LA
METRO MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021
OPERATION REBOOT OUTDOORS An undying commitment Page 37
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SKELTON TAINTOR & ABBOTT The secret to longevity
CITY OF LEWISTON, PART 3 Who’s who in Lew
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LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
Wish Kid Kinzie
LA Metro Magazine is a proud supporter of Make-A-Wish Maine. Consider becoming a sponsor of our 7th Annual Summer Block Party. Visit www.LASummerBlockParty.com
editor’s note PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSE LEIVA
It is so nice to see everyone’s faces again! The benefit of a smile is immeasurable, and I will never again take for granted being able to freely see one. Summer has always been my favorite time of the year. I ignore the electronics in favor of campfire gatherings and outdoor cornhole tournaments. With businesses opening up to full capacity, live music performances, and some outside festivals happening again, this summer is shaping up to be a great one! As we start looking at these past 16 months in our rearview mirror, it has been a perfect time to reflect on those people and businesses that have made choices and sacrifices to help others. There is no greater example of this than our cover story, Operation Reboot Outdoors (ORO). ORO is a nonprofit organization that gives veterans a chance to go on outdoor hunting and fishing excursions. Dan and Nicole Waite have opened their home and their wallets to make sure that every veteran who wants to go on a trip can do so. What a great way to give back to those who served our country! Skelton Taintor & Abbott (ST&A), another feature story, has been one of those businesses that have been around longer than any of us have. They can trace their roots back to 1854 and have just recently moved locations to Canal Street in Lewiston. The team at ST&A are involved in countless local organizations and charitable causes. Businesses like these and their community involvement are so important in keeping our cities thriving. We also continue our series on the City of Lewiston celebrating 225 years. We highlight some of the folks, past and present, who have shaped the city into what it is today. Each story in this issue, and every issue, aligns with our mission to entertain, inspire, and inform. These businesses and individuals, like the ST&A story quotes, feel a responsibility to give back to the community that supports them. And I hope this issue inspires you to do the same. So trade in those sneakers for flip flops or bare feet, grab a cold drink, and enjoy our summer issue. Be kind and well, everyone.
TYLA DAVIS Editor-in-Chief editor@LAMetroMagazine.com
LA Metro Magazine is proudly printed in Lewiston, Maine at
8 Lexington Street, Lewiston 4
LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
www.penmor.com
c o n t r ib ut o rss r o t u b i r t n o c
Toby hails from the bustling New York City media world, where she promoted live events like pay-per-view boxing, and published album reviews in Creem and Audio magazines. In LA, she coordinates events for First Universalist Church of Auburn, hosting the monthly Pleasant Note Open Mic, and staging their annual “Vagina Monologues” benefit against domestic violence.
A former professional brewer, John now teaches English and coaches swimming at Lewiston High School.
Brewster was raised in Waterford, Maine, attended Oxford Hills High School, then graduated from Colby College. He became an English teacher at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, where he has remained since 1988.
He has been a beer writer for over ten years and just published his first novel, Sinking Dixie.
Christmas of 2012, he received his first camera, and quickly developed a love of the lens. Brewster freelances for some Maine newspapers and local magazines. He resides in Hebron, with his wife and two children.
TOBY HABER-GIASSON
JOHN BREERWOOD
BREWSTER BURNS
A proud Maine native, Jen can usually be found outdoors. She prefers the solitude of the country, drawing her life energy from the elements that make Maine home. Jen counts family, gardening, and her many rescue animals as the simple pleasures in life that keep her creativity flowing.
A native of Lewiston, Peggy began writing creatively as a child growing up in a French-Catholic neighborhood. A graduate of Bowdoin College, she began her career in journalism at PC Week in Boston, where she was the ghostwriter for the industry gossip columnist, Spencer the Cat.
On his eighth birthday, David’s favorite aunt gave him a camera. She couldn’t have known that, from that day, photography would grow into a passion, a career, and a ticket to experiences he would otherwise only have dreamed of.
editorial director & writer
Learning the stories that make up the chapters of other people’s lives fill any void that remains for her. Jen credits numerous English teachers from high school and college, and her late brother, with a passion for writing that has stayed with her since she was in grade school.
JEN COUSINS writer
6
John is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, and moved to Maine with his wife in 2017.
LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
writer
photographer
She has also worked locally as an English teacher and public relations consultant. A resident of Auburn, she recently finished her first novel.
Fifty years later, David is a successful filmmaker, photographer, and creative director working for national and local advertising agencies, businesses, and educational and government clients. It was, as things have turned out, the perfect gift.
PEGGY DEBLOIS
DAVID FULLER
writer
photographer
s r o t u b i r t n o ccontri butors
Michael is a freelance writer and musician from Auburn. He graduated from the University of Maine at Presque Isle in 1999 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. He has submitted stories and articles for various publications, and performs throughout New England as a solo guitarist and bassist. Michael enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending leisure time with family and friends.
Jose started his photography career while in the Air Force during Vietnam. He moved to Maine in the late 1980s and retired from the Sun Journal a few years ago. He now works as a freelance photographer and exhibits his art locally. Jose lives in Lewiston, Maine, with his wife, Linda. Together they have six adult children, and four grandchildren who are a source of photographic inspiration.
A Maine native, Donna has dedicated much of her career to assisting families as they navigate the world of eldercare. Her philosophy is, “Create good by approaching all things with an open mind and a generous, honest heart;” it has served her well, personally and professionally. Writing is her happy place and her family is her heart.
MICHAEL KRAPOVICKY
JOSE LEIVA
DONNA ROUSSEAU
A Pennsylvania native, Jillian moved to Maine from Dallas, Texas with her husband and two toddler daughters in August of 2020. Her lifelong love of the written word began with writing short stories and poems at the age of six, eventually leading to the creation of her own company, EleGrant Writing Services. Jillian is a Business Development Specialist for Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice by day and enjoys live music, books, and creative writing.
Sara is a “County” transplant enjoying life on the Androscoggin River. Most days she can’t be found, hiding away in the woods or mountains, enjoying the quiet peacefulness of the outdoors. A musician and actress, she enjoys the many diverse cultural opportunities offered in the LA area.
Nicole can’t remember a time when she did not have a camera in her hands. Her passion for photography started when she was little, working with her uncle who ran his own studio.
JILLIAN NETHERLAND
SARA POULIN
writer
writer
photographer
She writes, she runs, pats all the dogs, loves beer, and plays the ukulele... badly.
writer
writer
She graduated in 2015 with a degree in photography and digital workflow. Shortly afterwards, she opened her own portrait studio, Creativeones Photography. Her passion is to show the beauty that is within everyone. She is constantly learning new and inventive ways to capture moments that will last a lifetime.
NICOLE RAND photographer
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CORE
Our
Crew
PUBLISHER & CEO
Jim Marston jim@LAMetroMagazine.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Tyla Davis editor@LAMetroMagazine.com
ADVERTISING SALES Jim Marston Steve Simard
Jim Marston Publisher & CEO
Jim@LAMetroMagazine.com
PRODUCTION MANAGERS Tyla Davis Jim Marston
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Toby Haber-Giasson
WRITERS
Editor-in-Chief/Graphic Design
John Breerwood Jen Cousins Peggy DeBlois Toby Haber-Giasson Michael Krapovicky Jillian Netherland Sara Poulin Donna Keene Rousseau
editor@LAMetroMagazine.com
PROOFREADERS
Tyla Davis
Keith Davis Kayla Marston
PHOTOGRAPHY Brewster Burns David Fuller Jose Leiva Nicole Rand
Steve Simard Sales
Steve@LAMetroMagazine.com
COVER
Operation Reboot Outdoors volunteer Mike Liscomb Photographer: Jose Leiva LA Metro Magazine is published four times each year by LA Metro Magazine, LLC Editorial and subscription info: Call 207-783-7039 email: info@LAMetroMagazine.com 9 Grove Street, Auburn, ME 04210
Stephanie Arsenault Bookkeeper
billing@LAMetroMagazine.com
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LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements, unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or staff. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is accurate, and neither LA Metro Magazine nor any of its staff are responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. No establishment is ever covered in this magazine because it has advertised, and no payment ever influences our stories and reviews. Copyright ©2021 LA Metro Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission, in writing, from the publisher. Printed in Lewiston, ME, USA.
content
volume six | issue three | summer 2021
cover story
37
quick reads
Operation Reboot Outdoors
features
10
Health & Wellness: Wellness in the Workplace
16
Social Hour: Camping tradition
22 33 42 48
27
Skelton Taintor & Abbott
57
City of Lewiston Part 3
52
Bourgeois Guitars
The Magic of magic
Sound Check: Denny Breau
Tabers
Pat’s Pizza
LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com
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Wellness in
Tisha Bremner stretches with Scott Booker of Austin Associates
the
Workplace Written by Peggy DeBlois | Photography by Jose Leiva
T
isha Bremner, the owner of Inner Light Wellness, is on a mission to empower people to achieve their potential. With her background in integrative wellness and proven strategies for increased productivity, she is bringing comprehensive wellness programs to many businesses in the LA area. “I am a well-being coach and consultant for organizations,” explains Bremner. “Most companies hire me for a motivational talk, which then leads into an educational series on some piece of integrative wellness, mindfulness, stress management, and self-leadership.”
Integrative wellness defined The integrative approach employed by Inner Light Wellness is centered on the individual as a whole person, and a philosophy that the individual has the skills and the power within to be healthy and well. “Instead of focusing on the idea that you have something wrong with you, that you have a deficit, I want you to realize you have the greatest potential,” says Bremner. “And depending on what you pay attention to, you can positively influence your health.”
Tisha Bremner
Business developed from identified need Six years ago, Bremner was teaching yoga for an organization and saw the potential for developing more wellness opportunities, such as individual health coaching, for the people who work there. She approached the company’s leadership team and asked them to consider it. They agreed that supporting a lifestyle of wellness would have positive impact on their employees, both personally and professionally. Inner Light Wellness was born. Now, Inner Light Wellness has evolved to offer integrative wellness programs to companies across the LA area. Along with her experience as a yoga therapist, Bremner holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology, along with coaching certifications in health and wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mindful leadership. Bremner begins work with organizations in a very broad way, with generic health presentations, and then narrows down the specific services to meet the needs of the company and its employees.
