LA Metro Magazine - Winter 2020

LA

METRO MAGAZINE WINTER 2020

THE FACE OF NEW ENGLAND SPORTS Lewiston native & NESN anchor Tom Caron

Page 25

+

ST. MARY’S 130 YEARS Community collaboration

CENTRAL MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

A small institution making a big impact

HOCKEY RETURNS

The Maine Nordiques bring high-level hockey back to LA

RELAX. RECHARGE. MAKE MEMORIES.

Situated on the banks of the Androscoggin River with views of the Great Falls, Hilton Garden Inn sets the gold standard for accommodation and service in the LA area, offering guests:

• Restaurant and lounge onsite • Over 4,500 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space for up to 300 guests • Complimentary guest parking • Hilton HonorsTM Loyalty Program Everything we do, we do for you.

14 Great Falls Plaza, Auburn, ME | P: 207-784-4433 | F: 207-777-7328 AuburnRiverwatch.HGI.com

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W here the locals eat!

Come try any one of our salads, entrees, sandwiches or burgers.

Shown here: Cool Ranch Cobb Salad Mixed greens with beef & chicken, veggies, boiled egg, almonds, mushrooms, & raisins served with Ranch dressing.

Mac’s Grill | 1052 Minot Avenue, Auburn | 207-783-6885 | MacsGrill.com LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

1

Central Maine Medical Center Earns Third Consecutive “A” Safety Grade

At CMMC, we are proud to have earned an “A” for the third consecutive time in the most recent Hospital Safety Grades released by The Leapfrog Group. The Safety Grade uses national performance measures to evaluate 27 measures of a hospital’s safety and quality, and receiving an “A” represents we have achieved the highest national standards in patient safety. This distinction validates our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality care and driving the best outcomes for our patients.

300 Main Street | Lewiston, ME 04240 207.795.0111 | www.cmhc.org

2

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

2019

235 Goddard Road • Lewiston

Motorcoach x School Bus x Sprinter x Town Car x Trolley

207-784-3159 888-593-6328 www.gonect.com

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Trolley & Transportation Co.

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Providing safe, reliable transportation for groups of all sizes since 1999

is a proud

Androscoggin Bank Named a United States Best Employer The Aon Best Employer certification uses the most objective measure possible, employee opinion!

Learn more, and come work with the best at: androscogginbank.com/bestemployer

Androscoggin Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation including gender identity and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status.

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

3

editor’s note PHOTOGRAPHY BY MYKÙL ROJAS

Happy New Year LA and beyond! Though I am not fond of winter in general, I do love the start of a new year. It’s a great time for reflection of past goals and accomplishments, as well as finding some refreshed enthusiasm for new ventures!

I start this new year with a goal of making more time for the activities, places, and people I love. It’s easy to lose focus of what you’re passionate about when life throws more and more at you every day. But I’m determined to find my focus and I challenge you all to do the same.

This issue of LA Metro Magazine taps into so many wonderful people and things to do that I’m excited to start my year of renewed focus. Our cover story on NESN’s Tom Caron is a dream story for us. A graduate of Lewiston High School, and still very much a part of this community, it was fantastic to talk to him about his LA experiences as well as how much he enjoys the local businesses when he comes home.

We also feature St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center and their 130th anniversary, as well as Central Maine Community College. Both organizations are staples of LA and have advanced in both size and technology in recent years. The growth is astounding.

For our sports fans out there (including myself), besides the Tom Caron story, we also highlight the Androscoggin Bank Colisée and the Maine Nordiques hockey team. LA loves their hockey and to see a team back in the twin cities after eight years is fantastic!

Looking for fun things to do throughout this bitter cold season? How about testing your knowledge at trivia at several venues throughout LA? Maybe a meal at Mother India, who just celebrated 10 years of business? Or go for a night out to see the band Skösh, our Sound Check spotlight of the season. Plus there is so much more!

Who cares that we are hunkered down for the winter? There is still so much to see and do and LA Metro Magazine brings it all to you! So bundle up, and let’s all get out there and focus on enjoying 2020!

TYLA DAVIS Editor-in-Chief editor@LAMetroMagazine.com

LA Metro Magazine is proudly printed in Lewiston, Maine at

8 Lexington Street, Lewiston 4

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

www.penmor.com

Congratulations to Our

Community Leaders and Change Makers Please join us in congratulating the 2020 Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Annual Award Recipients!

Robin Robbins Androscoggin Bank

Maureen Andrew Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice

Sandy Buchanan Western Maine Transportation Services

Emerson Chevy Buick accepted byJohn Emerson

Ray Geiger Chamber Champion Award

Theresa Samson Women’s Business Leadership Award

Mark Samson Dirigo Federal Credit Union

Ken Additon Small Business Advocacy Award

Community Service Award

Business Leadership Award

Build.

Lead.

Thrive.

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

5

C O N T R I B U T O R S 6

Toby Haber-Giasson

Nicole Breton

editorial director & writer

Brewster Burns

writer

photographer

Toby hails from the bustling New York City media world, where she promoted live events like pay-per-view boxing, and published album reviews in Creem and Audio magazines.

Nicole is a freelance writer living in Auburn. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Language & Literature.

Brewster was raised in Waterford, Maine, attended Oxford Hills High School, then graduated from Colby College.

He became an English teacher at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, where he has remained since 1988.

In LA, she coordinates events for First Universalist Church of Auburn, hosting the monthly Pleasant Note Open Mic, and staging their annual “Vagina Monologues� benefit against domestic violence.

She spends her free time at the beach, walking in the woods, and talking to her animals.

Christmas of 2012, he received his first camera, and quickly developed a love of the lens.

Brewster freelances for some Maine newspapers and local magazines. He resides in Hebron, with his wife and two children.

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Peggy DeBlois writer

A native of Lewiston, Peggy began writing creatively as a child growing up in a FrenchCatholic neighborhood. A graduate of Bowdoin College, she began her career in journalism at PC Week in Boston, where she was the ghostwriter for the industry gossip columnist, Spencer the Cat. She has also worked locally as an English teacher and public relations consultant. A resident of Auburn, she recently finished her first novel.

Michael Krapovicky writer

Michael is a freelance writer and musician from Auburn.

He graduated from the University of Maine at Presque Isle in 1999 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

He has submitted stories and articles for various publications, and performs throughout New England as a solo guitarist and bassist.

Michael enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending leisure time with family and friends.

Jose Leiva

Kiernan Majerus-Collins

photographer

Dan Marois writer

writer

Jose started his photography career while in the Air Force during Vietnam. He moved to Maine in the late 1980s and retired from the Sun Journal a few years ago.

He now works as a freelance photographer and exhibits his art locally.

Jose lives in Lewiston, Maine, with his wife, Linda. Together they have six adult children, and four grandchildren who are a source of photographic inspiration.

Dan is an actor, producer, writer, and editor. As owner of Mystery for Hire, he has performed in nearly 900 mystery dinner theater shows. With Mainely Improv, Dan does improv comedy performances, as well as corporate training in using the skills of improvisation.

Kiernan is a writer, activist, and Bates College graduate who lives and works in Lewiston. He serves on the Androscoggin County Budget Committee and as chair of the Lewiston Democratic Party.

Kiernan is a member of the First Universalist Church in Auburn, where he sings in the choir and directs the children’s choir. In his free time, Kiernan enjoys reading American history and watching the Boston Red Sox.

While he serves as editor and writer for many publications, Dan particularly enjoys crafting stories that reflect the LA Metro area.

Mykùl Rojas

Victoria Stanton

Mykùl Rojas has been taking photographs for over 12 years in the Lewiston Auburn area, and is the owner of Rojas Photography. He lives in Greene, Maine with his wife, Anna, and their five Pomeranians.

Victoria is a Lewiston resident who settled here after a nomadic childhood in a military family. She graduated from Williams College in 2009, and landed her first “real world” job at an LA nonprofit. She enjoys weaving storytelling into her work at every opportunity.

photographer

Mykùl spends his free time watching “The Office,” playing video games, and taking photos.

writer

Off the clock, Victoria can be found exploring Maine with her husband and young daughter, and their German Shepherd, Fraulein.

C O N T R I B U T O R S

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

7

volume five • issue one

WINTER 2020

in this issue features

quick reads

36

12

17

Social Hour: LA’s trivia pursuit

Mother India celebrates 10 years

20 Central Maine Community College

Sound Check: Skösh

43

52

Who’s protecting LA’s water supply?

