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GOR • MILFORD • MEDWAY • DOVER-FOXCROFT • BOOTHBAY HARBOR • MADAWASKA • BAR HARBOR • MILO • BREWER • CARIBOU • GUILFORD • CA

Mud Season

4 Top Tips to Keep the Mud Out

Kitchen Confidential:

The Juice Cellar Fresh Air Time Maine Youth Fish and Game Association Gets Kids Outside

Mover & Shaker Chapel Hill’s Florist Mark Pellon

Inside:

Then & Now: Guilford Food File: Rosemary Romano Focaccia News from the Crown of Maine Home & Garden Special Feature

$5.95

Bringing the

Outside In Fun and trendy terrariums bring the great outdoors into your home

April 2015

Your people, your region, your magazine.

APRIL 2015

contents

features AWARD-WINNING DESIGN / 12 Mark Pellon creates floral masterpieces at Chapel Hill Floral TEAMING UP FOR A CAUSE / 16 Volunteer database created for Maine Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Network MUD SEASON / 22 Put up a good defense in the fight against spring mud season NOW & THEN: GUILFORD / 30 Top spots to seek out in Guilford ROSEMARY ROMANO FOCACCIA / 42 Delicious airy loaf brings family together FINDING HIS ROOTS / 46 Chris Roberts brings plant-based cuisine to Bangor and Belfast CROWN OF MAINE / 61 News from Aroostook County

SHAPING THE LANDSCAPE / 74 Lunaform creates more than your garden-variety planters

Rosemary Romano Focaccia, page 42 ON THE COVER

Terrariums fun and easy to make. Check out our DIY tips on page 68.

Cover Photo: Brian Feulner

2 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

68 PHOTOS: (TOP) BRIAN FEULNER; (BOTTOM) SARAH WALKER CARON

OUTSIDE IN / 68 Step-by-step guide to creating beautiful terrariums

46

Zucchini Bread Memories, page 78

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) ASHLEY CONTI; BDN FILE PHOTO BY LINDA COAN O’KRESIK; WHITE_CATY/THINKSTOCK.COM

36

in every issue

columns

TALK OF THE TOWNS / 8 News from your communities

METRO WELLNESS / 21 Finding balance in Fitbit obsession

BIZ BUZZ & SIGHTINGS / 10 People and places on the move

MAINE WOODS & WATERS / 58 Kids play and learn at Pickerel Pond

METRO SPORTS / 36 FUSION Bangor is dodging ordinary sports; PI baseball advocate

ROOTED IN ME / 78 Zucchini bread draws fond memories

WHAT’S HAPPENING / 39 Enjoy April to its fullest PERSPECTIVES / 50 The work of Caleb Charland SAVVY SENIORS / 52 Resources for senior entrepreneurs REAL ESTATE / 54 Winterport home on the market

LAST WORD / 80 Guarding against pests – inside and out

BONUS FEATURE! 2015 GARDEN SHOW FEATURE Get ready for spring with gardening tips and resources

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES • Scan the code to visit us at bangormetro.com Visit us out on Facebook to enter fun giveaways!

Check out our interactive map of Guilford (featured in Now & Then on page 30) More photos from events around our region.

Email your own event photos: sightings@bangormetro.com

page 67 www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3

editor’s note

It’s been an exciting few months and we’re looking forward to what the summer will hold for Bangor Metro.

We recently moved to our new location at One Merchants Plaza in the heart of downtown Bangor. We’re thrilled to be part of the buzz of the city, but are looking forward to some summer trips out of the city for lobster, a little hiking and some Maine summer fun as the weather (hopefully) starts to warm up.

This month, we bring you our home and garden issue, filled with stories about all that blooms in Maine. From a local business that specializes in allweather gardening containers to DIY terrariums that bring a little bit of the outdoors inside all year round, we’ve got a little something for every level of green thumb.

And even if your thumb isn’t so green, we’re sure you can use the tips provided by Natalie Feulner in her piece about keeping the mud outside of your house this spring as our state begins to emerge from winter’s deep freeze.

As always, please keep sending your feedback to editor@bangormetro.com, continue posting your upcoming events at bangormetro.com, and be sure to find us on Facebook and Twitter for facebook.com/BangorMetro and @BangorMetro.

Out & About

Promoting Baseball for All page 38

AIMEE THIBODEAU, MANAGING EDITOR

Aimee Thibodeau and a colleague’s daughter admire a fox fur during the Cabin Fever Reliever at Brewer Auditorium.

Unique P lanters in Sullivan page 74 The Bangor Metro Region

Connect with Bangor Metro Online! bangormetro.com facebook.com/BangorMetro @BangorMetro editor@bangormetro.com

4 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

IMAGE: KATE CRABTREE

Then &Now: Guilford page 30

www.bangormetro.com P.O. Box 1329 Bangor, Maine 04402-1329 Phone: 207.990.8000

MANAGING EDITOR

Aimee Thibodeau athibodeau@bangordailynews.com

STAFF WRITER

Natalie Fuelner nfuelner@bangordailynews.com

SALES MANAGER

Laurie Cates lcates@bangordailynews.com

ART DIRECTOR

Amy Allen aallen@bangordailynews.com

SUBSCRIPTION & PROMOTIONS MANAGER

Pat Lemieux

STAFF PHOTOS: JUSTIN RUSSELL, MELANIE BROOKS, GABOR DEGRE & BRIAN FEULNER

plemieux@bangordailynews.com

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 5

Welcome Mike Kelley Machias Savings Bank welcomes Mike J. Kelley, Executive Vice President of Business Banking.

Mike brings over 40 years of banking experience to the Presque Isle area.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Sarah Walker Caron

Jane Margesson

Bob Duchesne

Chris Quimby

Deb Neuman

Richard Shaw

“Machias Savings Bank’s history of commitment to the communities of Maine and its recent acquisition in Aroostook County played a major role in my decision. I look forward to joining and participating in the continued success and growth of Machias Savings Bank.”

Emilie Brand Throckmorton

To experience Exceptional Banking in Presque Isle, call Mike today.

Mike J. Kelley Executive Vice President / Business Banking 9 Dyer Street / Presque Isle, ME 207-561-3976

Member FDIC

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS

Ashley Conti

Brian Feulner

Bangor Metro Magazine. April 2015, Vol. 11, No. 3.

Copyright © Metro Publishing LLC. Bangor Metro is published ten times annually by Metro Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.

This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written permission of the Publisher.

Bangor Metro is mailed at standard rates from Portland, Maine.

Opinions expressed in either the editorial or advertisements do not represent the opinions of the staff or publisher of Bangor Metro magazine. Advertisers and event sponsors or their agents are responsible for copyrights and accuracy of all material they submit. Bangor Metro magazine to the best of its ability ensures the acuracy of information printed in the publication.

Inquiries and suggestions are welcome and encouraged.

Letters to the editor, story suggestions, and other reader input will be subject to Bangor Metro’s unrestricted right to edit and publish in the magazine both in print and online.

Editorial: Queries should be sent to Aimee Thibodeau at athibodeau@bangordailynews.com.

Advertising: For advertising questions, please call the Sales Manager, Laurie Cates at 207-990-8149.

Subscriptions/Address Change: A one year subscription cost is $19.95. Address changes: to ensure delivery, subscribers must notify the magazine of address changes one month in advance of the cover date.

Please contact Pat Lemieux at 207-990-8219.

Accounts Payable/Receivable: For information about your account please contact Laurie Cates at 207-990-8149.

COVER PHOTO: Brian Feulner

Date night?

Visit bangormetro.com and check out our calendar of events www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 7

talk of the towns

The Ellsworth branch of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust chose Birdsacr e as the beneficiary of their Commun ity Commitment charitable givin g program.

The Machias branch of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust chose the Helen’s Restaurant Employee Fund as the beneficiary of their Community Commitment charitable giving program.

Community Commitment BAR HARBOR: Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, in partnership with its employees and directors, donated $11,378 through the bank’s Community Commitment program during 2014. The non-profit organizations receiving these funds included: Hope Elephants, Acadia Wildlife Foundation, Island Community Center, Birds Acre/ Stanwood Wildlife, Family Crisis Services, Tedford Housing, Mt. Desert Nursing Association, Helen’s Restaurant Employee Fund, China Village Library, SPCA of Hancock County, Lamb House Project, Bread of Life Ministries, and Island Connections.

Each week, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust directors and employees, in exchange for 8 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

being able to dress casually on Fridays, voluntarily contribute to a charitable fund that disburses gifts monthly to local organizations. The Bank matches the employee donations, doubling the amount given to the chosen organization. Each month the employees at a different bank location get to choose the recipient of these contributions.

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is a community bank with more than $1.4 billion in assets. Founded in 1887, the Bank offers a full range of financial services for families, businesses, and non-profit organizations throughout Maine with 15 branch locations, from Topsham to Lubec.

(Bottom) Seated in front holding a Community Commitment donation check from Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is (left) Diana de los Santos of the SPCA of Hancock County and (right) Bonnie Poland, VP/Retail Lending Support at BHBT with bank employees, standing left to right, Judy Newenham, Hillary Carter, Cathy Higgins, Nicole Hinkel and Charleen Beal, who chose the SPCA as the beneficiary of this monthly charitable giving program.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF BAR HARBOR BANK & TRUST

that Counts

Lessons

in Giving

PHOTOS: (TOP) COURTESY OF JOSEPH GALLANT; (BOTTOM) GOODWEEN123/THINKSTOCK.COM

BANGOR: Students at All Saints Catholic School in Bangor overcame snowstorms, cancellations and delays to complete a service project that will help hundreds in the community. Originally planned as a Maine Catholic Schools Week activity, students have now completed two collections to benefit many in need.

At the school’s St. Mary Campus on Ohio Street, students collected over 75 packages of diapers, ranging in size from 12 diapers to 142 diapers, for St. Paul the Apostle Parish, which receives many regular requests for diapers. At All Saints’ St. John Campus on State Street, the children gathered more than 500 hats, mittens, toiletries, and school supplies to help the

All Saints Catholic School stud ents (left to right) Jack Derosier, Alex andra Hikel, Ethan Scobie and Mer edith Walsh collect diapers for don ation.

residents at Shaw House, an organization which provides vital services and support for runaway, homeless, and at-risk people.

“The staff and students are so generous.

They really wanted to help those who need assistance, especially young people and

young children,” said Joseph Gallant, principal at All Saints. “These projects are a great way for our students to learn about the importance of service. What better way to do that than by giving back to a community that has given them so much?”

Room for a Cause STATEWIDE: Spring visitors to Maine can save 50 percent on their room rates while supporting Habitat for Humanity by participating in the Maine Innkeepers Association’s annual Hospitality for Habitat fundraiser.

Participating Innkeepers will offer guests half off regular room rates on designated accommodations between April 20 and May 22 in exchange for a $35 donation to Habitat for Humanity, according to Maine Innkeepers Association President and CEO Greg Dugal.

Hospitality for Habitat has been around for 12 years and has been successful in raising over $130,000 to help build or winterize homes for Maine families.

For more information and an up-to-date list of participating properties, visit maineinns.com and click on the Hospitality for Habitat Logo.

Participating Properties to Date: Bar Harbor: Graycote Inn; Mira Monte Inn.

Kennebunk: Inn at English Meadows.

Bass Harbor: Bass Harbor Cottages and Country Inn.

Kennebunkport: Captain Jefferds Inn; Captain Lord Mansion; Nonantum Resort.

Blue Hill: Blue Hill Inn. Boothbay Harbor: Harbour Towne Inn; Topside Inn. Camden: Hawthorn Inn. Cape Elizabeth: Inn by the Sea. Deer Isle: Pilgrim’s Inn. Freeport: Candlebay Inn; Harraseeket Inn.

Newcastle: Newcastle Inn. Ogunquit: Beachmere Inn; Dunes on the Waterfront; Meadowmere Resort.

Sebasco: Sebasco Harbor Resort.

Wells: Village by the Sea Hotel; Wells Ogunquit Resort Motel.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 9

biz buzz & sightings On the Move TONY C. MCKIM has

assumed the responsibilities and title of president and chief executive officer of The First Bancorp and its wholly-owned banking subsidiary, The First, N.A. McKim joined the company in 2005 as executive vice president, chief operating officer and member of the board of directors. McKim is involved in several area non-profit and banking related associations including the Maine Bankers Association, the Ellsworth Business Development Corporation, Harbor House, the Maine Seacoast Mission and Acadia Youth Sports. thefirstbancorp.com

Fowlie is experienced in high-quality pediatric mental health. pchc.com STEVE MCDONNELL has been named the

new chief financial officer at Mercy Hospital, according to an announcement from Eastern Maine Healthcare System.