Bremner focuses on mindset, nutrition, and movement education, with lots of positive reinforcement. She notes that Androscoggin County health trends are not great, with high rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and mental health issues. As a former pharmaceutical sales representative, she knows the limitations of the health care system. She explains that prescriptive medicine has the potential for side effects that are not pleasant. Pills don’t heal us, she says, and surgery only goes so far. “Once you tap into that individual’s sense of engagement and empowerment, it yields tremendous results,” she says. Some of her corporate clients who have seen the results are Geiger, Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine, BerryDunn, Austin Associates, and Androscoggin Bank.
Integrative wellness programs help retain employees For organizations across the area and across industries that are having a tough time attracting and retaining quality, highly engaged employees, Inner Light Wellness can help. “Every organization, in terms of managing bottom line, needs some degree of a wellness program,” says Bremner. “If you are hiring people, you need wellness. People need to be healthy and well outside of work to be engaged at work.” Bremner says companies typically choose to dive into a wellness series that has two components: group education and one-on-
Bremner leads breathing exercises at Austin Associates with Phil Doucette, Erica Dostie, Kayla Damon, Becky Adams, & Scott Booker 12
LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
By Peggy DeBlois | Photography by Jose Leiva | Wellness in the workplace
Productivity through wellness Inner Light Wellness helps companies to mitigate health care costs by identifying the trends in their health insurance claims. Bremner’s skill is in analyzing injury data and developing programs, such as stretch break programs, to help mitigate injuries and the impact on workers’ compensation claims. From there, many companies use Inner Light Wellness for planning, creating, and managing cohesive wellness programs. For example, if there is a trend pointing to inflammatory issues or diabetes, she can craft a lifestyle medicine program to help those individuals manage those health issues. Bremner also has a background in financial and medical insurance underwriting, so she understands how trends in insurance claims drive results. Couple that with her education as a coach in lifestyle medicine, and she believes her wellness programs create direct results in insurance claims.
Bremner works one-on-one with Kayla Damon to develop a personal wellness vision one coaching. A popular, often identified need for coaching is in mindful leadership, where Bremner coaches both managers and employees considering their growth path on leadership principles. Many other consultants focus on nutrition and exercise, admits Bremner, but her mindset approach distinguishes Inner Light Wellness. One organization she works with is looking for real cultural shifts so that they can retain high quality employees over the long run. The way they treat people and the benefits package they offer influences the employees who come and who choose to stay. Inner Light works with the organization to manage a full mindfulness program for the entire organization. “The program recognizes that personal growth impacts professional growth, so we are training this team on self-leadership skills,” explains Bremner. “The goal is for them to be more positive, collaborative, and productive together, to be more solutions-oriented. When employees feel accomplished and encouraged at work, a bond is established, and that keeps them happier and loyal to the employer.”
“I help businesses take a less prescriptive approach to wellness,” says Bremner. “People don’t listen well to prescription, but coaching gets results.” She says that inspiring messaging engages employees and drives them intrinsically to make changes in their health.
Wellness as a tool for business The good news, according to Bremner, is a little can go a long way with a wellness program. She says her offerings are some of the most underestimated business programs in terms of impact for the cost. “People need to be seen, heard, understood, and valued,” says Bremner. “When we can do that for ourselves, and when others do it for us, it taps into intrinsic motivation and we do our best. It’s all based in neuroscience. You can tell organizations that really value their employees because the individuals act with the utmost integrity.” Inner Light Wellness www.innerlightwell.com
Relationships are Key Establishing a relationship with a primary care provider is one of the smartest things you can do to help ensure your long-term health. Through regular primary care visits, you can keep up to date on your preventive care, better manage chronic conditions, and identify potential problems before they can slow you down. Our Primary Care offices are conveniently located in Lewiston, Auburn, and Poland. WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS
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SOCIAL HOUR Highlighting great places to go and things to do in our communities.
Seasonal campsite of Christie & Jean Piche at Two Lakes Camping Area in Oxford
Camping Tradition with modern convenience Written by Peggy DeBlois | Photography by Brewster Burns
C
amping is a long-standing tradition in Maine. Our state offers the chance to escape to nature at 12 state park campgrounds, Acadia National Park, and over 200 privately-owned licensed campgrounds. Camping is seeing a resurgence in popularity, and local campgrounds are adapting to the needs of modern campers.
Camping numbers continue to grow The KOA North American Camping Report of April 2021 shows that camping saw significant growth during COVID – about six million more camping trips than in 2019. These numbers are also supported here in Maine. According to the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, state park attendance topped three million visits in 2020, breaking records in both camping and day use. Local, privately-owned campgrounds are busy, too. Zach Vanier, owner of Martin Stream Campground in Turner, says he is almost booked for the season. He has campers returning this year from as far away as California, Oregon, and Wyoming. “We have lots of reservations from Maine, too,” adds Vanier. “Maine people chose to camp last year due to COVID and now they want to become regular campers. It’s a good escape for their families. We saw an influx of about 40% with new Maine campers last season.” Rick and Deb Clifford, owners of Two Lakes Camping Area in Oxford, agree that COVID brought more Mainers to camp last season. “People like arriving in their own unit, and being able to spend time outdoors,” says Rick Clifford. “Both last year and this year, camping is a big vacation draw.”
The camping tradition Martin Stream Campground owner Zach Vanier
According to the National Park Service, there are six basic reasons people choose camping: tradition, to explore nature, to improve health, for a digital detox, to strengthen relationships, and to develop life skills. Local campers Nicole Fox, from Poland, and Stacey Fournier, from Auburn, camp annually as a family activity. Both agree camping is unique in its time to bond as a family. “It’s a chance to unplug, commune with nature, and live simply,” says Fox. Fournier adds, “We camp as much as we can – it’s amazing family time!” Vanier, whose Martin Stream Campground made the Traveling Lifestyle 2021 List of Best Camping Sites and Resorts as “Best for Kids,” recognizes the importance of the campground to families. “Kids have the security to explore here,” he explains. “It’s safe to play, ride bikes, go to the playground with friends.” Deb Clifford of Two Lakes Camping Area agrees. “The neat thing here is that kids are not on their phones,” she says. “They are out and about at the beach, at the playground, at the outdoor game areas. Often, they form groups to go looking for the herd of deer that live on the property.”
Opportunities close to home The LA Metro area is surrounded by camping opportunities (see sidebar at the end of this story). Martin Stream Campground is a hidden gem in Turner celebrating its 51st season in 2021. Vanier, the owner since 2016, grew up in Turner and never even knew it existed. Two Lakes Camping Area owners Deb & Rick Clifford 18
LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
Martin Stream offers tent and RV sites, with two rental RV units.
By Peggy DeBlois | Photography by Brewster Burns | Camping tradition “We were campers for 30 years before owning this campground, so we knew what we liked,” says Deb Clifford about the wooded property on the water they purchased eight years ago. “The entrance to the campground is nearly a mile from Route 26, so we are deep in the woods on this 48-acre property.” Two Lakes has 135 tent and full hookup sites in total, and about half are seasonal campsites. They also offer rental campers and rustic cabins. Water, on Hogan Pond and Whitney Pond, is a draw for campers who enjoy swimming, boating, and fishing.
Amenities are expected Both local campground owners admit their bookings are reliant on having the right mix of amenities. According to Vanier, guests want to confirm their heated inground pool and Wi-Fi, as well as a playground. The Cliffords say their guests want the proximity to Oxford Plains Speedway. Campers expect on-site recreation activities. Both properties have canoe and kayak rentals, basketball hoops, and horseshoe pits, as well as fully stocked camp stores. Martin Stream features a volleyball court, besides the pool. Two Lakes adds GaGa ball, along with a game room and café. Jean & Christie Piche enjoy a campfire With most of the 53 campsites on the water, campers enjoy regular sightings of wildlife, from chipmunks to bald eagles, kingfisher, loons, geese, and ducks. “Fishing and boating are more popular now than ever,” says Vanier. “Guests can fish from their sites, or enjoy a nature trail that goes along the stream.” Getting close to nature is the primary draw at Two Lakes Camping Area, as well.
Both Martin Stream and Two Lakes have events scheduled every weekend, from mid-May to mid-October. Martin Stream’s most popular weekends are ‘80s Neon and Christmas in July. At Two Lakes, the Architect Challenge is the most popular, where families build and race cardboard boats, followed closely by the Glow-in-the-Dark Family Fun weekend. Both owners agree that it’s important to offer activities that appeal to both the children and the adults, especially at night, when both places offer bingo, trivia, and community bonfires. Two Lakes also has live music most weekends.
Grace Brown splashes in the pool at Martin Stream Campground LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com
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An experience for the senses The Cliffords and Vanier agree that camping appeals to the senses. Whether it be the tall pines and hemlock surrounding the campground, the aroma of a campfire, or the light breeze coming off the water, it all adds up to a unique escape from the everyday hustle and bustle. “My favorite part of camping is waking up in nature when the air is cool,” says Emily Knowles, a camper from Hampden, Maine. “The sun soon starts to heat you up while you sit by the growing fire. There’s nothing better than sipping pressed coffee and listening to the birds wake up the world.” Martin Stream Campground 1 Martin Stream Road, Turner • martinstreamcampground.com Two Lakes Camping Area 215 Campground Lane, Oxford • www.twolakescamping.com An excited Ariahnna Ramos from Windham arrives at Two Lakes Camping Area for the weekend
Local, Privately-Owned Campgrounds
Steve and Patty Diehlmann enjoy quiet time at Martin Stream Campground
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LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
Androscoggin Lake Campground 304 Lakeshore Drive, Leeds
Mac’s Camping Area 73 Larch Drive, Poland
Beaver Brook Campground 1 Wilson Pond Road, North Monmouth
Maine Forest Yurts 430 Auburn Pownal Road, Durham
Blueberry Pond Campground 218 Poland Range Road, Pownal
Martin Stream Campground 1 Martin Stream Road, Turner
Camp Tall Pines Conor Lane, Poland
Mirror Pond Campground 154 Old County Road, Oxford
Cedar Haven Family Campground 39 Baker Road, Freeport
Poland Spring Campground 128 Connor Lane, Poland
Durham Leisure Campground 24 Leisure Lane, Durham
Range Pond Campground 94 Plains Road, Poland
Freeport/Durham KOA 82 Big Skye Lane, Durham
Riverbend Campground 1540 ME-106, Leeds
Hemlocks Campground 53 Larch Drive, West Poland
The Birches Campground 201 Norris Point Road, Litchfield
Kokatosi Campground 635 Webbs Mills Road, Raymond
Two Lakes Camping Area 215 Campground Lane, Oxford
Loons’ Haven Family Campground 41 Loons Haven Drive, Naples
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Excellence in Resonance
Written by Michael Krapovicky | Photography by David Fuller
T
he Bourgeois name is synonymous with quality, a reputation built over 45 years of creating artisanal guitars here in Lewiston. Dana Bourgeois’ vision has brought forth instruments with a consistency of tone, playability, and aesthetics. By recently partnering with Eastman Music Company, Bourgeois is close to realizing his dream of mass-market accessibility to his instruments, without sacrificing his standard of excellence.
