Summer 2018 Maine Seniors Magazine by Maine Seniors Magazine

SUMMER 2018 • $5.95 MESENIORS.COM

Also Inside: • Saturday Night Beans in Maine • A Place Called Camp ...and so much more!

Amy Bouchard and her Wicked Whoopies Bob Bahre's Great Car Collection

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Publisher's Note

Seeking Contentment...

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 Shelagh Talbot Sheila Grant

Victor Oboyski Joe Sawyer

Maybe summer in Maine equals contentment.

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Christine Parker Kimberly Reid Victoria Mead Leonard Russell Jim Gorham A. Peter Legendre Judy Legendre Clyde Tarr Diane Nute Jim Nute Paul Conley Laurie A. Poirier Brenda Madden

Enjoy our Summer Issue and may your journey be filled with contentment. —David S. Nealley, Publisher

Untreated hearing loss and dementia are linked.

severe loss

Adults with untreated hearing loss are more likely to develop dementia.3

moderate loss mild loss

SOCIAL MEDIA

Shane Wilson

BUSINESS OFFICE

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.

10 issues for $29.95 by making a check, payable to Maine Seniors Magazine. Mail to Maine Seniors Magazine, 87 Hillside Avenue, Bangor, Maine 04401.

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a sense of sameness and a lack of pretension, a sanctuary away from the strangling stress of today’s world. It’s a place Maine folks call CAMP.”

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My observation is that many folks leave the hustle and bustle from all over and head up I-95, Route 1, etc., en route to so much of what many of us take for granted. Yes, we do have a lot of tourist attractions and yet, the journey is to contentment. One of my all-time favorite From the Porch articles, which speaks to this same theme, is “A Place Called Camp”. Here Hunter writes, “It’s a place where folks embrace tradition,

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n this great Summer Issue, read about: Bob Bahre and his antique autos at Founders Day in Oxford County, Amy Bouchard and her Wicked Whoopie Pies, Saturday Night Beans in Maine, and so much more to enjoy and ponder. Did you ever wonder why so many people travel to Maine each summer?

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SOURCES: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/hearing_loss_and_dementia_linked_in_study 3

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SUMMER 2018 • 2

Page 5

SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 2 Publisher's Note

BY DAVID S. NEALLEY

5 Prime Mover: Bob Bahre

BY LARRY GRARD

Page 23

15 Prime Mover: Amy Bouchard

BY SHEILA D. GRANT

Page 15

23 Special: Bangor International Airport

GUEST ARTICLE

33 The MAINE Point: AARP's 60th Anniversary

BY JANE MARGESSON

35 Just Pondering: Old Boring Bert

BY WALDO CLARK

39 Health Treasures: Kennebec Pharmacy

& Home Care • GUEST ARTICLE

43 Residential Review: Ellen M. Leach

Memorial Home • GUEST ARTICLE

Page 45

45 A Trail Less Traveled: A Survivalist's Guide

to Living in Maine • BY BRAD EDEN

51 Residential Review: St. Andrews Village

& Schooner Cove • GUEST ARTICLE

55 Food for Thought: Saturday Night Beans

BY PAULETTE OBOYSKI

61 From the Porch: A Place Called Camp

BY HUNTER HOWE

Page 61

SUMMER 2018 • 4

PRIME MOVER • Robert Bahre

PRIME MOVER

Jennifer Lewis, director of the Hamlin Library and Museum, said that the facility, an independent nonprofit, has books and audio books on the main floor, and local history upstairs. The building ceased being a jail in 1896, and became a library/ museum on exclusive Paris Hill in 1902. Lewis said, “Up to 85 percent of the museum/library’s funding comes from Founder’s Day.“We’re very thankful to Mr. Bahre.”

Bahre’s stunning collection will be on display, as it is every year, on July 21 during the

40th annual Founder’s Day.

for admission to The Bahre Collection are $10 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under. All proceeds from admissions will support the Hamlin Memorial Library and Museum. The library-museum, once home to the Oxford County jail, features an impressive Civil War collection, and some Hamlin artifacts.

Bob

In addition to the display of vehicles, Founder’s Day will also include an antique doll and toy collection, horse-drawn carriages, a player piano, old phonographs, table-top instruments and a jukebox. “Every penny will go to the library,” said the 91-yearold Bahre, who makes it to his real estate office five days a week despite suffering a stroke last year.

Bahre

A Self-Made Man Giving Back to Community

The antique auto collection is housed at the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln’s first vice-president, Hannibal Hamlin. The Packard collection features, Dietrich V-windshield body styles and LeBaron V-windshield body styles on the Packard 12 chassis for 1932-34, the one-off front-wheel-drive prototype sedan, and a 1906 Model S touring car. Also on display are American classics such as Duesenbergs, a V-16 Cadillac, Stutz, Graham-Paige, and Auburn 12, as well as foreign beauties such as Delahaye, Isotta Fraschini, Hispano-Suiza, MercedesBenz and Alfa-Romeo. Moorehead said that “the car show is something to behold.”“It’s probably one of the top collections in the country,” he said,“if not in North America.”

Bob and Sandy Bahre Photo by Fred R Conrad

BY LARRY GRARD

To anyone who believes a passion for an auto race and a love of rare, antique cars are mutually exclusive, meet Robert Bahre.

e lives at the stately Hannibal Hamlin mansion on Paris Hill in Paris, Maine, and brought new life to Maine stock car racing in the 1960s, at the nearby Oxford Plains Speedway. In 1990, Bahre, as a member of the Maine Sports Hall of Fame, introduced NASCAR racing to New England, at the raceway he built in Loudon, New Hampshire. Bahre has long since sold both racing venues. On the other side of the spectrum, he owns a collection of more 5 • MAINE SENIORS

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than 50 rare antique vehicles, including one of the world’s finest collections of Packards. Which aspect of the automobile world excites Bahre more? “I love them both the same,” Bahre said simply. An old friend Bob Moorehead, who was an editor at the former Guy Gannet newspapers, expanded on the statement, “If it has an internal combustion engine and four wheels, Bob Bahre would find some way to enjoy it.” Bahre’s stunning collection will be on display, as it is every year, on July 21 during the 40th annual Founder’s Day. Founder’s Day festivities include music, entertainment and a crafts fair, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., on the Paris Hill Green, rain or shine. Donations

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PRIME MOVER • Robert Bahre

PRIME MOVER

While Bahre and his wife Sandy and their son, Gary, live comfortably at the Hamlin estate – which affords a stunning view of the western mountains and Mt. Washington in back – comfortable living wasn’t always so for Bahre. He and Sandy were neighbors growing up in the country town of Suffield, Connecticut. The family worked hard to put food on the table. In fact, Bob and his family milked cows by hand. They converted the first automobile they owned – purchase price $5 – into a plow because they couldn’t afford a tractor. Bob Bahre was a learner, and a seeker. He welded trailers for other farmers in the area, and subsequently began building houses. Eventually, real estate development became the source of Bahre’s fortune. While Bahre was making his living building houses, Sandy went off to college. “She was younger,” he said. “When she came back from college, we saw little of each other.”

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Race car driver Dick Bahre, left. and brother Robert, who owned Oxford Plains Speedway, in the old days at the track.

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race car, and while he never drove a race car, his brother did compete on the oval. By 1963, when Bahre was in his mid-30s, he ventured to Oxford, to have his car raced at Maine’s most successful track. Many years earlier, in 1951, the largest crowd assembled in the state’s history, some 12,000 spectators attended an Oxford

Plains Speedway (OPS) event. So Bahre knew of the OPS’ potential and later that year, he leased the facility with the option to buy, which he did in 1964. “They looked ready to close,” he recalled. “I didn’t have a fortune, and I leased it for a year and I did pretty well with it. I was building houses. It took a while. I did a lot of work and it was a mess. I didn’t have much money.”

Bob Bahre and Paris Hill Founders Day

7 • MAINE SENIORS

Hannibal Hamlin Memorial Library and Museum

SUMMER 2018 • 8

PRIME MOVER • Robert Bahre

PRIME MOVER

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Bahre could see, however, that Oxford Plains could be a profitable venture.

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First, the rickety old wooden grandstand, a fire hazard especially in the days when people smoked at the races, would have to go. Moorehead, who lived in the area, remembers those days.“It was a half-mile dirt track,” he recalled.“He took it down to a third of a mile track. I remember going down there to watch the races and it was dusty as hell. They had to bring in the water trucks. And he rebuilt the grandstand into metal, which seated 15,000.” Moorehead said that Bahre was “very entrepreneurial – and persistent. He’s tough as a turtle’s shell on the outside and on the inside he’s as soft as they get. He’s given away millions. He was a good guy to work for, from everybody I talked to. He is compulsively generous, and he has a brilliant business mind.” Following the first run at Oxford Plains, Bob and Sandy and their three children moved to Maine, at a camp on Lake Thompson. Two years later, they paid $72,000 for the mansion in which Hamlin was born.

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"Bahre was kind of a mythical figure by the time I started covering Oxford,” said Oakes.“The Oxford 250 made Maine a destination."

