MAY 2019 • $5.95 MESENIORS.COM
Governor Janet Mills
Meredith Strang Burgess
WOMEN of INFLUENCE Inside: • Women's Clubs • Age Friendly Maine
• Mother's Day • Goosebumps
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Publisher's Note
Foundation (MDF), Maine’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, Meredith is one of those busy people who still found time for public service.
PUBLISHER
David. S. Nealley EDITOR IN CHIEF
I first heard of Meredith from a colleague of hers, Betty Angell, who stated “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Meredith day in and day out for nearly two decades, and she never ceases to amaze me!" The combination of her professional achievements and her passion to help others, earned Meredith distinction and awards, for literally too many organizations to mention. Suffice it to say that Meredith is a winner!
Ellen L. Spooner CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Ian J. Marquis EDITORS
Catherine N. Zub Mark D. Roth
Lois N. Nealley Sheila D. Grant
Publisher David S. Nealley
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Victor Oboyski
Joe Sawyer
SALES & DISTRIBUTION
Christine Parker Randall Nichols Dale Overlock Larry Allen Jim Gorham A. Peter Legendre Clyde Tarr Jim Nute David Poirier Cornell McLellan
Dan Perreira Kim Reid Linda Allen Bob Bechard Jody Hinkley Judy Legendre Diane Nute Paul Conley Laurie A. Poirier
WRITERS
Barbara Beardsley Dr. Len Kaye Hunter Howe Paulette Oboyski Gary Crocker Paul Weeks
Chloe JonPaul Jane Margesson Brad Eden Ellen L. Spooner Sheila D. Grant
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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
At Maine Seniors magazine we understand that Maine is loaded with inspirational people.
W
e also understand that even though no person should be placed upon a pedestal, it is fulfilling to share stories of people who go above and beyond to beat the odds. These people give us hope. Hope that individuals who work hard enough can achieve their goals.
It took 199 years for Maine to inaugurate a female Governor. This is certainly a historic event that Maine can be proud to celebrate. Janet Mills made it happen! Okay this is huge, and yet, it is not the first time Janet has beaten the odds. Please enjoy the article about Governor Janet Mills and learn how “Life Lessons and Work Experience Led to the Blaine House”. To secure the story in time for our Women of Influence Issue I talked with Governor John Baldacci and he had this to say about our first female governor, “Janet is a true leader. She listens to people, researches issues, and makes up her own mind. She has chosen a good cross section of people to work with, and Maine will be well served under her leadership.”
This publication would not exist if it were not for our team of women. Please refer to our team listed on the prior page. Two of these women in particular have not only provided professional talent for Maine Seniors, but they have also provided me with the business guidance ensuring the quality of our magazine. Our Editor-in-Chief, Ellen Spooner (my aunt) and Editor, Lois Nealley (my mother) have made enormous contributions and should be listed as Prime Movers, too!
Ellen Spooner
Thank you to all of the women on our team, with a special thanks to my aunt and mother. This issue does not have a Food for Thought column. So, for this Mother’s Day, take her out to her favorite restaurant.
Cheers! —David S. Nealley, Publisher
Governor John Baldacci
Who wins over 100 awards? A real accomplished professional who has a lot of passion that’s who… and her name is Meredith Burgess. In addition to some of her current affiliations, including; Hebron Academy, Maine Employers Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC) Maine Historical Society, Maine Early Learning Investment Group (MELIG), Maine Development
Lois Nealley Betty Angell
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5 Prime Mover: Governor Janet T. Mills
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15 Prime Mover: Meredith Strang Burgess
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of Aging Motherhood • BY CHLOE JONPAUL
33 Just Pondering: Tiny Town • BY WALDO CLARK 35 The MAINE Point: Women's Clubs
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37 Age-Friendly Special: Making Downtown
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39 A Trail Less Traveled: Managing Mud
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49 From the Porch: How Life Tells A Story
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PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Governor Janet T. Mills
Governor
Janet T. Mills BY SHEILA D. GRANT
Governor Janet T. Mills is much like
many Maine seniors in some ways. She’s grateful that three of the five stepdaughters she raised, and all of her five grandchildren, live in Maine.
S
he worries over the health challenges of another of those stepdaughters, living in upstate New York, too far away to visit as often as she’d like. She gets excited about weekend birthday parties with the younger grands (ages 3 months and 3 years) and the upcoming graduation of the three oldest – all on the same day in June! Her hobbies include writing poetry, though seeing her poems in print is not a high priority.
Prosecutors Association. She also served three terms in the state legislature. Childhood influences point the way
Mills grew up with plenty of strong leaders in her life. Her father, Peter Mills Jr., was an attorney, a state representative, and served as United States Attorney for Maine in the 1950s. “He stood up for the little people, took the cases nobody else
In other ways, both wonderful and challenging, Mills has led a remarkable life that makes her uniquely qualified to be the first woman governor of Maine. “I don’t think I was born with that desire [to be of public service],” said Mills.“I dropped out of college. I didn’t have any kind of huge goal in life for a while. Then I was in and out of college, working in between. I was an English major until I graduated to French,” she said with a laugh, referring to her time hitchhiking around Europe as a young woman. Eventually, Mills landed back in her home state of Maine and became a lawyer. She went on to become Maine’s first woman criminal prosecutor in the Maine Attorney General’s Office, the first woman district attorney in New England, the first woman attorney general of Maine, a co-founder of the Maine Women’s Lobby, and for a time, the head of the Maine 5 • MAINE SENIORS
The late Margaret Chase Smith (back row, left), a former United States Senator from Maine, was a close friend to the Mills family. Also pictured are Katherine Mills (back), and from left, cousin Mary Stuart Mills, and Peter and Janet Mills.
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PRIME MOVER • Governor Janet T. Mills “My mother felt very strongly about being a professional high school English teacher. She was always an academic, always going back to college, and earned her master’s,” recalled Peter. “She very much regarded housework as a thing you didn’t have to be good at. We all had a turn, and things were distributed pretty evenly without regard to gender. We all learned to cook simple meals, do the vacuuming, and make beds, so that she wouldn’t have to be burdened with it entirely. “Janet grew up in a household with no distinctions for gender,” he continued. “There was nothing militant about it. We just never had any regard for women’s jobs and men’s jobs and it didn’t occur to anybody to make any such distinctions.” Peter, too, mentioned the example of Margaret Chase Smith. “Whenever she was in Maine, she would drop around,” he said. “She was a very powerful conversationalist and we were thrilled to listen to her. That was all absorbed, certainly, by Janet. We had pretty good role models, but the boys in the family didn’t think anything of it. Nobody thought it was particularly remarkable that Margaret Chase Smith was female, nor that my mother was kind of a homemade intellectual. It just came naturally.”
Governor Mills received the first Minerva Award, named for the goddess of wisdom, during the Maine New Leadership Women of Power Reception hosted by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center. Pictured: Amy Blackstone, Gov. Janet Mills, and Mary Cathcart. Photo courtesy of Jeff Kirlin,Thing of the Moment.
would want,” remembered Governor Mills. “He also helped develop the first non-discrimination law in our nation by enacting a law that if you had a liquor license in Maine you could not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, etc. I saw him stand up for his beliefs, sometimes against great odds.” Margaret Chase Smith, one of Maine’s most influential political figures and the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress, was a close family friend.“I knew her at an early age, but I didn’t know how important she was,” recalled Mills. “In high school, I won some public speaking contests, one of them by memorizing her ‘Declaration of Conscience’ speech.” Katherine Mills, mother to Janet, as well as older brothers Peter Mills, III, and David, and younger siblings, Paul and Dora Anne, was a high school English teacher who taught her children to communicate well and made sure they did their homework. She also provided an example of gender equality, according to brother Peter Mills, a former Maine state senator now serving as executive director of the Maine Turnpike Authority. 7 • MAINE SENIORS
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David, Peter Mills Jr., Peter Mills III, Katherine, and Janet seated on the couch while younger brother Paul sits at their feet.