Founder Dana Bourgeois
Classic guitar construction
Evolution
Dana Bourgeois discovered his passion for guitar craft through his family.
One of those musicians was Eric Schoenberg, who owned a Massachusetts music store specializing in vintage American-made guitars. Through Schoenberg, Bourgeois had the opportunity to restore some of the highest quality instruments ever made, and to learn how they were crafted. Forming Schoenberg Guitars, the pair created and sold an updated version of the famed Orchestra Model guitar, originally made by Martin & Co. in the 1930s.
“My father was an amateur woodworker and my grandfather was a machinist, so I grew up around tools,” says Bourgeois. “My father was a guitar player, and I was interested in that at a young age.” In Bourgeois’ youth, music was a ubiquitous pastime. “When I was growing up, everyone played guitar,” says Bourgeois. “It was my ‘video game.’ My parents would need to force the guitar out of my hands.” Bourgeois became interested in building guitars while studying art history at Bowdoin College. “I happened to see this glossy picture book on how to build guitars, Classic Guitar Construction by Irving Sloane,” recalls Bourgeois. “I thought, ‘I could do that, if I had help from my dad and my grandfather.’” Through knowledge gleaned from learning to craft guitars, Bourgeois was also able to fix broken instruments for friends. In 1977, Bourgeois opened a repair service in Brunswick, where he also sold his handmade instruments. “These days, there are luthier schools, but back then people who knew how to repair instruments were few and far between,” notes Bourgeois. “I was making a pretty good living out of college, and enjoying the relationships I was cultivating with musicians.”
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LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
Later, Paul Reed Smith Guitars, known for making solid body electric instruments, was working to expand their offerings. Bourgeois developed the business model for an acoustic adjunct. When Paul Reed Smith found itself unable to continue, Bourgeois parted ways with Schoenberg and started his own shop to execute the business plan. Thus, Bourgeois Guitars started in 1992 on Goddard Road in Lewiston, with eight employees. “The tone of our guitars can be described as having excellent string-tostring and note-tonote balance and exceptional clarity,” Bourgeois confirms, “seasoned by the character and flavor of the specific tone-
Every guitar has to pass Bourgeois’ final inspection
By Michael Krapovicky | Photography by David Fuller | Bourgeois Guitars woods used in each individual guitar.” His craftsmen use the best possible materials and techniques.
Word gets out Over time, Bourgeois guitars found their way into the hands of prominent players. Bourgeois attributes his introduction to Nashville elites to early advocate Bryan Sutton, who needed a high-end guitar for his tenure with Ricky Skaggs. After trying several guitars in Nashville shops, Sutton settled on a Bourgeois, a slope-shouldered dreadnaught. “Bryan called me,” says Bourgeois, “and mentioned he had nicknamed his new guitar, ‘The Banjo Killer,’ the name we use on that model to this day. He invited me to a Ricky Skaggs show at Thompson’s Point, and we’ve been friends ever since.” “Nashville artists all know each other,” Bourgeois explains, and many other luminaries followed suit. “Once you have your foot in the door, reputation precedes you.” Skaggs himself later purchased a Bourgeois. Natalie Maines of The Chicks (previously known as The Dixie Chicks), and Dan Tyminski and Ron Block of Union Station, among others, also play Bourgeois guitars.
Expansion Bourgeois Guitars expanded production to larger mill locations, landing at 41 Chestnut Street in Lewiston. Chris Fleming, president and COO, runs the day-to-day operations. Fleming began as a production worker in 2017. He was fast-tracked for advancement, becoming general manager after eight months with the company. “I consider myself the steward of the culture here at Bourgeois Guitars,” says Fleming. “There is really magical stuff happening, and we are pursuing new team members that will bring a good work ethic and attitude, as we move forward.” Many employees of Bourgeois Guitars have remained with the company for over 20 years, due to their respect for Bourgeois
and knowing they are responsible for building some of the world’s finest instruments. “The investment in Dana’s vision has never waned,” affirms Fleming, “which speaks a lot to the dedication of the team.”
Eastman In 2019, Eastman Music Company purchased Bourgeois Guitars, with the plan to co-produce a Bourgeois model at a more affordable price point. “The plan is to build and tune the guitar tops in Lewiston and send them over to China, to be built to our specifications. Then
Every guitar has to pass Bourgeois’ final inspection President and COO Chris Fleming with Bourgeois at the Bourgeois headquarters in Lewiston LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com
25
Mike Onofrio perfects the alignment of the neck before sanding
Thomas Klose fits the inlaid trim to the edge of a guitar body
they will send them back to us for final setup and quality control, and we distribute,” Bourgeois explains. “They will be branded as Bourgeois Guitars, made in Lewiston, Maine, and Beijing, selling in the high $2,000 price range.” Travel restrictions due to COVID-19 have set back prototype development. “Pre-pandemic we were sending people over to China every other month, and they would send folks over in a similar fashion,” says Bourgeois. “Now we’ve been doing our training over the internet, which poses difficulties.”
The future Fleming outlines Bourgeois’ future plans, with the goal of tripling output from 500 to 1,500 guitars annually. The company is currently out of stock for the first time since its inception, and demand seems to only be increasing. “We are also seeking to diversify our product lines, adding the production of mandolins,” states Fleming. “We’ve got a really good relationship with the traditional Americana and bluegrass community, and it will be fun to bring a high-quality instrument to market that fits right in that niche.” Meantime, Bourgeois works to develop their new Eastman hybrid, and Fleming feels the product will soon be able to meet Bourgeois’ stringent qualifications of intonation, projection, and articulation of sound. “Condensing 45 years of learning into a year and a half tells a lot about both the teachers and the students,” Fleming proffers. “This extra time spent for quality control will all be worth it in the end.” Guitar sales are on the rise as live performances return, and Eastman and Bourgeois are poised to continue providing boutique tools for musicians to express their creativity. Bourgeois Guitars 41 Chestnut Street, Lewiston • bourgeoisguitars.net
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Lew Klimesh shaves a guitar neck to ensure a perfect fit to the body
THE
T E R C SE
Skelton Taintor & Abbott ATTORNEYS AT LAW
TO LONGEVITY Written by Donna Keene Rousseau | Photography by David Fuller
S
kelton Taintor & Abbott has been a leading force in the legal circles of Maine for nearly a century and a half. Throughout its history, several members have achieved prominence on both state and national levels.
Attorneys William (Bill) Skelton, Sarah Mitchell, and Daniel D’Auteuil, Jr.
Auburn’s oldest firm, Skelton Taintor & Abbott, merged with Gosselin & Dubord of Lewiston in February 2020 and, most recently, with Lewiston’s oldest firm, Isaacson & Raymond, in July 2021. The result is a legal powerhouse affording its clients access to legal expertise in a wider range of specialties. Throughout its evolution, the firm’s commitment to strong and ready leadership that is dedicated to community remains unwavering and its roots run deep in Lewiston Auburn. LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com
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Auspicious history Skelton Taintor & Abbott (ST&A) can trace its roots back to 1854 with the founding of the firm of Fessenden & Frye by its two partners, Thomas A.D. Fessenden and William P. Frye. And although Fessenden is believed to have discontinued in the practice of law shortly after forming the partnership, the firm continued to evolve. As Frye, who became a distinguished U.S. Senator while continuing to practice law, developed professional and political connections, the principals of the firm came to reflect a “Who’s Who” of Lewiston Auburn. Those notable partners included Jonathan Cilley and J.B Cotton, who joined in 1871. Cotton left active practice in 1889, accepting a position in the Department of Justice in the Harrison administration. Another was Wallace H. White, Sr., who also became a noted senator and married Sen. Frye’s daughter Helen Elizabeth, thus joining the line that carried on the practice for many years. Frye also made his exit from the firm in 1889. From 1889 to 1919, the firm was known as White & Carter, with senior partners Senator White and Seth M. Carter. Charles B. Carter joined in 1890.
A new line begins In the interim, another line began with William B. Skelton joining the Lewiston firm of Newell & Judkins in 1893; the firm became known as Newell & Skelton from 1894-1914. In 1914, Skelton temporarily ceased the practice of law to become a member of the newly created Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC), where he served until 1919. Upon his retirement from MPUC, Skelton resumed his practice of law and merged his firm with White & Carter; the firm became known as White, Carter, & Skelton. That firm dissolved in 1922 following the death of Senator White. Skelton practiced alone until August 1927, when he formed a partnership with his son, Harold Newell Skelton, named after William H. Newell, Skelton’s earlier partner for whom he held great respect. With the addition of John J. Mahon in October 1931, the name changed to Skelton & Mahon. In September 1951, Frederick G. Taintor, Harold Skelton’s son-in-law, joined the firm and following the death of Mahon in 1956, the firm became Skelton & Taintor. The lineage continued with William B. Skelton II joining the firm in April 1956, followed by Harold S. Skelton in 1961 and, finally, Charles H. Abbott in 1963, at which point the firm became Skelton Taintor & Abbott.
Today
Bill Skelton, great-grandson of William B. Skelton, takes in the view from the still-under-construction Skelton Taintor & Abbott offices in Lewiston Daniel D’Auteuil, Jr., Esq., says it was an aging legal community that served as the catalyst for change. Both firms recognized the benefits of a reimagined practice, bringing shared expertise, experience, and renewed energy that would fortify them for the future, especially in the fields of litigation, and commercial/business/transactional areas. “The firms share a longevity with Lewiston Auburn and with it the same hardworking character and work ethic on which our community was built,” says D’Auteuil, who was born and raised in LA. “I see great potential here, an explosion waiting to happen. Expansion is long overdue and change is evident everywhere. With our merger, we are now professionally positioned to meet the unique legal demands for the future.”
