Bethel Living #35

FREE • Issue 35 October / November 2019

Bethel LIVING Philbrook Place on Main Street The Bethel Mall

Tracyn Thayer

on Life, Dreams and the Reality Show The Brigade

Vernon Street Ski Tow

the Genesis of Sunday River Resort

Community Energy & Brooks Brothers with Roger Arsenault

CORE

The NEW Bethel Area Non-Profit Collaborative

Harvest Recipes

with Gourmet in a Pinch Pumpkin Spice Bread, Butternut Squash Apple Soup & Sweet Potato Meringue Pie

Dorrie Casey: Giving Back Art from the Land Benefits the Mahoosuc Land Trust

PLUS a Listing of Local Events

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16 Parkway, Bethel ME | 207-824-2771 | mahoosucrealty.com | info@mahoosucrealty.com Visit mahoosucrealty.com or stop by our office ParkwayininBethel Bethel to view Visit mahoosucrealty.com or stop by our office at at 1616 Parkway viewall alllistings. area listings.

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Antique Timberframe

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Timber Frame Ski House Sunday River Road Mayville$459,000 Farmhouse

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4 Bdrm. Mountainside Chalet $519,000

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Bethel 4 Bedroom $129,000

Private Get-a-Way $245,000

Gehring Green Townhomes $445,000

Albany Farm House $245,000

Exceptional Village Area Home $349,000

Post & Beam Cabin $144,900

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Mt Abram Ski House Mtn $269,000 Log Home

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Red House Farm Village $349,900

Beautiful Mountain Views $275,000

Will View Ski House $319,000

Bethel Area Chalet $215,000

Log Cabin - Water Access $259,000

3 Bedroom Cape $189,900

Viking Village - Ski in/out 6 Unit - Bethel $629,000

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Private Log Sided Chalet $339,000

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Private Log Home - 9 Acres $249,000

Mountain Area Vacation Home $252,900

Birch Woods Chalet $296,000

Great Location Sunday River $275,000

Bethel Village Home $175,000

Bear River Newry $349,000

Bethel Village Condo $165,000

Winter Park Lots $26,900+

Greenwood Waterfront $419,000

West Bethel Condos $82,000+

South Pond Shores $319,000

Eden Ridge Condos $160,000+

3 Bedroom Chalet Bethel $229,000

Mt Will Farm Home $299,000

Now is the time to buy.

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Visit mahoosucrealty.com or stop by our office at 16 Parkway in Bethel to view all area listings.

Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

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Publisher’s Note Happy Harvest! Our farm stands and markets are bursting with the rewards of a very healthy growing season. Sweet corn, apples, pumpkins and squash abound and are celebrated in Chef Charisa’s recipes from Gourmet in a Pinch.

Let Tracyn Thayer inspire your inner athlete and learn more about her recent escapades and future dreams. View the old photos of the Vernon Street Ski Tow, which opened in 1959. Roger Arsenault shares the history of Brooks Brothers Hardware and Community Energy.

The Bethel Area Non-Profit Collaborative now operates under a new name CORE - read about what is going on there, and how our community embraces these organizations. And see a teaser of Dorrie Casey’s art from nature. Be sure to step out for her Open House at the Bethel Historical Society to support the Mahoosuc Land Trust and the Historical Society.

I continue to be grateful to all of the individuals who help make this publication a reality, Bethel Living is a delight to produce!

Thank you all so much!

“Where To Eat” New York Times, January 2013

Cozy rooms, great breakfast included; Mountain Explorer stop B Laurie Knowles Gilbert PUBLISHER

A Bethel Legend Since 1986 Award-winning food 29 beers on tap Open 11.30 daily for lunch, dinner and late night Live Music Thursday-Saturday 8 pm

At The Sudbury Inn Great Brasserie food plus Sudbury Inn classics in our gorgeous bar room, fireside, or on our scenic porch

Open from 5:30pm - 9pm Thur – Sat for dinner and cocktails

151 Main Street • Bethel • (207) 824-2174 www.thesudburyinn.com 4

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Bethel Living is trademarked and owned by Laurie Gilbert. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Bethel Living is made possible by the participation of our advertisers. We offer them our thanks and ask you to consider them first when patronizing businesses in the Bethel, Maine area.