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PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Governor Janet T. Mills
Being the first woman in each office wasn’t always easy.
“I was the first woman district attorney in the northeastern United States,” said Mills. “That was kind of fun. I got to attend national conferences. In a room of 500 men, when you are the only woman, you hear, ‘Get me a cup of coffee, dear.’ Sometimes it was hard getting your voice heard, there, and in the courtroom, too, where there were all male judges, cops, and defense attorneys. But, I think things have changed. People asked, when I first took office as district attorney, what it was like to be the first woman, and I said,‘I don’t know, because I’ve never been a male district attorney. I’m just trying to do my job.’” Mills may have acquired some of her tenacity as a teen facing spinal scoliosis during an era when the treatment was almost as punishing as the disease. “She had to have a spinal fusion,” explained youngest sibling Dr. Dora Anne Mills, former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, now a senior VP at MaineHealth.
Governor Mills tromping through the woods to check on bear dens with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Commissioner Judy Camuso and several wardens.
“She had to be shipped down to a Delaware hospital and was there by herself for two months because they did not allow families to visit. She had two major surgeries. She was in a body cast from her neck to her hips and spent the next several months in our living room on a hospital bed.
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In 1985, Janet Mills married widower Stan Kuklinski and became stepmom to five daughters. Pictured, from left: brothers Paul, Peter and David Mills, best man John Onestis, groom Stan Kuklinski, bride Janet Mills, sister Dora Anne Mills, and maid of honor Lauri Maloney.
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“This was a time in adolescence when most people are trying to assert themselves and find their independence,” noted Dr. Mills. “We had just moved back to Farmington after several years living in Gorham, so she had no friends. I can’t even imagine going through what she went through. But I think that was a turning point. My mother used to say that Janet went into that experience quite shy, but when she came out of that cast, she was feisty! And I think that whatever happened during that year made her much more empathetic to difficult situations.” MAY 2019 • 1 0
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On February 4, Mills said, "As Governor, I get to meet Mainers from all walks of life, but today I was especially honored to meet a group of veterans visiting the State House.”
Life Lessons Inform Current-day Issues
The battle with scoliosis was not Governor Mills’ only brush with demanding health challenges. In 1985, Mills married widower Stan Kuklinski, and became stepmother to his five girls, ranging in age from 4 to 16. The man who Mills calls the love of her life passed away in 2014, one year after a devastating stroke. “I’m certain that these experiences enhanced my understanding of healthcare and the health insurance system,” said Mills.“And my oldest stepdaughter has pretty severe MS, so I’ve watched her healthcare and health insurance challenges progress.” Mills takes issue with the lack of an integrated healthcare system, and “common sense things like why doctors don’t use email to communicate with patients,” she said. “And people are fighting with insurance companies over coverage issues, as I had to for my husband. He was in a nursing home, and they 11 • MAINE SENIORS
would call me at work every couple of weeks saying,‘You have to come get him because the insurance isn’t going to pay anymore.’” Mills had to appeal those insurance company denials seven times. “And we were some of the lucky ones,” she noted. “We had insurance, at least.” Mills also wants to address the high cost of pharmaceuticals during her administration. “I’m working with the legislature
“There is no reason on God's green earth why someone who has served their country in the military and lives in Maine should not have access to housing, food and the services they need.” —GOVERNOR JANET MILLS
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PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Governor Janet T. Mills lot of different approaches depending on the area, its economy, and its workforce.” Still, people will not be left homeless, she assured. “We are at 90-percent capacity statewide. We have beds available. Nobody should be getting kicked out.” Mills, at 71, is a fan of lifelong learning opportunities and programs that allow seniors to socialize, pursue intellectual stimulation, and perhaps, remain in the workforce, if they wish. “In terms of employment, there are workforce needs all over the place,” she said. Mills noted that senior college programs, like the Gold Leaf Institute at the University of Maine at Farmington, can be of great value to Maine’s older citizens.
Janet Trafton Mills being sworn in as the 75th Governor of Maine on January 2, 2019. Photo courtesy of Jeff Kirlin, Thing of the Moment
“And groups like the Maine Council on Aging and AARP, they are here every other Tuesday lobbying; their voices need to be heard constantly,” Mills said. “This spring, Commissioner of Health and Human Services Jeanne Lambrew is going to call together a group of people to discuss how to better address the needs of seniors,” Mills said.
on a drug pricing transparency bill, and we are trying to get a better handle on rebate programs,” she said.“And obviously, we are addressing the opioid crisis, which impacts all ages. There are 16,000 families now where grandparents are raising the children because of the parents’ inability to parent, many times due to opioid use, so that is a huge issue.” Mills has also proposed an additional $7 million in the budget to assist Maine seniors who fall into the funding gap for prescription drugs not covered by Medicare. On January 15, Mills signed a $15 million Senior Housing Bond approved by voters in 2015. Of that, $500,000 will be available immediately for weatherization and accessibility projects. “Some of the money in the bond will help with adaptation of communities and houses so that people are able to stay in their homes longer and are not required to go to assisted living or a nursing home because of their daily living needs,” said Mills.“Some of the funds will also be for home improvements, 13 • MAINE SENIORS
One topic will be scams and robo-calls.“As attorney general, I saw that we are losing thousands of dollars of people’s savings every week to these scams – money better spent on all the other vital needs that we have. That really irritates me.” While life experiences and work experiences play into Mills’ goals during her time in the Blaine House, brother Paul, an attorney in Farmington, thinks she’s always seemed right for the job. “Janet has always had a remarkable sense of grace and modesty, an occasionally self-deprecating sense of humor,” Paul said. “She always has been and continues to be a most wonderful, caring and phenomenal sister. She has always been very kind and thoughtful, not only to me, but also to all of my friends and acquaintances. She has a superb sense of balance and proportion. I cannot say enough great things about her. She exhibited these characteristics as a child, as a teenager, and continues to do so as an adult. Maine is most fortunate to have someone of her personal character, benevolence and balance MSM to be our chief executive.”
and some for new construction. I just signed off on, a month ago, more than 200 additional affordable housing units and weatherization for another 100 homes. I know the need is much greater than that, but it’s a start. We have 9,000 people on the wait list for affordable housing, last I heard.” Mills is also paying attention to the sustainability of Maine’s nursing homes. According to the Bangor Daily News, a record number of Maine nursing homes closed in 2018. Sonogee Rehabilitation and Living Center, a Bar Harbor-based nursing home with more than 50 residents, has announced that it will close this spring. “This is a complicated problem. Each of the nursing homes that has closed, has done so for different reasons,” Mills said. “For some, it’s a high Medicaid count with low reimbursement. Others complain about the minimum wage and competition in the workforce. Some are now doing their own training programs in-house. I think we have to be adaptable. This is not an issue that calls for one single solution. There could be a MAY 2019 • 1 4
PRIME MOVER • Meredith Strang Burgess
PRIME MOVER
Meredith has won over 100 awards!
From left, Oliver Payne, Alan Brewer, Meredith, Jack Stanyon
Meredith Strang
Burgess BY PAULETTE OBOYSKI
15 • MAINE SENIORS
M
eredith Strang Burgess is a Maine Woman for All Seasons who is successful and talented in many areas and whose life has taken many 90-degree turns.
She is the President and CEO of Burgess Advertising & Marketing; a 32-year-old full-service communications company in Falmouth, Maine. Meredith lives in Cumberland and has three grown sons who also live in Maine. In her office, she has a display of nearly 100 awards that she received for her public service and her professional endeavors. Meredith has been a responsible board member for many professional and non-profit associations. She has been a legislative
representative for her home district. She also is a huge fundraiser and activist for cancer concerns. Meredith was born in 1956 and raised in Camden. She grew up sailing, swimming and lifeguarding at the YMCA and skiing at Camden Snow Bowl and Sugarloaf. As a youth, she was a camper at Alford Lake Camp in summers and became a camp counselor when she was in college. She was involved in community service since she was a child. Her dad told her that she could do anything that she wanted with her life – and she did plenty!
