern for all of us. In this piece, the speaker dispels existing societal myths regarding what life-stoppers we should be most concerned about. He reveals that the number one people killer is heart disease. His conclusion, after offering many interesting statistical facts that reveal great disparities between what we most fear and what is actually more worthy of our fear, is that we can give ourselves the greater chance of survival in life if we simply “take care of ourselves, exercise, and eat better.” Aaaaahhh! Say it isn’t so! I am sorry to be the one to deliver this horrible news to you. After all, comedians have for years had field days crafting jokes about the mountainous list of side effects of popular medications. Sure, we know that the encouragement to make good food decisions and to work out makes good sense, but such efforts have their own side effects that are rarely mentioned. Here is a list of some of them: Hunger, irritability, disgusting sweaty stinkiness, increase of boring vegetable consumption, absence of nachos, lameness, self-consciousness at public gym attendance, painful cheese avoidance, expensive sneaker purchasing, flatulence from increased fiber consumption, expensive gym memberships, obsession of meticulous calorie consciousness, and looking like a fool in Spandex. If you have experienced any of these symptoms, you might be tempted to call the law offices of McDonald, Wendy, and Dunkin. But perspective is very important. Much like an athlete must concentrate on the goals of winning a championship to endure the rigors of their training, we must also accept the inherent difficulties of wise decision-making as the cost of keeping ourselves alive. I have seen this first hand from people at the local YMCA. I used to go in the mornings when I worked evenings, and I was one of the youngest people there. I figured the elderly members knew I was in my thirties, but also wondered if they considered me a fellow octogenarian who had simply taken really good care of himself. These people were likely not training for the Olympics. Rather, they had probably been told by their doctors that they could exercise or die. That, my friends, is a great motivator. So please consider what power you might have within yourself to make a few regular sacrifices so that you may not have to prematurely make the ultimate sacrifice. And I will do my part to make sure I need not write any future columns about doughnuts.

sque Isle • Fort Fairfield • St. Agatha • Houlton • Van Buren • Littleton • Caribou • Fort Kent • Mapleton • Mars Hill • Ashland • We

Special Section Featuring Northern Maine A bi-monthly feature section by Bangor Metro

Aroostook Aspirations Initiative

Educating and keeping grads in The County

New Traditions at UMPI Welcoming the Class of 2018

Crown of Maine Balloon Fest Drawing in nationwide enthusiasts

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 73

The Journey of Aroostook

Aspirations Initiative

O

It is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. It’s the most difficult step to take, but once it’s taken, the journey begins. By April Flagg

n April 12, 2013, Aroostook Aspirations Initiative (AAI) took its first step and held its public launch with a three-pronged mission. First, helping the young people of Aroostook County realize their dreams of attending college and having a successful career. Second, stemming the outmigration of youth from The County, and third, giving a much-needed boost to the economy of northern Maine. In a little more than a year since that launch, Aroostook Aspirations has travelled many “miles” and continues to make exciting inroads. After attaining a 501(c)(3) status, the organization hired an executive director, created several committees, moved into a physical office space, expanded their web site and social media presence, and became a television staple. Aroostook Aspiration’s hard work is coming to fruition. The 2014-15 year is The Year of Firsts. After selection and graduation, our new Gauvin Scholars attended SHANTE (Skills, Habits, Aspirations, Networking, Teamwork, Educa-

tion). Gauvin Scholars are recipients of the Gauvin County Scholarship Fund, which awards a scholarship to a senior in each of the 16 high schools in Aroostook County. SHANTE’s goal is to help ease the transition between high school and college. Scholars had an opportunity to meet each other and form a bond with our staff. NMCC hosted this event for the scholars. The nonprofit is comprised of a strong board of directors and honorary board, made up of successful people from throughout Aroostook County and the state of Maine. Aroostook Aspirations worked to create strong strategic partnerships with successful businesses throughout The County and continues that work today. All four of the county colleges— Northern Maine Community College, University of Maine at Presque Isle, University of Maine at Fort Kent, and Husson University—supported the work of AAI by offering a second-year scholarship equivalent for the Gauvin Scholars. The president, vice president, and executive director of AAI worked extensively with

Scout Beautifies

D

Forest Hill

ustin Roy, from a Fort Kent Boy Scout with Troop 189, is working on becoming an Eagle Scout. “Roy is completing several needed maintenance projects around the facility,” says Kevin Lavoie, administrator of the long-term care facility, Forest Hill. “He has been joined by his mother on occasion and a co-scout, Matthew Kelly, who is also working toward his Eagle Scout badge.” An Eagle Scout badge is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting pro74 / Bangor Metro November 2014

the superintendents, principals, guidance directors, and teachers from the local 16 public school districts. AAI’s many media partners throughout The County and the state work diligently to keep the public informed about the economic and social needs of Aroostook and the efforts of AAI. Heidi’s Hope, a first-of-its-kind, County-wide community service project was held on October 18. In addition to providing volunteer opportunities for students in their communities, it is also the major fundraising project for AAI. The project is named in honor of Heidi Graham, the first member of the Board of Directors. Heidi lost her battle with breast cancer in 2013, but her memory lives on in Heidi’s Hope. The first step complete, the journey is well underway. AAI welcomes anyone who wants to join in whatever way he or she feels they can. The County is a unique place, one that should be retained and revitalized for future generations! April Flagg is the executive director of the Aroostook Aspirations Initiative.

