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Bringing

Them Home Follow one Maine man’s dedication to bring closure to the families of MIA veterans

Healthy Appetite Celebrity chef Sam Talbot talks about his new Camden restaurant

Inside:

2015 Metro Health Guide The Maine Photo Project A Trip to Rooster Brother in Ellsworth Hardy Girls Healthy Women Then & Now: Pittsfield

$5.95

For the Love of The Game A dedication to hockey knows no age limit

November 2015

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NOVEMBER 2015

contents

features SALUTE OF SERVICE / 14 Training service dogs for veterans TOOLS FOR SUCCESS / 16 Preparing girls for healthy a future ONE MORE DAY / 18 Survivor encourages others to give it one more day MOVING ON / 20 Inspirational 15 year old moves on from brain tumor BRINGING THEM HOME / 24 Bringing closure to veterans’ families THEN & NOW: PITTSFIELD / 34 Pittsfield proves it’s not a sleepy town HEALTHY APPETITE / 40 Meet celebrity chef Sam Talbot

24

EVERY CUP IS A STORY / 44 A pioneer in Maine coffee REVIVING THE ARTS / 48 Linda Nelson talks arts in Maine

‘MY STORY, ALTHOUGH IT PAUSES, HASN’T ENDED’ / 81 Strength through Project Semicolon

ON THE COVER

Bob Franzosa, University of Maine professor and amateur hockey player (see story on page 58).

Photo: Jason Paige Smith 2 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

81

PHOTOS: (TOP) LOUIS A. SAPIENZA; (BOTTOM) BDN FILE

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME / 58 Capturing the love of hockey

A look a Pittsfield, then and now, page 34

PHOTOS: (FOOD) COURTESY OF COLLECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS; (PITTSFIELD) COURTESY OF PITTSFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY; (BINOCULARS) ERNEST NIKL/THINKSTOCK.COM

40

Bob Duchesne gets better equipped, page 64

in every issue

columns

TALK OF THE TOWNS / 8 News from your communities

METRO WELLNESS / 23 Lessons from divorce

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

MAINE WOODS & WATERS / 64 Getting better equipped

PERSPECTIVES / 50 The Maine Photo Project

LAST WORD / 112 Let’s bring back the house call

WHAT’S HAPPENING / 52 November events and festivals AIMEE & AMY TRY... / 56 Being thankful for fun crafts SAVVY SENIORS / 66 AARP moves to downtown Portland REAL ESTATE / 68 Cost-conscious home upgrades

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

BONUS FEATURE! 2015 METRO HEALTH / 77 Your guide to health and wellness

Check out our interactive map of Pittsfield (featured on page 34) More photos from events around our region.

Email your own event photos: sightings@bangormetro.com

CROWN OF MAINE / 71 News from Aroostook County www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3

editor’s note

This month, we started a new section in the magazine called Aimee & Amy Try _____. It’s designed to be a recurring feature where Bangor Metro art director Amy Allen and I try a different craft with our children each month and report back on how successful (or not successful) it turned out.

Finn tests out the googly eyes

The Outtakes

No craft project would be complete without a few mishaps and ridiculousness...

For November, it was fitting that we find a Thanksgivingthemed project. On page 56, you can find our attempt at making turkeys – each feather in its tail has written on it something our children are thankful for.

While it’s (almost) always fun to create something with our little ones, Amy and I agreed that our favorite part was learning what they truly are thankful for. While we were pleased that we, along with our respective spouses, made the list, we were also happy to learn that family pets (Petey, Tommy and Mr. Wiggles) and other relatives came out on top.

But I think what we enjoyed the most was the chance to learn what little things in life – cake, Anna from “Frozen,” sun, plants – they also found to be very important.

We hope you have as much fun trying these projects with your family, and be sure to send us a photo of the end result so we can share it with readers. Email them to editor@bangormetro.com.

This was right before Chloe kissed her turkey on its little felt beak Maggie experiences the joy of hot glue

4 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

AIMEE THIBODEAU, MANAGING EDITOR

For the record, that’s Wiggles the cat we’re thankful for, not wedgies

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

MANAGING EDITOR

Aimee Thibodeau athibodeau@bangordailynews.com

STAFF WRITER

Emily Burnham eburnham@bangordailynews.com

SALES MANAGER

Laurie Cates lcates@bangordailynews.com

ART DIRECTOR

Amy Allen aallen@bangordailynews.com

SUBSCRIPTION & PROMOTIONS MANAGER

Fred Stewart fstewart@bangordailynews.com

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www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 5

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Bob Duchesne

Jane Margesson

Richard Shaw

Joy Hollowell

Deb Neuman

Chris Quimby

Emilie Brand Throckmorton

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS

Jason Paige Smith Bangor Metro Magazine. November 2015, Vol. 11, No. 9.

Copyright Š 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 Fred Stewart at 207-990-8219.

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

COVER PHOTO: Jason Paige Smith

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 7

AChance Second

DOVER-FOXCROFT: The mill buildings overlooking the Piscataquis River in DoverFoxcroft produced woollen and wood products for 163 years. Operations ceased in 2007, and the mill was abandoned.

Over the last six years, however, owner and developer Jonathan Arnold has slowly turned the buildings into The Mill at Dover-Foxcroft – 22 residential apartments and space for businesses, including a hotel and cafe.

The renovation is thought to be the largest private investment in Piscataquis County in decades. The $12.4-million project was financed with a combination of developer equity, historic tax credits, a construction loan from Coastal Enterprise Inc. and the Maine 8 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Community Foundation, and a combination of other grant sources and gap financing.

The construction – completed by Wright-Ryan Construction, with historic preservation consulting by Sutherland Conservation & Consulting – remained true to original architectural styles. The

(Top) An outdoor patio provides space for eating and relaxing at the Mill Inn & Cafe in downtown Dover-Foxcroft. The space was filled with visitors recently for a Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting-ceremony.

(Below) The building offers ample seating space for customers to sit and relax, both indoors or on an outdoor patio, as well as a half dozen rooms at the upstairs boutique inn.

architect is Christian Arnold (of no relation to the developer).

“It’s like a restored piece of furniture that has the shine of when it was first built but every bit of character of the designers’ original intent,” Jonathan Arnold said.

PHOTOS: BDN FILE

talk of the towns

Working Waterfront DAMARISCOTTA RIVER: University of Maine scientists have deployed an oceanobserving buoy at the mouth of the Damariscotta River to help scientists understand how different types and scales of aquaculture can fit into Maine’s multi-use working waterfront.

The buoy is part of a National Science Foundation’s Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture Network project geared to assist the aquaculture sector maintain an environmentally and economically sustainable production path.

Professor Neal Pettigrew’s Physical Oceanography Group in the School of Marine Sciences will use data gathered by Mooring E0501 to map water circulation at the mouth of the river.

The detailed circulation patterns will be integrated into ecosystem models under the supervision of Damian Brady, assistant research professor at the Darling Marine Center. The models will include results of environmental monitoring, field investigations and lab analysis.

Powered by solar panels and batteries, Mooring E0501 records air temperature, wind strength and direction, wave height, water temperature, salinity, concentrations of phytoplankton and current speed and direction at several depths.

Researchers plan to maintain the buoy through fall 2016 to capture the annual cycle and dynamic interaction of the ocean-bound Damariscotta River and the landward push of the ocean tides.

UMaine scientists deployed an oceanobserving buoy to better understand the dynamic interaction between the Damariscotta River and the Gulf of Maine.

PHOTOS: (TOP) NEAL PETTIGREW; COURTESY OF MITCHELL CHASSE

Take a Bow DOVER-FOXCROFT: Mitchell Chasse may only be a high school senior, but he’s done more in his community than some residents do in a lifetime. His passion? Theater.

“Mitchell was introduced to live theater at age 7, the Foxcroft Academy performance of ‘Cinderella,’” explained Mitchell’s father, Kevin Chasse. “Right from the start he was hooked.”

He participated in Center Theatre’s Summer Drama Camp for six years, and then when the program lost its costume designer in 2009, Mitchell stepped up and at age 14, took on the role himself.

He did so well that Director Jayne Lello asked him to assume the task for the next three years.

Eventually Mitchell’s ambitions moved beyond costumes to production and direction.

With the help of his dad, he started his own company, Mitchell Chasse Productions, and produced “Aladdin Jr,” with almost 600 people attending the three shows.

He followed it with “The Little Mermaid Jr.” and in 2015, “Beauty and the Beast,” which brought in more than 1,600 people for seven shows.

“I love it when you hear tons of laughter, clapping, cheering, thunderous applause, crying ... To see everyone enjoying the show – the actors on stage and the audience watching – is so special,” said Chasse.

He credits his small-town childhood with many of the opportunities he’s been afforded.

“At the age of 14, I built and signed my own contract with the theater, renting the space for a weekend where I put on ‘Aladdin

(Top) Mitchell Chasse’s production of “Beauty and the Beast” at Center Theatre. (Right) Mitchell Chasse.

Jr.’ [in 2012]. I definitely would not have had that type of opportunity if I was in a larger town [or] city,” Chasse said. “I am very happy to have grown up with the Center Theatre and been able to accomplish as much as I have there, and be a part of so many wonderful shows and be able to work [with and] meet so many amazing people.”

Next up for Mitchell is college, but his love of theater is sure to be a large part of his future as he pursues a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in stage management. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 9

biz buzz & sightings On the Move TruChoice Federal Credit Union in Portland hired NEIL MACDONALD as information technology assistant manager and GLENN GRIFFIN as access and security coordinator.

MacDonald previously served as the network administrator for the Norfolk Sheriff's office in Virginia. MacDonald received his degree from the University of Prince Edward Island. He resides in Saco. Griffin previously served as a Security Officer for The Baltimore Museum of Art. He received his degree from the University of New Haven and lives in Portland.

CINDY DUFOUR , certified

kitchen designer, has been the manager of the S.W. Collins Co. Design Center since 2004. Dufour recently achieved the designation as a Certified Aging in Place Specialist through the National Association of Home Builders.

ERIN MEYER , who started

with the organization in 2012, has been named Herring Gut Learning Center Executive Director.

Founded in 1999, Herring Gut is a non-profit education center in Port Clyde that partners with public schools to engage students and teachers in hands-on aquaculture and marine science programs, provides professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers, and offers a summer first work experience for young teens.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine has hired MELANIE MORSE of Waterville as its new Community-Based Manager for Penobscot County. She will be responsible for recruiting, interviewing, screening and training prospective new mentors to serve as Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

She will also be matching Bigs with children (ages 5-14) from the community and working with the 10 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

matches to provide ongoing match support as they develop their relationships. She will work out of the Second Street office located at the Bangor YMCA. LISA BERGMARK, PA-C has

joined Penobscot Community Health Care’s Brewer School Based Health Centers located at Brewer High School and Brewer Community School. PCHC currently hosts a medical office at each location and offers a unique opportunity for students to receive health care when they need it at school.

Manomet, a New England based non-profit that works in the areas of conservation, business sustainability and science education, announces the hiring of two new staff members – DANIELLE SARMIR and LORA WINSLOW – as part of its expanding Sustainable Economies Program. The Sustainable Economies Program is based in Brunswick and advises businesses and communities on practices that enhance their economic viability and quality of life while also reducing their environmental footprint.

Awards

BRIAN ENMAN, golf professional at

Bangor Municipal Golf Course, has been elected to the Maine Golf Hall of Fame.

Enman was joined by five other members at an induction dinner held in September at the Poland Spring Golf Club in Poland. Brian has been a PGA member since 1980. He began his career as the Head Professional at Northport Country Club in 1978 and later moved on to become the head professional at Dexter Municipal Golf Course in 1982.

He became the head professional golf pro at Bangor Municipal Golf Course in 1995. He replaced Austin Kelly, who he will now join as a member of the Hall of Fame. Kelly was inducted in 1997.

Enman also has served as the Greater Bangor Open tournament director since 1995, was a member of the 1978 USGA Public Links Committee, and was a former Husson University golf coach.

Grants CHANGING SEASONS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION has received a $10,000 Digital

Growth grant from the National Credit Union Administration. Funding will be used toward the development of digital products, such as electronic bill payment, an interactive website, mobile or home banking, electronic or digital signatures, mobile or online loan applications and remote deposit capture.

CES INC., a Brewer-based firm of

engineers, environmental scientists, and professional surveyors, has been named one of the Zweig Group’s 2015 Best Firms to Work For. The award recognizes the top structural engineering, civil engineering, environmental, architecture, and multidiscipline firms in the U.S. and Canada based on their workplace practices, employee benefits, employee retention rates, and more.

LYNN JORDAN, Certified Nurse’s Aide

for New England Home Health Care, has been awarded the distinction of Excellence in Long Term Care Award from the Ombudsman program. A ceremony to recognize Jordan’s award was held in September at the Blaine House.

Federal grants totaling nearly $4 million have been awarded to three organizations to help combat homelessness among veterans in Maine. A $290,000 grant to the WASHINGTON HANCOCK COMMUNITY AGENCY marks the third

year the agency has received funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs, said Jennifer Trowbridge, housing and veterans services director for the Washington Hancock Community Agency. Grants aimed at ending veteran homelessness also were awarded to the Portland-based social services provider PREBLE STREET in the amount of $1,683,966 and VETERANS INC. , which serves veterans in Maine and throughout New England, in the amount of $2 million as part of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program.

1

There were big happenings all over our area recently, celebrating the YMCA, a growing brewery and local art.

PHOTOS BY JEFF KIRLIN

2

4

5

3

1 & 2: Jodi and Rodney Devost (1) at the October Art Opening and Mixer featuring the work of Jodi Renshaw (2) hosted by Central Gallery and Launchpad. Central Gallery is a multi-discipline arts venue that promotes creativity and helps artists present new work.

3: Sarah Walker Caron and Gibran Graham enjoy the art opening.

4 & 5: Geaghan Bros. Brewing Company recently held a grand opening for their Tasting Room, now available at the Brewer facility.

6: Amy Stevens Brook and Kassie Stevens Zeigler enjoy the 2015 Bangor Y Gala and Auction.

6

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 11

1

The 2015 Maine Chef Challenge presented by the BDN, Bangor Metro and EMCC Foundation was a huge success and lots of fun for everyone involved.

Here’s a quick look...

PHOTOS BY JEFF KIRLIN

2 1: Thing of the Moment photographer Jeff Kirlin with celebrity guest judge Sam Talbot.

2: Joseph Everett Smith from 11 Central tests his dish.

3: Cara Pollard Savage and Jill Conley enjoy the show.

4: The team from Woodman’s Bar & Grill hard at work.

3

6

12 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

4

5

5: The judges taste the dishes.

6: The chefs, Duncan Gunn, Justin Bard, Mark Horton, Jonny Thayer, Joseph Everett Smith and Tom Hashey prepare for the contest with guest judge Sam Talbot (center).

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 13

unsung hero

Salute of

Service Kathy Hecht has turned her love of animals into an incredible non-profit organization.

BY KATE BERRY

Kathy Hecht with one of her service dogs.

K

athy Hecht

has been training dogs since she was a child. Her love of animals continued into college when she attended the University of New Hampshire to obtain a degree in animal science. But everything changed when her father developed a degenerative eye condition which resulted in him losing his eyesight. He was forced into early retirement. He was so uncomfortable with his disability that he would put his cane in his pocket while walking around in public.

She knew she had to do something to help her father. Hecht retired one of her show dogs, cross-trained it as a guide dog and gave the animal to her father. This act of kindness and generosity kickstarted her career as a service dog trainer.

Kathy Hecht is now an adjunct professor at the University of Maine at Machias.

The school received a grant from the Maine Community Foundation and Hecht trained service dogs for the disabled in Washington County. The program was so successful that she was approached by several veterans asking her to teach them.

14 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

PHOTOS: BDN FILE

It is just incredibly rewarding work seeing the appreciation of the veterans. Seeing them be able to reclaim their lives, knowing that they had a hand in their own healing process and be able to facilitate that is just wonderful.

And Salute of Service was born to help veterans find the right dog and to train their dogs to become service dogs.

“We will help all veterans regardless of when they served, regardless of where they served and regardless of whether their disability was combat related,” Hecht said.

She is working to raise funds to keep the program going, and hopes to raise at least $20,000. To donate or for information on classes visit saluteofservice.org or call 323-4460.

What do you feel is the most rewarding aspect of this job?

I love what I do because I just really enjoy helping people. Also, as a service dog user, I know the difference a service dog can make in somebody’s life.

To be able to help folks out that way is incredibly rewarding.

Why do you love what you do?