MAY 2019 • 1 6
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PRIME MOVER • Meredith Strang Burgess
Meredith is the daughter of Walter Strang, a dentist in Camden. Her mother, Charlene Perkins Strang was a child custody social worker. Her older brother, Peter Strang, is a forensic psychiatrist. Meredith, a third-generation alumna of the University of Maine, Orono, graduated in 1978 with a degree in Natural Resource Management and a minor in Soil Science. She married after college and moved to the Boston area with her husband. She found an interesting job in the Boston suburbs working for McDonald’s Corporation. Meredith was trained by that company in advertising and marketing. She managed five McDonald’s restaurants in the area. In 1979, she returned to Maine and still worked for McDonald’s through Arnold Advertising, who had an annual contract with McDonald’s. Meredith worked out of the Portland office where she soon became Vice President for Account Services. When Arnold Advertising sold the agency in 1986, Meredith found three partners and opened a new advertising business, Burgess, Brewer, Stanyon & Payne, Inc. in Portland.
Meredith with sons from left Matthew, Andrew, Christopher
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Meredith with Angus King
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Oliver Payne has worked with Meredith for over 32 years; first as a partner and then in 1991, as a Creative Director, when Meredith became sole owner of what is now known as, Burgess Advertising & Marketing. Oliver notes,“We all spent ridiculous hours working when we first started our business, but Meredith was also involved with so many other things like starting the Ronald McDonald House, singing in the church choir, she became politically active and raised three boys, to a large extent, mostly by herself. She never sloughed-off once
Getting ready for Tri for a Cure
MAY 2019 • 1 8
PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Meredith Strang Burgess
Meredith’s company has been named one of Maine’s Best Places to Work in 2009 and 2010 and in 2011 was named the number one Best Place to Work in the small business category.
she made a commitment to a group or individual. It is amazing how much energy she puts into everything that she does.” Oliver continues,“A turning point in Meredith’s life was when she was divorced and then diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999. She made the most of it. She became active in breast cancer awareness and research and it gave her permission to take better care of herself. So, she took her free time to have fun and, in the end, it was a positive change. Another big turning point for her was being elected to the state legislature in 2006. Julie Jordon Marchese with Meredith
I think that re-energized her after working so hard with the business year after year. She became an expert on healthcare, especially in Maine. It honed her strategic thinking - having to pore through all that legislation and weed out what’s relevant. It was another career for her. This is something that she has done all her life - doing one thing well and taking those skills and applying them to something else.” Meredith always takes the time to respond and express something positive and supportive towards her employees. She wants them all to succeed and accommodates flexible work hours so they can take care of family and explore things that enrich their lives. She fosters cooperation and teamwork and encourages all the employees to contribute creative ideas. It is for reasons like this that Meredith’s company has been named one of Maine’s Best Places to Work in 2009 and 2010 and in 2011 was named the number one Best Place to Work in the small business category. Almost twenty years ago, while Meredith was President of the Board of the Maine Cancer Foundation (MCF), she
Meredith Strang Burgess’
Achievements Current Board Memberships: •
Hebron Academy
•
Maine Employers Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC)
•
Maine Historical Society
•
Maine Early Learning Investment Group (MELIG)
•
Maine Development Foundation (MDF)
•
Maine’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
Past Board Memberships: •
Past President of the Maine Cancer Foundation (2002-2007)
•
Boards of Maine Cancer Consortium & Maine Public Health Association
•
New England Board of Directors and National Government Affairs Committee for the American Association of Advertising Agencies from 1996-2013
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University of Maine Alumni Association Board of Directors
•
UMaine Mentors and Ambassador Programs
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Commission to create the Maine Children’s Growth Council and served 4 years on the Council
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Past President of Portland Ronald McDonald House (1995-2001) and board member through 2007
•
Past president of the Advertising Club of Greater Portland
•
Past President of the University of Maine Board of Visitors
Meredith with Jayne Crosby Giles
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PRIME MOVER • Meredith Strang Burgess
Meredith Strang Burgess’ Achievements (continued) Awards – Sample Snaphot:
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2005 WCSH 6 Those Who Care Award for volunteerism
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2006 Junior Achievement of Maine inducted her into the Maine Business Hall of Fame
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Past laureate in the Maine Business Hall of Fame
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Legislator of the Year Award from Maine Developmental Disabilities Council
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1992 received Advertising Club’s Conwell Award for contributing to the industry & community & social concerns
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1993 Received Block M Award for service to the University of Maine
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1993 received YWCA’s Tribute to Women in Industry award
•
•
1996 received Maine Public Relations Council’s Edward L. Bernays Award for outstanding contributions in the field of Public Relations
Legislative Advocacy Award from Maine Association for Community Service Providers for her commitment to supporting services for Maine people with disabilities
•
2007 Carroll Award for “extraordinary efforts to advance the path to a cancer free future”
•
2008 Maine Leadership Award for Breast Health from Maine Breast Health Cooperative
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1996 received Volunteers of America “Star” award
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1999 Governor’s Award for Business Excellence
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2000 awarded Eagle Feather Award from Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility
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2011 Great Woman of Maine award by MaineToday
•
2001 received Adult Good Samaritan Real Hero Award from American Red Cross, Portland Chapter
•
2011 Oral Health Hero by Maine Dental Coalition
•
2014 Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction Award
•
2003 National Jefferson Award for founding the Portland Ronald McDonald House
Everything Pink!
And many more!
Meredith & Althea—Paris
collaborated with Julie Jordan Marchese who is a dear friend and fellow breast cancer survivor. Meredith invited Julie to attend an MCF meeting. Meredith was heading up a new fundraiser, Cure Breast Cancer for Maine Luncheon, which in its 10-year history (2002-2012), raised over a million dollars. Julie volunteered to chair this fundraiser; which she did for five years. A little later, Julie joined the Maine Cancer Foundation Board and was on the Event Committee with Meredith. Tina Hewett-Gordon General Manager - 28 years Past President of the KennebunkKennebunkport Chamber of Commerce. Recipient of the Joel Stevens Community Spirit Award. Past President of the Maine Restaurant Association. Recipient of the Governor’s Award for Tourism Excellence.
21 • MAINE SENIORS
Jean Ginn Marvin Inn Keeper - 20 years Maine Innkeeper of the Year. Chair, Maine Community College Board of Trustees. Chair, New England Inns and Resorts Board. Chairman’s Award, Maine Innkeepers Association. Chair, Maine Ethics Commission. Six time State Representative, Maine Legislature.
While on the Event Committee, Julie founded the Tri for a Cure cancer fundraiser. This event is an all-women’s sprint triathlon for cancer support in the state of Maine, which has raised over 12 million dollars since its inception 12 years ago. Julie relates,“Since the first Tri for a Cure, Meredith has been the honored woman who starts the race with a pep talk for the participants and comes in last at the end of the race so that no one else will have to worry about being last. Together, with MAY 2019 • 2 2
PRIME MOVER
five women to replace her!
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and
Jayne Crosby Giles served with Meredith in the 123rd and 124th (2006-2010) Maine State Legislature and was Meredith’s seat-mate as well as dear friend. Jayne recalls, “Meredith was a very caring and engaged legislator. I remember that she hit the ground running in her first term with several pieces of legislation. She drew on her past personal involvement, such as her health experience, but also her business and community experience to find solutions to people’s problems. She was persistent to put forth work and reach across the aisle to work collaboratively with all legislators. Certainly, her own health journey as a cancer survivor motivated her in some of these bills. One in particular was when Meredith worked very hard to get legislation for the Pink Specialty License Plate to support cancer services in Maine. I was pleased to co-sponsor on that bill and was pleased to see that it had a positive effect on the people of Maine.” The Pink Specialty License Plate has been available for the past 10 years and has raised over 3 million dollars.