McDonnell comes to Maine from Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine and Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis. McDonnell has an MBA from American University in Washington, D.C. and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Butler University in Indianapolis. He is a certified public accountant and a fellow in the Healthcare Financial Management Association. mercyhospital.org

RUSSELL WALTERS,

president of Northern Outdoors rafting in The Forks, has been named strategic director for the Adventure Travel Trade Association's two-day intensive educational and networking conference, AdventureELEVATE. This year's conference will be held June 7-8 in Snowmass, Colorado, with the theme "Adventure Means Business." A registered Maine Guide, he has experience on both the east and west coasts of the U.S. Walters became president of Northern Outdoors in 2000. He is a current board member of Kingfield-based Maine Huts & Trails. northernoutdoors.com Penobscot Community Health Care recently announced three additions to its staff. MICHELLE LACOMBE, PMHNP, has joined the medical staff of PCHC’s Brewer Medical Center, 735 Wilson St. in Brewer. LaCombe’s practice centers on all aspects of high-quality mental health care. Joining PCHC’s Penobscot Community Health Center, 1012 Union St. Bangor location are SAMARA SHIROMANI, FNP-C, and RORY FOWLIE, PMH-NP. Shiromani’s

practice focuses on all aspects of high-quality medical care, including patient physicals, acute visits, while 10 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

ALLIANCE DIGITAL NETWORKS, an

informational technology group and certified Cisco Select Partner in Waterville, recently announced the opening of a new office in Bangor. The new office will be located near the Bangor waterfront at 40 Summer St. and will be open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. MondayFriday. In addition to their new location, the company has also expanded its IT services to provide responsive website design with the new hire of Bryan Daugherty of Pittsfield. alliancedigitalnetworks.com

Awards UPS announced that eight drivers from

Maine are among 1,445 newly inducted worldwide into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving. Maine has 35 active Circle of Honor drivers with a combined 977 years of accident-free driving. DAVID BRADFORD of Standish is the state's senior safe driver, with 35 years of accident-free driving under his belt. There are 479 total UPS drivers in Maine.

Those inducted in 2015 are Portland drivers CHARLES CARD of Windham, BRIAN GAGNE of Cumberland, BRENT HAMILTON of Westbrook, RICHARD HIBBARD of Old Orchard; TROY GRASS of Eddington, who works in Bangor; Waterville drivers WILLIAM BENEDICT of Winslow and GENE PAQUET of Unity; and ROBERT TURGEON of Minot, who works in Auburn. ups.com

Grants The MAINE HIGHLANDS SENIOR CENTER in Piscataquis County received a $300,000 grant award from Next Generation Foundation, a private foundation in Maine, for the continued renovation and repurposing of Central Hall in Dover-Foxcroft. Maine Highlands Senior Center is a non-profit whose goal is to repurpose Central Hall to house an event center called The Commons, available to the entire region, and also a medical model Adult Day Service Center for dependent seniors, and a modernized, inviting Senior Center for engaging healthy seniors in the region.

The Highlands, as the day care will be called, will be the only available medical adult day program in Piscataquis County; the nearest one now being in Blue Hill. mainehighlandsseniorcenter.org The MAHOOSUC ARTS COUNCIL has been awarded a $2,700 grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts to present the multimedia theatrical production of “Icarus” by the Bostonbased theater company Liars & Believers.

The work will be performed for the general public at Hebron Academy on April 6 and at Gould Academy on April 7.

Both performances are at 7 p.m. Students at Telstar Regional Schools will be treated to two in-school performances on April 8. Area homeschoolers are welcome to attend. The funding provided to the council is made possible by the New England States Touring Program of the New England Foundation of the Arts and the six New England State Arts Agencies and the National Endowment for the Arts. www.mahoosucarts.org The MAINE OUTDOOR HERITAGE FUND recently awarded Unity College a $15,000 grant from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund to investigate density, home range, recruitment, dispersal, and other population metrics of a colonizing black bear population in central Maine. The grant will support the third year of a multi-year project used to inform Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife bear management objectives.

The project also provides hands-on experience for Unity College students planning, implementing, and evaluating real-life, large mammal research and management. unity.edu.

Send your own event photos to sightings@ bangormetro.com 1: J.D. Irving Limited was recognized during the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner as the Business of the Year for 2014. Pictured from left are: Karen Gonya, CACC president; Tony Pineo, manager of Irving’s Ashland Sawmill; Peter Tabor, regional manager for Irving Woodlands LLC; and Theresa Fowler, executive director for the CACC. 2: Gail Clukey (center) was named Citizen of the Year during the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner.

3: Kristen Sprague and Jenn Mason enjoy a five-course meal prepared by Chef Trevor Lizotte of Seasons. The meal was paired with five beers from Sam Adams Brewery Seasons Restaurant in Bangor.

PHOTOS: (1 & 2) COURTESY OF THE STAR HERALD/KATHY MCCARTY; (3 & 4) EMILY BURNHAM

4: Ken Burns, Nicole Coombs, Marlene Stanebicz and Donna Hunt at Seasons.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 11

movers & shakers

Mark Pellon of Chapel Hill Floral designs a flower arrangement.

T Design

Award-Winning

Mark Pellon’s in-demand designs for Chapel Hill Floral bring color and joy to customers.

STORY BY DEB NEUMAN PHOTOS BY ASHLEY CONTI

here are moments

in one’s life that can unexpectedly and suddenly change one’s course and direction. That is true for Mark Pellon who you will find at Chapel Hill Floral in Bangor putting together floral arrangements for customers who often request him when they place their order. Pellon has received numerous awards for his floral designs, including most recently placing in the top three of the prestigious New England Design Competition at the Northeast Floral Expo Design Competition in Groton, Connecticut.

Pellon has been working in the floral industry since 1983. He did not set out

her she needed to do something to strengthen her wrist so I signed us up for a floral design class that I saw advertised in the paper,” Pellon said.

His creations caught the attention of the instructor who asked if he would assist him with the floral arrangements for an upcoming wedding.

Pellon was hooked. He began taking every floral design class he could while holding down jobs at the Greyhound bus station and Geaghan’s pub in Bangor. He then did some work for his mentor, Bill Sheehan, owner of Lougee and Fredericks Florist and landed a job as a floral designer at the former Lady Slipper Boutique. From

“Maine has one of the most progressive floral

associations in the country. We’re all about education,

collaboration and raising the bar for everyone.” to become a floral designer, he literally fell into the business. Actually, it was his grandmother who fell.

“She fell and broke her wrist when she was 80 years old. The doctors told

12 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

there, it was off to Hampden Floral, a business he ended up purchasing.

“That’s where I learned the business from the ground up. I did it all. Sweeping floors, cutting flowers, arranging,

delivering,” he said. He sold the business in 2000 and landed at Chapel Hill Floral when Barbara and Rick Frye opened it in 2001. He’s been there ever since.

When asked what he loves most about his work, Pellon replied, “Creating something that’s pretty. Something that brings people joy.” He said it can be hard at times because flowers are also purchased for sad occasions such as funerals. In that case, Pellon says, “My customers’ heartbreak becomes my heartbreak and I feel so honored to create something special for them.”

Pellon and the team at Chapel Hill Floral have created special arrangements for many customers, including some famous ones. He reflected on the time Michael Jackson ordered an “apology” arrangement for famed horror author Stephen King who happens to live just around the corner from Chapel Hill Floral.

“I don’t know what he was apologizing for, but we made something

very pretty,” Pellon recalled.

The arrangement that means the most to him was the one he created for his grandmother when she died.

“It was my first casket spray, for the woman who meant so much to me and started me on this journey,” he said.

Although Pellon has shipped floral arrangements all over the country, his love for Maine and Bangor is evident. Born in Germany, Pellon’s Air Force Dad and Mom divorced when he was 6 months old. His Mom, who grew up in Brewer, returned to Maine with her son. Pellon became a U.S Citizen when he was 7 years old.

“I remember the ceremony like it was yesterday, and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance,” he said. Pellon made his way through Bangor schools, graduating from the University of Maine.

Pellon could not be more proud to be living and doing business in Maine.

“Maine has one of the most progressive

floral associations in the country. We’re all about education, collaboration and raising the bar for everyone,” he said.

Pellon has been honored to teach advanced masters classes to members of the Maine Florist Association.

“In Maine, we need to support each other to survive,” says Pellon of his industry.

He is grateful for the support he receives from his employers at Chapel Hill Floral and the great team he works with.

“They love Bangor and this industry and support me to get involved in the community and to excel in my profession,” he said.

Pellon’s future plans include continuing to expand his knowledge and achieve professional certifications, while paying it forward by teaching the skills he has learned that have made him an “in demand” and award winning floral designer. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 13

business SPOTLIGHT

Broadway Veterinary Clinic

B

roadway Veterinary Clinic was established in 1980 when Dr. John Andrew Benson took over the former Elliott Animal Hospital. In 2002, we built the state-of-the art facility now located at 1391 Broadway. Over the years we have grown from one veterinarian, one technician, and one assistant to four veterinarians and more than 20 full time staff members.

Our support staff includes a Practice Manager, Licensed Veterinary Technicians, Veterinary Assistants, Office Call Assistants, Animal Care Attendants, Client Services Specialists, Administrative Assistants and a Client Services Director.

Broadway Veterinary Clinic offers a wide variety of services including: wellness and preventative care for dogs, cats, and exotics, routine surgery, orthopedic surgery, chiropractic, arthroscopic and laparoscopic surgery, routine dental care and dental surgery, behavioral consults, digital radiography, and canine and feline boarding. We have a private cat condo room which offers three levels of comfort for your cat while boarding with us.

We offer a full service pharmacy for all your pet's needs–this in-

cludes prescription medications, shampoos and skin treatments, heartworm preventative, and flea and tick prevention. Come visit our retail display of pet food, treats, and even candles to help make your home smell pet free!

Spring is soon upon us and that brings fleas and ticks. Female fleas can produce 40 to 50 eggs per day–that's nearly 3000 fleas in two months! Fleas can survive a wide range of temperatures, so even winter is no guarantee you have seen the last of fleas.

Without the ideal temperature, early flea stages lay dormant, delaying the emergence of adult fleas–anywhere from two weeks to just under six months. Fleas will do just fine in microenvironments around the home, where temperature and humidity are elevated. Your veterinary team can offer some advice on how you can eliminate microenvironments.

Here's how you might start: eliminate weeds and brush piles, vacuum regularly (under furniture too!), wash bedding (yours and your pets) routinely, routinely cut grass, keep baseboards and othArticle supplied by Broadway Veterinary Clinic.

er hidden areas clean, and treat your yard with outdoor products.

Flea preventatives are also combined with agents that control other parasites as well, helping to protect your pets from additional diseases– some of which may be transmitted to you. Keeping pets on flea control is best for the whole family.

Many clients ask us if they can get good flea products at the pet store or grocery store. The answer is simply "NO"–over-the-counter flea control products are not as potent and therefore not as effective as the prescription products you can get from your veterinarian.

Some are even toxic, especially if administered incorrectly. Your pets’ doctor can prescribe the best product for your pet and his lifestyle and show you exactly how to apply it.

Broadway Veterinary Clinic offers a variety of flea, tick, and parasitic preventative for your convenience and your pets. Your pet deserves to be completely free of pests!

Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. And for your convenience we are open every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

metro health

Teaming Up

for a Cause n the last

few years, I have had the opportunity to deliver training on human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation to nearly 700 direct service providers and law enforcement officers from every county in the state. In that time, two things in particular struck me – the significant number of times I’ve been approached by Mainers who do believe they currently are working with or have worked with trafficked individuals, and the outpouring of interest to effectively respond to this issue.

first statewide trafficking-specific volunteer databank, as part of MECASA's program called the Maine Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Network.

Anti-trafficking work can take many forms. It can look like prevention – mentoring at-risk youth such as foster care and homeless youth or building the resilience that prevents trafficking in the first place.

It can look like support for our social safety net – running shelters, sexual and domestic violence response agencies or

The new statewide trafficking volunteer

databank will be an opportunity to finally connect the needs of the community

with those individuals who are seeking to bring their time and talent to this issue.

In light of the first concern, the second issue is a good problem to have.

But until recently, there hasn’t always been an effective way to help connect the interest with appropriate outlets for those efforts.

Due to the significant gaps in the state’s infrastructure with regard to responding to this issue, we can certainly use all of the commitment from individuals we can get. There are, however, virtually no trafficking-specific organizations in Maine, and interested citizens don’t always know how to be helpful locally.

For that reason, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault teamed up with the Maine Women’s Fund to create the

mental health providers and substance abuse providers engaging with victims of trafficking and those at risk for trafficking.

They can all desperately use donations of time, goods and financial support.

It may mean advocating for policies that support those vulnerable to trafficking. For instance, most victims of exploitation are childless adults, and as such are ineligible for Medicaid due to Maine’s decision to opt out of the health-care expansion.

Some of these services require extensive skill and training. Others might be as easy as a Saturday morning bake sale to benefit a local agency. Hopefully with time, all of these opportunities will be available through the databank.

PHOTOS: VERONICAGOMEPOLA, JUPITERIMAGES, PONSULAK, MONKEYBUSINESSIMAGES, & ANYABERKUT/THINKSTOCK.COM

I

Maine Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Network creates volunteer databank. BY DESTIE HOHMAN SPRAGUE

The new statewide trafficking volunteer databank will be an opportunity to finally connect the needs of the community with those individuals who are seeking to bring their time and talent to this issue. Maine has the tools and resources that it needs to better understand trafficking and exploitation, and to develop a powerful response.

We hope that the volunteer databank is one step toward connecting those resources with the places where they can do the most good. If you would like to volunteer for an organization responding to human trafficking, or if you would like to host a volunteer, visit the Maine Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Network's volunteer databank to get connected.

How to Get Involved

The Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault teamed up with the Maine Women’s Fund to create the first statewide trafficking-specific volunteer databank, as part of MECASA’s program called the Maine Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Network.

• Join the statewide trafficking-specific volunteer databank: mainesten.org/volunteerdatabank • Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault: mecasa.org • Maine Women’s Fund: mainewomensfund.org

PHOTOS: TONGRO IMAGE STOCK & HARVEPINO/THINKSTOCK.COM

DESTIE HOHMAN SPRAGUE is the program director at the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault. She can be reached at destie@ mecasa.org.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 17

metro health

5 Facts to Know About Sexual Violence

A

s a culture,

we struggle to talk about sexual violence.