I enjoy teaching in general. I teach four live labs in four different locations.

One in Machias, Bangor, Augusta and Rockland. In the spring, I teach an online class, which is the fundamentals of animal assistance therapy. Then, I teach the adult ed program in Belfast. In Searsport, I teach a beginner obedience class and a canine freestyle class which is dancing with your dog, as well as the service dog training course for the veterans. I also do private service dog training for just disabled individuals, as well. I do a lot of teaching.

Why do you think your job is important and why do you think it is necessary?

As far as the veterans go, the need for service dogs is absolutely huge. The VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] does not provide service dogs for any psychological disability. Where we are losing veterans at the rate of 22 a day to suicide [according to a study by the VA] – that’s just a number that is unacceptable. To be able to help the veterans who have put their lives on the line to defend this country, this is a small way of honoring the service and sacrifice that they made. It is just incredibly rewarding work seeing the appreciation of the veterans. Seeing them be able to reclaim their lives, knowing that they had a hand in their own healing process and be able to facilitate that is just wonderful.

Tools for I

believe that

Success Hardy Girls Healthy Women helping prepare girls for healthy futures.

BY DEB NEUMAN

(Below) A group who attended the April 2015 Girls Unlimited! Conference in Portland.

(Bottom) Girls Advisory Board members Hannah, Sophie and Clio posing at the April 2015 Girls Unlimited! Conference in one of the event's "Action Spots" claiming their activism.

16 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

girls and women have a right to be themselves and that they are just as strong and capable as anyone else. Hardy Girls Healthy Women has taught me how to speak up in situations that might be uncomfortable and has set me up for greater opportunities in life,’ says Mackenzie, a Hardy Girls Healthy Women participant.

Hardy Girls Healthy Women is a nonprofit organization based in Waterville, dedicated to the health and well-being of women and girls.

The organization, officially launched in 2000, creates programs, services and opportunities focused on empowering girls to take control of their lives and their environment to build confidence and to serve as agents of positive change.

“There are a lot of great programs out there to help girls develop self-confidence, but this program takes a unique approach,” said Kelli McCannell, who has served as the organization’s president since 2014.

“We look at the larger cultural issues that affect how girls view and feel about themselves, including how the media portrays what they should look like.

We explore the impact of larger societal norms on girls including feminism, the wage gap for women, climate change and healthcare,” McCannell explained. “Our work is guided by the latest research in girls’ development.”

The organization offers a number of programs that include the Girls Coalition Group, in which college students serve as muses for middle school girls. They work together toward identifying issues in their schools that impact girls and then take action to address those issues.

“We work with them to help them understand that this is their school and they are in charge of it. The girls come together as allies, not

adversaries, to make positive change in areas that are impacting their schools, including bullying,” McCannell said.

Hardy Girls Healthy Women encourages girls to lead.

“We don’t call the adults that work with the girls ‘mentors’ because that assumes that the adults know more than the girls.

We call them ‘muses’ who are there to inspire what is already inside the girls,” McCannell explained. “The girls already have what they need to know. We trust them, listen and we learn from them.”

Since 1998, Hardy Girls Healthy Women has put on a Girls Unlimited! conference. The annual event, held in April in Waterville and Portland is organized by high school girls, for girls in fourth through eighth grades.

“The girls are in charge of our largest program of the year. They determine the topics, they serve as the keynotes.

They design and deliver the workshops.

The entire event content is up to them,” said McCannell.

The idea of the conference is to celebrate girls’ voices and accomplishments, while talking about important issues that affect them. Topics have included women in media, women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), women around the world, healthy relationships and activism.

“It’s wonderful to watch the girls at the conference who start out being really quiet and shy. By the end of the day they are so excited and happy about being a girl and knowing all these other girls and leave feeling like they can make a change. Had we, as adults planned the event instead of the girls, we would never experience the same outcome,” McCannell said.

Hardy Girls Healthy Women also provides mentoring to adults, teachers, counselors and social workers who work with girls. The organization is exploring trainthe-trainer models to expand the delivery of their programs to other communities.

“We’ve learned that when we give girls a safe space and support, they are able to solve problems creatively. They are not only creative, they are smart, clever, silly and witty,” McCannell said.

“With increased control in their lives, greater challenge from adults, and closer commitment to their communities, girls will and do thrive.”

For more information about Hardy Girls Healthy Women, visit hghw.org.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF HARDY GIRLS HEALTHY WOMEN

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movers & shakers

One More Day

Bangor college student works to increase suicide prevention resources while inspiring others to give it one more day.

I

laid out

the clothes I wanted to be buried in, including the shoes,” Katy Coffin of Bangor said as she shared the story of her plan to commit suicide in the bedroom she grew up in. “I wrote a suicide note. I kissed my dog on the top of his head and put him outside the door. Then I took 32 pills and laid down on my bed to die.”

Three years later, Coffin is still alive. At 23 years old she has turned her suicide attempt into a passion to bring awareness and understanding to suicide and to prevent others from taking their own life.

It starts with understanding why she wanted to die.

“During middle school I was bullied for being overweight. I was insecure and had a hard time making friends in high school and college. I never felt like I fit in. I felt like a failure and not worthy of seeing another sunrise or graduation or family wedding. I was tapped out. I was depressed, anxious and ashamed,” Coffin explained. “I come from a loving home. As an only child I didn’t want to let my mom down. I felt like I failed her.”

It was Coffin’s mom who found her the next morning and rushed her to the hospital.

“When I woke up that day, I really woke up,” she said.

Coffin recalled her doctor telling her that it was a miracle she lived.

“I know there must be a reason that I am still here and I don’t want to waste my second chance,” she said.

Coffin openly discusses how she had to get past the stigma and shame that she felt after her suicide attempt in order to recover and heal.

On the third anniversary of her suicide attempt she shared share her story in an online video that has received more than 12,000 views.

18 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

BY DEB NEUMAN

In the video she says, “I want people to talk about this. I want people to ask questions. We need to stand up for people and show them they are beautiful, we are beautiful and you, my friend are gorgeous beyond belief.”

She adds, “I am forever grateful to my mom for showing me that I am worthy to breathe, that I am worthy to smile and to see another sunrise.”

She asks anyone considering suicide to “give it one more day. If you give it one more day, you don’t know what you are capable of.”

Coffin said that after the video went viral, a mother who lost her son to suicide wrote to her and thanked her for sharing her story. She said she wanted all of her friends to see it.

That has been what has helped Coffin move forward after her suicide attempt. She has worked to get healthy both physically and emotionally. She has lost 165 pounds and is attending Eastern Maine Community College where she is studying business management. She hopes to use that education to form a non-profit with suicide education and prevention as its mission and call it, “One More Day.” “I want there to be better education in schools and in the public in general.

I want people to understand that suicide is complex. I want there to be more understanding and less shame and more resources to help,” she said.

In the meantime, Coffin continues to get the message out to anyone who has ever or will consider suicide that, “Your life is worth living and we need you here.

Just give it one more day.”

Every day since her suicide attempt, Coffin still tells herself to “give it one more day.” That was more than a thousand “one more days” ago.

Watch Katy Coffin’s inspirational online video on YouTube by searching for Suicide Prevention, One More Day.

Need a PHOTO: GABOR DEGRE

Bright Gift Idea?

Show your love all year long with a subscription to

Bangor Metro!

For subscriptions, call 990-8219 www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 19

metro health

A 15-year old Greenbush girl isn’t letting a brain tumor get in her way of being a typical teenager.

BY JOY HOLLOWELL

20 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

T

he Sherman family

is not superstitious. They do, however, pay particular attention to the number 13.

That's because on Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, 13-year-old Gabrielle Sherman had a tumor removed from her brain.

“She was literally at a basketball game the afternoon before,” said Elizabeth Sherman, Gabby’s mother. “My husband picked her up, she came home to finish up some homework and then they headed out to a reading group at the Masonic Learning Center in Bangor.”

As they walked inside the building, Gabby suddenly grabbed her father’s arm.

“I felt like I was slipping,” she said. “I remember asking my Dad if I was falling.”

Glen Sherman knew something was wrong.

“My heart was racing,” he said. “I actually had to lay her down on the concrete

outside the building because she was limp. Her eyes kind of fluttered and rolled back a bit.”

Glen called Elizabeth, telling her to meet them at the hospital.

“I then asked Gabby if she was OK to walk,” said Glen, “and she was.”

In the emergency room, doctors suggested Gabby might have had a case of vertigo.

“And I just didn’t feel comfortable with that,” said Elizabeth. “There was just that mom thing that you get.”

Gabby was sent home. The next morning, her mom called their family doctor.

“At first they didn’t have any appointments but I begged and pleaded to get Gabby in,” Elizabeth said. “I just knew this had to happen today.”

They squeezed her in and Gabby’s doctor ordered a head scan.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE SHERMAN FAMILY

Moving On

“It was a long wait for the results,” Elizabeth said.

When the doctor finally returned, the Sherman family was shocked.

“They told us Gabby had a mass in her brain,” Elizabeth said. “The tumor was near her cerebellum and it had created a large fluid-built cyst. There was concern obviously about the tumor, but more immediately about the cyst that was putting a lot of pressure on her brain.”

Gabby needed brain surgery, immediately.

“They told us, ‘You need to go to Eastern Maine Medical Center now and go to the Intensive Care Unit. Your room is 875 and they’re waiting for you there.’”

The words swirled around in the Shermans' heads and they rushed to the hospital.

“You almost black out,” Elizabeth said. “It felt like I was watching a television show or movie, it wasn’t really happening to us.”

“It was devastating,” added Glen.

As for Gabby, she said she was in shock.

Early the next morning, Gabby was being prepped for surgery. It lasted five hours.

Elizabeth and Glen worried about how their daughter would be after such a major operation.

“And as she’s waking up, she looks us and says, ‘I am so hungry,’” Elizabeth said as the three of them laughed out loud at the memory. “That’s totally what Gabby would say.”

The neurosurgeon told the Shermans they were able to remove the cyst. They could not, however, remove all of the tumor without putting Gabby’s life in danger.

“That was difficult to hear,” recalled Elizabeth.

Gabby's tumor was called a pilocytic astrocytoma. They are most often found in young people and typically start forming in the cerebellum, the area of our brain that controls balance. The good news with this type of tumor is that it’s considered low grade. That means it is slow growing and usually treatable if found early, as in Gabby's case.

And, there was more positive news.

“We originally thought she was going to have to go through chemotherapy to try and shrink the remaining part of the tumor,” said Elizabeth. “But because it grows so slow, the doctors thought it would be best to just wait and see what happens.”

(Right) Gabrielle Sherman of Greenbush on a trip to Disney in Florida through Make a Wish Maine.

(Below) Gabby with her family, father Glen and mother Elizabeth.

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For now, treatment consists of brain scans to make sure the tumor hasn't grown. Gabby started out going every three months, then every six months.

“In January, I'll only have to go every year,” she said.

Because Gabby's tumor was found near Christmas break, she barely missed any time from school. And when classes resumed on Jan. 2, the eighth grader was ready and eager to go back.

“I used to always refer to that time as 'when Gabby was sick.' Finally, one day she said to me, ‘Mom, I wasn't sick.

I had a brain tumor.

I had it out and now we move on.’”

–Elizabeth Sherman That spring, she participated in a school play and was on the softball team.

In October 2014, Gabby was granted a trip to Disney in Florida through Make a Wish Maine.

“I was down there for my birthday, as well as my parent's anniversary,” she said.

Gabby spent time the last two summers at Camp Hope in Ellsworth, which is sponsored by Eastern Maine Healthcare Charities. She also served as honorary chairperson for this year's McDonald's Heroes Hope Healing Golf Classic to benefit the Lafayette Family Cancer Center in Brewer.

As for what happens if the tumor grows back, Gabby said she's too busy to give that “what if” much thought.

“She's never once felt sorry for herself or fussed about really anything that she's had to go through,” said her mother. “I used to always refer to that time as 'when Gabby was sick.' Finally, one day she said to me, ‘Mom, I wasn't sick. I had a brain tumor. I had it out and now we move on.’”

22 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

metro

wellness

Lessons

Learned

I

am well

on the other side of the divorce I went through several years ago. I could list a thousand lessons I learned throughout the process, which could all basically be summarized with two simple requests: Don’t assume.

Have empathy. Your divorced friends and neighbors (you have them!) would undoubtedly ask these things of you too:

PHOTO: NADIACRUZOVA/THINKSTOCK.COM

Try not to confuse your good fortune with other people’s reality.

You may be in a solid marriage and consider divorce to be out of the question for you, but in certain situations, you might make a different decision. None of us should assume anything about anyone else’s marriage coming to an end. You really have no idea the inner workings of a relationship or a family. Don’t tell a person on the edge of divorce to simply hang in there because “you know, marriage isn’t supposed to be romance and champagne all the time.” If a couple is even considering divorce, the problems are far greater than simply having had unrealistic expectations, and those problems have likely been hashed and rehashed for years. You don’t really know how you would handle a situation until you are in it. You would have “made it work”? Are you sure?

Don’t oversimplify people’s stories.

Often, I’ve heard divorce referred to as an “easy fix” or “easy out” and to that, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Not only is it true, as Louis C.K. quips, that: “No good marriage has ever ended in divorce,” it is also true that divorce is never the quick, easy fix as some people paint it, especially when kids are involved. Some refer to divorce as quitting or walking away, when in actuality, it is often the excruciating

What divorced parents would like you to think about. BY EMILIE BRAND THROCKMORTON last decision in a string (read: years) of painful attempts at not making that decision. Instead of equating divorce with quitting a job, equate it with having a limb amputated. When you hear about someone having an arm cut off, you don’t say: “Well that seems pretty drastic!” You instead assume that that person and all his/ her advisors have explored every other possible approach to amend the problem, and that amputation is necessary to move one’s life along in the direction of healing and rehabilitation.

Avoid the term “broken home.”

I now hear more keenly how people talk about kids from divorced homes, and I cringe at the term “broken home.” How must this sound to a child whose parents happened to divorce? In such a politically correct world, can’t we do better than “broken?” My kids are smart, curious, naughty, silly, happy, mischievous, stubborn, and active, and show a million signs of feeling loved. They are most certainly not broken. I have made it my job to maintain a functional relationship with their dad; our schedule is both consistent and flexible; the kids love being at both houses. I am now married to a man who is “all-in” as a step dad who adores the kids. Our kids live in two whole homes. The amount of parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents who adore these children and play active roles in their lives is astounding. Yes, kids are affected by divorce. No, it may not be the story they would’ve written for themselves. But as a teacher who observes

hundreds of kids a year, two loving and supportive homes are almost always preferable to one unhappy one.

Think about what sharing custody is really like.

I know that some parents think they would do anything for a day or two off from caring for kids. Sure, it's convenient to run errands without stragglers, or schedule a meeting without having to arrange for backup. Yes, it's great to be able to get away for a weekend once in awhile.

But just so you know, the emotional toll of not tucking your kids into their beds every single night is enormous. Enormous. Everything I do when I’m not with them I do with them in mind. Even years later, it still stings every time I drop off my kids at their dad’s. It still stings to see their shoes by the door at night when I know they aren’t upstairs sleeping. I perseverate about every big and little way this might be hard on them. And so, what do I do about this? When I’m with the kids, I make sure I am the very best, most attentive mom I can be.

The old adage “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle” is a great reminder to all of us. On the flip side, sometimes divorced people or blended families are doing better than you might assume. I would also add, think twice before you say “I would never...” Offer love, understanding, and empathy. If you have to assume anything, assume that everyone is doing the very best they can.

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.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 23

feature story

Home

Bringing Them

W

One Maine man’s dedication to bring closure to the families of MIA veterans. BY EMILY BURNHAM

hat makes a

person want to travel to the most remote, extreme locations on the planet, and spend weeks or months working long hours in the deadly cold? For Rockport resident Lou Sapienza, it’s the chance to help bring closure to the families of veterans missing in action from military conflicts.

Sapienza is the founder and director of the Fallen American Veterans Association, a Rockport-based organization that specializes in recovering the remains of MIA veterans that, in some cases, have been lost for more than 70 years in places as disparate as Antarctica and Papua New Guinea. The organization works with the U.S. Department of Defense as a subject matter expert to assist them in recovery efforts. Previously, Sapienza operated an organization called North South Polar, which has similar goals.

“There are over 83,000 U.S. service personnel missing in action, mostly from World War II, and if we can find them, we should find them,” said 63-year-old Sapienza. “It’s our mission to do just that.”