60 St. Mary’s at 130 years

ON THE COVER NESN Anchor Tom Caron

25

Nonprofit Spotlight: Good Shepherd Food Bank

31 Welcome to the dojo

48 High-level hockey returns to LA

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

9

The

LA Metro

Core Crew PUBLISHER & CEO

Thomas Hill

Website/Social media Thomas@LAMetroMagazine.com

Jim Marston jim@LAMetroMagazine.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Tyla Davis editor@LAMetroMagazine.com

ADVERTISING SALES

Tim Rucker

Sales Tim@LAMetroMagazine.com

Jim Marston Tim Rucker Steve Simard

PRODUCTION MANAGERS Tyla Davis Jim Marston

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Toby Haber-Giasson

WRITERS

Steve Simard

Sales Steve@LAMetroMagazine.com

Nicole Breton Peggy DeBlois Toby Haber-Giasson Michael Krapovicky Kiernan Majerus-Collins Dan Marois Victoria Stanton

PROOFREADER Kayla Marston

Stephanie Arsenault

Bookkeeper billing@LAMetroMagazine.com

PHOTOGRAPHY Brewster Burns Jose Leiva MykĂšl Rojas

COVER

Tom Caron, Lewiston native & NESN anchor Photographer: Brewster Burns

Tyla Davis

Graphic Design / Editor editor@LAMetroMagazine.com

Jim Marston

Publisher jim@LAMetroMagazine.com

10

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

LA Metro Magazine is published four times each year by LA Metro Magazine, LLC Editorial and subscription info: Call 207-783-7039 email: info@LAMetroMagazine.com 9 Grove Street, Auburn, ME 04210 Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements, unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or staff. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is accurate, and neither LA Metro Magazine nor any of its staff are responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. No establishment is ever covered in this magazine because it has advertised, and no payment ever influences our stories and reviews.

Copyright Š2020 LA Metro Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission, in writing, from the publisher. Printed in Lewiston, ME, USA.

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

11

SOCIAL H UR

Highlighting great places to go and things to do in our communities.

LA’s

Pursuit

Written by Victoria Stanton | Photography by Mykùl Rojas

Q: What do Adele, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Vice President Mike Pence all have in common?

A: They were the first four correct answers on a recent Trivia Night.

??????????

T

rivia Night is a Tuesday night staple at Side By Each Brewing Co., and the regulars come out in force.

Several teams have taken over the bar on this chilly evening.

That’s where we found trivia host Tiffany Nelson and a crew of local trivia enthusiasts ready to “throw down.” LAMM explores what makes this classic question-and-answer game so appealing.

Nelson says, “is their scores get a little better each week. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been handed an answer from someone who is shaking their head and saying, ‘I have no idea!’”

For all that self-doubt, she says, most of the time they have the correct answer. “Their faces light up, there are high-fives, and I tell them, ‘See? You got this!’”

She says music also can be a great way to draw people in.

Trivia host Tiffany Nelson asks a question at Side by Each Brewing Co.

Game night “What element, a precious metal with atomic number 78, has a name that is derived from the Spanish word for ‘little silver’?” The question rings out over the crowd while Nelson cues up Supertramp’s “Breakfast in America” to play over the speakers.

Heads bob and press together. One player darts a furtive look around the bar — perhaps to see if anyone is listening in, or perhaps to see how their opponents are faring with the question.

“I spend a lot of time on playlists. Picking out music is one of my favorite aspects of this job. It’s definitely something that keeps people coming back. There’s a list I have with me all the time, so if I hear a great song that isn’t on any of my playlists, I can write it down.”

Theme trivia nights are another way to spice things up. We asked Nelson for her personal favorites.

“Some recent themes I’ve seen have been Game of Thrones trivia, Harry Potter, and The Office,” says Nelson. “There are just so many possibilities, from shows to holidays. I’d love to host more theme nights. Last year I facilitated Halloween trivia, for my favorite holiday. I even put together a spooky playlist!”

A win-win

Nelson’s questions are furnished by a company called Stump!

Trivia Quiz, an outfit out of Massachusetts. We asked her what makes a good trivia question.

“Some categories are more popular than others, depending on the crowd,” says Nelson. “Regardless, I think everyone would agree the questions need to be direct and include two or three facts pertaining to the answer, like a date, a name, a place, et cetera. No one likes trick questions that are overly misleading.”

Trivial experience Hosting trivia takes more than reading questions. Nelson says a big part of her job is creating an experience for players where they can have fun, win or lose.

Stump! Trivia’s rules are simple: no using cell phones (until after you have turned in an answer) and no shouting out answers.

Teams are composed of one to six people. Teams with more than six can play but are not eligible to win first place prizes, as the added brain power tends to provide an unfair advantage.

For newcomers and seasoned players, the key to trivia success is consistency. “A huge similarity between my regular teams,”

Side by Each Brewing Co. owners Ben Low & Matt Johannes While the concept of bar scene trivia is nothing new, it can offer a family-friendly alternative to the midweek routine.

Side By Each Brewing Co., located on Minot Avenue in Auburn, is one of several local bars and restaurants, including Gritty’s Auburn Brew Pub, Cowbell Grill & Tap, and Pedro O’Hara’s, that have begun offering weekly trivia nights as a way to drum up business and build a following.

Owners Ben Low and Matt Johannes note that trivia is fun for participants and good for business. As Low says, “It draws folks in on a night that might otherwise be slow.”

Johannes jokes that the competition is “mostly friendly” at Side

By Each. Participants vie for prizes offered up by the brewery that typically include swag and gift cards. This evening the top prize is tickets to a L/A Nordiques hockey game.

Advantage: fun Woops and cheers erupt from The Happy Alpacas team, a fixture at Side By Each, consisting of six area teachers, upon yet another correct answer.

The team often takes home first or second place. So that begs the question: do teachers have a trivia advantage?

Danielle Morin & Paula Levesque check to see if their submitted answers were correct

“I think being nerds give us an advantage,” says Alpaca Olivia Wandelear.

Nelson recalls playing trivia in South Portland with her partner prior to landing the part-time hosting gig. “We never did very well, but it always was so much fun and I also learned a thing or two each night.”

Questions provided by Stump! Trivia Quiz get more difficult as the game progresses, and with every fact in the known universe resting in most people’s back pockets, the temptation to run a quick internet search (very much against the rules, mind you) can be intense. Knowing that, has Nelson ever caught someone cheating?

“Luckily, I’ve never actually caught anyone cheating,” she says. “Occasionally I have to remind a team about phone use, but it is never an issue. I’m extremely thankful to have so many honest and fair players! It helps so much in making the game fun for everyone.”

Cindy & Ron Taylor think on their answer

Q:

Where can I find trivia?

Win some, lose some Team Threat Level Midnight, composed of Elaine St. Pierre and Heather Marsters, has frequented several different trivia venues around town, and this evening is their first time playing at Side By Each.

“We play to have fun; we don’t necessarily play to win,” says St. Pierre.

“But we heard there’s a prize for losers here,” Marsters chimes in, “so we’re pretty excited about that!”

By the end of the night, The Happy Alpacas have secured another victory. From behind the bar, staffer Hunter Stevens shakes her head in mock exasperation. “Somebody’s gotta knock those Alpacas off their high horses.”

Could that someone be you? The only way to win is to get out there and play.

A:

Mondays Cowbell Grill & Tap 49 Lisbon Street, Lewiston Gritty’s Auburn Brew Pub 68 Main Street, Auburn

NU Brewery 437 Lewiston Road, New Gloucester

Thursdays 99 Restaurant 650 Center Street, Auburn Craft Brew Underground 34 Court Street, Auburn Cyndi’s Dockside 723 Maine Street, Poland

Tuesdays Pedro O’Hara’s 134 Main Street, Lewiston Side by Each Brewing Co. 1110 Minot Avenue, Auburn

* Saturdays (May to November)

Wednesdays Bear Bones Beer

Lost Valley Brewing Co. 200 Lost Valley Road, Auburn *First Saturday of the month only

43 Lisbon Street, Lewiston Margaritas 180 Center Street, Auburn

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A Stump! Trivia worksheet

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LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

15

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LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Bringing authentic Indian cuisine to LA

Nan

M

Mango Lassi

other India restaurant, located on Lisbon Street in Lewiston, was established in 2009 by the Kumar family. Upon their 10th anniversary, it re-

Written by Nicole Breton Photography by MykĂšl Rojas

Nav Rattan Korma

mains the only Indian restaurant in LA. Serving up dishes inspired by the Punjab region of Northern India, one is sure to find something exotic and satisfying to taste.

The dining room of Mother India

Location, location, location

Upgrade

True to the old saying, Mother India’s prime Lisbon Street location has had a remarkable impact on its growth and popularity.

As a result of their continued growth, the Kumars recently installed a point of sale (POS) system, as a more immediate way to get orders to the kitchen.

“We looked at many different areas in Maine for a space, including Kennebunk and Portland,” explains Shivam Kumar, son of owners Ravi and Savita Kumar. “But Lisbon Street is centralized, close to other businesses, to Bates College. And the space was affordable.”

As with most small businesses, Kumar reports the first few years were challenging, especially considering the financial investment required for extensive reconstruction and renovation of the space, coupled with a different feel on Lisbon Street compared to more recent years. Initially, Kumar observes, Lisbon Street had less foot traffic but with the upgrades to the sidewalks and the inception of new businesses in Lewiston’s downtown, Kumar continues to see a steady increase in patrons.

Shivam praises the work of the Downtown Lewiston Association, for promoting business in the downtown area of Lewiston. In turn, it has increased exposure for Mother India.

“This is a very big deal for us. We’ve gone from having to handwrite dinner orders and then walk into the kitchen to deliver them, to having the orders input on a touch screen and print out in the kitchen,” Kumar reports.

The new POS system was put in place in late October and the improvements with accuracy and efficiency were immediate.

Robust, flavorful, spicy Ravi Kumar does most of the cooking at Mother India, which is an amazing task. He begins his day around 9:30 a.m., starting up the clay oven, which must run for an hour or two to get to the correct temperature (around 500 degrees). With over 40 entrees on the menu, not to mention a wide selection of appetizers, soups, breads, and side orders, Ravi is either prepping food or cooking throughout the day.