There is a lot of misinformation and harmful cultural messages about sex and sexuality. It is critical that we have dual focus on the facts about sexual violence and what we can do to prevent it.

Sexual violence is an umbrella term Sexual violence is any type of sexual activity committed by one or more people without the consent of the other. It involves the use of threats, force or any other form of coercion or intimidation. Sexual

violence is an umbrella term for many different types of violence: rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, elder sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sex trafficking, intimate partner sexual assault and others.

Sexual violence is underreported Rape and sexual assault are the most under-reported crimes in the United States. According to the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, approximately 13,000 Mainers experience sexual assault or rape each year. However, in 2013, only 359 victims of rape or attempted rape reported to Maine law en-

Debunking the myths around sexual violence and prevention.

BY CARA COURCHESNE

forcement. Victims of sexual violence often choose not to report because of fear of not being believed, fear of retaliation, or concern about going through the criminal justice process. Additionally, misconceptions about false reporting may contribute to why many victims don't report sexual assaults.

False reports are rare As a culture, we tend to meet victims of sexual violence with suspicion. Yet only 2-8 percent of all sexual assaults reported to law enforcement are false, the same rate as any other type of violent crime. Our society has specific cultural messages around sexual violence: who is the “perfect victim� and what type of sexual assault is believable. These messages reinforce the idea that rape reports are astronomically high when they are not.

Sexual violence is preventable When so many people experience sexual violence, and when so many cultural issues seem to reinforce a violent culture, preventing sexual violence can seem impossible.

Sexual violence prevention uses the public health model as a guide.

18 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

People get sick; public health seeks to determine why, and what behavior can change so people don’t get sick. We know germs are the “why.” We don’t ask that only people with colds to change their behavior. We look for solutions everyone can practice to stop the spread of germs: wash your hands, sneeze into your arm, and stay home when you’re sick. Everyone is expected to do their part.

Prevention is about changing our cultural norms to create a safer, healthier world for all of us. It can be talking to your children about the violence they see on TV and talking to them about healthy relationships.

PHOTO: (SLEEPING) RYANKING999/THINKSTOCK.COM

Everyone has to do their part to end sexual violence. Prevention is about changing our cultural norms to create a safer, healthier world for all of us. It can include talking to your children about the violence they see on TV and talking to them about healthy relationships.

The impact is far-reaching More Mainers than the populations of Penobscot, Piscataquis, Washington, and Hancock counties combined will experience sexual violence in their lifetime.

Those experiences impact our families, communities, and state. We owe it to ourselves and each other to work toward creating that safer, healthier world.

For more information about sexual violence and prevention efforts in Maine, visit mecasa.org.

CARA COURCHESNE is the communications director at the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault. She may be reached at cara@mecasa.org.

Tired of

Counting Sheep?

Back in Balance Wellness Center in Bangor Offers Tips for Better Sleep Health

W

e all know

that getting a good night’s rest is an important part of maintaining good health, and missing out on sleep can affect how we function, our energy and moods.

If you’re having problems falling or staying asleep, let’s do something about it! There’s a lot you can do naturally before relying on a sleep aid, so give a natural solution a try before reaching for a pill. About 10% of us experience chronic sleep difficulties. Unfortunately, the number of people using prescription drugs to treat insomnia has increased, while the true causes for insomnia are left unaddressed. So, let’s take a deeper look.

Some Causes of Sleeplessness • Emotions running wild. For some, lack of sleep may be a sign of grief, unhappiness, depression or other emotional concerns. For others, anxiety, worries or an ongoing mental to-do list get in the way of getting to sleep.

• Exposure to light. The body’s biological clock, which regulates our sleepwake cycles, is strongly affected by light. Melatonin, an important hormone, affects both our desire to sleep and the quality of our sleep. Darkness enhances melatonin production, while light inhibits it. Therefore, those who don’t get enough exposure to sunlight can suffer similar types of insomnia.

• Being inactive. Regular exercise will tire you out so you’ll fall asleep faster!

If you’re having a hard time fitting exercise into your schedule, try fitting a family walk with the dog or even a friend once a day.

What Can You Do To Get Some Rest?

• Chiropractic care for proper function and sweet dreams. In our practice, many of our patients report vastly improved sleep patterns after beginning regular chiropractic care. Why? The act of removing interferences in the nervous system often helps with the natural processes of the body, including sleep. You could be one of many who start getting a full night’s rest and enjoy feeling refreshed in the morning after visiting us.

• Relax. Little changes in your day can make a huge difference at night. Read, listen to music, write in a journal or take a warm bath before bed.

By utilizing today’s chiropractic care and tweaking your routines, you can get better, more refreshing sleep to make each day just a little brighter! Give us a call at 947-8077, so we can help ensure you stay on track and get the rest you need to wake up on the right side of the bed!

16 Penn Plaza #22, Bangor • 947-8077 Article supplied by Back in Balance. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 19

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metro

Fit to be

wellness

Tied

My FItbit is making me more fit.

It’s also making me act a little crazy.

F

BY EMILIE BRAND THROCKMORTON

or my birthday,

I got a Fitbit – a sleek little silicone bracelet housing a tiny computer that tracks my steps throughout the day. Think “sophisticated pedometer.” You’ve probably seen them around for the past few years, and I finally got one. The Fitbit is perfect for a girl like me: someone interested in health and fitness, who LOVES to keep track of things. My Fitbit tells me exactly how many steps I’ve taken at any point in my day, with just a quick glance at my smartphone. It’s addictive. Am I walking on a treadmill while I type this article? Maybe.

more and generally see every part of my day as an opportunity to take more steps.

These are good changes, but I might be a little obsessed with my step count.

I was told that the Fitbit would not count your steps if your arms were not at your side while walking, say, like if pushing a grocery cart. From then on, I only pushed the cart one handed, which has caused me to run into someone else or a produce display. I always hope there are other Fitbit wearers who understand my plight: I’m not clumsy, just determined. My husband might see me hopping around the kitchen before bed and ask what I’m doing. “Nothing!

Damn her! I am (a little too) motivated to keep up with my friend’s steps. Part of me thinks, “Why does every part of our life, including taking good care of our bodies, have to be a competition?” The other part of me thinks, “I hope Susan is napping while I’m at the gym tonight.”

These challenges are supposed to inspire me to move more, not make me wish my friends were just a little bit lazier. But Susan is always going to the gym.

Similarly, I thought I was a pretty active person until I entered into Fitbit challenges with my brother-in-law Hamilton.

He starts his day with a 6-8 mile walk, and then keeps adding steps all day. He

PHOTO: SVANHORN/THINKSTOCK.COM

I have plenty of love and affection in my life, but when I get that buzzy little signal on my wrist, I feel so warm inside.

Since I have strapped that Fitbit on my wrist, I’ve noticed some new positive behavior changes. I am a stepping fool, moving, walking and running more than ever. I love being able to keep track of my steps, and I almost always reach the daily goal of 10,000 steps, or about 5 miles. If I go for a good run, I can nearly double that. If I’m low on steps for the day, I clean the house or dance around the kitchen while cooking.

I used to see “exercise” as that specific time slot in my day where I put on running clothes or gym clothes and officially work out. The Fitbit has taught me that I can add in extra steps all throughout my day, and it definitely makes me more active. I used to sit in the waiting area of my son’s guitar lesson, and now I do brisk laps around the downtown blocks.

I get a dose of fresh air and about 3,000 steps. I walk my dog more, take the stairs

I’m not doing anything!” Some of my behaviors have become suspicious, but I must get more steps.

The most enticing part of wearing the Fitbit is that you can join “challenges” with other friends via the phone app.

Thank goodness, because guess how many non-Fitbit wearers want to hear about how many steps you have taken so far today? None.

I have two ongoing challenges, one with family members and one with my friend and colleague Susan. The Fitbit challenges bring out the competitive side of me, and it does not help that my phone will send a notification like: “Susan just pulled ahead of you and is in first place.”

regularly doubles my steps, and I’m starting to wonder if he has figured out how to move his feet while he’s sleeping. What I mean is, I’m very proud of my extremely active friends and family.

When you reach your goal of 10,000 steps for the day, the Fitbit vibrates on your wrist. I have plenty of love and affection in my life, but when I get that buzzy little signal on my wrist, I feel so warm inside. Fitbit, I think I love you.

I am all in favor of anything that gets people moving and exercising more, and I highly recommend this seductive little bracelet. But, if your friends and family find your step addiction a little annoying, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

EMILIE BRAND THROCKMORTON is a mom and runner who co-chairs the English Department at Bangor High School and writes the blog One Mom in Maine.

22 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

PHOTO: STEPHANIE FREY/THINKSTOCK.COM

feature story

Season Defense is key to keeping mud out of the house this season.

M

BY NATALIE FEULNER

aine in the spring

is mud, and mud in the spring is Maine.

The two are interchangeable and unavoidable this time of year. But with a little preparation and the right attitude, this year doesn’t have to be so brown.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 23

Start at the entrance

The entrance of a home is the first place people see, stop and the most common place for tracked mud. So put your biggest defensive efforts into that space, whether it’s an official “mudroom” or your kitchen. Hint to visitors that they should shed layers and muddy footwear at the door with a boot tray and coat rack within arm and leg reach. Keep a pair of boots or heavy duty slippers near the door to wear outside when you have to grab wood pellets or the mail.

Keep a towel hanging beside the door for extra wet days or if snow starts to melt and pool.

Become a master at disguise

PHOTOS: IPGGUTENBERGUKLTD, F4F & WILLEECOLE/THINKSTOCK.COM

The mud and dirt are going to come, there’s not much you can do to avoid it, so why not hide it? Invest in a few quality, synthetic fiber or plastic rugs dark in color that allow small rocks and dirt to sink to the bottom. Have carpet at your entrance?

Throw a few thin rugs over it to avoid staining, mildew and odors.

24 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

feature story

Don’t forget the car

Shake out car mats frequently and let them dry so they don’t start smelling musty or grow mold.

Wear a different pair of shoes on the walk to and from work or school buildings to keep your good shoes from becoming ruined by the combination of mud, water and salt. Stash a packet of wet wipes in a purse or computer bag to wipe down the tops of shoes or for quick clean ups.

Consistency is key

Talk to children about the importance of keeping the entrance mud-free. Make pets and little ones wait at the door before walking further into the home. If pets are extra muddy, pull them right into the shower for a quick hosing off. Make sure cleanup is a regular activity and involve everyone. Wiping down dried mud at the end of the day or vacuuming up small rocks will go a long way to keeping the mess manageable. If floors gets really bad, rent a commercial grade carpet cleaner or hire a professional who will deep clean and remove caked in, unseen dirt and grime.

And if all else fails, just remember it’s temporary.

By July, mud will be but a memory.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 25

feature story

More than

Mud

Mud puddles reflect special times spent together with family.

M

BY AIMEE THIBODEAU

any moms may

Chloe has been a fan of mud puddles since she could barely toddle around the driveway in her rainboots.

26 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

cringe at the thought of their children covered in mud – head to toe, in every available cranny and crevice of skin, drenching clothes in that unmistakable earthy smell of spring. I, on the other hand, relish the opportunities of watching my wildhaired daughter jump with reckless abandon in the mud puddles in our unpaved driveway. continued on page 29

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 27

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Since she could barely teeter, Chloe, now 4, has been fascinated by the murky waters that dot our yard each spring. At first, she only threw tiny pebbles to watch the ripples they created.

Then, a chunky fistful of small rocks turned to larger stones that would splash water at her feet and legs. When this wasn’t enough, she braved sticking the toe of her purple rainboots into the edges of the water, giggling at the suction noise her feet made as she pulled them from the sticky mud.

But these tentative moments didn’t last for long. It took only a few afternoons playing outdoors for her to test the limits, eventually ending up with rubber boots filled with water, saggy diaper drooping off her bottom, and mud in her ears, hair and caked under her tiny fingernails.

Nothing a bath couldn’t remedy.

PHOTO: BIRUTE VIJEIKIENE/THINKSTOCK.COM

Why does my daughter’s fondness of mud puddles overwhelm me almost to the point of happy mommy tears?

Because it represents so much more.

So what’s the fuss, you ask? Why does my daughter’s fondness of mud puddles overwhelm me almost to the point of happy mommy tears? Because it represents so much more.

We’ve searched for and caught frogs and salamanders. They’ve made her curious, wanting to know what lies at the bottom of the sloppy brown pools. She’s laughed. And most important, we’ve been innocent together – ignoring the outside world around us. And, even if just for a few moments on a sunny spring afternoon, we’ve paid attention only to each other.

As parents, we wish many things for our children. For Chloe, I wish for her to tackle life with the same initial caution and perhaps hesitation as she did those first few pebbles. But I hope more than anything that her curiosity, laughter and desire to see what happens next will lead her to explore the world around her, testing her limits until she finds happiness that brings her as much simple joy as a mud puddle in spring. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 29

guilford then & now

, showing Main Street then and now Block, Iron les Sca re, Sto er thn Gen Bridge and mills.

Check out our interactive presentation of Guilford at bangormetro.com

30 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

Riverside City

Designated as The Maine Highlands Chickadee and Lilac Capital of Maine, Guilford has made a name for itself both past and present.

STORY & PHOTOS BY RICHARD SHAW

M

HISTORIC PHOTOS COURTESY OF GUILFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MAINE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

any Mainers

have passed through Guilford at some point in their lives, headed north to Moosehead Lake or east to Dover-Foxcroft.

