Maine Seniors Magazine - May 2017

WOMEN OF INFLUENCE ISSUE MAY 2017 • $5.95

Robin Alden White House Champion Award Winner

Also Inside: • Maine's Women Hall of Fame Honorees • Celebrating Mom's and Caregivers • A Menu for Mom ...and more!

Carolann Ouellette World Traveler, Promoter of Maine

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Publisher's Note

The May Women of Influence Issue is one of our favorites and has a very personal meaning to me.

PUBLISHER

David. S. Nealley

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Ellen L. Spooner

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Ian J. Marquis

EDITORS

Catherine N. Zub Lois N. Nealley Mark D. Roth Clyde Tarr

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ian J. Marquis Victor Oboyski

SALES & DISTRIBUTION

Christine Parker Kimberly Reid Joline Bell George Holton Scott Bakal Melissa Howard Jim Gorham A. Peter Legendre Roseanne Bolduc Dale Overlock Fred Connell Deborah Batting Victor Oboyski Clyde Tarr Franklin Koch

W

e have all benefitted greatly from strong female influences in our lives. For me this became most important at age 23, when my Dad passed away. He died at the early age of 54, leaving my mother a widow at age 49. My mother had already been a very good mother and yet, she also helped to fill in for the absence of my father. In short order, she became one of my role models, as well as my business, and political advisor.

Lois Nealley

WRITERS

You see years ago, a business lady informed me of a speech my mother made at “Tuesday Forum”, a professional women’s networking organization. She explained to me that my mother had shared with the group that she had observed women making truly spectacular progress and breaking through the “glass ceiling”.

SOCIAL MEDIA

My mother, Lois Nealley, was born in 1935, and had seen many struggles for women over the decades and at that time (mid-90’s) at the “Tuesday Forum” meeting she proudly exclaimed that“Maine had one of the first female U.S. Senators, Margaret Chase Smith and with then Senators Olympia Snow and Susan Collins following in her footsteps, women were making great progress in leadership roles.” Lois further explained that strides were being made in every occupation.

Paulette Oboyski Barbara Kent Lawrence Brad Eden Donna Halvorsen Dr. Len Kaye Jane Margesson Fia Marquis Hunter Howe Sheila Grant Shane Wilson

BUSINESS OFFICE

87 Hillside Avenue, Bangor, Maine 04401 Phone: (207) 299-5358

Maine Seniors Magazine is published in the State of Maine

by Maine Seniors Magazine, L.L.C. in association with Maine Media Consulting, L.L.C. All information herein represents the views of individual writers and their understanding of the issues at hand, and may not represent the views of the Maine Seniors Magazine, its management, or editorial staff. For more information about Maine Seniors Magazine, visit www.meseniors.com.

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1 • MAINE SENIORS

As further proof of that, MAINE SENIORS is proud to celebrate the first female Chief Justice of the Maine State Supreme Court, Leigh Saufley. We also extend kudos to Robin Alden in “Hero of the Seas” who was a White House Champion Award winner. Plus, we have a feature on Carolann Ouellette, the past Director of the Maine Office of Tourism, who now is at the helm of Maine Trails and Huts . . . and so much more . . . including a brief glimpse into the past five years’ honorees of the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame.

At MAINE SENIORS we salute all of the strong women in Maine!

—David S. Nealley, Publisher Recycled paper made in Maine

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MAY 2017 • 2

SENIOR POWER

Maine Seniors Spreads the Word About SENIOR POWER! •

Seniors are the most significant factor in Maine's economy.

•

Nearly 40% of Mainers are 50+ and they control 70% of the disposable income and 80% of the financial assets. Seniors are the volunteers and Maine has the highest volunteer rate in the Nation.

•

Seniors are on the boards of both for profits and non-profits providing experience and leadership.

•

Seniors are the philanthropists.

•

Senior Power is Maine's greatest natural resource!

3 • MAINE SENIORS

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MAY 2017 • 4

Contributors

Brad Eden

Paulette Oboyski

Fia Marquis

Dr. Lenard W. Kaye

Ian J. Marquis

Donna Halvorsen

Sheila Grant

Jane Margesson

Hunter Howe

Barbara Kent Lawrence

OUR CONTRIBUTORS HUNTER HOWE Hunter’s Maine roots run deep. He has written for the Cape Courier and penned a column called Senior Moments for the Senior News, a publication of the Southern Maine Agency on Aging.

IAN J. MARQUIS Ian is an artist, designer, writer, musician,

DONNA HALVORSEN Donna, a longtime journalist, has received numerous awards for her writing from many organizations, including the Maine Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. She lives in South Portland.

and creative director. Born and raised in the state of Maine, he lives in Portland with his wife, Fia, and their daughter, Lyric.

His latest album of music, Legacy Drivers, is available on iTunes and at www.ianmarquismusic.com.

BRAD EDEN Brad Eden is an artist, writer, and registered

FIA MARQUIS Fia is a food writer, recipe creator, and member

eight books including "Islands of Time" and the sequel "Ben’s Story."

She lived year-round on Mt. Desert for twenty years where she ran a real estate and construction company, earned a PhD in education, and was a policy analyst and professor in Massachusetts. In 2015 she returned to Maine, and lives in Camden with her partner, Bob.

of the Maine food scene. A Maine native and mother of one, she lives in Portland with her husband—Maine Seniors Magazine Creative Director Ian Marquis.

JANE MARGESSON Jane Margesson has worked for AARP for over 20 years in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and now Maine. Jane appears frequently on Maine’s television and radio news programs and is a public speaker on scam and fraud prevention.

PAULETTE OBOYSKI Paulette retired early at 45 to a farm in Washington, Maine, and edited ten fundraising cookbooks for non profits in town and cocompiled the book, Washington, Maine People and Places, for the town’s bicentennial. She now lives in Brunswick with her husband.

5 • MAINE SENIORS

Maine Master Guide. He has lived in Maine for three decades, and is an avid outdoorsman and sportsman.

BARBARA KENT LAWRENCE Barbara is the author of

SHEILA GRANT Sheila is a freelance writer/photographer, regular contributor to Bangor Daily News Custom Publications, and author of one book, 50 Great New England Family Fishing Vacations. Grant’s work has been recognized by the New England Outdoor Writers Association and the Maine Press Association.

DR. LENARD W. KAYE Dr. Kaye is the Director and Professor for the Center on Aging at the University of Maine. He has been in the forefront of promoting and planning elder issues at the state level.

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Page 9

MAY 2017 ISSUE 1 Publisher's Note

BY DAVID S. NEALLEY

5 Contributors 9 Prime Mover: Chief Justice Leigh Ingalls

Saufley • BY PAULETTE MCKEEVER-OBOYSKI

19 Prime Mover: Robin Alden

BY BARBARA KENT LAWRENCE

Page 19

27 Prime Mover: Carolann Ouellette

BY SHEILA D. GRANT

35 Prime Mover Arts: June Fitzpatrick

BY DONNA HALVORSEN

43 Sage Lens: Women's Hall of Fame Honorees

BY DR. LEN KAYE

47 Just Pondering: Will it Hurt?

BY WALDO CLARK

49 The MAINE Point: Celebrating May,

Page 27

Moms & Caregivers • BY JANE MARGESSON

51 Bridging Generations: Guarding Your Credit

BY JOAN CLARK

53 Legacy: Charitable Gift Annuities

GUEST ARTICLE

57 Legacy Too: Foster Grandparents

GUEST ARTICLE

61 Residential Review: Highland Green

GUEST ARTICLE

67 A Trail Less Traveled: Hope Springs Eternal

Page 35

BY BRAD EDEN

69 Residential Review Too: Avalon Village

GUEST ARTICLE

73 Food for Thought: A Menu for Mom

BY FIA MARQUIS

77 From the Porch: The Ticking Watch

BY HUNTER HOWE Page 73

MAY 2017 • 8

PRIME MOVER • Chief Justice Leigh Ingalls Saufley

Chief Justice Leigh Ingalls Saufley Photo by Miles Greenacre

9 • MAINE SENIORS

PRIME MOVER

Chief Justice

LEIGH INGALLS SAUFLEY

BY PAULETTE OBOYSKI

Chief Justice Leigh Ingalls Saufley is the first woman and the youngest member of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to be appointed Chief Justice.

S

he has served in this position since 2001, when Governor Angus King (Independent) swore her in for her first seven-year term. Governor John Baldacci (Democrat) reappointed her for her 2nd term in 2009 and Governor Paul LePage (Republican) approved her 3rd appointment in 2016.

THE GOVERNORS

Chief Saufley declares,“I have had the extraordinary good fortune to work with Governors Jock McKernan, Angus King, John Baldacci, and now Paul LePage. And I can tell you that every one of them has cared about access to justice.”

Governor LePage stated in his 2016 press release, “The highest standards of integrity both professionally and personally are required of our judges and justices. Chief Justice Saufley has demonstrated these qualities and is widely admired in the judiciary. I

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MAY 2017 • 1 0

PRIME MOVER • Chief Justice Leigh Ingalls Saufley

have confidence that she will continue to prove to be a great Chief Justice.”

Former Governor Baldacci asserts, “Justice Saufley is a great partner in the democratic process. I have known Leigh for at least 10 years. She is always friendly, very energetic, and has been very effective at getting the judiciary into the 21st century in terms of technology. I’ve found her to be focused and determined to make sound changes to foster an effective judicial system for the people of Maine.”

Maine Senator Angus King says, “I have great respect and admiration for Chief Justice Saufley. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a deep knowledge of the law and an unyielding commitment to our justice system. It speaks volumes about her character and her conduct as Chief Justice that Governors of all parties – or none, like me – have reappointed her to the bench multiple times. She is a trailblazer with a first-rate legal mind. I am proud of her contributions to our state and to have nominated her as the first female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.”

Top: 2013 Senator King Official Portrait Bottom: Govorners LePage, McKernan & King with Chief Justice Saufley

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PRIME MOVER

CHIEF JUSTICE JOB DESCRIPTION

As Chief Justice, Leigh Saufley is in charge of the entire court system, which includes 70 judicial officers and 38 courthouses in Maine’s District, Superior and Supreme Courts along with all the employees involved in supporting and maintaining this Maine Judicial Branch. The Supreme Judicial Court has appellate jurisdiction of all cases. Additionally, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court is one of the few state supreme courts that is authorized to issue advisory opinions. These advisory opinions are issued at the request of either the Executive Branch or the Legislative Branch.

Chief Justice Saufley affirms, “The opportunity to serve as Chief Justice in a State like Maine is probably the best job that a lawyer could ever have. Because of the size of the state, everyone knows everyone. And because of the complexity of challenges relating to the application of the Rule of Law, no problem can be solved without involving a multitude of stakeholders. The institutional challenges are the same that the Governor and Legislature struggle with every day - limited resources. But we all work together to make the very best of the available resources.”

WORK HISTORY

The Chief Justice explained how she entered the judiciary field of law. “It chose me. I had been working almost 10 years in the Attorney General’s Office with then Attorney General Jim Tierney when I received a call from Governor McKernan’s counsel.” As a result, she was appointed to the position of Maine District Court Judge. She continues, “That was in the spring of 1990, and I have been working in the judiciary ever since. I am fortunate to have served in all three courts: the District, Superior and Supreme Judicial Courts. It has allowed me to participate in the resolution of every kind of case that comes into the Maine courts, and to work in every county with so many wonderful people, including the clerks, marshals and lawyers throughout the state.”

CHALLENGES AND REWARDS

One of the most challenging aspects of working in the Judicial Branch comes from the nature of the work. The Chief Justice confided that by definition, people do not come to courthouses when things are going well in their lives. And some of the most difficult cases are those where there is no resolution to the problems that will eliminate human pain.

Gov. Baldacci, Chief Saufley, Ct. Admin Glessner

Maine Senator Angus King says, “I have great respect and

admiration for Chief Justice Saufley.

Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a deep knowledge of the law and an unyielding

commitment to our justice system."

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PRIME MOVER • Chief Justice Leigh Ingalls Saufley

Governor LePage Appointing Chief Justice Saufley

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“Most recently, Governor LePage and the Legislature have, with those of us in the Judicial Branch, had to address the growing scourge of heroin addiction and the consistent challenge of domestic violence.” Saufley continues, “Separately, with the support of the Governor and the hard-working folks in the Maine Legislature, particularly the Judiciary and Appropriation Committees, we have all worked to assure that courthouses are safe, accessible, and built to address the myriad challenges of providing justice in the twentyfirst century, including the need for a number of not-inexpensive technology updates.”

Chief Saufley assures us that, “The good news is that the Maine can-do spirit permeates the legal community. I can’t tell you how many times I will pick up the phone to ask for Maine lawyers, judges, legislators, and others in the system to come to the table to help find solutions. And the answer is always yes. That is something that doesn’t always happen in other states, and I am constantly grateful for the fact that I have spent my career in this wonderful place.”

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TESTIMONY FROM COLLEAGUES

Governor John Baldacci appointed Associate Justice Ellen Gorman to the Supreme Court in 2007. Justice Gorman affirms, “I have known Leigh since 1990 when she and I were both District Court judges, and I have worked with her as a judge since that time. We refer to her as the‘Energizer Bunny’ because she has the ability to keep going and maintain a positive outlook, regardless of what happens and also to work harder than anyone else. That is saying a lot because we have some very hard working judges, but she out-works us all. The State of Maine is blessed to have her.”

“The job of a Supreme Judicial Court justice has two big components. One is deciding cases. We are the only appellate court in the State of Maine, which means we hear appeals from everything, literally everything, from parking tickets to homicides, and everything in between. We don’t have an intermediate appellate court; so we hear family cases, divorce cases, child protective cases. We also hear all criminal appeals and civil appeals. We cannot decide not to hear a case that has been appealed; any case that is appealed - we must hear.”

Bill & Leigh Wedding

MAY 2017 • 1 4

PRIME MOVER • Chief Justice Leigh Ingalls Saufley

Preparing for 2016 State of the Judiciary

Women Judges Class of 1972

“In addition to that, we are the Board of Directors for the Judicial Branch.” Justice Gorman continues,“So each of us has a fairly heavy load of administrative duties, but the Chief has the heaviest. She has an enormous administrative load in addition to what we refer to as our real jobs – deciding cases.“

He oversees things like personnel, finance, facilities, court security, technology and many items in the information area. He has known the Chief Justice for over 24 years. Since 2001, when she became the Chief, he has had daily interaction with her regarding the operation of the courts.

State Court Administrator Ted Glessner is the professional manager who helps with all the organizational responsibilities of the State Court System. He reports to the Chief Justice and serves at her pleasure. He is responsible for the business end of the courts.

Administrator Glessner asserts,“First thing you will recognize with the Chief is that she is a very warm and open person; she’s a very welcoming person. The Chief has a lot of responsibilities, I can’t tell you the number of things that come up in the course of a day

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15 • MAINE SENIORS

PRIME MOVER

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Administrator Glessner asserts, “First thing you will recognize with the Chief is that she is a very warm and open person; she’s a very welcoming person."

that we have to consider: whether it’s supporting our people, or the funding we have to carry out the courts’ mission, or programs that we want to manage - no matter what it might be - the volume can really wear you down. People are drawn to her, people like to talk to her; people feel she’s approachable and she really is, she responds to them when they write to her.”

Glessner continues, “She does have a really good sense of humor.

She’s a very bright person; she’s just very hard to keep up with. She has tremendous recall; she has very good reasoning, she has good instincts, and is good at problem solving. She has all the qualities that you would want in a jurist and all the qualities you would MAY 2017 • 1 6

PRIME MOVER • Chief Justice Leigh Ingalls Saufley

Justice Gorman, Chief Justice Saufley, Court Administrator Glessner

want as the leader of the third branch of government, and she has worked very effectively that way.“ TRAVELLING APPELLATE COURT

Over ten years ago, Representative John Martin and Chief Justice Saufley devised a strategy to teach civic education to Maine high school students. They wanted to help students understand how the courts in Maine work, especially the appellate court.

17 • MAINE SENIORS

Since the fall of 2005, the seven Justices of the State Supreme Court have packed their case files and robes and have held appellate arguments in 35 High Schools across the state. In advance of the justices’ visits, the teachers help prepare the students for the process and for the specific legal issues involved in the cases.

On the day of the event, the teachers and school staff set up the auditorium as a courtroom. The students, teachers, staff and local legislators who attend are able to observe the Justices’ arguments

PRIME MOVER

“First, I would like to make it clear that I am far too young to be a Maine Senior. From my birth certificate, you might think that I am almost 63 years old.

In my head, I am about 37."

throughout the courtroom procedure and how the state laws apply to the lives of real Maine people.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

As Chief Justice Saufley states,“I am a Mainer through and through.”

She has lived in Maine her entire life. She was born in Portland to Janet and Richard Ingalls nearly 63 years ago and grew up in South Portland. She has two younger brothers, Andrew and Jim. She has been married to her husband, Bill, for 36 years. They have two adult children: a son and a daughter. Although Chief Saufley does not have much free time, she and her family manage to squeeze a bit of fun into their days. They love music, movies, theater, and travel. NHD ME Seniors 1.indd 1 4/12/17 9:59 AM is that I remain one of the younger people on the Law Court, EDUCATION although I am no longer the youngest. So many people are working well into their 80’s, that I really think you should have waited at Chief Saufley indicates, “I attended the University of Maine at least a decade before interviewing me!”

Orono where I received a wonderful undergraduate education.

And I was very fortunate to be admitted to the University of Maine is a much better place due to her dedication to the Judicial Maine School of Law in 1977, solidifying my intention to remain Branch and all those who support this branch of government. and practice in Maine. Possibly the best outcome of my attending Thank you, Chief Justice Saufley, for accepting the position of Maine Law was that I met my wonderful husband, Bill Saufley, the Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court at such a there.” Chief Saufley graduated from the University of Maine at young age. We hope that you will continue with your honorable Orono in 1976, Phi Beta Kappa. In 1980, she received her J.D. and selfless judicial endeavors for those of us in the State of Maine from the University of Maine School of Law. for as long as it pleases you – or at least until your 80’s!

A JUNIOR SENIOR

Chief Justice Saufley would like Maine Seniors to know: “First, I would like to make it clear that I am far too young to be a Maine Senior. From my birth certificate, you might think that I am almost 63 years old. In my head, I am about 37. And the reality today

Maine Seniors Magazine staff would like Chief Justice Leigh Saufley to know that we consider her to be a “junior” senior. MSM

MAY 2017 • 1 8

PRIME MOVER • Robin Alden

Robin Alden Photo by Kevin Bennett

MAINE’S OWN

BY BARBARA KENT LAWRENCE

"Hero of the Seas”

For a decade the Gulf of Maine has warmed faster than over 99% of the world’s oceans, so it needs its own hero.

F

ortunately, it’s got one! Winner of the Peter Benchley Award Hero of the Seas in 2017 and named a White House Champion in 2016, Robin Alden of Stonington has done extraordinary work on behalf of Maine’s coastal communities.

Anyone who makes a living in the fisheries, or enjoys eating seafood, has benefitted from her work. In 2017 she will win the award that 19 • MAINE SENIORS

may mean the most to her: Grand Marshall of the pirate-themed Fourth of July parade in Deer Isle/Stonington. Look for her waving from a convertible!

Robin Alden has come a long way from her childhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but she’s the same person. Brilliant, determined, gutsy, with a warm and ready smile, Robin thinks holistically and in terms of systems, habits of mind she learned from her father, who was a teacher in Cambridge. A skilled sailor, for several summers he ran the Yacht Club in Prouts Neck, Maine.

He and his family lived in an apartment above the Post Office, and Robin often tagged along as he tended to boats, helping him as

Robin Alden • PRIME MOVER

Robin Alden has come a long way

from her childhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but she’s the same person. Brilliant, determined, gutsy, with a warm and ready smile. she could. This early introduction gave her confidence in handling boats and being on the water, but perhaps even more important, her father taught her to observe.“He was a fine-scale ecologist. He taught me the importance of observing creatures to understand them,” she explains. Then, when she was only sixteen, her beloved father died.

Robin was a member of the freshman class at Yale when it first admitted women, but says, “It was not a good fit.” She missed

Senior Living at its Finest on the Beautiful Maine Coast.

her father, and her major, medieval history, wasn’t absorbing.

Instead, Maine, the place he had taught her to love, called her home.

Robin spent time at Hurricane Island, free-lancing for the local paper, waitressing and learning how hard it is to dig clams. In 1973 at the age of 22, she covered a meeting where she heard a shrimp biologist and several fishermen trying to talk about the shrimp fishery. Listening to their exasperation and impatience made her realize that they each brought valuable insight, knowledge and perspective to the conversation, but they weren’t hearing each other.

She concluded that they needed a better way to share what they knew that made them feel safe both to disagree and listen.

With no funding or experience in publishing and little but brains and bravado, Robin Alden co-founded Commercial Fisheries News with local publisher Nat Barrows to meet that need. From 1978 to 1996 she ran the paper, turning it into a successful publication that furthered the vision she has always had: bring people together to develop solutions. She reasoned that the skills of fine-scale

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PRIME MOVER • Robin Alden

observation fishermen have developed so well and the rigorous perspective of scientists might find answers to the challenge of a changing fishery. She also found time to study at the University of Maine, earning a degree in economics in 1978.

Pat Shepard, Will Ames, Robin Alden and Ted Ames Photo courtesy of The White House

In the mid-seventies Robin Alden

co-founded the Maine Fishermen’s Forum, which celebrated its forty-

second year in March, 2017 and brings hundreds of fishermen and their families, as well as regulators, and scientists together.

In the mid-seventies Robin Alden co-founded the Maine Fishermen’s Forum, which celebrated its forty-second year in March, 2017 and brings hundreds of fishermen and their families, as well as regulators, and scientists together to think about the fisheries of the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. It also offers the best seafood I’ve ever tasted as well as a full plate of discussions, forums, and opportunities to socialize. “Always include ways for people to socialize,” Robin learned early from mentor and friend Jim Wilson, co-founder of the forum and an economist at the University of Maine at Orono. “It helps them get to know and trust each other.”

And, she met Ted Ames who grew up in Vinalhaven and was both a long-time fisherman from a fishing family as well as a trained

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Robin Alden • PRIME MOVER

Robin speaking at Concord Academy in 2014

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scientist. He later combined his fishing knowledge with science as an historical ecologist. His analysis of the cod population based on interviews with older fishermen earned him a MacArthur Fellowship. Robin and Ted married in 1987. It is an extraordinary partnership.

In 1996, Robin was recruited by Governor Angus King to head the Department of Marine Resources. Working in Augusta while her family lived in Stonington, however, was brutal for her, Ted, and their young child. Though she deeply loved her job, after three years Robin resigned to be with her family, a decision she says, “I have never regretted.”

When one door closes, another may open, but sometimes you have to push. Together with her husband, and Ted Hoskins, the longtime pastor of the Isle au Haut church and boat minister for the Maine Sea Coast Mission, Robin started Penobscot East Resource

Fishing has always been a dangerous job that requires great skill, but today that is even more true. Fishermen must be comfortable being involved in fisheries regulations and collaborative research, as well as using advanced technology, competing in a national and international market, and dealing with the challenges of a changing climate and fish populations.