Cover photo supplied by: Dirk MacKnight Features Editor: Nate Scott Graphic Design: Ben Bruno and Laurie Gilbert for Royal River Graphics www.royalrivergraphics.com

Philbrook Place on Main Street across from the Sudbury Inn

Business owners in Maine certainly compete with each other for their customer’s patronage, but like many places where small business is the economic lifeblood, collaboration is an important strategy for success. The shopkeepers at Philbrook Place, “the Bethel Mall”, have been implementing what cutting edge tech entrepreneurs call “cooperative capitalism” for years. The seven stores filling the rustic wide open space inside Philbrook all work together to help their businesses grow and flourish, providing support for each other and a sense of community that enhances their customer’s experience. People looking for unique decor and gift items need go no further than Main Street this holiday shopping season as these merchants have curated an entertaining and eclectic mix of products.

TABLE ROCK ARTS CENTER is a gallery featuring local art in an array of media, and “finds” that include a variety of antiques, metal work, older basketry and home decor, with 65 plus artists currently on display. The walls and corners offer a wide selection of paintings, pen and ink drawings, pottery, glasswork, ceramics, quilts and woodworking items with loads of diversity and a wide range of pricing. Amy Halsted owns and operates this space where interactive talks, readings and demos of art creation often take place.

ELEMENTS ART GALLERY is all things Maine-made with jewelry, paintings, photography and personal care products created by over 100 featured artists. Sara Hemeon owns this enterprise and offers children’s art classes in the front of the building.

LITTLE BITS CONSIGNMENT is packed full of pre-loved children’s clothing from newborn to size 14, while also offering a maternity clothing section for the new mom.

TOYS & TRENDZ offers many wooden, old fashioned and non-battery operated toys where the focus is getting kids off of their electronic gadgets.

Phil McCrilllis is a wood carver who makes toys, small pieces of furniture and wonderful artistic flights of fancy. Phil and Sara Hemeon manage the store.

THE BOOK NOOK offers some new but mostly used books for children and adults They source new books from the Tribune in Norway. The Nook has implemented a fun local program called The Book Fairy which hides children’s books around town to Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

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be read by the finder, then rehidden back out in the community. If the child wants to keep the found book, they can replace it with one of their own books to keep the cycle going.

REVIVAL BOUTIQUE is a consignment shop with many, many items for men and women: shoes, handbags, jewelry, vintage clothing, jeans, formal and wedding clothing and high heels; there is something unique for everyone. Kassia Mirski will take in consignments by appointment, and customers can collect the proceeds, keep an in-store credit or donate the earnings to a local charity. Unsold items go to Telstar’s Giving Closet and other non-profits.

COMMUNITY SPORTS is Hayley Tanguay’s used sporting goods consignment store. Hayley has snowshoes, ice skates, snowboards, skis and outerwear for the while family. She also carries new socks, mouthguard, hats, mittens, soccer balls, field hockey balls, footballs, and basketballs, And, of course, there are bathing suits for the more modest apres ski hot tubber.

PHILBROOK PLACE organizes seasonal potlucks. Philbrook is involved in many community activities, for example, the Holiday Giving Tree where by signing up to supply “a want and a need” — a child’s age and gender are shared but all other information is kept confidential. Stop in and see the new layout and flow of fun businesses with GREAT things going on!!

FMI on Philbrook Place visit them on Facebook, stop in 7 days a week from 9am-6pm or call 207-824-0577

Photo Credit Mahoosuc Land Trust Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

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Photo Credit Jerry Monkman Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

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Tracyn Thayer ~ On Life, Dreams and the Reality Show The Brigade

FMI on Tracyn Thayer visit TracynThayer.com, on Instagram at Tracyn Thayer or email at TracynThayer@gmail.com

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Meet local wonder woman Tracyn Thayer, a cast member in the recent Outdoor Channel series The Brigade: Race to the Hudson. Sponsored by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s, the race format follows ten strangers as they work together in an attempt to complete an arduous 750-mile journey in only 28 days. Canoeing and trekking across an old fur trading route known as the York Factory Express without any modern form of navigation technology the team faces dangerous river rapids and backbreaking portages through treacherous waterways and unforgiving terrain. With $500,000 at stake this fascinating series rewards the participants for staying together as a group and overcoming the challenges, rather than the fabricated cutthroat competition found in many reality TV shows.