Situated in southwestern Piscataquis County at the junction of routes 15 and 150, the historic riverside community of roughly 1,500 souls is a quick jaunt from Bangor, Dexter, and Skowhegan.

Town Manager Tom Goulette, along with local historians and merchants, rolls out the welcome mat in a place that deserves to be a destination. Like other mill towns, Guilford’s promising future is often overlooked in the wake of shifting economic trends.

Next to Poland Spring, Guilford may be the state’s premier brand-name town.

Generations ago, Guilford Industries

began manufacturing panel cloth, and customers worldwide sang its praises.

Today, the old brick mill on Water Street and its annex across the Piscataquis River are home to True Textiles, formerly the green-production company Interface Fabrics. Another Guilford mainstay, Hardwood Products Company-Puritan Medical Products, manufactures medicine-containing wooden swabs.

“Pride Manufacturing’s Guilford mill was once the world’s largest manufacturer of wooden golf tees,” recalled Charlie Horne, who grew up a half hour away in Milo. “The company has moved its operations to Burnham.”

Horne recalled a bustling 1950s and 60s community, whose high school basketball team often played Milo’s.

There was a Koritsky’s department www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 31

guilford then & now

Town Stats First Incorporated: Feb. 8, 1816 Named For: Moses Guilford Low Population: 1,508 (2012 estimate) Median Resident Age: 44.6 years Area: Total, 35.71 square miles Land: 34.88 square miles Water: 0.83 square miles Notable people: • Robert Low, Robert Herring Sr., Robert Herring Jr., original settlers • Charlotte White, former legislator, selectwoman, namesake of centers for the mentally challenged • Ed Roullard, invented fabric bonding for Guilford of Maine • Henry G. Piel, one of the founding brothers of Piel’s Beer Lost Landmarks: • Lowe’s (Low’s) Covered Bridge, destroyed in 1987 flood, rebuilt in 1990 • Masonic Temple, demolished in 1998 • Braeburn Hotel, burned in 2003 Municipal Website: townofguilford.com

32 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

store, Treworgy’s 5&10, and a First National grocery. Hall’s General Store took advantage of neighboring Dover-Foxcroft being a dry town by serving untold cases of beer.

Today’s downtown, spread out along both ends of the Memorial Bridge, includes

ware, and perhaps its most famous landmark, the 60-year-old Davis Bros. Furniture at 9 Elm St. Marie Zhuikov, great-great-greatgreat-great granddaughter of town founder Robert Herring Sr., compiled a chronology posted on the town’s website.

The historic riverside community of

roughly 1,500 souls is a quick jaunt from Bangor, Dexter, and Skowhegan. a Rite Aid, Key Bank, AE Robinson-Irving station, Family Dollar, Guilford House of Pizza, Red Maple Inn, Clark’s Country Kitchen, Country Roads Ice Crean Shop, Goulette’s IGA Foodliner, Guilford Hard-

Mentioned are the town’s 1816 incorporation, the first bridge in 1821, the arrival of a railroad in 1871, the first newspaper in 1891, a movie house in 1910, a grand 1916 centennial celebration, and the 1987 April

Left: Elm Street then and now. This page: Old signs on Guilford’s mill buildings reflect the town’s past. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 33

guilford then & now

Lowe’s (Low’s) Covered Bridge was destroyed in a 1987 flood, then rebuilt in 1990.

Fool’s Day flood, which wiped out Lowe’s (Low’s) covered bridge (rebuilt in 1990).

Brian and Cindy Woodworth and other volunteers maintain the Guilford Historical Society museum. Next door is the historic Guilford United Methodist Church.

Guilford Memorial Library evokes the past while remembering the present.

“The library gets wonderful support from our community and we have a great staff,” said librarian Heidi Dow. “These things make a great library.”

Piscataquis Community Elementary School and Piscataquis Community Secondary School are top-notch. A fascinating side trip up the Guilford Center Road reveals an old cemetery, Guilford Center Baptist Church, and Valley Grange #144.

Visitors may consider lodging at the Covered Bridge Motel on Route 15, the Trebor Mansion Inn, 11A Golda Ct., and Guilford Bed and Breakfast, 24 Elm St. Only by staying a while can people truly appreciate the town designated by the Maine Legislature as The Maine Highlands Chickadee and Lilac Capital of Maine.

34 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

Guilford Memorial Library through the years.

The Guilford Historical Society museum.

WHAT MAKES GUILFORD SPECIAL? By Guilford Town Manager Tom Goulette Resiliency, hardiness, volunteerism. Those small-town values thrive in Guilford. Although everyone may know your business, they will help anyone in need. If a family has a medical emergency, long-term sickness, major fire, or any other traumatic event, people will organize benefits and fundraisers.

When I was in high school, I couldn’t wait to leave this town. I spent two weeks in Boston and a summer in New York, and by the time I graduated, this village looked pretty good. I have lived here all of my life, make a decent living, and raised three children. I’m sure I’ll die here.

Being a Goulette of Canadian ancestry, I had figured I was not really from here until I became interested in local history. My great grandfather owned a grist mill. I can remember walking along the tracks from my house to the store, taking him his lunch. My grandfather,

whom I never met as he died when my mother was 12, was the local sheriff and scoutmaster.

The house where my mother lived still stands.

Guilford Historical Society published a calendar in 2003 and there was a photo of the grist mill.

Also pictured was a Boy Scout troop, including my grandfather Earl. I'm definitely from here!

If you lift the hood of your vehicle needing assistance, most will stop to help. Doors aren’t always locked, and kids can walk to school or stores or stop at any house along the way without fear. Even a lost dog will generate a search party. Local values are conservative and the local police patrol annual expenses are less than $25,000. Many of the families go back to the original settlers and descendants are numerous: Herring Bros. Meat Market is still growing, a direct line from Deacon Robert Herring, an original settler from 1804.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 35

metro sports

Left: A University Credit Union player throws the ball during a recent Fusion Bangor's dodgeball league game at Fields4Kids in Bangor. (Bottom) Players from the Brew Crew attack their opponent.

School Yard Sports A Networking about more than meetings for local professionals. STORY BY NATALIE FEULNER | PHOTOS BY ASHLEY CONTI

hangs on a white poster at Fields4Kids, an indoor sports complex in Bangor. The guidelines include things like “use good sportsmanship” and “no foul language.” For the most part, the 60 or so adults playing playground-style dodgeball underneath the sign follow the rules.

But that’s not to say they aren’t competitive, completely engrossed in the game

The dodgeball league is a program run by FUSION Bangor, a young adult professional networking organization. FUSION Bangor was founded in 2005 and is modeled after a similar program in Saint John, New Brunswick called FUSION Saint John.

“Bangor is lucky to have a group

like Fusion. The people who come and play really seem to care about getting

out and doing things for Bangor.”

of back and forth, reminiscent of days spent playing with friends on the asphalt of the neighborhood school.

Brightly-colored foam balls fly past players’ heads and smack arms, legs and chests with resounding “thwomps.” Sweat drips off their faces, and cheers bounce off the walls of the fieldhouse as participants jump off the metal benches, high five and hug their teammates.

36 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

–Pat Healy It is a program of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce and according to its website, offers social, civic, volunteer and professional opportunities for Bangorarea community members. Events include happy hour socials, employer outreach programs and “Meet Your Representative” events during election season.

FUSION members number in the hundreds, with more than 300 people on

24 teams playing dodgeball each year for a seven-week season. Most participants range in age from 20 to 40-years-old.

“Fusion has a very strong network and people like it because it’s whatever you want it to be,” said Pat Healy, who heads the FUSION Bangor Sports Committee.

Healy explained that participants can join activities they’re interested in and opt out of others. “There’s a whole lot of variety, but there’s also no obligation so you’re free to make it whatever you want it to be.”

Healy, who owns Healy Chiropractic in Brewer, plays on a dodgeball team made up of friends and colleagues. He said he loves the organization and its programs because they are a chance for Bangor enthusiasts to not only have fun, but also to network.

TURF PHOTO: COMZEAL/THINKSTOCK.COM

list of rules

“Bangor is lucky to have a group like Fusion,” he said. “The people who come and play really seem to care about getting out and doing things for Bangor.”

Each dodgeball team must have at least two people of each gender and averages about 10-15 people. A game set lasts about an hour with teams playing as many games as possible in 15 minute sessions. When the session is over, teams rotate fields so that by the end, they’ve all played three other teams.

Participating teams are broken up into two leagues each season. The A league is more competitive and the B league is for teams who are less interested in winning a championship title, and more about having fun each week. But even if teams aren’t vying for a spotless record, that’s not to say there aren’t rivalries that pop up.

“I really love that there are teams that have these rivalries between companies that would never have even interacted otherwise,” he said. “It’s the Red Sox and the Yankees in Bangor, Maine ... It’s nuts what people will do to win.”

Organizers also encourage the players to enjoy some of the social aspects of participating in adult sports after the games.

Teams will often go out for drinks or dinner after games, and some even get together when games aren’t going on.

Kate Hills, 28, who plays for a team of fellow ERA Dawson Bradford employees, said since she started playing two years ago, it’s opened several professional doors for her.

“I sell real estate and while I can't say I closed a deal because of dodgeball, it’s definitely been good networking,” Hills said.

Fusion Bangor also has a kickball league, and Healy said the group is looking to expand its sports offerings in the coming months. And although he wouldn’t go into any detail, he said participants can expect whatever it is, it won’t be anything considered “normal,” like softball.

“It brings so much positivity to Bangor, we have to make sure we’re providing quality programming,” Healy said. “We don’t want to be just one of [the adult recreation programs], we want to be the [best.]”

The current season of dodgeball is already underway, however, Fusion Bangor will be holding a kickball league in the fall. For more information about either league or other activities hosted

by FUSION Bangor, visit fusionbangor. com, email info@fusionbangor.com or call 947-0307. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 37

metro sports

This photo: UMPI student and baseball player Oz Sailors.

Below: Sailors poses with one of the girls who plays for Baseball for All and her little brother during a recent visit to Orlando, Florida. Baseball for All is organizing America’s first national girls baseball tournament, to be held this summer in Orlando.

Baseball for All F or Ghazaleh “Oz”

Sailors, baseball isn’t just a sport, baseball changes lives. The University of Maine at Presque Isle student is the first female pitcher and co-captain in the history of the UMPI Owls Baseball program and the only woman playing NCAA Baseball this year. She’s been playing the sport her whole life and is working this spring to spread her love of the game and create life-changing experiences around baseball for young women in Maine.

Sailors is working with UMPI Owls Baseball Coach Mike Pankow to organize a team from Maine to participate in a national girls baseball tournament to be held this summer in Orlando, Florida.

The tournament is being organized by a national nonprofit called Baseball for

38 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

All, which promotes the rights for girls to play baseball both in the United States and internationally.

This first of its kind national tournament is scheduled to take place May 30 to June 4 and is expected to include 24 girls baseball teams. The team Pankow and Sailors are putting together will be called the Maine Polar Bears, and Pankow will coach the team. Organizers are looking for approximately 12 to 14 girl baseball players from throughout Maine between the ages of 11 and 13 to be a part of the team.

“This tournament is going to be an amazing opportunity and experience for all the girls’ teams around the country that are going to participate, and we want to bring a team to represent Maine,” said Sailors, who serves on the Baseball for All board of directors. “I’ve been passionate my whole life about baseball and creating opportunities for girls to play the sport, so I’m doing everything I can to help make this team a reality for girl baseball players in Maine.”

Sailors began playing baseball at only 2 years old, because her older brother’s teeball team needed one more member. She has overcome many obstacles throughout her athletic career and has often been told that baseball is a male-oriented sport. That didn’t stop her from making high school baseball history when she and another girl, Marti Sementelli, became the first female starting pitchers to face off against each other in a varsity game.

Sailors has since represented her country by pitching and playing for the

U.S. Baseball Team in Venezuela in 2010.

She played in the Women’s World Cup of Baseball in Venezuela for Team USA, which won a bronze medal during the event. She’s played competitive baseball in a total of 27 states and Canada, and was the first female to play baseball in the National Baseball Congress World Cup Series in Kansas. Following her dream of playing college baseball, Sailors turned down an NCAA Division I softball scholarship and instead enrolled at UMPI in 2011. She hopes to make it her career after graduation.

Sailors has worked hard to follow her dream and strives to ensure that others are given the opportunities to play the game at competitive levels.

Pankow and Sailors will be working with schools and recreation programs in the next few months to help identify potential players, but would appreciate any suggestions from across the state on potential team members.

Baseball for All is a 501 (c)(3) organization that is dedicated to giving young girls of all socioeconomic backgrounds an equal opportunity to play the game at competitive levels. The organization believes that very few girls play baseball in this country because they are simply not given the opportunity. For more information on how to #jointhemovement, please visit www.baseballforall.com.

For information about participating in this national tournament or to recommend a player, contact Sailors at ghazaleh.sailors@maine.edu or call or text (805) 722-0365.

PHOTOS: (TOP) BDN FILE PHOTO BY KEVIN BENNETT; (BOTTOM) COURTESY OF OZ SAILORS

UMPI coach, student organizing team for national girls baseball tournament. BY RACHEL RICE

what’s happening SUN

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APRIL Turn the page for details & more of

What’s Happening this month!

Visit us at www.bangormetro.com to check out what’s going on and add your event!