How best to prepare Maine’s fishermen for the life they want to lead as adults? Bring them as high school students into a program that uses the skills they have already learned to “expose them to a real-world academic program that helps them graduate with knowledge of marine ecology, navigation, marine engineering, public policy and communications skills to influence the future of an industry and way of life they love. Whether career fishermen or aspiring marine biology PhDs. today's and tomorrow’s professionals need intensive preparation for a co-management role in a complex and challenging fisheries environment.” In short, let them study through the Eastern Maine Skipper’s Program. penobscoteast.org/programs/eastern-maine-skippers-program

MAY 2017 • 2 2

PRIME MOVER • Robin Alden

Robin Alden and John Piotti Photo by Sarah Madronal

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Center (PERC) in 2003. Its mission: to find ways for fishermen and government regulators to learn from each other. PERC’s motto, Fish Forever, affirms their conviction that fishermen, working with scientists and regulators can inform policy. Now, fourteen years later, PERC is thriving, employs twelve people, and was a co-founder of the Eastern Maine Skippers Program (see sidebar).

In March PERC assumed a new name: Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries (MCCF) to better reflect its mission.

So now that the Commercial Fisheries News, MCCF and the Maine Fishermen’s Forum are so successful, what is Robin doing?

23 • MAINE SENIORS

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Robin Alden and Dennis Damon on Sunbeam Cruise-Maine Seacoast Mission boat

MAY 2017 • 2 4

PRIME MOVER • Robin Alden

Robin Alden and Ted Ames

It seems likely that Robin will continue to identify problems that need to be solved, and ways to bring people with different experience and expertise together to solve them. For all that she has done, and all she will do,

she’s a true Maine hero.

She's leaving MCCF because, as a thoughtful administrator, she knows that for the original vision to thrive, it must live beyond her time at the helm. Robin says that about five years ago, while looking at an actuarial table, she realized that they needed to take steps to assure the organization would survive if the founders were no 25 • MAINE SENIORS

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longer around to guide it. “We’ve built up staff and board so it isn’t so founder driven and now we have to get out and let it sing its own song.” Robin and her board have worked hard to make the transition as gentle and fruitful as possible by announcing four years ago that she would leave as Executive Director after 2017. Now, as that time approaches, MCCF is actively seeking a new director.

And what will she do next? Not even Robin and Ted know that, but after taking a deep breath, working as sternman for Ted, who fishes about 100 traps, Robin will figure it out. “I’ve had a chance to make a difference, which many people don’t get.

That means a lot. My life isn’t long enough to get it all done. I haven’t achieved everything, even within this organization; for example, I had hoped to further build up its development capacity. There’s more to do!” It seems likely that Robin will continue to identify problems that need to be solved, and ways to bring people with different experience and expertise together to solve them. For all that she has done, and all she will do, she’s a true Maine hero.

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PRIME MOVER • Carolann Ouellette

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Spending time with Carolann Ouellette brings to

mind the W. Hodding Carter II adage that, “There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots; the other, wings.”

O

uellette, who recently left her leadership role as Director of the Maine Office of Tourism to take the helm at Maine Huts & Trails, is unfailingly kind, gracious, and down-to-earth, yet also ambitious, adventurous, and

27 • MAINE SENIORS

well-traveled. Ouellette’s curiosity and adventuresome spirit come in part from a very supportive family, she said. Her mother was a teacher; her father a pilot for PanAm and Delta before retiring and then taking a position as a Vice President at Hawaiian Airlines.

Ouellette was born in California, but at three months of age, took her first flight to New Jersey, where she grew up. Her father’s position at PanAm enabled Ouellette to travel often as a child.“I’ve been so fortunate because of that opportunity,” she said.“I think of different places that I’ve seen well ahead of getting into travel and tourism myself because my father was a PanAm captain. You know, the world was at your fingertips.”

Carolann Ouellette • PRIME MOVER

“An opportunity to travel, no matter what else, broadens horizons

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and exposes us to new people, new cultures, and different ways of looking at life,” said Ouellette.

UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAROLANN OUELLETTE

At age 12, Ouellette spent two weeks in Japan.“I went to an all-girl’s prep school from second grade to the middle of my sophomore year. One of my closest friends throughout the early part of those years was Japanese and had lived in the United States, but then her family moved back to Japan. I was a guest in their house, which was very nice, because things were fairly traditional.” However, the family also took Ouellette to visit the popular tourist destinations around Tokyo, so that she felt she had gotten the best of both worlds during her visit.

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“An opportunity to travel, no matter what else, broadens horizons and exposes us to new people, new cultures, and different ways of looking at life,” said Ouellette. “It gives you a really strong appreciation for where you live and the people around you, as much as an enhanced outlook on the people that don’t live nearby, but in different places with different customs.”

While her parents were providing the “wings,” it was her grandparents who established the family connection to Maine.

“My grandparents had gone to Attean Lake Lodge in Jackman with friends from New York, and then took my mother there. In turn, our family vacationed there for several different summers,” recalled Ouellette.“I always just thought the place was heavenly. It was very calming, being in the outdoors. I have a lot of good memories with family there.”

Taking the scenic route to a tourism leadership role Ouellette began her education at Cornell University as a liberal MAY 2017 • 2 8

PRIME MOVER • Carolann Ouellette

arts major, but transferred into the School of Hotel Administration.

“As part of that curriculum, I had to have a summer job in the industry,” she said. Her first hospitality job was at the Hungry Bear restaurant in Frontierland at Disney Land in California. “One of the summers while I was in school, I worked at Attean Lake Lodge.

When I graduated, I asked, and they hired me.”

However, Ouellette wasn’t quite ready to land anywhere yet, and went to work as a flight attendant for PanAm, exploring more of the world before moving back to Jackman, Maine.

Exploring Austria in 2012

This and next: Exploring attractions in Italy during a 2012 sales mission for the MOT.

29 • MAINE SENIORS

“I got my guide’s license and got involved in whitewater rafting,” she said. Working for Great Adventures, Ouellette’s leadership skills began to overcome her adventuresome side somewhat, because, “I didn’t guide all that frequently. I became involved in mid-level management, and did the reservations, food prep and that kind of thing,” she said. “Then I was hired by the New England Outdoor Center. They had lodging properties, so I was doing reservations,

Carolann Ouellette • PRIME MOVER

“We are putting into place an outdoor recreational asset that is hopefully available to people of all ages and abilities, and that builds out the local economy, adding an asset to the area which helps attract new visitors as well as being a resource for residents." helping manage the lodge properties, and the food and beverage responsibilities. I would guide if we were short on trips.”

Ouellette also managed the Sugarloaf Inn for a time, before returning to the New England Outdoor Center as it expanded into the Millinocket area.“Then I bought a restaurant in Jackman

in 1995,” she said. “I was the chef/owner/operator of the Moose Point Tavern.”

Ouellette said that this, “odd professional up and down and back and forth” was all good experience.“But the convoluted pathway to the Maine Office of Tourism (MOT) didn’t have as much to do with my employment side as with my engagement with different projects, initiatives, and association boards,” she said.“When I was at the New England Outdoor Center, I became the president of Raft Maine, and in that capacity, I ended up with a seat on the Maine Tourism Association board, and eventually a seat with the Maine Tourism Commission, as well. That’s really where I started to build networks across the state around travel and tourism, and was getting to meet people over time.”

Ouellette was also involved with the Old Canada Road Scenic Byway Committee, the Kennebec-Chaudière Council, and, “other organizations looking at broader tourism development initiatives. That started me getting better known throughout

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PRIME MOVER • Carolann Ouellette

the state, and gave me an understanding of the interplay of the different organizations. I was fairly active outside of work, which built the relationships that led to me ending up at the Maine Office of Tourism.”

Exploring attractions in Italy during a 2012 sales mission for the MOT.

Ouellette served four years as the deputy director of the Maine Office of Tourism before being promoted to director and serving for another six years in that capacity.“Over that decade, we’ve seen a considerable amount of growth, not only in visitation, but the number of properties being built or renovated, the explosive growth of restaurants, the recognition of Maine as a culinary destination, and the new microbrewery businesses. There’s just a broader mix of things Maine has become known for in the marketplace.”

During her years with the MOT, the focus shifted toward a marketing value-based approach, “that creates a much more emotional connection with the visitor,” said Ouellette.“The MOT has always used data-driven decision making to hone its advertising,” she said, “but we took that even further, defining who the best prospects were, what resonated, and how to reach those people in newer markets.”

Ouellette owned and operated the Moose Point Tavern in Jackman for several years.

Ouellette guides travel writers to Maine Huts & Trails' Flagstaff Lake property during a 2012 familiarization tour hosted by the MOT.

“A really thorough and thoughtful process went into development of the five-year strategic plan in 2014,” Ouellette said.“The MOT gathered just a wealth of information from the industry and looked much more aggressively at the national landscape, travel trends, where things were headed, but we were also looking at some other strategic plans from similar destinations that were starting to shine in the marketplace. It was a very thorough process that helped make the MOT more efficient and effective in its marketing efforts.”

PHOTO BY SHEILA GRANT

Those efforts are paying off, as Maine sees visitors arriving from new locations, and becomes a stronger four-season destination, she said. Tourism dollars are also being spent more widely throughout the state rather than at a few select destinations. “There’s always room for growth, but we’ve seen growth throughout the state beyond the traditional destinations,” Ouellette said.

31 • MAINE SENIORS

“What was really important for us while I was there was the professionalism of the work and the expansion of the industry,” she said.“That’s what you hope for – a strong team that pulled together to have strong results. And that’s where they are still. They have a great team. It’s remarkable how much output there is in that core team in that office.”

Carolann Ouellette • PRIME MOVER

Climb a new mountain, get a new view But perhaps adventurers just can’t resist a new challenge indefinitely.

In December 2016, Ouellette announced her departure from the MOT to become the executive director of Maine Huts & Trails.

“Maine Huts & Trails is about 10 years old, so I’ve watched their growth and I’ve been engaging with them during my time at the MOT because they are, in essence, a new product,” said Ouellette.

“I loved my job at the MOT, but there are really capable people there. This is a unique opportunity to work with an organization with remarkable vision and a mission with pretty aggressive long-range goals.”

“The opportunity to be involved in that next stage of growth was just too good to pass up,” Ouellette said.“Being able to tie in at this point in time is a remarkable opportunity. Also, while I love the whole state, I’ve always had an affinity for that Franklin, Somerset, Piscataquis region. What I’ve done for jobs has crossed those boundaries again and again. This is a unique opportunity to join an organization that literally crosses those same boundaries because physically, that’s where the trails run.”

Short-term, Ouellette’s professional goals include, “getting to understand all the inner workings of everything that is Maine Huts & Trails,” she says. She also aims to re-engage with people and build those networks and partnerships which will help Maine Huts & Trails reach its long-term vision for a series of backcountry huts allowing Nordic ski trips from Moosehead Lake to the Mahoosuc Mountain Range. To date, there are four backcountry eco-lodges connected by 80 miles of trail from West Forks to Stratton, with eight more huts being planned.

“We are putting into place an outdoor recreational asset that is hopefully available to people of all ages and abilities, and that builds out the local economy, adding an asset to the area which helps attract new visitors as well as being a resource for residents,” Ouellette said.

But don’t expect Ouellette to get over the travel bug any time soon.

For her work with the MOT, Ouellette got to travel, including trips to the United Kingdom to work with Discover New England, a marketing collaborative formed to promote this region to the overseas tourism market. On her own time over the years, MAY 2017 • 3 2

PRIME MOVER • Carolann Ouellette PHOTO BY SHEILA GRANT

Ouellette has gotten her private pilot license, hiked the Himalayas, visited destinations as far flung as Alaska and Ireland, and seen the Berlin Wall – twice.

“I don’t have a specific, tacked-on-the-wall bucket list, but there are so many things that cross my path and I’ll think,‘Oh, I want to do that!’ Really, it’s more about learning about something new and being able to take advantage of that opportunity,” Ouellette said.“I want to do things like horseback riding across Mongolia. I want to get to so many places in the world,” she said, laughing.