Eagle Scout candidate assists at longterm care facility in quest for highest level of Boy Scout achievement.

gram of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). A scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout (or Eagle) and, since its introduction in 1911, the rank has been earned by more than two million young men. Program requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges, and demonstrating Scout Spirit through the Boy Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project, such as the one at Forest Hill. The scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages their service project.

The work being accomplished at Forest Hill to meet these requirements ranges from painting, staining various structures, and repairing roofing. At completion of their project, an Eagle Scout is presented with a medal and a badge that visibly recognizes their accomplishments.

UMPI Celebrates New Tradition

Fall Convocation welcomes incoming students with massive kick-off to the new school year.

C

heering, noisemakers, and laughter filled Wieden Gym as the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) celebrated its first-ever Fall Convocation, meant to welcome the freshman class to the UMPI family. The hugely successful event held on September 9 was themed around the question, “Where Will Your Wings Take You?” which references UMPI’s mascot, the snowy owl, and the name given to members of the campus community— UMPI Owls. UMPI recently started a new tradition utilizing the owl to symbolize a student’s growth. When students receive their acceptance letter, they are given a white feather, and when they graduate, they receive a snowy owl lapel pin and are asked to share where their wings have taken them on the newly created website yourwings.umpi.edu. As part of Convocation, all members of the campus community were given T-shirts that featured a white feather and the question, “Where Will Your Wings Take You?”

Faculty, staff, and upperclassmen in their T-shirts then crowded the bleachers and cheered on the Class of 2018 as they took part in a procession into the gym. Convocation included remarks by President Linda Schott, a special musical performance by Lee Stetson (2018), and

Greater Fort Kent Area Chamber of Commerce director Doug Cyr and his son Dominic before the race.

words of wisdom by Tori Winslow (2015). New students were officially inducted and presented with their very own “wings” T-shirts before participating in a jubilant recessional. The event capped off with a barbeque and Blue and Gold Block Party.

Ready, Set,

WADDLE!

5,000 ducks take the plunge for a great cause.

PHoto: (Duck Derby) Norma Landry

R

ubber ducks were spotted racing down the Fish River during the International Duck Derby Invasion on August 24. Supporters “adopted” plastic ducks for the chance to win various cash prizes; funds raised during the event benefited the Edgar J. Paradis Cancer Fund, the Hope & Justice Project and the Greater Fort Kent Area Chamber of Commerce. Five-thousand “adopted” ducks took the plunge out of a potato truck into the Fish River. The event included Family Fun Day activities at the Lion’s Pavilion at Riverside Park in Fort Kent. www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 75

The Rotary Auction is in its 29th year and better than ever, with items donated by area individuals and businesses. Proceeds benefit area nonprofits. Auction is held live at Watson Hall in Houlton and streamed live through WHOU. 6–10 pm. www.greaterhoulton.com

28 & 29 Christmas Craft Fair

This craft fair at Gentile Memorial Building in Houlton is so popular that there is a waiting list for table rental. It’s a great place to stock up on locally produced items such as jewelry, handmade soap, wooden toys, and more. 9 am–5 pm. www.greaterhoulton.com

29 Holiday Light Parade

The parade begins at Andy’s IGA parking lot, proceeds down Route 1 toward town, up through Market Square, and ends at the community Christmas tree. Children have the opportunity to visit with Santa. 6 pm. www.greaterhoulton.com

29 Annual Turkey Trot 5K

This fun, annual event starts at 10 am at Caribou High School, registration begins at 9 am. Work off that Thanksgiving meal with your friends and family. 764-6561 • www.pichamber.com

29 & 30 Annual Arts and Craft Fair

This annual event is held in the University of Maine at Fort Kent gymnasium and always has a great turn out. Get a jump on your holiday shopping. 834-5354 • www.fortkentchamber.com

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Sidewalk Messages Taking the message to the streets to increase awareness in Fort Kent.