In the late 80s and early 90s, Sapienza participated in the missions retold in David Hayes’ book “The Lost Squadron,” as well as on The History Channel’s “The Hunt For the Lost Squadron.” Along with a team of scientists and adventurers, he participated in the recovery of a near-perfectly preserved P-38 plane, dubbed “Glacier Girl,” buried under glacial ice in Greenland.

The aircraft, was part of a larger squadron of P-38 Lightning fighters and B-17 Flying Fortress bombers that which that took off from Presque Isle Air Force Base.

24 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

PHOTO: COURTESY OF FRANK MARLEY

Lou Sapienza, expedition lead and executive director of the Fallen American Veterans Foundation at the expedition base station for both the Lost Squadron and J2F-4 Crew Search & Recovery in Kulusuk, Greenland.

Greenland Lost Squadron Lockheed P-38 Lightning 268 feet below the surface of the ice sheet within its man-made cavern prior to disassembly and hoist to the surface. The aircraft made its maiden flight in 2002 with 80 percent original parts.

PHOTOS: (TOP) LOUIS A. SAPIENZA, COPYRIGHT 1992; (GROUP) COURTESY OF JETTA DISCO USCG

The 2012 North South Polar, Inc. and US Coast Guard J2F-4 Grumman Duck Crew recovery team at Køge Bugt, Greenland.

26 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

feature story Lost and running out of fuel, the entire squadron of military aircraft were forced to belly-land on the ice sheet on their way to join the WWII fights in North Africa and Europe.

Fifty years later, the mission Sapienza was on changed the course of his life.

“That mission gave me certain skill sets … it gave me a passion for this work,” said Sapienza. “It was absolutely life-changing. That’s what put me on this path.”

Sapienza was born in New Jersey and until less than five years ago lived in New York. He spent many summers in Maine and in the 80s was a teaching assistant at the Maine Photographic Workshops in Rockport, now known as the Maine Media Workshops. He moved to the Pine Tree State permanently in 2013.

“Maine is my Oz,” said Sapienza. “Our organization could be based anywhere, but I wanted to be here.”

Early on in his photography career, it was his longtime dream to be published in National Geographic. As an adventurer, he’d already honed his chops, having gone on a four-month boat trip from

the Gulf of Mexico, up the coast of North America, down the Saint Lawrence Seaway, down the Mississippi River and back to the Gulf. A chance viewing in 1989 of a spot on CNN about the proposed mission to recover Glacier Girl began to pull those two passions together.

The recovery mission involved years of searching for the right location, comparing old notes and data, and tracking the movement of the glaciers across Greenland. By the early 90s, the plane was buried under 268 feet of ice. The recovery mission bored a deep hole into

The J2F-4 Grumman Duck amphibious biplane crashed in 1942 while trying to recover the remains of crewman on

board a downed B-17 Flying Fortress, which was searching for a C-53 Skytrooper.

“I knew I wanted to photograph that mission … I finally tracked down the guys that were leading this mission, and sent them my portfolio and a letter,” said Sapienza. “And I amazingly got the job, and I was on my way to Greenland. And as it turns out, they didn’t have a cook on the trip, and I’d spent a long time as a line cook, so I became the chef for the mission, too.”

the ice, until they hit metal and found the plane. Sapienza’s photographs were published in National Geographic, as well as LIFE, Forbes and Air & Space Magazine.

Since then, his passion for MIA veterans and plane crash recovery has continued unabated. He co-founded the FAVF in 2008 with families of men still MIA, first based in New York and then moving operations to Rockport in 2013.

Dusk falls over the 2010 joint North South Polar/USCG J2F-4 Grumman Duck Crew search & recovery camp.

Summer temperatures fluctuated between 20 and 55 degrees.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 27

feature story

“We need to bring these men home.

In total, out of the 83,000 still missing in action, 32,000 are deemed recoverable.

If we can bring them home, we have to.”

– Lou Sapienza

PHOTO: LOUIS A. SAPIENZA, COPYRIGHT 2013

The joint North South Polar/US Coast Guard team struggles across a glacier field and up a 450 foot slope hauling 1,000 pounds of equipment using an improvised sled made from an aluminum section ladder after a scheduled helicopter airlift was grounded due to weather.

The organization has been on three missions so far, again in Greenland mere miles from the site of the Lost Squadron crash site, traveling there in three stages in 2010, 2012 and 2013, to attempt to recover three crewman aboard a J2F-4 Grumman Duck amphibious biplane.

The biplane crashed in 1942 while trying to recover the remains of crewman on board a downed B-17 Flying Fortress, which was searching for a C-53 Skytrooper. That mission was retold in Mitchell Zuckoff’s 2013 book, “Frozen In Time,” which spent weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

While those three Greenland missions did not recover the wreckage or the men, it did pinpoint the likeliest location where the plane may lie, and Sapienza hopes to return as soon as possible to finish the recovery.

More than 20 years after the Glacier Girl expedition, the technology used has progressed dramatically. Ground-penetrating radar and magnetometers can be used to more easily and accurately assess just what might be under the ice in a given location, and there are better models to map the growth and shrinkage of glaciers over time. While those three Greenland missions did not recover the wreckage or the men, it did pinpoint the likeliest location where the plane may lie, and Sapienza hopes to return as soon as possible to finish the recovery. He is working with the U.S. Defend POW/MIA Accounting Agency to attain funding and the necessary support to make a plan for an April 2016 mission.

He’s also looking ahead to other missions, in addition to the Grumman Duck. FAVF has identified five other missions that are all within the scope of the organization’s capabilities. They www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 29

feature story

include two more sites in Greenland, one in Papua New Guinea, one in the Philippines, and one in Antarctica – a U.S. Navy Martin Mariner PBM-5 flying boat, codenamed George 1, crashed there in 1946, and the bodies of the three men on board are still unrecovered. In all, these missions could recover up to 83 men still missing in action.

Wounded Warriors is today. We want to do the same thing for MIAs. We need to bring these men home. In total, out of the 83,000 still missing in action, 32,000 are deemed recoverable. If we can bring them home, we have to.”

Aside from the sense of duty he has toward the families of those veterans who died in plane crashes during World

“And I can’t resist that sense of adventure … to have a really fulfilling life you need passion and a sense of purpose,

and this gives me that.”

Dr. Alberto Behar, North South Polar Chief and NASA/JPL Scientist monitors his custom made proprietary borehole camera searching for the radar anomaly that appeared to be aircraft parts within the Greenland ice sheet.

30 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Sapienza and his organization have run into difficulties navigating the waters of bureaucracy and red tape within the Department of Defense, which have put delays on planning and executing these missions – but he remains committed to the cause.

“What’s important is that we repatriate these men, and we bring closure to their families,” he said. “We want to make the Fallen American Veterans Foundation a household name, in the way that

– Lou Sapienza

War II and other conflicts, Sapienza can’t help but be attracted by the sense of adventure the effort to recover those remains requires.

“It’s a calling. I have a moral obligation to these men and these families, to help them get some closure by finding these crash sites,” he said. “And I can’t resist that sense of adventure … to have a really fulfilling life you need passion and a sense of purpose, and this gives me that.”

PHOTOS: (TOP, LEFT) LOUIS A. SAPIENZA, COPYRIGHT 2012; (LEFT) LOUIS A. SAPIENZA, COPYRIGHT 2010; (TOP, RIGHT) COURTESY OF THE JOINT POW/MIA ACCOUNTING AGENCY

North South Polar team geophysicist and Mala Ground Penetrating radar specialist Jaana Gustafsson consults with NSP geophysicist Bil Thuma on radar data.

The joint North South Polar/Joint POW/ MIA Accounting Command/U.S. Coast Guard team monitor a melt shaft following up on a radar anomaly – to aircraft parts during the 2013 expedition.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 31

feature story

Future Missions A look at what's next for the Fallen American Veterans Association.

WWII Coast Guard J2F-4 Grumman Duck On Nov. 9, 1942, a U.S. Army Air Force B-17 crashed on the Greenland ice cap during a search mission, stranding the crew of seven. On Nov. 28, 1942, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. John Pritchard and Petty Officer 1st Class Benjamin Bottoms flew their J2F-4 amphibious Grumman “Duck” aircraft to the crash site, made a daring landing on the ice cap, and rescued two crew members.

The next day, Pritchard and Bottoms went back. Once again they landed on the ice cap, and picked up U.S. Army Air Force Cpl. Loren Howarth. On the flight back, Lt. Pritchard ran into unavoidable fog and crashed his amphibious biplane; all three were killed. While the aircraft was spotted from the air on several occasions, search and recovery personnel were never able to reach the crash site. The aircraft is now covered by decades of snow and ice.

In 2010, at the request of the U.S. Dept. of Defense Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), the Fallen American Veterans Foundation and North South Polar took the search and recovery mission lead. FAVF and NSP initiated procedures and protocols that would initially disprove the position JPAC thought contained the aircraft fuselage. In August 2012, after two years of intense information gathering and analysis, the FAVF/NSP led, joint US Coast Guard team successfully located the J2F-4 Grumman Duck fuselage debris field, 38 feet below the ice.

The George 1 Antarctic Repatriation Project A U.S. Navy Martin Mariner PBM-5 flying boat, codenamed George 1, grazed a ridgeline, exploded and crashed on Antarctica’s Thurston Island on Dec. 30 1946. Six men survived the crash and were rescued off the ice 13 days later. Two men were killed instantly in the explosion as propellers tore through the fuselage. A third man died hours later. At the request of the families involved, a FAVF team is planning an expedition to perform a site survey to locate the preserved frozen bodies of the remaining crewmen from a depth of up to 150 feet under the surface of a glacier. FAVF continues to its work with legislators to mandate the men’s return.

The Greenland C-53 Skytrooper Repatriation Project Five crewmembers of a WWII C-53 Sky Trooper, an Operation Bolero aircraft, also went down on the Greenland ice cap less than three months later and only 5 miles from the Lost Squadron forced landing site. Radio transmissions and flare sightings indicate that the men survived, but conditions at the time did not permit their rescue from a station only 10 miles away. Their remains are presumed to be with the aircraft and buried up to 370 feet below the ice.

The Greenland Single Seven WWII MIAs FAVF is conducting an investigation to repatriate the remains of seven U.S. service members buried in scattered graves around southeast Greenland. Their remains were logistically impossible to bring home at the time they were killed during WWII. WWII Papua New Guinea MIA Location Field Project FAVF is working with historians and indigenous peoples to locate, investigate and inventory multiple WWII crash sites that contain the remains of U.S. Service Personnel, in preparation for their repatriation.

The WWII B-24 Philippines Repatriation Project A hiking group recently discovered the heavily moss-covered location of two B-24 Liberator bombers that disappeared into a cloudbank en route to a bombing run 65 years ago. One of those bombers was never seen again. FAVF is working with local councils and hikers to search the sites and facilitate the return of up to 21 members of the two crews to their families.

32 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

! s U Join

November 14 & 15 CROSS INSURANCE CENTER

Admission is $8/person

Children under 12 are free

pittsfield then & now

(Top) The historic Lancey House, a Main Street hotel. (Above) A view down Main Street in Pittsfield. (Left) An early Cianbro vehicle fleet from the 1940s.

34 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

The Sebasticook Woolen Mill in an undated image.

Not Another

Pittsfield pride is evident in the town’s history and growth through the years.

Sleepy Town HISTORIC PHOTOS COURTESY OF PITTSFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY, BANGOR DAILY NEWS, BANGOR PUBLIC LIBRARY, CIANBRO AND MAINE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

P

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY RICHARD SHAW

eople from

Pittsfield, population approximately 4,200, love to talk about their hometown. Drop into Renys department store and Vittles Restaurant downtown or Bud’s Shop ‘n’ Save near I-95 and you’ll get an earful about this unassuming Somerset County community.

Maybe it’s the Central Maine air or the Sebasticook River water that inspires pride in Pittsfield. There’s the community’s past, bulging with railroad, education, and religious history. The present, with a pair of global businesses and a multicultural private school. And the future, the great unknown that confronts all Maine communities.

“I’ve spent most of my life here,” said Peter Vigue, chairman, president, and CEO of the Cianbro companies, an employee-owned construction business based in Pittsfield. “I was born in Caribou and moved here when I was 8.”

Vigue grew up in a Norman Rockwellian world of 50s and 60s barber shops, hardware stores, automobile dealerships, and the Lancey House, a Main Street hotel where he delivered The Pittsfield Advertiser and Bangor Daily News.

His paper route also included the Cianchette brothers, who founded his future employer in 1949. In 1970, he began working for Cianbro in an entry-level powww.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 35

pittsfield then & now

The town’s religious history is evident downtown in the stained glass windows of First Universalist Church, seen in an undated historical photo (above) and (at right) now.

Town Stats First Incorporated: June 18, 1819 (as

Notable People:

Warsaw, name changed to Pittsfield in 1824)

• Capt. Walter Morrill, Civil War hero

Named For: William Pitts, large landowner

• Arthur Millett, silent movie actor

Motto: Pittsfield tomorrow – a vision for the future

• Col. William Lancey, hotel owner

Population: 4,174 (2012 estimate)

• Llewellyn Powers, 44th Maine governor

Median Resident Age: 40.2

• Kenneth Cianchette, Cianbro co-founder • Carl Milliken, 51st Maine governor

Total Area: 48.72 square miles

• Nathaniel Haskell, 62nd Maine governor (served for 25 hours)

Landmarks:

Municipal Website: pittsfield.org

Founders Hall, Pittsfield Public Library mural by Tim Sample, Civil War monument, Pittsfield Historical Society railroad museum, First Universalist Church 36 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

sition. His son, Andi, is now president and chief operating officer of Cianbro Corp., which has teams working in more than 40 states, as well as volunteering their own time on hometown projects.

Today’s Pittsfield is less about yesterday’s woolen mills and shoe factories and more about banking, retail and a regional airport. Major employers now include Sebasticook Valley Hospital and C.M. Almy, outfitters to the church and clergy. The Pittsfield facility is overseen

by Michael Fendler, whose father, Ryan, preceded him. Ryan’s twin brother, Donn, who survived nine days lost near Mount Katahdin in 1939, still spends summers in Newport.

Maine Central Institute, another landmark, was founded in 1866. The preparatory school and area high school has diversified with more than 130 students from countries around the world, including China, Russia, Spain. A campus centerpiece is the bell tower of Founder’s Hall, placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The town’s religious history is evident next to the campus in the historic First Baptist Church, and downtown in the stained glass windows of First Universalist Church. Another enlightening stop is His Place, Good Stewards of Used Stuff, housed in an old red schoolhouse on Route 2.

Maine Central Institute’s west campus in a 1961 photo (above).

The preparatory school and area high school was founded in 1866. The campus centerpiece is the bell tower of Founder’s Hall, placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 37

pittsfield then & now (Top) The Pittsfield Historical Society museum is based in an 1888 railroad depot (see middle photo), and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Also on the National Register is the Pittsfield Historical Society museum, based in an 1888 railroad depot. Vice President Tom Brown, treasurer Al Wyman and volunteer Dan Oakes give tours.

Town Manager Kathryn Ruth, a friend of the society, helped get grant money for a new roof and foundation. For November hours, visit pittsfieldhistoricalsociety.org.

On Main Street, Pittsfield Community Theatre is Maine’s only municipally owned and operated theater. And across the railroad tracks is the 1903 Pittsfield Public Library, which has a 1983 ceiling painting by humorist Tim Sample.

“Reading, The Gateway to Adventure” used local people as models.

The community is far from being a sleepy Maine town, and November is a month of harvest fairs.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Pittsfield in 1955.

At the library, ask for Brenda Seekins’ Arcadia Publishing pictorial, “Sebasticook Valley.” Pittsfield photos illustrate the evolution of a town that was settled in 1794 by Moses Martin and his family of Norridgewock. In 1815, it was organized as the Plantation of Sebasticook, and was incorporated on June 18, 1819 as Warsaw. The final name change was in 1824, when it became Pittsfield, after Boston landowner William Pitts.

The community is far from being a sleepy Maine town, and November is a month of harvest fairs. Check church and fraternal websites, as well as pittsfield.org for listings. And be sure to mark July 2016 on your calendar for the next Central Maine Egg Festival, complete with a parade, fireworks and the world’s largest frying pan.

Check out our interactive map of Pittsfield at bangormetro.com

38 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

(Top) The 1903 Pittsfield Public Library and Civil War monument. (Above) The library has a 1983 ceiling painting by humorist Tim Sample. “Reading, The Gateway to Adventure” used local people as models.