According to Maine History Online, Hamlin’s father, Dr. Cyrus Hamlin, built the three-story white house with high square rooms and large windows that look out over the New Hampshire mountains on one side and the Paris Hill Common and Baptist Hannibal Meeting house on the other. Hannibal Hamlin grew up in the large white farmhouse, attended a local school, shared in the farm work with his siblings and played in the shadow of the jail and courthouse. The home became a center of activity and hospitality in the village of Paris, from the time the Hamlins welcomed the traveling Pequawket Indian woman Molly Ockett, to the boarding of a future governor of the state, Enoch Lincoln. The Hamlins also provided space for village theater productions and many quilts were stitched together by the ladies of Paris Hill in the spacious rooms.

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By the time the Bahres moved in, the home required extensive renovation. While Bahre was expanding his real estate development business and building Oxford Plains into a dependable money-maker, the home was renovated. Bahre decided to add a big annual race to the OPS repertoire, and this year, the 45th Oxford 250 is scheduled for August 25, 2018. The idea was to attract well-known drivers from the South with a sizable purse and have them compete with the locals. Immediately, the crowds came out for the Oxford 250. The first race, won by 20-year-old Joey Kourafas, featured an unheard-of at the time $25,000 purse, and was sanctioned as a NASCAR Late Model Sportsman event. Today, the purse can climb to the $35,000 range, including money for laps in the lead. “It was a good spot,” Bahre said of Oxford.“Race car owners knew where we were.” Jeff Orwig, caretaker of Bahre Classic Cars, said that Bahre is fearless when it comes to innovation.“Bob is a visionary,” Orwig 11 • MAINE SENIORS

said.“Bob just does it.” Bahre also knew how to generate publicity for his race track. He hired publicists such as Bob Walker and Bobby Gardner to “write up” stories for each race, tabulate the season standings and provide the stories to newspapers. The local newspaper, the Lewiston Sun Journal, consistently gave its readers the latest OPS information in each Monday morning’s paper, and the Sun Journal also ran preview stories later in the week, for the upcoming races. In those days, reporters didn’t cover the races. Then in the late 1980s, along came young Kalle Oakes, a newly-hired reporter who just loved the sport. “Bahre was kind of a mythical figure by the time I started covering Oxford,” said Oakes, now living in Kentucky.“The Oxford 250 made Maine a destination. A lot of names were coming. What that did for Maine, what that did for Oxford County and what that did for sports car racing in the state… was phenomenal!” Racing at Oxford Plains is called “short-track” racing due to the size of the oval. Oakes noted that regular racing drew many “weekend warriors,” who loved the chance to compete with the big boys from the South.“It was kind of a gas for them to go up against the guys who were famous,” he said. By then, Bahre knew what it took to lure the big boys. He took that a giant step further when in 1990, he opened what is now New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. NASCAR did not have a presence in New England at the time. The track opened as New Hampshire International Speedway at the time. NASCAR made its debut at NHIS in July, with a Busch Series race won by Tommy Ellis.The Busch races were successful, and Loudon gained a spot on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 1993. “The location was good,” Bahre said. “It was close to Boston and Connecticut, and it was an existing track. Racing was kind of hot back then.” It didn’t hurt that Bahre knew the France family, which owned NASCAR. “I figured that if we built a race and with the location we had, they would give us a (NASCAR) race,” he said. As a major philanthropist, Bob has been very generous with his money. Oxford Hills High School and Stephens Memorial Hospital of Norway have been among the beneficiaries. Bahre is a very quiet philanthropist preferring to not speak about his generosity.“We don’t

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PRIME MOVER • Robert Bahre

As a major philanthropist, Bob has

been very generous with his money. Oxford Hills High School and Stephens Memorial Hospital of Norway have both benefited.

like to brag about what we do,” said Bahre, a devout Catholic.“We’re very quiet about it. Sandy has been a big part of everything, and things have worked out for us, thank God.” Orwig is not so hesitant.“We get a big crowd for Founder’s Day,” he said. “The Bahres’ generosity is pretty much what keeps the library and museum open.” Jennifer Boenig, assistant director of the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce, understands well the Bahres’ commitment to community.

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“It’s hard to tell where to start,” Boenig said.“He does a lot that people aren’t aware of.” Boenig does know, however, that the Bahres have helped bring in acts to the annual Oxford County Fair. They helped bring Flagship Cinema of Oxford back to life after the cinema’s equipment began to fail. They make their land available for the Chamber’s annual Festival of Trees, and have brought many jobs to the area, partly through his involvement with the Oxford Casino. (Bob and his son Gary were among the founders and developers of Black Bear Realty which co-owned and later sold Oxford Casino to Churchill Downs.) “The man has had his hands in just about everything in this area,” Boenig said. Today, Bahre undergoes physical therapy, but still shows up for work at Speedway, Inc. His company manages 500-600 apartments, and some shopping centers. Speedway is estimated to generate $2.5 million in annual revenues, and employs approximately 21 people at the single location. Needless to say, Bob has kept, and continues to keep, the wheels turning in Oxford County. MSM

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PRIME MOVER • Amy Bouchard

PRIME MOVER

With only a General Education Diploma, no business background, and from her home kitchen with a toddler in tow, Bouchard built a Wicked Whoopie empire.

Self-taught Entrepreneur Makes Maine Treat “Wicked” Famous!

BY SHEILA D. GRANT

Bouchard fell in love with baking

during visits with her grandparents and great-grandmother in Rumford. “I was so fortunate to be able to spend time with them,” she said. Bouchard was so enthralled with the creativity of both baking and art that she would, “literally skip school to paint and bake.” she said. Married while still in high school, Bouchard lived in Germany for a month, and having missed so many classes, earned her GED at night school when she returned to the United States. She then went to work at Bath Iron Works for three years.

Amy Bouchard wrapping Wicked Whoopies 23 years ago during the early years of Isamax Snacks.

Expecting her second child, Bouchard decided to stay home with the children, but she still needed an income. “My brother

She dropped out of high school.

She didn’t have any business training.

et, Amy Bouchard’s company, Isamax Snacks, made $3.5 million last year, and the marketing flurry around her product, Wicked Whoopies, created an international consumer base for the whoopie pie. The product’s success has boosted Maine’s economy in numerous ways beyond her own sales and growing staff. In the years since Wicked Whoopies first hit the foodie scene, an annual Maine Whoopie Pie Festival has been founded, the whoopie pie has become the Official State Treat, and many bakeries have broadened their menus to include

15 • MAINE SENIORS

traditional and gourmet varieties of the whoopie pie. Bouchard fell in love with baking during visits with her grandparents and great-grandmother in Rumford. “I was so fortunate to be able to spend time with them,” she said. During one visit when Bouchard was 6, her great-grandmother taught her how to make hot chocolate the old-fashioned way on the stove. “I was so proud of myself,” she said. “I had listened to everything she told me, and it came out really good.” Bouchard gleaned all the kitchen wisdom she could from her elders.“When I learned how to make cookies and whoopie pies, I realized how happy that was making people, and how happy it made me, to make something and have everyone be pleased with it. That was very rewarding.” SUMMER 2018 • 1 6

PRIME MOVER

PRIME MOVER • Amy Bouchard

“Wicked Whoopies is the brand, because in Maine ‘wicked’ means great. And it’s catchy and everyone remembers it.”

already gone and he needed more, so I rushed another dozen to his store. They just kept selling. He is the one who gave me my first break. I’ll always be grateful for that. He still sells them today and we always keep in contact.”

Bouchard prepares the work surface during creation of the World's Biggest Whoopie Pie.

“A lot of people think it’s kind of funny that we have two different business names, but we don’t,” she explained.“Wicked Whoopies is the brand, because in Maine ‘wicked’ means great. And it’s catchy and everyone remembers it.”

Bouchard got vital business mentorship from her first customer, Lou Craig, owner of College Carry-Out in Augusta.“He bought half a dozen whoopie pies. When he asked for a receipt, I had no idea what he was talking about. I had no clue what a receipt book was. He showed me what it was, and what to do. By the time I got home, I got a phone call that those whoopie pies were

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During her first year, 1994, Bouchard made $1,900. “I thought that was pretty amazing,” she said. “My goal for the following year was to make $20,000, and I made $24,000. So, I thought, if I can make $24,000, I must be able to double it. Every year I would give myself a goal, something to shoot for.” PERFORMANCES AT PICKARD THEATRE 1 BATH ROAD, BRUNSWICK, ME

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While her son, Max, attended first grade all day, 18-month-old Isabella would nap long enough for Mom to bake. Bouchard would then load up the baby, and the whoopie pies, and make deliveries. The business, named Isamax Snacks after her children, continued to grow.

suggested I start selling whoopie pies,” she said.“I thought it was a crazy idea. There were no whoopie pie businesses out there. But, I made them, put them in a basket, and started taking them to local stores.”

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Despite a scheduling conflict that kept her away, Bouchard did send staff and a Wicked Whoopie booth to the inaugural Maine Whoopie Pie Festival in Dover-Foxcroft. Grant photo.