O

ctober is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Hope and Justice Project took to the streets of Fort Kent last month to increase awareness about domestic abuse and violence with the third annual Chalk It Up event. This community wide campaign brought area students, community members, and businesses together to create messages with chalk on sidewalks. The messages included facts, statistics, quotes, and drawings. The event also remembered those that were killed and honored those who have survived. Hope and Justice Project’s events were county-wide with Talk It Up in Houlton, where community members were encouraged to join in and share a story, poem, or song. Walk It Up, a light, lunchtime walk, took place in Presque Isle. “This was a great opportunity to spread awareness throughout the town and to help Hope and Justice Project be more visible in the community,” says Tammy Albert, outreach advocate for the Hope and Justice Project.

PHoto: Casey Faulkingham; (Opposite) Maxal Tamor/Thinkstock.com

November Events

24–26 Rotary Auction

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Helping patients limit travel during times of treatment.

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ancer patients from Aroostook County and beyond who travel to receive treatment at Aroostook Cancer Care can now take advantage of special offers from area hotels as they courageously battle the disease. Through a partnership between The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC) and several Presque Isle area lodging establishments, patients of Aroostook Cancer Care from all over the region who travel to Presque Isle for radiation treatments and/or chemotherapy, will be eligible for special deals on overnight stays at participating hotels. Five Presque Isle area hotels, the Aroostook Hospitality Inn, Presque Isle Inn and Convention Center, Budget Traveler Motor Lodge, Northeastland Hotel, and Hampton Inn, have all signed on with TAMC to offer discounted rates to patients of Aroostook Cancer Care. The special deals range from $30 to $99 a night. The room deals are open to all patients of Aroostook Cancer Care undergoing treatment at the Presque Isle hospital, pending availability at each facility. The Aroostook Hospitality Inn has extended their support to also offer a $30 a room per night rate to patients receiving kidney dialysis treatment, in addition to a family member, driver, or caregiver who accompanies them for treatment. Patients receiving kidney dialysis at the County Dialysis Center come from all over the region and require treatment as many as three times a week, every other day.

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Chamber Connection

Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce 207-764-6561 visitaroostook.com

Caribou Chamber of Commerce 207-498-6156 cariboumaine.net

Fort Fairfield Chamber of Commerce 207-472-3802 fortcc.org

Fort Kent Chamber of Commerce 207-316-3498

fortkentchamber.com

Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce 207-532-4216

Limestone Chamber of Commerce 207-325-4704

limestonechamber.org

Madawaska Chamber of Commerce 207-728-7000

greatermadawaska chamber.com

Van Buren Chamber of Commerce 207-868-5059

vanburenchamber.org

78 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Beauty in the Sky Festival attracts pilots and visitors from around the country.

F

or the past 11 years, the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest has been an event unlike any other in central Aroostook County. The festival attracts hot air balloon pilots from across North America who come to the area and fly where the landowners are hospitable and the opportunities to land the eight story high balloons are plentiful. The highlight of every balloon festival are the beautiful hot air balloons that launch morning and evening to be carried by the gentle winds. The balloons glow against the night sky, looking like stained glass ornaments. The festival typically has included 10 to 12 balloons each year. The Crown of Maine Balloon Fest is successful because so many groups and

organizations cooperate to host an event that appeals to the entire family. The festival is hosted by the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce and the Mapleton Lions Club. Members from both organizations, along with other community members, work yearlong on the organizing committee to coordinate all the details involved with hosting a festival of this kind. In addition to the balloons, activities include a street fair, musical entertainment, children’s activities, a vendor fair featuring local artisans and crafters, and lots of good food. For those who missed this year’s festivities, mark your calendars and plan to join in on the fun next August for this incredible event. For more information visit crownofmaineballoonfest.org.

PHoto: Jason Parent

greaterhoulton.com

1

3

2 A Candy Lover’s Dream

Opening Soon in Camden!

1: Gauvin scholars get together for SHANTE skills program. From left to right, front row: Erin Kelly, Elliot Cutler, Gauvin Scholar Elizabeth Knowles, Gauvin Scholar Brittany Drost, Gauvin Scholar Teya Lizotte, Gauvin Scholar Stephanie Hammond; middle row: Gauvin Scholar Jessica Tucker, Gauvin Scholar Shyanna Smith, Gauvin Scholar Krista Beaupre, Gauvin Scholar Katelynn Perkins, Gauvin Scholar Mariah Hebert, Gauvin Scholar Andrew White, Gauvin Scholar Elizabeth Guimond, Gauvin Scholar Meghan Hebert, Gauvin Scholar Kaylin Blood; back row: Gauvin Scholar Nick Belanger, Patrick Belanger.

2: Following Casual for a Cause at TAMC on July 25, Wendy Page, community educator for AMHC Sexual Assault Services, was presented a check by Joseph Siddiqui, vice president of human resources, EMHS Northwest Region, on behalf of TAMC employees participating in the Casual for a Cause program.