Tracyn was born in Bangor, grew up in Cumberland and received her geophysical engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. She was employed by Schlumberger as a seismic engineer, mostly working on gulf oil rigs while living outside of New Orleans. Finding that the search for oil deposits was unfulfilling, she took a wild leap and went to work at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina as a rafting guide. That experience led to her pursuit of Expedition Adventure Racing, a multidisciplinary team sport involving navigation over unmarked wilderness courses.

The multi-day racing events involve biking, trekking, rafting, horseback riding and rappelling. For seven years, Tracyn travelled the world — Newfoundland, New Zealand, Australia, British Columbia, Ecuador, Brazil, Switzerland and the British Virgin Islands as well as all over the US — and as one of the few women competing in these races she was in high demand.

Her appearance on The Brigade is a culmination of all that Tracyn has done to this point in her life. The show celebrates the skills she has honed for years — like a windfall she was preparing for without knowing it. The opportunity arose when one of her previous sponsors was contacted by the show in the search for sturdy and eager team members. After a video interview, an interview with the casting director, a psychologist, a medical exam and a 600-question quiz to make sure she wasn’t crazy, she was accepted into The Brigade and life as she had known it changed

dramatically. Although The Brigade involved 4 weeks of competition Tracyn was gone for 6 and a half weeks while getting fitted for gear and being brought up to speed on the complex production challenges of filming in such remote conditions.

The team paddled upstream in the west and downstream in the east experiencing raging rapids, portages and bouts of boat patching. Tracyn met all the challenges and was never fearful that she couldn’t make it, but there were many thrills and some scary times. The team looked out for each other and quickly grew into a strong unit — the unbreakable bond in her heart is clear when she describes their closeness.

In June Tracyn received a Specialized Recreational Maine Guide License so she can offer paddle boarding and canoeing to her clients as well as teaching river navigation and camping skills. Her next adventure? Who knows! Maybe the “Dream Job Promotion” — sponsored by the apparel company Prana — which will pay someone $100K to quit their day job and pursue their passion for a year? Or a spot on the upcoming TV reality show Race to the Center of the Earth on the National Geographic Channel, where 4 teams of 3 contestants start from four different corners of the earth, racing to a buoy way the heck out in the ocean, with the winning team splitting a million bucks? She thinks about helping people find THEIR dream job, and figuring out how to make that fit into their lives and lifestyles . . . and how to make a real job and a dream job not be polar opposites. And she thinks about continuing the personal training career she started 5 years ago by starting her own gym in an old garage. Tracyn is ready to keep showing the world that being 50+ can be amazingly sexy! Who knows what’s next for Tracyn . . . just stay tuned!!

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Vernon Street Ski Tow The Humble Genesis of the Mighty Sunday River Ski Resort

T

he Sunday River Ski Resort opened in 1959 as the Sunday River Skiway. Located at Barker Mountain, it had a T-bar that serviced a couple intermediate trails and one expert trail, plus a rope tow for a beginners’ slope.

The rope tow was from the Vernon Street Ski Tow that had operated for a decade before that time.

The Gould Academy’s Ski Area at Swan’s Corner was also in operation during the same period, but it was for ski jumping and skiers with enough ability to navigate a difficult trail that went down beside the jump. The trail had a sharp turn that sent skiers into a grove of fir trees if not negotiated properly. A tamer ski area was needed to introduce novice skiers and children to the sport. In order to understand how the ski area that fit that bill all came about, one needs to know about the Bethel Ski and Outing Club, Inc. which held its first meeting in the fall of 1948.

A group of twenty-five people, led by Walter Myers, met at the Community Room in Bethel on November 11th to discuss the establishment of a ski area. Locations were considered and Russell Haggett, who operated the ski slopes at Bridgton, shared his expertise on the development and running of such an endeavor. Another meeting was held to agree on a site. By November 25th, the Bethel Ski Club was formed and clearing and bulldozing was started on a slope at Vernon Street

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by Cheryl Gillespie

on property owned by Florence Machia. Pete and Al Baker along with Walter Jodrey did site work.