™
Politics is part of Meredith’s DNA. She is the third generation in her family to serve in the Maine State Legislature and she has attended almost every Maine State Republican Convention since 1972. Meredith served from 2006-2012 in the 123rd through 125th sessions of the Maine State Legislature in the House of Representatives.
are Trade Marks used under license from De Beers Group.
the events that we have done, cancer support has grown and flourished and serves the people that have been touched by cancer all over the state. She and I have done a lot of good in helping the Maine Cancer Foundation grow, and we are both pretty proud of that. We also try to out-do each other to own pink things. It seems that everything Meredith owns is pink!”
,
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helped many people in her home state of Maine. It would take about
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Meredith Strang Burgess has achieved many great things in her life and has
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Althea Bennett McGirr is the third-generation owner of Oakhurst Dairy. In the early 1990’s, Meredith’s agency became Oakhurst Dairy’s advertising firm. Althea was Director of Customer Service and Consumer Affairs at Oakhurst and she and Meredith became fast friends as well as working partners and embarked on many adventures over the years. They spent many happy times cruising Casco Bay on their boats with their families and Meredith’s staff. Althea recalls,“Burgess Advertising represented our company in many ways and in particular, helped with long hours of strategizing how to best see through our company’s on-going legal battle with Monsanto. Meredith inspired us to keep up
the fight; which we did. Meredith is one of those gifted women with an abundance of special friends who she is able to keep close and make them feel valued and special. Meredith and I decided to put our friendship to the test and joined up with our great friends as part of Maine Historical Society’s annual trips.” Meredith Strang Burgess has achieved many great things in her life and has helped many people in her home state of Maine. It would take about five women to replace her! We are grateful for all that she has accomplished because most of what she has done has been for the benefit of her fellow Mainers, especially women! Thank you, Meredith.
MSM
Celebrating the Women in our Community !
Meredith's Pep Talk at Tri for a Cure
25 • MAINE SENIORS
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Age Friendly MAINE
The third annual meeting of Aging Well in Waldo County, October 2018, attracted over 50 people interested in the issues of aging and livable communities.
BY DR. LEN KAYE
Age Friendly Maine Continues to Lead the Nation: The Saga of Waldo County
I
am delighted to report that Maine continues to be a leader in the “age-friendly” communities’ movement. Some 63 Maine communities have embarked on becoming more livable for their citizens of all ages. That remains more than any other state in America. I have previously reported on age friendly or livable communities in an earlier issue of Maine Seniors Magazine (MSM). These towns and communities are notable because they are making concerted efforts, informed by AARP guidelines, to maximize the ways in which older adults who live there (as well as residents of all ages) are encouraged to stay connected, involved and take full advantage of local offerings whether they be recreational, cultural, educational or health services and programs. Dr. Wendy C. Kasten, one of the local champions of the age-friendly movement in Waldo County was good enough to prepare an overview of progress being made by one such initiative in Maine being carried out at the county level. Wendy’s story follows: It’s a fact that Maine is a leader in the movement for “AgeFriendly” communities (states.aarp.org/maine-leading-u-sage-friendly-communities/). This could possibly have something to do with being the oldest state in the United States (Maine Council on Aging, 2012). Or, it could be because Maine is just a great place to live, with an enduring legacy of strong communities. 27 • MAINE SENIORS
Dr. Patricia Oh from Maine AARP, the liaison and consultant to help build “livable communities” in Maine welcomes the group.
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It’s a fact that Maine is a leader in the movement for “Age-Friendly” communities. This could possibly have something to do with being
the oldest state in the U.S.
In spring 2016, Samantha Paradis, the then Belfast Public Health Nurse (and now Mayor of Belfast), began talking to community leaders and citizens, asking what more could be done to support older residents. Belfast citizens showed a great deal of energy to get things moving. “I called a meeting of interested individuals and started the planning process in a few weeks,” Ms. Paradis recalls. A few meetings in, the group decided to include the entire county. Then, the movement had a name: Aging Well in Waldo County (AWWC). As daunting as that may sound, there are some good reasons to invite all 25 smaller municipalities in Waldo County to join in this movement along with Belfast, the county seat. The Belfast City Council endorsed the process early on, seeing the benefit to the residents of Belfast. The Waldo County Commissioners jumped on board soon after that, seeing the potential for the County. First commissioner Betty Johnson asked to join the newly developing board of the group and immediately became very active. Soon Waldo County General Hospital was helping. So was the County Sheriff Jeff Trafton, seeing this as an extension of public safety. Waldo County TRIAD joined the board. So did representatives from Waldo MAY 2019 • 2 8
Community Action Partners, Mid-coast Transportation, and more. And the list continues to grow.
Beethoven & RACHMANINOFF
Maine AARP had provided the first grant for AWWC to begin their work. The first step was an assessment of the county. The process yielded over 1000 completed surveys and interesting data. Transportation, social isolation, and affordable housing turned out to be the top three critical need areas. The top three cited assets of Waldo County, according to respondents, are Waldo County libraries, churches, and the YMCA.
Sunday, May 12 • 2:30 PM & MONDAY, MAY 13 • 7:30 PM
In 2017, the town of Liberty brought a contingent of citizens to the AWWC annual meeting. At the event, they wrote possible goals for Liberty (population 913) to alleviate social isolation. Retired teacher Suzanne Pelletier took a leadership role, arranging a meeting in Liberty to create and implement a plan. The new committee decided that seniors needed opportunities to socialize. Consequently, they began a monthly activity – a luncheon, an ice-cream social, a library program, and more.
Jeffrey Kahane, guest conductor Inna Dukach, soprano Dominic Armstrong. tenor Craig Irvin, baritone ChoralArt Masterworks
One year later, prior to the 2018 AWWC annual meeting, the Liberty committee met to assess their progress. Suzanne made a presentation to the attendees. Although their senior monthly events had grown from 14 to 57 attendees, they asked themselves, have we alleviated social isolation in Liberty? Their answer was yes and no. While they had made some impact, they also learned that alleviating social isolation means different things to different seniors. Some people are not interested in activities but would like to receive a phone call now and then, an opportunity for contact with another person. They have adjusted their plans for 2018-2019 as a result. Connie Bellet, the president of the Palermo (population 1525) Community Center and a member of the Executive Board of AWWC made the second presentation. Palermo had many activities going on at their community center. But, the aging building did not provide handicapped access. So, a group from Palermo raised funds, and sought assistance from Waldo County Habitat for Humanity. The handsome ramp, completed in July, was a cause for celebration, with at least one wheelchair bound resident attending. The last presentation was given by Waldo County Sheriff Jeff Trafton. Already a central figure in Waldo County TRIAD, (a partnership of citizens, law enforcement, and other local organizations dedicated to the improvement of the safety of older Waldo County residents through education and service), Jeff related AWWC’s beginning, work and goals. Jeff sees the
29 • MAINE SENIORS
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 1
Waldo County Sheriff Jeff Trafton provides an overview of the formation and work of Aging Well in Waldo County.
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work of AWWC as an extension of his goals for serving the greater Waldo County community. Students at the Waldo County Technical Center, where the event was held, cooked a buffet dinner for the 55+ people in attendance. Then, guests were treated to a cultural event participating with the Palermo based “Great Thunder Chickens” native American drumming group. Guests were invited to join in drumming, singing, and using rattles to enhance the music. As 2018 neared an end, Aging Well in Waldo County had become an organization with established bylaws, elected officers, a 25-member board of committed individuals, and many ideas for the next few years.
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In years to come, the board of AWWC hopes that every municipality in Waldo County will be having conversations about supporting older residents and initiating some new and logical initiatives which put ideas into actions. Becoming an agefriendly county means lots of meaningful hard work ahead MSM
CHLOE'S CORNER
CHLOE'S CORNER
The Ten Commandments
COMMANDMENT #5:
WELCOME TO L IVING
Thou shalt not make snide remarks about the son-in-law
of Aging Motherhood
Well.
WELCOME TO T HE PA RK DA NFORT H.
or daughter-in-law.
BY CLOE JONPAUL Married, widowed, or divorced, you most likely have children and grandchildren.