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The Art and Science of Creativity: An Evening with Dr. Edison T. Liu page 44

Comedian Lewis Black at the Collins Center, page 44

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Gass Horse Supply & Western Wear Spring Open House, page 44

BDN Maine Garden Show at the Cross Insurance Center page 44

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what’s happening

April 2 The Art and Science of Creativity: An Evening with Dr. Edison T. Liu Hannaford Hall, University of Southern Maine Abromson Center, 88 Bedford St., Portland Edison T. Liu, M.D., President and CEO of The Jackson Laboratory, will track through music and lecture, the commonality between art and science and how human beings are hardwired to create. 5:30-7:30 p.m. $35, corporate sponsorships are available by contacting Cynthia at cynthia@ mainecenterforcreativity.org or Jean at 730-0694 mainecenterforcreativity.org April 3 An Evening with Poet Richard Blanco Round Room, Bangor Public Library, Harlow St. To kick off National Poetry Month, the Bangor Public Library will host an evening with inaugural poet Richard Blanco, a Bethel resident. Blanco wrote and read a poem for Barack Obama’s 2013 inauguration. Free; RSVP by emailing Lisa Frazell at Lisa.Frazell@ bangorpubliclibrary.org.

April 9 Comedian Lewis Black: The Rant is Due Collins Center for the Arts, University of Maine in Orono Lewis Black is known nationally for his many stand-up comedy specials on 40 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

Comedy Central, Netflix and HBO and for his regular appearances on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”

6:30 p.m., $43-$73. collinscenterforthearts.com waterfrontconcerts.com April 10 WHSN’s Annual AS4MS Acoustic Showcase to Benefit the National MS Society Gracie Theatre, Husson University This yearly acoustic showcase from Husson student radio station WHSN will feature the musical talents of Maine bands Worried Well, Tall Horse, One Shot Nothing, Skosh and the Royal Bones. 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

7:30 p.m. $10, tickets available at Bull Moose or at the door.

April 11 Gass Horse Supply & Western Wear Spring Open House GHS in Orono Stop by the Spring Open House from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to check out their full line of gear and accessories. gasshorsesupply.com April 11 and 12 BDN Maine Garden Show Cross Insurance Center Break loose from winter’s grip with a weekend of gardening, plants, live music, food, and fun! Tickets: $7, free for ages 12 and under. April 11: 10 a.m.

to 8 p.m.; April 12: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. mainecenterforcreativity.org April 14 Sufjan Stevens Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland Sufjan Stevens is an acclaimed songwriter and composer known for his albums “Michigan,” “Illinois,” “The Age of Adz” and “Seven Swans,” blending folk, classical and electronic music. With opening artists Cold Specks.

7:30 p.m., $37.

842-0800 • porttix.com April 14 and 28 Pain Relief is Only Two Feet Away Back in Balance Wellness Center, 16 Penn Plaza Suite 22, Bangor Even if your feet don’t hurt, they may be a major factor contributing to your health problems. Participants will receive a complementary body assessment using 3D BodyView by Foot Levelers. 5:30 p.m. RSVP at 947-8077 or info@backinbalancechiro.com backinbalancechiro.com April 17 The Magic of Lyn Dillies, A Fundraiser for The Grand The Grand, 165 Main St. Ellsworth Master Illusionist Lyn Dillies, Parent’s Choice and Merlin award winner, is America’s premier female illusionist for an undeniable reason: her captivating stage show is one for the ages – all

EVENTS

THEATER

MUSIC

ages, in fact. Infusing all the spectacle and flash of Vegas into an enchanting, family-friendly performance. Dillies dazzles, amazes and astounds with some of the most masterful, mindblowing illusions in magic today.

7 p.m. $12 adults; $7, youth 12 and under.

667-9500 • grandonline.org April 18 Disney Kids Class Films: “Swiss Family Robinson” The Grand, 165 Main St. Ellsworth 4-6:15 p.m. $1 for general admission.

667-9500 • grandonline.org April 18 Disney Kids Class Films: “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” The Grand, 165 Main St. Ellsworth 1-3:30 p.m. $1 for general admission.

667-9500 • grandonline.org

PHOTO: (GARDEN SHOW) BDN FILE PHOTO BY GABOR DEGRE

April 19 The Bolshoi Ballet's “Ivan the Terrible” The Strand, 345 Main St. Rockland Recently revived, Ivan the Terrible is an essential part of the company’s repertoire, a 20th-century classic and a wonderful theatrical experience.

Music by Sergei Prokofiev; Libretto by Yuri Grigorovich; Choreography by Yuri Grigorovich; Cast: The Bolshoi Principals, Soloists and Corps de Ballet.

1 p.m. $15, adults; $10, students.

594-0070 • rocklandstrand.com

April 10 & 11 BDN Maine Garden Show at Cross Insurance Center

April 24-26 Bangor Comic & Toy Con Cross Insurance Center, Main Street, Bangor Three days of comic book, pop culture and sci-fi events, guests, workshops, panels and exhibitors, featuring costumes, art sales, more than 50 vendors and appearances from pop culture icons including Gidgi Edgley of “Farscape,” Billy Dee Williams, Doug Jones, Ernie Hudson, Deep Roy, professional wrestlers Honky Tonk Man and Hacksaw Him Duggan and four out of five Power Rangers. Three day passes $45, two day passes $35, one day $25. ticketmaster.com

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 41

food file

Rosemary Romano Focaccia W Bringing a piece of home to our new Maine kitchen.

STORY & PHOTOS BY SARAH WALKER CARON

hen my kids

and I moved to Maine last summer, I spent a lot of time deciding where we’d live for the next year. It needed to be reasonably close to my office, in the area of the school district I wanted to be in and have enough space that my kids and I could both enjoy time together –

ble. Fortunately, I found a place that met all of these needs – including a kitchen large enough to accommodate both my kitchen table and a kitchen island, as well as freestanding shelving for all my pots, pans, gadgets and pantry items.

That kitchen island has been the center of my kitchen, and my cooking, for almost

Focaccia bread is one of my kids’ favorites.

There’s something about the firm but airy loaf with a crisp bottom that makes them reach for piece after piece when we have it.

For more from Sarah Walker Caron, visit her blog at mainecourse.bangordailynews.com

42 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

and have time apart when we wanted to be doing different things.

And one more thing: It needed a large kitchen that would be well-suited to all the cooking I do. I’ve been a food writer for nearly a decade, so that was non-negotia-

a decade. When my children were really small, they would drag chairs over to the kitchen island to help stir pancake batter and butter bread for grilled cheese. It’s also where I have made countless batches of cookies, biscuits and breads.

Making focaccia takes patience.

When the yeast combines wit h the warm water it will foam, letting you know it’s ready to be used.

Naturally, when I recently wanted to whip up a big loaf of focaccia bread, I did it on that kitchen island in our Maine kitchen. I love that we were able to bring this piece of home with us.

Focaccia bread is one of my kids’ favorites. There’s something about the firm but airy loaf with a crisp bottom that makes them reach for piece after piece when we have it. I love to serve it with saucy pastas, because it’s so well-suited to lapping up sauce.

But focaccia is also delightful for sandwiches. Cut a decent sized piece and spread it with pesto and then top it with slices of fresh mozzarella, tomato, lettuce, onions and roasted red peppers.

Prosciutto can be a lovely addition, too.

Making it takes some patience. As with many yeast breads, it requires two rises to develop the airy texture.

You start by letting the yeast combine with the warm water. It will foam, letting you know it’s ready to be used.

Then, in a stand mixer, you let the bread knead itself to perfection. Once the dough is elastic-y and smooth, it goes into an oiled bowl in a cool dry place with a kitchen towel over it to rise.

Next, you spread the dough into an oiled pan and press your fingers in to dimple it. Let it rise again, and then brush with oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cheese.

Finally, it bakes in a 400 degree oven, until it’s warm and golden.

Then comes the best part: you get to enjoy it.

Nearly one year later, I am still happy with the place I chose to live. It’s given me the space I needed to create new recipes, and also cook for my family. And it’s become the de facto test kitchen for my Bangor Daily News food column and blog, Maine Course (mainecourse.bangordailynews.com).

It was also in that kitchen – and specifically on my trusty kitchen island – that I worked on the recipes for my recently released cookbook “Grains as Mains: Modern Recipes Using Ancient Grains” (DK, $25). The cookbook includes

A stand mixer helps knead the dough to the perfect elastic-y texture before rising. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 43

food file more than 150 recipes using grains like quinoa, farro, barley and bulgur wheat in creative, flavorful dishes like Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup, Beef Edamame StirFry, Chicken Fried Freekeh and a Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Pie. And that makes the kitchen island, which has now lived in three different homes with me, even more special.

Dimple the dough wit h your fingers, and then brush wit h oil, season wit h salt and pepper and sprinkle wit h cheese..

SARAH WALKER CARON is senior features editor for the Bangor Daily News, and resident cook. Her recipes have appeared in the BDN, Betty Crocker publications, Glamour.com and more.

Food File Homemade Rosemary Romano Focaccia Yields: 1 loaf INGREDIENTS 11/3 cups warm water 1 (1/4 -oz) package dry active yeast 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional for sprinkling 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 2 tablespoon olive oil 1/ cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese 4 Fresh ground pepper INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a small bowl, add the warm water and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let sit for 6-7 minutes, until the yeast foams. Stir well.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix together the flour, butter, salt, rosemary and the yeast mixture.

Allow to mix for about 10 minutes, until the dough is elastic-y.

3. Turn the dough out into a bowl sprayed with cooking oil spray, and turn to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set in a cool, dry place to rise for an hour.

44 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

4. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Spread dough out on the sheet press with fingers to dimple all over. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and grated romano cheese. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise an additional 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Let cool slightly before removing from the pan and cutting into pieces. Serve warm.

Need ideas for something to do?

Visit bangormetro.com and check out our calendar of events

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 45

kitchen confidential

C

hris Roberts

hasn’t always been a healthy eater and food hasn’t always been his business, but personal experiences and struggles led him to make a big change.

And now he’s spreading his passion for the plant-based, raw foods diet that changed his life to his customers at The Juice Cellar, with locations in Belfast and now Bangor.

Chris Roberts, Age 34

Owner of The Juice Cellar, with locations in Belfast and Bangor

Finding His Roots

Bangor native Chris Roberts brings plant-based cuisine to his hometown.

BY AIMEE THIBODEAU

Why plant-based food?

My mother passed away when I was 26 years old from brain cancer, which sent me on a journey to learn how food affects our bodies. I came across people living a lifestyle of raw fruits and veggies and thought it sounded nice, looked incredible, and from the stories that were told I figured it’d be good to give a shot. I knew something in my life had to change. I was 230-plus pounds and extremely depressed. I ate a raw foods diet for nine months and lost a fair amount of weight, mentally felt better than I could ever remember and my outlook on life was just amazing. I went off it for three years and then after a pretty serious incident battling depression, made the permanent change. I’ve lost a total of 70 pounds now, feel great 95 percent of the time (we all can have bad days, right?) and want to share the power of plants and real food with my community!

What do you say to people who might be afraid to try a plant-based diet?

I tell them to eat a steak with nothing on it. No seasoning. Or chicken, or whatever. You always need to season what you

46 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

PHOTOS: BDN FILE PHOTOS BY LINDA COAN O’KRESIK

How did you come to be in the food business?

My family has been involved in food for over 100 years, from my Great Grandfather owning Bangor Fruit Company on Central Street to owning The Checkmate Restaurant and lots of others in between.

I shifted away from food for a while and graduated from Berklee College of Music, worked in Boston, Nashville and Indiana, but returned home and found myself back in the kitchen.

eat with herbs, spices... plants! Plants are where flavor lives, and if you want to enjoy food that is absolutely full of flavor, give it a try. There’s so much to gain.

Chris Roberts brews two pour-over coffees at his Main Stre et, Bangor location. Along with a juic e and smoothie bar, the cafe also features made-to-order salads.

What processed food do you miss?

This is seriously a hard question. I guess when I think back to my childhood one the favorite things my dad would make for me were chicken burgers and French

On the Menu Smoothies

START WEARING PURPLE House-made almond milk, blueberries, almond butter, banana LIFE IS ROSY House-made almond milk, cardamom, rose water, agave, coconut oil, banana IN REPAIR house made almond milk, spinach, mango banana, ginger

Get your healthy on with these tasty menu samplings from The Juice Cellar.

Salads + Grain Bowls

WEST MEETS WEST Roasted cauliflower, green peas, toasted hazelnuts, chopped dates and red pepper with creamy basil pesto dressing on mesclun mix and arugula THE COBB Hearts of palm, grapes, Beyond Meat vegan chicken, tomato and avocado with blue "cheese" dressing on romaine

Juices

SUPER SABROSO Cumin fried tempeh strips, roasted corn, black beans, grape tomato halves, red onion, avocado and corn tortilla strips with cilantro vinaigrette on romaine

BOLD AS LOVE Beet, apple, lime, ginger

ROOTS + WILD RICE BOWL Warm wild rice, kale, sweet potato, roasted beet, salted pumpkin seeds, roasted celeriac and red pepper with maple mustard dressing

SIMPLE THINGS Apple, lime, cilantro, cucumber

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 47

kitchen confidential

Inside The Juice Cellar’s Bangor location.

BANGOR/BREWER/HOLDEN

BANGOR/BREWER

BANGOR/BREWER

ELLSWORTH

Finelli Pizzeria

We do gluten right!

Try our thin crust, brick oven pizza and our incredible sandwiches with fresh homemade bread today!

12 Downeast Highway, Ellsworth 664-0230 • finellipizzeria.com

48 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

HAMPDEN

fries. Nowadays I know I would feel physically awful if I ate that, though.