60 Main Street Houlton

207-532-3640 www.UncleWillysCandyShoppe.com

3. Morningstar Art & Framing’s Brian Brissette and Jujij, his dog, get ready for First Friday Art Walk in Presque Isle. 4. Ride Aroostook participants Navy Captain Sandy Buckles (left) with Col. Barbara Springer, PT PhD, national director of Project HERO, Ride 2 Recovery.

Where Me mbership Makes a Difference!

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Presque Isle 768-5051

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A delightful lunch or dinner dining experience! 61 Main Street, Houlton (207) 532-0787 thecourtyardcafe.biz www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 79

Plug into bangor Metro’s 2014

guide part 2

energy efficient roofing, pg.90

photo: Julian Addington-barker/thinkstock.com

prevent bursting pipes, pg.92

DIY tips to keep warm this winter, pg.90

Keep the cold out DIY vs. professional jobs

alternative heating

compare and contrast options

why pipes burst and how to prevent it

energy guide

On the Grid Considering an alternative heating source? Check out our grid for an easy efficiency reference.

Fuel type Fuel type

Oil #2

Electricity

Natural Gas

timate the cost of heating an “average� home (1,500 sq. ft.) in Maine. This calculator does not include the cost of heating domestic hot water. While an average, well-insulated home uses approximately 50,000 Btu per sq. ft., or approximately 540 gallons of fuel oil per year, these calculations are based on the more typical Maine home

appliance

Efficiency Rating/ Estimate (%)

Outdoor Wood Boiler Pellets Kerosene

82 / Bangor Metro November 2014

Total Annual Cost

78

3.70/gal

$3,317

Energy Star Furnace or Boiler

85

3.70/gal

$3,044

Furnace or Boiler

95

0.15/kwh

$4,488

Air-Source Heat Pump

293

0.15/kwh

$1,872

Geothermal Heat Pump

330

0.15/kwh

$1,292

Baseboard/Room Heater

99.99

0.15/kwh

$4,264

Furnace or Boiler

78

1.55/therm

$2,114

Energy Star Furnace or Boiler

85

1.55/therm

$1,939

65

1.55/therm

$2,536

78

2.85/gal

$3,717

Energy Star Furnace or Boiler

85

2.85/gal

$3,411

Room Heater

65

2.85/gal

$4,460

Conventional Stove

54

250/cord

$2,245

EPA Certified Stove

63

250/cord

$1,924

Conventional Boiler

45

250/cord

$2,694

Maine Phase 2 Boiler

65

250/cord

$1,865

Central Heating System

78

242/ton

$1,823

Room Heater (vented)

78

242/ton

$1,823

Room Heater (vented)

80

4.15/gal

$3,727

Furnace or Boiler

Woodstove

Fuel Price Per Unit

Standard Furnace or Boiler

Room Heater (vented)

Propane

that is not well insulated and uses between 800-900 gallons of fuel oil a year. Choose your fuel type, then heating system or appliance. An average fuel price (based on the previous heating season) will display. Just change the price to reflect your most current fuel cost, and the approximate annual heating cost will be calculated for you.

photo: AlekZotoff/thinkstock.com

A

s you pay your fuel bill, do you ever wonder what it might cost to heat your home using other types of fuels? The Home Heating Calculator, available at www.maine. gov, will answer that question. By factoring in the fuel price and the efficiency of the heating system or appliance, the calculator allows you to es-

Comfort you can count on.

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energy guide

Are You

Energy Literate? Electricity is more than what is needed to turn on a light. By Will Fessenden

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here does electricity come from and how is it produced? What is the difference between a utility and a supply company? What drives the cost of electricity? How much energy do you use in a day, month, or year? If you can answer those questions, you are ahead of the curve. A survey conducted by the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation (NEETF) found that only 12% of young adults could pass a basic energy quiz. The same survey revealed that most of us overestimate our knowledge of energy. Few would disagree that everything revolves around energy. Look around you. Our ability to produce the stuff we buy, such as the food we eat, the water and oil we take from the ground, the paper on which this story is printed, all require energy. In spite of its importance, few of us truly understand energy; many Americans don’t

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even care. According to a University of Texas at Austin energy poll conducted in March 2014, less than 70% of Americans consider energy issues important. Fortunately there are efforts underway to reverse course. This involves education and engagement. The United States Department of Energy has developed an energy literacy framework. Parents and educators can access tools, lesson plans, and resources focused on seven essential principals of energy. The Department of Energy defines an energy literate person as someone who can trace energy flows, knows how much energy they use, where the energy comes from, can assess the credibility of information about energy, and communicate about energy use in meaningful ways. Closer to home there is a much more hands-on approach to educating about energy. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s PowerHouse program helps Maine students learn about climate change. Part of this educational experience includes working

with smart electrical meters, which are already available in some Maine households, to enable Maine students and their families to investigate and manage home electricity use. Students review their household electricity use on an hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly basis. They then participate in family discussion about energy use at home. This premise is a very simple one. Use technology to measure and document energy use, and make desired changes based on available data. The energy crisis of the 1970s led to a School House Rock cartoon titled Electricity-Electricity. You may remember the lyrics, “Burning fuel and using steam, they generate electricity-electricity. Turn that generator by any means…