While some dishes have an associated level of spiciness (and clearly marked on the menu as such), other dishes can be served mild or spicy depending upon one’s personal taste, using a scale of 1 (mild) through 10 (hot).

Some of the most popular menu items are offered on the lunch buffet, featured Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., making for a great way to sample some traditional Indian dishes.

What to Expect While Ravi prepares the food in the kitchen, Savita Kumar assists in prepping the food while also working the front of the restaurant with Shivam and his sister Anjali. Together, they greet patrons, take orders, and serve food while also offering menu recommendations and explaining the finite details of the dishes.

Nikkita Sampson, Shivam’s girlfriend, also helps out when it’s busy.

Ravi, Shivam, & Savita Kumar

By Nicole Breton | Photography by Mykùl Rojas | Mother India The eclectic décor features crystalline chandeliers, Indian art, music and photos; the effect is festive yet casual. The space accommodates 45-50 people, and the best seats are near the windows overlooking Lisbon Street.

Perusing the menu is fun, for those new to Indian cuisine as well as aficionados of the food. Some dishes feature a yogurt base like Raita, a light side dish of homemade yogurt with onions and cucumbers, while others like Chicken or Lamb Vandaloo crank up the spice. Other popular items include Chicken or Lamb Curry (chicken or lamb with tomato, ginger, garlic, and herbs with your choice of spiciness), Nan (traditional Indian bread cooked on the side of the Tandoor oven), and Channa Masala (vegetarian dish with chickpeas steamed with onions, garlic, and ginger).

All entrees are accompanied by three homemade traditional chutneys (Indian condiments), one sweet, one spicy, and one flavored with mint, which pair perfectly with Indian cuisine. All entrees are gluten-free and many vegan options are available.

Longevity

Michael Graham dines at Mother India

cially students and faculty from Bates College. Newcomers to the restaurant report that Mother India was “highly recommended” by either a friend or colleague.

Shivam remembers one customer who had to convince her boyfriend to try the cuisine; “He was hesitant because he preferred traditional meat and potatoes. But after coming to the buffet and trying some of our more popular dishes, he now visits regularly.”

“The food is carefully prepared and perfectly seasoned,” according to Michael Graham, a frequent customer at Mother India, “and the experience is like sitting down to a home-cooked meal.” Graham considers the Kumars extended family; he admires their work ethic and their welcoming spirit. To Graham, Mother India represents the fantastic diversity in LA, and the many cultural and social opportunities here.

Takeout and catering In addition to dining in, Mother India has a large takeout customer base.

“There are some nights we strictly get takeout orders,” Kumar explains. The restaurant offers delivery via Door Dash, a food delivery service in LA and beyond.

Take a walk downtown and step into Mother India. Let your taste buds experience something a little different in LA. Mother India 114 Lisbon Street, Lewiston www.motherindiame.com

Kumar enjoys engaging with his customers and finds that most are recurring patrons who love the food, espe-

Mukhwas seeds (Indian after-meal snack)

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Call 207.333.4710 to schedule an appointment.

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

19

Skösh rocks the Gendron Franco Center’s Halloween Bash

A Band of Brothers

Written by Michael Krapovicky | Photography by Brewster Burns

Y

es, the band is called Skösh. They liked the term, frequently used by a former music teacher, and took it as their appellation. “Skösh” is loosely defined as “a little bit.” Yet Maine’s entertainment cognoscenti know Skösh has had an undeniable impact over the region’s musical landscape.

Music creation Skösh, described by the Portland Press Herald as having, “the eclecticism that made rockers Ween famous in the 1990s,” writes and records music that fearlessly merges genres such as bluegrass, rock, country, and funk.

Skösh’s first album, Give It Up, was released in Jed Allen 2013. A self-produced video for that album’s single, “Tall Grass,” currently has over 15,000 views on YouTube. The acoustic flavor of the song, with former member Sam Berce’s slide guitar work, reveal the band’s alt-country leanings.

“When Jay (Larkin) and Pete (Richard) joined, we were feeling the vibe of making an all-funk style record and we went for it,” explains Jedidiah (Jed) Allen, drummer, principal singer, and lyricist for Skösh. The band cites Parliament-Funkadelic, Prince, and Stevie Wonder as inspiration for their latest album, Shaking the Ghost.

The Allen brothers formed several bands as students, which were the forerunners of Skösh.

“Eli was a much better bassist than I was a guitarist,” admits Jed, “so I was tapped to play drums, which I wasn’t happy about at the time. I eventually became the drummer, and I wouldn’t change the way things worked out!”

Rotating through a few members, who remain friends and occasional collaborators, Skösh now features saxophonist Pete Richard and guitarist/vocalist Jay Larkin, and the brothers Allen.

Brother from another mother Pete Richard began playing saxophone in grade school, but he gave it up until an opportunity arose.

Knowing Richard played sax, a friend gave him an initiation into ska, a kind of reggae pop which accents rhythms with brass. “It had been a few years, but I pulled my sax out of the closet and started playing and writing original music. I really had found my calling.”

“We had five songs initially that were funk tunes, with rock and R&B influences, so we committed to that direction for this album,” Jed concludes.

Shaking the Ghost has garnered favorable reviews and local radio airplay since its release in early 2018. The Bates Student, a Bates College publication, said the album “defies convention,” comparing Skösh to Dave Matthews Band and Phish. A video for the song, “Ota,” the album’s first single, is forthcoming.

Spreading the Skösh love Skösh quickly moved from playing high school events to gigs in venues in Central Maine, performing in LA’s bars before they were of legal drinking age. After 11 years, the band books at premier Maine venues and festivals like LA‘s Dempsey Challenge and the Great Falls Balloon Festival, before crowds of literally thousands.

Skösh has shared billing with local and national acts like Charlie Daniels, Twiddle, The Nth Power, and Randy Houser. The band has built their appreciative, loyal audience show by show.

“We love playing in Lewiston Auburn,” affirms Jed. “Moving forward, we want to do short tours, maybe an East Coast run, spreading the Skösh love out-of-state and beyond.”

The brothers Allen Jed Allen and his brother Elijah (Eli) have sought from the earliest of ages to put the town of Buckfield, Maine, on the musical map.

“We’ve always been best friends, my brother and I,” confirms Jed. “A lot of our interests and influences are shared.”

“When I was younger, I was really into metal bands like Metallica, which made me want to play music,” recalls Eli. “A lot of my peers took up guitar, but the sound and the feel of the bass were more interesting to me. I got into Primus; after hearing Les Claypool’s bass playing, there was no question about my choice of instrument!”

22

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Eli Allen To augment the acoustic sound of the instrument, Richard effects his saxophone with wah and distortion pedals, informed by the tone of his guitar idols in Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins, and also uses octave pedals to add layers of harmony to his single-note lines, effectively creating a one-man horn section.

The Allens first heard Richard play with Dr. Fatfinger, sharing a bill at a private event. “We’d never heard live saxophone that was that good,” affirms Jed. When their original sax player left for college in 2011, the band asked Richard to become a full-time member.

No banjo Jay Larkin’s musical journey began with a trumpet. “Then at 16, I was going though a weird phase where I wanted to be a hillbilly and play banjo,” admits Larkin. “I didn’t have one, so I started strumming on my dad’s acoustic guitar. Looking back, I’m glad that I couldn’t get a banjo.”

Larkin, a fan of Skösh, learned their guitarist was leaving. A friend encouraged him to audition as the replacement.

“I covered the Skösh song ‘Give It Up’ on video and sent it to them,” reports Larkin. “I think that really got the ball rolling. I ended up jamming with them, and we really clicked.”

By Michael Krapovicky | Photography by Brewster Burns | Skösh similar multiact performances slated for 2020. In addition to shows promoting their second album, the much-anticipated follow-up to their 2016 Prince Tribute is scheduled for April 2020, at the Gendron Franco Center in Lewiston, with special guests to be announced.

Pete Richard In addition to guitar, Larkin also plays trumpet and sings a number of covers in Skösh’s live set. And he still hasn’t picked up the banjo.

Having Jed, the main singer, behind the drums effectively makes the entire band the “frontman.” This lineup has the skill set, stage presence, and clarity of vision to which Skösh attributes their longevity and success.

Future moves Never resting on their laurels, Skösh is unveiling new events and content for their fans in the coming new year.

The four bandmates are plotting new campaigns, crafted with creativity and wit that Jay Larkin fans can discover on their social media platforms. Notably, Skösh has produced parody videos of ‘It,” Parts 1 and 2, and “That 70s Show,” showcasing the band’s camaraderie, humor, and talent for self-promotion that sets them apart from their contemporaries in the Maine music scene.

It’s easy to see why Skösh’s commitment to the music, their talent for crowd engagement, and quest for evolution keeps their name on LA music fans’ list of favorite bands. www.facebook.com/Skoshband www.instagram.com/Skoshband

In the past, Skösh has played large shows with other bands, like the Portland-based funk super-group Model Airplane, and Who’s Bad, a nationally-touring Michael Jackson tribute act, and have

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Tom Caron

Written by Michael Krapovicky | Photography by Brewster Burns

T

om Caron has become the face and voice of sports in New England, the link between the teams and their ardent fans. He is the spokesman for a fan base that accepts no compromise when it comes to commitment to New England baseball and hockey. Caron, or “T.C.,” as he is referred to by friends and colleagues, is recognized throughout the world for his work on the New England Sports Network (NESN). A lifetime devotee to the games here in this region, this Lewiston native has become the emissary of New England sports to the world.