I
n today's world where more single women are opting to have children, this may be true as well. Consider these four ground rules that you can and should establish with your adult children. They should be able to:
•
Honor your privacy and independence.
•
Not make unreasonable requests of time or money.
•
Visit and call regularly but not daily (unless you prefer it that way).
•
Enjoy you as a person and friend - not just as their mother.
Your grandchildren may still be toddlers, pre-teens, teens, or young adults at this point in your life. You will be a prime example to them of what it means to age well, gracefully and elegantly. They will learn this by what they observe in your behavior, your speech, but most of all, your attitude. You have the right to remind them of acceptable behavior when they are in your house but leave the disciplining to Mom and Dad. And now, my dear, I ask you to consider: The Ten Commandments of Aging Motherhood: 1. Thou shalt not make unreasonable demands of your children.
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2. Thou shalt not be an enabler, continuously giving handouts to an able-bodied adult child. 3. Thou shalt not give unwanted advice. 4. Thou shalt not "tidy up" when visiting in their homes nor overstay your welcome. 5. Thou shalt not make snide remarks about the son-in-law or daughter-in-law.
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6. Thou shalt not complain about your personal problems. 7. Thou shalt not give gifts simply because you like them. 8. Thou shalt not pry into their personal lives.
Gather for a meal with friends in the main dining room or the casual bistro. Take in a movie in the comfortable theater. View fireworks over the Portland skyline from the fifth-floor roof deck. Enjoy concerts in the garden courtyard, lectures in the auditorium and activities with new and old friends that share your interests. Visit www.parkdanforth.com or give us a call at 207.797.7710 to set up a tour and discover why our residents say
9. Thou shalt not bring up painful memories in conversation 10. Thou shalt not fret when they don't call or visit as frequently as you would like.
11. Remember that they have their own lives to live.
When your home is at The Park Danforth, you can feel secure knowing that caring staff are on-site 24/7. You’ll enjoy the conveniences of on-site services including a salon, weekly banking and fitness classes. And with scheduled transportation to shopping and entertainment you’ll have freedom to enjoy life.
“I’m home for life!”
MSM
Personalized Senior Living Since 1881 | www.parkdanforth.com 207.797.7710 | 777 Stevens Avenue | Portland, Maine 04103
MAY 2019 • 3 2
Tiny
“THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY MUSEUM.”
Town
Hmm … Like Pliny, I wonder if the Dalai ever lived in a tiny house? On the surface, the idea sounds good to me. But, like Rocky Balboa who “invented” hitting the meat in cold storage, I invented modern skepticism. In fact, friends often refer to me as Waldo the Half-Eye. Letmetellya, I just don’t get the fuss over these tiny homesteads.
Pliny the Elder, Roman author and philosopher, said, “Home is where the heart is.”
H
e wasn’t kidding. I’m sure you’ve heard all about a new trend, tiny homes, especially if you watch the popular shows on HGTV. They’re also known as mini, compact, micro, and little houses; itsy-bitsy comes to mind,
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too. Elf-like, they resemble backyard dollhouses, she-sheds, and studio apartments. They’re all the rage. No doubt, this intriguing concept points to a growing social movement and real estate trend. And, as long-time readers of my columns know, I stay abreast of all the latest trends.
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33 • MAINE SENIORS
Converts desire an alternative to the high cost of living and the fast pace of life, attracted to low or no property taxes, low or no mortgage, reduced maintenance, lower utility bills, and greater movability and mobility. And, less stress. You see, tiny houses define simplicity. The Dalai Lama said, “If one’s life is so simple, contentment has to come. Simplicity is extremely important to happiness.”
BY WALDO CLARK
0 201
want to do, and live the life you’ve always wanted.”
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In general, they’re for folks seeking a minimalist lifestyle, a simpler, affordable proclivity, a smaller house with fewer possessions. Builders (some in Maine) customize these dwellings, fixed to the ground or on wheels, many in the 100500 square foot range and $10,000-$40,000 price range. Think old Pliny lived in a tiny house high above the Adriatic Sea? All this reminds me of a frontiersman heading to the mountains, all his worldly gear in his saddlebags. Or maybe a young lad who climbs up to his fancy tree house, high in the leafy clouds. Their goal, to get away, to escape, to attain self-sufficiency, to embrace freedom. They rebel against the mantra that bigger is better. Ryan Mitchell, author of Tiny House Living, said, “When you live intentionally, you realize you have choices—and the choices empower you to be where you want to be, do what you
I ponder over the compactness, a place where you eat, drink, watch TV, sleep, and“stink,” within a few feet of each other. Where’s the privacy? I ponder over relinquishing most of my precious sentimental stuff; gee, where will I put the popcorn machine? I ponder over banging my elbows. In particular, I ponder over seniors drastically downsizing and living in that claustrophobic setting after all those years of marriage togetherness—talk about closeness.“I want my space, Ralph.” Yet, data shows that two out of five buyers are seniors. Hey, I try and take the high road, to have an open mind. In fact, I’ve entertained the possibility of purchasing a tiny house. I’m an outdoors fella, out and about, kayaking and hiking. To point, Ryan Mitchell also said,“When you live in a tiny house, you live in such a small space, that you have to go out in the world to do your living in places other than your home.” After all, Mainers do embrace the time-honored spirit, dare to be different. I suppose I could purchase a tiny lot on a large lake up in the “County” and live in a tiny house. I’d buy a tiny boat and a tiny dog. If you visit, you’ll see my name on the mailbox at the beginning of my dirt road,“Wee” Waldo Clark. And, my sign, “Welcome to Tiny Town.” Of course, that depends on me invitin’ you up.
MSM MAY 2019 • 3 4
THE MAINE POINT
to find exact locations and for more information about the opportunities that await you should you choose to become a dues-paying member.
I am truly inspired by the Women’s Clubs in Maine and across the
country who continue to offer such
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Westbrook Women’s Club. Mary and Beth were brimming with ideas about how to celebrate but reminded me that their initiatives succeed because they are executed by group effort.“We bring together our diverse backgrounds and experiences so we can maximize our strengths,” Mary explained.“It is just so fulfilling to work as we do to deliver significant support and friendship to our neighbors and their families.”
meaningful ways for women to lead these community efforts.
without end, yet the group is always on the lookout for fresh ideas that will help expand their reach. The Westbrook Women’s Club is one of 16 such organizations in the state, each of which is a member of the Maine Federation of Women’s Clubs. While they all have their own distinct flavor, from Lubec to Bangor, Winterport to Waldoboro, these remarkable groups have established a rich tradition of community engagement. Simply visit www.gfwcmaine.org
Women’s Clubs:
A Legacy of Leadership
I am truly inspired by the Women’s Clubs in Maine and across the country who continue to offer such meaningful ways for women to lead these community efforts. I look forward to hearing more about their plans for the next 100 years! MSM
BY JANE MARGESSON
I always enjoy writing The Maine Point for the May issue each year.
T
his is the issue when we focus on women, and with so many wonderful stories to share, it is hard to choose just one. Still, when I heard about the Westbrook Women’s Club, I knew this was the perfect article to compose for this year.