William B. Skelton’s great-grandson, William K. Skelton (known as Bill), carries on the firm’s lineage. While he initially worked in the family firm after his graduation from Franklin Pierce Law Center, from 2000 to 2017, he served as legal counsel for Androscoggin Title Company, representing buyers, sellers, and lenders in all aspects of residential and commercial conveyancing and lending. Additionally, he also worked for two years for Fidelity National Title Group in Portland as vice president and alternate state counsel for the state of Maine. In 2019, he returned to private practice in the family firm where he specializes in real estate and title matters, elder, corporate, and business law.
Momentum for the future The idea of a merger of ST&A with Isaacson & Raymond was one whose time had come in 2021. After years of discussions, 28
LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
Daniel D’Auteuil, Jr., Esq.
By Donna Keene Rousseau | Photography by David Fuller | Skelton Taintor & Abbott Amy Dieterich, Esq., an ST&A shareholder, is “home-grown,” having graduated from Edward Little High School and is described by peers as a “superstar” in her areas of practice: employment, labor, family, commercial litigation, and municipal & government law. She worked and traveled the world for nearly 20 years before returning to LA and she embraces the philosophy of a workplace that supports the whole person. She hopes to ensure that ST&A continues to foster an environment where all employees enjoy coming to work and feel like part of a team. “Before returning to LA,” Dieterich explains, “I spent 10 years in New York City at Columbia Law School and practicing at two different, prestigious law firms there. I worked with brilliant lawyers in New York, but saw the long hours and the sacrifices their families made and knew that was not the life I wanted.” Her position at ST&A affords her the opportunity to do the meaningful work she loves along with her family life.
Sarah Mitchell, Esq.
“I can do good work for my clients and community but still be home to share dinner and the sunset to the sound of crickets with my family,” says Dieterich. “New York has crickets too, but the F train doesn’t drown them out here!”
Sarah Mitchell, Esq., president of ST&A, adds, “The very experienced and well-regarded attorneys at Gosselin & Dubord and Isaacson & Raymond have allowed ST&A continuity in providing the highest level of service in the areas of corporate/business work, wills and estates, family law, and personal injury, with the knowledge and experience brought to us by these newest additions.” She says, though there is not an official ST&A mission statement, there have been many conversations about the vision for what type of firm they wish to be, especially now with the recent merges and new location. “We look to provide the highest level of service and legal work to our clients, and to have a workplace that supports and appreciates the people who work here in all areas of their lives,” explains Mitchell. Part of creating an environment that appreciates its staff includes milestone birthday cakes or cupcakes and a week of daily celebratory activities – gift cards, games, flowers, raffles – to thank their administrative staff in recognition of Administrative Professionals Day in April. Past events have also included renting a movie theater and hosting movie night, attorney-prepared luncheons, happy hours and, this year, a tour of their new building and a frozen yogurt cart. COVID has demanded some creativity, according to Mitchell. “We had a cornhole tournament in the parking lot which lasted all day and it was a way for us to introduce, socially distanced, the new folks to the ST&A crew,” says Mitchell. “With the growth of the company and the larger size, we are committed to continuing these events as a way to assure we don’t lose the feel of a smaller group.”
Rising stars Merging of firms, however, is only part of ST&A’s preparation for the future. Like so many businesses in Maine, attracting and maintaining talented minds is key to longevity.
Amy Dieterich, Esq. LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com
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“Being an attorney who represents individuals is most important to me,” remarks Clement. “Practicing in the Lewiston Auburn area allows me to represent real Maine people from all walks of life every day.” According to Clement, his vision for the future is to carry on the high standards established by his respected predecessor, Wade, through a continued commitment to Lewiston Auburn and surrounding communities while successfully broadening the reach of ST&A’s personal injury practice to other parts of Maine.
Shining bright Dieterich and Clement were named to the Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list in 2020. It is an honor received by no more than 2.5% of lawyers in each state. Super Lawyers is a rating service utilizing independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations to identify outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of professional achievement.
Braden Clement, Esq. ST&A shareholder Braden Clement, Esq., also hails from Maine and is raising his family here. He graduated Bowdoin College and cum laude from the University of Maine School of Law with a masters from Tufts University. Prior to joining ST&A in 2017, he practiced in a large law firm in Portland. Clement worked closely for three years with Stephen B. Wade, ST&A’s highly-regarded personal injury lawyer, before Wade’s retirement. Clement carries the mantel and is considered the new face of ST&A’s personal injury practice.
Additionally, nine ST&A attorneys were named to Best Lawyers in America® list in August 2020. Those attorneys included Darcie P.L. Beaudin, Amy Dieterich, Ronald Lebel (retired), Sarah Mitchell, James Pross, Norman Rattey, Bill Skelton, Theodore Small, and Stephen Wade (now retired). Best Lawyers® is considered the oldest and most respected peer review in the legal profession. Further, ST&A was named a Tier 1 Law Firm for Family Law and Medical Malpractice-Plaintiffs by U.S. News - Best Lawyers® in the 2021 “Best Law Firms” list, a ranking held since 2010. “Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review related to the quality of legal services provided, which is why we consider it to be such an achievement when any of our attorneys receive that honor,” explains Mitchell. “We strive to be well-respected by our peers, both in the quality of our work and how we interact as people with others in our field and with our clients.”
LA METRONancy MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 30 Receptionist Higgins| works in the former ST&A lobby on Main Street in Auburn
By Donna Keene Rousseau | Photography by David Fuller | Skelton Taintor & Abbott
James Pross
Photo courtesy of Skelton Taintor & Abbott
Giving back Understanding the community involves serving the neighborhood beyond the offices. Throughout the years, ST&A’s commitment to community service has remained steady in both monetary donations and time. Some of the organizations and events ST&A supports include the March of Dimes, the Dempsey Challenge, Community Little Theatre, Central Maine Human Resources Association, Maine Women’s Network, Androscoggin Land Trust, as well as public service organizations, local government, school boards, and civic organizations. Dress Down Fridays, chili lunches, and dessert auctions are among some of the in-office events that encourage fun amongst the staff and help raise money for organizations ST&A supports.
Pross. “ST&A’s story and where it is now is a microcosm of, and metaphor for, the community’s own rebirth. The redeveloped Lisbon Street Gateway has represented that rebirth to the downtown community in Lewiston and I feel ST&A is a part of that. The artist renderings prepared by the City of Lewiston depict a vision for the canals along Canal Street, and I see our presence in Lewiston as hopefully being a part of what can bring that imaginative artwork to life.” Skelton Taintor & Abbott 500 Canal Street, Lewiston • www.sta-law.com
Says Mitchell, “We have a responsibility to give back to the community that supports us. It is an expectation that we have for all our attorneys, and the firm does what we can to support those efforts.” She adds, “We appreciate the unique community in which we live and work, and it is through our involvement that we can best connect with and understand the challenges and changes that our clients face.”
New chapter A walking tour of the twin cities would tell the tale of the firm’s brick and mortar history, but its recent move to 500 Canal Street in Lewiston represents a new chapter rich in legal experience, talent, and renewed energy. “The firm’s move represents a new beginning of sorts for a firm that has been a fixture in the community for so many decades,” says ST&A attorney and shareholder James Pross. “The future is grounded in our traditional practice areas, with new lawyers rising to the occasion to carry the firm forward.” It is the secret to longevity for ST&A: the ability to adapt and re-imagine itself in a world continually evolving. “There is something inherently joyful about ‘rebirth’ and ‘renewal’. Lewiston Auburn has been a place that has evolved and changed over time with its own rebirths along the way,” says
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Born in Lewiston, Paul Dionne currently resides in Auburn with his wife, Diane. He has two children, Melodie and Michelle, and five grandchildren Merissa, Michael, Olivia, Charlotte, and Brennan. About the book: Madeleine Moreau, poverty stricken and alone, struggles to provide for herself and her children, her future bleak, foreboding and empty. She draws strength in her darkest hour when the Monsignor of Paris charges her with witchcraft and threatens to tear her family apart. Influenced by the enlightened philosophers of the times, the characters uncover the bigotry of the Church, suffer religious persecution and experience the horrors of war. Background:
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LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
As an avocation, for over twenty years, the author has researched the role of women in the Early Church and the scandal of their subordination in the rise of Christianity. This resulted in his first work entitled The Priestess and the Pope. Madeleine’s Inquisition, a sequel, bolsters the already persuasive case of the leadership role of women and sets forth the injustice, superstition, and the inhumanity of the church towards women.
Paperbook or eBook versions available. To order visit amazon.com or authorpauldionne.com
c i g a M
The
c i g a of M
Written by Sara Poulin | Photography by Nicole Rand
P
eople want to be amazed, delighted, and entertained. Magicians and mentalists make us believe in things that we can’t understand. They make us question our own thoughts and minds. Twisting reality, they bend it to fit what they want us to see, to amaze, and to astound us.
Mark Vaillancourt of Mark’s Magic
We have two such practitioners right here in the Lewiston Auburn area. LA Metro Magazine sits down with mentalist Steven Cornish, known as “Stephan, Master of the Senses,” and magician Mark Vaillancourt, of Mark’s Magic, to learn more about the art of magic.
Magician’s choice There are many different types of magic performance. Walk around magic involves sleight of hand tricks with cards or small objects, performed up close. Stage magic includes the use of illusion and various other tools from a distance, to create a mystery for the audience. Mentalism does not use tricks but, rather, the manipulation of the mind.
For my first trick At a very early age, Steven Cornish was an observer of people, watching them, their reactions and behaviors. While on spring break from college, he became fascinated with magic after spending an afternoon in a Florida magic shop, where he purchased $150 worth of tricks. He entertained his friends back in the hotel and he was hooked. He began taking classes and seminars to learn more about the world of magic. Cornish’s curious mind led him to join different groups in the magical community. He is a member of The Society of American Magicians as well as the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Cornish has been amazing and surprising audiences all over New England with his act for over 30 years both as a mentalist, “Stephan, Master of the Senses,” and also as a magician under the stage name “The Great Stephan.”
What’s on your mind? Though Cornish has practiced close-up and stage magic for years, his current passion is mentalism. Mentalists use psychology and the power of suggestion to influence the subject’s mind. They learn about body language patterns and behaviors, as well as studying mind control, hypnosis, and the powers of telekinesis. The mastery of these skills allows mentalists to work with the audience instead of props. Using his natural storytelling ability and charisma, Cornish influences the subjects into revealing things about themselves. “People love to talk about themselves,” Cornish laughs. By observing their “tells,” Cornish creates the illusion that he can read their thoughts. The power of influence can be so strong that people will believe that a mentalist has a supernatural gift. In fact, Cornish has been asked to speak with departed loved ones. However, he believes that manipulating people in that way is not entertainment and he has no interest in it. “You don’t want to upset people or give them false hope. Death is death.” He states matter-of-factly, “You can’t contact the dead.”