Hometown base As the youngest of five children, Caron remembers his Lewiston household as a loud, bustling place.

Attempting to be heard over his older siblings gained him the self-reliance and assertiveness that would serve him well in his career. His family also fueled his passion for sports.

His father, Bob, was a A young Tom Caron die-hard New England baseball fan, having played semi-professionally as a young man. Caron recalls an early photograph of himself, sitting on his front porch with a Red Sox pennant during the “Impossible Dream” season of 1967, where the team, led by Carl Yastrzemski, went to their first World Series in 21 years. He was also an avid hockey fan, citing his favorite player as Hall of Fame Boston Bruin Bobby Orr. While attending Holy Cross School in Lewiston, Caron started a weekly newspaper called The Eighth Grade Press. At Lewiston High School, Caron wrote for the school newspaper, eventually becoming the sports editor. That was the beginning of his aspirations as a professional sports journalist. Also pivotal in his development was having this writer’s father, George Krapovicky, as a teacher, as Caron outlines.

“When I was in Mr. Krapovicky’s physics class as a freshman, we used to read passages aloud,” Caron recounted. “I struggled pronouncing the word anemone. Repeatedly.”

As was Krapovicky’s wont, he capitalized on a student’s weakness for humorous effect.

cal and professional sporting events, and serving as the announcer for Roller Hockey International’s New England Stingers.

“In Maine, you tend to rely on broadcasts of the game, since not a lot of us get to go down to Boston regularly,” Caron affirms.

“So I’ve always thought the announcers of a team were an important part of the fan experience.”

NESN executives agreed with this philosophy, and offered Caron a broadcast position in 1995.

New England Sports Network Originally established as a premium cable channel in 1984, NESN is now distributed with cable packages in the Northeast, and broadcasts the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Bruins when the games aren’t covered by network television. NESN’s broadcast studio was one of the first facilities in the nation to transmit in the high-definition format.

“NESN’s broadcasts are some of the best in the industry,” says Caron. “When I first came to NESN, the studio was in Fenway Park, literally in a former parking garage on the third base side.

Now we do the shows in a gleaming new studio in Watertown, one of the first full HD studios, and it will be one of the first true 4K studios.”

Initially, Caron was hired to host Front Row, a sports magazine program. Later, Caron became the station’s Boston Bruins studio host and Red Sox field reporter. Caron also provided commentary for the Boston minor league teams, the Providence Bruins and Pawtucket Red Sox, and was the play-by-play commentator for Boston’s collegiate basketball and hockey teams.

Throughout NESN’s development, Caron acquired new responsibilities, hosting NESN’s Red Sox games and the half-hour postgame show W.B. Mason Extra Innings. Caron also hosts The Boston Globe Pregame Report, NESN’s half-hour pregame show, and the Boston Bruins postgame show Overtime.

“Toward the holidays we had a test that was in the form of a crossword puzzle,” says Caron. “One of the clues was ‘Word Tom Caron can’t pronounce.’ I got it right - and I have never mispronounced anemone since!”

Things may have been much different had these two never crossed paths. “Mr. Krapovicky scared me right out of science, and into writing and TV!” laughs Caron.

Pursuing journalism Caron attended St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont, for journalism. He interned at WPTZ in Plattsburgh, New York, an NBC station, and was hired as the weekend anchor after graduation. Following a brief stint at a television station in White River Junction, Vermont, Caron returned to Maine in 1988, and landed a job at WGME-TV in Portland.

“I got to work alongside the legendary Frank Fixaris, who I grew up watching,” says Caron. “He was a tremendous mentor, and taught me how to be a better writer and reporter.”

Caron left WGME in 1993 to became the play-by-play broadcaster and communications director for the Portland Pirates. During that time, Caron also worked for WPXT, doing commentary for lo26

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Caron broadcasting from the NESN desk (Photo courtesy of T.C.)

Caron chats with sports fans at Gipper’s Sports Grill In the baseball offseason, Caron also hosts The Instigators, a National Hockey League roundtable show, and covers The Beanpot, an annual hockey tournament where four major college hockey teams face off.

Remy admires Caron’s ability to go back and forth with the playby-play and the color analysts during the game, creating a richer experience for the audience. He also touts Caron’s ability to bring out the knowledge and idiosyncrasies of his guest hosts.

Mutual admiration

“He has to navigate through the perspectives of ex-players in the postgame wrap-ups, and he does it seamlessly,” explains Remy.

“It’s a hard job that he makes look easy.”

A true fan of the Boston Red Sox, Caron considers collaborating with former players a privilege of inestimable worth.

“Working alongside the likes of Jerry Remy, Jim Rice, Dennis Eckersley, and Tim Wakefield is incredible,” avows Caron. “Two are Hall of Famers; the others are Red Sox Hall of Famers. It’s an honor to be alongside some of the greatest to ever wear the uniform.” By all reports, the feeling is mutual.

“T.C. gives maximum effort at the job he does, every day,” Remy says of Caron. “No matter what the task is, he’ll find a way to get it done. That’s the kind of confidence everyone here at NESN has in him.”

Jerry Remy was a Red Sox second baseman from 1978-1984, inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006. He has been an analyst on NESN since 1988.

For Remy, the attributes of a good sportscaster are knowledge of the sport, and a good work ethic.

“Tom Caron has both of those qualifications,” says Remy. “He’s become a household name for Red Sox fans; when they turn on the pregame show, they expect to see T.C.” Dennis Eckersley pitched for the Red Sox from 1978 to 1984, and returned to the Sox to cap off his career before retiring in 1998.

He is in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and is listed in Baseball’s Greatest Players by The Sporting News. Eckersley became a parttime color commentator for NESN in 2003.

“First of all, I love Tom,” says Eckersley. “He got the pre- and postgame job in 2004, and I had just started in 2003. He’s a good friend and confidante, just the consummate professional.”

Eckersley lauds Caron’s versatility, citing “play-by-play, sideline, hosting, and in-studio.” He marvels, ”Tom is conducting the whole thing. He’s incredible.”

Echoing Remy’s sentiments, Eckersley enumerates the qualities of a good sports analyst. “You have to be informative, and you have to be deeply involved so you know what you are talking about, especially in Boston,” asserts Eckersley. “T.C. has so much energy, he’ll always do whatever needs to be done.”

Jerry Remy & Tom Caron (Photo courtesy of T.C.)

Eckersley evinces great personal respect for his friend and colleague. “More important than how great he is in his career, Tom is a good person, a very caring guy,” effuses Eckersley. “He’s my go-to guy for advice, and I love his take on things- I really respect his opinion.”

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27

Golden age When Caron started at NESN, Boston had not held a championship title for 15 years. Caron has seen the paradigm shift firsthand, from poor showings year after year to regular championship teams in the four major Boston sports.

“The Patriots won the 2002 Super Bowl, and since then we’ve seen 12 championships in 18 years,” says Caron. “Coming on the air after the 2004 World Series and saying ‘The Red Sox are World Champs’ - something that hadn’t been said in 86 years was surreal. My son Jack was eight, I was in my forties and my dad was in his eighties, and it was the first World Series in all three of our lives. The fact that I’ve covered three more World Series championships since then is hard to imagine.”

Caron was gifted the four World Series championship rings by the Red Sox, a testament to Caron’s importance as liaison between the fans and the players.

“It is truly the golden age of Boston sports,” attests Caron of today’s era. “It’s incredible to be in the front row for these events.”

Changing technology Social media is swiftly overtaking television as the mainstream population’s primary source for news and entertainment. Caron has seen this progression over time, and is adapting to it.

“The changing technology - from smart TVs to smartphones to instant information everywhere - is one of the biggest challenges in the business,” Caron claims. “I’ve had to develop a social media presence while maintaining my traditional presence on the network.”

Currently Tom Caron’s Twitter page, @reallyTC, has over 62,000 followers. He also has a page on Facebook and Instagram.

Caron talks about his love of craft beers endipitously reconnected in Portland after college, having both moved back to Maine at the same time. They were married in 1992, with the reception held at Lost Valley in Auburn. They own a home in Bridgton, and John & Jeannine O’Malley, Caron’s inlaws, still reside in Lewiston. His family observes a Christmas Eve dinner tradition at Gipper’s Sports Grill in Auburn that goes back to 1993. Gipper’s has a sandwich named in his honor: “The T.C.” His family has shared in the perks over the course of the various wins Caron has covered.

Local ties

“It’s been great to share some of the ‘inside’ experiences of my career with family,” says Caron. “Taking my dad to Fenway before the 1999 All-Star Game was such a thrill. So was taking Kelley’s dad, John, to the Ryder Cup at The Country Club in Brookline that same year. In 2013, the Sox invited me to ride on their duck boat in the championship parade, with my family. What an incredible experience to share with my wife and our two sons, Jack and Robbie.”