What exactly is a Women’s Club? I didn’t know until I had a scintillating conversation with the Westbrook Club’s current president, Beth Turner, and board member, Mary Gavin. The non-political group was founded in the fall of 1919 by a small group of women who were spurred to action by the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution which gave women the right to vote. Beth explained to me that the goals they established then are the same they embrace to this day. “The object of our organization is to stimulate the intellectual life of 35 • MAINE SENIORS
our members, to promote the practice of charity and hospitality, and to actively participate in community improvement,” she said.“Any woman who is at least 18 years old and interested in serving our community or who seeks to broaden her interests is welcome to join.” The Club’s dedication to its goals is palpable. I am impressed with the spirit and panache of this small, but mighty local organization which quietly contributes so much to those around them. During the winter holidays, for example, members deliver gift cards to local firefighters to thank them for their service. In November, they host a special event and prepare almost 1,100 lobster rolls as a fund raiser, with all proceeds going to community programs. Their age-friendly approach enables the 60 Westbrook members to work across generations. Scholarships and leadership programs benefit junior and high school students, while the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party is a delightful event developed specifically for nursing home residents. The list of their accomplishments seems
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AGE-FRIENDLY SPECIAL
MAKING DOWNTOWN BETTER
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Making Downtown Better for Women Helps Everyone
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BY SHEILA D. GRANT
L
ast year, due to my seven-plus years as editorial director for the Downtown Development Center, I was invited to become the editor and a contributing author to Design Downtown for Women, Men Will Follow. The book has gotten quite a bit of buzz around the country, and even internationally. Not everything in its pages resonates with me. There are a dozen other authors, both genders, a wide variety of ages, from communities ranging in size from 5,000 to hundreds of thousands of residents. We are all bound to have experienced downtown differently. But what I do love is that the recommendations that would make downtowns better for women would also make them better for everyone else, including all of our Maine seniors. Recommendations call for safer walking surfaces that decrease the risk of a fall; parking facilities with fewer blind spots and more lighting; more seating of various sizes throughout our downtowns; and more very clean public restrooms.
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37 • MAINE SENIORS
Downtowns are designed at a male scale. In the United States (U.S.), the average man is six inches taller than the average woman. Older women and those from other countries are often shorter than the national average. That means our eye levels and reach radius vary greatly. Urban designers, and those who create downtown experiences, need to be mindful that wayfinding signage, informational kiosks, parking pay stations, storefront information, and more are at a comfortable eye level for everyone. So, if downtowns could be better for everyone, why focus on women? Because we make or influence over 80 percent of the consumer buying decisions in our households; our collective annual consumer spending is almost $4 trillion, and our business spending is nearly $2 trillion; women control 60 percent of the private wealth in the U.S.; and currently, there are more women living in the U.S. than there are men. And in Maine, the ‘oldest state in the nation,’ many of those women are also seniors. We simply can’t afford to overlook the needs of these women, and making downtowns better for MSM everyone is just the right thing to do. Design Downtown for Women is available on Amazon.com.
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MANAGING
Mud Season
Potholes in pavement are bad enough, but they pale in comparison to navigating dirt roads in the spring. BY BRAD EDEN
M
ost of April and part of May is the Maine mud season. The spring thaw may bring hope after a dismal Maine winter, but it also brings with it the aggravation of dealing with all the mud. That is never more apparent than for those of us who live on town dirt roads or should I call them Town Mud Wallows. It can mire our vehicles and it gets packed in our tires and wheel wells. That shaking in your front end while driving at the speed limit is likely the dirt in your wheels and not alignment problems or bad tires. I do have a spring mud story that may amuse some of you. Some years back my wife and I decided to take the dogs for a hike and do some pre-season turkey scouting. We headed out in my truck to a hilly blueberry barren at the end of a long dirt road. Spring thaw was in full swing, but a new cell tower had recently been erected atop this barren, so I figured the road in should be passable. We proceeded to climb a slight grade, and at a corner it looked a little soft up ahead. "Hmmm, this road isn't looking too good," I said, to which my intrepid companion retorted, "You have four-wheel drive don't you?” So, to retain my Man Card I pushed the 4HI button and we spun and slid around the bend. We motored on like a boat with an outboard motor, spitting gravel in a wake behind us. I knew we were in trouble, and suddenly the earth literally dropped out from under us, and the truck sank up to its running boards. I tried 4LO, but the spinning wheels and 39 • MAINE SENIORS
rocking only deepened our predicament. We were mired, over a mile from home, with no shovel, and we had forgotten our cell phones. (A lot of good that new cell tower did us.) We crawled out of the truck, and when we leashed the dogs they didn’t have to jump off the tailgate, since it was resting on the road. As soon we made it home I called a woodcutter friend who owned an assortment of heavy equipment. He wasn’t home. On to plan B: I remembered a small garage close by that did some towing and headed there in my wife’s car. When I
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but it also brings with it the aggravation of dealing with all the mud. arrived and saw the old-timer and equally aged flatbed tow truck I sensed this might get sketchy. I suggested that maybe I should find someone with a skidder or bulldozer, but he was willing to look over the situation. So off we went, stopping at my house to grab a shovel.
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41 • MAINE SENIORS
We parked at the bottom of the dirt road and walked up to the corner where we could see the top of my truck up ahead. His winch would only reach about 100 feet, which was too short to reach my bumper from the last solid spot. He kicked some dirt around, scratched his head and muttered, "Weeeelll, I think I can get up thaya as long as I stick close to the side heya”. He turned the tow truck around and started backing up the dirt road. He came around that corner, and after making it a few yards he sunk into the mud like a crippled ocean liner.
Now we had a tow truck with its nose facing downhill, and behind it a pickup truck facing rear-end downhill, and we both had to get past the wallow we had created getting the tow truck out. I tried turning my truck around, but the road was too narrow and the middle too soft. It was backwards or not at all. My new best friend was able to blast his way through the sinkhole by shear momentum. I put my truck in reverse, said a prayer, and selectively logged the woods on the side of the road as I motored through at a 45-degree angle. I made it to solid terra firma. I wrote this taciturn Mainer a nice check, with a tip, and bid him farewell. It was like seeing an old war buddy drive off. Outside of sounding like I had poured sand in my wheel bearings and some scratches and dings from bouncing off trees, my truck seemed OK. And it was back to normal after a hose down. So, if you are ever in doubt about the conditions of a road during mud season, go with your instincts, and don’t listen to whoever is riding shotgun, especially if it’s your wife. True story.
MSM
The old-timer’s bemused expression never changed. He wasn’t about to give up. Without a word he exited the truck, grabbed his winch hook, threw the cable over his shoulder and dragged it up the road towards my truck and securely attached it to a tree trunk. Before he crawled back into the cab to steer he showed me how to operate the winch controls on the side of the truck. Have you ever watched paint dry? That’s how slow this dinosaur crawled out of that abyss: inch, by inch, by inch. Due to the angle, the cable was stretched and straining, creaking and groaning a foot from my head the whole time. After stopping to reset the cable on trees further up the road a couple of times, the smoking behemoth finally stood half in mud and half on the solid shoulder. But it was close enough for the winch cable to reach my truck. I grabbed the shovel and dug out as much dirt and mud from under my rear bumper, trailer hitch and exhaust pipe as I could, and set the winch hook over my hitch ball. I got in, put it in reverse, and he winched my truck out of the mud, down the road and onto the same solid shoulder of the road. MAY 2019 • 4 2
LEGACY
LEGACY
Guest Article
Joe & Jeannine Anderson
A Woman’s Gift
Women have become powerful forces in philanthropy, whether they choose to be recognized or not. The non-profit world owes much
in Washington County
Miles of interstate followed by miles of two-lane highway—it may not be Fort Kent or Madawaska, but it feels about as far away from the bustle of Portland as a person can get.
T
his is February in Lubec. Once the fall foliage is gone and the snow flies, it seems almost lifeless. But Mass at Sacred Heart Church is a complete contrast.
Pulling into the church parking lot for Mass, one can see about 60 cars—more than in the entire village. Inside, the building is warm and inviting. After Mass, Father invites Director Elizabeth Badger to speak about the Catholic Foundation of Maine and the endowment set up for St. Peter the Fisherman Parish and Sacred Heart Church. Jeannine Anderson founded the St. Peter the Fisherman Parish/ Sacred Heart Church Endowment in Memory of Joe Anderson to help with general maintenance in the parish. Anne Seavey, a church member, remembers Joe well.
“He was a well-respected man in the church and in the community. Joe was a wonderful person and a very devoted Catholic,” Anne said. 43 • MAINE SENIORS
to female donors.