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PRIME MOVER

PRIME MOVER • Amy Bouchard

After two years working out of her home, Bouchard sought less chaos for her family, moving production to,“an old sporting goods business in Richmond,” she recalled. “The man who owned it was so nice. He gave me a break, just $500 a month to rent the entire building. This allowed me to become a commercial business. I was able to do a much higher volume, with bigger equipment, and I started to hire employees.”

Bouchard waiting to go on air at the Home Shopping Network.

Eventually, the growing business moved into a former shoe factory in Gardiner.“We were able to go from 1,800 square feet to 18,000, which was awesome,” Bouchard said. “We were able to put in massive ovens and a freezer.” Another important ingredient in the Wicked Whoopies recipe for success has been interest by local, state and national media outlets. “In 2003, I decided to open the first whoopie pie shop,” Bouchard said. While there were many bakeries that sold a variety of items, “I truly believe not another person on the planet had a whoopie pie shop.”

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A former newspaper office was converted into the first Wicked Whoopies retail location.“About a week after we opened, I was at the bakery and someone told me I had a phone call from the Oprah Show. I thought it was a joke,” Bouchard recalled.“I was told,‘No, you need to go to the phone right now.’” Wicked Whoopies were being considered for one of Oprah’s themed gift-giving shows. The sudden celebrity status sent Bouchard and her team scrambling, and not just in the bakery. “I didn’t even have a website. I had never shipped a package of Wicked Whoopies to anybody. I got a box made up, and designed how to lay out the whoopie pies [for shipping]. I decided that I couldn’t get in over my head and that we were only going to sell the classic [online]. I think I only had five employees at the time.” SUMMER 2018 • 2 0

PRIME MOVER

With an amateur website and shipping figured out, “at least we had something,” Bouchard said. “Then the show aired, and we had thousands of orders coming in, even all the way from Africa! I don’t know how we did it, but we managed to get every single order out the door. This was in November, and Oprah ended up putting us on their website as a great gift for the holidays, so during the whole month of December we had so many orders, and we had celebrities calling.” In November 2004, Bouchard got a call from the Associated Press. Busy filling holiday orders, and thinking the AP was “some local paper,” she gave little thought to the article – which appeared in over 1,800 media outlets on Christmas day. The next day, Good Morning America called. “Christmas was on Sunday that year, so this was Monday,” Bouchard recalled. Because the television show wanted to overnight Wicked Whoopies to be eaten on-air,“I had to contact all of my employees I had given the day off and beg them to please go to the bakery.” Many viewers did not know what a whoopie pie was, so Bouchard had to describe the treat while host Charles Gibson

PRIME MOVER • Amy Bouchard She is proud of her business, and grateful for all of the support.

consumed one on live television. It took another three months to fill the resulting avalanche of orders.

“Even today, I am shocked at how I’ve had so much support and gotten so much amazing PR – and I’m somebody who didn’t go to school for this. I feel that school is very, very important, though. Because I was so young, and a high school dropout and stay-at-home mom, I had to learn everything the hard way. I do think that I used good common sense and I always make sure we are putting the customer first and that we have great products that are making people happy. That’s the secret to success – and surrounding yourself with people who are much smarter!”

The following year, television network QVC called. “So, I went on air to try to convince people this really is an awesome treat that I would promote as a fun food, no rules, a dessert that you eat with your hands that makes you feel like a kid again,” said Bouchard. Wicked Whoopies have also been featured on the Rachel Ray Show, on the Food Network, and Isamax Snacks made Inc. Magazine’s 5000 list, based on the company’s revenue growth. These days, Wicked Whoopies are promoted on the Home Shopping Network.

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Bouchard said she shared her lack of experience and education in the hopes of,“inspiring just one person to believe in themselves, to feel like they can do it.”

When baking out of her home, the most Bouchard ever produced in one day was four dozen whoopie pies. Now, the company averages 10,000 daily. “And during the holidays, it’s insane,” she said. “I pretty much ask the employees to bring sleeping bags because I’ll be setting up a cot. It’s tiring, but it’s a lot of fun!”

She hopes to grow from 35 or so employees now to around 300, “and be able to provide really good benefits and health care. I want to grow, and to take care of the people that have got us to where we are today.”

Bouchard has updated the company’s website, adding all 20 flavors for online sale, and has expanded to three retail locations.

And for herself? “One day, I hope to have fewer responsibilities so I can just maybe take a vacation – for a month!” MSM

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Bouchard and some of the bakery crew whooping it up on the production floor. 21 • MAINE SENIORS

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SPECIAL

SPECIAL • Bangor International Airport

Bangor chose to turn a

Bangor International Airport:

potentially devastating situation into one of the state’s most

positive development efforts.

Celebrating

Civil aviation intensified at Dow before the Air Force left. Northeast Airlines carried out training flights in winter 196768. Word spread about Bangor’s aviation potential, and Business Week sent a journalist and photographer to visit Dow in late December 1967.

50 Years

“That’s the type of publicity we can’t afford to buy,” said D’Errico. Five weeks later, U.S. Sen. Edmund S. Muskie entered the article into the Congressional Record and praised Bangor for responding “in a positive way” to “the trauma” of Dow’s impending closure.

Just ask for Stillwater

Fifty years ago, the city of Bangor was faced with what could have been a detrimental blow to the region.

ut instead of allowing the Department of Defense’s decision to close Dow Air Force Base to weaken one of the city’s greatest assets, the city chose to turn a potentially devastating situation into one of the state’s most positive development efforts. 23 • MAINE SENIORS

The base was due to close in the summer of 1968, and the city did everything it could in the years leading up to the actual closure to market the air base to potential post-military businesses for what was then only a proposed vision of what has become known worldwide as Bangor International Airport (BGR). At the time, Dow Reuse Coordinator Peter D’Errico, who also happened to be Bangor’s economic development director, used the facility’s geographical location to appeal to international airlines – BGR is known to be the first U.S. stop on what is known as The Great Circle Route.

In that pre-jumbo jet era, passenger jets carried little fuel to spare for crossing the Atlantic. While touring Dow on November 29, 1967, Air Alitalia officials noted that a USA-bound transAtlantic flight placed on“a two-hour [landing] hold in New York must land and refuel at a Canadian airport (usually Halifax),” said D’Errico. This meant that passengers could not disembark because of Customs. Bangor would offer aircraft refueling and Customs clearance effective July 1, 1968.

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Amelia Earhart in Bangor with airport and city officials.

Of course, Dow boasted more than a 11,400-foot runway and multiple refueling points on the heavy-duty ramp. The Dow Reuse Committee also started marketing 350,000 square feet of what had been military industrial buildings on 193 acres not tied to aviation activities. These buildings now house familiar names like GE and Wayfair. On April 5, 1968, more than 1,500 people stood beneath low gray clouds to watch as the last B-52 and KC-135 taxied to the end of the runway nearest Odlin Road. As the KC-135 roared over Dow from the west; the tanker’s pilots dipped one wing, and a minute later the B-52 “came straight down the runway at unbelievable low level and dipped both wings in a final salute” to Bangor and Dow, one reporter wrote. In February 1970, Peter D’Errico developed his own list of priorities. 25 • MAINE SENIORS

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September 1, 1967, existing Union Street terminal

The first, was to expand the international arrivals building. The second, improve passenger facilities at the Domestic Terminal. D’Errico accomplished these goals, and since its initial redevelopment, Bangor International Airport hasn’t stopped improving its facility and the experience for passengers and crews alike. The most recent modernization began in 2014 with refurbishing the escalators in the Domestic Terminal. A new ticketing and passenger check-in center and state-ofthe-art baggage screening system was completed and opened for service in December 2015. The new ground transportation area and baggage claim area opened the following spring. The solid cement wall at the front of the terminal was replaced with glass, allowing more light into the first floor, and overall, the $14 million modernization project has provided for better passenger flow on the first floor and more efficient operations in the entire SUMMER 2018 • 2 8

SPECIAL

SPECIAL • Bangor International Airport

Domestic Terminal. (Ninety percent of the funds for the project came from federal funding sources with the remaining 10 percent split between the Maine Department of Transportation and airport revenues.)

area residents began officially greeting military flights and today is a formal non-profit organization with a museum dedicated to its work and the soldiers they greet housed inside the airport. Toward the end of Ziegelaar’s airport directorship, business continued to look up. International travel had continued to increase, economic opportunities to diversify the facility were growing and infrastructure improvements, such as the $20 million runway resurfacing project, kept BGR at the forefront of aviation.