Caron has strong ties to the LA Metro area. His wife Kelley was also a Lewiston resident, a year behind him in school. They ser-

The Carons also have a tradition of sports at Lewiston High School (LHS), sharing the same coach over two generations.

“Social media is great for engaging fans,” says Caron. “I use it as a place to crack a few one-liners and to take fans ‘behind-thescenes’ to see what’s happening at the ballpark, and at NESN.”

“I played soccer at LHS, and have stayed in touch with Mike McGraw over the years,” says Caron. “My son Robbie got to play with the Lewiston team in a few summer games a couple of years back. That was super cool because he was playing for the same coach I had decades earlier.”

Career advice Caron’s story is a testament to hard work, adaptability, and an early focus on a career path.

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate; I’ve had some people believe in me, and give me chances,” says Caron. “All the best decisions I’ve made in my life weren’t about money. I left Channel 13 for a pay cut to go to the Pirates, because I thought doing play-by-play was important, and it paid off. I teach my kids: if you find a passion that you can make your living, you’ve done pretty well.”

The T.C. Sandwich at Gipper’s Sports Grill

28

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

NESN.com facebook.com/tomcaron • twitter.com/TomCaron

T.C.’s Highlight Reel With Red Sox manager Alex Cora (Photo courtesy of T.C.)

With Red Sox Hall of Famer Jim Rice (Photo courtesy of T.C.)

With “Big Papi” David Ortiz (Photo courtesy of T.C.)

With former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek (Photo courtesy of The Boston Red Sox)

Caron, Steve Lyons, Jim Rice, & Carl Yastrzemski (Photo courtesy of T.C.)

With former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe (Photo courtesy of NE Sports Museum)

With Red Sox Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez (Photo courtesy of The Boston Red Sox)

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THE DOJO Written by Victoria Stanton | Photography by Mykùl Rojas

K

arate is defined as a style of self-defense formalized in Japan, characterized by its distinct movement patterns, known as katas (see Common Karate Terms).

Anyone can learn karate. Practitioners include everyone from children and school teachers to accountants and

nurses. But mastery comes from the practitioner’s inner journey and willingness to share knowledge with others.

And perhaps that is part of the appeal of karate: there is no limit to how far one can advance when competing against oneself.

A tradition of leadership There is no such thing as a karate master, says Shihan Sadie Landry, co-owner of Pelletier’s Karate Academy in Lewiston. In karate, one is always a student who recognizes that the more they learn the less they know.

Landry and her business partner, Deshi Sensei Matt Vattaso, have more than 60 years of combined experience practicing and teaching martial arts. Many of those years were spent under the mentorship of the late Shihan Richard Pelletier.

Deshi Sensei Matt Vattaso

The late Shihan Richard Pelletier. (Photo by Valerie

Beloved in the community, Pelletier was a 7th degree Provencher) black belt who taught karate at the Auburn-Lewiston YMCA. That’s where a 13-year-old Landry first began classes and embraced the opportunity to both compete and teach. Vattaso, who had studied Muay Thai in his youth in Laos, found a kindred spirit in his fierce, yet humble instructor. Shihan Pelletier established Pelletier’s Karate Academy in 1991, the attainment of a lifelong goal.

“He was driven,” says Landry, “not just to teach, but to make this business successful,” says Landry. She credits him with bringing karate to the mainstream in Lewiston Auburn.

Upon his passing from brain cancer in 2013, Landry and Vattaso decided to continue in the tradition of their sensei with a values-driven dojo that offers classes for the entire family. Today, they can be seen at community events performing demonstrations and organizing charitable drives to support the dojo’s scholarship fund.

Family practice Sosais Harry and Donna Harris opened Phoenix Karate Academy in 2009 and structured their program with a heavy emphasis on youth development and anti-bullying. The husband and wife team recently moved into an expanded facility designed for families.

The majority of programming at Phoenix, as with Pelletier’s, is geared toward children. In fact, the Harris’ son and all three of Landry’s children are involved in karate. Phoenix values parent involvement in activities with their children and seek to build that culture with their members through flat-rate family memberships.

It is not uncommon to find children playing or practicing karate in one section of the gym while Mom or Dad takes an exercise class.

Donna Harris says making people feel included and connected is key. “You walk in here and it’s just like you’re walking into your living room.”

Choose your path Both dojos recognize the importance of meeting people “where they are at,” particularly the adults.

Shihan Sadie Landry

Marissa Veilleux practices kata at Pelletier’s Karate Academy

By Victoria Stanton | Photography by Mykùl Rojas | Welcome to the dojo

Sosais Harry & Donna Harris “We used to say, ‘Karate’s not for everyone,’” Vattaso recalls. “But that was wrong.” He emphasizes that, regardless of body type or whether you prefer to fight and compete, or learn katas and exercise, karate can be for everyone.

of learning and build in additional practice time. The highest degrees of black belt recognize the student’s skills as a teacher and leader. Only 4th degree black belts or higher can achieve the title of sensei, or teacher.

Pelletier’s offers a weekly self-defense course as a gateway to further study, with most participants opting to come back or explore other opportunities available at the dojo, including yoga and cardio kickboxing. Phoenix hosts classes in kickboxing, bootcamp, and bujutsu (a martial art form emphasizing sparring).

Vattaso explains the progression from white belt (beginner) to black belt signifies a commitment to learning; upon reaching your black belt, “you learn to be a white belt again.”

Style to substance Every dojo practices its own style of karate. Phoenix has created what they call Pinan-Do, or “Peaceful Way,” which seeks to bring the moves and katas as close to their original roots as possible and emphasizes self-discipline over fighting.

That is not to say there is no sparring at Phoenix, or that self-defense is taboo. “You want to be able to put the skills to the test in case you need them,” says Donna Harris. “People think sparring is about trying to hurt somebody,” she says, “but there’s absolutely no ego involved.”

Discipline inside and out Leadership and respect are central to karate, and they are values that never go out of style. Both Pelletier’s and Phoenix stress the importance of character development alongside the practice of physical skills.

In order to test for the next belt level, youth at Pelletier’s must demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to the dojo’s core values: humility, selfcontrol, integrity, courtesy, discipline, and

Violence for its own sake is not the goal, says Harry Harris. Rather, the goal is to use controlled movements to neutralize the opponent, bully, or attacker, so that all parties can walk away.

Pelletier’s embraces Okinawa Kenpo, which traces its roots to the earliest forms of karate popular among Japanese farmers.

This style allows for open hand training, and the use of weapons which mimic the farm implements the original practitioners would have had at their disposal.

How quickly someone can earn a black belt in karate varies from dojo to dojo, but a dedicated adult may typically progress in less than four years. For youth, additional belt levels are added to match the pace

Brandon executes an armbar on Riley at Phoenix Karate Academy

perseverance. Students write out their goals and plans for how to achieve them in the Dojo Kun, a workbook that underscores the importance of personal integrity in karate.

Senpai Scotty Almquist performs kata at the Make-A-Wish Summer Block Party

Common Karate Terms Dojo (doh-joe): school or training hall Gi (ghe): uniform

At Phoenix, students are required to complete public service projects before earning their junior black belt.

Obi (o-b): belt

At both academies, participants of all ages are beholden to the dojo’s core values. Youth, in particular, thrive within the structured environment and clear expectations around dojo etiquette, which defines everything from acceptable attire to how one enters and exits the gym.

Kyu (cue): boy, level below black belt

Rei (ray): bow Dan (don): man, degree of black belt

Kata (kah-tah): form, a set pattern of movement Bunkai (boon-kye): application, the meaning of the movements in a kata Sosai: founder or president Kyoshi: teacher of teachers (usually awarded at 8th or 9th dan):

Landry frequently gets referrals from teachers and school counselors of children with anxiety or who are on the autism spectrum, looking for highly structured activities to build confidence and a sense of belonging.

Shihan: teacher of teachers (usually awarded at 6th or 7th dan):

It is about the individual, says Landry. “It’s just about you and the pace you can work at, the growth you can achieve. And you look better than you did the day before.”

Senpai: senior student (usually awarded at 1st dan):

Pelletier’s Karate Academy One Taylor Hill Road, Lewiston • www.pelletierskarate.com

Sensei: teacher (usually awarded at 4th dan):

Kohai: student

Phoenix Karate Academy 945 Center Street, Auburn • www.phoenixkarateacademy.com

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A small institution making a big impact Written by Dan Marois  |  Photography by Jose Leiva

A

ll Natalie Thurber wanted from Central Maine Community College was the opportunity to play women’s basketball. But she’s since discovered so much more at the Auburn-based college.

During the recruiting process, Thurber visited the campus and fell in love with it. She was amazed at how family-oriented it was, and she thought that the small class size would be a really great fit for her.

“CMCC is a great school where you get a lot of experience hands-on and in the classroom,” says Thurber. “People overlook this school because it is a two-year college, but coming here has been the best decision I have ever made.”

Full college experience

gives options for out-of-state students and others attending from within Maine. “It is certainly a plus for our campus.”

“We offer a full college experience for full-time, part-time, and commuter students,” says Heather Seymour, director of communications at Central Maine Community College (CMCC). “We offer traditional and esports athletic teams, student-led clubs and organizations, and residential life.

We are everything that a student expects from a college experience, located right here in Auburn.”

Buffet of degrees

Many folks agree with Seymour.