Remote magic During the past year Cornish’s performances have been primarily done remotely. Because his show features magic without the use of physical props, his show, “The Power of Influence,” is a huge success online. Cornish is able to perform by Zoom as well as socially distanced venues. When not in the middle of a pandemic, Stephan performs all over New England for private parties, fundraisers, business functions, and weddings. Steven Cornish as Stephan, Master of the Senses
By Sara Poulin | Photography by Nicole Rand | The Magic of magic
Cornish uses the power of influence on Keith Davis while Brian Saucier looks on
With a flourish and a flash Mark Vaillancourt, of Mark’s Magic, specializes in walk around magic. He refers to it as “pocket management.” More theatrical than mentalism, it requires an organized hand to keep the props straight. Magicians, like any other performers, have to practice their craft until they can’t get it wrong.
“While there are tricks on YouTube to learn, and knowledge to gain from magic books, DVDs, and magic lectures,“ Vaillancourt feels that “having a real person show you – performers who have done shows and made mistakes – can help improve your own performance.” Magicians have a code: they never reveal the secret of another magician’s trick to an audience. Vaillancourt believes that, if a ma-
Vaillancourt quotes magician Collins Key, who once said, “Magicians will practice for hours and hours on something that nobody sees.”
Growing into magic Shy as a child, Vaillancourt grew up watching the performances of magicians like David Copperfield and Doug Henning. What impressed him was what he refers to as, “the amazement of it.” In the year 2000, he and his wife, Pam, had Phil Smith, a magician and a family friend, perform at their Jack & Jill wedding shower. It piqued his interest so much that Pam, a theater performer, encouraged him to pursue his interest in learning magic.
Passing down the art Vaillancourt has studied magic by making personal connections with other magicians who have mentored and taught him the intricacies of sleight of hand and performing. He is a member of the Society of American Magicians and an “underground group” called Magic Enthusiasts. He credits some of his magic education to watching the performances of magician Lance Burton.
Mark Vaillancourt LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com
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Vaillancourt demonstrates walk around magic gician shares something with you, you should take the basics of it and make it your own, and always ask before you incorporate it into your own act.
The love of magic Unfortunately, continuing his performances during COVID has not been easy. Vaillancourt is hopeful that, with restrictions easing and more outdoor venues being able to support entertainment, it will be a busy summer. Vaillancourt works in many different settings where he can blend in with the crowd and suddenly pop out of nowhere to share tricks with the attendees. He loves seeing the smiles and disbelief on the faces of party goers and audience members. It delights him to have a guest drag
a friend over saying, “You’ve got to see what this guy can do!” Vaillancourt won’t repeat a trick for an audience. If a guest comes back to see a trick for a second time, he’ll show them something completely different.
Magic connection It’s clear that connecting with people is what both Vaillancourt and Cornish love about their work as magicians. Their love of people and entertaining keeps the magic alive. Mark Vaillancourt of Mark’s Magic www.prestomagician1967.wixsite.com Steven Cornish: Stephan, Master of the Senses www.stephanmasterofthesenses.net
Blindfolded Cornish correctly identifies Brian Saucier’s driver’s license 36
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An Undying Commitment Written by John Breerwood | Photography by Jose Leiva
A
nyone who spends much time outdoors would agree that nature has a way of healing the soul. More and more, people have been discovering this fact during the pandemic. Dan and Nicole Waite fully realize the power of the outdoors, perhaps more than most. They founded Operation Reboot Outdoors to harness Maine’s natural resources to help heal our national heroes. Their mission is to help U.S. veterans recuperate from their physical and emotional war wounds and transition back to civilian life. Dan Waite’s combined passions for sportsmanship and for fellow veterans has allowed the organization to serve approximately 600 veterans in the last five years, helping them find purpose again. A team of volunteers, known as the “Reboot Warriors,” help the Waites with everything from creating videos for YouTube to driving a fishing boat.
Maine outdoors. He found himself frequently driving up to Maine to undergo “nature therapy.” Ultimately, both Dan and Nicole decided that Maine would present them with a brighter future together. However, even back in Maine, Dan still faced challenges. The group therapy sessions weren’t working for him, and he started asking the other veterans if they wanted to go fishing. It took a few tries for one veteran to take Dan up on his offer, and they caught a bunch of fish. “He got excited and told all the guys,” he recalls, “and it just got bigger and bigger.” The Waites self-funded the project for three years. By 2018, they realized that they needed to make a change to sustain the mission financially. In 2019, ORO officially became a nonprofit. Dan fulfilled one of his dreams of becoming a Maine guide, in order to give the veterans the best experience possible. The Waites installed bunks in their basement, which they call the “Bear Cave,” where vets stay at their home, which is referred to as Camp Turner. Nicole & Dan Waite
Coming together Though Operation Reboot Outdoors (ORO) has grown significantly in the last year, it didn’t happen overnight. Like many great movements, it started with a story and a promise. In 2007, Dan was deployed to Iraq, but would later undergo therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany as well as Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He spent time with veterans who had been catastrophically injured, telling them his childhood stories about hunting and fishing in Maine. “I felt bad, though,” he admits, “because some would tell me that they thought it was great, but that they didn’t think they would ever be physically able to go again. I wasn’t physically injured like them and I felt ashamed. So, I made a promise to myself that I would take a group of veterans hunting or fishing one day. I had to do something more.” After being discharged as a combat veteran, Waite and his wife lived in Boston. Dan struggled with city life and longed for the
An Operation Reboot Outdoors hunting excursion Photo courtesy of Peter Bolduc 38
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“Some people will come here nervous,” Dan Waite says. “It could take a couple of hours or it could take a day. Next thing you know, they start talking and they want to stay even longer.” John Nelson, a Marine veteran and former mountain warfare instructor who lives about 3 miles from the Waites, has gone on several ice fishing trips with ORO. “All of us veterans can get together, share stories and have fun,” Nelson says. “That’s something that we all miss and it’s very important.”
Going all in As the operation grew, the Waites expanded their mission from helping catastrophically wounded veterans to also helping those struggling with PTSD. It is estimated that about 22 veterans die by suicide each day, and ORO seeks to reduce that number through their efforts. Dan Waite recalls an early excursion being the turning point in his level of commitment to the cause. An older veteran drove four hours to Camp Turner for a weeklong bear hunt and arrived without bags. The man was prepared to drive back home each day if he needed to, and admitted that he had not really left the house
By John Breerwood | Photography by Jose Leiva | Operation Reboot Outdoors
Kenneth Blaisdell prepares his fishing pole in 20 years. The bear hunt was a success that day, and a surge of emotions followed.
have even donated special hunts such as sea duck hunts and Texas hog hunts.
“I knew him for six hours, and he hugged me and said that he loved me for doing this for him. I wasn’t fully committed until that point. After I experienced that, I knew I had a higher calling.”
Overall, the veterans that they serve tend to be 80% Mainers and 20% out-of-staters. However, the Waites don’t choose any veteran over another. With all the excursions that they facilitate, they never tire from seeing another veteran smile.
The next spring, the same veteran arrived at Camp Turner for a turkey hunt and brought bags to stay overnight. He was overjoyed to stay with the Waites, calling them family. That veteran’s wife later wrote them a letter saying how much more confident and independent he had become since that one bear hunt. “That’s what Reboot does,” he says. “It helped him turn his life around.”
Carrying out the mission ORO offers year-round excursions and experiences to veterans: ice fishing in the winter; maple sugaring, fishing and smelting, and turkey in the spring; trolling, striper and fly fishing, and bear baiting in the summer; and hunting bear, moose, and deer in the fall. Companies that have gotten word about what ORO does
“I want to get as many veterans as I can out there,” Dan says. “It never gets old; I am always chasing that good feeling, like a drug.” The Waites hope to serve 365 new veterans by the end of this year. “At this rate,” Nicole says, “we’re on track to hit that number. And, we only count new veterans that come to us for that goal.” The number of veterans per mission varies with the season and the individual. One-on-one hunts are available for veterans who do not prefer crowds. Big game hunts typically take one veteran to guide as well. Ice fishing will sometimes have as many as 12 veterans, now that ORO has two ATVs. Three volunteer boat captains can LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com
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The Waites with the ATV awarded to them by the Mike Rowe website series, Returning the Favor have three or four vets on each boat. Sometimes they will do events, but they will cap participation numbers to allow for COVID guidelines. Fishing trips are a little more flexible than the hunting excursions because sometimes veterans show up unannounced. “And that’s fine,” Nicole says. “They can enjoy the camaraderie and talk about the outdoors without the pressure to open up those old wounds.”
Returning the favor The idea of ORO may have been born from a promise, but the reality began to take shape once the community delved in. ORO has 25 volunteers, including several registered Maine guides and boat captains. Civilian volunteers, who have not joined the military, also contribute to the cause because they share a compassion for the veterans they serve. “All of these amazing people, both veterans and civilians, jumped in beside me. They’re all soldiers,” Dan says, “because they’re committed and are great at what they do. It helps our guys bridge that gap into civilian life too. They see our volunteers and feel more comfortable about civilians.” ORO received a big boost last Veterans Day when Mike Rowe (of The Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs fame) featured ORO on the web reality series Returning the Favor and awarded the organization with a new ATV for its good deeds. The camera crew surprised the Waites at their home. The couple had been in contact with a representative prior, but it was presumed that ORO would merely be mentioned in a small documentary. The video quickly received over 8.5 million views and veterans across the nation began reaching out. “Being on that show was the catalyst we needed,” recalls Nicole. “Our fundraising tripled. When you have a person with some 40
LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
clout who vouches for you, it gives permission to others to support you, too. It helps your credibility.” Both big and small donors who make up “Reboot Nation” make the project’s next step possible. “Funding has been grassroots by doing a giveaway or a barbecue. But we’ve got some bigger donors for the Dream Bigger Campaign,” she reasons. “We can’t keep pulling from the community.”