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Serving all of Central and Downeast Maine You’re making, uh…electricity, electricity.” Some of the nation’s leading energy researchers have called for a greater investment in educating, or at least engaging young people about energy. President Obama sought the assistance of an advertising agency from Hollywood to produce a series of YouTube-style videos designed to highlight the role energy plays in our everyday lives. The project failed to get enough support. To make informed decisions about energy efficiency, renewable energy solutions, energy production, and research, we need a higher level of energy literacy. Without a greater understanding of energy and electricity, history will repeat itself. None of us want a repeat of the 1970s with an energy shortage and skyrocketing rates. We will then wish we had what they had in the School House Rock video, “If we only had a superhero who could stand here and turn the generator real fast, then we wouldn’t need to burn so much fuel to make . . . electricity.” For more information on the Gulf Of Maine’s Powerhouse program visit powerhouse.gmri.org. Details about the U.S. Department of Energy’s curriculum can be found at www.energy.gov. Will Fessenden is the director of media for Maine-owned Electricity Maine.

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Clean Energy: Made in Maine With enough wind energy to power more than 85,000 New England homes, First Wind is proud to operate five wind energy projects right here in Maine. Our newest project in construction in Mars Hill Wind Farm Aroostook County will power another 50,000 homes and during construction will put hundreds of people to work. With 185 MW of wind energy capacity currently operating at four projects in Aroostook, PenobIt’s clean, renewable energy scot and Washington counties, First Wind is and sustainable economic proud to be generating enough power for more development – right here than 75,000 Maine homes. Our in newest Maine.project

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www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 85

energy guide

Warming by the Knowing what you want from your stove or fireplace is the first step in choosing one that’s right for your home. By Mark Higgins want from your stove, it’s time to start narrowing down the options. Researching online is a great starting point, but don’t fall into the trap of making this decision based solely on Internet research. Once you feel that you have a degree in Stoveology 101 from Google you’re ready to go out and find that new fireplace. But where do you look first? Craigslist, Uncle Henry’s, big box stores, hardware stores—there are so many options. I highly recommend consulting a professional who specializes in stoves and fireplaces before investing your hard earned money. Let’s say you want to place that new wood stove on your existing brick hearth. That seems like an obvious decision, but the reality is that some stoves require

thermal protection greater than what brick provides. I have seen an old brick hearth removed with scorched and blackened wood underneath. A hearth professional can help you figure out details like this that you may not have considered. So where do you find a hearth professional and how do you know they are qualified? Most reputable independent home and hearth stores have experts on staff and offer a selection of units to see and touch. Many offer burning stoves and fireplaces right in the store so you can even feel the warmth. There are two national groups that train and certify hearth professionals— The National Fireplace Institute (NFI) and the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). Both organizations pro-

photos: poligonchik, mskorpion, Luis Santos, & Mimadeo/thinkstock.com

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toves and fireplaces provide more than just heat in our homes. They are a focal point where friends and family can relax after a long winter’s day. Hearth products are a significant investment and making the right choice can be a daunting task. Where do you start? To begin with you should seriously consider your intended goal. Are you considering adding a stove to cut heating costs? Are you trying to improve and get heat from your old brick and mortar fireplace? Do you want a backup heat source to keep you warm when the power goes out? Knowing what you want your new appliance to do is the foundation you need to begin researching what will work best for you. Once you know what you

Fire vided extensive training and certification achieved through a high standard of testing. The CSIA focuses on chimneys and chimney sweeping. The NFI focuses on proper installation and operation of stoves and fireplaces. Both these areas are important in making your vision of that new fireplace become a reality. To learn if a dealer holds certifications, log on www.nficertified.org and www.csia.org. You may also check out www.maine.gov. If you’re thinking about a gas fireplace you should look for a retailer that has a state of Maine propane and natural gas licensed technician on staff. Maine has strict training and licensing requirements to service or install propane or natural gas units. Purchasing from someone who knows the laws and regulations can save you the headache of having to replan your installation because it didn’t meet gas code requirements. There is no requirement for licensing or training to sell a stove or fireplace. Finding a full-service retailer that invests in training and licensing tells you something about them. It takes a big commitment of time and money to have trained professionals on staff. Finding a full service dealer that makes that commitment can give you peace of mind about the qualifications, their commitment to safety, and about their character as a business. Mark Higgins is co-owner of Evergreen Home & Hearth and has been in the hearth industry for more than 15 years. He is a state licensed gas technician, holds NIF certifications in both wood and pellet, and is an instructor for the National Fireplace Institute.