D’Errico was the airport’s longest-serving director, and the most recent updates resulted in the Domestic Terminal being renamed in his honor. While troop flights and military activity were routine at BGR, the First Gulf War brought a surge of soldiers through the airport. When a formal ceasefire agreement was reached in early 1991, at which time Director Bob Ziegelaar asked the John Bapst Memorial High School band to greet soldiers coming in on an early morning March 8 flight. The American troops cleared Customs and as they entered the Domestic Terminal the air was filled with patriotic music as they were greeted by a crowd that had continued to swell as word of their arrival spread. And although that day marks the actual start of troop greeting at BGR, it was May 2003 when a small group of

Bangor International achieved another milestone with the August 21, 2003 landing of a Russian-built Antonov AN-225, the largest aircraft in the world. Ferrying“tractor-trailer-size generators” from Alabama to Iraq, the four-engine jet transport weighed approximately 1.28 million pounds as it lumbered into the Bangor sky. September 4, 1969, international arrivals crowd August 3, 1981, passengers at Delta counter

The 2004 presidential campaign brought Air Force One and President George W. Bush to BGR for a large on-site rally on September 23. He was just the latest American president to fly through Bangor; Dwight D. Eisenhower (1955), John F.Kennedy (1963), and Lyndon B. Johnson (1966) had stopped at Dow Air Force Base, and Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton had also flown into BGR. Maine Troop Greeters welcomed their 1,000th flight at Bangor International on Saturday, April 2, 2005 when more than 50 people greeted Army National Guardsmen returning from Afghanistan. In 2012, Anthony Caruso became the Director of BGR. He started his tenure with a good problem to have – not enough parking. BGR opened a shuttle lot on Maine Avenue which continues to serve passenger demand during peak seasons today.

December 17, 1989 snow removal at BGR

Over the years, Caruso’s focus has been on strengthening all business segments of the airport – fuel, cargo, domestic and international travel, and military operations.

D’Errico was the airport’s longestserving director, and the most recent updates resulted in the domestic

terminal being renamed in his honor.

March 8, 1991, Army soldier greeted at BGR

Having suitable properties available helped BGR “support the expansion of C&L Aerospace here on the airfield. They’re a good, stable anchor tenant,” Caruso said. C&L Aerospace came to BGR after acquiring Air Cargo, which had purchased Telford Aviation. “They started with 22 employees, and I believe now they are up to over 150.” C&L Aerospace now leases the four massive former B-52 hangars near the airport terminals.

29 • MAINE SENIORS

SUMMER 2018 • 3 0

SPECIAL

Air cargo has been a difficult market for Bangor International to penetrate since 1968. However, “I think we’re closer than we have ever been,” Caruso commented.“There are two key elements here to air cargo that we think Bangor could play a role in.”

SPECIAL • Bangor International Airport

MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM This is Maine. The rest is history.

The first pertains to shipping “lobster, seafood, the perishable items from this region,” he said.“Given our geographical location,” Bangor is “located that much closer to Europe” and can ship lobster and seafood four-to-six hours sooner than similar shipments can take off from Boston or New York. The second area involves offering air-cargo carriers an Economic Tech(nical) Stop. A plane hauling air cargo usually takes off with sufficient fuel to reach the final destination, and the remaining weight the plane can carry is devoted to the payload. BGR is trying something new, encouraging air-cargo carriers to make Bangor their desination as a tech stop for fuel and minimal services. The plane could carry enough fuel to reach BGR, thus freeing up weight for a greater payload.

identify and steer around, or manage through, the challenges, and to explore and take advantage of the opportunities.” Lighthouse cruises. 1906 schooner. Historic shipyard. Don’t miss – Into the Lantern: A Lighthouse Experience Airport Director Tony Caruso www.MaineMaritimeMuseum.org

The airport also has provided valuable space for other community

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December 21, 1992, lobsters loaded at BGR

and economic assets.“We were able to help support the LifeFlight consolidation and expansion here at the airfield,” Caruso said. Domestic passenger service has continued to increase and although there have been changes in carriers and destinations, BGR has seen record months repeatedly over the last year. “At the end of the day, can somebody in the Bangor region hop on an airplane and go to Shanghai?” Caruso asked.“Yes, one stop through Chicago. It’s about access and giving you access to the rest of the world. “You could be one, maybe two stops away from anywhere in the world, and vice versa, giving the world access to our region,” he said.“Ultimately that’s what it’s about.” Last year, 546,264 people flew through BGR on domestic flights, a 10.7 percent increase from 2016 and a 12.6 percent increase from 2015, both record-setting years. What does the next 50 years hold for BGR? That’s not an easy question to answer. “My crystal ball is as hazy as anyone else’s, but there are areas where BGR can play major roles,” Caruso said.“New challenges and opportunities are always on the horizon. The key is to

31 • MAINE SENIORS

In addition to solid relationships with airlines and the military, Caruso noted that "it’s BGR’s employees that have made the airport a success. "This has been evident the past 50 years and will be crucial over the next 50 years. I am proud and honored to have worked beside my fellow City employees to make the airport what it is today, and am excited to see all that we can accomplish together in the future.” MSM

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THE MAINE POINT 

An Anniversary That Inspires 2018 is a landmark year for AARP as we celebrate our 60th anniversary.

n 1958, a retired school teacher named Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus chose to tackle a problem that she felt could go longer be ignored. After discovering that a retired colleague who had suffered multiple health crises was living in abject poverty, Dr. Andrus took action. With extraordinary determination, she approached multiple insurance companies and, after several false starts, finally succeeded in securing healthcare for retired teachers. In the days before Medicare, this was an incredible feat. What many of my readers may not know is that Dr. Andrus founded AARP when she was 73 years old. She believed to the core that every citizen has a “circle of influence” and that all of us,

BY JANE MARGESSON

no matter our age, can be catalysts for great social change. It is worth noting that in a photograph taken at the very first White House Conference on Aging in 1961, Dr. Andrus can be seen presenting to President Eisenhower her model of what she called a“Freedom House”, widely considered to be the first age-friendly (or universal) home design. Dr. Andrus would be proud to see the progress that has been made in this field since that photograph was taken. Her incredible vision, energy and commitment is evident in Maine’s very impressive roster of communities that participate in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities (NAFC). Towns, large and small, are making significant inroads in their efforts to help Maine become a great place for all of us to live at any age. For example, in Bowdoinham, retired handymen donate their talents to perform minor home repairs at no cost.

Volunteers in towns such as Bethel, Cumberland and Ellsworth drive residents to and from medical appointments and help them run their errands or attend social events. Initiatives such as these help older Mainers age in place in the communities and homes they know and love. Over the years, I have heard many stories of Mainers of all backgrounds inspiring others through their dedication and zest for life. I devised a way to try to capture their innovative spirit in a new project featuring photographs of such individuals, some of whom you see here. This began with Dick Bridges, a 73-year-old lobsterman from Deer Isle. Dick has been harvesting lobsters for decades and although many of his colleagues are younger, Dick is one of the only local lobstermen to lay his traps all year long.

she was 73 years old. She believed to the core that every citizen has a “circle of influence” and that all of us, no matter our

age, can be catalysts for great social change.

Find the best Memory Care available.

We’ve also featured Mainers who are dedicated to fitness as they age. The formidable Carolyn Young, 73, boxes regularly at her Portland gym. Sammee Quong of Augusta is a world traveler who can scale the local climbing wall with ease at age 72.

“The Safe Harbor Memory Care Program gives my loved one the care and support she needs living with Alzheimer’s. The small size of Safe Harbor, and the dedication of the staff made Birch Bay the perfect choice for us. The Life Enrichment & Music Therapy Programs really add to her quality of life.”

As we embark on our seventh decade, I look forward to meeting and hearing from Mainers across the state who are doing remarkable things in their own right. Let’s continue to share our stories and celebrate our accomplishments. MSM

Carolyn Young, 73. Boxer. Por tland. (Photo credit: Sean Alonzo Harris)

Dick Bridges, 73. Lobsterman. Deer Isle. (Photo credit: Kate Bridges)

Dr. Andrus founded AARP when

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207-288-8014 Bar Harbor

Sammee Quong, 72. Rock climber. Augusta. (Courtesy of S. Quong)

AARP founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus in 1961 with President Eise nhower at the White House Confere nce on Aging (AARP archives)

33 • MAINE SENIORS

SUMMER 2018 • 3 4

Old

Boring Bert

BY WALDO CLARK

While sauntering around Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth one overcast July morning, I stumbled upon my good friend Bert.

e sat on his favorite bench staring out toward Portland Head Light. He appeared deep in thought but on closer look, he seemed down, even disturbed.

“Everything OK?” I asked. He patted the bench, a gesture to sit. I observed his brow wrinkle, eyes narrow. “About a year ago, my wife said that as we get older, people listen to us less. Nonsense, I told her. I’ve been to town a few times, been around you know, got a lot to say. I waved her off with a dismissive chuckle.” I slapped him on the shoulder. “There’s only one person more interesting than you and that’s me.” I laughed, he didn’t.“So why the Gloomy Gus puss?” He pressed his fingers against his temples, like trying to rub out a headache. “She’s right, I’ve become conversationally impaired, some bloody bloke boring others into submission.” “Other seniors?” I said. “Nope, mainly people younger than me. Maybe it’s just a generational gap thing. Do you think I’m overreacting?” 35 • MAINE SENIORS

Because I’m a swell amateur psychologist, I didn’t respond right away. I wondered if he was having a case of the Poor Me’s? You see, Bert’s a rather normal fella, far from boring.“Something happen?” “Nothing overt, but I’ve noticed others regarding me differently when I talk.” He scratched his chin. “It’s a feeling, their body language—they understand what I’m saying but don’t seem to pay attention. I detect all the warning signs, Waldo: eyes squinting, pained expressions, glancing away, feet shuffling. You’d think I had stale beer breath, barbarian body odor, or a massive Boston Baked Beans gas attack.” He sniffed the air. “I’ve turned 65 and morphed into Old Boring Bert.” Sensing Bert’s emotional electrocardiogram spiking, I felt my own heart sag. We sat in silence, quiet with each other. Not prone to exaggeration, his comments confused me. I’d admired his successful career, his pursuit of knowledge, his thirst for reading and travel, and his bit of wit. Likeable, certainly not boring.