(Right) An 1889 bird'seye view of Pittsfield.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 39

food file

Sam Talbot, a semi-finalist on season two of Bravo’s “Top Chef" and one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive, is author of “The Sweet Life: Diabetes without Boundaries" and a co-founder of Beyond Type 1, a non profit organization focused raising awareness of type one diabetes.

Chef, author, philanthropist and celebrity Sam Talbot shares about opening a restaurant in Maine and offers up a Diabetic friendly recipe from his cookbook. BY EMILY BURNHAM

40 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

S

am Talbot

is a chef, author, philanthropist and television personality, who divides his time between Brooklyn, New York and Camden, where he is executive chef at The Pig & Poet, at the Whitehall Inn. Talbot’s approachability, charisma and profound knowledge of food and healthy living allow him to float effortlessly between the worlds of food, fashion and entertainment. Diagnosed at a young age with type 1 diabetes, Talbot has a deep understanding of the impact of food on life and life on food.

This unique perspective has become the driving force in all of his projects and has

put him at the forefront of the sustainable living movement, seeking to break down walls between the way we eat and the way we live.

Talbot has cooked at a number of acclaimed restaurants in New York, all while championing his philanthropic causes and publishing his first book, “The Sweet Life: Diabetes without Boundaries.” He was a semi-finalist on season two of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” was voted fan favorite, and was subsequently named one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive.

Talbot also recently created both a line of rugged and stylish kitchen aprons, and the locally sourced menu for New York

PHOTO: COURTESY OF COLLECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

Heal t hy Appetite

coffee shop and general store, The Elk, and is excited to be one of the founding forces behind Beyond Type 1, a non profit organization focusing on type one diabetes.

Talbot spoke with Bangor Metro Magazine about Maine, how he learned to cook and what he can’t live without, and shared a recipe from his cookbook as well.

What’s your earliest recollection of cooking – with family? On your own?

What gave you the bug for it in the first place?

Cooking always came very naturally to me, even as a 9-year-old. It was just something that I love to do. Something as simple as scrambling eggs from the local farmers market or searing Italian sausage in a pan. It was simple, but it was what I knew! I still love to do it every morning.

My grandmother is the one who took me to the farmers market, so in a word, I guess I owe my culinary career to Meme.

By the time I was 14 years old I was a production chef at Dean and Deluca, making 10 to 15 production recipes a day, at their Charlotte, North Carolina outpost.

From whom have you learned the most in your career?

A lot of my culinary expertise came from my mentor James Burns, in Charleston, South Carolina.

What drew you to Maine, and now that you’ve spent a season cooking here, what’s been the best or most surprising thing you’ve learned?

Maine to me is like the Wyoming of the East Coast. Why wouldn’t you want to be in the wild green forest, covered in lakes and ocean and so on. It’s the outdoor lovers playground!

As a diabetic, what do you find are common misconceptions about you and about what you can or cannot eat?

As a Type 1 diabetic, there are so many common misconceptions and folklore that happens in the world on a daily basis. With that being said, I’m so excited about Beyond Type 1, the foundation that I co-founded by Juliet de Baubigny and Sarah Lucas and Nick Jonas.

We celebrate those living with type one diabetes today, we educate and advocate and ultimately are supporting a path to the cure. For the most part, though I tell people to stay away from white stuff like

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food file sugar and white flour and so on, if you’re going to eat white, make it cauliflower.

What advice do you give to other diabetics who still wish to cook exciting, adventurous, fun food?

The best advice I could give you to live a wholesome, exciting, adventurous and most importantly fun life as a type one diabetic would be to check out our website, beyondtypeone.org, where it’s filled with tons of travel tips, cooking tips, everyday life tips on how to navigate living with diabetes.

What’s one ingredient or cooking tool that you absolutely must have in your kitchen?

Chili vinegar. Absolutely.

Food File Pulled Blackened Chicken with Toasted Couscous

FOR TOASTED COUSCOUS: 11/2 cups almond milk 1/ cup reduced sodium chicken broth 2 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, finely diced 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1/ cup pine nuts 2 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 cup Israeli couscous 2 scallions, thinly sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper Juice of 2 lemons TO ROAST THE CHICKEN: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. In a small bowl, toss together the garlic, blackening seasoning, oil, lemon halves, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper. Remove the lemon and thyme from the seasoning mixture and stick them into the cavity of the chicken. Rub the seasoning mixture all over the chicken and transfer the bird to a roasting pan.

42 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Pulled Blackened Chicken with Toasted Couscous, from Sam Talbot's cookbook "The Swe et Life: Diabetes without Boundaries ."

Roast the chicken until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven, take the lemon halves out of the cavity, and squeeze them over the chicken. Let the chicken cool for 10 minutes then pull the meat off in chunks.

MEANWHILE, TO MAKE THE COUSCOUS: In a medium saucepan, combine the almond milk and broth and bring to a rolling simmer over medium-high heat; keep on a back burner.

In another medium saucepan, heat the oil over the medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, pine nuts, cinnamon, and turmeric.

Cook until the spices bloom and the aromatics take over the room, about 2 minutes. Add the couscous to a large bowl and pour in the hot milk-broth mixture. Add the scallions. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and steam for at least 20 minutes.

Season the couscous liberally with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the lemon juice. Stir in the pulled chicken shred to combine and serve warm.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF COLLECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

FOR BLACKENED CHICKEN: 1 3-pound free-range organic chicken 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1/ cup blackening seasoning 4 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon, halved 1/ bunch fresh thyme 2 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 43

kitchen confidential

Every Cup Rooster Brother in Ellsworth remains a pioneer in Maine coffee.

BY EMILY BURNHAM

A

fter nearly

30 years in the coffee business, George Elias of Rooster Brother in Ellsworth has seen an enormous amount of change within his industry. When he started out, he was one of only two coffee roasters in the entire state. Now, there are more than 20 roasters in Maine, from Deer Isle to North Berwick and all points in between.

savvy. People routinely come in and ask all sorts of questions, about where it was grown, what elevation, when it was roasted, and so on.”

Rooster Brother has, since 1987, offered house-roasted coffee, a selection of sandwiches, pastries, soups, wine, house-made sausage and other food items – as well as a full cookware and kitchen goods store on the second floor

“Now, people are much more savvy. People routinely come in and ask all sorts of questions, about where it was grown, what elevation, when it was roasted, and so on.”

–George Elias “When we started, we really had just a tiny niche market. There was no such thing as the specialty coffee industry,” said Elias. “Now, people are much more 44 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

– to a devoted clientele from Hancock County and beyond. The fact that his customers now know more about the beans George and his wife, co-owner

PHOTOS: (THIS PAGE AND WITH DOG) COURTESY GEORGE ELIAS/ROOSTER BROTHER; (GENE PELLERANO) BDN FILE; (COFFEE) WINTERLING/THINKSTOCK.COM

is a Story

Pamela, roast has only been a boon.

That doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t still some commonly held misconceptions about coffee.

“People often think that the darker the coffee is, the stronger it is,” said Elias. “In fact, the opposite is true. The longer it’s roasted, the less caffeine is in there. The lighter roasts also have a certain sweetness to them. It has more varietal character. We tend to do those lighter roasts – we are very traditional.

We are pre-Starbucks. Or, as I call them, Charbucks.”

There’s other things that people wrongly assume – that espresso is a type of coffee, for example, when it’s really just a way of preparing coffee. Overall, however, the average coffee drinker in Maine knows his or her stuff. With that uptick in knowledge among the general consumer, however, comes increased competition among coffee buyers.

“Now, Starbucks or Caribou Coffee will find a farm that grows really superb coffee, and they’ll swoop in and buy the whole farm,” said Elias. “There’s a lot more competition for that really great coffee.”

Elias and his crew have traveled to the farms where their coffee is harvested on a number of occasions – in particular, they’ve been many times to La Minita Farm in the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica, where they’ve developed personal relationships with farmers.

“So many of the coffees we have in house have personal stories that go along with them, and they are stories that we love to tell,” said Elias.

It’s those stories that have attracted Rooster Brother’s devoted customers over the years. From Ellsworth residents that come into the shop for a cup of their French Roast every day, to the woman in South Korea who shipped bags of their Monsooned Malabar blend halfway around the globe every two weeks, it’s that personal touch that keeps them coming back.

“People get attached to a certain kind of coffee,” said Elias. “And we’re very picky, because if we can’t get the coffee we want for a particular roast, we won’t roast it. It’s an indulgence, yes, but we are committed to quality.

And then people get mad at us when they can’t get what they want. But they’ve still stuck with us. It’s a very personal business.”

(Opposite) An espresso made at Rooster Brother. (Top) Master roaster Gene Pellerano, who claims it took him two years to learn the art of coffee roasting, cools 4 pounds of Bolivian coffee fresh from the roaster at Rooster Brother in Ellsworth.

(Right) George Elias with his dog Lucca.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 45

kitchen confidential

more info ROOSTER BROTHER 29 MAIN STREET, ELLSWORTH 800-866-0054 OR 667-8675 Website: roosterbrother.com

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46 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

arts & culture

Reviving the Arts Meet Linda Nelson, the driving force behind the revival of the Stonington Opera House and now the Assistant Director of the Maine Arts Commission. BY EMILY BURNHAM

For details about the Stonington Opera House and upcoming shows, visit operahousearts.org.

48 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

PHOTOS: BDN FILE

(Left) The Stonington Opera House.

(Right) Linda Nelson.

B

efore she was

the assistant director of the Maine Arts Commission, Linda Nelson was one of the founders and the longtime executive director of Opera House Arts at the Stonington Opera House. The organization that she helmed for more than 10 years is now one of the leading lights of the arts in Maine, offering programming that is at once challenging and reflective of the Deer Isle-Stonington community. Now, in a leadership role that she assumed in 2015, Nelson is helping to bring the vision she had in Stonington to the state as a whole.

What brought you to Maine in the first place? Where did you come from?

What brought me to Maine was the Opera House. But after graduating from Bowdoin College in 1983, I had always wanted to come back and live here.

There weren’t any job opportunities for me here, so I went to New York City and made a career there, with the Village Voice for 15 years. Coming up to Maine on vacation [in the late 1990s], and finding Deer Isle and Stonington and the abandoned Opera House, I found a way to give back to the state where I got my really privileged education.

What condition was the Opera House in when you arrived, and what did it take to get it up and running?

It has been abandoned for eight years, and prior to that, only minimally used for many years.

That last full maintenance was in 1980, so it had been 18 years since anything had been done. Things were literally falling down. The driveway was washed out. There were no bathrooms. No lighting. It was inhabited by raccoons, and their little feet were punching through the ceilings. The first thing we did was meet with the town selectmen to make sure they wanted it to be revived. They said yes, but I don’t think they believed we could do it. Then we wrote a business plan, which I recommend doing to anyone who wants to renovate or start something like this. That was the most important thing we did. The result of that was a 501(c)3 organization, that belonged to the community… I get asked quite a bit about restoring historic buildings and starting something successful, and people assume that you have to come in with a boatload of money. You don’t. We didn’t have that. But we had a plan that helped us leverage money and debt. We have leveraged that wisely. The most important thing is proper planning and outreach and communication. The money comes after that.

In those early days, what did the community think? What was the reaction to you coming in and bringing world class Shakespeare and dance and music to a working class community?

I can only tell you what I’ve been told, but in those early days I think people thought we were crazy. We wouldn’t last. That sort of thing. We worked very hard from the get go to offer programming that served all parts of the community. We wanted it to reflect and to tell the stories of the people that live here. The only diversity here and in Maine in general is economic diversity, and we wanted to reflect that…

We firmly believe that performance improves all our lives and building stronger communities, and I think enough of that intent was transparent, that when we made it work for three years, and then five years, and then longer, we slowly earned the trust and respect of the community.

Now that you’re in a position that takes a statewide view of developing and supporting the arts, what do you bring with you from your years with OHA? What on the community level translate to the state level?

If we are going to lead on a broader level, we have to go to that level. And there are always new things to learn, and that’s part of why I took this job. I wanted to learn more about the state than what I knew from my experience in Stonington. There’s a lot I’ve been able to take with me. I think the most important thing is deep listening to communities, and finding out what they really need and want. That’s just as important at the state level. And you have to be able to respond to what you hear like a jazz player.

That’s always my metaphor. You have to be able to improvise when listening deeply, and then play as an ensemble, and create one piece of music that’s bigger than the individual players. That’s a vision I adhere to and that’s a role I hope to take on here at the state level. Maine can be geographically isolated, and it’s hard to get people from place to place.

Now that I have a new sense of the state and in more disciplines than just the performing arts, we can work towards strengthening the mix of all those.

Creative placemaking is a buzzword.

What does it mean to you, and who else is doing it right, in Maine and elsewhere?

That’s a term that took over after the creative economy buzzword became less fashionable. But what it’s all about is recognizing the arts and creative enterprises are integrated in our daily lives, and how to leverage that in order to have stronger, happier, healthier communities. Arts are at the core of what we do as humans.

They help us solve problems creatively and communicate. Those are fundamental parts of democracy. That’s why kids excel more when they study those things.

More locally, it all depends on what works in different communities. For instance, what’s going on in Eastport is really, really interesting. Same with Denmark, and Kingfield. Waterville, too. Maine is lucky, in that there’s a lot of creativity embedded in our culture and history. We just need to give that it's due and put it right alongside other economic development efforts.

That’s what creative placemaking is. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 49

per spectives

The Maine Photo Project Dee Peppe, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, 2002 Gelatin silver print 11 x 14 inches Farnsworth Museum purchase, 2004.

George DeWolfe, Lucien's Fence, 1997, inkjet print, 13 x 19 inches.

Courtesy George DeWolfe. On view at Lord Hall Gallery.

Melonie Bennett, Memory Lane Music Hall, 2012, gelatin silver print, 24 x 30 inches. Bruce Brown collection, image courtesy of the artist. On view at the University of Maine Museum of Art, Bangor.

50 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Untitled, Elisabeth Greenberg, gelatin silver print. On view at Lord Hall Gallery.

Bertrand Wentworth, Otter Cliff, Gelatin silver print, Gift of Mrs. Ethel Wentworth Lazaroff, 1956.983.29. Courtesy Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland.

2

015 has

been the “year of the photo” here in Maine. The Maine Photo Project (mainephotoproject.org), a yearlong, statewide collaboration of 32 arts and culture nonprofits, has generated more than 40 photo exhibitions throughout the state. Rather than dwindling with the end of the tourist season, Maine Photo Project offerings are ramping up as the year draws to a close.

In the Bangor area, visitors can take in two outstanding — and very different — exhibitions of contemporary photography. “Visualizing Home and Homelessness,” at UMaine’s Lord Hall Gallery in Orono, features works chosen by jurors from an open call for photographers to submit photographs that “consider different ways of thinking about what it means to be ‘at home’ or ‘homeless’ in the places where we live.” Many emerging photographers — plus work by local, at-risk students — are featured.

At the University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor, “Celebrating Photography in Maine: Selections from the Bruce Brown Collection,” highlights the achievement of one of the state’s most esteemed collectors of contemporary art, featuring works by Joyce Tenneson, David Brooks Stess, Todd Watts, Judy Glickman Lauder, Kris Larson and David Hilliard, among others. This is a two-part exhibition, with Part II opening at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockport on Friday, Nov. 6.

Finally, November brings the publication of a new history of photography in Maine, “Maine Photography: A History, 1840-2015,” published by Down East Books and the Maine Historical Society, in conjunction with the Maine Photo Project.