Exploring Austria in 2012

“There have been a number of people throughout my life that have been supportive and encouraging on the travel front,” says Ouellette. In addition to her family, these included, “friends from within the whitewater rafting community – a wonderfully diverse and adventurous group of people almost always on the go and discovering off-the-beaten path places,” she said.

There was also a couple from Jackman who took Ouellette under their wing and introduced her to snowmobiling, “from riding the trails to exploring the backcountry in Maine and remote areas across the Province of Quebec,” she said.“And more recently, I have a boyfriend whose love for travel perfectly matches mine. It seems we are always thinking about next trips.”

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33 • MAINE SENIORS

Carolann Ouellette • PRIME MOVER

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PRIME MOVER ARTS • June Fitzpatrick

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Fitzpatrick

June Fitzpatrick shoos off the dog so she can sink

into a comfy couch in her historic Portland row house. She chats with a visitor while waiting for her son, Nick, to deliver a proper English tea, not too strong, with biscuits she can only get at Trader Joe’s.

H

er visitor, inadvisably perhaps, tells her she has been described as “one of the most prominent figures in the Portland art world.” She wrinkles her nose and squints as if to say, in traditional British scorn for superlatives,“That’s a bit much, isn’t it?”

35 • MAINE SENIORS

BY DONNA HALVORSEN

But it isn’t a bit much, and she must know it’s true, 50 years after she emigrated to Portland from England with her husband and son, not knowing what life had in store for her but eager to find out. With a grounding in art acquired in her gritty hometown of Sheffield, she made the rounds of Portland’s galleries, visited the art museum and the art school and was connected immediately to everybody-who-was-anybody in the Portland art world.

With her captivating British accent, authenticity, charm and quick wit, Fitzpatrick became one of them.

Last August, when she retired from her influential gallery at the Maine College of Art on Congress Street, she was indeed a prominent figure in the Portland art world and beyond. After

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decades of championing contemporary art, “she has few peers across the country,” Portland critic Daniel Kany wrote of her in the Portland Press Herald.

The Maine College of Art, in giving Fitzpatrick a Doctorate of Fine Arts degree in 2015, said her gallery“holds a central position in the heart of Portland’s Arts District and is a destination point for local, regional and international collectors.”

Fitzpatrick became known for her durability in a changing art world, the edgy art she exhibited and the artists, including emerging artists, whose work she supported.

South Portland artist Lynn Duryea says Fitzpatrick “was a significant and sustained figure in the Portland art scene for decades, persevering while many other galleries opened and closed.’’

“With grace, generosity and discernment, she supported and promoted artists with wide-ranging approaches and sensibilities,” she says. “I was proud and delighted when she offered me an

June at her Portland home

The Maine College of Art, in giving Fitzpatrick a Doctorate of Fine Arts degree in 2015, said her gallery

“holds a central position in the heart of Portland’s Arts District".

MAY 2017 • 3 6

PRIME MOVER ARTS • June Fitzpatrick

Young June in England

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A fall two years ago slowed Fitzpatrick, but she’s recovering and open to what comes next. “If I hadn’t fallen, I would have gone out of my gallery feet first,” she says. “This fall might simply be an interruption, though what I’ll do next, I don’t know. Something exciting, I hope.”

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Another gallery? At 78, Fitzpatrick doesn’t rule anything out.

Such openness to life was apparent at an early age. Fitzpatrick was born June Bradley, one of three daughters of supportive parents who sent her to an arts high school. “From age 11 or 12, art was the focus. Everything we learned, we learned through art. It was wonderful.”

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June Fitzpatrick • PRIME MOVER ARTS

She attended an arts college, then found her first job as the only artist in a firm of precision tool manufacturers, “which meant that I wrote the ads about the products and did illustrations for every aspect of the company. It was challenging and pretty exciting.’’

She left the job after marrying fellow Brit Eddie Fitzpatrick, who was a journalist at the Sheffield paper when she met him at a local

With son Nick

jazz club. “He was quite eccentric,” she says, a description that followed Eddie through his eclectic Portland career as a journalist and restaurateur (Eddie Fitzpatrick died March 27 at the age of 83, after this story was written.).

In 1965, with son Nick in tow, they moved to the United States. Portland had lots of good art back then, but most of it was under the radar. The city had few galleries, a small museum and an art school that students left as soon as they graduated Fitzpatrick recalls.

“I had absolutely no knowledge of art in America, but I learned a lot quickly.”

MAY 2017 • 3 8

PRIME MOVER ARTS • June Fitzpatrick

June Fitzpatrick, Portland Copyright 2012 Tanja Hollander

39 • MAINE SENIORS

June Fitzpatrick • PRIME MOVER ARTS

She learned that while nearly all Maine art was traditional, students at the art school were producing excellent contemporary art, and some professors there were good artists, too.

Eddie Fitzpatrick quickly got a job as an editor for the Portland papers and began promoting the arts in a new section: “He drew attention to the arts in Maine,” June Fitzpatrick says. “The level of coverage was high.” With the new local coverage, there were more galleries for Fitzpatrick to visit, more artists to meet.

As she immersed herself in art, she found pleasure in other ventures, including freelance writing. For a decade she and Eddie were foster parents for dozens of newborns, keeping babies until their parents were ready to take them.“It was a wonderful period of my life, and also Eddie’s,” Fitzpatrick says.

“That was very characteristic of what June is about,” says good friend Gayl McNally, a Yarmouth artist and retired pediatric nurse.

Fitzpatrick also has a fanciful side. She started a tap dancing club.

“We had this rule that you couldn’t be skinny to be in our group, and if you lost any weight you were out,” McNally says.“We stepped on our own feet, we fell down.” The club faltered when its final teacher failed to see their promise, but they did dance, with 5,000 others, in a tap dance extravaganza outside Macy’s in New York City.

As the ‘90s approached, Fitzpatrick was contemplating her next career when an art gallery landed in her lap. Three women who ran a High Street gallery wanted out, and they asked June to take over.

“Absolutely not,” she said. She started helping out, then one day she just put out a shingle. It was an inauspicious time for such a venture.

The stock market had crashed in 1987, art buyers retreated and galleries closed. But by this time “there were dozens of really good artists in Portland, hundreds of them really, so there was never a shortage of good work to show,” she recalls. Nonetheless, it was “a challenge starting a business, especially a business of art, at an interesting and challenging time in my own life. I was in my 50s, just separated, forging ahead on my own. It was difficult, but it just got better.”

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PRIME MOVER ARTS • June Fitzpatrick

With Kate

“Her shows were of such high quality that I always wanted to be there at the openings if not before,” says collector Bruce Brown.

The gallery opened in 1992 on High Street, to almost instant success: “Luckily, I got a lot of publicity because the art was good.”

After a while, Fitzpatrick teamed up with a London gallery, giving her artists an international range while showing British artists here.

Then she undertook a more radical venture; she put her Portland gallery in good hands and opened a gallery in New York “just to test the waters. I loved it, but I couldn’t see moving there; I guess I’m basically a homebody. I like to dip my toes in everywhere, but I love my hometown.”

She returned with a greater appreciation of Maine art than ever

41 • MAINE SENIORS

and dipped her toes into a second gallery at the Maine College of Art. It had lots more space, wonderful space, suffused with light and the energy of young people. As with the High Street gallery, which she kept open for a time, the new gallery on Congress Street was received enthusiastically.

It helped that there were other galleries to which she could refer artists who didn’t fit into her gallery. “She was very, very caring with artists,” McNally says.“They would come to her and ask,‘Am I ready?’ and she might say,“Well, not quite yet.’ She never criticized anybody’s work, which was a huge deal for her to be able to do that.”

“She was a wonderful curator of work,” said Portland artist Alison Hildreth.“I loved being in her shows.”

“Her shows were of such high quality that I always wanted to be there at the openings if not before,” says collector Bruce Brown, a retired Freeport High School teacher and former curator of the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockport.

“Her artists were her extended family,” Brown says. “She was the loving mother of the family.” And when she threw big parties after

June Fitzpatrick • PRIME MOVER ARTS

She ended up closing the gallery

Retirement suits Fitzpatrick, and her spirits are buoyant even as she claims indolence. “I basically putter around,” she says. “It’s heaven.

So far retirement is all that I’ve hoped. I’m lucky that I have my son.

He organizes me. He brings me breakfast in bed every morning.

The dog (Kate) and I have breakfast in bed.” (Kate doesn’t get pushed around the house in an antique carriage as Vanessa, her English sheepdog, did. Nor does Kate have a seat at the Christmas dinner table, but she’s a happy and loyal dog.)

gallery openings, she was a mother who was saying, “Come home and have dinner. She always served a scrumptious meal. She’s a terrific cook, and she loved doing it.”

Fitzpatrick says she had no idea when she came to the U.S. — or even when she opened her first gallery — that she would have a life defined by the arts.“I didn’t really know what I was doing,” she says.

“Who knew what course I would take?”

Two years ago Fitzpatrick was walking with McNally on Oak Street in Portland when she “tripped over nothing at all and down I went, apparently pulling Gayl down with me. The most sobering thing was hearing the police say, ‘Two elderly ladies down.’ ” June Fitzpatrick elderly? Never. Not in her game plan.

Now she knows: “I think opening my galleries, being able to showcase excellent art, the freedom to do that, to have a life surrounded by art that you choose; it doesn’t get any better than that.”

MSM

She mistakenly thought she’d be

back in her gallery in a few weeks. instead, a decision that sent the Portland arts world reeling.

McNally had a black eye. Fitzpatrick fell face first and hit her head, causing a “brain bleed,” as she describes it, that sent her to Mercy Hospital, then to Maine Medical Center. She can joke about it now: “At least I found out I do have a brain. That was nice.” Two years later, it’s just what-it-is to a Brit who’s not given to giving up.“I’m not back to normal yet, really,” she says.“It takes a very long time.”

She mistakenly thought she’d be back in her gallery in a few weeks.

She ended up closing the gallery instead, a decision that sent the Portland arts world reeling. It was just time for her personally to end a run that was, by her own account and the accounts of others, glorious.

“Her welcoming spirit and gentle humor continue to be part of my thoughts,” says Matinicus artist Maury Colton. He met June when he was hitchhiking daily from South Portland to Cheverus High School in Portland. She gave him rides, and they became friends. Later, she became his first patron, exhibiting his work in her galleries.

“Her dedication to not only artists, but to art and the world around her, helped to make the world a better place,” Colton says.“We have had a good ride together. Thanks, June.”

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MAY 2017 • 4 2

A Snapshot of Recent

MAINE WOMEN’S HALL OF FAME Honorees

BY DR. LEN KAYE This month I want to share with you the names and some of the special accomplishments of a very special group of Maine citizens who have been inducted into the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame during the past five years.

T

he Maine Women’s Hall of Fame, established in 1990 by the Maine Federation of Business and Professional Women, is dedicated to women who have had a significant statewide impact including achievements of enduring value that have especially improved the lives of women in Maine.

The only reason I limited myself to the last five years was to keep my review manageable. You can be sure that earlier honorees of the award are equally accomplished Maine women including the likes of Katherine Musgrave, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, Chellie Pingree, Margaret Chase Smith, Mabel Wadsworth, and many more.

During the past five years (2012-2016) there have been 10 honorees (two each year): Mary Farrar, Ruth L. Lockhart, Lyn Mikel Brown, Mary R. Cathcart, Laurie Gagnon LaChance, Patricia E. Ryan, Barbara W. Woodlee, Ellen Golden, Connie Adler, and Elizabeth Ward Saxl.

I found it very telling that older women (in their sixties and beyond) are exceedingly well represented on this“short” list (and equally well represented over the past 27 years for that matter). Once again, it underscores the incredible capacity, commitment, and continued drive of women in later life and the extent to which they have unselfishly dedicated their lives to making the future brighter for the State of Maine generally and in particular, for Maine women, young and old alike.