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He turned towards me. “Years back, I’d walk into a room full of folks, put my hand out, and engage in many meaningful conversations.”

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“Kind of like a politician without the meaningful part, huh?” My attempt at humor, like stepping on a dog turd, stunk. He banged his fist against the bench. “Have I suddenly become a sad sack senior muttering, blabbering, and rambling incoherently? Maybe it’s my Old Spice and I smell like my grandfather did? That’s it, I’ll upgrade to Polo, whiten my teeth, wear Ray-Ban sunglasses, and toss the flannel shirts.” “Not the flannels, you’ll lose the L.L.Bean modeling job.” Another turd. “Listen Waldo, I know something about the art of conversation. Remember the old adage, A bore talks mostly in the first person, a gossip in the third, and a good conversationalist in the second. What do you think?” “You’re probably a victim of age conversation discrimination.” I held my breath. “What’s that, some kind of social disease? Sounds like a subject for a Dr. Phil show. And, what’s the remedy, pop a pill, join the Hair Club for Men, or converse with my imaginary pal, Purvis?” Bert was clearly agitated. “Maybe you’re over-analyzing this. Maybe your ego’s bouncing along the ground like a deflated balloon.” I know, another lousy response.

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He stood, started to walk away, then hesitated.“Thanks for listening.” I wondered how many other seniors felt the same frustration as Bert, something to say, few listening. Selective introverts turned into tentative introverts with guarded tongues. As the world piles things on, we struggle to think well of ourselves, for recognition. And, I wondered if more seniors needed to come out of the age conversation discrimination closet. After all, isn’t it important to want others to listen to us? Maine writer Holman Day once said, “But the listener must be wise to understand.” MSM

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SUMMER 2018 • 3 8

 HEALTH TREASURES

HEALTH TREASURES 

Seniors are

Healthier and Living Longer One of the understated reasons that so many seniors are healthier and living longer today is due to the miracles of modern medicine and homecare.

Taking your medications as directed.

39 • MAINE SENIORS

Medication adherence, or taking medications as directed by your healthcare provider, is one of the most important factors in the effectiveness of any drug therapy. Despite its importance, poor medication adherence is surprisingly common. Studies have shown that up to 30% of medication prescriptions are never filled and approximately 50% of medications for chronic disease are not taken as prescribed. 2

Just as it is important to take your medications, it is also important to have a system in place that helps you do so safely and accurately. There are many different ways to keep track of your medications and Kennebec Pharmacy can help find what works best for you. KennePac, Kennebec Pharmacy’s multi-dose packaging and adherence program, has become a customer favorite. Designed to help you take your medications as directed, this medication management program combines medication synchronization with multi-dose packaging to provide you with the necessary support to be compliant with your medications and maintain a healthy, independent lifestyle.

Taking too much of a medication or taking the wrong combination of medications can also put you at risk. Accidently taking a second dose of the same medication or forgetting to discontinue using an old medication after starting a new one are among the most common medication mistakes. The severity of each varies based on the type of medication, dosage, and interaction with other medications.

Later that day, do you remember to pick up your new

KennePac Multi-Dose Medication Packaging

Failing to fill a prescription, taking your medication at the incorrect time, stopping the medication prematurely, taking the wrong dose, or missing a dose are all examples of poor medication adherence. This behavior not only prohibits your body from receiving the full effects of treatment, but can also put you at risk of developing other serious health problems that likely would have been prevented with the proper use of medication.

Kennebec Pharmacy & Home Care has just what the doctor ordered:

ou’re sitting in the office at your most recent doctor’s visit. After some discussion over your symptoms, your doctor has decided to switch one of your four daily medications. Now, instead of taking one pill on the same schedule as many of your others, you will need to remember an additional dose. She sends the new prescription to your local pharmacy, leaving you with specific instructions: Discontinue use of your old medication and take this one 2x daily- once with breakfast, and then again before bedtime. You leave the office shortly after to return to your day’s activities. You think:“I’ll pick-up my prescription later.”

The risks of not taking your medications as directed

prescription? Later that week, are you still taking each dose as discussed with your doctor? What about later that month or even year? If not, you’re not alone. Nearly 75% of adults are nonadherent to their medications in one or more ways. 1

Whether it is the result of forgetfulness or simply misunderstanding the instructions, not taking your medications as directed can come with serious risks. It is estimated to cause approximately 125,000 deaths and at least 10% of hospitalizations in the United States.2 SUMMER 2018 • 4 0

 HEALTH TREASURES

The state-of-the-art system packages all of your routine prescriptions—including over-the-counter medications and vitamins—into easy-to-open pouches by time and day that they should be taken. Each pre-sorted pouch is labeled with clearly printed instructions so taking your medications properly is made easy. Pouches are easily transportable making them perfect for traveling or taking your medications on-the-go. Instead of taking the time to fill weekly pill boxes or worrying about counting out pills each day, simply tear-off the pouch(es) needed and off you go. With KennePac, managing multiple medications is simple. Medications are automatically refilled every 28 days so you no longer need to remember when your refills are due. Refills are available for pick-up or can be delivered right to your door for added convenience. KennePac offers peace of mind in knowing that you are getting the right medication, in the right dose, at the right time… Just what the doctor ordered.

HEALTH TREASURES 

References: 1. PHRMA. Improving Prescription Medicine Adherence is Key to Better Health Care. 2011. 2. Viswanathan M, Golin CE, Jones CD, Ashok M, Blalock SJ, Wines RC, et al. Interventions to Improve Adherence to Self-administered Medications for Chronic Diseases in the United States: A Systematic Review. Ann Intern Med. 2012;157:785–795. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-157-11-201212040-00538

Kennebec Pharmacy & Homecare is proud to be of service to you. Founded in 1995, Kennebec Pharmacy & Home Care (formerly Kennebec Professional Pharmacy) was designed to address the pharmaceutical, durable medical equipment, and home health care needs of the community. With only a handful of employees and the vision of making better living possible, Kennebec opened two locations – at 43 Leighton Road and on E. Chestnut Street in Augusta, ME- and began providing prescriptions, compounded medications, home medical equipment, Respiratory Services, and Infusion therapy to residents in the surrounding area. As the needs of the resident’s in Maine continued to grow, so did Kennebec Pharmacy & Home Care. They opened their Rockport location in 2006, followed by the Brunswick location

in 2014 to better serve the mid-coast community. New departments: Complex Rehabilitation Technology (CRT), Kennebec Senior Care – a long-term-care pharmacy, Men’s and Women’s Health, and Specialty Pharmacy were also added in later years. The most recent addition: a new space at 11 Medical Center Parkway in Augusta opened in 2016 and is situated on the MaineGeneral Campus. This facility includes the NEW Augusta Retail Pharmacy as well as Kennebec Senior Care. After almost 23 years in business, the Kennebec Pharmacy team has grown to include over 100 employees across multiple departments and locations. The company’s home care operations are primarily conducted out of their original location at 43 Leighton Rd. in Augusta, ME. Kennebec Pharmacy & Home Care also has additional retail locations in Augusta, Brunswick, and Rockport that help serve residents throughout Central, Southern, and Mid-Coast Maine. MSM

KennePac is available at Kennebec Pharmacy & Home Care’s retail pharmacy locations in Augusta, Brunswick, and Rockport, Maine or by delivery throughout New England. For more information on simplifying your medications with KennePac, contact 207-626-9066 or visit kennebepharmacy.com/kennepac.

“Music is the soundtrack of your life.” – DICK CLARK

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41 • MAINE SENIORS

SUMMER 2018 • 4 2

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW

The Ellen M. Leach Memorial Home is located in Historic Brewer, Maine. Here you'll find the Leach Home surrounded by nature's beauty.

Testimonials

from Ellen Leach Home Residents Jerry & Gloria Ramp

“We have lived at the Ellen Leach Home for 5 years this August. We love everything!! It’s the best move we’ve ever made. We’re happy and we’ve made a lot of special friends. Everyone is so good to us.”

In 1989, John and David Taylor became the new trustees as the last surviving kin had passed. John and David Taylor reformed the provisions of the trust to create a tax-exempt charitable trust. After several trips to Brewer, Maine, a successful joint venture between the Taylors and Brewer Housing Authority officials resulted in the extraordinary Ellen M. Leach Memorial Home.

A Luxurious & Affordable

Independent Retirement Community At first glance, you will see the Leach Home is the epitome of elegance.

ith attention to detail, combined with a focus on an active lifestyle and care, you can count on the Leach Home to offer you the finest retirement experience.