– Jessica Routhier, director, Maine Photo Project

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 51

what’s happening

Nov. 1-7 Portland Beer Week From the brewer to the bar to pint glass, the organizers of Portland Beer Week invite all beer enthusiasts to join the Maine craft beer industry and local businesses to partake in various events taking place in Portland and surrounding areas. Tastings, dinners, brunches, talks and much more. portlandbeerweek.org Nov. 3-22 “The Mountaintop” at Portland Stage The Mountaintop is a theatrical reimagining of events the night before the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King. The play is set entirely in Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis the evening before King’s memorable “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop” speech. While a storm rages outside, a mysterious young maid, Camae, delivers room service and a message. Go online for tickets. portlandstage.org

52 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Nov. 6 Comedian Steven Wright at Collins Center for the Arts The master of deadpan, comedian Steven Wright has been a stand up comedy favorite for decades now. Known for his appearances in everything from Hollywood movies to countless appearances on David Letterman, Wright is a comedic force to be reckoned with. collinscenterforthearts.com Nov. 7 Marriage is a Mystery: Dinner Theater & Silent Auction Join Penobscot Valley Hospital and the Auxiliary for a fun-filled evening of mystery dinner theater. Music, raffles, silent auction and more! Visit pvhme.org for tickets and more information. pvhme.org Nov. 7-8 United Maine Craftsmen Bangor Arts & Crafts Show After nearly three decades, the United Maine Craftsmen show in Bangor has

become an early holiday shopping tradition – two full days packed with the chance to pick up a one of a kind Mainemade gift, artwork and more. This year’s event is set for 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Cross Insurance Center. unitedmainecraftsmen.com Nov. 12 Rodney Carrington at Collins Center for the Arts Rodney Carrington is a comedian, actor and writer who has recorded eight comedy albums selling over 3 million copies. Morning Wood has been certified gold and Greatest Hits has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. Rodney starred in his own TV sitcom “Rodney,” which ran for two seasons on ABC. He co-wrote and co-starred with Toby Keith in the feature film “Beer for My Horses.” According to Pollstar, Rodney has been one of the Top 10 highest grossing touring comedians for the last 10 years and among the top four or five the last several years. collinscenterforthearts.com

Nov. 13 Maine Discovery Museum Annual Gala Art Auction Each year the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor provides a unique piece of small furniture, this year a mirror, to Maine artists to transform into beautiful works of art. There are 55 mirrors this year, jewelry by Maine jewelers and businesses and several original pieces of art. The gala auction for these mirrors is set for Nov. 13; tickets are $50 and benefit the museum. mainediscoverymuseum.org

Nov. 1-7 Portland Beer Week

Nov. 14 Early Bird Pajama Sale and Bed Races in Bar Harbor Roll out of bed (6 a.m.!) and come early for the steals and deals at Bar Harbor’s finest retail locations for the annual Early Bird Pajama Sale, where those who shop in their pajamas receive even better discounts. At 10 a.m., watch for the Bed and Pajama Parade rolling down Main Street on their way to the Bed Races. barharborinfo.com

PHOTOS: BDN FILE

Nov. 21-Dec. 31 Gardens Aglow at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay The Gardens will officially close for the season on October 31 and then the staff will magically transform the central gardens from a garden paradise to a winter wonderland. Gardens Aglow, a ticketed event, features tens of thousands of lights, creating the largest light display in Maine. Festively lit creations will adorn the roughly 14 acres of central gardens on the CMBG campus. Visitors will explore the area on foot and the experience will be wheelchair accessible. In addition to dramatic lighting, visitors will enjoy music, special food and beverage options in the café, and holiday shopping in the gift shop. mainegardens.org Nov. 22 Bangor Symphony Orchestra, “Beethoven and Friends” Beethoven and his friends take center stage at the BSO’s November concert.

A rarely performed overture by Franz Josef Haydn opens the program, before Schubert’s famous “Unfinished”

Nov. 7-8 United Maine Craftsmen Bangor Arts & Crafts Show

Nov. 14 Early Bird Pajama Sale and Bed Races, Bar Harbor

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 53

Nov. 24 Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin and Sevendust

Symphony. The Schubert was also heard on the BSO’s very first program, in November, 1896. The concert concludes with Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major, brought to life by the exciting young soloist Elena Urioste. bangorsymphony.org Nov. 24 Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin and Sevendust Three of today’s biggest modern rock bands will take the stage on Tuesday, Nov. 24, at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland (formerly the Cumberland County Civic Center), as part of Waterfront Concerts’ fall lineup of shows. For tickets, visit waterfrontconcerts.com. waterfrontconcerts.com

What Are You

Doing Tonight?

Find Ideas on our online

calendar of events

bangormetro.com

bangormetro.com 54 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

PUT US ON YOUR RADIO WE’RE PRETTY SURE YOU’LL FALL FOR US HOZIER

ONLINE WZLOFM.COM www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 55

aimee & amy try...

Who We Are..

With a grand total of 4 children ages 0-8, Bangor Metro staffers Aimee Thibodeau and Amy Allen are well versed in keeping kids busy.

Each month we’ll try a new project and share the results – be they great or disasterous.

W

Talking

Turkey

We’re thankful for fun Thanksgiving activities to keep the kids occupied while we’re busy in the kitchen.

BY AIMEE THIBODEAU & AMY ALLEN

e all have

different family Thanksgiving traditions, but getting together with loved ones to give thanks is the main idea for most of us.

So, we got out the glue gun and gathered the kids around the table to make a Thanksgiving craft for which we can all be grateful. They turned out cute, but we’ll be honest – they took some time and were mistaken repeatedly for coconuts with heads when we brought them into the office to photograph.

Once we got started and realized just how long it was going to take to wrap the yarn around the balls, we opted to make just one turkey per family. This actually turned out well and made it more of a group project. Chloe, age 4, came up with a great idea to reuse the turkey body every year and replace the feathers with new things the kids are thankful for each year. Good luck!

Supplies • 6-inch styrofoam ball • 3-inch styrofoam ball • Dark brown yarn • Tan yarn • Toothpicks • Heavy weight construction paper • Markers • Yellow and red felt • Hot glue gun and sticks • Googly eyes

Mom Tip: For younger kids, write out a list of everything your children say they are thankful for and let them copy the words onto the feathers in their own handwriting.

56 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Step 1: Hot glue the starting point of your yarn to the styrofoam ball and get wrapping – the big one takes some time. Just keep wrapping, and then tack down the end with more hot glue. And we know it seems obvious – but hot glue is hot, so heads up, you’ll probably get burned.

Step 2: Use toothpicks to stick the head to the body, and decorate the face with googly eyes, yellow felt beak and red felt wattle (that’s the dangley thing). Our turkeys immediately toppled over, so make a little toothpick kickstand to keep him upright.

Project Review • Degree of Difficulty: Took a little longer than we expected, and little kids will definitely need help from mom and dad with the yarn wrapping.

• Average Time: An hour or more – per turkey.

• Degree of Fun According to the Kids & Moms: Aimee: Googly eyes melt when you use too much hot glue.

1:

We better get paid for this.

Step 3: We used craft paper to cut out the feathers and keep our turkeys festive. Let the kids write what they’re thankful for – ours were grateful for everything from their pets and mom and dad to Minecraft and Anna from Frozen. We just taped toothpicks to the back of the feathers and stuck them in.

Gunner (age 7 months): Zzzzz.

(Fell asleep)

Maggie (age 8): I give it a 1, no a 9, well, a 7.

5:

Fun, but once was enough.

Amy: Very cute, minor glue gun burns.

10:

Super fun, let’s make one for everyone!

Chloe (age 4): Fun, but next time I want to use a black marker.

Finn (age 5): Super fun because I like making turkeys.

Sponsored by

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 57

metro sports

For the Love of the Game Photographer Jason Smith captures local hockey players, all over 60 and all still playing for the love of the game. STORY BY AIMEE THIBODEAU | PHOTOS BY JASON PAIGE SMITH

H

Eric Brown MD

John Davis

Mike Scully

Ron Crane

“Ninety percent of hockey is mental and the other half is physical.”

ockey families

will agree that once the first crisp morning air sneaks in, once the leaves even hint at changing, an excitement begins to stir. Hockey bags come out of storage (if they were ever truly put away), gear is inspected, and the layers of clothes needed to endure long, cold hours at the rink are made easily accessible.

But there’s something else about hockey. Although many start at a young age, there are some who fall in love with the sport later in life. And that’s OK. Because in Maine, there’s always an opportunity to play. There’s always

58 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

– Wayne Gretzky

someplace with ice. A pickup game. A stick and puck.

For many, the love of the sport continues well past what would be considered prime age for an athlete, which is what photographer Jason Smith of Orono recently discovered while working on a personal project at two local rinks. He photographed local players – all age 60 and older – who play in area leagues.

“It actually turned into an interesting collection of personalities, stories and images from people who love the game, and have been involved in some very diverse careers along the way,” Smith said.

In Maine, there’s always an opportunity to play.

There’s always someplace with ice.

A pickup game.

A stick and puck.

Name: Andy Mead From: Bangor Age: 64 Profession: Maine Supreme Court Justice Position: Forward Hockey history: I started playing after college. I never coached or refereed, but have played in recreational leagues in Maine since 1978. I captained a team of recreational players who went to Russia in 1987 to play against Russian teams.

Why do you still play? Because I can.

Can you offer a few words of wisdom for younger players?

Remember it’s only a game.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 59

metro sports

“Make playing hockey mostly a fun experience – you'll enjoy it for a long time, maybe even into your 60s.”

–Bob Franzosa

60 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Joan Trail

Name: Bob Franzosa From: Bangor Age: 60 Profession: Mathematics Professor at the University of Maine Position: I prefer playing forward. In our pickup games I play all positions except goalie.

Greg Stone

Hockey history: Played street hockey and pond hockey as a teenager growing up in the Greater Boston area in the late 1960s and early 1970s when hockey and the Bruins were very popular with their strong teams that included Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. Didn't play organized hockey until I got involved in men's leagues as an adult (in my early 30s). Played in various leagues until about 10 years ago when I first started playing with the "pickup" group that I now play with. We play once or twice a week through the year.

Why do you still play? I love the game and playing it. It's great exercise; I don't like exercising for the sake of exercising, I prefer to be competing in a sport that provides the opportunity to exercise. It is truly enjoyable to get in the car on a cold winter evening to drive to a rink to play a game of hockey. It's a fun group of guys that I play with and makes for an enjoyable social opportunity.

Can you offer a few words of wisdom for younger players?

Practice, practice, practice to improve your skills. Make playing hockey mostly a fun experience – you'll enjoy it for a long time, maybe even into your 60s.

Mark Woodward

metro sports

“Everybody laughs, we don't keep score.

I think I am the oldest goalie in the state.”

–James Austin

62 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Name: James Austin From: Dover Age: 68 Profession: I am a retired lawyer and am the Probate Judge for Piscataquis County.

Position: Two years ago I made myself a goalie so we would have two.

Hockey history: I started skating at 46 after I went to a [University of Maine] game. I started the Dover Old Timers shortly thereafter because I wanted to play, but was too old, inexperienced and cowardly to play in a league. We play Thursday and don't play other teams. Everybody laughs, we don't keep score. I think I am the oldest goalie in the state. Perhaps no. Along the way I coached my daughters from mites to bantams.

Boys teams, as well.

Why do you still play? Simple: hockey is a happy disease.

Can you offer a few words of wisdom for younger players? Just play. There's always another game.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 63

maine

woods & waters

Better Equipped

BY BOB DUCHESNE

A

s of my

birthday last month, I am old enough to collect Social Security. That might have come as a bigger blow to the psyche if I hadn’t simultaneously become eligible for the National Park Service senior pass.

For a mere $10, I bought a lifetime pass to national parks. I’m hoping to get at least 20 years of use out of it.

I still climb peaks, but I am better equipped. I use hiking poles. My body may be 62, but my knees are 102.

I still bike, but not on the 10-speed of my youth, with the handlebars that bent so low that I could steer with my ankles.

You know the bike – the one with the hard narrow seat that redefined the term “wedgie.” My current bicycle is marketed

Admit it, we’ve all geared up. We heartily embrace the gear that keeps us outdoors. We’re doing what we used to do, mostly, and staying healthier for it.

I am not getting older. I am just getting better equipped.

I don’t remember my mother ever telling me to go watch TV. We were instructed to go outside and play. We grew up that way. Mom is now 86 and still tends her flowers.

64 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

as a “comfort” bike. It’s got 30 speeds, shock absorbers, and a pillow where the seat used to be. I don’t need to go fast. I just need to go.

I still paddle. I have ocean-worthy kayaks, but I use my Old Town Loon just as often. It’s like paddling a couch.

PHOTOS: JOHN ROWLEY & REMAINS/THINKSTOCK.COM

We’re not getting older, we’re just getting better equipped.

Youth was my time for sports. I’d swing for the fences, dribble the court, pass the pigskin, and beat the goalie. Later, I scaled the peaks, backpacked the trails, paddled the rapids, and skied the moguls. I loved the outdoors, and somewhere along the way, I became obsessed with birds.

In other words, I’m typical. Baby boomers may lose a step as they enter their seventh decade, but they don’t lose their interest in things outdoorsy. Milder adventures replace the more rigorous exploits of yesteryear. For several decades, gardening and birding have greatly increased in popularity nationwide. Retirees have reacquainted themselves with their fly rods. Nature photography is booming. Even pursuits that didn’t used to be pursuits are gaining fans, such as geocaching. Many of us will seize any excuse to get outdoors. It’s good for you.

My collection of camping gear is hilarious. Good gear neither ages nor obsolesces, so I’ve never really thrown out anything. I just add to the collection in the basement. For the two people in my household, I have four tents, six sleeping bags, three stoves, and two lanterns.

My cooking equipment in the camp box is better than what I have in the kitchen.

But it is my collection of air mattresses and sleeping pads that speaks volumes about my concession to outdoor comfort. I’m really, really equipped.

My closet is better equipped. GoreTex footwear is the next best thing to mukluks. I’ve got a winter coat that polar explorers would envy, and no animal had to be skinned to make it. I’ve got a drawer full of winter gloves, suitable for any range of temperatures. I am proud of my extensive and eclectic long underwear collection.

Admit it, we’ve all geared up. I guide birding tours, and the majority of people who accompany me are empty nesters. Most are over 60 and many are pushing 80.

None of us are getting older, we’re just getting better equipped. We’ve got better binoculars, better hearing aids, better smartphones with better apps.

There was a time when we might have eschewed technological assistance due to vanity. We might have been a teensy bit in denial about advancing age. Now, we heartily embrace the gear that keeps us outdoors. We’re doing what we used to do, mostly, and staying healthier for it.

In my guiding business, I routinely deal with clients who have replaced hips and knees. No problem. A couple of Advil and a minor tweak to the itinerary deal with any physical challenges. A step stool gets us into the van. I’ve got several, just in case I ever need to provide a stool sample.

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

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 65

savvy seniors

Rich Livingston, state president for AARP Maine, and Lori Parham, state director for AARP Maine cut the ribbon at AARP Maine’s new office location in downtown Portland.

Moving in the

Right Direction

BY JANE MARGESSON

O

n Sept. 3,

AARP Maine celebrated the recent relocation of our office to downtown Portland with an open house attended by more than 300 guests, including AARP Maine staff and volunteers, state legislators, Portland Mayor Michael Brennan, and representatives from state agencies and Congressional offices. In addition to enjoying the opportunity to meet new staff and volunteers, guests were invited to share their ideas concerning the next legislative session and 2016 elections.

The open house served as the perfect occasion for AARP Maine to hear from

tant it is for us to continue to work together toward common sense solutions for Mainers 50-plus and their families.

After a long, challenging legislative session, AARP Maine is proud of many successful results which will have a positive impact for Mainers in 2015 and in the years to come. One highlight is the passage of the CARE Act which was sponsored by Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, a featured speaker at the open house. The CARE Act goes into effect Oct. 15 and supports family caregivers both when loved ones are admitted to a hospital and following their hospital discharge.

In addition to enjoying the opportunity to meet new staff and volunteers, guests were invited to share their ideas concerning the next legislative session and 2016 elections. members, their families, state representatives and many community leaders regarding issues of concern as we head into the next election cycle. The fact that so many of our neighbors and friends were in attendance shows how impor66 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

As Rep. Gattine noted, the vast majority of older Americans want to live independently at home. According to AARP’s latest “Valuing the Invaluable” report, there are more than 178,000 family caregivers in Maine who help

PHOTO: COURTESY OF AARP MAINE

AARP Maine welcomed to new office space in downtown Portland.

their loved ones to live independently – keeping them out of costly institutions.

Gattine stated that he is “proud to have sponsored such important legislation to support Maine’s caregivers.”

A second law that AARP Maine introduced which will go into effect Oct. 15 is the Security Freeze, sponsored by Sen. Rodney Whittemore, R-Skowhegan. The Security Freeze will help Mainers protect themselves from identity theft through the ability to place a freeze on their credit reports at no cost.

“Placing a freeze on your credit report prevents consumer reporting agencies from releasing your information to a third party,” said David Leach, principal examiner at the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection. “This is one of the most effective ways to keep your sensitive information safe from identity thieves.”

We have also been working with local cities and towns to join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities program. The Network is a tool that can be used by AARP staff and others to help local leaders prepare and ultimately change their communities to become great places for everyone to live regardless of age. Portland was the first city in Maine to join the Network, which Mayor Michael Brennan noted during his speech at the open house: "I'm delighted to welcome AARP Maine back to downtown Portland with their new location on Baxter Boulevard," Brennan said. "I'm proud that Portland was the first city in Maine to sign on as a participant in AARP's Age-Friendly Communities Initiative. This is a fiveyear program that is examining cities and towns across the country to determine how user-friendly and livable the city is to people as they age. I look forward to continuing our work with AARP Maine to ensure that Portland is an attractive city for residents as they age."