Heather Seymour (Photo by Dennis Griggs)

“We currently have our highest enrollment ever, at 3,218 students both full- and part-time,” adds Roger Philippon, dean of student affairs. “It is a record- and up five percent over last year.”

Nationally, Philippon notes, community colleges are seeing a decline in enrollment. How is CMCC bucking the trend? He credits the very attractive package that the Auburn-based college offers.

“We are a fraction of the cost of a liberal arts college,” says Philippon, noting that the campus offers two-year associate degrees as well as an array of certificate programs.

In fact, there is a path of study designed for students to complete two years of college at CMCC and then transfer to a fouryear college to complete a bachelor’s degree. “To date, our students have successfully transferred to well over 600 different colleges, to complete the foundation they started here with us.”

The options for degrees and certificate programs at CMCC are far greater than what most people might expect from a community college.

“From traditional business to health services to social services, we have it all,” says Seymour. “And, of course, we have our technical programs of Automotive Technology, Precision Machining Technology, Electromechanical Technology, Building Construction Technology, HVAC/R Technology, Plumbing and Heating Technology, and Culinary Arts. These programs result in knowledge of a particular skill needed in the marketplace.”

The college has an extensive strategic planning process that studies the job market and monitors what skills will be needed for various occupations. In recent years, the Maine State Legislature has appropriated funds to create priority programs for skills in high need in the state, such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) training.

“Students who complete the program are rewarded with high pay and a high-need career,” adds Philippon.

Trending “Among our best offerings has to be the Nursing program, which has a 97 percent placement rate upon graduation,” says Philippon. Students complete faculty-led clinical rotations with local health care affiliates in the Central Maine area to get hands-on learning opportunities.

The campus also boasts a newly constructed patient simulation room that recreates a health care setting, as well as nurse monitoring stations.

Roger Philippon

“We have high-tech patient simulators that can be programmed to have various symptoms and varying vital signs,” says Philippon. Seymour’s favorite simulator teaches maternity and newborn care.

Affordable With average tuition costs for private colleges running at $36,801 nationally, according to U.S. News & World Report, CMCC is a bargain.

Philippon boasts that CMCC, part of the Maine Community College System, has the lowest tuition in New England. For the 2019-2020 academic year, a full-time student taking 15 credits each semester can expect to pay $2,820 in total tuition this year, just $94 per credit hour.

He notes that 80 percent of students benefit from financial aid assistance that includes grants and scholarships, which don’t need to be repaid, as well as student loans.

Campus residence is available for an additional cost.

“Only about 15 percent of community colleges nationwide have residential housing on campus and Auburn is only one of five in the state,” says Philippon, who believes that campus housing 38

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Nursing Chair Kathy McManus (right) demonstrates a patient simulator to prospective student Ashlei Moss To no surprise, the Automotive Technology program is one of the most popular technical programs. This longtime standard offering began in the days when the community college was called a technical institute.

“The Ford ASSET (Automotive Student Service Educational Training) program is the product of a partnership between Ford Motor

Criminal Justice instructor David King takes student Tyler Gray through a training exercise in the computer simulation lab Company, Ford dealerships, and the college,” explains Philippon. Students earn an applied science degree in a program that alternates classroom and laboratory training with paid, on-the-job experience in a Ford dealership. “Students learn on-site and then use their skills in the field at a dealership,” says Philippon.

One of the fastest growing programs over the last 10 years is the college’s programming in criminal justice. The criminal justice associate degree prepares graduates for entry-level positions in the criminal justice field, or for transfer to a baccalaureate degree program.

“The degree is offered on campus but can also be completed with a 100 percent online option,” says Philippon, adding that online students enjoy full support, with access to online tutoring, research help, advising, and financial aid. Criminal justice graduates have gone on to such careers as police officers, detectives, correctional officers, forensic science technicians, and TSA agents.

Digital badges showcase competency Hawley also notes that the Center offers digital badging, a unique and portable digital representation signifying successful completion of a competency-based skill. Among the current digital badge courses are studies in 21st Century Skills, Precision Machine Technology, Business, and Information Technology. Skills eligible for digital badges could be technical, such as Hand & Power Tool Safety, or soft skills, such as Collaboration, Empathy, and Intercultural Fluency.

When digital badges first launched in 2011 across the country, the U.S. Department of Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, noted, “Badges can help speed the shift from credentials that simply measure seat time to ones that more accurately measure competency. It can also help to account for both formal and informal learning and in a variety of different settings.”

Professional development

Hawley says students can build their online digital badge portfolio as a way to supplement a resume and show qualified, intangible skills to employers.

The Center for Workforce and Professional Development at CMCC offers affordable customized workforce development for industry partners, and professional development and continuing education opportunities to our local community.

While CMCC is working toward a statewide network of credentialing with many other educational partners, it remains among the first institutions in the state to use the badge system.

“We provide businesses and individuals the skills they need to compete in today’s ever-changing business environment,” notes Michelle Hawley, dean of workforce and professional development.

Michelle Hawley

Noncredit classes (including online options) and industry-recognized certification programs are also offered. Popular training topics include: Leadership & Supervision, Communication Skills, Customer Service, Occupational Trade Skills, and Computer-based Applications.

Success stories While CMCC operates a very successful job placement program for graduates, some offerings have an “earn while you learn” component. A partnership between Maine Machine Products, in South Paris, and the precision machining technology program offers students a clear path to a career. Students can job-shadow machinists. Scholarships and part-time employment are available to encourage further study.

Lewiston native Adam Bellemore built a career this way. Bellemore graduated in 1999 with a two-year associate degree in Machine Tool Technology.

“My lathe instructor was instrumental in getting me an interview with Maine Machine Products,” said Bellemore. Today, he is a CNC (computer numerical control) machine programmer for the company, where he has been employed for 20 years.

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

39

To date, 75 students have completed the scholarship program and about half are still employed with the company.

Melinda Parker is originally from Long Island, New York, but moved to Maine six years ago to be closer to family.

“I am in my first year of the nursing program at CMCC but I have been attending part-time since 2016,” says Parker. “I have all my pre-requisites done and I only need the nursing requirements.”

“Because the nursing program is incredibly competitive at CMCC, I applied to other colleges to increase my chances of starting this fall,” Parker admits. “I was accepted to multiple programs but decided to stay with CMCC because I am very close with the TRIO program here,” says Parker of the support services for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. “They have helped me a tremendous amount with tutoring services, helping me find scholarship opportunities, and have been a great support emotionally as well.”

“Go for it!“ Parker advises students considering CMCC. “It is a beautiful campus, there are many people there who want to see you succeed, and there are so many resources available to you.”

Leader at the helm CMCC has been gifted with the leadership of Scott Knapp, president since 1997, who has set a course of excellence and achievement.

Knapp has led a significant expansion of the college’s programs, services, and facilities. Enrollment has more than tripled during his tenure. He has spearheaded the addition of three new buildings, major renovations and expansions of Jalbert Hall, advancements such as the Gene Haas Precision MaScott Knapp chining Technology Center, labs for hospital simulation, criminal justice, and organic chemistry, and an esports arena. A fully-lit, synthetic turf athletic complex makes the campus a showplace in the LA area.

Much of this activity has been made possible through the acquisition of grants. The college presently administers more than $5 million in active grants, with much of that funding targeted at technology enhancements.

Greg Morris, Zander Bourne, & Pitshou Banguninga in the Electromechanical Technology Lab This fall, we added four entirely new programs. That is a lot to roll out at once, so continuing to establish a foundation so that each program can grow to its full capacity and assessing the newly developed curriculum and technology is a top priority. An upcoming expansion is going to be a scenario house for the criminal justice program that can also be utilized by local law enforcement agencies for training,” Libby says.

And to what does Libby attribute the college’s success?

“The secret to our success,” confides Libby, “has been providing a space where faculty and staff feel comfortable sharing ideas, and having the leadership of President Knapp, who has allowed us to run with them.” She pronounces, “In recent years, we have done tremendous work in curricular offerings and delivery models, facility renovations and expansions, and new programmingall because someone had an idea they decided to share. It truly is the innovation of the faculty and staff that has led us to where we are today.“ Central Maine Community College 1250 Turner Street, Auburn • www.cmcc.edu

Future course What does the next three to five years look like for CMCC? “Continued enrollment growth due to the tremendous value and return on investment of a CMCC education,” predicts Betsy Libby, vice president and dean of academic affairs.

“New programs added, both academic and extracurricular, and long-term planning efforts that are being implemented.

40

Betsy Libby

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Student Ali Sult in the computer lab

By Dan Marois | Photography by Jose Leiva | Central Maine Community College

CMCC’s esports scoreboard

Esports arena At first glance, the 1,600 square foot high-tech arena looks like a gigantic video arcade.

The only arena of its kind in Maine, this Kirk Hall space is equipped with Alienware Area-51 gaming PCs, five console stations with Xbox One, PS4 Pro, and Nintendo Switch, and a broadcast booth for streaming live video matches. There are 30 highend gaming computers that can accommodate individual video gaming play and practice. CMCC is among the first to launch what is known worldwide as esports.

More than just playing video games, esports is a competitive athletic sport with the same requirements as any other sport offered on the Auburn campus. Participants compete against colleges in a league sanctioned by the National Association of Collegiate eSports (NACE).