Consider Mary Farrar (2012), whose brother’s murder appears to have put her on the path to becoming a dedicated patient advocate throughout her public service career. Among her accomplishments was the planning of the state’s first Victim’s Rights Week in

43 • MAINE SENIORS

Lyn Mikel Brown (2013), a Colby College professor, has dedicated her life to empowering girls and strengthening their critical thinking skills. She has published extensively on women’s psychology and girls’ development. This includes developing a number of innovative empowerment and leadership development programs for girls including From Adversaries to Allies and Hardy Girls Healthy Women.

Mary R. Cathcart (2013), a former Maine State Representative and State Senator is currently a Senior Policy Associate at the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine.

She co-founded in 2009 Maine New Leadership, an intensive training institute for the next generation of women leaders for Maine. Mary has always been a staunch supporter of higher education and social justice particularly for women and children.

Laurie Gagnon LaChance (2014) can claim a number of firsts: the first female president of Thomas College, the first female president of the Maine Development Foundation, and the first

! ble aila Av its Un

Ruth L. Lockhart’s (2012) career is the story of a lifelong commitment to reproductive rights and equality for all women. That journey has included her serving as one of the first AIDS educators in the state and the first professional AIDS educator at the University of Maine.

In 1992, she assumed the executive directorship of the Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center and has since dedicated her life to a future in which women are in control of their lives and a world where feminist principles can benefit all people.

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2006, and organizing our first National Day of Remembrance for Murdered Victims in 2007. These have since become annual remembrance programs and continue to be events that raise awareness about the aftermath of murder.

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female Maine State Economist. Laurie has emphasized in all she does the importance of human capital and higher education over the course of her career while inspiring others with her honesty, enthusiasm, and optimism.

Patricia E. Ryan (2014), a significant figure involved in the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in 1973, was a co-founder of the Maine Women’s Lobby, a statewide organization dedicated to advancing the interests of women and girls.

She also served as Executive Director of the Maine Human Rights Commission, a position she held for 32 years until she retired in 2011.

Barbara W. Woodlee (2015), the president of Kennebec Valley Community College for 28 years, has spent her career increasing access to education for Maine women. She has fought for low tuition rates, expansion of needed health care and other programs, and increasing financial assistance for low income students. She holds the distinction of being the first woman president within the Maine Community College System.

Ellen F. Golden (2015), a champion of women’s rights and both economic and social justice, started the Women’s Business Center at CEI (a private, nonprofit community development corporation), which has since helped over 15,000 women start and manage their businesses. She has also developed a wide range of training programs in industry to encourage effective working relationships with women business owners and has served actively on numerous organizational boards that are dedicated to ensuring that women’s voices are heard and issues affecting them are addressed.

Connie Adler (2016) has dedicated her career to women’s health issues. A Family Medicine Physician at Franklin Health Women’s Care in Farmington, she has provided obstetrical, gynecological, and primary care to women for 23 years.

45 • MAINE SENIORS

Additionally, she has been a leader in advancing Maine family planning programming, the inclusion of domestic violence screening in emergency departments, obstetrical and primary care offices, and a Women’s Centered Medical Home in Belfast.

Elizabeth Ward Saxl (2016) has, for more than 16 years, served as the Executive Director of the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault. She has been a leading advocate for policy and legislation working collaboratively to address needed protections for child victims of sexual abuse, housing protections for victims of violence, protections for dependent and incapacitated adults, and improvements in Maine’s Criminal Code.

To these women of influence and the many others inducted since 1990 into the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame, we salute and honor your dedication and accomplishments.

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Will it

hurt?

BY WALDO CLARK

We’ve all endured the parking lot trudge. You slam the car door, shrug your shoulders, hang your head, and plod across the pavement toward the House of Humiliation.

Y

ou’re in full mope, no zip, just zapped by fear of pending pain and mortification. You wonder how you got yourself into this mess. You’ve got a bad case of the “heebie-jeebies”.

Doctor Poke About, the patrician-looking proprietor of the dreaded medical or dental procedure, waits.

The word procedure conjures up a nightmare scenario of scopes, tubes, probes, and needles. The procedure alphabet supports the premise with scary sounding processes like arthroscopy, barium enema, biopsy, catheterization, and cystoscopy. And that’s only A-C. A procedure suggests something going into a body cavity, not out.

That’s unsettling.

A dour-faced nurse marches you into a windowless, claustrophobic room, orders you to strip, and points an intimidating finger toward a pile of pale green gowns. You ask, in a meek voice, “Underwear too?” She throws you the annoyed “how do you think the doctor

47 • MAINE SENIORS

can perform the procedure look.” Alone, you drop your drawers.

When the undies go, you’re in serious trouble.

Naked, you frantically search for that one cloth gown among the flimsy paper ones. Then, you attempt the dexterity test, trying to tie the cord in the rear that will secure the gown, hiding your behind.

Most of us fail miserably at this futile task and hold the gown closed with one hand.

Medical experts call this R-rated Candid Camera moment the “Hairy Hiny Hand Clasp.”

Nurse Noxious, like a nostril-sniffing hound, returns and nudges

The word procedure conjures up a nightmare scenario of scopes,

tubes, probes, and needles. The procedure alphabet supports the premise with scary sounding processes like arthroscopy, barium enema, biopsy, catheterization, and cystoscopy. you to the Procedure Cell. It feels like you’re going to jail. A collage of body anxiety emotions consumes you: eyes dart, sweat drips, heart pounds, teeth grind. You yearn to avoid a bowel blast or breakfast barf. What a pickle. You sit, stand, shuffle, lean, and sag.

The instinct to bolt, huge. Worse, you need to pee. Clint Eastwood cool you’re not.

The door swings open. You cringe. Doctor Plumber, a forced half smile on his face, gives you the critical once over and asks, “How are you?” Don’t you hate that? You’re wearing a size 20 tent with nothing on underneath, numb with anticipation of what’s to come.

You stammer and in a nervous willy voice utter,“Great.”

The doctor, in a stern manner, says,“Are you ready?”

“Will it hurt?”

“Just a twinge.”

Twinge? Where’s that on the pain scale, a wimpy wince, trivial ouch, shrill shriek, or long scream? Hey, what’s a twinge between doctor and patient anyway. Suck it up baby. No pain, no gain.

Philip Bailey once said about life, “A bridge of groans across a stream of tears.” Sure sounds like a procedure to me.

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Another time, as I sat in my dentist’s waiting room, a patient walked in. I realized he was the physician who’d performed two colonoscopies on me. We exchanged pleasantries. I glanced around, leaned over, and said, “Ya know, I’d rather have a colonoscopy than a dental procedure. No pain.” Well, he liked that.

Unfortunately, a dentist overheard our exchange and shot over, pleading with us to lower our voices. We all laughed. I guess it’s a matter of which end you prefer. No butts about it.

Next time I’m scheduled for a procedure, trudge across the parking lot, and hear the word twinge, I’m riding out of town with my new friend Clint.

MSM

Years ago, I sat in a room at the Lahey Clinic. I told the nurse that I wasn’t too happy about the doctor inserting a tube down my throat.

“Oh no,” she said, “he’s going down your nose.” My nose, I thought, why that’s a smaller hole. How come it always gets worse?

MAY 2017 • 4 8

Celebrating May is a month packed with occasions to mark on our calendars!

O

n May 13th, we can join the National Association of Letter Carriers for the annual Stamp Out Hunger program in our own neighborhoods by leaving nonperishable food items at our mailboxes to help stock local food pantries. On May 29th – Memorial Day - we commemorate all the women and men who have died in military service for the United States.

May is also National Older Americans Month. Celebrating National Older Americans Month each year is a strong tradition that demonstrates our nation’s commitment to recognizing the achievements and contributions of older adults, many of whom are volunteers, innovators and community leaders.

Of course, on May 14th, we also celebrate moms everywhere for Mother’s Day. I would like to take this opportunity to salute

49 • MAINE SENIORS

May, Moms & Caregivers

BY JANE MARGESSON

mothers and all women in Maine, but particularly those who are caring for their loved ones as family caregivers. Of the estimated 178,000 family caregivers in our state, approximately 116,000 are women. In perhaps a more startling statistic, if we break this down further we discover that one out of every six women in Maine is a family caregiver.

Several weeks ago, I had the honor of working with some of these wonderful caregivers when we testified in Augusta on a caregiver tax credit bill. Some of these remarkable individuals joined us at the State House and others were kind enough to submit testimony through a proxy who read their statements to the committee.

Pam from Bangor cares for her partner, Warren, at home following his stroke at the age of 62. “I know that Warren wants to be with me at home. We don’t want to be separated,” she says.

This is a common theme we hear that families want to be able to stay together, in their own homes, for as long as they possibly can even as caregiving demands increase.“Aging in Place” is a focal point of age-friendly community efforts in the state of Maine.

THE MAINE POINT 

“We know that we are only one of thousands of Maine families trying to care for their loved ones at home on limited funds,” she said. She sent me a beautiful photo of her mom sitting with her on their couch at home.

This is a common theme we hear that families want to be able to stay together, in their own homes, for as long as they possibly can

Donna from Readfield shared her caregiving story about her now 92-year old mother who has cognitive issues and is fearful of being home alone. Donna said that they are “facing the world together… hoping for the best…neither one of us knowing just what the future holds, but knowing we’re heading there together.”

even as caregiving demands increase.

“Aging in Place” is a focal point of age-friendly community efforts in the state of Maine.

Christine, a resident of Houlton, had her testimony entered into the record by proxy. Christine works 40 hours a week and still cares for her mom who has been recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Perhaps one of the best ways we can acknowledge Older Americans Month and Mother’s Day is by helping our friends, family and loved ones remain independent and in their own homes and communities for years to come. To Donna, Christine, Pam, and all caregivers in Maine, please know we are thinking of you. MSM

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MAY 2017 • 5 0

HEALTH TREASURES

GUARDING your CREDIT

BY JOAN CLARK

I

n our family, which includes my Dad, Waldo, we carefully guard our credit against identity theft and make sure that our personal credit information is up-to-date. We are very cautious about giving any personal information to unknown entities on the phone or online.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) with respect to credit reporting companies.

The FTC website: consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports This government website explains the Fair Credit Reporting Act and any other questions that you might have about your credit. It states that the three credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are required by law to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The website also gives further information about obtaining your reports and answers some general questions about credit reporting and your rights under the FCRA. The FTC also states in their website that, “Only one website is authorized to fill orders for the free annual credit report you are entitled to under law — www.annualcreditreport.com.”

Our family members stagger the individual requests every four months when we check our credit for any problems. Some financial

51 • MAINE SENIORS

If you get an email, see a pop-up ad, or get a phone call from someone claiming to be from

annualcreditreport.com or any of the three nationwide credit reporting companies, do not reply or click on any link in the message. advisors say staggering your requests during a 12-month period may be a good way to keep an eye on the accuracy and completeness of the information in your reports, rather than requesting all three reports at once.

Note: Annualcreditreport.com and the nationwide credit reporting companies will not send you an email asking for your personal information. If you get an email, see a pop-up ad, or get a phone call from someone claiming to be from annualcreditreport. com or any of the three nationwide credit reporting companies, do not reply or click on any link in the message. It’s probably a scam.

Forward any such email to the FTC at spam@uce.gov.

We know that in order to report a scam, a complaint must be filed with the FTC or our State Attorney General.

I am going to give Waldo a call and remind him to request his latest credit report.

MSM

We know that the desire may be strong to create an endowment that will keep your dream, your legacy, alive for years to come. We can help make that happen.