What is your favorite kitchen gadget?

There’s so many! But if I had to choose one, it’d be my Blendtec blender. You can make soups, smoothies, sauces, ice creams, nut butters... the list just goes on and on.

more info THE JUICE CELLAR 76 MAIN ST, BANGOR AND 9 BEAVER ST, SUITE D, BELFAST 207-433-7646 (BANGOR) 207-266-3656 (BELFAST)

Specialties: Plant-based, gluten-free food and drink

Hours: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday

Website: thejuicecellar.com

First-timer tip: In Repair smoothie with a Super Sabroso salad!

You just recently opened the Bangor location...what's next?

I’m actually starting a companion food blog for the business, called Eating With Plants (www.eatingwithplants.com). I want to share recipes and stories from my kitchen at The Juice Cellar with people at home who want to incorporate more plants into their diet. After that I can sleep. But only for one night!

ORONO

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 49

per spectives

Caleb Charland

50 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

B

y exploring

Caleb Charland’s work includes: (top) Pendulum with Candle; (left) Fruit Battery Still Life (Citrus); (below) Tape Arch and (below, right) Three Generations of A Picture of Grey Eaten by Bacteria.

the world at hand, from the basement to the backyard, Caleb Charland has found a resonance in everyday materials and objects. An energy vibrates in that space between our perceptions of the world and the potential the mind senses for our interventions within the world. This energy is the source of all true art and science and it breeds those beloved "Ah Ha!" moments; those moments when we seem to receive an answer before we know the question, thus a sense of material harmony arises.

Charland believes wonder is a state of mind somewhere between knowledge and uncertainty. It is the basis of his practice and results in images that are simultaneously familiar yet strange. Each piece begins as a question of visual possibilities and develops in tandem with the natural laws of the world. His process often yields unexpected results measurable only through the photographic medium.

For information, visit calebcharland.com.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 51

savvy seniors

Entrepreneurs

Maine seniors are energizing our economy.

STORY BY JANE MARGESSON

have heard about Maine’s uncertain future due in large part to an aging population. Maine is, per capita, the oldest state in the country with approximately 50 people turning 65 in our state every day. AARP Maine recognizes the challenges our state faces, but we also see remarkable opportunities. We know that Maine’s residents age 50 and older have much to offer and are, in fact, essential to a robust and thriving future for Maine’s economy.

This has created a rising demographic of new entrepreneurs in both the 4554 age group (from 23.9 percent of total new entrepreneurs in 1996 to 26.3 percent in 2012) and in the 55-64 age group (from 14.3 percent in 1996 to 23.4 percent in 2012).

According to a recent AARP study of 1,500 adults aged 45-74, 15 percent of older workers are self-employed. Three out of 10 report that they started their own business due to losing their regular job. Another 13 percent of those 45-74 are

One in four Americans between the

ages 44 and 70 are interested in starting their own business or nonprofit venture

in the next five to 10 years.

This is particularly true regarding what is known as “encore entrepreneurship.” As of 2012, about 7.7 million self-employed workers in the U.S. were age 50 or older. The severe economic recessions of recent years have increased interest in entrepreneurship.

52 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

currently in salaried jobs, but say they plan to start a business when they retire – in other words, they will become “encore entrepreneurs.” One in four Americans between the ages 44 and 70 are interested in starting their own business or nonprofit venture in the next five to 10 years.

PHOTO: FUSE/THINKSTOCK.COM

Encore M

any of us

To help meet the needs of these aspiring business owners, in 2012, AARP and the U.S. Small Business Administration joined forces to mentor, counsel and educate Americans age 50-plus on how to start or grow a small business. Through this strategic alliance, AARP and SBA together connect the 50-plus population to small business development resources, including online courses, live workshops, conferences and mentoring programs.

The AARP-SBA collaboration has already connected upwards of 119,000 individuals nationwide with tools and resources on starting and maintaining a business.

A key component of this initiative has been the development of a collection of free and accessible online resources. In addition to the locally-based in-person events mentioned above, AARP resources include: • A dedicated website – aarp.org/ StartABusiness – for interested persons to easily locate AARP and SBA resources.

• An online quiz to assess readiness to start a business.

• A webinar series, including 10 separate online events, focusing on

issues such as writing a business plan, financing start-up costs and marketing a small business.

Maine also is home to a host of other great resources that can be helpful if you are thinking of starting your own business. SCORE Maine, the Small Business Development Centers, Coastal Enterprises Inc., and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development are terrific places to start. If you have questions or need advice, there truly is no better way to access the information and the tools that you need.

As April is Encore Entrepreneur Month, this is the perfect time to carefully considering your “what’s next. It can be rewarding and exciting! Maine’s next wave of encore entrepreneurs is already serving a critical role as they attract a large and growing consumer base for Maine’s many businesses. As the state with the oldest population, Maine may face challenges, but the opportunities for businesses to grow and flourish are right here, too.

JANE MARGESSON is the AARP Maine communications director.

Additional Resources:

AARP Start a Business: aarp.org/StartABusiness SCORE Maine: scoremaine.org Small Business Development Centers: mainesbdc.org Coastal Enterprises: ceimaine.org Maine Department of Economic and Community Development: maine.gov/decd

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 53

real estate

Character

Full of

Restored Winterport farmhouse for sale featuring crown molding, built-ins, clawfoot tub and seasonal view of the Penobscot River.

LuAnne Adams, Realtor® Realty of Maine 207-332-5930

Pick of the Month: 37 Willow Street, Winterport What do you love about this home?

“It’s a charming turn-of-the-century farmhouse that has been lovingly restored and offers lots of character.”

54 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

Opposite page, top: The seasonal view of the Penobscot River from the home’s back deck.

Bottom: The welcoming front porch. This page, clockwise from top left: Charming features include built-in cabinets in the dining room.

A view of the front of the house. A stained glass window adds character to the porch’s front door. The spacious eat-in kitchen offers lots of cupboard space.

CALLING WINTERPORT HOME...

PROPERTY DETAILS:

MLS# 1139054 37 Willow Street, Winterport Details: 3 bedrooms, formal dining room with built-in china cabinet, eat-in kitchen, new windows, recently re-shingled roof and seasonal views of the river.

COMMUNITY DETAILS: Population: 3,757

About: Located just 12 miles south of Bangor on the Penobscot River where boaters and swimmers recreate in the spring, summer and into the autumn.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 55

real estate PENOBSCOT COUNTY

Ready for Spring Planting?

A lush, green lawn and beautiful gardens add to the curb appeal of your home. Prepare for spring with tips from Landscape Supply Center in Hermon.

High Quality Loam Loam is soil that combines the three types of soil particles in relatively equal amounts: sand, silt and clay. Most garden plants excel in loam because it holds plenty of moisture. In addition it also drains allowing sufficient air to reach plant roots.

At Landscape Supply Center, we take soil seriously. Our pH levels were professionally tested at the University of Maine.

We have the science to prove our exclusive, one-of-a-kind Final Stage Loam will continuously feed optimal nutrients to your grasses, plants and shrubs. This patented soil contains more nutrients and moisture and allows for better drainage and infiltration than other soils that contain sand, silt or clay.

Mulching Mulches are materials placed over the soil surface to maintain moisture and improve soil conditions.

The best time-saving measure a gardener can take is applying mulch, whether it’s a vegetable garden or flower bed. Mulched gardens are healthier, more weed free, and more drought-resistant, so you'll spend less time watering, weeding, and fighting pest problems.

Wood chips, shredded bark, gravel, black plastic and landscape fabrics are just a few mulch options. Talk to someone at a landscape supply store about what option is best for you.

Edinburg • MLS#1154137 Amazing modern home overlooking Penobscot River. 4 br, 2.5 ba, 2 car garage, 17 acres. 25 min to Bangor. $369,999 Jessie Daniels Realty of Maine Office: 207-991-8980 jdanielsbangor@gmail.com

Holden • MLS#1157701 Expansive ranch home with cathedral ceilings and skylights. Granite in remodeled kitchen.

Room over garage, pool, 3 acres. $279,900 Linda Gardiner Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group Office: 207-478-5841 lindagardiner@masiello.com

Levant • MLS#1142367 4 BR farmhouse on 32 acres.

Updated kitchen, pumpkin pine floors, sun porch, master bedroom with walk-in closet & bath. Oversize 2-car garage.

Lisa Caron Realty of Maine Office: 207-745-5568 lisacaronrealtor@gmail.com

WALDO COUNTY

Hardscaping Hardscape includes all of the inanimate elements of landscaping, like masonry or woodwork. Stone walls, concrete or brick patios or paths, decks, water fountains and more are considered hardscape elements. Hardscape work can be difficult, without the additional challenge of Maine’s ever-changing climate.

Consulting a professional can ensure your project will stand the test of time - especially those winter months!

Article supplied by Landscape Supply Center.

56 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

Winterport • MLS#1139054 In-town restored farmhouse with new windows, re-shingled, lots of antique features include lighting, crown moldings, wide pine floors, built-ins.

Seasonal water views. $118,000 LuAnne Adams 107 Main Street, Belfast Cell: 207-322-5930

PHOTOS: OLGA UTLYAKOVA, OZGURCOSKUN & OKEA/THINKSTOCK.COM

Up Your Curb Appeal

BANKS

INSURANCE

INSURANCE

MADE IN MAINE

LANDSCAPERS

MOVING COMPANIES

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Serving all of Central and Downeast Maine

Call 207-827-4205 for Free Estimates Efficiency Maine Registered • Financing Available www.keithtrembley.com • www.drenergysaver.com www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 57

maine

woods & waters

Go P lay

The Maine Youth Fish and Game Association gets kids out fishing on Pickerel Pond. BY BOB DUCHESNE

I

came to know

the Maine Youth Fish and Game Association the hard way. I confess to a fondness for exploring the Stud Mill Road east of Milford. This logging highway traverses the forest all the way to Princeton. It’s a backwoods route to get from Old Town to Grand Lake Stream, if you don’t mind that the road is dusty and bumpy and all the side roads look alike.

For years, I’ve been passing MYFGA’s Pickerel Pond facility while going out to play, and I’ve long wondered, “Who are these guys?” The location has significance for me. For reasons of their own, whippoor-wills have chosen to infest this area in the spring. The calls of these birds are deafening on a moonlit spring night. Perhaps more importantly, Pickerel Pond has the only outhouse along this 60 mile road.

We adventurers need to know such things.

Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap was one of the founders of MYFGA. As he tells the tale, Pickerel Pond has a sordid past. During Dunlap’s college days in Orono, it was the site of legendary debauchery. It was far enough in the woods that partiers were a danger mostly to themselves, but the landowner was stuck with the cleanup. Littering, vandalism, and road damage were among the curses.

When International Paper owned the land, the company took a stab at solving the problem. It collaborated with the state to designate Pickerel Pond for childrenonly fishing. To quote Dunlap, “It was a total disaster.” The parties never stopped, and when parents showed up with their kids, it was not a family-friendly spectacle.

Then, 15 years ago, the idea of resurrecting a sporting club in the area began 58 / BANGOR METRO March 2015

to gain momentum. Maine Game Warden Dave Georgia gets credit for suggesting that it focus on youth.

The idea caught fire, and within a year there was a board of directors and a mission statement. International Paper donated the land to the state. Donations poured in to make the Pickerel Pond facility a reality.

The energy behind MYFGA stems from the shared concern among many that today’s kids spend too much time with their electronic devices, and too little time with a fishing pole. Today, Pickerel Pond hosts summer camps for kids and winter ice fishing days.

My curiosity was piqued, and I visited the camp last summer. On the day of my tour, the kids were divided into three groups, each rotating through the day’s activities. While some of the kids learned fire safety from Milford Fire Chief Chris Mattson, others were trying their luck on the ropes course, suspended 12 feet above a sand pit. A third group was learning canoe safety before going out onto the lake to fish for brook trout. Subsequently, lucky anglers were coached on cleaning the fish for dinner. Boys and girls alike showed no squeamishness during the gutting process. Their parents should be proud.

On other days, kids would learn archery, firearm and hunter safety, fly tying, knot tying, map and compass, survival skills, campfire cooking, camping skills, and a host of other outdoor crafts. I witnessed a miracle. I saw up to 50 active kids and not one single video game.

(This photo) A tip-up sits on a freshly drilled ice hole on Pickere l Pond during Maine Youth and Fishing Association's annual ice fishing day. (Be low) Kids fish from the dock at Pickere l Pond during MYFGA’s summer camp while other campers fish from kayaks and canoes.

Emboldened by my experience, I returned to Pickerel Pond in January for family ice fishing day. This was just before the epic storms of 2015. Conditions were perfect: little snow, temperatures in the teens, sunshine, and no wind. This time, I was lucky enough to have Andrew C. Koch show me around. Although Andy is only 10 years old, he’s been fishing for half his life. He freely offered up his expert advice. I had expected to see 8-inch trout, but kids all over the ice were hauling in brookies twice that size. Ice fishing is a fair competition. Some of the youngest kids were catching the biggest fish.

Summer camps are open to kids 8-15, and no child is turned away because of financial need. Scholarships are available for campers requiring financial support.

For information on MYFGA camps and events, visit maineyouthfishandgame.org or find them on Facebook.

BOB DUCHESNE is a local radio personality, Maine guide, and columnist. He lives on Pushaw Lake with his wife, Sandi.

PHOTOS: BDN FILE PHOTOS BY (TOP) JOHN CLARKE RUSS AND (BELOW) GABOR DEGRE

Outside

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 59

Special Section Featuring Northern Maine

A

County Girl Scout

Troop learned that giving is fun and meaningful by sharing some cheer with young patients at TAMC and a central Aroostook nonprofit organization that supports cancer patients and their families.