Dreaming bigger ORO is developing a new property in Byron, Maine, called Camp Byron. Its Dream Bigger Campaign seeks to provide more access and opportunities to veteran sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts. “We’re adapting to people that want to do other things like kayaking or moose safaris,” Dan says. Gold panning, maple sugaring, and foraging are some of the activities that ORO will offer, in addition to its hunting and fishing excursions. “Hunting and fishing is not for everyone,” Nicole says. “The outdoors has so much more to offer.” There will be several cabins, one of which will be Americans with Disabilities act compliant, with several ramps and boardwalks to allow disabled vets an opportunity to explore and embrace the property. Several of the big game hunts will center in Camp Byron, while spring turkey and ice fishing will still operate out of Camp Turner. The Waites are excited this ideal hunting and fishing land is a 30-minute drive away from a hospital and grocery stores, which will allow for more comfort and convenience. The Waites hope to make ORO comparable to the state’s high-priced outfitters.
By John Breerwood | Photography by Jose Leiva | Operation Reboot Outdoors “And our success rate matches theirs,” Dan notes, “with no cost to veterans.” Getting electricity to the cabins was a logistical challenge since the property was nine poles away. However, the Waites reached out to Central Maine Power, and the company offered to donate lines so that Camp Byron could have reliable power. “Electricity is important because we have vets that are on breathing machines,” adds Nicole, “or their prosthetic legs need recharging. The thought of using a generator was a little intimidating, so that development was a huge game-changer for us.” Dan also hopes that Camp Byron could serve as a blueprint for anyone that would want to do something similar. “When you go in the military,” he says, “they train you to be hardcore and emotionless, but they don’t retrain you on how to return to society. Reboot can be like a reverse boot camp.” The project is a huge undertaking; however, their goal is to keep the property modest. “We want them to feel like they are at camp,” says Nicole. “Most veterans are most comfortable when they are chilling, not attending a fancy dinner party.”
Rebooting an old saying “This organization is life changing,” says John Nelson, who once led a team of marines to summit Mount McKinley. He is very excited about the growth of ORO. “It’s uplifting and helps veterans get out of their heads and move forward. Crawl, walk, run. That’s how I live my life. I take it slow, and I think this organization helps other veterans do just that.” “Until Valhalla” is a common saying among veterans, and it signifies the honor of a soldier’s death. It references the Norse heaven where fallen warriors dine with the gods. Many surviving veterans feel incomplete or even guilty for not dying in combat with their friends.
Mike Mullin, Scott Wright, & Blaisdell “Some veterans are in such a hurry,” says Nicole, “and they don’t think they should have made it home. Something like Reboot gives them the right to find purpose again. And, their friends that died in combat would want them to live on.” “Valhalla Can Wait” is one of ORO’s mottos, to help convince veterans there is more to live for. “There’s a huge gap between military and civilian life, and it seems no one can figure out the problem. But the answer is easy,” says Dan. “It lies within us: veterans helping veterans. I truly believe that.” Operation Reboot Outdoors www.operationrebootmaine.org
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Denny Breau performs at Mel’s Hilltop Restaurant in Poland
Denny Breau
Written by Michael Krapovicky | Photography by Jose Leiva
D
enny Breau is a consummate entertainer who honed his considerable skills over 40 years as a full-time musician. A virtuosic guitarist with a unique thumb-picking technique, Breau is also an underrated songwriter whose original compositions evoke deep human emotions, experiences, and connections. Breau’s warm appeal and deft guitar ability gives audiences a memorable experience. His rare talent, stage presence, and lifelong dedication to the guitar make him one of Maine’s great musical resources.
Denny Breau in studio
Family ties Denny Breau began performing at the age of nine, as part of his family’s band. Breau’s parents, Betty Cody and Hal Lone Pine, were international country music entertainers who recorded numerous hit songs for RCA and performed extensively on the radio in the 1940s and ‘50s. Breau’s brother Lenny, 11 years his senior, became an acclaimed innovator of guitar, developing a style that hybridized classical, country, flamenco, and jazz techniques. “Music was always around; it seemed the natural thing to do. It just called to me,” Breau asserts. Contrasting his parents’ traditional country milieu were Breau’s neighbors, the Turgeons. Their rock band, the Temptations Four, left a lasting impression on him, fueling his resolve to dedicate his life to music. “I was infatuated with everything about it: the lights on the amps, the players with cigarette packs rolled in their sleeves. They were really the start of ‘the life’ for me,” claims Breau. “Richard Turgeon showed me how to play ‘Peter Gunn’ on the guitar – and the rest is history.”
Folk and rock “I gravitated toward the guitar,” says Breau. “It had always piqued my interest.” His lifelong study of the guitar evolved with the music that influenced him. “My first love was the Beatles, certainly,” Breau recalls. “I learned how to play my first barre chord looking at John Lennon’s hand on a bubble gum card.” In live shows, Breau performs an instru44
LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
mental medley of Beatles tunes, showcasing the years he spent incorporating his idols’ melodies into his playing. “I also really loved folk music, like Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan, and Peter, Paul, and Mary,” Breau continues. “The songs were fun and easy to play. Folks would give me a dime to play ‘If I Had a Hammer.’” Then Breau’s path took a turn when he was exposed to something new and life-changing. “My cousin, Don Cote, came over and put a record on: Led Zeppelin 1. And from then on, I wanted to be a rocker,” insists Breau. “But I still love folk and play it to this day.”
By Michael Krapovicky | Photography by Jose Leiva | Denny Breau
Breau and Mark Miller perform together at the Ramada Inn
Music heyday
Pass it on
The early ‘70s music scene in Lewiston Auburn was thriving as Breau plied his trade as a professional string-slinger. There was live music seven nights a week, and the clubs were nearly always over-capacity.
Breau has taken opportunities to pass on his musical knowledge to others.
“I used play places like the Roundhouse with the Flairs when I was 18 or 19,” Breau recounts. “Playing the Top 40 music of the day, the disco era, I learned a lot about chord shapes and things like that.”
“Whatever the kids wanted to hear, whatever the kids couldn’t figure out on their own, I’d show them,” says Breau of his teach-
As a working musician, Breau might have played three weddings on a Saturday afternoon, then an LA club like the Ramada Inn the same night. Breau also got a taste of touring with bandmates Tom Rowe and his son, Dave, under the name Turkey Hollow, playing traditional and original folk songs and sea shanties. In 2004, Breau was inducted into the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame, like his father and mother before him. Breau was the youngest inductee in their history.
Studio Breau is also in high demand as a session guitarist. “Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, I did a lot of commercial work with Eddie Boucher at EAB Studios. I was the studio guitarist, doing jingles and public service announcements,” says Breau. “I also produced albums by artists like Josee Vachon,” he says, referencing the Franco-American musician. Recently, Breau had an engagement in Portland at Acadia Studio playing guitar for a fiddle trio, performing songs like Chuck Berry’s “Never Can Tell” and other original compositions. “It was a bit out of my wheelhouse, playing fiddle tunes, but I read the charts, and felt like I kept up,” laughs Breau. “The tempos were cranking!”
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ing methods. “Maybe some jazz chords, some country licks, basic pentatonics, and how they work with all styles of music.” Some notable students of Breau’s include Steve Grenier, who later founded Maine Street Music Lessons, Ken Labrecque, now a guitar instructor at Bates College, and Kurt Watts, of the band Sacred Onion, incorporates Breau’s thumb picking into their own signature techniques.
Lenny Breau Breau’s brother, Lenny, was a constant source of inspiration. When their parents divorced, Denny moved with cousin Don Cody to Auburn and Lenny stayed in Canada, playing with Lone Pine’s band. When the brothers later reunited, they were both already adept at their own styles. Lenny imparted “Travis picking,” also known as pattern picking or alternating-thumb style, allowing a single guitarist to reproduce basslines, rhythm, and lead simultaneously.
“I’m also looking forward to returning to the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society event in Nashville,” says Breau. “Being Lenny’s brother, I felt so much love playing down there.” Breau’s storied career combines studio work, teaching, and songwriting with a relentless schedule of performances, both solo and with the best of New England folk, rock, and country musicians. Though he entertains audiences far and wide, Breau has remained here in LA, honoring his deep familial roots. Denny Breau www.facebook.com/DennyBreauMaineGuitarSlinger
“It’s hard not to be intimidated by Lenny as a guitarist – I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t,” Breau admits. “But I felt like I had my own thing – with writing songs, and carrying on my parents’ tradition of entertaining.” Lenny Breau’s untimely death, at age 43, was a severe blow to the music world and to his family. To honor his brother, Breau established the Lenny Breau Pergola, a structure placed in Pettengill Park for community events, including concerts. The guitarist has hosted an event in the park called Happy Together, performing with his wife, Ann, and other musicians. “Now we have a permanent place with Lenny’s name on it where people can perform,” affirms Breau.
Music returns As pandemic restrictions lift, Breau finds that his summer gig schedule is already full. In addition to many local engagements, Breau hosts a weekly music night on Wednesdays at Lenny’s at Hawkes Plaza, a Westbrook restaurant named for Breau’s brother.
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LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
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Just a putt away...
Written by Jillian Netherland | Photography by Brewster Burns
N
estled along the shores of Lake Auburn sits a local haunt as embedded in LA history as the Androscoggin itself – Tabers Restaurant and Golf. Initially opening as a small vegetable stand in 1941, the economic effects of World War II forced the Taber family to close their business shortly after its inception. Fortunately, this setback was only temporary; in 1948, Tabers reopened as a restaurant and mini golf course, not unlike the locale known and loved today.
This air of nostalgia is felt through every feature of Tabers. In fact, many of the food items found on the original menu can still be ordered today – and, upon ordering, you can expect to receive a number for your order to be called once your food is ready, just like customers in the ‘40s did. “We love hearing the stories from people,” Dan says, recalling the customer interactions he’s experienced over the years. “It’s very common that someone will tell us that they had their first date with their spouse here. Now they’re coming for an ice cream cone with their grandkids and telling us how great it is to see the place has stayed the same.” “We actually had a couple get married here,” Ellen chimes in. “They wanted to have their wedding here because it’s where they met for the first time. We, of course, said yes and closed the driving range so they could have the ceremony.”
Nostalgic and modern fun for all Events at Tabers are not limited to hosting the occasional wedding ceremony. “That’s all Ellen,” Dan says as he smiles at his wife, “she’s the party planner and organizer.” Ranging from the annual sock hop to class reunion nights, plus birthday party packages, the Hargreaves family makes it a point to include a variety of nostalgic and modern activities that appeal to all generations. Perhaps the biggest of these events is the biweekly glow-in-the-dark golf night, occurring every other Saturday from 9 p.m.-11:30 p.m.