The Ellen M. Leach Memorial Home was founded in 1996 as a result of a trust created in 1926 and the determination of the Taylor family. In 1926, Mabel W. Tyrrell, a widow with no children and daughter of Ellen M. Leach, composed a will which among other things established a trust for the lifetime benefit of various nieces and nephews. The named executor and trustee was Amos L. Taylor and the trust was initially funded with approximately $50,000. The trustees were directed to found and maintain a home for the aged and infirm in Brewer, Maine; name the home the Ellen M. Leach Memorial Home; and develop the home within 25 years of the last surviving niece or nephew.

43 • MAINE SENIORS

Ellen M. Leach resided for several years in Brewer, Maine. Ellen M. Leach and Mabel W. Tyrrell are buried in the family plot at the Oak Hill Cemetery on South Main Street in Brewer, Maine. The Ellen M. Leach Memorial Home is located in Historic Brewer, Maine. Here you'll find the Leach Home surrounded by nature's beauty while nestled in a grove of stately pines, yet conveniently located within minutes to I-95, Bangor International Airport, Cross Insurance Center, Collins Center for the Arts, Gracie Theater, Penobscot Theater, Bangor City Forest, public libraries, museums, shopping venues, restaurants, medical facilities, golf courses, parks and lakes as well as the extremely popular Waterfront Concert Series and American Folk Festival. The Ellen M. Leach Memorial Home consists of 90 one- and two-bedroom apartment homes within three wings on three floors. You’ll find a relaxing sitting area at every corner or discover a leisure interest in our Library, Activity Room, Fitness Area, Billiard’s Room, Beauty Salon and/or Community Room. The Leach Home offers three elevators and several laundry rooms throughout the residence for your convenience. Our independent apartment homes offer safety, comfort and convenience to our senior residents. From an upscale dining experience to a variety of activities, the Leach Home offers flexibility to make each experience your own. Contact us at 207-922-5565 for a tour today! MSM

Barbara Howard

“I have lived here for a little over 3½ years. I love being among people for the most part. I don’t care about living alone. I’ve enjoyed this place from day one and have felt comfortable and safe here. Wonderful people; both residents and staff. We have a good time!”

Phil Piper

“I’ve lived here for almost three years. I like the comfort of being able to live by myself and not be dependent on my children. I like the people and the food.”

SUMMER 2018 • 4 4

A TRAIL LESS TRAVELED

Mainers are taciturn and suspicious by nature, but when the going gets rough they will be there for you.

you are ever on scenic Sargent Drive in Acadia National Park glance across Somes Sound and look for a small cottage perched on a point of granite all by itself. My family rented that cottage for two weeks every summer for over twenty years starting when I was just a tyke. That wonderful stretch ended abruptly when the owners entered retirement and made it their permanent summer residence. My family was stunned since we had adopted a sense of ownership after so many years. The best times of my life were spent during those two weeks in Maine every summer; digging clams at low tide; casting off the sloping granite and reeling in mackerel at high tide; snorkeling the coves looking for starfish and crabs; hunting like scavengers every day . . . combing through the flotsam and jetsam for

To the out-of-staters who may be reading this, including those planning to retire to the Pine Tree State, let me dole out a little advice from a transplant. Before you get the itch to pack your bags and head north, understand that pitching a permanent

• Independent & assisted living apartments

Take it from this transplant, Maine is a wonderful

• Homemade, farm-to-table meals like Mama made

place to live, but is not without its challenges.

• On & Offsite activities, 7 days a week

Living in Maine

ummer is finally here, ushering in the tourist season and right on the heels of another challenging Maine winter and, of course, the spring mud and black fly season. The sum total of Maine is more than the stunning beauty found from May through August, and I’ll throw in October for the leaf peepers. Truth is, regardless of what you see and read in “Maine and New England magazines”, it’s not all sunny days, and quaint fishing villages, and lobster boats and lighthouses. We die-hard residents have the rest of the year to contend with.

BY BRAD EDEN

I was like many vacationers ‘from away’. My family rented a cottage on Mount Desert Island in the town of Hall Quarry. If

45 • MAINE SENIORS

When it came time to plant my own family’s roots, Maine was the obvious choice. It fit my need for privacy and independence, not to mention my desire for fishing and hunting opportunities, and most important, a house we could afford. I arrived here 30 years ago to a dilapidated farmhouse in a rented U-Haul truck filled with rag tag furniture, a flock of laying hens, a Golden Retriever puppy, a two-year-old daughter and my long-suffering wife. Living in an old, cold and drafty farmhouse with one tiny bathroom and raising two daughters wasn’t always easy. But both girls are now remarkably accomplished and independent young women. A simple, rural country upbringing actually resulted in them thriving. There is a lesson right there.

Exceptional Assisted Living for MidCoast Maine

Looking down from a mountain top in Acadia National Park to the Porcupine Islands in Frenchman Bay

A Survivalist's Guide to

treasures that had washed up on shore, and jumping off the cliffs and swimming in the now closed off quarries. So, in essence I fell head over heels in love with Maine at a young age.

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BATH, MAINE SUMMER 2018 • 4 6

A TRAIL LESS TRAVELED

Henry's, or even that you aren’t afraid to eat lobster tamale, you are not and will never be a Mainer. So, don’t pretend to be, and you will get along just fine. Don’t expect nosy neighbors to immediately arrive at your door with casseroles and welcomes, but you can expect the inimitable wave from strangers from the anonymity of their vehicles. Mainers are taciturn and suspicious by nature, but when the going gets rough they will be there for you. I learned this when my teenage daughter slid off the road in a snowstorm. In the short time it took me to get to her, no less than a half dozen local Mainers had stopped to ask her if she was all right and if she needed help. Chokes me up to this day just thinking about that. Do not underestimate a Maine winter. They can, in a word, be grim. Forget any illusions that Maine residents get used to the cold and snow. It’s simply not true. They do get harder as you get older. Please, try to assimilate to your town, and that means not tacking up No Trespassing signs before the ink on your mortgage is dry. Be civically minded but don’t join town councils just to try and change things to what you just left. If you

tent in Maine does not make you a “Mainer”. For some, even inhaling your first breath as a baby within the confines of the Maine border will not make you a true Mainer. You need at least three generations of family before you, and that will be made clear to you, often. It won’t matter how long you’ve lived here, or that you start saying “wicked’ or that you sell stuff in Uncle

If you do decide to become a Maine resident you will gain a certain level of respect, and rightfully so.

Simplify

The reason you came to Maine.

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A TRAIL LESS TRAVELED

How Confident are You in Your Financial Future?

Donnell Pond, just outside of Sullivan, Maine at the base of Schoodic Mountain

GREAT PLACES. GOOD PEOPLE.

Children and grandchildren.

Forget any illusions that Maine residents make it all worthwhile.

buy a camp on water don’t resist the installation of a boat ramp, or resent fishermen near your dock, since those trout swimming out front were likely stocked using sportsmen’s dollars. Maine is a hunter-friendly state, so don’t call the cops when you see a bird hunter walking down the road with a shotgun, or get hysterical about the hyped-up dangers of deer hunting season. You are more at risk driving to the corner store.

We can find you the perfect backyard. 75 Western Ave • Augusta, ME 207.623.1123 • www.spragueandcurtis.com

49 • MAINE SENIORS

Serving our clients for over 30 years

get used to the cold and snow. It’s simply not true. Yet, the other seasons

If you do decide to become a Maine resident you will gain a certain level of respect, and rightfully so. It can be a rough and tumble place, and not for the faint of heart. But for lovers of an independent spirit, and especially the outdoors, it can be paradise, as it has been, and continues to be, for me…for about half the year. MSM

Joel West Joel WestAdvisor Financial Joel West Financial Joel WestAdvisor Financial Advisor Financial Advisor

Tom Duff Duff President & BranchTom Manager Tom Duff President & BranchTom Manager Duff President & Branch Manager President & Branch Manager

Investment Advisory Services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Duff & Associates is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW

Worry-free living is our goal for residents. We want seniors to

live as independently as possible. practices, Chase Point, an assisted living and memory care facility, and Cove’s Edge, a long-term care and skilled nursing rehabilitation facility.

Two Retirement Communities

in Beautiful Midcoast Maine

At St. Andrews Village and Schooner Cove, we believe your retirement years should be some of the best years of your life.

etirement is when you can spend your days doing what you have always imagined: visiting local art galleries, lighthouses, theaters, cruising along the coastline in a boat, enjoying new restaurants, and making memories with friends and family. LincolnHealth offers two senior living campuses in beautiful Midcoast Maine: St. Andrews Village in Boothbay Harbor and Schooner Cove on the LincolnHealth – Miles Campus in Damariscotta. Residents and their loved ones enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing there are additional levels of care should their needs ever change. Both campuses offer independent living in addition to assisted living, skilled rehabilitation, memory care, and long-term 51 • MAINE SENIORS

care. St. Andrews Village and Schooner Cove are part of the LincolnHealth care continuum and MaineHealth, the largest healthcare system in Maine, providing residents with easy access to some of the best care in the state. St. Andrews Village features two options for independent living: individual coastal cottages and private apartments at the Main Inn. If a time comes when residents feel they need additional assistance with daily tasks, such as medication management or personal care assistance, private assisted living apartments are an option. The Inn also provides skilled rehabilitation nursing services at the Zimmerli Pavilion, where residents can receive temporary support as they recover from an illness or surgery. Long-term care is available at the Gregory Wing, and memory care at Safe Havens. On the LincolnHealth – Miles campus in Damariscotta, Schooner Cove features private, independent living apartments and breathtaking views of the tidal Damariscotta River. The Damariscotta campus also includes a hospital, physician

Worry-free living is our goal for residents. We want seniors to live as independently as possible, but we also believe retirement is better when you don’t have to worry about who is going to plow the driveway, or shovel the walkway, rake the leaves, or mow the lawn. Our monthly fee covers maintenance-free living, delicious home-cooked meals, entertainment, security, transportation and activities, excursions and more. Our professional chefs buy directly from local fishermen and farms to provide residents with the freshest cuisine possible. Seasonal celebrations and cultural events are regularly offered and enjoyed by the residents and the public alike.