The Catholic Foundation of Maine administers over 112 endowments that support Catholic ministries in the State of Maine. If you wish to give to any of them or open your own in memory of a loved one, or for a special purpose, please contact the Foundation in confidence. Charitable gift annuities, gifts of life insurance, stocks, proceeds from a retirement account, and real estate may also be given to the endowments as well as outright bequests. For more information, please call Elizabeth Badger, Executive Director, at (207) 321-7820 or email elizabeth.badger@portlanddiocese.org.

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LEGACY

The “Magic” of Charitable Gift Annuities For many people, making gifts to charities is an important part of their life. They enjoy supporting nonprofit organizations that do good work in their local community, throughout the country, or around the world.

A

nd, the charities are grateful to have this support, whether it is a one-time or annual gift, big or small. Some individuals, who have been generous to specific charities during their lifetime, make outright gifts to these same charities in their will. Then there are the few who know about the “magic” of Charitable Gift Annuities. This planned giving vehicle provides many benefits to the donor during their lifetime and also benefits the charity upon their death.

53 • MAINE SENIORS

A Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) is a contract between a donor and a nonprofit organization. The charity guarantees fixed income payments through the lifetime of the beneficiary. Often the donor is the beneficiary, but not in all cases. The donor can designate up to two income beneficiaries, during their lifetime or at their death.

Income payments can begin immediately or be deferred. After the death of the (last) beneficiary, the charity receives the remaining value of the original gift/contract.

So, you may ask, how does this work? With the help of a financial or tax advisor a donor would review his/her assets and identify securities or property with which to fund a CGA. The next step would be to have a conversation with the chosen charity. Once you make your donation to the CGA, the charity then controls how the assets are invested.

LEGACY

A Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) is a contract between a donor and a nonprofit organization.The charity guarantees fixed income payments through the lifetime of the beneficiary.

There are many ways to illustrate how a CGA works, because there are many factors involved including ages of the beneficiaries, tax bracket of the donor, and the type of donation being made. In its simplest form, here is one example: Mr. White is 80 years old and Mrs. White is 78 years old. They have a large cash balance in a money market account earning a very low interest rate, and they are in need of income. So, they

have a conversation with their financial advisor to discuss options for increasing income from their assets. The advisor knows the Whites have enjoyed giving donations to the local art museum over the years and suggests a CGA. Through a CGA they could give $50,000 in cash to the museum. Under the CGA contract, the museum would guarantee the Whites an annual income rate of 6.1% ($3,050) and depending upon their tax bracket, $2,200 of this amount could be tax free. This guaranteed fixed income will continue through both of their lifetimes. They would receive an immediate charitable tax deduction of approximately $20,520, depending upon their tax bracket. After they have both passed, the art museum receives the remaining balance as a gift from the Whites.

In addition to providing an income stream for the donor (or his/ her beneficiaries), a CGA may also provide some income tax deductions. If highly appreciated assets are donated, capital gains tax liabilities may be eliminated or deferred. Before signing the contract, income payments and tax implications are fully disclosed, MAY 2017 • 5 4

LEGACY

so there are no surprises later on, for the donor and the non-profit.

A CGA is an irrevocable gift, so be sure to do your homework before signing on the dotted line. Homework includes talking with your financial advisor, tax advisor and doing research regarding the chosen charity. A great tool for researching nonprofits is www.guidestar.org. GuideStar collects, organizes, and presents information on nonprofit organizations in an easy-to-understand format while remaining neutral.

For more information on Charitable Gift Annuities, you can contact your favorite charity to see if this is an option they make available to their donors. You can also read more on the topic on the American Council on Gift Annuities website: www.acga-web.org.

ÂŽ

Donna M. Ewert, CFP , is Vice President & Trust Officer, at Bar Harbor Trust Services. Her office is located at 2 Main Street, Topsham, Maine. This article is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing specific legal or financial advice. You should contact your attorney or financial advisor to discuss your specific legal or financial needs.

In addition to providing an income stream for the donor

(or his/her beneficiaries), a CGA may also provide some income tax deductions.

Give MSM a call at 207-299-5358 to find out how you can tell your story to our readers in your very own Guest Article.

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LEGACY TOO

FOSTER

BY CAROL CHRISTOPOULOS

Grandparent

“Hi, Grammie, can I sit with you today?” “Grammie, can I sit at your table today?”“Look at my new shoes, Grammie!” Retirement doesn’t get any better than that.

I

was led to Penquis Foster Grandparent Program by a young teacher at Farwell Elementary School, which is in Lewiston.

I had taught school (second grade in Gardiner) for 26 years before retiring in 2001. Thinking of that year brings back vivid memories.

I retired, my first grandson was born and, sadly, the Twin Towers came down.

57 • MAINE SENIORS

I substitute taught for the following three years; and then a year after, my second grandson was born. My husband Jim and I sold our home, moved to Lewiston and I became the daycare provider for both of my grandsons. After providing daycare for my grandsons for eight years, I received a phone call telling me I was no longer needed and the children would go to daycare in their new home town. I was devastated. What would I do now? I felt useless!

In the spring of 2013, I was contacted by a young teacher friend asking me if I would like to volunteer in her class. I was excited about getting back into a classroom and asked her to get the information to get the volunteer process started. She referred me to the Penquis Foster Grandparent Program located in Bangor.

The program recruits volunteers from the entire state, with the exception of York and Cumberland Counties.

LEGACY TOO

I was assigned to some particular students with special needs,

but I gave help to anyone in the class who needed it. Since this was

a sixth grade class, they rotated between two teachers, so I actually

ended up volunteering with about forty students instead of twenty.

I filled out an application from Penquis and started the process of becoming a volunteer. The process involved background checks by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Maine State Police, etc., and I was fingerprinted by the local police department. I then had a three-hour home interview. I have to

say it pleased me that Penquis is so thorough about making sure prospective volunteers are safe to be around children.

In the fall of 2013, I was placed in the sixth grade class of Ms. Kimberly Morisette at Farwell Elementary School in Lewiston.

The students had been told that a “Grammie” volunteer would be coming to help them out. I never expected the welcoming and love from sixth graders that I received from those youngsters. They had all written letters to me telling me about themselves and asking questions about me.

I was assigned to some particular students with special needs, but I gave help to anyone in the class who needed it. Since this was a sixth grade class, they rotated between two teachers, so I actually ended up volunteering with about forty students instead of twenty. I quickly became acquainted with many wonderful young people and could see their individual needs academically, socially and emotionally.

MAY 2017 • 5 8

LEGACY TOO

At the end of this first year as a Penquis Foster Grandparent, all of the children wrote letters to me. I can’t share their names because of confidentiality, but I would like to share a few of the letters.

“Dear Grammy Carol, Thank you so much for helping us in class.

I loved doing readers theater with you! I am so grateful that you spend so much time with this class. I know four days a week is a huge commitment. I know that you made a huge impact on lots of people in the class. You helped them realize that reading can be fun and they will never forget that. Thank you for being so positive and inspiring! I loved having you in my class. Even though I won’t be here next year, I still hope you come back. I know the fifth grade will love you as much as I do. My grandma passed away a few years ago, so it was nice to have you in the class. I also want to thank you for offering the option of eating lunch upstairs. It really helped me calm down sometimes. If I had problems, or if I was just having a rough day, you always cheered me up. You are so selfless and truthful.

It helped me be a better person just being around you, and I am very grateful.”

59 • MAINE SENIORS

The second letter I would like to share was my husband’s favorite.

“Dear Grammie Carol, It has been a blast with you in sixth grade. I have only been in this school for only about six months, but it has been the funnest six months that I think I ever had, mostly because you are here. I haven’t known you as long as the other students, but I feel the same way as them. You really made sixth grade the best. At my old school we didn’t have a class grammie. We had nothing but two class fish. You have made a big impact on my sixth grade life! I think I would hate school if you were not there. You make me feel like you are my actual related grammie, which I still feel like you are.

I wanted to thank you for everything, and I will make sure I come visit Farwell next year if you are still here. Thank you Grammie!”

Finally, I would like to share a letter that said a lot in a few words.

“Dear Grammie Carol, Thank you for encouraging me through those rough spots this year. When I was having a hard time, you were the one to get me back on track, so thank you for all of the things you have done this year.”

LEGACY TOO

Fast forward through two years of fifth grade to this year in second grade. It seems strange after 15 years of retirement to be back in the grade that I taught for so many years. However, I am thoroughly enjoying it.

I will be forever grateful to the Penquis Foster Grandparent Program for the opportunity this provides to me. As we age, we need a variety of things in our lives to keep us going and give meaning to our lives. Penquis FGP certainly does this.

MSM For information call Maria Staples, 973-3611 or 1-800-215-4942.

Give MSM a call at 207-299-5358 to find out how you can tell your story to our readers in your very own Guest Article.

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MAY 2017 • 6 0

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW

TALES OF ACTIVE LIVING AT

Highland Green

Part of HG campus in the fall

Storytelling is our hallmark

at Highland Green (HG). It’s one way we impart HG’s complete uniqueness to our audience.

I

t’s not a regular neighborhood. It’s not a simple condominium development. It’s not a traditional or continuing care retirement place. It is simply the Northeast’s premier master planned 55+ Active Adult Lifestyle community.

HG is a national destination, an oasis of natural beauty and neighborly ambience just three miles from Bowdoin College. It has attracted residents from 29 different states and counting. There is no better way for us to convey the HG message than to offer detailed narratives about the hundreds of interesting folks who live here.

61 • MAINE SENIORS

Recently, Maine Seniors Magazine columnist Hunter Howe“took a significant step toward a happier life” by making HG home. A detailed account of his experiences (plus those of his Chihuahua named Dash) can be found in the New Year 2017 issue of HG Lifestyle, our extensive quarterly newsletter that we deliver to thousands of interested people in Maine and across America.

And HG Lifestyle is not only popular; it is award-winning. In 2014 it garnered a prestigious 50+ Housing Council prize for Best Direct Mail Piece at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW

HG is a national destination, an oasis of natural beauty and neighborly ambience just three miles from Bowdoin College.

It has attracted residents from 29 different states and counting.

Of course we need to promote the core benefits that make HG one-of-a-kind. Local Maine ownership; an exceptionally accessible location; secure lower-maintenance living through cooperative ownership; custom-built free-standing homes unavailable elsewhere; an award-winning and an unprecedented incorporation of conservation and nature; dynamic resident-organized activities; and financial strength and stability set HG apart.

But stories such as Hunter’s, those of HG’s all-resident rock band “Off Their Rockers” (OTR) and HG resident Rob Potvin’s epic “journey of five million steps” exemplify active living and demonstrate the remarkable sense of community created here. The full text of these tales appears in the New Year 2017 installment of HG Lifestyle alongside the HG Hockey Team, Mannequin Challenge, Solar Farm and more.

On the cusp of spring 2016 Rob embarked on a solo hike of the entire Appalachian Trail. He and his wife Kathy have lived at HG for eleven years.“I’ve always wanted to through-hike the whole trail and figured that at 67 years old it was the perfect time for me,” he says.

On March 15, Rob departed Springer Mountain, Georgia. His plan was to finish at the peak of Mount Katahdin in Maine in September, having trekked alone for about 2160 miles through 14 states.

Rob completed his hike in seven months and seven days, including a major shift in plans. Having made it to Duncannon, Pennsylvania in the summer, he opted to “flip-flop” and drive back to Maine. He climbed Mt. Katahdin, and then trekked back to Duncannon, completing the entire trail on October 22.

On the climb of Katahdin, he was accompanied by Kathy and HG Resident Rob Potvin MAY 2017 • 6 2

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW

A recently-built HG custom home

Nowhere else can one enjoy the benefits of collective maintenance with such a variety of personalized custom homes. From 1400 square feet to 3,000 square feet and more, they are never cookie-cutter in appearance or setting.

several more HG residents. For the others it was a very strenuous ascent. “I was in such good shape by then that I practically floated up the mountain,” says Rob. 63 • MAINE SENIORS

During his excursion, he lost about 35 pounds of body weight in total, but estimates that he gained about ten pounds of muscle in his legs. Says Rob: “It was much harder than I thought. It was very physically challenging and mentally it was extremely difficult. For the first four months I thought of quitting every single day.” He cites a particular stretch early on when it rained for 29 straight days.