Owners Dan & Ellen Hargreaves with their children, Penelope, Rafael, & Ricky Though passing through the hands of several owners in the immediate decades that followed, Tabers has been owned and operated by the Hargreaves family since 1981. “It’s been part of my entire life,” says Dan Hargreaves who, along with his wife, Ellen, took over ownership from his parents in 2008. “We lived in the house across the street and I grew up here. We kind of knew running it would become part of the plan, but we never imagined it would be such a hit.”
“Shortly after taking ownership, we recognized there was a lack of family friendly activities in the area after 7 p.m.” mentions Dan. “We opened the course up at night with glow-in-the-dark putters and balls, glowsticks, music, and lights – and it just took off.” To no one’s surprise, Tabers’ beautiful mini golf course provides a fun outing venue for many customers looking to soak in the great outdoors during the warmer months – local residents and tourists alike. Mini golf tournaments, as well as a mini golf league on Wednesdays, are regular fixtures throughout the summer, but the fun doesn’t stop there. The Pro Mini Golf Association) makes an annual stop at Tabers each summer for their mini golf open.
The importance of tradition While the world looks very different than it did in the 1940s, Tabers prides itself in remaining something constant during ever changing times. “Tradition is important to us,” comments Ellen, the visionary behind the gardening and floral arrangements throughout Tabers. She tries to keep changes to what is needed for upgrades and aesthetic value only, whenever possible. “We have, of course, needed to provide upgrades to the driving range and mini golf course,” mentions Dan, “but even with the upgrades, we kept the original final hole as a 19th hole, where customers can win a free game. They appreciate the nostalgia.” 50
LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
Ellora Martin of Hebron tees off with some help from her dad, Jared, while her mom, Daja, watches
By Jillian Netherland | Photography by Brewster Burns | Tabers
Charles Knox takes a swing at the driving range “Our opening was postponed last year due to the pandemic. Even after opening, we had to cancel all of our usual events,” says Dan, reflecting on years past, “but we are really looking forward to being open for all events again this year.”
Food for you, by you Arguably, the best aspect of Tabers is the food. Oldies but goodies, such as the hand-dipped onion rings made from the same recipe used in the ‘40s and the original North Burg cheeseburger, combined with newer favorites, including lobster rolls, battered pepper strips, and spinach salads, account for up to 300 orders on a busy day. The popularity of Tabers’ food options can, in part, be attributed to the Hargreaves being all ears when it comes to what people want to eat.
“Some of our favorite menu items have been ideas brought to us from employees and customers,” says Ellen, listing off some fan favorites. “It was a customer who suggested we add a West Burg cowboy burger, in response to our North Burg,” says Dan. The North Burg is a traditional cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayonnaise, while the West Burg is a bacon cheeseburger smothered with onions, lettuce, and barbecue sauce. “An employee came up with the idea of offering fried Oreos,” he adds. “We also offer Golden Double Stuff and an Oreo sundae, thanks to that employee.” This doesn’t mean Tabers is solely for savory seekers or those with a sweet tooth, though; the Hargreaves have added a variety of salads to their menu and are currently in the process of including vegan options at the request of their 8-year-old daughter.
The more things change, the more they stay the same For those who grew up in LA or find themselves passing through, Tabers has served as a pillar of consistency in a constantly changing world. This sentiment is perhaps felt most by one Massachusetts resident who makes it a point to visit each summer: Bruce Taber, son of the original owners who is now in his 60s. “It’s always great to see him,” says Dan. He adds, “As so much changes through the years, this place stays the same in providing that service to the community.” Owen & Cole Nadeau take a break from golf to enjoy a hot dog lunch
Tabers Restaurant and Golf 470 Lake Shore Drive, Auburn • www.tabersgolf.com LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com
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Keep the pies coming Written by Jen Cousins | Photography by Jose Leiva
I
n the early 1980s, Laddie Deemer and his wife, Joan, set out on an endeavor of the most delicious variety. Deemer says that at the time, Center Street in Auburn featured few restaurants that offered a family-friendly atmosphere. He envisioned a pizza shop that families could gather at not just occasionally, but for years to come. Laddie Deemer’s vision went beyond the basic hopes most new business owners have of financial success. He wanted to create a community gathering place that would turn into a community-wide family tradition. That creation is Pat’s Pizza.
BLT & Potato Pizzas
“I became known as the pretzel man,” he recalls with a smile. Once seated, customers are treated to a full pizza menu that offers all of the latest trends. Both Hawaiian and barbecue chicken pizza are still customer favorites today.
Pizza business One of Deemer’s first hires was David Bishop, who started at Pat’s as a pizza maker in 1986. With a natural mind for business, Bishop soon became restaurant manager, and then transitioned to majority owner several years ago. Over the years, Deemer and Bishop’s like-mindedness, in both business and relationship-building skills, has helped propel their business into a positive direction. A true believer in the LA community, Pat’s has given back generously to its members. Organizations as large as Make-A-Wish Maine, and as small as local school sports teams, have reached out for sponsorship over the years.
Laddie Deemer
A blank slate Four decades ago, the Deemers saw a business opportunity on the site of the former Jack’s Garage, on Center Street in Auburn. Tearing down the old garage gave them a blank slate. Together, the couple designed what is now a two-story pizza shop. The first story of the building was dedicated to take out. The second featured a bar, as well as a family-friendly dining area. Deemer gives his wife credit for the decision to add an outdoor deck that overlooks the Androscoggin River, a popular choice in the warmer months.
“Some of our most treasured experiences are of young people coming in with family, maybe even with a first date,” says Bishop. “They come into the lobby to dine and see their team pictures on our walls and exclaim, ‘Mom look, it’s me!’ Kind of warms your soul and makes what we do here so rewarding. There is a wonderful energy within these walls. Being a part of this great community and supporting one another makes me happy.” Bishop makes a point of sharing credit with his devoted staff. Part of what makes the dining experience there so consistently good, he says, is the fact that many of the same staff have worked there for decades. Bishop credits them for the great food and welcoming environment that Pat’s has become known for. “When it’s time to look for a job, they know where to go,” says Bishop, “generation after generation.”
Time to make dough Deemer fondly recalls the early days in business, when the restaurant’s growing reputation brought in a flood of new customers. “People were just thrilled to be here; you couldn’t even move around at that bar. There would be lines of people to the bottom of the stairs, sometimes to the street!” With a keen sense for the ever-changing trends in pizza making, Deemer says he was able to give customers’ changing palettes what they craved. First came the ‘90s pizza topping craze. No longer satisfied with just classic pepperoni pizza, patrons wanted new toppings like pineapple, barbecue chicken, and Hawaiian style pizza. More recently, Pat’s kept up with changing health needs too, offering gluten-free crust and fresh ingredients, much of which is prepared in-house. Deemer, who often served as host, knew not to keep hungry folks waiting. He began offering customers complimentary pretzels while they waited to be seated, a tradition that is still happening today. The pretzels and Deemer’s warm welcome earned him a community nickname. 54
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Dave Bishop
By Jen Cousins | Photography by Jose Leiva | Pat’s Pizza “I never feel like I don’t want to come to work,” Hammond says. “Pat’s is home, we’re truly family here. We have watched generations come through. At Pat’s, you get to see people you know and work with people you love.” It’s easy to see how their commitment to each other has been extended to their customers. Hammond says that a large number of their patrons have become regulars. What started as a goal for stellar customer service, evolved into a family vibe that has lasted for decades.
Trying times Bishop’s resolve was tested when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the state of Maine. Pat’s Pizza’s massive popularity didn’t stop the entire staff from feeling the pressure most Maine businesses experienced. Forced to send his dining room staff home, Bishop was confronted with the pressure of keeping the business afloat. With the kitchen staff keeping up with the takeout orders, Bishop and Deemer took the opportunity to remodel. Customers who returned to Pat’s for in-person dining have enjoyed freshly painted walls in the dining room, as well as refreshed paint on the deck area. Bishop’s customer-focused mindset shifted during the shutdown. His main goal became bringing his out-of-work staff back to the workplace many of them consider to be a second home.
Moving forward Pat’s Pizza’s atmosphere includes photos taken in Italy by photographer Jose Leiva
Staff family The staff at Pat’s Pizza has turned into family. Dining Room Manager Kathy Hammond has been on the crew for over 30 years. Her warm and genuine presence allowed her to build relationships with staff and customers quickly. What started out as a job, became a family away from home for Kathy.
Deemer, Bishop, and Hammond have good reason to be hopeful as Maine begins to recover from the current pandemic. As restrictions are lifted, they surely expect to reunite with their beloved community through good food, a wholesome family atmosphere, and giving back to the community they all call home. With such passion for community, offering a good product, and to each other, it’s easy to see how Pat’s has become the success it is today. Long standing customers know where to go for great food and friendly, familiar service. Pat’s Pizza 85 Center Street, Auburn • patsauburn.com
Pat’s Pizza team members include: Mariah Pendexter, Mikayla Pendexter, Kelsey Blanchette, Danielle Bledsoe, & Dining Room Manager Kathy Hammond LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com
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1110 Minot Ave., Auburn 207.689.3030
Part three in our four-part series on the city of lewiston’s
225 YEARS
in LEW Written by Toby Haber-Giasson
I
n Part 2 of this series, we learned about historic powerhouses like Edward Little, Alonzo Garcelon and Benjamin Bates (pictured above) who left their mark upon Lewiston. Indeed, there were so many people instrumental in building Lewiston’s infrastructure and developing its social capital. LA Metro Magazine highlights a few of those individuals in Part 3 of our series on the City of Lewiston.
Tom Platz
Photo courtesy of Brewster Burns
Dr. Edward Hill Taking public health into his own hands
Martel was instrumental in organizing St. Peter and Paul’s Parish, and founded the city’s premier Franco-American fraternal organization, L’Institute Jacques Cartier.
Dr. Edward Hill was a physician who founded what is now known as Central Maine Medical Center. This native Mainer, from nearby Harrison, was educated at Bridgton Academy and graduated from the Maine State Seminary in 1863, just before it was renamed Bates College.
While he sought to preserve Franco-American heritage, he knew assimilation was the key to gaining political power. He served as president of Lewiston’s board of aldermen and became Maine’s first Franco-American state legislator in 1884.
Hill became a physician at Harvard Medical School in 1867 and practiced medicine with prominent Lewistonian Dr. Alonzo Garcelon, whom readers will remember from Part 2 of this series.