Learn Before You Burn Burn the right wood, the right way, in the right appliance. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/burnwise. Save money and time • Burn only dry, seasoned wood and maintain a hot fire. • Season and dry wood outdoors through the summer for at least six months before burning it. • Start fires with clean newspaper and dry kindling. • Never burn garbage, plastic, or pressure treated wood, which can produce harmful chemicals when burned. • A properly installed and maintained wood-burning appliance burns more efficiently, saving you money. • Upgrade to an efficient, EPA-approved wood-burning appliance, which burns less wood, saving you time and money.

Keep your home safe • Have a certified technician annually inspect and service your appliance. • Nearly 7% of home fires are caused by creosote buildup in the chimney. Have your chimney annually cleaned by a certified chimney sweep. • If you smell smoke in your home, then something is wrong. Shut down the appliance and call a certified chimney sweep to inspect the unit. • Upgrade to an efficient, EPA-approved wood-burning appliance. Today’s wood-burning appliances burn cleaner and produce less smoke inside and outside your home.

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 87

CLEAN RENEWABLE

ENERGY

ONE OF MAINE’S FINEST RESOURCES

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energy guide

Natural Gas Access

Natural gas is gaining in popularity as a means to stay warm this winter. Lincoln is about to feel the heat. By Andrew Barrowman

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In February 2014, the conversion of the Loring Pipeline to natural gas was completed. This tied into the Bangor system, which gave us the capability of moving natural gas at 350-400 PSIG (pounds per square inch) north to the Lincoln area. In order to get the significant volumes of gas to the mill and the town of Lincoln from the Loring Pipeline corridor, a natural gas expansion plan was put in place. For phase one of the plan to serve Lincoln Paper & Tissue, which was our anchor customer, we installed a new main line extension of 6-inch high pressure steel gas pipe down Access Road, and directional bored 2,000-feet under the Penobscot River at a depth of 50feet below the river bed. Next we collate 6-inch steel and 6-inch Polyethylene (PE) in the same ditch 3.5 miles down Access Road and West Broadway into Lincoln Paper & Tissue and installed a metering station to connect the mill to piped natural gas. This phase of the plan will reduce LPT’s operating expenses by more than $1 million annually and help secure jobs at the mill. In the spring, we will install a District Regulation Station next to the Mills

Metering Station to back feed the gas at distribution pressure through the 6-inch PE pipe that we collate with the 6-inch high pressure steel to serve the commercial and residential customers on Access Road and West Broadway. The Town of Lincoln provided Bangor Gas with a 10 year Tax Increment Financing plan (TIF), which will shelter 90% of the annual property tax assessment of the installed pipe. Over the life of the TIF, Bangor Gas will invest 100% of the proceeds of the TIF into the installation of new gas lines where it’s economically feasible. Over the next 10 years, potentially, our plan is to install 10-12 miles of natural gas distribution lines throughout the Town of Lincoln, enabling businesses and homes in this region to realize the cost benefits of clean, energy efficient, and readily abundant natural gas. Andrew Barrowman is the sales and marketing manager for Bangor Gas.

photo: Tomasz Wyszołmirski/thinkstock.com

angor Natural Gas is a local distribution company (LDC) currently providing natural gas service to customers in Bangor, Brewer, Bucksport, Hermon, Old Town, Orono, and Veazie. This is accomplished through 10 miles of transmission pipeline and 250 miles of distribution system. Our operations provide service to 4,720 residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The rates are regulated by the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) and gas is supplied by Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline transmission system. In 2012, Bangor Gas purchased the Loring Pipeline, which consists of 189 miles of 6-inch steel pipe on a 50-foot right of way from Searsport to Limestone. This pipeline was built by the Department of Defense in the early 1950s to transport jet fuel from tankers at the Mack Point Port facility in Searsport. From there, they pumped the gas through the 6-inch pipe north to the Air Force Base. The pipeline was decommissioned in the early 90s. Bangor Gas used to be a local distribution company; now we are regional with our expansion north. In June 2013, a contract was signed with Lincoln Paper & Tissue to start gas service at the mill in November 2014.

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 89

energy guide

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etting your house ready for winter and trying to save on energy costs can be overwhelming. There are so many things to think about. What should you attempt and when should you pick up the phone and call for help? A lot depends on how handy you are. Below is a list of things that the “average” homeowner might do themselves and what they should hire to have done.