By all accounts, the event was a great success and we thank all our guests for joining us to both celebrate this work and to share with us their concerns and ideas as we turn our attention to 2016.

For more information about AARP’s work in Maine, our volunteer opportunities and legislative initiatives please visit aarp.org/me or call 1-866-554-5380.

JANE MARGESSON is the AARP Maine communications director. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 67

real estate

Cost-Conscious

Home Upgrades

I

Simple upgrades with big impact. STORY COURTESY OF FAMILY FEATURES

f you’re

looking for ways to improve your home but don’t have the budget for a fullscale renovation, look at upgrades that add instant value with a smaller investment.

Projects that enhance existing features or add new functions to the home are smart ways to spruce up the aesthetics and improve livability without breaking the bank. In between extreme weather seasons is the perfect time to tackle home improvement projects, so this fall consider some small-scale projects that can make a big impact on your home.

Revitalize worn woodwork. Nothing ages a home’s appearance faster than tired, weathered woodwork on the front porch or back deck. These structures are typically major focal points of a home’s exterior, so sprucing them up can go a long way toward transforming the overall aesthetic. A fresh coat of stain or paint is a minimal investment to bring fresh life back into your entryway or backyard living space.

Pull out a new kitchen look. If changing out the cabinets isn’t an option, you can still create a new look with a minimal investment. Wipe down cabinets thoroughly and apply a coat of paint to make them look their very best, then look for subtle changes that bring a wow factor, such as new hardware. Simply changing out dated pulls for a more contemporary look in a new color can bring a new mood to the room. Clear away clutter and add some fresh accessories for a whole new look.

Look at new lighting. The lighting in a room has a significant impact on its overall feel: a bright, airy room exudes energy while a dimmer, soft illumination evokes a cozy impression. Changing up the lighting can completely transform a space. Use window treatments such as drapes and blinds to control natural light and lend a stylish addition to the room. Floor and table lamps are ideal for more subtle task lighting, while overhead fixtures can make a stronger statement.

Explore a new floor. Over time, the rich pile of new carpeting loses its inviting spring, and once-sharp grout lines fade and crumble. If a thorough cleaning still leaves your flooring looking drab, it may be time to explore alternatives. Replacing heavily worn carpet in high traffic areas with a more durable option such as wood or tile may not only improve the look, but also prove a smart investment as it wears better in the future.

If you still enjoy the look of your tile, consider removing and replacing the grout, then sealing it to protect the finish. Don’t feel beholden to the original color; a new shade can introduce a whole new color dimension to the room.

68 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

PHOTOS: POPLASEN, ALINA PAVLOVA, MAYA KOVACHEVA PHOTOGRAPHY & MOODBOARD/THINKSTOCK.COM

Punch up the power. Adding function can be as valuable as aesthetics when it comes to enjoying your home to the fullest. When bad weather or other factors interrupt your power supply, a standby generator lets you run appliances such as air conditioners, heaters, refrigerators, clothes washers/dryers, lights and electronics, minimizing the inconvenience of a power outage. For extended outages, a generator can even save money, preventing unexpected costs from spoiled food or hotel stays. Hooked up to a home’s existing propane or natural gas line, a standby generator system, oftentimes called a home generator, switches on by itself when power fails.

LANDSCAPERS

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HANCOCK COUNTY

PENOBSCOT COUNTY

Orland • MLS#1238289 Expansive, contemporary 3 bedroom, 2 bath home on 1.5 acres. Open-concept kitchen, great room with tile and fireplace, deck, private yard with swingset, huge garage. $159,900 Lisa Caron Realty of Maine Office: 207-745-5568 lisacaronrealtor@gmail.com

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Dixmont • MLS#1227739 Lots of acreage, fields, large pond and space for horses and farm animals. Cathedral ceilings, open floor plan, finished basement. $239,900 Linda Gardiner Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group Office: 207-478-5841 lindagardiner@masiello.com

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Hampden • MLS#1231525 Stunning 2,032 sq ft, 3 bdrm, 2 bath ranch with radiant heat, 2.55 private acres, sunroom, gourmet kitchen, 3 car garage with workshop. $249,999 Jessie Daniels Realty of Maine Office: 207-991-8980 jdanielsbangor@gmail.com

Searsport • MLS#1236795 This 4-bedroom New Englander has charm and original features like hardwood floors, built-ins, 2 sun porches, gazebo, lots of storage & brick fireplace with a recent pellet stove. $184,900 LuAnne Adams 107 Main Street, Belfast Cell: 207-322-5930

Need a

Gift Idea?

Send some love with

a subscription to

Bangor Metro!

Your listing could be on this page Sell it faster. Advertise in Bangor Metro’s Real Estate Guide. Call 941-1300.

For subscriptions,

call 990-8219 www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 69

Special Section Featuring Northern Maine

by Bangor Metro

Chainsaw

Mama

Hodgdon mom writes book about life on a County dairy farm.

L PHOTOS: COURTESY OF LEE RAE JORDAN-OLIVER

ee Rae

Jordan-Oliver and her husband, Matthew, always knew they wanted to move back home to Aroostook County and start a family.

In a new book, Jordan-Oliver chronicles her family’s decision to return home and start a dairy farm in Hodgdon.

The mother of three lived in Bangor and taught at Fairmount School in Bangor for more than 10 years. Matthew Oliver was the former Old Town School Department superintendent.

In 2006, they decided to leave education and operate a dairy farm, located on 125 acres of land on Westford Hill.

While Matthew Oliver grew up on his parent’s vegetable farm, the couple didn’t have any dairy farming experience.

ORIGINAL STORY BY JEN LYNDS, BDN STAFF

“It was just something we decided to do and I just held on for the ride,” JordanOliver said. “We started with just 10 bred organic dairy cows and kind of learned on the job. It was a real eye-opening experience, to say the least.”

In “Chainsaw Mama,” Jordan-Oliver relates how the farm grew in the early years with the addition of more cows, pigs and horses, and how the family dealt with setbacks such as ailing animals, financial changes in the dairy market and the breakdown of equipment.

In one instance, when the couple was trying to escape the farm one night for dinner and a movie, they were quickly sidelined by a sick child and the

Lee Rae Jordan-Oliver is the author of "Chainsaw Mama," a book which depicts the Oliver's decision in 2006 to leave education and operate a dairy farm on 125 acres of land on Westford Hill in Hodgdon.

Continued on page 72 www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 71

Out of the

N

Darkness

Fort Kent brings suicide discussion to light. CONTRIBUTED BY JOAN FORTIN

early 170

individuals registered for the fifth annual Out of the Darkness walk in Fort Kent on Sept. 12. More than $9,000 in pledges was collected, which was double the amount from the previous year. The Out of the Darkness walk is held internationally each year to raise awareness about suicide and the public’s role in its prevention.

In 2013, the most recent year for which full data are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 41,000 suicides were reported, making suicide the tenth leading cause of death for Americans. In that year, someone in the country died by suicide every 12.8 minutes. This does not take into account the number of failed suicide attempts.

Northern Maine Medical Center offers a monthly support group the first Thursday of every month. The group is a safe place for survivors to meet, share, and work together to heal.

The sessions are free and open to the public.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide almost always has multiple causes and many times these causes go unrecognized and untreated. Some of the warning signs can include: talking about wanting to die and feeling hopeless, increasing use of alcohol or drugs, sleeping too much or too little, withdrawing or feeling isolated or displaying extreme mood swings. The more of these warning signs a person shows, the greater the risk for suicide. When these and other signs are identified, treatment can be initiated, thereby reducing the risk for suicide.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the leader in the fight against suicide, reports that suicide is preventable.

For more information about warning signs and treatment options, visit afsp.org or call NMMC at 207-834-3155.

To learn more about NMMC, to make a donation or to learn about volunteer opportunities, visit nmmc.org or find them on Facebook.

Continued from page 71 breakdown of a motor on their milkpumping machine.

When Matthew Oliver did not have a spare motor handy or a part to fix it immediately, two different area dairy farmers immediately helped him milk his cows until he could get a replacement part.

Jordan-Oliver said that such camaraderie is common among County farmers.

“I don’t believe that there is any competition among dairy farmers up here, at least that I have seen,” she said. “We have had so many local dairy farmers up here who have helped us and provided valuable insight. I don’t think we would have made it without them.”

The title of the book comes from Jordan-Oliver’s work on the farm saw72 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

ing about 25 cords of wood each season to keep the fires burning in the family’s outdoor wood stove.

“It isn’t always an easy life, but it is the life that is working for us,” she said.

“We work as a team here. The children love taking care of the animals and just soak up the affection they get in return, and they learn about the circle of life and where our food comes from. Our neighbors and friends pitch in when needed.

It works for us.”

Copies of “Chainsaw Mama” can be purchased online at maineauthorspublishing.com or on Amazon.com for $19.95. In Houlton, books also may be found at local businesses such as Aroostook Milling, County Yankee, Visions, Hairworks Studio or Andy’s IGA.

Lee Rae Jordan-Oliver poses with her husband Matthew Oliver, and their three children (from left) Walker, Anna, and Wyatt of Hodgdon.

Growing Strong I

PHOTOS: (TOP, LEFT) COURTESY OF JOAN FORTIN; (BOTTOM, LEFT) COURTESY OF LEE RAE JORDAN-OLIVER; (THIS PAGE) ANTHONY BRINO

n its first

Micmac Farms keeps growing strong with an eye on expansion for the future.

five years, Micmac Farms in Caribou has been harvesting acres of berries, herbs and vegetables, and is now turning to its fruit orchards as it looks to expand as a part of the local food supply.

Workers and volunteers with Micmac Farms have been nuturing the 18-acre parcel of land, just north of the Presque Isle line in Caribou on Route 1, since 2010.

“It’s been growing pretty good,” said Roger Akerson, a tribal member who grew up around Stockholm and volunteers at the farm.

In late August, at the Micmac’s Mawiomi gathering, Akerson and others with the farm were selling a bounty of cucumbers and freshly made relishes.

Though relatively modest in acreage, the farm is one of the most diverse in its cultivation — beets, cabbage, kale, tomatoes,

BY ANTHONY BRINO, BDN STAFF

peppers, beans, peas, squashes, herbs, onions, tomatillos, swiss chard, lemon balm, strawberries. Among the squashes

younger and older generations to have a chance to connect with agriculture and learn new and old growing techniques.

Micmac Farms is largely spearheaded by the tribal community, as a way for younger and older generations to have a chance to connect with agriculture and learn new and old growing techniques. alone are a great variety, including butternut, sunshine, acorn, confetti acorn, delicata and blue hubbard.

“Our peas are the sweetest around,” Akerson said. “People have been faithful and coming back for the peas.”

Micmac Farms is largely spearheaded by the tribal community, as a way for

Tribal elders can receive a 25 percent discount buying food at the farm, and other tribal members also get a small discount. But its store is open to anyone, noted Cheryl Smart, a farmworker.

“It’s for the whole community, the Micmac community and beyond,” Smart said. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 73

entrepreneurial awards

The Entrepreneurial Awards

Are Coming K

Abe and Heather Furth at last year’s Entrepreneurial Awards.

Nominate a deserving business today!

now a business

owner who consistently goes above and beyond? We would love to recognize their hard work and community spirit at the 2016 Metro Entrepreneurial Awards.

We’ll be accepting nominations soon, so keep an eye on our website at bangormetro.com, and our Facebook page, on how to submit an entry.

Winners will be chosen from around the state and will be honored at the 2016 Metro Entrepreneurial Awards dinner on Jan. 14, 2016 at the Bangor Hilton Garden Inn.

A Nod to

Last Year’s Winners

Last year’s winners ran the gamut from food to dentistry. Who will win this year?

Make your nomination today at bangormetro.com.

Gerry Nasberg Owner of Pat’s Pizza Ellsworth

Norma J. Desjardins St. Apollonia Dental Clinic Presque Isle

Nancy O’Brien FIORE Artisan Olive Oils and Vinegars Bar Harbor, Rockland, & Freeport

Abe and Heather Furth Owners of Verve, Woodman’s Grill & The Orono Brewing Co. Orono & Bangor

Abby Freethy (Middle) Larry Geaghan, Peter Geghan, Pat Geaghan and Andrew Geaghan at last year’s awards. (Above) Abby Freethy with her son.

74 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

North Wood Gourmet Girl Greenville

Geaghan Brothers Geaghan’s Pub and Geaghan Bros. Brewing Co. Bangor

AN ENTREPRENEUR

Today

Recognize those going above & beyond

with a nomination for the

2016 Metro Entrepreneurial Awards

2016

Submit your nomination at bangormetro.com

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 75

76 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

METRO

Your Guide to Health & Wellness

PHOTO: MERZNATALIA/THINKSTOCK.COM

THE SEMICOLON PROJECT Tattoos with a message PREVENTING CERVICAL CANCER Tips on how it can be avoided BENEFITS OF HYPNOTHERAPY Your questions are answered

78 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

METRO

Your Guide to Health & Wellness

CONTENTS My Story, Although it Pauses, Hasn’t Ended .......... 80 Beth Brogan shares how a semicolon has helped change her life.

To Transfer Or Not To Transfer .................................... 93 Maine Elder Law Firm offers tips on what to consider regarding eligibility for MaineCare.

Reporting Regulations ................................................. 95 Cross Insurance helps break down ACA reporting.

You Can Prevent Cervical Cancer ............................. 96 Dr. Joseph Benoit shares guidelines for avoiding cervical cancer.

Ouch! Relieving Joint Pain .......................................... 99 Tips and home remedies for joint pain relief.

Pediatric Dental Health ............................................. 102 Sebasticook Family Doctors shares new recommendations for pediatric dental health care.

Benefits of Hypnotherapy ....................................... 104 Certified hypnotherapists answer your questions.

Healthy Eating at Every Age .................................. 107 PHOTO: JASMINA81/THINKSTOCK.COM

Important nutrition tips for men and women over the age of 50.

Maximizing Your Workout ........................................ 111 Building muscle and getting healthy with SuperSlow Zone.

The content of Metro Health is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 79

My Story, Although sem • i • co • lon /'semē kōlen, semī kōlen/ noun

[

Project Semicolon was founded in 2013 by Amy Bleuel to honor her father, who died from suicide, and to talk about her own battle with mental illness.

[

IMAGE: ROBYN MACKENZIE/THINKSTOCK.COM

a punctuation mark (;) indicating a pause, when a sentence could have ended, but didn’t.

It Pauses,

Hasn’t Ended One woman shares her very personal story of the “pauses” bipolar disorder has created in her life and how a semicolon is helping her gain strength.

I

BY BETH BROGAN, SPECIAL TO BANGOR METRO

n late July,

I had a black semicolon tattooed on the inside of my left wrist. It’s small – not even an inch high – but I see it all day, every day, just as I’d planned.

It reminds me that, despite the pauses I take now and then to manage bipolar disorder, my sentence – my story – will continue.

My younger brother snorted in disbelief earlier this summer when I mentioned my plans. Tattoos aren’t common in my family. In fact, this may be the first. But I knew the day I first read about the semicolon as a symbol of strength for those with mental illness that I’d soon have one etched in my skin.

I didn’t expect the tiny mark, and the story that accompanied it, to change my entire relationship with the illness that at times has been so destructive.

My story was posted to the Bangor Daily News website in the early morning hours of July 29.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 81

PHOTO: BDN FILE

82 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

I told of how I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in my mid-20s after years of dramatic "ups and downs." During my junior year at the University of Maine, I ran 6 miles late every night through the deserted snowy cow pastures, matching my breath to Steve Winwood and The Who on my Walkman. The next fall, three days after arriving at college – three days of nonstop hysterical phone calls home – my dad drove back up the interstate to pack me and my stuff into the station wagon and take me home.

It’s small – not even an inch high – but I see it all day, every day, just as I’d planned. It reminds me that, despite the pauses I take now and then to manage bipolar disorder, my sentence – my story – will continue.

Beth Brogan gets a semicolon tattoo in Lewiston from artist Alex Stephens. The semicolon represents her daily battle with bipolar disorder.

In recent months, it has become a symbol for those with mental illness and survivors of suicide whose “sentence could have ended, but didn’t.”