Director of Admissions Andrew Morong notes that CMCC will largely be competing against four-year colleges. “We will be the only community college north of Virginia to offer competitive esports,” he added.

In addition to the teams, CMCC has also started an esports associate degree program that focuses on the business aspects of the sport, such as marketing, organizing and promoting events, and utilizing digital technology.

Prospective student Xavier Capitan plays in the esports video gaming lab

Andrew Morong

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

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LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

s

ilent ervants

Who’s protecting LA’s water supply?

Written by Toby Haber-Giasson Photography by Jose Leiva

S

cenic Lake Auburn is the epitome of Maine’s natural beauty. A century ago, it was home to Lake Grove, a regional tourist attraction. Today you can enjoy hiking, boating, and fishing recreation here. But in fact, LA couldn’t survive without it.

Lake Auburn is LA’s only public water source, supplying about 40,000 customers in both Lewiston and Auburn with over six million gallons of drinking water every day.

The Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission (LAWPC) helps maintain a clean drinking water source for the Lewiston and Auburn area through its education, outreach, and watershed management efforts.

Sid Hazelton in the water pumping station

Watershed moment Any land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to outflow points is called a watershed. Carved out by a prehistoric glacier, Lake Auburn’s 15-square mile watershed includes Auburn, as well as four neighboring towns that don’t use the lake’s water: Turner, Buckfield, Hebron, and Minot.

Only one-third of Lake Auburn’s water comes directly from rain and snowfall; the majority flows down through the watershed, which is five times the area of the lake.

Unwavering waiver Although local protection of the lake has long been in place, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established federal rules in the 1980s to prevent contamination of drinking water through filtration. The Maine CDC Drinking Water Program administers this program for our state.

“Lake Auburn is so pristine,” proudly notes Sid Hazelton, Auburn Water District superintendent and also co-clerk of LAWPC, “we were granted a waiver from filtering the water in 1991.”

Lake Auburn still boasts this lofty distinction today. Auburn and Lewiston are two of only nine community water systems in the state of Maineand only 50 in the entire countrythat qualify for a waiver. Of course it requires diligent compliance with stringent quality criteria day in and day out, through water treatment and watershed protection, in order to meet Maine’s drinking water standards.

44

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Erica Kidd

By Toby Haber-Giasson | Photography by Jose Leiva | Silent Servants Olson is also developing new partnerships to promote lake protection with other “green” groups like Good Food Council and Androscoggin Land Trust, through events like paddling and trail cleanup. A project with LA Trails is making maps available of popular public trails on LAWPC lands.

No water, no beer LAWPC is also raising water awareness by working with Maine Brewshed Alliance, a coalition of brewers and the Natural Resource Council of Maine that links clean water to Maine’s craft beer economy.

“We had a chance to partner with the Brewshed Alliance at the end of July,” says Olson of an event hosted by Baxter Brewing Co. “There were raffles, prizes, a slideshow and, of course, beer.”

Lauren Olson, Kevin Gagne, & Sid Hazelton

Commission mission The Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission (LAWPC) was launched in 1993 to maintain the lake’s quality and prevent the need for expensive filtration. LA’s two public water utilities share both the water and its operating expenses.

“We are source-to-tap,” says Kevin Gagne, Lewiston Water & Sewer superintendent and co-clerk of LAWPC. “Nothing is more important than making sure we protect that water.”

LAWPC has adopted a multi-barrier approach to water quality.

Watershed Manager Erica Kidd oversees environmental projects in erosion control, forestry management, and education and outreach to the public.

Other efforts include conducting surveys, enacting restrictions, and preserving the watershed’s land. LAWPC controls 80 percent of the shoreline, and 2,100 acres of property within the watershed. It also helps lakefront homeowners participate in lake conservation.

“The steps we’ve taken to maintain water quality,” notes Kidd, “say a lot about us.”

Academic partners supplement the research conducted by LA water utility staff and consultants. Teams from Bates College have used the lake to study climate effects for years. University of Maine teams examine sediment core samples in Lake Auburn, to “look back” 1,000 years in geologic time. Nonprofit watchdog Lake Stewards of Maine supplements monitoring done by state and federal agencies.

Education & outreach Knowledge is also a tool for conservation. For many years, LAWPC helped facilitate a regional school-based “TroutKids of Maine” program, wherein local classrooms raise trout and release them in the lake.

Education and Outreach Coordinator Lauren Olson has devised new interactive projects for students, like creating a coloring book of watershed art pieces.

Olson composed watershed questions for a recent Trivia Night at Gritty’s Auburn Brew Pub. She helped Side By Each Brewing Co. hold a release party this fall for a special watershed brew, in support of Lake Auburn. She also teamed up with L/A Arts & Bear Bones Beer to develop a water-themed art show last summer.

Climate effect “There’s no doubt climate change is affecting Lake Auburn,” says Gagne. “Since we now record data 24/7, staff are seeing things we never noticed before. We can’t control climate change, but we can try to minimize its impact.”

To protect against erosion from big storms, LAWPC prevents sediment from seasonal runoff from going in the lake and prohibits swimming to limit excess bacteria microbes from getting in the water.

LAWPC does operate the boat launch along Route 4, but some would like to see recreation expanded, even if it might hasten the need for filtration.

According to the EPA, however, filtration would be 30-40 times more expensive than preventive measures. Construction cost has been estimated at $35-45 million, plus annual operational maintenance of $1-2million.

“If we trigger filtration,” warns Gagne, “rates for water customers would increase at least 50 percent.”

“We would still have to continue preventive programs,” Kidd explains. “It’s better to keep it clean in the first place than try to clean it.”

Adam Tüüri of Bear Bones Beer starts the brewing process with clean water from Lake Auburn

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$0.00

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46 Kittery Water District Orono‐Veazie Water District Houlton Water Company Rumford Water District Auburn Water District Oxford Water District Fryeburg Water Company Portland Water District East Pittston Water District Bangor Water District Fort Kent Water & Wastewater Department Greater Augusta Utility District Tenants Harbor Water District Gardiner Water District North Berwick Water District Maine Water ‐Biddeford Saco Divison Paris Utility District Yarmouth Water District Fort Fairfield Utilities District Belfast Water District Sanford Water District Lincoln Water District Kennebunk, Kennebunkport & Wells Water Dist.

City of Calais Water Department Lisbon Water Department Old Town Water District Richmond Utilities District Mechanic Falls Water Dept.

Jackman Utility District Presque Isle Utilities District Brunswick & Topsham Water District Maine Water Company‐Freeport Division Town of Waldoboro Water Department Clinton Water District Kennebec Water District Baileyville Utilities District Eagle Lake Water & Sewer District Corinna Water District Corinna Water District South Berwick Water District City of Ellsworth Water Department Machias Water Company Winthrop Utilities District Livermore Falls Water District Maine Water Company‐Skowhegan Division Maine Water Company‐Oakland Division Caribou Utilities District Hallowell Water District Cornish Water District Brewer Water Department Maine Water Company‐Millinocket Van Buren Water District Andover Water District Norridgewock Water District Harrison Water District Ashland Water & Sewer District Bar Harbor Water Division Washburn Water & Sewer District Jay Village Water District West Paris Water District Maine Water Company‐Bucksport Division Limestone Water District Patten Water Department Maine Water Company‐Camden Rockland Division Berwick Water Department Madawaska Water District Southwest Harbor Water & Sewer District Dexter Utility District Bath Water District Milo Water District Waterboro Water District North Jay Water District New Gloucester Water District Brownville Water Department Milbridge Water District York Water Distrcit Maine Water Company‐Hartland Division Maine Water Company‐Greenville Division Maine Water‐Kezar Falls Division Vinalhaven Water District Hampden Water District Bowdoinham Water District Newport Water District Newport Water District Canton Water District Wiscasset Water District Buckfield Village Corporation Passamaquoddy Water District Boothbay Region Water District Northport Village Corporation Alfred Water District Mt Blue Standard Water Dsitric Winterport Water District Stonington Water Company Port Clyde Water District Long Pond Water District Castine Water Department

$250.00

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$200.00

Auburn Water District

$100.00

$50.00

Source: Maine Public Utilities Commission Comparative Water Rates 5/8/19 and Other Public Documents

Comparative Water Rates from Maine PUC May 2019

More than pride “We adhere to the regulations,” says Gagne, “but it comes down to ethics- doing the right thing when nobody’s looking.”

Sure, we’re proud of LA’s clean drinking water, but there’s another benefit: price. By cost, Auburn is the fifth cheapest water system in the state, out of 97.

“This is a direct result of not having to filter the water,” says Hazelton, referring to a recent report from Maine Public Utilities Commission (see chart above). “It’s a graphic representation that what we’re doing is cost effective.”

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H CKEY RETURNS The Maine Nordiques bring high-level hockey back to LA Written by Kiernan Majerus-Collins  |  Photography by Brewster Burns

A

fter 42 years, the Maine Nordiques are back. Though the original pro team closed up shop in 1977, the new Maine Nordiques are bringing high-level hockey back to downtown Lewiston. Lead by Head Coach Nolan Howe, the team is off to a solid start in its inaugural season, and the future looks bright.

Hockey heritage Driven in part by the city’s large Franco-American population, hockey has always been big in Lewiston.