DIY

your refrigerator to the energy-efficient setting. If your fridge doesn’t have that setting, turn it to 37 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer to 3 degrees Fahrenheit. Going away for the holidays? Unplug your appliances while you are away. Even though they might be in the “off” position, energy can still be wasted. Unplugging them while you’re away for Thanksgiving will ensure that there’s no energy being wasted.

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Difficulty Level Medium

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Install plastic on the windows. These clear plastic sheets can insulate against the cold. Large windows lose a tremendous amount of heat, especially old ones. Kits are available at your local hardware store.

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Heavy-duty curtains help keep the cold out as well. Thermal or suede backed curtains block air well.

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Use outlet seals to stop air leaks in electrical receptacles and light switches.

Pull out your old furnace filter, vacuum the intake grill, and replace the filter according to manufacturer’s recommendations.

4

Upgrade your appliances to Energy Star models to save money and energy. Old appliances are not as energy efficient as new appliances. Energy Star products range from water heaters to kitchen and laundry appliances to vacuums to televisions.

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Close doors and heating vents in rooms you do not use a lot, like a guest bedroom. No need to heat those spaces if no one is in them.

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If you do not have storm doors on your home, consider installing them. They can add an extra layer to combat drafts.

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Upgrade your water heater. Heating water can account for 14%–25% of the energy consumed in your home. Have a pro install a gas, oil, or propane heater or an electric heat pump water heater for greater efficiency.

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Have the gaps between the bottom of your house and the top of your foundation filled. The professional you hire will determine if the gaps can be filled with caulk or spray foam, and if they should be sealed from the interior or exterior of your home.

Install low-flow shower heads and aerators to your faucets to reduce the use of energy in your home.

Take a closer look at your appliances and make sure you are using them as efficiently as possible. For example, turn your DVD player off when not in use. Do full loads of laundry and dishes every time. Turn

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Need a new roof? Have a pro install a metal roof. Not only will it improve the energy efficiency of your home, your snow will slide right off meaning no more roof raking.

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Put new siding on your home. Many older homes, built before plywood was invented, have cracks in their siding where air can leak through. New products help keep cold air out and warm air in.

Hang a clothesline or purchase a drying rack. Your clothes dryer is one of the most expensive appliances to run. A clothesline in your basement or drying rack in your laundry room can help cut down on electricity costs.

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Install a pellet stove in the room in which you will spend most of your time. It’s renewable energy and most pellet stoves are easy to manage.

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Much of this is common sense and, again, based on skill level. When in doubt, hire a pro. It will probably save you money in the long run.

photo: suprun/thinkstock.com

Easy

or Hired Hand Doing it yourself can be tempting—check out our cheat sheet to see what you can do yourself and when to call for help.

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energy guide

Why Pipes Burst

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locked pipes during the winter can be a dangerous thing. Believe it or not, it’s not the radial expansion of the water in your blocked pipe that causes the damage. It’s the water pressure created between the blocked ice and a closed faucet where the pipe usually bursts. Extremely cold weather in Maine can lead to freezing and bursting pipes, especially if there are cracks in your basement where the pipes are located. Cold air flows through those cracks and over the pipes. This is why good insulation in your basement is critical. When metal pipes come in contact with freezing air the chance of frozen pipes grows.

How to Combat Freezing Pipes Let your faucet drip during extreme cold weather, as opening your faucet will provide relief from the pressure that could be building up inside your pipes.

The pipes that run to your outside hose bib is one of the most common pipes to freeze and burst. During the fall, when temperatures drop and you are no longer using your outside hose, close the valves inside that supply your hose and allow the water to drain. If you are a snowbird, or if you are leaving your home for an extended period of time, be sure you do not lower your heat too much. The best way to combat frozen pipes while you’re out of town is to drain your water system. No water in the pipes mean no freezing and bursting. You don’t want to get a call while wintering in Florida that your pipes burst! It’s easy to drain your system. Shut off the water from the main valve and let hot and cold water run out of every fixture of your home until the water stops running. Your plumber can insulate your water pipes. Products like pipe sleeves, heat tape, and heat cables can help keep your pipes from freezing. On extra cold nights, keep your kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open so that warm air can circulate around the pipes to your sink. Keeping your thermostat above 55 degrees Fahrenheit on nights where the temperature is well below average will help, too. You may end up paying a little more to heat your home, but at least you won’t be paying for fixing busted pipes. You can also buy a device that measures the temperature inside your pipes via probe. It will automatically circulate water through your hot and cold water lines as needed to maintain the temperature you select. It’s easy to install and can save you money and stress.

photos: Jeff_Hu & Lusoimages/thinkstock.com

Water expands when it freezes. Have you ever put a bottle of water or a can of soda into your freezer to get cold and forgotten about it? When you remembered did you have a busted bottle or can to contend with? The same thing happens in your pipes.