This spot was considered good because it was only a mile from Main Street and steep enough to interest skiers of different abilities. Addison (Sonny) Saunders and Mike Thurston, with the help of Paul Kailey, built the rope tow with their ability learned and resources from the dowel mills both men ran. The tow consisted of dowels, rope, and parts from a Model A. A safety rope was installed that triggered a kill switch which shut down the tow if a skier hung onto the rope too long and fell into it.

The Bethel Chamber of Commerce donated $25.00 to this non-profit organization Bethel Ski Club, by-laws were created, and memberships were accepted at $.50 for people under eighteen and $1.00 for adults. A slew of volunteers made this all happen. The list included John Howe, Addison Saunders, Stan Davis, Richard Young, Richard Davis, Wilbur Myers, and Murray (Mike) Thurston. As time went on, the names Dr. Willard Boynton, Kimball Ames, and Henry Hastings were added to the host of volunteers. Many others came along as the project proceeded. By December 23rd, a warming hut was ready and would be run

by Esther Brown, who would serve hot drinks and eats. John Howe had samples of ski equipment for sale at discount rates to members. Hours of

operation would be Thursday evenings and all day on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets were set at $1.25 for a day and $.75 for a half day. Skiers under eighteen had $.25 off those prices. Bethel Ski Club members were given $.25 off their tickets as well. The only thing keeping the slope from opening was a lack of significant snow that year. The Bethel Chamber of Commerce started collecting donations to pay for children’s fees on the slope. No one was to be left out if they wanted to ski. The ski area finally ran for the first time the weekend of January 21, 1949.

Vernon Street Ski Tow was a success! It was reported that on February 5, 1950, 116 tickets were sold. Skiers had come from as far away as Augusta and Portland. Music was played through an amplifier provided and set up by Mush McMillan, who also did rope splicing — a skill he picked up in the service. Later, Jim Spinney would also be involved in rope splicing. By December of 1950, the rope tow power unit at the top of the slope had been moved back for more ease of exiting the tow. A second trail had been cut as well. The ski area now had a broad trail with trees in the center and a gully in the middle to pick up speed and a woods trail on left side looking down from the top. Dave (Fuzzy) Thurston recently recalled skiing there as a youngster. He said it was about 450 feet long and took about 25 seconds to ski down. When he later got to Sunday River with a T-bar and a longer trail, he thought “he’d died and gone to heaven.” Both he and Randy Bennet of the Bethel Historical Society remembered losing mittens to the tow rope as they would freeze and stay on there going around and around.

Others were wiser with the mitten situation. In a charming video interview done by Nan Timberlake in the late 1990s, Ann Hastings Morton and Mary Jane Spinney Gaudreau spoke fondly about skiing at Vernon Street every weekend starting in about the fourth or fifth grade. They talked about wearing two pairs of mittens—one regular pair covered by a larger pair with longer cuffs held in place by elastics around one’s wrists, and most importantly, leather patches on the palms. The leather would not stick to the rope. They then laughed about the boys who would hold on with no mittens. The girls had to wear many layers since it was before down fill or thinsulate garments.

They wore no hats as they weren’t in style. Their short hair would freeze. Ann loved skiing to the tune “Green Sleeves.” Mary Jane talked about the different colored ski tickets she wore along the bottom edge of her parka, so everyone would know she had been skiing. She also recalled spending a

lot of time “filling in her bathtub” where she had dented the surface falling down. It was a courtesy rule of the ski area. Both said they participated in the mandatory side-stepping on skis that had to be done to pack down the slope before actually skiing. That’s how snow grooming was done.

Ann and Mary Jane were glad to have skiing when they were in school because in the fifties before Title IX, there were no regular sports for girls.

Gould only offered a limited number of intramural sports for them. Ann went on to ski at Sunday River, broke her leg skiing in Europe, climbed Mt. Washington to ski down, and skied into her senior years. Mary Jane skied at Wild Cat, too.