We’re all grown up! • See our largest selection of perennials and annuals ever • Healthy, high-quality plants, shrubs & mature trees • In-house landscape design service • Friendly, knowledgeable staff

See Plants-Unlimited.com • For our 40th Anniversary events calendar • To buy Gift Certificates • To sign up for email news and sales

We deliver state-wide! Landscape professionals welcome.

629 Commercial Street (Rte 1) Rockport - 207-594-7754

SUMMER 2018 • 5 2

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW

Many residents believe the size of

Schooner Cove and St. Andrews Village is just right. Many residents believe the size of Schooner Cove and St. Andrews Village is just right—small enough to know your neighbors by name and form relationships with them, but large enough to have your privacy and a variety of amenities. We would love to welcome you to one or both of our retirement communities for a private tour, dining experience, or special event. To schedule a tour of St. Andrews Village, please call Bob Drury at 207-633-0920. To schedule a tour of Schooner Cove, please call Bruce Hardina at 207-563-4631. MSM

RESIDENTIAL REVIEW

Testimonials “Years ago I lived in Arizona and after my husband died, my family here in Boothbay wanted me closer, so I initially purchased a cottage where I lived for many years at St. Andrews Village. I now live in an Independent Living apartment at the Inn and continue to enjoy it. It has been a blessing having other levels of care right here on the same campus. I’ve had excellent experiences in all areas and received top-notch care from a friendly staff. I like everything about this place, especially the people who work herethey go above and beyond their call of duty. I cannot think of any better place to spend the rest of my life.” —Reba Pixley, St. Andrews Village Resident “My mom was one of the first cottage residents at St. Andrews Village 17 years ago and now has moved to Assisted Living. It was a great relief to know that transition could be made on the same campus with familiar staff, friends, and activities all in the same building.” —Berry Lancaster, Daughter of Joan Lancaster, St. Andrews Village Resident “After visiting the Damariscotta area our entire lives, my wife Beverly and I decided to move to Schooner Cove when she was 75 and I was 78. It was the best thing we ever did. We lived here together for 14 years before her health needs began to change. She eventually needed to move into long-term nursing at Cove’s Edge when I was no longer able to help her myself. We could not have asked for better care; the staff at Cove’s Edge was so caring and kind to her. It was a relief that she could keep her own doctor and still be steps away from our apartment here at Schooner so I could visit and be with her. Now that she is gone, I still have good friends and activities to keep life enjoyable. It’s a wonderful place to live.”

Independent Retirement Living Affiliated with Award-Winning Health Care Widely recognized as one of the most prestigious distinctions any hospital can achieve in the United States, Leapfrog Group has named LincolnHealth to its annual list of Top Rural Hospitals in the United States for the sixth time in seven years. LincolnHealth was one of only 18 rural hospitals in the United States to earn this honor in 2017. St. Andrews Village, Schooner Cove, and LincolnHealth are proud to be part of MaineHealth, the largest healthcare organization in Maine, which includes Maine Medical Center, the flagship hospital of MaineHealth. Cove’s Edge, a long-term care and skilled rehabilitation nursing facility on the LincolnHealth – Miles Campus, recently received a Commitment to Quality Award for its dedication to improving the lives of residents through quality care. St. Andrews Village’s Zimmerli Pavilion, a skilled nursing rehabilitation unit, features 12 private rooms providing patients with a comfortable setting for healing and recovery. Chase Point and St. Andrews Village’s private, assisted living apartments allow residents to maintain as much independence as they want while also having 24/7 support when they need it, such as nursing support, assistance with daily tasks, laundry, housekeeping and dining services, and much more. LincolnHealth’s memory care facilities, Riverside at Chase Point and Safe Havens at St. Andrews Village, understand the importance of low patientto-caregiver ratios so clinicians are able to create individualized care plans and get to know residents for who they are, not just their health needs.

—Bob Hills, Schooner Cove Resident

53 • MAINE SENIORS

SUMMER 2018 • 5 4

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Molly prepares her beans in two ways: when she stews them on the stove, she fries salt pork and adds it to the par-boiled beans and then adds salt, pepper and onions. When she bakes them in the oven, she adds molasses to the mixture along with the salt, pepper, and onions and lays the uncooked salt pork on top.

Saturday Night

Beans in Maine

BY PAULETTE OBOYSKI • PHOTOS BY VICTOR OBOYSKI

What are Saturday night beans?

hat was the question asked by my husband Victor at a Washington, Maine Fire Station meeting where he was a volunteer firefighter. (He was also the “Head Bean Dipper” who served beans at their Saturday fundraising suppers.) The meeting attendees all laughed and explained to him that traditionally in Maine, for as long as records have been kept and even longer than that, baked beans have been a staple food served every Saturday night—usually with frankfurters and either brown bread or biscuits. Home Cooking

Legend has it that the Passamaquoddys had given Jacob’s cattle beans as a gift to Joseph Clark, the first white

Althea Nute

Althea Nute has served Saturday night beans to her huge family for the past 70 years or so. She is a 96-year-old mother of 10 children, 25 grandchildren, and 54 greatgrandchildren. Many of them live nearby. Most Saturdays, at least 20—25 family members (and sometimes, many more) attend her suppers that are presented at her home in Carmel, Maine. She cooks about 3 cups of dry beans— usually great northern beans—in her crock pot. She soaks them, boils them a little, and then adds molasses, salt pork, dry mustard, and salt. The beans are then cooked overnight from Friday 6 PM to Saturday 6 PM. She also serves hot

child born in Lubec, Maine.

Molly Neptune Parker

Brunswick United Methodist Church Supper Volunteers

B&M Factory with Stack

Legend has it that the Passamaquoddys had given Jacob’s cattle beans as a gift to Joseph Clark, the first white child born in Lubec, Maine. Molly Neptune Parker is a 79-yearold Maine Passamaquoddy tribal elder. She remembers that her grandmother and her mother would prepare Saturday night beans on their cook stove using Jacob’s cattle beans along with pork from the pigs that they raised. These cooked beans helped feed their large family into the next week.

55 • MAINE SENIORS

SUMMER 2018 • 5 6

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

It seems that most Saturdays in Maine, you can find a public supper in which home-style beans and casseroles are served. dogs and yeast rolls along with the casseroles and salads which are brought by her children. Public Suppers

It seems that most Saturdays in Maine, you can find a public supper in which home-style beans and casseroles are served. The Brunswick United Methodist Church serves three varieties of baked beans at their public suppers—with a friendly atmosphere- on the 2nd Saturday of each month from October through May. At this past May 12, 2018 dinner, Pastor Sharon Lovejoy and supper coordinator, Pat Emerson, along with church volunteers, presented roaster ovens filled with three varieties of baked beans: yellow eye,

red kidney and pea beans along with potato salad, coleslaw and pickled beets (all prepared in the church kitchen) with donated casseroles, salads and desserts.

HOME

B&M Baked Beans

There is the sweet smell of molasses during what is called, “The Running of the Beans” at B&M Baked Beans at 1 Bean Pot Circle in Portland Maine. Located in the “Back Cove” neighborhood on Casco Bay, B&M Baked Beans has been in Portland for over 150 years and was named for the founders, George Burnham and Charles Morrill. The building, with its huge brick stack, is five stories high and was designed by one of the Burnhams.

Your Senior Real Estate Experts Call Us To Assure A Smooth Move

B&M Baking their beans

Susan Lelansky 207.415.0271 Susan.Lelansky@NEMoves.com 295 Ocean House Road Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107

Everyone in this steamy plant looks youthful and healthy with absolutely perfect complexions. It must be the beans! Production supervisor/gracious tour guide, David Rickett, has been an employee for 45 years. Rickett attests that he grew up in Maine eating baked beans and franks every Saturday night. His father, Wilbur, worked there for 46 years and his uncles, brother and many more relatives have worked at this

ColdwellBankerHomes.com Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. ©2018 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 250777NE_1/18

plant at one time or another. He met his wife, Kelly Rickett, the company’s human resource supervisor, at B&M.