When Joe passed away, his wife wanted to honor his legacy by contributing to their church and parish in a lasting way. Jeannine’s generosity is also encouraging others to pursue founding endowments for causes they hold dear. While Jeannine’s contribution has generated a great deal of interest for Catholic Foundation of Maine recently, she is not the only woman to generously contribute. Women are increasingly likely to earn advanced degrees and rise to executive levels, increasing female earning power. And according to the Center for Talent Innovation, 90 per cent of women who have investible assets want to invest their wealth in ways that help their communities. Based on this information, endowment funds—focused on causes that can directly benefit the donor’s community— should match female donors’ priorities. However, when asked about other women who have founded endowments with Catholic Foundation of Maine, Director Elizabeth Badger said, “It’s difficult to say how many female founders there are. Sometimes women are more interested in being anonymous. Other times, a husband and wife will found an endowment, but the wife seems like the one influencing the decision.”
Other women seem to prefer staying quietly in the background. Jeannine—like many other female donors— seems reluctant to talk about herself. When talking to those who knew the Anderson family, the memories they share are about Joe. Jeannine clearly wanted the attention focused on her husband’s legacy. Women have become powerful forces in philanthropy, whether they choose to be recognized or not. As more women earn advanced degrees and occupy executive level positions, their earning power will continue to increase until women become the driving force in philanthropy. Regardless of how women choose to leave a legacy, the non-profit world owes much to MSM female donors.
Interior Sacred Heart Lubec Portrait
West Quoddy Head Light
For more information about Catholic Foundation of Maine or giving through an endowment, please contact: Elizabeth Badger, Executive Director: (207) 321-7820 www.catholicfoundationmaine.org
MAY 2019 • 4 4
NATIONAL PET MONTH
SPECIAL
Leave a Legacy
Arrives BY PAUL WEEKS
H
e’s wandering around a travel plaza outside San Antonio, soaking wet, and wearing a silly dog sweater that looks like a dinner jacket with a green collar. It’s a thing in Texas to put sweaters on stray dogs when it’s cold. A photo records the event. A kind lady who rescues strays offers him some food, and before she knows it, he jumps in her car. “He rescued himself,” she says. That’s the beginning of his long trip to Maine. The kind lady decides to call him Professor because of the dinner jacket. She has four dogs of her own, plus a lot of “foster dogs” like him passing through her care. Coming up with names can be hard. My last dog came from the local shelter. He was a faithful, well-behaved, loving companion. I didn’t want to deal with a puppy, but nearly all the young dogs looking for homes at the shelter are “pit-bull mix.” A lot of people are leery of pit bulls. I wanted a “people dog.” 45 • MAINE SENIORS
When I’m ready to turn in, I call Professor into my bedroom. He sniffs at his new bed. I put his blanket on it, and he settles down. I get in my bed. Professor doesn’t try to climb up but nuzzles the side of my mattress. I fall asleep scratching his head, my new companion. MSM
Is pet adoption right for you?
Professor He’s a German shepherdhound mix, only 50 pounds.
over for me to rub his tummy with my foot. Evening comes. When I feed him, he picks at his new dish.
Remember the Catholic Foundation of Maine in your will or estate plans! Give a gift to any of our endowments or create your own... a lasting legacy.
One day, I stumble across Stacy’s Facebook page. We worked together several years ago. She is now involved with rescuing abandoned dogs that she and like-minded people rescue, transport, and place in good homes. It’s like an Underground Railroad for dogs. I connect with Stacy and two days later, she messages me that a German shepherd mix called Professor is on his way from Texas to Maine, and if it works out, he’s mine! Wow! Then the waiting. I follow Professor’s progress on Facebook. He’s in Missouri, then Ohio, and delayed by weather. A detour into Canada, near Toronto. Then Niagara Falls. Stacy sends me a message. Professor is in Vermont and I need to pick him up in Bethel at ten am Sunday morning. Gulp! This is real. I need food and water dishes. Do I get a crate? It’s Sunday morning. I get to Bethel ten minutes early. There he is! His Vermont “foster” is standing with Professor and another dog in the corner of the convenience store parking lot, near the grass and trees. He gives me the lowdown on Professor and a nylon bag containing a blanket and a worn manila envelope containing his vet records.
Catholic Foundation of Maine
PO Box 799, Portland ME 04104 207-321-7820 • catholicfoundationmaine.org
My last dog came from the local shelter. He was a faithful, wellbehaved, loving companion. Professor is friendly, but his tail is tightly wrapped between his legs. Soon, however, I have him in the back seat of my car, and after some pets and assurances, we’re headed back to Bangor. Professor mostly sleeps on the ride. Professor is calm as we pull in my driveway. I get him out of the car and let him sniff around the yard and start marking his new territory. I bring him inside. Professor starts investigating the house, nose down and tail wagging. There is a moment of dog toenails and cat spit under the kitchen table, then a blur that’s probably my cat zooming upstairs. Professor returns and lies down at my feet, rolling
Professor is a success story. After a long, unsuccessful search in public shelters, I was quickly matched with a good dog through a private rescue group, and we have done well. I was fortunate to have someone I knew, Stacy, to guide me through the process. It is no small task to add a new pet to your household. There are important questions to ask: Do I have time and energy to devote to this pet, particularly if you’re adopting a dog? Is the pet healthy? Are you receiving vet records to confirm this? How much will this adoption cost? What credentials does the rescue group have? Will they help you if problems arise? Most important, will the private rescue group take the pet back if things don’t work out? You need to do your research before adopting any pet. Here are some links to private-rescue sites that may help if you are interested in acquiring a new, four-legged family member. I have no information on the groups behind these links and am not endorsing any of them. The information on these sites focuses on the important questions to ask the rescuers and yourself. www.upforpups.org/about/ www.bdscr.org/info/ display?PageID=5689 www.reddit.com/r/dogs/comments/ 3f5quy/discussion_reputable_rescues/
MAY 2019 • 4 6
A TRAIL LESS HUMOR TRAVELED ME
HUMOR ME
Shirley hit the mother of all frost
heaves, known locally as little Katahdin, somewhere between 60 and 70mph!
needs to put a new muffler on that truck). So, they grabbed their pencils and score sheets as she approached. The distance judge estimated that she had executed a clean 75ft jump and finished with a four-point landing. She did slam her head into the side window which could have cost her style points. But the fact that she never spilled one drop of Bruce’s coffee erased that miscue.
Frost Heave Season BY GARY CROCKER
So, she took first place for both distance and style. And although she broke both axles and flattened all four tires, Bruce said he couldn’t have been more proud of his bride!
Well, we’ve wrapped up another very
competitive Frost Heave Season, and this year’s winner was a complete surprise, even to her!
W
hen those orange signs started popping up on trees and telephone poles all the usual suspects started reinforcing the undercarriage of their vehicles for a run at this year’s title!
As usual, the West Gardiner faithful began putting lawn chairs in snow banks near their favorite frost heave and settling in for the fun. And out of nowhere, a rookie, my cousin Shirley stole the show......and the championship with a jump of nearly 60 feet! But, let’s back up a bit and consider what led to Shirley’s unexpected trip to the winner’s circle. First off, she was driving her husband Bruce’s Dodge Ram Charger truck! She had grabbed the keys to Bruce’s truck because it handles better on rough roads. Bruce had asked her to drive to Fuller's Diner and get him a hot coffee and a fresh donut. And she didn’t want to spill a drop of coffee or 47 • MAINE SENIORS
lose her grip on that donut on the way home. And Bruce likes his coffee scalding hot, so she would be driving fast. As Shirley tells it, the “accidental” competition is a bit of a blur. Apparently, she left the diner with the coffee in one hand and a donut in the other. Once she reached cruising speed she was steering with her left knee and holding the gas pedal to the floor with her right foot, with her full focus on the coffee and donut. Which is when it happened.
Given the expensive repairs and the cost of new tires for his truck, Bruce said Shirley’s career as a frost heave jumper was over. “I just can’t afford to pay that much for a cup of coffee and a donut,” he quipped! “Oh, and Shirley ran up quite a bill at the chiropractor before she was able to walk upright again!” Be careful on our roads, especially in the Spring of the year!