When I was better, I moved to Boston to work 70 hours a week at a consulting firm with future billionaires, spending every spare penny on clothes, shoes and extravagant Christmas presents. I abruptly left my next job at Harvard to waitress in a midcoast tourist trap because it was more fun, and spent another summer living in New York City on my American Express card while I dated a minor league baseball player.

At the height of my hypomania, I disappeared to a Mediterranean island for three weeks. No one knew where I was until I called my mom and dad from a New York hospital. As they had many times previously, my parents sped to my rescue and took me home – this time, to a hospital.

And I told about my most recent struggles, about letting my newsroom director know I have bipolar disorder.

Most of the time it's under control. Most of the time I work hard, write carefully www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 83

PHOTO: BDN FILE

gor points out to Anna Duvefelte, 32, of Ban she wants her ere wh ore Mo tattoo artist Matt eca at For stle Tattoo. semicolon tattoo to go

and with compassion and live my life.

But sometimes, despite my best efforts, I get sick.

Then we sound the alarm, call out reinforcements – every cliche you can conjure. We adjust medications, step up the therapy and step up the yoga.

And, eventually, I get better. Sometimes it's days. Sometimes it's weeks.

Sometimes it's longer.

Sharing my story made me stronger. And the biggest surprise was how much simpler my life became when I stopped worrying about who has figured it out and what their response would be.

I received the first of many emails and messages about my story even before I woke up on the morning it went “live.”

Those closest to me, as always, offered the overwhelming support for which I am grateful every day.

“Always with admiration, always with love and friendship, in all ways

84 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

possible I’ve looked toward you for sanity amongst the sane-less when my sense of surety faltered, even while yours was faltering, too?� wrote one dear friend.

The biggest surprise was how much simpler my life became when I stopped worrying about who has figured it out and what their response would be.

I also heard from dozens of sources, colleagues, friends of friends and members of the communities I’ve reported on for nearly a decade, as well as others from across the state. Some shared their own stories, others wrote about family members and friends who fight similar battles.

The crowd participating in Project Semicolon stretched around the building at Forecastle Tattoo in Bangor in August 2015.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 85

86 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

PHOTO: BDN FILE

Tattoo artist Alex Stephens of Ageless Art Tattoo in Lewiston marks BDN staff writer Beth Brogan with a simple semicolon.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” one reader told me. “As I was reading your column, I was nearly moved to tears … I was essentially reading about myself. EVERYTHING (sans the 3 months in the Mediterranean and the summer living off your American Express card in NYC) reflected my experience with the disease.”

“As the mom of a bipolar daughter, I thank you from the depths of my soul for your enlightening story,” wrote another in a Facebook message. “So much of your story parallels hers. It ain’t been easy, but with a diagnosis, med manager and weekly counseling, she is on her way … your journey … touched a chord with our journey.”

“To say that it hit me like a ton of bricks in a positive way would be an understatement,” another woman said. “I just have to at least tell you the relief I felt after reading your words and relating to your examples .. it was like you were writing about me.”

The woman wrote that for a year she had tried to hide her diagnosis from her

boyfriend, but that after reading the story she shared it with him.

“He read the article, looked at me and I said, ‘That’s me, too. I need you to understand who I am and it’s ok for me to go through these things. I don’t want to hide anymore,’” she wrote. “He said, ‘I knew

always continued.

Bipolar disorder, or "manic-depressive disorder," is different for everyone, but is generally characterized by alternating periods of crippling depression and euphoric mania or less intense hypomania, with

Every time I see my tattoo, it reminds me that despite the pauses – episodes of depression and, less frequently, hypomania – my life has taken, I've always continued. this. I know who you are. Do I get frustrated? Yes. You’re still that loving, funny caring [person.]’”

Those who stood in line outside Saylorink Tattoo in Augusta weeks later shared similar stories as they waited to get their semicolons.

Every time I see my tattoo, it reminds me that despite the pauses – episodes of depression and, less frequently, hypomania – my life has taken, I've

some experiencing "mixed" episodes that, for me, are like agitated depression.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates 2.6 percent of U.S. adults have bipolar disorder, and that bipolar disorder has one of the highest suicide rates of all mental illnesses, with 10 percent to 20 percent of unmedicated patients taking their lives.

Marie Searles of Farmingdale said she would wear her semicolon on her

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 87

Jared Fiori shows Beth Brogan where he will get a semicolon tattoo. Fiori lost his mother to suicide and has struggled with bipolar disorder himself.

left wrist, to cover up faint scars that crossed her skin from previous episodes of “cutting.”

Many others spoke that day about their battles with depression, bipolar disorder and other illnesses. Searles told me about a quote on a website that said a semicolon represents a pause in a sentence.

“The sentence is my life, and I’m the author,” she said. “I could’ve chosen to end my life, but I didn’t.”

Since then, I’ve received letters and emails from people seeking help for themselves or their family members.

What medication do I take? How did I find such a great doctor? And my favorite (which, if you know me at all, you’ll also find amusing): How do I manage to keep it all together?

All I could offer was what I already had in my story. And one more thing – The NAMI Maine helpline: (800) 464-5767.

88 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

PHOTO: BDN FILE

Dustin Tribou of Saylorink Tattoo in Augusta etches a semicolon tattoo on a patron’s finger.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 89

Since my story was published, personal friends and others I’ve spoken to have called the helpline and gained resources and information that, in some cases, has been lifesaving.

My favorite response to sharing my story was also the most nerve wracking, and came not long after I was inked, when I was greeted at a birthday celebration by a flock of young nieces and nephews all eager to see my tattoo.

After only a second of stunned silence – this is far from the most exciting thing they’ve seen me do – they

90 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

scurried on to the next adventure and seemed to forget about it.

Later that evening, though, as we waited for Pictionary to commence, one of my nephews asked, “So, your tattoo – that’s for some illness, right?”

“Yes,” I said. “You know when I don’t

feel well sometimes? When I’m sort of sad or really tired?”

“Oh. Yeah,” he said.

Pause. Pause. Pause. I could hear the wheels turning, and I braced myself.

“How much did it bleed?” he wanted to know. “And did it really, really hurt?”

Jared Fiori and Beth Brogan compare semicolon ink at Ageless Art Tattoo in Lewiston.

PHOTO: BDN FILE

Since my story was published, personal friends and others I’ve spoken to have called the helpline and gained resources and information that, in some cases, has been lifesaving.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 91

92 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

To Transfer Or Not To Transfer

Do you need to transfer your home or money to be eligible for MaineCare? Maine Elder Law Firm offers tips on what to consider before gifting your house or other real estate.

M

PHOTO: FEVERPITCHED/THINKSTOCK.COM

any people wonder

whether they should transfer real estate, usually their home, to their children or another close relative as a protection against possible future long-term care expenses. Given the high cost of long-term care and that the home is often people’s most valuable asset, this thought is common. However, there are many factors you should consider.

You may have heard that you have to spend down essentially all of your money and property before you will be eligible for MaineCare’s (Maine Medicaid’s) long-term care programs. MaineCare eligibility is a complex issue in general, but it is straightforward regarding personal residences. In 2015, up to $828,000 of equity in a personal residence is exempt during the MaineCare recipient’s lifetime. The exposure occurs after the MaineCare recipient’s death if he or she dies after age 55 and is not survived by a spouse or a child with disabilities.

Therefore, preserving the value of a personal residence is not related to benefit eligibility; it protects an unmarried person’s estate against recovery by the Department of Health and Human Services for its actual cost of care after death.

Should you give your home away before you need long-term care? First, if you transfer your property to someone outright with simply a deed and the “understanding” that you will continue to live

BY JOY A. TRUEWORTHY, ESQ.

there, you are at risk of eviction. While you may think that your child or friend would never do that, it indeed happens. But if you and your “landlord” sign a life lease, you can reserve your right to use and occupy the property as well as outline all of your respective rights and responsibilities. For MaineCare purposes, this needs to be structured as a life lease and not as a life estate. A life lease can also preserve the step-up in basis of your property’s value, which, if it is not transferred again during your lifetime, is potentially a valuable tax protection for your heirs.

There are some issues that cannot be resolved with an outright transfer, even with a life lease, and it is a matter of balancing the various risks and deciding what it is best for you. If you transfer property for less than fair market value within five years of applying for MaineCare’s long-term care programs, that gift creates a period of ineligibility. If the child who received the property transfers it back, this should cure the penalty; but, any debts, divorce or lawsuits of the child that have occurred in the meantime may prevent it. Some people may believe that an ineligibility period will not affect them, because they have longterm care insurance to private pay in the interim, but the type and amount of coverage and any deductible need to be considered. Also, if the property is sold during your lifetime, unless the person who received the property uses it as a Paid Advertisement for Rudman Winchell.

personal residence, neither of you will be able to claim the personal residence exclusion from capital gains tax. Additionally, you will lose access to equity and the ability to have a reverse mortgage.

Weighing these issues, you may conclude that transferring the property to an asset protection trust would be more appropriate than an outright transfer.

Some people also wish to make a property transfer to avoid probate. Probate in Maine is simpler and less expensive than in many other states. But, if there is a reason this goal applies to you, you should work with an estate planning or elder law attorney to ensure that your assets are structured such that all of them will pass outside of the probate process, not just your home. But keep in mind that when the home is owned in a revocable living trust, it is no longer an exempt asset.

There may be additional factors to consider in your particular situation, including any loans on the property. Before transferring your home away from yourself, you should meet with an elder law attorney to discuss the risks and benefits and how best to structure the transfer to address all considerations.

JOY A. TRUEWORTHY, ESQ. is an associate attorney with the Maine Elder Law Firm, a Practice of Rudman Winchell. Her practice is concentrated in estate planning, long-term care planning, elder law and probate administration.

94 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Reporting Regulations

PHOTO: DEMAERRE/THINKSTOCK.COM

ACA reporting doesn’t have to be complicated.

Cross Insurance helps break it down.

D

oes your

business employ at least 50 full-time employees? If so, you likely have concerns about the new IRS reporting requirements for health care coverage. Even some nonprofit and government entities are required to file reports. And while the process can seem daunting and complicated – most new things are – there are tools available to help navigate the new requirements for 2015 and avoid potential fiscal penalties.

Do you know what information you need to report on Forms 1094-C and 1095-C? Cross Insurance offers a Section 6056 Reporting Workbook that will walk you through these forms to help you determine what information you will need to accurately report to the IRS under Section 6056.

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Even if they offer the necessary coverage, employers may have to pay penalties if they don’t completely and accurately report to the IRS about the health coverage they offered in the prior year.

Although there is short-term relief from penalties in 2015, employers will need to make a good-faith effort to comply in order to avoid penalties. Cross Insurance’s workbook can help you keep track of all the information you need to report in order to make a good-faith effort.

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You Can Prevent

Cervical Cancer

Tips from the office of Dr. Joseph Benoit on avoiding cervical cancer.

COURTESY OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL

for a woman named Sandy, Brenda T. might have a very different story to tell. Two years ago, when Brenda was 50 years old, she didn’t have health insurance, and was going to a free clinic in Schenectady, New York.

That’s where she met Sandy, a women’s health advocate.

“Whenever I saw Sandy, she asked whether I’d had my Pap test,” Brenda said.

“She kept nagging me. So I finally did go.”

Brenda, the mother of three and grandmother of two, learned she had cervical cancer. She needed surgery.

“I was terrified. I was told that if I had been screened earlier, the cancer wouldn’t be so bad that I needed a partial hysterectomy.”

Even though cervical cancer can be prevented and treated successfully, every year about 12,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with it and 4,000 women

may not be needed for three years. If you are 30 years old or older, you may choose to also have an HPV test along with the Pap test every five years. You and your doctor can decide what is right for you.

“If I could say anything to other women, it is to get checked for cervical cancer regularly,” said Brenda. “If I hadn’t gone when I did, who knows what condition I would be in? There are screening services out there, whether you have insurance or not!”

If you have a low income or do not have insurance, you may be eligible for free or lowcost cervical cancer screening through CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.

“I’m happy and healthy now. I get checked regularly and make sure my daughter does, too,” Brenda says. “When my grandkids are old enough, I want them to get the HPV vaccine — it can pre-

But there is good news: you can prevent cervical cancer, with regular screening tests and followup. die from it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

But there is good news: you can prevent cervical cancer, with regular screening tests and followup.

Two screening tests help prevent it or find it early. The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for precancers — cell changes on the cervix that might become cancer if they are not treated. The HPV test looks for the virus (human papillomavirus) that causes most cervical cancers.

The Pap test is recommended for women between the ages of 21 and 65. If test results are normal, another Pap test

vent cervical cancer. I’m proud to say I’m cancer-free and in great health. And I’m very thankful to Sandy for being so persistent. She may have saved my life!”

Resources: To learn more, call 1-800-CDC-INFO or visit cdc. gov/cancer/cervical for information on cervical cancer. For information on the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, visit cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp. To learn about HPV vaccine, visit cdc.gov/hpv/vaccine.html.

And check out CDC’s Inside Knowledge: Get the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer Campaign at cdc.gov/cancer/knowledge.

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Did you know?

Although cervical cancer may garner the headlines and be the primary reason thousands of women visit their doctors each year for routine PAP tests, this cancer is not the most common cancer of the reproductive organs. Cancer of the uterus is more common than cervical cancer and ovarian cancer. The National Cancer Institute says that more than 47,000 women will be diagnosed with uterine cancer in the United States in 2012 alone. Most women diagnosed with uterine cancer will be over the age of 55. The majority of the cases of uterine cancer occur in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus, according to The Mayo Clinic. Uterine cancer and endometrial cancer are terms that are often used interchangeably. This cancer may start with polyps or fibroids that grow inside the uterus. Because uterine cancer generally causes abnormal vaginal bleeding, pain and other symptoms, it can be diagnosed early when women visit their physician. If a woman is beyond childbearing age, surgically removing the uterus often eliminates all of the cancer and is an effective means of treatment.

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98 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Ouch!

Relieving Joint Pain Tips and home remedies for joint pain relief.

COURTESY OF METRO NEWS SERVICE

S

PHOTO: AMMENTORP PHOTOGRAPHY & STARIOT/THINKSTOCK.COM

tiff, painful joints

affect a vast number of people. According to the American College of Rheumatology, arthritis and other rheumatic diseases afflict roughly 23 percent of Americans, while Canadian Health Surveys indicate that nearly 17 percent of the Canadian adult population have arthritis. The number of people living with arthritis is expected to increase as the Baby Boomer generation continues to age.

Treatments for joint pain and stiffness range from medication to physical therapy. Finding the right regimen may take some effort, including some trial and error. For those looking for treatments they can try at home, consider these homespun remedies. (Note: Check with a physician to confirm the safety of alternative treatments before adding herbs to or modifying your existing medications.)

• Exercise more. Regular movement helps to maintain flexibility in the body's joints. Those with joint pain may shy away from exercise, but they could be doing themselves a disservice. Low-impact exercises, like swimming and water aerobics, can work out muscles and joints without adding extra stress. Walking can replace jogging or running, and yoga and pilates may be just the thing for deep stretching.

• Lose weight. Joint pain is often tied to obesity. Losing just a few pounds can ease up strain on certain joints, such as the hips, feet and knees. Shedding weight can improve mobility and decrease pain and potential future damage to joints. Exercise goes hand-in-hand with healthy eating to lose weight.

• Consider hot and cold therapies. Using a heating pad, hot shower or bath or an ice pack can work wonders on arthritis-related pains. Hot treatments www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 99

Joint pain can impact daily life and make activities less enjoyable. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways that do not require harsh medications to loosen joints and combat pain.

100 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

PHOTO: FUSE/THINKSTOCK.COM

will loosen up stiff joints, while cold therapy is best for acute pain relief. Do not apply hot and cold packs to the skin directly, as this can injure the skin. Wrap them in a towel first before application.

• Include anti-inflammatory foods and beverages in your diet. Explore the many different natural foods and herbs that are purported to reduce inflammation in the body.

Ginger, turmeric, flaxseed, grape juice, and bromelain can alleviate inflammation and stiffness. Foods such as fatty fish and nuts high in omega-3 fatty acids also will help fight inflammation. Blueberries, garlic, celery, and kelp should be included in diets as well.

• Go for a massage. The Arthritis Foundation says regular massages can help reduce pain and stiffness and improve range of motion. The massage therapist should have experience working on people with arthritis. In addition, massages should be performed by licensed physical therapists and guided by a doctor's recommendation.

• Increase magnesium intake. Magnesium can alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. It is best ingested through dark, leafy greens but also can be taken in supplement form.

Magnesium oil can be applied topically to sore joint areas.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 101

Pediatric Dental Health Sebasticook Family Doctors shares new recommendations for pediatric oral health care.