By the last two months of his expedition Rob became “obsessed with finishing.” He partially attributes his ability to do so with living at HG. The 230-acre Cathance River Nature Preserve on the vast 635-acre HG campus and its five miles of wooded trails, plus the miles of safe sidewalks in the community, were perfect for trying out gear and practicing hiking.

“Plus the‘hands off’ maintenance here at HG allowed me to pursue this dream without worry,” he says. “And I knew that I could be

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW HG Hockey Team; resident captain George Heilig (kneeling)

new year new year

2017 away and the community and management at HG would help Kathy should anything come up.”

Rob’s journey was not without its perils. He had a serious fall about once a week. In August he broke his tailbone. Three weeks from finishing he bent his hand back so far that he snapped a finger and split the skin all the way across his palm.

But overall his health thrived.“I did not get one cold or any blisters the entire time, and on a follow up visit to my cardiologist he cut my medications,” he says.“On the trail, living is difficult, but life is easy.”

Rob Potvin’s Appalachian journey, Maine Seniors writer Hunter Howe’s experiences, and the formation of “Off Their Rockers” (OTR) are just three of hundreds of stories which demonstrate the energy of HG. Residents in their late 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and above from Maine and from around the United States have

NEW YEAR SPECIAL ISSUE

AN EPIC JOURNEY Page 2

HUNTER AND DASH Page 3

OFF THEIR ROCKERS Page 4

SEEN AROUND HG Page 6

FEATURED CUSTOM BUILT HOMES Page 6

WILD DUCK RESTAURANT & PUB RENOVATION Back Cover

Lifestyle

Highland Green News, Personalities and Perspectives

At Highland Green…It’s Time

An epic journey, a magazine writer and a rock and roll band exemplify active living 2016 was another sensational year at Highland Green. It capped a four year period in which nearly 200 people opted to start their next life adventures here. Construction of custom homes rolls on throughout this winter and well into the future as active adults from around the nation commit to living in the Northeast’s premier 55+ Lifestyle community.

We begin 2017 with a fresh look and a new logo. Created in-house by our marketing team, it is simpler and cleaner. Its more modern feel demonstrates that we are continually evolving as Baby Boomers and generations beyond absorb our message. Three cattail shoots are a nod to our natural setting. The simple “HG”

reflects how most residents and friends refer to the community, and helps eliminate any brand confusion.

HG is a national destination because of the unique propositions it offers. It is not a regular neighborhood or a simple

condominium development or a traditional retirement community.

But it has key features of each that result in matchless appeal and broad demographics. HG’s local ownership, location, lowermaintenance living through cooperative ownership, custom Continued on Page 2

HIGHLAND GREEN 7 Evergreen Circle, Topsham, Maine 1-866-854-1200 / 207-725-4549 HighlandGreenLifestyle.com

MAY 2017 • 6 4

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW

gathered here and can discover (or re-discover) their passions.

They can draw support and inspiration from each other to lead active lifestyles.

The opportunities are endless. Social, fitness, nature, educational, volunteer and many more activities are organized by residents with HG as a backdrop. The HG Community Center and the Wild Duck Restaurant and Pub are key gathering spots. Wellness can be fostered by living around others who have diverse backgrounds who also share threads of commonality, but privacy is easily maintained.

And nowhere else can one enjoy the benefits of collective maintenance with such a variety of personalized custom homes.

From 1400 square feet to 3,000 square feet and more, they are never cookie-cutter in appearance or setting.

OTR lead vocalist Barb Combs thinks the band represents more than just their music. Says Barb: “It is the sort of activity that HG is all about and what helps us to stay healthy and happy – as well as just damn cool.”

Read the new book by Barbara Kent Lawrence!

Camden resident Dr. Barbara Kent Lawrence’s new novel “The Other Island: Ben’s Story”—the sequel to her 2013 debut “Islands of Time”—has just been released. Award-winning and bestselling author Paul Doiron calls Lawrence’s new book “…a moving and beautifully written novel of Maine coastal fishing communities.”

"...a bewitching story about love that endures the ravages of time and the changing tides."

—Aislinn Sarnacki, Bangor Daily News

To learn more, visit www.barbaralawrence.com

65 • MAINE SENIORS

Hunter Howe believes everything comes down to timing: “I perceive that in a traditional retirement community, people have waited until they are 78 or 80 to make a move there, whereas at HG there is a vibrancy and people of diverse ages who are not waiting for anything.”

If you find these stories engaging and would like to know more, you can go to HighlandGreenLifestyle.com to find years of archived newsletters, the weekly HG Lifestyle Blog, hours of video, and much more. Enjoy!

MSM

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A Trail Less Traveled

HOPE SPRINGS

Eternal

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRAD EDEN

Outdoor people are worriers. As this typical Maine winter disappears in the rear view mirror, we start sweating spring conditions.

W

e always have our heads cocked with an eye and ear to the weather. The reason for all this hand wringing is that springtime is a critical time for our songbirds, and more so our revered game birds; specifically the ruffed grouse, American woodcock and the wild turkey.

For game birds, spring ushers in the breeding season. The cock ruffed grouse sits atop a mossy log and beats his wings to a staccato rhythm, called “drumming”, which attracts the resident biddies; the male woodcock performs a dazzling aerial display, wooing his potential mates; and the tom turkey shakes the ground with rattling gobbles announcing his availability to the coy hens.

Soon after the libidinous activities are complete the respective hens head off to make nests and lay eggs. This is where evolution dealt them a bad hand; unlike songbirds, they all nest on the ground; basically scratching out a depression in the leaf litter, and laying their eggs. Granted some of these nests are snugged up against a tree trunk or in heavier brush, but for all intents and purposes most are vulnerable to a multiplicity of dangers. The grouse hen lays close to a dozen eggs, the woodcock up to four, and the hen turkey produces as many as fourteen. Incubation for all species runs from three weeks to a month before the chicks peck their way out of their shells and into the big cruel world.

67 • MAINE SENIORS

Woodcock eggs Grouse chick

A Trail Less Traveled Their biggest threat is not the four legged and avian predators that devour the eggs and chicks, but is a wet and cold spring. The reduction of wildlife populations through natural attrition is expected, but extreme deluges of flooding rain can wipe out ground nests, and unseasonable cold can kill newly hatched chicks. If a nest is destroyed these industrious game birds will attempt to re-nest, but the deck is still stacked high against them for late broods. Even so these birds have developed some unique adaptations to help them survive. The chicks are all both “precocial” and “nifidugous”, which are terms often used synonymously that mean they are born with eyes open and are almost immediately mobile and ready to leave the nest and follow momma in search of food. Remarkably, the grouse, woodcock and turkey fledglings can all start flying within a week or two, a huge advantage in avoiding creatures that want to eat them.

Probably the chick’s best line of defense is mother hen. Anyone who has muddied some boots off-pavement has likely encountered the “dragon lady”; the ruffed grouse hen defending her nest or newly hatched brood. She will start by trying to draw you away by dragging a wing and acting wounded, but if you get too close she will attack you, your dog, your bike, your car, or your ATV with a frenzy you have to experience to believe.

With so many threats, it’s understandable why outdoor

people stress out about the health and welfare of all our feathered woodland creatures. blueberry barren, followed by her pin-feathered progeny. All these game bird chicks freeze and remain still, relying on their remarkable camouflage coloration when danger is near.

With so many threats, it’s understandable why outdoor people stress out about the health and welfare of all our feathered woodland creatures. They enrich our lives if only to be observed flitting about our backyard feeders, or drawing us into wild and beautiful places with our friends and our birddogs. The Maine woods would certainly be desolate without them.

MSM

The woodcock is a more sensitive soul by nature and makes short hop flights attempting to attract you away from her babies. There is some speculation that a hen woodcock will carry her chicks between her legs in flight to safety. I have witnessed what looked like this phenomenon but could never completely confirm it so remain skeptical.

The wild turkey hen, although certainly dutiful, seems less outwardly protective of her young. I have been startled more than once when a hen turkey burst from a relatively open field or

Springtime is a critical time for our songbirds and more so our revered game birds, specifically

the ruffed grouse, American woodcock and the wild turkey.

MAY 2017 • 6 8

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW TOO

Aging

HEALTHY Healthy eating and regular physical exercise, besides keeping the body in good shape, can also help prevent injury and illness.

B

ut, health is a multi-faceted topic. Balance preservation, leg strength, mental awareness, flexibility, good posture, maintaining bone density and wise food consumption are just a few of the factors that have an impact on seniors as they age. It is when attention to all of these aspects are combined and nourished that real benefits begin to become apparent.

There are many ways to exercise the body and the mind. This

69 • MAINE SENIORS

integration of mind and body is an important key in maintaining independence as we age. Some of the most popular activities combining both physical and mental exercise are yoga, tai chi and meditation. These three in particular are very sensory, and challenge both the body and the mind every time one practices them.

Yoga combines physical poses and stretches with breathing techniques to promote relaxation, and improve overall health.

There are many benefits. For example, the physical demands of yoga, along with its focus on breathing and resting, can help people sleep better. Better sleep means feeling better during the day, as well. Yoga’s varied poses also work joints and muscles that might not otherwise get used in ordinary daily activities. Yoga poses

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW TOO

Tai chi, in a gentle way, compels participants to move in a manner

that challenges their mind and ultimately integrates mind and body through a very unique series of flowing movements.

stretch muscles and lubricate joints leading to improved flexibility and increased range of motion. People who have done yoga for at least four weeks often begin to notice their chronic pain has faded considerably. At its deepest level, yoga is a philosophy and an integral, indispensable part of its practitioners’ daily lives.

Julie Milan teaching yoga at Avalon Village Biking through the pines in Hampden

Tai chi is a low-impact, martial art that blends the body’s movements with mental work. There have been many studies done on the advantages of tai chi particularly on the ability of regular tai chi practice to reduce falls in the elderly population. It has been increasing in popularity due to its simplicity – there is no need for special equipment and it can be done almost anywhere. One of the major benefits of practicing tai chi is improved balance. Balance is one of the first abilities that start to decline as we age, and it is one of the most important to maintain in order to prevent falls. Tai chi cultivates a mental awareness of physical surroundings and an awareness of weight transfer and foot placement. Tai chi also builds lower body and leg strength, reduces blood pressure, can help with arthritis pain, and may help with symptoms of Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s. Tai chi, in a gentle way, compels participants to move in a manner that challenges their mind and ultimately integrates mind and body through a very unique series of flowing movements.

Meditation is sometimes referred to as a “fountain of youth” for a few key reasons. Stress and anxiety from worrying about finances, illness, disability or loss greatly increase the chances of further health problems in senior citizens. Meditation reduces stress through body and breath awareness and focus on present sensations rather than worrisome thoughts. Nagging thoughts

MAY 2017 • 7 0

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW TOO

Seniors walking in Avalon Village

will surely be encountered and recognized but are not dwelt upon during most meditations. This focusing on the present is also beneficial insofar as it synchronizes both hemispheres of the brain.

Besides better focus, this synchronization increases connections in the brain, sharpening the mind. When the mind is nimble the memory is affected. Meditation exercises the hippocampus, frontal lobe, and both memory centers. This may lead to better memory recall, and better ability to retain new information. The less-dominant side of the brain is the area that controls feelings of self-confidence and optimism. Increased activity in this portion of the brain can improve emotional well-being and mental relaxation as well.

There is much in common across these three disciplines - yoga, tai chi and meditation. They each feature attention to the breath and breathing. They each also promote good posture with positive effects on the flow of oxygen and blood to the brain as well as the functioning of internal organs. All three also emphasize the importance of mindfulness and mental focus. Finally, they are all low impact and accessible to everyone making them perfect 71 • MAINE SENIORS

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW TOO

activities for seniors. There are also many classes and opportunities to practice these disciplines offered throughout Maine and any careful internet search should find a reasonably close class or presentation.