MSM
To contact Gary, for more or less humor at your event, visit garycrocker.com
Shirley hit the mother of all frost heaves, known locally as little Katahdin, somewhere between 60 and 70mph! When she became airborne she was a bit shocked, to say the least. But she could do little more than ride it out at this point. Thankful she had put on her seatbelt, she held the coffee and donut in a death grip and braced for impact when she succumbed to gravity! As luck would have it, the competition judges had just settled into their lawn chairs when they heard Shirley coming (Bruce
MAY 2019 • 4 8
FROM THE PORCH
FROM THE PORCH Rick (Bogey) appears and points to my empty glass. The barkeep pours more bubbly. Rick clinks his glass against mine and nods. I nod back. Perhaps the beginning of a beautiful friendship. What a gin joint. Goosebumps. Yankee Doodle Dandy: It’s WW11 After a year behind enemy lines in Poland, I’d just returned to Washington for debriefing and reassignment. Wearing a soiled, wrinkled uniform, I stand on a curb viewing a military parade on Pennsylvania Avenue. My friend, George M. Cohan (James Cagney) emerges from the White House clutching a Congressional Gold Medal given to him by F.D.R. He nods. I nod back. We step into the street and join the soldiers, our shoulders erect, strutting briskly to the tune of “Over There” (… the Yanks are coming). Proud Americans. Goosebumps.
Goosebumps BY HUNTER HOWE
When I’m stumbling about in mental slow motion, my drowsy mind requires recharging, an instant spark of sizzling stimulation.
Or, a great movie. Neuroscientist Abhjit Naskar, in The Film Testament, said,“A movie is not a movie, it is a potential nuclear furnace of inspiration, courage, and conscience.” I play pretend.
F
or immediate oxygen-inducing internal fuel combustion, I turn to You Tube and seek out Earth, Wind, and Fire’s song, “That’s the Way of the World,” with its flame-throwing lyrics,“Hearts of Fire.” And, I blare it.
Move over Elvis Presley. I clone his gyrating, stylishly smooth dancing act, a modern-day Gene Kelly on steroids. Like Navy Seals attacking an enemy compound, I’m alert, pumped, and determined. Hearts of Fire! Most of the time, however, for an emotional uplift, I only need a subtle booster shot. Actor Danny Aiello said, “I need distractions. Good distractions, not bad ones. A good distraction for me is a great play.” 49 • MAINE SENIORS
Casablanca: I’m sitting at the bar sipping Champagne in Rick’s Café Americain, thirsty after slipping through narrow, confining back alley ways of Morocco, swatting flies and concealing highly sought-after exit visas. Brash German officers sing“Die Wacht an Rhein” (The Watch on the Rhein). Dashing Victor Laszlo, a Czech nationalist whose political activities are a threat to the Germans, leaves the captivating Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), approaches the house band, and orders them to play the powerful French national anthem, “La Marseillaise.” With Laszlo leading the band, most of the patriotic patrons join in, their voices dripping with fervent emotion, drowning out the Germans, who stop and stare.
The Adventures of Robin Hood: Like Saxon Robin (Errol Flynn), stripped of my title and vast land holdings, I’d escaped to the protective covering of the lush, deep Sherwood Forest where the devoted downtrodden pledged fierce allegiance to Robin of Locksley. As I check the feathers in my quill and the tension in my bow, I feel a tap on my shoulder, Will Scarlett. We look
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up into a mighty oak where Robin, gallant as ever, stands on a massive branch, looking down and taunting the agitated and flustered Sheriff of Nottingham. Later at a bountiful feast, I hear him tell Lady Marion (Olivia de Havilland) that “It’s injustice I hate, not the Normans.” He winks at me and nods. Oh that mischievous smile. I nod back. For King Richard and England. Goosebumps. The Magnificent Seven: A mountain man, I’d trapped beaver along the far western Canadian border. Coming back through Nebraska, my mules loaded down with pelts, five Pawnee attacked and confiscated my booty. Left with nothing, I head for the southwest, where in a small town on the Mexican border, I bump into old friend Chris (Yul Brenner). He urges me to join a group played by—Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Horst Bucholt, and Brad Dexter, to defend a small, agricultural village menaced by local bandits. I’ll never forget riding through the arid countryside with such a determined and capable bunch, faced with overwhelming odds. Although successful, only Yul, Steve, Horst, and I survive. As we ride out, for the last time, MAY 2019 • 5 0
FROM THE PORCH
FROM THE PORCH
Most of the time, however, for an emotional uplift, I only need a subtle booster shot. Actor Danny Aiello said,
“I need distractions. Good distractions, not bad ones. A good distraction for
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me is a great play.”
we stop and look back. Horst returns to the village. Yul nods at me in appreciation, an appreciation only the battle-weary reserve for each other. I nod back. The villagers, their dignity intact, wave goodbye. Goosebumps. Gigi: A wine merchant from Lyon, I’d conducted business in Paris. After a tiring day, I sit outside a Parisian bistro with a Chateau Marguax for company. Actors, dapper Maurice Chevalier, bow tie and cane, and elegant Hermione Gingold, occupy the next table. They launch into, “I Remember it Well.” Overcome, I ask the waiter to bring a bottle to their table. Maurice turns and acknowledges me with a warm, Page1 SHELL {PartNumber}_[Y0114_19_35830_U_C_807]
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gracious nod. I nod back. I think back. Was it a Tuesday, no, a Wednesday? I Remember it Well. Goosebumps. Lawrence of Arabia: Sent by the high command in England to check on the elusive whereabouts of eccentric British Army officer T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), I regret agreeing to the mission. Hot and dusty, I bounce up and down, barely holding on to a smelly camel. I sneak a glance at Lawrence, his pensive, distant, penetrating eyes fixated straight ahead. He looks like he’s ridden these beasts all his life. Lawrence, committed to helping the Arabs, charges with hundreds of Bedouins toward the coastal town of Aqaba, held by the Turks. Surprise wins the day; the city falls. Near dusk, I join him on the shore of the calm Red Sea, while the Arabs sack the city. He turns, and with those piercing eyes, nods. I nod back. What will history show? Goosebumps. Like a little boy, high above the ground in his tree fort, I think and dream, of faraway places, of adventures, of the journey. I hear Robert Goulet singing, “On a clear day Rise and look around you
I’m a senior, at times needing a recharge. Yes, I play pretend, through the movies, without regret or guilt.
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MSM
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SPECIAL
Mother's Day BY BARBARA BEARDSLEY
T
hinking about Mother’s Day is different from what it once was, because my mom died in 2017. It is hard to celebrate this holiday that was always about her. Yet, something I saw on television recently has turned me inward and upward today. There were several stories, well produced and worthy of the tears I shed at the end of each segment, about people who had lost their mothers, too. In these stories there was a common thread of resilience and gratitude in which I found inspiration. The adult children who shared their experiences spoke of learning to get to know their moms better as they themselves aged, even though their mother was no longer physically with them. This makes sense.
The older we are, theoretically, the wiser, yes? So, as we mature and grow, we can more clearly see how we connect to our moms, and what they gave us. And that, as one person said, is our heritage. I am thinking today of how grateful I am to have had my mother for as long as I did; to help me see what I wanted and what I didn’t want. She gave me so many lessons in how to persevere, how to let things go that weren’t all that important, and how to move on. She also gave me a sense of why it’s important to always be there for your children. No matter how complicated, oblique, or deeply layered our relationship became, I always knew that she was, bottom line, on my side. 53 • MAINE SENIORS
I was lucky to have the connection I had with my mom. I’ve seen what happens to people who aren’t assured of their mother’s love: I’ve seen the way the world rips them apart and
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I am not sure if my mother can hear this, but I am going to say it anyway…just in case there’s an angel listening who can translate for me. Thanks, Mom, for being there. For giving me life. For keeping me safe and dry. For teaching me how to be so grateful that I get to be a mom to my own darling daughter. Thanks for setting an example, that was passed down from your mother, on how to love and share and “take what comes”. MSM I love you, Mom.
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