Girl Scout Troop 1178 of Presque Isle invited representatives of TAMC and Caring Area Neighbors for Cancer Education and Recovery (C-A-N-C-E-R) to a get-together, where they presented Sherry Beaulieu, TAMC guest relations manager, and Virginia Joles, TAMC philanthropy lead, with 24 cheer bags for teenage and younger patients who are hospitalized. An evening of fun turned into a meaningful night of sharing, as each of the Scouts donned pink "Heidi Strong" shirts and also presented a $150 donation to C-A-N-C-E-R. Assistant Troop Leader Cheryl DeMerchant said the idea for the cheer bags came from Abby Dionne, a troop member

Giving Back

TAMC and C-A-N-C-E-R benefit from giving spirit of County Girl Scout troop.

Cookies, to help make young hospital patients happy.”

The group assembled more than 24 cheer bags filled with items designed to offer some hope and happiness to others.

“Our cheer bags are filled with things for teens and younger patients to cheer them up and entertain them when they are at TAMC, bored, sad, or lonely. We hope they will feel special and that the gifts from us will make them feel good,” Dionne said.

Each cheer bag contains a small stuffed bear or soft creature, a friendship bracelet, plastic vampire teeth, crayons and a coloring book, a variety of puzzles

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE AROOSTOOK MEDICAL CENTER

“This group of wonderful girls worked more than four months raising money, to help make young hospital patients happy.”

– Cheryl DeMerchant who was hospitalized over a long period of time because of illness. While in the hospital, Dionne received a build-a-bear to cheer her up, and she thought the colorful cheer bags would be a great way to pay the act of kindness forward.

“She wanted to do something similar for others, so together we made cheer bags,” said DeMerchant. “This group of wonderful girls worked more than four months raising money from various fundraisers, including the sale of Girl Scout

by Bangor Metro

and soft toys, and a hand-written letter from one of the Scouts.

Girl Scout Elizabeth Deschenes said, “It's not always fun being in the hospital.

It's good to know that a group of us right here in the community has your back.

We enjoy helping others.”

DeMerchant says the project demonstrates what kind of girls are in her troop, which she helps Troop Leader Tara Cote manage.

“What it says about the girls is that they

Girl Scouts and Leaders of Troo p 1178 assembled colorful cheer bag s hoping to share their cheer with teenage and younger patients who are hospitalized at TAMC.

have hearts full of compassion. They don’t want to see another child feeling alone,” she said, adding that the bags provided an opportunity for learning and exploring the emotions of compassion and empathy as well. “This donation from our girls is important to the community because they were concerned about one of their own and what she was going through. We talked about what it must be like going to the hospital feeling scared and alone, and about being able to make something as a gift that children could receive to take their minds off of what was happening.”

As the year progresses, members of the troop are working on earning their Silver and Gold awards, but the cheer bag project will stay in their minds, and their hearts, for a long time, as noted by newer troop member Alex Walsh.

“This is a nice project. It should bring happiness to others, even if they are hurt,” said Walsh.

TAMC distributes the cheer bags to children who are hospitalized or who enter the hospital through the Emergency Department. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 61

Meet & Greet

Initiative, the University of Maine at Presque Isle and the University of Maine at Fort Kent are collaborating and putting a new spin on career fairs. The County's first Reverse Career Fair is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, April 16 at the Community Center in Caribou.

While a traditional career fair encourages employers to set up booths and share the needs of their business and industry markets to students attending the event, the Reverse Career Fair literally reverses these roles, with students taking ownership. College freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors compete for a spot at the fair, set up a display, and have the opportunity to meet leaders of business in Aroostook County.

Tammy DeLisle, career planning and internship placement coordinator at UMFK, discovered the concept while researching ideas for career fairs.

"The idea of a Reverse Career Fair is an outside of the box concept, but I strongly believe it is needed and will work well for Aroostook County. Through past coordination and feedback received from employers attending the traditional career fairs on the campuses of UMFK and UMPI, students did not approach the employers and therefore connections were not made. The reverse career fair concept places the students on the other side of the table and allows the employers to ap62 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

proach the students,” DeLisle said. “It is a win-win for everyone. Students get to meet and put their resume in the hands of employers, and employers invest only a small segment of time in place of an entire day. Employers should not miss this opportunity to network with our students and discover the professional and leadership skills they can offer."

greater focus, so we are very pleased to be partnering with AAI and UMFK on this innovative event," UMPI President Linda Schott said. "We are working on efforts that would provide all of our students with internships and other work experiences before they graduate, and the Reverse Career Fair is going to be a wonderful addition to that. Our hope is

“This event not only gives students a chance to brag about their abilities and skills, it helps employers see what this generation can bring to the workforce."

–April Flagg April Flagg, executive director of the Aroostook Aspirations Initiative, is excited about the partnership between the universities and AAI. "This concept was a perfect fit for our new internship program. Connecting students with the employers in Aroostook, with the business and civic leaders, is a vital tool as we all work to reverse our outward migration,” she said. “This event not only gives students a chance to brag about their abilities and skills, it helps employers see what this generation can bring to the workforce."

"The University of Maine at Presque Isle has made career preparation opportunities for our students an area of even

that it will help to expand our students' understanding of the many great job opportunities available right here in Aroostook County."

Employer involvement is key to the success of this event, as one of the goals is to showcase the opportunity available in Aroostook County to our students.

Engaging students in the work available in Aroostook and allowing them to meet the people who make the hires, and who will have future positions available helps students see Aroostook as a great place to live and raise families.

Businesses who wish to attend the fair should email Aroostook Aspirations Initiative at info@gauvinfund.org.

PHOTO: GEORGE DOYLE/THINKSTOCK.COM

A

roostook Aspiration

AAI, UMPI and UMFK host Reverse Career Fair on April 16.

Maine Winter Sports Center receives $2 million gift to kick off endowment campaign

ary Barton Smith,

whose $500,000 matching gift in February 2014 kicked off a successful $1.4 million dollar fundraising campaign and gave the Maine Winter Sports Center new life, has given a $2 million gift and an additional $3 million matching gift to kick off MWSC’s $20 million dollar endowment campaign.

Fully matched, Smith’s gift will represent $8 million dollars in endowment

i nter leads a sk inter Sports Ce (Top) Maine W er in Presque nt Ce e ag rit rdic He lesson at the No y (left) of the o) Welly Ramse ot ph is (Th e.

Isl unds a bend ro er nt Sports Ce Maine Winter pics at the XC Junior Olym during the USSA e Isle. qu es Pr in e Center Nordic Heritag

64 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

BY ANDREW SHEPARD, PRESIDENT & CEO MAINE WINTER SPORTS CENTER

contribution. When it was announced in February 2014 that the MWSC would be losing its funding in April of that year, the future of the organization was in serious doubt. The MWSC immediately launched a campaign intended to secure the funding necessary to continue operations beyond April and give it time to develop a more sustainable and diversified funding model to move forward. “Mary’s belief in the Maine Winter Sports Center and its impact on the health and well-being of Maine residents has been transformative,” said MWSC President and CEO Andy Shepard. “She has put us in a position to ensure that we can continue to have that impact by challenging others who share her commitment to Maine to join the campaign and give to the endowment fund.”

Currently, the MWSC has two fundraising efforts running sim u l t a n e o u s l y.

The first has been ongoing since 2014 and

is reaching out to Maine’s foundations and corporations to support operations over the next three years. This campaign, with the ongoing support of

“Mary’s belief in the Maine Winter Sports Center and its impact on the health and well-being of Maine residents has been transformative.”

–Andy Shepard best-in-class Maine brands, L.L.Bean and Emera Maine, will give the MWSC a bridge to its endowment-driven longterm sustainability.

The second campaign is to generate the $20 million dollar endowment, which will ensure that long-term sustainability.

“The endowment campaign will engage the help of individuals and organizations that share the MWSC’s commitment to a healthier Maine and to the effective stewardship of our remarkable natural resources, which serve as the classroom for MWSC’s programming,” said Dick Trafton, chairman of the MWSC board.

PHOTOS: (TOP) BDN FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF MAINE WINTER SPORTS CENTER; (BOTTOM) BDN FILE PHOTO BY BRIDGET BROWN

M

Gift of New Life

Now, this is what we call a chat room.

ps New non-sto ns o and connecti ! d to the worl

Instant messages, tweets and online chats are great, but nothing can substitute for celebrating your closeness in person. So pick up that smart phone and do a smart thing: go to FlyBangor.com, book online, and this time - send yourself.

Nonstops, connecting flights, competitive fares and friendly customer service.

Bgr_Metro_SendYourself_v2.indd 3

66 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

2/27/15 4:53 PM

Inside: BUILD YOUR OWN TERRARIUM • EXPERT GARDENING TIPS HANDCRAFTED PLANTERS • ROOTED IN MAINE: ZUCCHINI BREAD MEMORIES LAST WORD: KEEPING THE CRITTERS OUT

SATURDAY, APRIL 11 & SUNDAY, APRIL 12

BDNMaineGardenShow.com

CROSS INSURANCE CENTER

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 67

special feature

Bring a little outdoors in with DIY terrariums.

BY NATALIE FEULNER | PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEULNER

G

lass globes

filled with bright green plants and multi-colored rocks greet visitors at the Rock and Art Shop in Bangor. Terrariums create a stark contrast from the whites, browns, grays and blacks that fill Maine’s landscape in late March and April.

The small enclosed gardens are a great, affordable way to bring a little bit of the outdoors in, offering a vivid contrast to the sometimes gray days of early spring.

Terrariums reached a height of popularity after “On the Growth of Plants in Closely Glazed Cases” was published in 1842. Over the decades, their popularity declined, however, they recently made a comeback as more people discover their simplicity and ease of care.

Chris Dodd, manager at the Bangor Rock and Art Shop, said most of the store’s

68 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

customers are drawn to terrariums because of their aesthetics.

“You’re looking at the plant, at the way the whole thing is crafted, it really draws the eye in,” he said.

Many of the nearly 20 terrariums created

by Rock and Art Shop Owner Tony Sohns use succulents, which means they require little watering and plenty of sun. Dodd said that ease of care plus the touch of color they bring to a room make the terrariums the perfect pick-me-up as winter lingers.

“I think it’s a nice bouquet that’s going to last a long time, it will carry you through those long months,” he said.

The mini gardens come in every shape and size, can be as simple or complicated as you like. All it takes is a few plants, some soil and a little creativity.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 69

How to create the perfect terrarium SUPPLIES: • A clear container, preferably glass

• Activated charcoal (optional)

• Gravel

• Soil

• Plants

Step One Select your container

First, you’ll need to select a container. The best terrarium containers are glass or clear plastic and have an opening large enough to fit small plants.

You can create closed terrariums or add lids to open ones, just make sure you select plants suitable for each. Closed terrariums are good for plants that thrive in moist environments. If you want to use sun-loving plants, choose an open container. Choose small plants and keep in mind, those selected will need to have similar environmental needs. They will also need to be scaled to the size of the container so the tops of the majority of plants sit just below the lip of the glass. Keep in mind the plants will grow overtime, so leave some space between each and avoid overcrowding.

Step Two Create a drainage layer

Because a terrarium does not have holes for water like a traditional gardening pot, you must create a system to drain water to prevent damaging the plants. Small stone, gravel or even broken ceramic pieces will work. Add 1 to 3 inches of crushed material to the bottom of your container depending on its depth. If you’re using a closed container, you’ll need to add a thin layer of activated charcoal to the top of the stone to prevent odors. Place a thin layer of moss, which can be purchased at stores that have floral departments such as AC Moore or Hobby Lobby, on top of the stone or charcoal.

7070 / BANGOR / BANGOR METRO METRO April April 2015 2015

special feature

Step Three Add soil

You’ll need to use enough soil to completely cover the root balls of the plants you choose, most likely around 2 inches.

Keep in mind that some plants, like cacti, will thrive better with soil designed to support them while others can grow in just about anything.

Step Four Landscape

Select your greenery. Plants that thrive in low-light, humid environments include ferns, ivy and mosses. These plants are also good for closed containers because they can handle the moisture created by the incoming sunlight turning into condensation. Plants for high-light, dry terrarium environments include succulents jade, cacti and aloe and will need to live in an open container.

Prune dead or overgrown parts of plants before adding them to the terrarium and make sure they are free of bugs. Add the biggest plants first, then tuck small plants and ground cover around them.

Add rocks or shells to create a unique landscape.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 71

Maintenance Make sure to keep your container clean, taking care to remove moisture, dust or algae, which may grow on the glass.

Remove dead plant material to prevent the growth of fungi. Keep the terrarium out of direct light to avoid excessive heat building up and killing the plants.

Too much sun can cause leaves to wilt, but too little light may weaken plants.

Open terrariums should be watered occasionally. If you have added plants that thrive in moist environments, the topsoil should be slightly wet on top for the majority of time. Succulents and cacti, however, should have dry soil that is only slightly damp below the surface.

On a budget Making your own terrarium costs between $15 and $25 for a large glass bowl, rocks, moss and plants. But it can be done for much less. Consider “upcycling” a glass container you already have – a Ball canning jar, an old rectangular aquarium or a vase. Small rocks or gravel can be dug out of the ground and in the summer, moss is abundant in Maine’s many forests.