Eventually, lessons were provided at Vernon Street

by Gould Academy teachers Paul Kailey and Vance Richardson. Busses were used to get skiers over to the ski area from Gould and the Bethel Inn. Ski races and winter carnivals were held. A reporter from the Kennebec Journal came one Sunday to do an article about the skiing at Vernon Street.

The slope was having a positive effect on the local economic climate.

By 1958, town leaders were interested in creating a more substantial winter business. Work was started to clear ski trails and lift lines on the face of Barker Mountain on the “outskirts of Bethel,” or Newry.

The Vernon Street rope tow was taken up there to the beginners’ slope to be used for a few years before being hauled off to Aroostook County. A quote from the Bethel Journals puts it succinctly in the following: “In hindsight, the Bethel Ski and Outing Club’s eagerness and ambition to find, develop and operate a Bethel town ski area and tow clearly served as dress rehearsal for the future, larger ski enterprise at Sunday River in 1958.” Many of the same people were involved. On opening day, December 19, 1959, at Sunday River, the first T-bar was occupied by Paul Kailey and his son Peter, with David and Peter Thurston riding behind them on the second one. This of course was done after everyone had participated in “foot packing” the slope. The first mechanized groomer would not appear until the second season. Many people traversed the new, more difficult slope with wooden skis that they had used at the smaller slope in town. “Sunday River was Vernon Street, Version 2.0” Credits to Dave Thurston, Amy Chapman and Randy Bennett of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, and photos of Amy Davis. Also, Sunday River: Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future, by David Irons.

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Brooks Brothers Hardware & Community Energy with Roger Arsenault

Brooks Brothers, the venerable downtown Bethel institution established in 1917 has been updated inside and out, presenting a fresh face to Main Street shoppers. As part of the TrueValue Hardware family Brooks Bros. sells nuts and bolts, plumbing and gardening supplies, pots and pans, paints and stains at prices that rival those paid at big box stores. As a part of the Community Energy family their customers benefit from 24hour coverage for heating service and fuel delivery from a local company with an outstanding team.

The founders of Community Energy, Lee Buotte and Roger Arsenault are both Rumford natives who graduated from Steven’s High School. Lee left the area to work in New Jersey and Connecticut, while

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Roger attended the Maine Maritime Academy.

After more than a decade of working away the two friends became partners when they returned to Rumford and created Community Energy in 1978. Starting with one delivery truck and some storage tanks in Bethel, the company now services a large swath of western Maine with over 40 employees and retail outlets in Peru, Rumford and Bethel. They bought Blaisdell’s Discount Fuel and Convenience Store in Peru in 1994, added Rumford Community Quick Stop to the mix in 2017, before acquiring Brooks Brothers in 2014.

In addition to their stores, Community Energy offers design and planning services for new HVAC installations. Working closely with wholesalers, builders and architects, they provide great options for efficient, state-of-the-art heating and cooling equipment for residential and commercial buildings, including geothermal systems. They evaluate the pros and cons of gas and oil for each project and recommend installations designed

CommunityEnergy.com

1-800-244-4165

BrooksBrothers.com

207-824-2158

for ease of service. Their employees, many of whom have 10+ year careers, are continually trained to work with cutting edge equipment, staying on top of the latest in HVAC technology – it’s a very dedicated crew.

Brooks Bros. will soon be expanding into Carhartt clothing, so come by to see the new store layout. By supporting local businesses you are supporting our local community and it’s families. Stop in and see how they can help you out. Their customer service is the best!

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Conveniently located in the Village of Bethel • Fresh & Local Produce Available in Season

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71 Main Street • Bethel, Maine

(207) 824-2121

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P.O. Box 158, Bethel, ME 04217 • Phone: 207.824.2258 Fax: 207.824.3363 • doug@crossexcavation.com

www.crossexcavation.com 20

Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

Northern New England is filled with rural towns where people care deeply about community—their neighbors young and old, the land and water, the buildings, history, and culture. Our local towns in MSAD 44 are no exception. As staff, volunteers, and supporters, individual people are at the heart of over forty local not-for-profit organizations that provide education programs, opportunities for youth, arts experiences, social services, health care, outdoor recreation, and countless other programs and services.