STORY COURTESY OF METRO NEWS SERVICE

the most common chronic childhood disease. More than 16 million children in the United States alone suffer from untreated tooth decay, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As more and more children develop cavities, new advice is being offered to those who care for young children's emerging and established teeth.

The CSA recommends that caregivers use a smear of fluoride toothpaste (or an amount about the size of a grain of rice) for children younger than three years old and a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste for children between the ages of three and six years old. The updated guidelines are intended to provide children with the full benefit of cavity protection while limiting their risk of developing fluorosis, which is a

As more and more children develop cavities, new advice is being offered to those who care for young children's emerging and established teeth.

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The American Dental Association's Council on Scientific Affairs has updated its dental care guidelines for caregivers. While it was once recommended to use water only or a nonfluoride toothpaste to clean teeth of the very young, the CSA now recommends the use of fluoride toothpaste even for young children, saying parents and other caregivers should brush their kids' teeth with fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first tooth comes in.

"Approximately 25 percent of children have or had cavities before entering kindergarten, so it's important to provide guidance to caregivers on the appropriate use of fluoride toothpaste to help prevent their children from developing cavities," said CSA chair Edmond L. Truelove, D.D.S.

mild discoloration of teeth usually appearing as faint lines. The CSA found that using just a "smear" of toothpaste for children younger than three years old and a pea-size amount for children between the ages of three and six helps to prevent cavities and is less likely to cause fluorosis. Children should spit out toothpaste as soon as they are old enough to do so.

Caregivers also are urged to take their children to the dentist when the first tooth erupts or no later than a child's first birthday. Semiannual or annual visits thereafter should be the norm, or as directed by a dentist.

Oral health care is important for people of all ages, including very young children with cavities. Learn more about preventative oral care by visiting ada.org.

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Benefits of Hypnotherapy Certified hypnotherapists answer your questions about hypnotherapy.

BY PAM LONDON AND JOI STEVENS, IACT CERTIFIED HYPNOTHERAPISTS

complementary therapy that can be affective in helping change certain habits and conditions, such as smoking, weight loss, insomnia and more. Hypnotherapy puts you into a state of “focused concentration,” during which you’re vaguely aware of your surroundings — you just don’t care about them and your imagination is open to suggestion.

Pam London and Joi Stevens, both IACT Certified Hypnotherapists, run Believe in Hypnotherapy in Dover-Foxcroft.

They hear questions everyday about hypnotherapy, how it works and how it can be beneficial – here’s a look at some of the more frequently asked questions...

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believeinhypnotherapy.com Joi 207.279.1156 Pam 207.943.3106 104 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Q: Should I believe in hypnotherapy?

A: Absolutely! You have to believe in hypnotherapy and want to change to see results. That’s the name of our business.

Q: Who can you help?

A: Anyone that has anything they want to change, improve or resolve, young and old alike.

Q: What is hypnotherapy?

A: It is a highly focused state of concentration where you can make amazing beneficial changes at a subconscious level.

Q: Can anyone be hypnotized?

A: Virtually anyone can be hypnotized!

The only requirement is that they truly want help and they want to be hypnotized.

Q: Can you control my mind?

A: No! You are always in control. A hypnotherapist can only help you if you want us to. You will never do or say anything which goes against your moral or ethical beliefs.

Q: What type of changes or situations can hypnotherapy help with?

A: Basically anything that anyone wants to change! Weight loss, smoking cessation, anxiety, fears, phobias, insomnia, traumatic events, nail biting, procrastination, sports performance, pain, the list goes on and on.

Q: Will you make me quack like a duck?

A: Never! Hypnotherapy is all about helping and healing. You may see people quacking in stage hypnosis shows, which is amazing in its own right but it’s all about fun as opposed to healing.

FYI, to date we have not met anyone that found quacking was beneficial!

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Q: What about help with medical conditions?

A: Hypnotherapy is a complementary therapy and hypnotherapists can work with your medical doctors to assist in encouraging their suggestions and reatment plan during your session.

Q: What can we expect from a session?

A: We discuss your reasons for coming to see us on the phone, we prepare and write each session that is individualized for you based on our conversation and paperwork that we email or mail to you.

Q: How long is a typical session?

A: They vary, but you can expect an hour to hour and a half on average. At Believe in Hypnotherapy, we record all sessions so that you have an audio version of your session to listen to as many times as you like.

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H

ypnotherapy is an

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Dr. Kevin Chasse Now Accepting New Patients 24 YEARS IN PRACTICE SPECIALIZING IN TREATMENT OF SPINE PAIN & PAIN MANAGEMENT MAYO REGIONAL HOSPITAL STAFF MEMBER

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Gift Idea?

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Helping you live pain-free – naturally.

Bangor Metro!

Dover-Foxcroft Chiropractic Center A Chasse Chiropractic Affiliate Partner DR. KEVIN CHASSE • (207) 564-2211 • CHASSECHIROPRACTIC.COM 48 EAST MAIN STREET • DOVER-FOXCROFT 106 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Call 990-8219

Healthy Eating

at Every Age Nutrition and aging go hand-in-hand.

COURTESY OF METRO NEWS SERVICE

N PHOTOS: WAVEBREAKMEDIA LTD & KUZMIK_A/THINKSTOCK.COM

utrition is

important for people of all ages, but it's especially important for men and women over the age of 50, who can dramatically improve their quality of life by eating a well-balanced diet filled with vitamins and nutrients.

Though that may seem like common sense, research has shown that men and women in this age group, who are often referred to as “Baby Boomers,” are not necessarily as healthy as they may seem.

While the baby boomer generation, which is generally regarded as those people born between 1946 and 1964, boasts longer life expectancies than any generation that came before them, some of that can likely be chalked up to advancements in medical care, including a booming pharmaceutical industry that seemingly has an antidote to every ailment. But a 2013 study from researchers at the West Virginia University School of Medicine found that baby boomers are less healthy than the generation that immediately preceded them, tending to be more likely to have higher levels of hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. While that news might be sobering, it's never too late for men and women over 50 to start eating healthier diets, which can reduce their risk of a wide range of ailments, including heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis.

The following are a few ways men and women over 50 can alter their diets so their bodies are getting what they need to live long and healthy lives well into their golden years. As is always the case, men and women should discuss any potential changes to their diets with their physicians to ensure the changes will be both effective and healthy.

• Balance your diet. Kids hear of the benefits of a balanced diet seemingly from the moment they enter a classroom

for the first time, but many adults fail to heed that basic advice as they get further and further away from kindergarten. When changing your diet, be sure to include plenty of protein and carbohydrates. Protein maintains and rebuilds muscles, which is especially important for aging men and women who might find themselves unable to keep up with the physical demands of everyday life as well as they used to. Including ample low-fat protein, which can be found in

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 107

fish, eggs and low-fat dairy among other foods, will aid in muscle recovery, benefitting aging athletes as well as those men and women over 50 who recently started exercising as a means to regaining their physical fitness. A diet lacking in sufficient protein can contribute to muscle deterioration, arthritis and even organ failure, so it's important for men and women to prioritize including protein in their diets.

Carbohydrates are also an important part of a balanced diet, as they are a great source of energy that can help men and women stay active well past the age of 50. Carbohydrates found in fruits, grains and vegetables are the most beneficial,

as these contain valuable vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

• Don't denounce dairy. Dairy is a great source of calcium, which promotes strong bones and teeth. Men and women over the age of 50 want their bones to be as strong as possible because aging is one of the strongest risk factors for osteoporosis, a potentially debilitating medical condition in which loss of tissue causes bones to become brittle and fragile. Vitamin D is necessary to effectively absorb calcium, and vitamin D can be found in certain dairy products, including pasture-raised eggs and grass-fed cow's milk, and can be generated when men and women get enough sunlight.

Other healthy sources of vitamin D in-

clude salmon, light tuna packed in oil, sardines, and sun-grown mushrooms.

• Cut back on sodium intake. Cutting back on sodium intake can be very beneficial, especially for men and women over the age of 50, who are at greater risk of diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease. But cutting back on sodium intake takes more than just throwing the salt shaker away.

Processed foods, soups, canned goods, salad dressings, condiments such as mustard and ketchup, and breakfast cereals are just a few of the many products that may contain alarming amounts of sodium. That's important to note, as excess sodium increases blood pressure by holding excess fluid in the body. That

Health Boosters You Have at M any people

desire to be healthier, and sales of nutritional supplements reflect such desires. A report by Packaged Facts titled “Nutritional Supplements in the U.S,” says supplement sales reached $11.5 billion in 2012 and have been climbing ever since.

In addition to an increase in supplement use, gym memberships also have increased.

IBIS World’s Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs market research report indicates the number of gym memberships have increased in the last several years as consumers have become more health-conscious.

While these avenues to health certainly can be beneficial, individuals also can turn to many health boosters in their own homes to help them achieve their goals of living healthier lifestyles.

inflammation. Lemons contain pectin fiber, which can aid in weight loss by helping to fight hunger pangs. Lemons also contain a load of vitamin C, which can give the immune system a boost.

Lemon water is now being touted as a beneficial addition to one’s daily diet. Lemon water can help reduce acidity in the body, including removing uric acid, a main cause of

Fruit s and vegetables

Lemon water

108 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Yogurt

Probiotic pills can help return healthy bacteria to the digestive system, but so can eating yogurt regularly. Look for yogurts that contain live and active cultures for optimal benefit.

Bicycle

Dust off that bicycle that has been hiding in your garage. Cycling is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise, and riders can tailor their intensity levels to correlate to their ages and abilities. Many people find cycling an enjoyable form of activity because it gets them outside and often doesnÕt feel like exercise.

Produce offers many of the vitamins and minerals people look to supplements to

provide. Including diverse fruit and vegetable choices in one’s diet can improve health in various ways, including providing a boost to the immune system.

Honey

Honey is a valuable superfood that can boost overall health. In addition to soothing sore throats, it can serve as an antibiotic and wound healer, provide allergy protection,

excess fluid puts an added burden on the heart, potentially increasing a person's risk of stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, cancer, and kidney disease. The problem with cutting back on sodium is that salt is so often relied on to make foods taste better, and many people find salt-free foods bland. But the rewards of reducing sodium intake are so significant that it's worth making the adjustment, especially for men and women over the age of 50.

No one is too old or too young to embrace a nutritious diet. But men and women over the age of 50 are in a unique position to vastly improve their quality of life by adopting a low-sodium diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals.

Home

SEBASTICOOK FAMILY DOCTORS

The Right Choice For Your Health

increase calcium absorption, and provide a source of energy without the insulin spike associated with other forms of sugar.

Being healthier is a goal for many people, and certain foods, beverages and products already in your home can help you get on a healthy track.

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What Are You

Doing Tonight?

Find Ideas on our online

HELP IS HERE FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS IN MAINE.

calendar of events

bangormetro.com

A new law requires hospitals to record the name of a patient’s designated family caregiver upon admission and to keep that caregiver informed of the patient’s discharge plans. It also ensures that family caregivers have the instructions needed to safely care for loved ones when they return home. AARP Maine fought for the CARE Act because supporting family caregivers is a top priority for all of us. On behalf of Maine’s 178,000 caregivers, we thank Rep. Drew Gattine for sponsoring this important legislation.

For more information, visit www.aarp.org/me

bangormetro.com 110 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

Maximizing

Your Workout

F

inding time

Making time to build muscle and get healthy thanks to SuperSlow Zone.

to exercise is one of the top challenges we all face in the quest to get fit. But you can reap the benefits of exercise in just 20 minutes twice a week, said Lyn Bragdon, owner of SuperSlow Zone in Bangor.

“We all need a good dose of muscle,” Bragdon said. The benefits of increasing strength and building muscle range from

method to safely and effectively exercise your muscles to momentary muscle fatigue. What does this mean? In a simple terms it means that you push until you can’t push any more. Why? Momentary muscular fatigue stimulates your body’s own growth mechanism to “make more muscle.” It should be viewed as a signal to the body that it needs to get stronger in

there is less demand on the cardiovascular system. That is why you need a resistance level, or weights, that is perfect for your current strength level and which progresses you safely and effectively to increased total body strength.

“I look forward to my workouts and having everything set up for me that I know is right for my strength levels,”

The best way to get started and ensure ongoing success is having one-on-one help from a qualified, professional fitness trainer. improved cardiovascular health to weight loss to disease prevention.

The best way to get started and ensure ongoing success is having one-onone help from a qualified fitness trainer.

A trainer can address your personal goals and limitations and provide support along the way. SuperSlow Zone certified instructors teach a slow and controlled

order to meet the demands being placed upon it. During each appointment you exercise on 5 to 7 pieces strength training equipment.

Personal attention and expertise enable you to achieve optimal fitness and health results in minimum time, said Bragdon. Accredited by the prestigious IACET.org, SuperSlow Zone delivers the highest standards to serve busy clients with minor-to-major health challenges and the general exerciser.

Increase in strength is usually responsible for what is perceived as cardiovascular improvement, Bragdon said.

The heart and lungs exist for the purpose of supporting or servicing the working skeletal muscles. As the muscles improve in their ability to do work more efficiently, Paid Advertisement for SuperSlow Zone.

said Dr. Cheryl Hinners, a SuperSlow Zone client. “I just have to show up and my Instructor guides me through it.”

SuperSlow Zone personal strength training is a 20 minute, total body workout, 2 times a week, helping busy clients with minor-to-major health challenges and the general exerciser.

Clients are continuously expert-supervised by their Accredited, Certified Instructor on medical-grade Nautilus equipment. Visit sszbangor.com.

Open House 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25 Everyone Welcome – Fun & Free Food

last

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I

need to visit

House Calls

Finding time and motivation to make healthcare a priority when you really need new shoes.

BY CHRIS QUIMBY

a dentist about my sensitive molars on the upper-right side of my mouth. I also must have a doctor tell me why my right shoulder has been in significant pain since last February. And I also need to shop for a pair of good quality shoes for the upcoming winter.

The biggest problem about this list of things to do is that they all seem of equal importance to me. That is why I have put off addressing health concerns that are, in some small way, negatively affecting my quality of life, relegating them in importance to shoe shopping.

There is no shortage of controversy about health care in America. But regardless of the financial and logistical suggestions on how to best deal with the nation’s ailments, I’m not even sure I would be able to muster the motivation to visit my primary care physician even if it were free.

In fact, I often do not even know who this person is. I don’t know if I’m an anomaly, but oftentimes when filling out applications I must list my doctor’s name. On my best days, I actually know this answer. But I have never been able to remember their phone number.

Now, the possibility is that I am simply quite healthy. I may not remember my doctor’s name because I do not see them enough because of my wonderful health. Or I may be horribly ill and not know it because I never visit my doctor, whoever they might be.

I’m just so busy that by the time I have tended to all of my more pressing responsibilities I no longer wish to deal with visiting a medical professional.

What would be nice is if they started making house calls again.

I repair iPhones for a living and I can compete with storefront repair shops with cheaper prices because I offer the convenience of showing up at my client's homes and businesses to solve their problems.

Many people tell me they are happy to pay the price because of the convenience. Why can’t this happen in the medical field?

In fact, one of my former employers used to invite the Bloodmobile to hang out in our parking lot. I have never donated more blood than I did during those occasions. That is clear evidence that providing convenience facilitated something that would have otherwise not been possible.

It also was an indicator of what I was willing to do to get one paid hour off work and a free packet of tiny crackers.

I’m sure this is why there has been such a recent upsurge in women opting to give birth at home. It’s just more comfortable. Who wants to be pregnant and going through labor pains and have to walk all the way out to a car, drive for who knows how long, then walk into the hospital to put on a funny gown?

Suckers. That’s who.

That’s why I’m begging any competent doctor with an education and no criminal record to contact me and arrange a home meeting. And if you have a dentist who would be willing to carpool with you, stop on over together.

How about Monday? I’ll make you supper. Bring your tools and a few interesting wall maps of the human musculoskeletal system and let’s solve my problems.

And don’t worry about a scale. Yours is too big and bulky for transportation and much too depressing. My wife and I have one in the bathroom that you’re welcome to use.

Oh, wait. I’m sorry. Monday might not work. I need to be out that night shopping for a pair of seasonally-appropriate shoes.

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.

112 / BANGOR METRO November 2015

IMAGE: (DOCTOR) GRAPHIC-BEE/THINKSTOCK.COM

That’s why I’m begging any competent doctor with an education and no criminal record to contact me and arrange a home meeting. And if you have a dentist who would be willing to carpool with you, stop on over together.

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