This is a great product for those of you who head south for the winter months.

How to Fix a Frozen Pipe If you turn on your faucet and no water comes out this winter, call a plumber. If one of your pipes have burst, turn off the water at the main shut-off valve. You can thaw a frozen pipe with a hair dryer, heating pads, a space heater, or towels soaked in hot water, but never with an open flame, such as a blowtorch, propane heater, or candles. When you start to thaw with a hair dryer, start at the end of the pipe closest to the faucet, and make sure the faucet is open. Running warm water through the pipe from the faucet will help melt the ice in the pipe. When the water in the pipe starts to thaw, it will flow through your faucet.

www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 93

energy guide

Energy Glossary Times are changing, and so is energy terminology. Here are some words and phrases in the current energy vernacular. Useful, renewable energy produced from organic matter, which may either be used directly as a fuel or processed into liquids and gases.

climate change, they consist of radiatively important greenhouse gases (e.g., the release of carbon dioxide during fuel combustion).

Energy Crops Biofuels Liquid fuels and blending components produced from biomass (plant) feedstocks, used primarily for transportation.

Crops grown specifically for their fuel value. These include food crops such as corn and sugarcane, and nonfood crops such as certain trees and perennial grasses.

Emissions

Fuel Cells

Anthropogenic releases of gases to the atmosphere. In the context of global

One or more cells capable of generating an electrical current by converting the

chemical energy of a fuel directly into electrical energy. Fuel cells differ from conventional electrical cells in that the active materials such as fuel and oxygen are not contained within the cell, but are supplied from outside.

Geothermal Energy As used at electric power plants, hot water or steam extracted from geothermal reservoirs in the Earth’s crust that is supplied to steam turbines at electric power plants that drive generators to produce electricity.

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*Amount combines available discounts and rebates. Call for complete details.

94 / Bangor Metro November 2014

*

photos: MusicAdnan, Nastco, joey333, Tonpicknick, & AlinaMD/thinkstock.com

Bioenergy

Save 5¢ per Gallon on Heating Fuel

Become a C.N. Brown Electricity Customer & Save 5¢ per Gallon on Your Heating Fuel Deliveries Passive Solar A system in which solar energy alone is used for the transfer of thermal energy. Pumps, blowers, or other heat transfer devices that use energy (other than solar) are not used.

Renewable Energy Resources Energy resources that are naturally replenishing but flow-limited. They are virtually inexhaustible in duration but limited in the amount of energy that is available per unit of time. Renewable energy resources include: biomass, hydro, geothermal, solar, wind, ocean thermal, wave action, and tidal action.

Savings are per gallon off the cash price on residential #2 heating oil, K-1 or propane. 100 gallon minimum delivery. Some restrictions may apply. Call for details.

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Silicon A semiconductor material made from silica, purified for photovoltaic applications.

Solar Energy The radiant energy of the sun, which can be converted into other forms of energy, such as heat or electricity.

Municipalities and Schools

Commercial Office Space

Manufacturing and Industrial

Healthcare Facilities

Turbine A machine for generating rotary mechanical power from the energy of a stream of fluid (such as water, steam, or hot gas).

Wood Energy Wood and wood products used as fuel, including round wood (cord wood), limb wood, wood chips, bark, sawdust, forest residues, charcoal, pulp waste, and spent pulping liquor.

ServiceMaster Contract Services is the premier choice for green cleaning and facility maintenance solutions in Eastern Maine. ServiceMaster Contract Services Phone: (207) 848-0745 Toll Free: (800) 278-0745 Email: hclark@svmcontract.com www.svmcontract.com www.bangormetro.com Bangor Metro / 95

Warmth at the flip of a switch

ASK US ABOUT INSTALLING YOUR CHIMNEY LINER

A gas stove or fireplace is the easiest way to enjoy fire in any or every room of your home or cottage. Convenient, clean burning, easy to install and great looking. Come visit us in Brewer or Ellsworth and check out our full line of natural gas or propane stoves and fireplaces! TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS:

403 High Street, Ellsworth • 667-4122 603 Wilson Street, Brewer • 989-0077 www.mainestoves.com

Bringing Power to the People of Maine for Generations

Rebates and Incentives Efficiency Maine is making it easier to upgrade your home’s efficiency.

E

fficiency Maine offers rebates and financing for homeowners installing qualified high-efficiency heating equipment. There are requirements, restrictions, and guidelines to follow. Log on www.efficiencymaine.org to learn more about incentives and rebates. Energy savings can be at least 20% and higher. Upgrade your heating system, weatherize your home, or make other improvements to lower your energy bills with Home Energy Incentives and a Home Energy Loan.

Available Rebates Examples of incentives available through Efficiency Maine. Visit www.efficiencymaine.org for more.

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