For the past eight years, many of these organizations have been coming together regularly through the Bethel Area Nonprofit Collaborative to work and learn together. Through a process of stakeholder engagement, thoughtful visioning and re-branding, this collaborative has charted a new direction and expanded mission – along with a new name, CORE. Now its own nonprofit organization, CORE continues to support the local network of nonprofits while also offering its innovative community development tools and services to other rural places.

CORE delivers resources, programming, networking events, and mentorship opportunities that bring businesses and people together to build and inspire community. Its work is built on authentic community engagement, collaboration among diverse organizations, and a firm belief that small towns have the capacity, talent, and resources to sustain a thriving community. CORE’s four main program areas build on the Bethel Area Nonprofit Collaborative’s foundation and support connection and learning across rural communities in Maine and northern New Hampshire.

CORE Community hosts regular events such as coffee chats, workshops, quarterly gatherings, and trainings to support skill development and networking across sectors. We also provide facilitation services to support board development, strategic planning, and collaborative projects.

CORE Conversations hosts community convenings around topics of local interest. Each event is designed to promote meaningful conversations in a safe environment that lead to productive and creative solutions. CORE serves as a local convener of public forums and informal celebrations.

CORE Create continues the work of Mahoosuc Heart & Soul, moving projects from idea to action.

As other community project ideas arise, CORE provides services to support planning, design, fundraising, and fiscal sponsorship.

CORE Connect brings together community builders from rural places across the state to learn from each other and share challenges and ideas.

Together with the board of directors and member organizations, the CORE staff are excited to launch the new organization. Executive Director Amy Scott and Program Coordinator Cat Ingraham encourage questions, ideas, and feedback and can be reached at: amy@inspirecore.org and cat@ inspirecore.org.

Please visit CORE’s website to learn more: www.inspirecore.org, and follow “CORE: Inspire Community” on Facebook to stay up-to-date on events and workshops.

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The Gourmet in a Pinch team operates as a Full Service Catering Company both at off-site events in a 50 mile radius and on-site at their 1888 Wedding Barn. The Wedding Season keeps us very busy from early May until late October. Off site catering and personal chef service resume on January 1st at all levels for your ease and convenience.

FMI on Gourmet in a Pinch call 207-824-6000, email gourmetinapinch@gmail.com or visit gourmetinapinch.net

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup Saute onion and celery in butter, add chicken stock, apple and squash. Cook 15 minutes, add heavy cream and cook 5 more minutes. Cool and puree with immersion blender, add seasoning and serve.

• 1 onion, diced small • 3 oz. Butter • 3 ribs celery, finely diced

Pumpkin Spice Bread This bread tastes like a pumpkin pie without the crust!

• 3 cups sugar • 1 cup coconut oil • 4 eggs, lightly beaten • 1 16-oz can solid pack pumpkin

• 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • 1 tsp ground nutmeg • 1/2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp ground cloves • 1/2 tsp ground allspice • 1/2 cup water

• 1 tsp baking soda In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs. And pumpkin and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add the pumpkin mixture with the water. Pout into two greased 9”x5”x3” loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for 60-65 minutes until bread tests done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.

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Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

• 2 cups chicken stock • 1 container butternut squash

• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chunked

• 2 cups heavy cream • 1 Tbs Cinnamon • 1 Tbs Allspice • 2 Tsp Nutmeg • salt & pepper

Saute onion and celery in butter, add chicken stock, apple and squash. Cook 15 minutes, add heavy cream and cook 5 more minutes. Cool and puree with immersion blender, add seasoning and serve.

Gorham Family Dentistry P.A. is proud to announce the opening of our sister company, Fresh Face Studio A medical esthetics boutique

Sweet Potato Meringue Pie CRUST: • 1 cup pecan halves • 11 whole graham crackers, broken

• 4 tsp fresh minced ginger

• 2 tsp dark brown sugar • 1/2 tsp kosher salt • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 6 Tbs unsalted butter, melted

FILLING & TOPPING • 4 8-oz sweet potatoes • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

• 3 large eggs • 2 Tbs bourbon • 1/2 cup heavy cream • 1 cup granulated sugar • 1/3 cup water • 3 large egg whites • Pinch of salt • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Crust - Preheat oven to 325°. Toast pecans 10 mins until fragrant and browned. In food processor, combine the pecans, crackers, brown sugar, ginger, salt and cinnamon until crumbs form. Add butter and process until incorporated. Press into pie plate and bake about 25 minutes.