Another activity that has tremendous benefits for seniors is light weight lifting. In Maine, the University of Maine Center on Aging runs a very successful light weight-lifting program called “Bone Builders”. The center’s RSVP program runs Bone Builder classes at various sites throughout the state. The program is designed to prevent and reverse osteoporosis, a condition in which bone density decreases and bones become thin, brittle and are easily broken or fractured. Unlike Tai Chi or Yoga, Bone Builders does require some equipment (light weights) but we are fortunate to have the Center on Aging and its RSVP program with their commitment to ensuring that there are classes throughout the state. The leaders of these classes are trained and encouraged to pass on general health and exercise tips that people can benefit from greatly.

The critical message is that exercise in almost any form will help us age well. Simply walking every day can cultivate a relationship between mind, body, and nature. Cycling, dance and other aerobic activities challenge your body and therefore your brain, too. The best exercise is probably the one that you find you can do on a regular basis. Even if you can only do a few minutes of exercise a day, it will still be beneficial in the long term.

If independence as we age is our goal, it is important to recognize the role that a deliberate commitment to activities such as those described here play in helping to keep us active and mobile. Activity and mobility help to keep us socially connected as well and social interaction is important to healthy aging. The road to healthy aging requires that we actively seek out living, working and recreational environments that demonstrably support this philosophy. Many of Maine’s senior living communities incorporate these types of activities into their calendars.

MSM

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Mom A Menu for

BY FIA MARQUIS

Mother’s Day in the United States is celebrated on the second Sunday of May, which is nice because for many families, it’s a lot easier to gather together to celebrate all the moms in your life on a weekend.

I

have never personally been able to forget Mother’s Day, largely because it falls pretty squarely between my birthday at the end of April and my mother’s birthday at the beginning of June, although since becoming a mother myself, I have certainly forgotten to get cards in the mail for my mother and mother-in-law for a timely delivery.

Some families attend early morning church services, and some families sleep in on Sunday mornings, and still more may be up

73 • MAINE SENIORS

with the sun to engage in outdoor family activities as the beginning of summer approaches. Whether you eat a Mother’s Day breakfast at the crack of dawn or brunch after church (or a good lie-in!) quiche is an excellent go-to for making Mom feel special. It’s easy to make, but it feels fancy. It can even be made ahead of time and re-heated that morning, for the busy family on the go, or for gifting to beloved neighbors and friends whose families may be far away, just to let them know they are loved and appreciated. You can add whatever you’d like to your quiche, but mushrooms and asparagus are just coming into season, and they make this a healthier choice than, say, a bacon quiche.

Also coming into season in May are my personal favorite fruit, mangos. While mangos certainly aren’t local produce, like mushrooms and asparagus can be, they are easy to find at your

Whatever you serve on Mother’s Day, and however you celebrate,

I want to wish a very happy Mother’s Day to every mother, grandmother, foster mother, and every other type of mother, official and otherwise.

local grocer, and when ripe, they are juicy and richly flavored. My mother has always been partial to pineapple upside-down cake, but since I was making this cake for myself, I decided to try making my cake with mango slices layered in the pan instead of pineapple, and I was not disappointed. You won’t be, either. Because it’s a simple combination of fruit and cake, this mango upside-down cake can also be served for brunch, and because it’s made using a box mix, it’s an easy recipe for little helpers to assist with.

Whatever you serve on Mother’s Day, and however you celebrate, I want to wish a very happy Mother’s Day to every mother, grandmother, foster mother, and every other type of mother, official and otherwise. I would especially like to wish a happy Mother’s Day to some very special Maine moms and grandmothers — specifically, to my mother Barbara Belanger of Frenchville, my mother-in-law Laurie Marquis of Rumford, my aunt Jean Adams of Windsor, my husband’s aunts, Pamela Spaulding of Jay and Karen Eastman of Peru, and last but certainly not least, my daughter’s greatgrandmother, Priscilla Marquis of Rumford. These women, with their love and experiences, have shaped me into the mother I am, and continue to help me shape my daughter into the wonderful person she is. The work we do as parents and grandparents, as mentors and teachers — helping to shape and nurture the next generation — is as difficult as it is important, and while it may seem it at times, it does not go unappreciated.

MSM

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Featured Recipes MUSHROOM AND ASPARAGUS QUICHE INGREDIENTS:  8 oz mushrooms, cleaned and sliced  1 pound asparagus, trimmed  1 onion, chopped  3 garlic cloves, minced  6-8 large basil leaves, chiffonade  3 tablespoons butter  6 eggs  ½ cup half and half  8 oz each fontina and sharp cheddar cheese, shredded  Salt and pepper to taste (For crust):  1 cup flour  ¼ cup melted butter  ½ teaspoon salt  2 tablespoons ice water DIRECTIONS: 1. First, prepare the asparagus: cut off the tips and set aside. Chop the remaining stems.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add in

sliced mushrooms, chopped asparagus stems, garlic and onion. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened. Add basil to the mixture, remove from heat and set aside.

3. In a bowl, whip together eggs and half and half. When the asparagus and mushroom mixture has cooled, fold in and add shredded cheese.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix together flour, melted butter, salt and ice water. Combine with a fork until blended, add more water as necessary. Press into a pie pan.

5. Pour egg mixture into the crust, arrange asparagus tips in a circle, and bake 45 minutes, or until the egg sets.

MANGO UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE INGREDIENTS:    

1 ripe mango, sliced ½ cup brown sugar ¼ cup butter Yellow cake mix, prepared to package directions

DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350°F and layer sliced mango in the bottom of a cake pan.

2. In a small saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour over mango while still hot.

3. Add cake mix, and bake 30 min. or until set.Turn out onto a plate to serve.

75 • MAINE SENIORS

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FROM THE PORCH

THE TICKING

BY HUNTER HOWE

I’m sharing my story. I’m telling yours.

M

y folks’ house, on the north shore of Massachusetts, stood silent after 40 years of life. Dad passed away in 2002, Mom last October. I walked from room to room surrounded by a lifetime of their belongings, most purchased during their 57 years of marriage.

Although I inherited the house, I wanted to remain in Maine. So, I’d sell it, a difficult decision because my mother hoped I’d live there.

I sensed her disappointment.

Unfortunately, I had little space in my own home for their possessions. After selecting a number of small items, most of which I’d given to my mother over the years, I faced the hard part, disposing of the rest.

77 • MAINE SENIORS

Watch

As the days dragged on, I anguished. How could I do that? The ultimate betrayal—I felt like a traitor.

I wondered how many other Maine Seniors have dealt with this painful task, probably most. The thought gave me little solace.

Living here in Maine, I had no time to deal with fussy antique dealers and cautious consignment shop owners. Besides, as my folks aged, so did many of their belongings, chipped and worn.

I’d let my two nephews take what they wanted (my brother died last January). But, I couldn’t imagine taking 40-50 trash bags to Goodwill and the “Junk Wizard” hauling off the larger pieces to the dump.

I’d become a giant eraser, wiping out a lifetime of belongings, of memories. And how do you put a value on memories?

FROM THE PORCH

Well-being & Peace of Mind.

Although I inherited the house, I wanted to remain in Maine. So, I’d sell it, a difficult decision because my mother hoped I’d live there.

I sensed her disappointment..

Worse, I had a recurring introspection, that my mother might open the front door and walk into the carnage. Tears dripping down her face, what would she say? What would I say?

I thought about a smooth rock that had spent 57 years on a warm lake beach. One day, a young lad picked it up and skimmed it across the water’s surface; then, the rock sank into the everlasting, cold depths of the lake.

For comfort, I remembered what Turkish author and playwright Mehmet Murat ildan wrote,“You cannot separate the old furniture from the memories and the memories from the old furniture.”

Two items grabbed my attention, one my father’s, one my mother’s.

Actually, they called out to me.

It’s Our Mission.

RossManor Assisted Living Skilled Rehabilitation Nursing Services Outpatient Services

Back in the 1950s, a truck backed into our driveway with a roll top desk in the bed. Our neighbors, both pharmacists, owned a building downtown—it contained their pharmacy and the deserted newspaper office, along with the abandoned desk. The neighbors wanted my father to have it.

He told me, that when he was a boy, he delivered the “Record.” He remembered the editor sitting at this desk, smoking a cigar and laying it down on one of those two slim pull out drawers located above each of the row of larger drawers. Sure enough, on the right pull out, there was a black burn mark.

My dad promised the desk to me.

Throughout the years, the desk anchored our various family rooms; in a way, it anchored our house. My folks signed checks, birthday and condolence cards, and no doubt planned their future huddled over the writing surface.

• State of the Art Technology • Outpatient Rehab • Expansive Occupational Therapy Kitchen • Newly Equipped Physical Therapy Gym

• New Outdoor Rehabilitation Courtyard • Many Private Patient Rooms • Speech Therapy Services • Nicely Appointed Rooms

Learn more about the services that our patients receive at Ross Manor. Call today to schedule a tour!

207-941-8400 • ross-manor.com 758 Broadway • Bangor MAY 2017 • 7 8

FROM THE PORCH

Probably made in the late 1800s, these desks were popular in small and medium-sized offices. Our desk, golden oak, solid, and inviting, was crammed with cubby holes, narrow rectangle slots for letters, and the distinctive tambour roll down for hiding the inner contents, making it look like a piece of art. Best of all, I loved the two secret compartments.

In Indian Summer, Austrian writer Adalbert Stifter said,“In the old pieces of furniture almost as in the old painting, dwells the charm of the past, of the faded which becomes stronger when he reaches an advanced age.”

The second item that grabbed my attention happened unexpectedly.

My mother instructed her ashes be mixed with my dad’s. Fifteen years earlier, I’d retrieved his handsome mahogany urn from the same funeral home. Now, I took it back, a strange experience.

When I picked up the new urn with the blended ashes, the funeral director gave me a small white envelope which held the bracelet, ring, and watch my mother wore the day she died.

At dusk, I headed north to Maine. Doggie Dash sat sideways, watching me, sensing something not quite right. My parents occupied the rear seat, their ashes in a stylish gold-bordered, pink and white marble urn. Odd, It reminded me of spectacular sunsets I’d witnessed years ago in San Antonio. I suppose, in a way, urns are just that, a sunset.

And yes, I endured a long, tough drive home.

The next morning, I opened the envelope. The watch minute hand ticked away. I held it for a while. Her heart had stopped. The watch had not. Time moved on.

Eventually, the ticking will stop as well. But, life will go on.

Ingmar Bergman said, “The doors between the old man today and the child are still open, wide open. I can stroll through my grandmother’s house and know exactly where the pictures are, the furniture was, how it looked, the voice, the smells. I can move from my bed at night to my childhood in less than a second.”

Two lives, an urn, an empty house, a roll top desk, and a ticking watch. Memories. My folks will remain with me forever.

MSM

79 • MAINE SENIORS

Be a Foster Grandparent! enjoy the opportunity to work with disabled, disadvantaged and developmentally delayed children in one-on-one and small group settings.

Foster Grandparents: • are income-eligible volunteers aged 55 and over • volunteer 15 to 40 hours a week Benefits include: • a stipend for hours worked • paid holidays & earned time • assistance with transportation and meals For more information, call 207-973-3611 or 1-800-215-4942 or visit www.penquis.org

Foster grandparents are just ordinary people who reach out and take a child’s hand and together make a difference that lasts a lifetime.”

—Foster grandparent from sedoMoCha, dover-Foxcroft

Memorable Entertainment Television WBGR, serving Bangor for the past 20 years.

WWW.WBGR.COM

Call 207-947-3300 for more information on WBGR

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