Martel also established the city’s first French language newspaper, Le Messager, in 1880, and he urged Franco immigrants to learn English and become citizens. The paper became one of the most influential French language newspapers in the U.S. until 1968, when it ceased production.
As a doctor, Hill saw many patients who had nowhere to turn for emergency care. At that time, the only resource was hours away at Maine General Hospital in Portland. For years, he publicly advocated for a tax to support a medical facility in Lewiston. To meet the need, he operated a hospital in a private house he purchased himself. At last, the state provided support in 1888, and Central Maine General Hospital was officially established in 1891.
Changing economy, changing faces The mills drove Lewiston’s prosperity for 150 years, until foreign competition hastened manufacturing’s demise. These individuals, among many others, played a vital role in envisioning and building Lewiston’s future. Their efforts saved the local economy by finding other uses for the city’s historic infrastructure and by building anew. Never again will the city need to rely upon one industry for its prosperity, or upon one image of who lives, works, or belongs here.
Lucien B. Gosselin Bringing new industries to milltown Dr. Edward Hill and Central Maine General Hospital Photo courtesy of Androscoggin Historical Society
Dr. Louis J. Martel Giving Franco-Americans a voice Dr. Louis J. Martel was a leading FrancoAmerican journalist, politician, and social organizer of his day, based right here in Lewiston. Martel came from St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, in 1873 to serve as Lewiston’s first French-speaking medical doctor. He cared for the stream of immigrants coming from Canada by train to live and work in Lewiston’s mills.
Dr. Louis J. Martel
Photo courtesy of Androscoggin Historical Society
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In this role, he worked closely with the Catholic Sisters of Charity, known as the Grey Nuns, in founding St. Mary’s General Hospital in 1888.
LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
Lucien Gosselin served in many roles in Lewiston’s city government, from clerk to controller. During his 27 years there, he straddled the transition from an old government charter to a new 1980 model, and became Lewiston’s first city administrator. Lewiston’s manufacturing economy was already in slow but steady decline since the 1950s, with the gradual loss of shoe shops and textile mills to foreign labor. “Out of 22,000 workers, approximately 50% were employed in those industries,” explains Gosselin, “so we would need in excess of 10,000 jobs.” The key was finding new industries to replace them. The solution came via five industrial parks sold in subdivisions to new manufacturers. The Lewiston Industrial Park was first created in the early 1950s by the Lewiston Development Corporation (LDC). However, with grants from the Model Cities program and the Economic Development Administration, the park was fully developed in the early ‘70s. The Airpark at Auburn-Lewiston Airport came soon after. Turnpike Industrial Park, Foss Road Industrial Park (developed by a private and LDC investment), and Southpark (developed by the City of Lewiston), followed. “We had a supply of labor that attracted industry,” boasts Gosselin. This led to the creation of more than the 10,000 new jobs. A proponent of academic and workforce education, he helped bring Lewiston-Auburn College to Lewiston as a University of Maine outpost.
By Toby Haber-Giasson | Who’s who in Lew downtown Auburn in 1984. Platz Associates developed an expertise in adaptive reuse and historic renovations. When the City of Lewiston took over several empty Bates mills in the late ‘90s, they turned to Platz for his experience in rehabbing and leasing and partnered to develop several successful mill projects together. The city eventually sold control of nearly all the Bates mills to Platz, who has continued renovating these iconic buildings and filling them with tenants. He now oversees more than one million square feet of space, over 9 acres and seven buildings, investing millions of dollars to make them viable. Some 2,000 people already live and work in the mills, fueling the economy and the perception of Lewiston on the move again. Lucien Gosselin
Photo courtesy of Toby Haber-Giasson
Lewiston and Auburn were first in the state to enter into a joint tax sharing agreement to mutually finance the Airpark. They followed suit with Central Maine Power’s Charles E. Monty Hydro Station at Lewiston Falls in the early 1980s. In 1997, Gosselin became president of the influential Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council (LAEGC), a public/private partnership he had helped create in 1981. Its mission was to create jobs, grow the tax base, and serve as a catalyst for community investment. Gosselin’s big coup was helping the city land the Walmart Distribution Center in 2001, which brings Lewiston over $2 million in taxes annually. To many, Gosselin was the face of the Androscoggin Business to Business Trade Show, which attracted over 200 exhibitors and 2,500 attendees to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée annually.
Platz worked to list the Bates Mill Complex and other historic properties on the National Register of Historic Places. Not only does this preserve iconic buildings, the tax credits allow the developer to offer tenants reasonable rates. Also, Platz Associates has offered services to many local nonprofit clients that fit within the particular client’s budgetary needs. “It’s about what these projects – in the arts, health care, and housing – contribute to community.” What allows Platz to do that? “We’ve been successful here, and these projects allow us to give back.” Platz sees mill space as a catalyst for growth today as it was 150 years ago. “It’s an opportunity not only to make use of vacated space, but to make that space be a part of the revitalization. They attract people,” observes Platz, eschewing credit. “The mills will be their own legacy.”
In 2018, LAEGC became part of the Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, which rebranded the trade show LA Metro Marketplace and brought it back to the Bates Mill. Over his 50-year career, Gosselin has brought Lewiston a collaborative approach to economic development, financial investment in public and private businesses.
Tom Platz Revitalizing the historic mills “This community was the vibrant center of Maine,” recalls Tom Platz of growing up in 1960s LA. “Lisbon Street was bustling with active business, theaters, shopping – it was all here.” But mill closures shuttered local stores and a national recession caused high unemployment. That’s when architect Platz and his engineer brother, Jim Platz, started a firm in 1980. Over the past 40 years, Platz Associates has positioned Lewiston for its comeback. According to Maine Realty Advisors, Platz Associates’ mill restoration projects are “powering a mini economic boom all their own, leasing competitively priced space to breweries, restaurants, banks, and more.” Early on, the Platz brothers saw the value of owning property for development and scored success with their own office building in
Tom Platz
Photo courtesy of Brewster Burns
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John Jenkins
Photo courtesy of Lewiston Sun Journal
John Jenkins Inspiring leadership
Chamber of Commerce and former Auburn City Manager. “He just had a way with his audience. Groups would come away with an idea they could use, or commit to doing something differently.”
He came “from away,” yet left an indelible mark on Lewiston.
Jenkins raised the profile of the city by serving on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Glass Ceiling Commission, and won numerous awards for leadership, including from the Maine Bar Association and the 99th U.S. Congress.
John Jenkins left Newark, New Jersey, to study psychology at Bates College. A gifted athlete and scholar, he excelled at football and track. While a student, Jenkins founded the AfroAmerican Society, to bring awareness to the campus by increasing the number of Black American students and faculty. Later, he served his alma mater as housing director for over 10 years. After graduating in 1974, Jenkins garnered several world championships in karate and jiu-jitsu. He brought his martial arts expertise to Lewiston at the John Jenkins Academy of Personal Development, which he ran for 24 years. Leaning into community organizing, he entered the realm of politics. Jenkins became Lewiston’s first African American mayor, easily winning election by a 3:1 margin. He served from 19941998, and simultaneously represented the 21st District in the Maine Senate.
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To honor Jenkins’ untimely death in 2020, friends have established the John Jenkins Scholarship Fund to support a Bates student who aspires to community service. The City of Auburn has also created the Hands & Hearts Leadership & Service award in his honor. Even amid his “firsts,” Jenkins’ enduring legacy for Lewiston will surely be getting people to work together for change. His example of leadership and integrity, grounded in kindness, will always be a potent one.
Phil Nadeau Welcoming the stranger
During his tenure, Jenkins helped grow Lewiston’s economy by attracting international business investments, and brokering trade and partnerships with nearby towns. He was a strong advocate of cooperation and synergy with twin city Auburn. Under his policies, local business flourished and the unemployment rate fell, placing Lewiston among the healthiest economies in the state.
Phil Nadeau served as deputy to four city administrators from 1999 to 2017. In this role, he stewarded many essential services and public utility projects spanning energy, water, transportation, public access cable TV, public health, environmental protection, technology, and human resources. Most of these involved both of the twin cities.
Years later, Jenkins became Auburn’s first Black American mayor in 2006 and he won reelection as a write-in candidate. He also ran twice, though unsuccessfully, for governor. Charismatic Jenkins was in high demand as a business leadership consultant and motivational speaker.
Nadeau became the first general manager of the Colisée when the city acquired it in 2004 and later coordinated a $2 million addition to the facility. He was part of a team that conceived a downtown office for the state Department of Health and Human Services, to make it accessible to local clients. And Nadeau was on the ground floor of the Walmart Distribution Center deal.
“John was one of the best speakers I’ve ever seen – ever,” recalls Chip Morrison, former president of the Androscoggin County
“Phil is a rock,” says Chip Morrison. “He always provided a steadying hand, and attended to all the details.”
LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
By Toby Haber-Giasson | Who’s who in Lew Nadeau may be most remembered for responding to the arrival of predominantly Somali immigrants beginning in 2001. After Lewiston helped relocate 50 refugee families from Portland, an unanticipated wave of “secondary” migrants arrived. Seeking a safe place to raise their children, these new neighbors needed guidance in everyday life. He collaborated with the City of Portland on a grant that created a first-in-the-country partnership between municipalities in order to provide case management services to secondary migrant refugees alongside general assistance. Catholic Charities and several ethnic community-based organizations later stepped in to provide vital services. Nadeau established public dialog sessions about New Mainers among city residents and participated in two major needs assessments to determine goals.
Importantly, he brought awareness about immigrant/ refugee issues to the state level, garnering commitments from Governors King and Baldacci and the legislature for direct involvement in education and workforce training that would lead to economic self-sufficiency. “Phil played a major role in changing us to a multicultural community,” says Morrison.
Chip Morrison
Photo courtesy of Uncle Andy’s Digest
As the city’s primary contact on immigrant and refugee policy and research, Nadeau’s expertise has led to over 50 interviews with national and international media and he has given numerous academic talks. He contributed a case study on the city’s response to the book, Somalis in Maine: Crossing Cultural Currents. Recently, Nadeau has penned his own book, The Unlikeliness of it All, Part 1, providing context for the immigrant influx by examining 150 years of Lewiston’s economic, social, and political trajectory.
In Part 4… We’ll look ahead to what’s next for the City of Lewiston. Phil Nadeau
Photo courtesy of Lewiston Sun Journal
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LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
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LA METRO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021
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