72 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

special feature

Make it fun for kids Terrariums can also serve as great learning tools for students of all ages. Talk with younger children about the importance of having plants from similar ecosystems. Older students may be interested in how closed terrariums use incoming sunlight and condensation as rain to keep the plants inside watered. Children also will have fun creating special plant worlds for small plastic figures. Whether they add dinosaurs, jungle creatures or army men, the possibilities are endless.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 73

eye on industry

Shaping the

Landscape Lunaform in Sullivan creates more than your garden-variety planters. BY DEB NEUMAN

road to visit Lunaform, but it’s worth the trip. Located in Sullivan, it’s a left turn after the Hancock/Sullivan bridge to an oasis of beauty, creativity and innovation. There you will find landscaped gardens, trails and trellises created to display the many shapes,

These are not your typical “garden variety” planters. Each Lunaform piece is handcrafted using materials and a process that ensures it will withstand any and all environmental conditions in a way that enhances its beauty for years to come.

Each Lunaform piece is handcrafted using materials and a process that ensures it will withstand any and all environmental conditions for years to come. forms, sizes and finishes of urns, planters, bowls and basins that you can see in various stages of production.

The materials used include concrete, polymer and steel. Each piece is hand built and hand turned on a wheel similar to a potters wheel, making each piece different and eliminating the need for seams from a mold. Steel and polypropylene fibers are used to reinforce the pieces creating the strongest garden planters available. Each piece is then cured in a humidity and temperature controlled environment before being sandblasted and finished to create a one-of-a-kind piece that is uniquely Lunaform.

The company was born in 1992 when Phid Lawless and his wife couldn’t find nonnaform, Lu at r rke plastic planters for their garden wo a , Rick Stevenson into a large bowl te cre con that would survive a Maine s ack -p hand . studio in Sullivan winter without having to be at the company's brought inside, covered up or

74 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

Dan Farrenkopf and Phid Lawless of Lunaform .

turned over. So, they decided to create their own. With his background in architecture and product design, Lawless partnered up with his friend Dan Farrenkopf who had experience with landscape design and garden installations.

“It was hit and miss in the beginning,” says Lawless. “Concrete is a stronger material but much harder to work with than clay – it doesn’t hold together on the wheel as easily.”

After much trial and error, they discovered how to make concrete pots that would be tough enough to withstand a Maine winter and still be beautiful. They weren’t intending to start a business but when a landscape architect and a garden design magazine heard about what they had created, orders came in and a business was born. Lunaform now employs up to eight people year round, annually producing 400-500 pieces that are shipped nationwide and internationally.

Most of Lunaform’s customers are individuals, including some collectors.

One customer owns 75 pieces that decorate his 10-acre property. The company is often called upon by landscape architects to create pieces for specific projects.

Lunaform’s creations can be found in the New York Botanical Garden, Rockefeller

BDN FILE PHOTOS BY MARIO MORETTO

I

t’s a long and windy

Center, Bowdoin and Colby colleges, the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami and the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas.

The company has nearly 150 designs, with the most popular being the first one they created, the “Luna” urn. They also feature birdbaths, lanterns and basins.

“We add four to five new designs and new shapes every year,” said Lawless. A Lunaform piece can weigh from 40 to several thousand pounds. Shipping the pieces is a challenge, but the company has figured out a system that ensures (with a few exceptions) a safe delivery.

“Shipping is the primary reason why customers can’t order off our website as there are too many variables,” said Lawless.

Lunaform continues to receive accolades and attention from landscape and gardening hobbyists and professionals alike. Publications, including the Washington Post, House & Garden, House Beautiful and many more, have featured the Lunaform story. According to Lawless, 2014 was a good year and 2015 is shaping up to be an even better year for this growing Maine business.

For more information, visit lunaform. com or call 422-0923.

Dan Farrenkopf, co-founder of Lunaform, shows off one of the internal molds the company uses to create seamless works of concrete. The forms can be disassembled inside a finished product and removed through the opening, allowing for shapes that would otherwise be impossible without casts.

Since 1947

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 75

90 Years of Lending Experience

Working For You Imagining a backyard oasis? Make it a reality.

The Loan Officers at Bangor Federal in Brewer and Bangor are ready to help you with all your financial needs.

Ralph Patterson 25 years with Bangor Federal; 32 years in the banking industry With a degree in business/aviation management, Ralph can help you understand the credit union industry and Bangor Federal’s many products and services.

Raymond Bean More than 20 years of financial institution experience, including a focus on mortgage lending Ray says his combined experience allow him to help people establish good financial habits to reach their dreams.

Barbara Stacey More than 27 years of financial experience Barbara comes from a family of bankers, with four sisters all working in the financial industry. She enjoys working with members to help reach their financial goals.

17 years working for Bangor Federal Yvonne started working for Bangor Federal as a teller, and worked her way up to a loan officer. She likes working with members to meet their financial needs and goals.

Travis Martin 6 years of financial industry experience, including 3 with Bangor Federal As a UMaine business graduate, Travis has a passion for this field of work.

He says it feels good to know he is helping people establish their financial goals.

Article supplied by Bangor Federal Credit Union.

76 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

PHOTO: OZGURCOSKUN/THINKSTOCK.COM

Yvonne Fournier

How Does Your

Garden Grow?

Get inspired and bring some color and life to your backyard.

Sprague’s Nursery & Garden Center offers tips to help.

Get to know your site Take a step back and look at the area you want planted or landscaped and decide what things you want to highlight or hide.

Figure out where the sun comes up and goes down and how long it stays. Consider things like where rain pools or snow piles or where you might want to smell something fragrant or enjoy watching nature. Also a large piece of this puzzle is how much do you love gardening? This may determine how much maintenance you want to do to keep up with your new landscape for the future. Take pictures of your site to show the garden center staff or landscaper.

quotes instead of just one and make sure they buy their plants that they install from a reputable garden center or nursery. Ask about their warrantees on work completed.

Shop for plants locally Plants grown locally have been grown and acclimatized to your weather conditions. Many of the big box stores may offer plants that won’t grow in Maine in the long term. You want your plants to be tough so you don’t have to re-buy them.

You will find healthier and better maintained plants at local greenhouses and nurseries, which will also be important in giving them the best start in life.

Collect inspiration Thank goodness for Pinterest, Better Homes and Gardens, and many other sources of inspiration. Keep those pictures and bring them with you shopping so you and the garden center staff know and can visualize the look.

Buy in bulk and take advantage of quantity discounts Buying things like soil and mulch in bulk is always cheaper than buying smaller quantities. Many garden centers also offer quantity discounts on so many plants purchased.

PHOTO: JUPITERIMAGES/THINKSTOCK.COM

Make a plan and test your soil The first step should always be make a plan.

Maybe you need to split the large landscape project into small “phases.” It’s easy to forget or become distracted so a plan can help ensure that your landscape looks tied together. Many garden centers or landscape installation professionals offer a design service of some kind. Sprague’s Nursery offers both a detailed design as well as an in-store sketch that is inexpensive and catered more towards a “Do It Yourselfer.”

Next make sure to have your soil tested.

Good gardens start from the ground up!

You can have the local cooperative extension test your soil at very little cost and this could save you BIG down the road.

Buy trees and shrubs with warrantees

Decide to hire it out or DIY

Be neighborly

If you think this project is something you can handle GO FOR IT! Your local greenhouse or garden center can offer tricks of the trade and guide you along the way.

If you decide to hire a contractor ask for pictures of work they’ve done. Get a few

Ask around if a neighbor has a rototiller or landscaping tool you can borrow – by sharing, you can both save big. You may even cut down on delivery fees and installation fees with a really good hard working neighbor and friend!

Ask for warrantees! Most stores won’t warrantee annuals or perennials but your trees and shrubs are expensive and should be a warrantee investment. Try to buy those plants where there is a oneyear or season warrantee, just in case!

Don’t skimp on soil, fertilizers, and watering supplies Healthy plants start from the soil. Although it’s not blooming and beautiful, it should be the number one thing to consider – good soil, compost, fertilizer and watering supplies ensure proper growth.

Article supplied by Sprague’s Nursery & Garden Center.

Since 1947 www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 77

rooted in ME

Zucchini Bread

Memories Passing along gardening traditions and recipes to the next generation.

M

y late mother

had a problem with gardening and if you ask my husband, it’s the same problem I have.

Some would call it impatience, but I prefer to call it, “I don’t have time to wait, I’m busy multitasking.”

BY NATALIE FEULNER

One of the things we did every year was grow a garden, mom’s way of teaching us about photosynthesis and patience.

Sometimes it was a big garden, other times just a few small pots on the deck. Summers often ended without too many vegetables since summers were blazing hot and we

like cinnamon and hot summer days.

It’s amazing how food connects us to family. Recipes passed through generations, meals shared around a table. These experiences remind us the soak up the memories. Because once we’re sepa-

One of the things we did every year was grow a garden, mom’s way of teaching us about photosynthesis and patience.

My mom was constantly balancing life as a single mom of four, vineyard owner/manager, full-time college professor, sideline cheerleader, doctoral student and household cook. Looking back, I really don’t know how she did it.

I sometimes can’t keep my head above water with one child.

were all a bit busy. But there was this one thing that would grow out of control.

Zucchini.

I hate zucchini. But every summer since my mother’s passing, I find myself grating that green vegetable I despise so much and relishing the memories that waft through the kitchen smelling faintly

rated from those we love the most, those memories and the familiar taste of meals shared are all we have.

My daughter is still too young to truly help in the garden or kitchen, but I look forward to sharing with her the stories about grandma and making new memories she can cherish.

Zucchini Bread Recipe (Makes two loaves) 3 eggs

3 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups granulated sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cups vegetable oil

2 cups grated zucchini

2 cups flour

Optional: walnuts or mini chocolate chips (I recommend that latter!)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt

Directions: Beat eggs. Mix all ingredients adding zucchini and mix-ins last.

Mix well again and pour into two well-greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

78 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

IMAGES: BHOFACK2 & ILKA-ERIKA SZASZ-FABIAN/THINKSTOCK.COM

NATALIE FEULNER is a journalist and “semi-crunchy” cloth diapering momma to a rambunctious toddler named after a county in California. She blogs about her adventures in parenting and Maine at www.rootedinme.bangordailynews.com.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 79

last

word

Forking Out Gardening

Advice

Tips for keeping pests out of your garden... and your snack stash. BY CHRIS QUIMBY

T

oday, I learned

that a gardener can help keep critters out of her garden by sticking plastic forks, tines pointed up, throughout the planted area. Turns out, cats like to frequent the plots of vegetables to do their business. This is only one small reason I feel myself to be superior to cats, as I usually can walk through the produce section at my local grocery store without succomming to the same temptation.

Although, it is notable that the public restrooms are directly off to the side in that very department at our favorite store. Maybe there have been issues.

The theory is that, although cats are great navigators, they have trouble resisting the fork pokes. Regarding the agility of the feline, you may have already heard of the scientific study that tested the hypothesis that cats always land on their feet and bread always lands butter-side down. Researchers strapped a piece of buttered bread (spread-side up) to the back of a Calico. Dropping the cat from 5 feet high, they were astounded to observe the animal stop 8 inches short of impact and indefinitely hover in mid-air.

Some people will tell you this never happened, but as for me and Grandpa, we believe.

Despite the deft-stepping of these creatures, they apparently will become quite annoyed with the forks and decide to instead relieve themselves elsewhere, probably on your bed.

Interesting to this writer is that bugs and animals are so fond of fruit and vegetables, since I struggle getting myself or my children to eat any of them.

We would rather feast upon Pop-Tarts and chocolate, two foods which I have had to develop my own plans to protect.

You see, if left out in the open, my comfort food would be overrun with teenagers. This is a lamentable problem in my home. Being clever offspring, I’ve found that plastic forks do not work with them, as they merely pick them up and use them to eat my food. The only things that work are secrecy and threats. I hide the food in my closet and warn them not to come looking for it.

I never have to do this with veggies, though. Understandable, since those nutritious foods have great benefit to the body but suffer from a marketing standpoint. Think about it. They emerge from the dirt, are at one time or another visited by bugs, and their growth is encouraged with manure.

Maybe the cats are doing us a favor.

I don’t think I could get my teens to eat a Twinkie if I pushed it in the ground and covered it with doody. Maybe when they were toddlers, but likely not now.

So, if I were to help my wife out in her garden this year, I suppose I would plant a crop of plastic forks. With little desire for vegetables, my motive would instead be to cultivate goodwill with my spouse, which is equally as good for my health.

And forks seem to be much better than my plans of secrecy and threats.

After all, keeping the crops under cover also blocks them from the sun.

And standing outside the plot for hours yelling at woodland creatures makes me look like a threat to my neighbors.

Maybe not such a bad idea. At least they’d stay away from my chocolate.

CHRIS QUIMBY is a husband, father, Christian comedian, writer, and graphic designer from Brooks. Visit him on the web at chrisquimby.com or nachotree.com.

80 / BANGOR METRO April 2015

IMAGES: TASIA12/THINKSTOCK.COM

Turns out, cats like to frequent the plots of vegetables to do their business. This is only one small reason I feel myself to be superior to cats, as I usually can walk through the produce section at my local grocery store without succomming to the same temptation.

2015

Because we’re tired of snow, too...

APRIL 11&12

CROSS INSURANCE CENTER, BANGOR This year’s theme

Naturally Nautical

• Exciting landscaper exhibits

Kelly Donnelly

• 100+ vendor displays

Events & Brand Coordinator

• Fun, interesting speakers

tel. (207) 990-8021

• visit bdnmainegardenshow.com for more

kdonnelly@bangordailynews.com