For the Filling - Prick sweet potatoes, microwave on high for 10 minutes. Transfer to oven and roast for another 10 minutes. Scrape out the flesh, transfer to food processor and puree. Add brown sugar, eggs and bourbon and process until blended. Mix in heavy cream, and pour filing into the pie crust and bake for about 50 minutes, until set and the top looks dry. Let the pie cool completely.

In a small pan, combine granulated sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat with thermometer until it reaches 240°, about 5 minutes. Prepare standing mixer with wire whisk and beat egg whites with the salt until soft peaks form. With the machine on, carefully drizzle in the hot syrup and beat at high speed until stiff and glossy - about 5 minutes. Mound the meringue over the sweet potato filling, swirling decoratively. Broil the topping 4-6 inches from the heat for about 30-45 seconds until lightly browned. Serve & Enjoy!

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fresh.face.studio Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

23

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Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

207.824.3341 or 207.824.2989 ruthiesboutique1975@hotmail.com

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BOUTIQUE

Local Events

Deanne Bodemer

Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce PO Box 1247, 8 Station Place Bethel, ME 04217 Tel: 207.824.2282 • Fax: 207.824.7123 Toll-free: 800.442.5826 info@bethelmaine.com • www.bethelmaine.com www.facebook.com/bethelarea

by Deanne Bodemer

Oct. 3-5: 30th Annual Maine Mountains

Oct. 25-26: Bethel Outing Club Ski Sale Gould Academy Field House.

Jeep Jamboree. Our challenging trails,

The best deals on new and used equipment, clothing and accessories for

the beautiful New England fall setting, and

alpine, snowboard, cross-country skiing and other winter sports. Pick up

the awesome trail guides are just a few of

new gear or sell yours. 20% of sales proceeds benefit the Outing Club’s

the reasons why this event is so popular.

charitable purposes. bethelouting.org, 207-357-9239

On Saturday at 9am, come see over 180 Jeeps parade through the town of Bethel.

Country Christmas in Bethel - Experience the Christmas season in the

Information at jeepjamboreeusa.com/trip/

postcard-perfect New England village of Bethel – shop locally, meet

maine-mountains, 530-333-4002.

Santa, enjoy the lights, hop on a horse-drawn wagon ride, or take in a performance. Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce. bethelmaine.com/

Oct. 12-13: Fall Festival & North Ameri-

country-christmas, 800-442-5826

can Wife Carrying Championship Sunday

Nov. 29: Local Craft & Wares Fair The Event Center at The Bethel Inn

River. Saturday’s legendary North Ameri-

Resort. Shop local and handmade for the holiday season – pottery, toys,

can Wife Carrying Championship and

jewelry, household and holiday décor, handbags, fine foods, knitwear,

Sunday’s New England Cornhole Champi-

and much more. Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce. bethelmaine.com,

onship are the center of the party featuring live music, the Blue Mountain

800-442-5826

Arts & Crafts Fair, and activities for the whole family, usually among peak foliage. sundayriver.com, 800-543-2754

Nov. 30: Demo Day Sunday River. Test out the latest and greatest equipment from top ski and snowboard manufacturers. The cost to

Oct. 13: 7th Annual Troy Murphy Ski Fundraiser Golf Tournament.

participate can be applied as a credit towards any new ski or snowboard

Join us in supporting the Sunday River Ski Club with an 18-hole golf

purchase. sundayriver.com, 800-543-2754

tournament shotgun start at 9am. The tournament will be run as a team scramble so put together a team, or just sign up on your own! bethelinn. com, 800-654-0125

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13 • MT ABRAM OKTOBERFEST MT ABRAM BIKE PARK PREVIEW 10AM-4PM

Oct.13: 20th Annual Waterford Fall Foliage 5K Race/Walk & Fun Run

MUSIC WITH LAST KID PICKED 2PM-6PM

Waterford Common. 11:30am. waterfordfall5k.com. Then at 12:30pm,

FMI VISIT MTABRAM.COM

come enjoy the Harrison Waterford PTO Chili Cook Off. For information, contact harrisonwaterfordPTO@gmail.com

Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

25

Giving Back: Art from the Land Benefits Land Trust

by Will Leitch For someone who spends as much time looking for things as Dorrie Casey does, it’s ironic that she was never looking to be an artist.