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B&M Dave Rickett with Beans

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JOE’S FURNITURE WAREHOUSE

57 • MAINE SENIORS

On the Tuesday morning of Maine Senior’s visit, the Original Flavored Beans, which are navy beans, were processed. The beans come in huge white sacks from the Midwest and Canada. They are cooked in 200+ pound cauldrons in brick-lined ovens. The beans are blanched and then sauced with liquid sugar, molasses and additional flavoring. The employees stir the beans by hand. The cooking begins at 2 AM and at 7 AM, they are packed into the cans. The plant produces about 3 million cases per year of assorted flavors of baked beans, brown bread, refried beans and meat spreads. Many New Englanders are grateful to them when they do not feel like home cooking baked beans—they can easily open a can of B&M baked beans. Traditional Maine Diner

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Moody's Diner

Alvah Moody, who is 91 years old, was born and raised right down the road from his family’s restaurant, Moody’s Diner in Waldoboro. Every Saturday night, Alvah’s parents served SUMMER 2018 • 5 8

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

baked beans, frankfurters and brown bread to their family of 9 children as well as serving it in their diner. Alvah was 16 years old during WWII when he joined the Navy. Due to his cooking expertise at his family’s diner, he became an award-winning cook on his PT boat, which was stationed in the South Pacific. He told Maine Seniors magazine that along with other meals he cooked, he served baked beans, hot dogs and brown bread (just like his Mom) every Saturday night on his ship. Established 91 years ago, Moody’s Diner still offers baked beans (B&M baked beans with added gourmet flavoring from Moody’s chef ) along with frankfurters and brown bread every Saturday night!

Alvah Moody, Dan Beck, Georgetta Moody

One of the best places to purchase dried beans in Maine is at the many farmer’s markets throughout the state.

You can ask most Maine seniors how to cook them.

in Maine and was also practiced by countless logging camps which fed many hard-working people. Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit

Bean-Hole Baked Beans

A very old-style way of cooking baked beans is in a deep pit in the ground. In these pits, first hot glowing coals are produced and then bean pots are lowered into the holes and covered with ashes and earth. The beans are slowly baked for a few days. Many say this tradition of bean-hole baked beans may have originated from Native Americans

Diane Watkins selling beans at Brunswick Farmer's Mkt

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Talk to your Primary Care Provider or call Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine at (603) 431-1121.

59 • MAINE SENIORS

603.431.1121

A national destination right here in Maine.

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One of the best places to purchase dried beans in Maine is at the many farmer’s markets throughout the state. You can ask most Maine seniors how to cook them. Judging by the looks of Mainers who are in the habit of eating beans on Saturdays, this may be the secret of their health and longevity. The younger generations may want to keep up this custom. If you do not want to cook them yourself, you can be sure that you can find a public supper or diner which serves baked beans—or just open a can. You can also be sure that on any given Saturday night in the state of Maine, someone is eating baked beans! Toot! Toot! MSM

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Three Styles of Baked Beans Help Yourself!

You f Tube

SUMMER 2018 • 6 0

FROM THE PORCH

INSURANCE

Senior Planning CENTER

F IN ES A NC I C I V AL SER

New Units Available! Offering Independent and Assisted Living

Do you have questions about:

A Place Called Camp BY HUNTER HOWE

You won’t see this place featured on the Travel

Channel. There are no major airports nearby, no tourist attractions, no fancy hotels, no crowded restaurants, no taxis, no t-shirt shops, and no night life.

t’s a place found all over Maine, in the woods and the mountains, on lakes and along the coast. It’s an uncomplicated place where folks go to seek freedom, to feel alive and to enjoy the modest pleasures of life. It’s a place where folks embrace tradition, a sense of sameness and a lack of pretension, a sanctuary away from the strangling stress of today’s world. It’s a place Maine folks call CAMP. Many Mainers open their camps in April and May. However, May, with winter’s tenacious grip released, remains the more reliable month, tucked in between mud season and summer. It’s a month that promises good things to come. In Aroostook County where winters linger, many must wait until May to venture out to their camp. Here, owning a camp is a way of life. In particular, one envies those Fort Kent folks who travel 15 minutes south on Rt. 11 to their own version of paradise on Eagle Lake. Now that’s the right idea! For Maine folks, there are no better words than,“I’m headin’ to camp.” 61 • MAINE SENIORS

By mid May, the wharf’s in, canoes, kayaks and row boats rest on their sides against trees, holes in the screens repaired, cobwebs cleared and the camp cleaned. There’s a fresh, invigorating nip in the air, Bean flannel shirts still necessary to ward off the chill. The peepers have called in the spring. Loons glide by, a stern, sentinel-like Northern Hawk Owl perches on a branch high above, the fragrant scent of the lilacs sooth, the evening cricket chirping chorus sings and smoke swirling from the chimney satisfies. There’s a comforting pace to each day. One rises early, brews the coffee, ambles down the path, Golden Retriever sprinting along, to the wharf and the sunrise. The mug of hot coffee warms the hands. Across the lake, a meadow reaches upward to a pine forest. A lone fisherman, huddled over and enveloped in the mist, motors by. He nods, no words needed. It feels good. It reminds one of the lyrics,“Easy like Sunday Morning.” A crumbling stone wall forms a loose boundary on one side of the property, a brook running fast forms the other. The bonfire pit, smelling of wet soot from last year, needs shoveling out. The rope swing and hammock sway slowly in the morning breeze. An ancient push mower, used to cut a 10 minute swath of weeds, leans against the tool shed, its doors propped closed by a wooden pole. The porch provides entry to the lakeside view of the camp. A wood box, with a dull axe ready for sharpening, sits strategically outside the door. White flakes from worn wicker chairs sprinkle the sloping floor. A nickel plated Railroad Lantern with working wick adjustment hangs from a hook in the roof. A small forest green sofa bed serves as the requisite nap nook, suitable for late

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SUMMER 2018 • 6 2

MEDICARE MADE SIMPLE

FROM THE PORCH

Camp roots run deep, families passing

them on from one generation to the next. There’s something spot on about all this. afternoon snoozing with the dog. Fishing poles and waders occupy a corner. Wall pegs, located by the kitchen door, hold caps and coats. Although the porch is the cherished congregating area, it’s the kitchen where the main gathering takes place. A frayed Betty Crocker cookbook shares space on the Formica counter top with a varied collection of tins for holding stuff, vintage Yellow Ware mixing bowls and cans of evaporated milk, an important camp staple. Camp food means comfort food. The“chef” prepares meals on a black 1910 Home Clarion cookstove, manufactured in Bangor. Breakfast is standard fare, often bacon and eggs fried in a cast iron pan, home fries and biscuits slathered in butter. The steady hum of the Frigidaire provides background music while reading the weekly Gazette, purchased at the general store. For lunch, there’s usually a pea soup or beef stew simmering on the stove, next to the dented tea kettle with a coiled wire handle. Suppers include franks and beans, spaghetti and meatballs or chicken pot pie, with a side of fiddleheads.

Two rear rooms, added on 22 years ago, accommodate spindle and bunk beds covered with moth-eaten multi colored wool blankets. Cots, used for guests, stand folded against a wall. Camp’s not a fashion show, so closets are tiny. Steep stairs lead to the second floor and 3 more bedrooms, a refuge for hitting the sack. After supper, light conversation, playful bickering and laughter commence. As dusk turns to dark, conversation ebbs and camp folks settle back in the soft cushions of their favorite chair with a Stephen King novel. The dog slumbers on the threadbare braided rug. A cup of King Cole tea and a plate of Nissen chocolate donuts lie on the lamp table. It’s a Norman Rockwell scene. Camp roots run deep, families passing them on from one generation to the next. There’s something spot on about all this. Simply put, it’s a good way of living, a tradition like none other. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all find a place called Camp in the land of Maine? MSM

A wood burning Franklin Stove anchors the combined living room and parlor. Wooden skis, straps unbuckled and torn, cross on a wall. A Waterbury Eight Day Mantle Clock requires winding. An oak bookcase contains a library of yesteryear. One shelf holds Look, Life and Saturday Evening Post magazines and books by Maine authors Caldwell, Gould, McDonald and Day. Another shelf holds the Horatio Alger series, the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Another holds Scrabble and Monopoly games along with a Cribbage board and deck of Bicycle playing cards. 63 • MAINE SENIORS

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The camp’s outfitted with a mishmash of furniture and knickknacks found in antique barns and yard sales over the years. Numerous framed black and white photographs of four-masted schooners and fishermen standing in streams with distant mountains on the horizon decorate the walls. Only one bathroom, off the kitchen, services the camp, but not much time is spent sprucing up there.

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We’re available 8 am–8 pm, seven days a week from October 1 to February 14; and Monday through Friday the rest of the year. This is an advertisement. Martin’s Point Generations Advantage is a health plan with a Medicare contract offering HMO-POS, PPO, HMO, and HMO SNP products. Enrollment in a Martin’s Point Generations Advantage plan depends on contract renewal. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Contact the plan for more information. Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply. Benefits may change on January 1 of each year. Plan selection information from Medicare Advantage/Part D Contract and Enrollment Data reports available at www.cms.gov. Martin’s Point Health Care complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATTENTION: Si vous parlez français, des services d’aide linguistique vous sont proposés gratuitement. Appelez le 1-888-640-4423 (ATS : 711). ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-888-640-4423 (TTY: 711). Y0044_2018_163 Accepted: 4/6/18

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