Art found her. Now retired, Casey made her living as a professional writer, singer and actor. A few years ago, some seemingly useless objects inspired her and launched her art career.

“My husband is a fly fisherman,” Casey said.

“After a while, the feathers he uses become brittle and worthless for tying flies. Then, one day, we inherited a bunch of old family portraits. We didn’t know who any of the people in the photos were, but the old frames were gorgeous. Something inspired me to put some of the feathers under the glass in the frames. Immediately, I thought, ‘Oh my God! Look what happens to feathers under pressure! They are beautiful.’”

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Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

Thus, Casey was on her way to creating art from natural and discarded objects. She has done several fundraising art exhibits in North Carolina, where she winters, but this fall’s exhibit in Bethel is the first one in her native Maine. Appropriately, it features a collection of 15 pieces that she calls ‘Works in Birch Bark’.

“In birch bark, I see landscapes, people, creatures, stories,” Casey related. “While working with bark, I am not thinking, just reacting physically to whatever rises up inside me, letting my hands go to work, without judgement or interference.

Sometimes the bark is enough. Other times, I mix it up with other natural materials, such as feathers, fleece, fur, mica, as well as bits and pieces of metal.”

All of the proceeds from the sale of Casey’s art will benefit Mahoosuc Land Trust (MLT) and the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. “The Historical Society is preserving where we have come from. The Land Trust is preserving where we are going,” said Casey. “I grew up in Mexico, Maine and still spend much of the year in Hanover.

I love this area. This is my way of giving back.”

“Dorrie Casey and her husband Archie Purcell are tremendous supporters and good friends of MLT,”

said Barbara Murphy, Development Director of the Mahoosuc Land Trust. “We are thrilled and very grateful that Dorrie has offered to donate 100% of the proceeds from her upcoming show, Works in Birch Bark, to Mahoosuc Land Trust and the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society.”

Asked why she has never pocketed a penny from the sale of her work, Casey said, “I have had all the good I need just by making them. It’s my offering to organizations that I love and that are doing good work that I cannot do myself.”

Her first show benefited the Chatham County Arts Council in North Carolina. At the exhibit, 25 pieces were sold, raising $11,000 for the organization that supports art programs for school children.

“Of all the many materials I use, almost all are re-purposed, including the frames. Five of the pieces in this show have frames made from barn boards I found on Route 232, which their owner not only gave to me, but who kindly hand-sawed them in half right there and then, so I could get them home in my little truck.”

“Audiences often ask about an artist’s ‘mission.’

If I have a mission, it is to send these works out into the world, spreading the fun, freedom and belonging that I have found.”

Casey’s art can be viewed online at www. dorriecasey.com. But because of the size and threedimensional aspect of her pieces, it is best viewed in person. Don’t miss the exhibit, which runs from September 27 - October 18 at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, 10 Broad St, Bethel, ME 04217. Opening Reception Friday, September 27, 4:30 - 7:00 PM. Gallery hours: Tuesdays Sundays, 1:00 - 4:00

About Mahoosuc Land Trust The mission of Mahoosuc Land Trust is to conserve land to benefit the natural areas and communities of the Mahoosuc Region. It currently protects, in perpetuity, over 8500 acres in the Mahoosuc Region. Please join us in protecting the natural beauty of western Maine by becoming a member of MLT. To learn more, visit our website www.mahoosuc.org, or contact Barbara, barbara@mahoosuc.org or call 207-824-3806.

About the Bethel Historical Society The Bethel Historical Society fosters a sense of place, centered in western Maine and the White Mountain region, by collecting, preserving, displaying and interpreting historically significant artifacts and documents for residents, visitors, students and scholars. Through its exhibits, programs, events and publications, the Society makes the region’s history meaningful, accessible and enjoyable to inspire others to treasure and preserve this rich heritage. bethelhistorical.org Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com

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