“The Lewiston area has a rich hockey tradition, so it is great to have this level of hockey back in this building after an eight-year absence,” says Norm Karkos, marketing director for the Maine Nordiques.

Though the Androscoggin Bank Colisée is most famous as the site of the 1965 Ali versus Liston World Heavyweight Championship, it primarily functions as a hockey arena, with banners hanging from the rafters recognizing numerous state championships won by the Lewiston High School Blue Devils over the decades.

Coach Howe argues a call the greatest ever to play the game. He played 26 seasons in the NHL, all but one for the Detroit Red Wings, and was an all-star 23 times. Gordie won the Stanley Cup four times, and was named the MVP (most valuable player) of the NHL six times.

Norm Karkos

“We have fans who have been attending games in this building since it first opened in 1959,” says Karkos. “They are the same fans who cheered on the teams from the Bates Mill, the L/A Twins, L/A Wings, the original Maine Nordiques, Lewiston MAINEiacs, local high school teams—and now, here they are, back at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée, cheering on the modern-day edition of the Maine Nordiques.”

Colisée General Manager Mike Cain

Though the Colisée has changed over the years—including the recent installation of a giant state-of-theart video board—the building still retains its charmed place in hockey history, making it an ideal place to take in a game.

“I’ll never be Gordie Howe. I’ll never be Mark Howe,” Nolan concedes. “My responsibility to the game of hockey is to pass on what they taught me, and to teach these young men how to be productive members of society.”

Character matters Nolan says his father and grandfather taught him that character matters, and he tries to impart that same lesson to his players.

“Twenty thousand people showed up at my grandfather’s funeral and they talked about the man he was, not the hockey player,” says Nolan.

Despite Mark Howe’s accomplishments on and off the ice, Nolan says, people still know his dad as Gordie’s son.

“What I learned from him was that that’s an honor,” Nolan says.

With a legacy like Gordie and Mark, he asks, “how could you not be proud of that?”

Nolan says Mark has been to see the Nordiques play several times already; like his son, the Hall of Famer thinks the team is a “work in progress.”

A family legacy To even a casual hockey fan, Maine Nordiques Head Coach Nolan Howe’s name precedes him.

His father, Mark Howe, is a retired defenseman who played 16 seasons in the NHL, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals three times and shining for the Philadelphia Flyers as one of the best players of his era. All-Star Mark Howe had his number retired by the Flyers and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.

Nolan’s grandfather was an even larger figure in hockey history.

Nicknamed “Mr. Hockey,” Gordie Howe earned a reputation as 50

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Maine Nordiques merchandise

By Kiernan Majerus-Collins | Photography by Brewster Burns | Hockey Returns

Advice for hockey parents Despite being the son and grandson of hockey legends, Nolan said he never felt pressured to have a career in the sport. There was “no pressure, just passion,” Nolan says. Growing up, he recalls, hockey was “the greatest thing in the world,” and he knew he wanted to do it himself.

Nolan also says that his own family experiences show how hockey parents can be supportive without being overbearing. Although his father Mark was Gordie Howe’s son, he notes, “no one ever told my father how to play.”

“If ‘Mr. Hockey’ didn’t tell his son how to play,” Nolan reasons, “then parents of young players today should simply support their kids.” An approach that clearly worked for the Howe family.

Junior hockey world Player development follows a different model in hockey than it does in sports like football or basketball. Rather than progressing from high school to college to the pros, hockey players frequently play on junior hockey teams to hone their skills. The Maine Nordiques and their affiliates (including the Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques) are part of this junior hockey system.

The age cap for junior hockey players is 21, and the leagues function as a training ground for players to develop before going on to play collegiate or professional hockey. The Maine Nordiques play in the North American Hockey League, or NAHL, the highest level of junior hockey in this part of the country (the United States

Hockey League is higher, but only has teams in the Midwest).

The Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques play in the North American 3 Hockey League, one tier below the NAHL. It’s a complicated system, but the simple takeaway is this: after the Maine Mariners, a pro-level minor league team in Portland, and the Maine Black Bears, a Division I college team in Orono, the Maine Nordiques are the next best hockey team in Maine.

That’s good news for LA hockey fans, who can see high-level hockey for low prices at the Colisée. With season tickets to the Maine Nordiques and Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques together— 49 games in total (28 for the Maine Nordiques and 21 for the Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques)—selling for just $196, and single game tickets selling for $9 and $5, respectively, the Nordiques are a bargain.

It’s also good news for the players, who live with host families in Lewiston and Auburn while dedicating themselves full-time to the Nordiques.

Building for the future Howe expects players on this year’s Nordiques to play Division I college hockey in the future and maybe more. His ultimate goal is to develop a program capable of bringing NHL-level talent to Lewiston.

Some coaches, he says, “believe winning will lead to advancement and development. I believe development will lead to winning and advancement.” Howe sees himself as a “teacher first, a mentor second, and a coach third.”

The Nordiques are investing in their players. Howe says the team is “on the cutting edge of player wellness and development,” with sophisticated technology to track players’ health and performance. Howe is investing, too— he believes in the Nordiques enough to live most of the week away from his wife and young son, who live in New Jersey.

Coach Howe is in Maine four or five nights a week, and works “as hard as I can while I’m here” so that he can focus on his family when he goes home. The travel can be difficult, but Howe says his wife’s support has been “incredible.”

“I love coming to the rink. I wouldn’t separate myself from my family if I didn’t love it,” Howe says.

The Nordiques are in contention so far, and Howe says he is working to make sure the team is playing its best hockey by the end of the season in March. If all goes according to plan, he says, the Colisée would host playoff games in the spring of 2020.

Androscoggin Bank Colisée 190 Birch Street, Lewiston www.thecolisee.com

Aidan Bussiere cheers on the Nordiques

REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER Written by Dan Marois | Photography by Jose Leiva

Celebrating 130 years of service

Elizabeth Keene & Steve Jorgenson

T

he year was 1888 and Lewiston Auburn was emerging as one of the state’s leading manufacturing centers.

The shoe and textile industries were flourishing and the migration of the French Canadians to work here had anywhere from 100 to 150 arriving each day at the Grand Trunk Railroad Station on Lincoln Street. The population had increased to 35,000, but there was no hospital, according to the St. Mary’s Health System website.

This changed when the Sisters of Charity of St. Hyacinthe, an order of “Grey Nuns” who cared for the sick, purchased a house on Sabattus Street along with 36 acres of land, all owned by Sarah J. Golder. The Golder house became a 30-

bed hospital with an addition that lodged the sisters and 40 orphans.

In April of 1889, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center — which was known as the Sisters’ Hospital, the French Hospital, and the Catholic Hospital over the years — was dedicated by the Bishop of Maine. The Sisters of Charity set their mission to tend to the physical, spiritual, and psychological needs of people living in the growing cities of Lewiston and Auburn, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or ability to pay.

The St. Mary’s Health System campus still thrives 130 years later.

The Grey Nuns in a Lewiston School

Filling other needs In 1902, as the need for a larger hospital became clear, a separate hospital was built at a construction cost of $100,000, providing 150 beds and 25 bassinets.

In 1908, St. Mary’s School of Nursing was established, which would provide the area with thousands of skilled care providers, many who still practice today.

Realizing that there was a need to care for the poor, sick, and infirm elderly, the Sisters built the Marcotte Nursing Home in 1928 with a donation of $120,000 from F. X. Marcotte, one of the early French Canadian business owners.

One wing of this building was devoted to the care of the elderly with 200 beds available while the southern wing, called St. Joseph’s Orphanage, was home to 250 girls.

The girls of St. Joseph’s Orphanage in 1960

Most of the girls were not orphans but rather children whose parents needed to work the long shifts in the mills. Pioneers in community services, the Sisters were providing the much-needed child care for these immigrants. The young girls could stay at the “orphanage” until they were 18 years old with elementary schooling provided by the sisters on site.

Living the mission today “Celebrating our 130th anniversary is a special milestone, as it shows our many years of commitment to strive to meet the needs of the community,” said Steven Jorgensen, president of St. Mary’s Health System and senior vice president at Covenant Health. “That drive and purpose, and a willingness to transform to meet existing needs, remains strong.”

While at one time there were 100 Grey Nuns working on the St. Mary’s campus, many have passed on or are now elderly and infirm. Today there is only one Sister of Charity still working at

By Dan Marois | Photography by Jose Leiva | Celebrating 130 years of service

St. Mary’s nuns at the 2011 timeline dedication. Sr. Claire Pouliot, Sr. Huguette Allard, Sr. Marie Paule Messier, Sr. Diane Beaudoin, & Sr. Jacqueline Peloquin (Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Keene) the hospital. That doesn’t stop the work of the Grey Nuns from continuing.

years. “We stand on the values of compassion, collaboration, integrity, and excellence in all we do.”

Elizabeth Keene, vice president of Mission Integration for the health system, sees their influence everywhere. Paying homage to a proverb that the poor people of Montreal said about the Grey Nuns, Keene says, “Never let it be said that we refuse to serve.”

Through the years, the health care setting has expanded to meet ongoing needs. St. Mary’s Health System now has the largest nursing home in Maine, one of the largest networks of physician coverage, and ranks among the largest comprehensive health systems in the state.

“You can see the influences of that in everything we do today,” said the New Auburn native who has been at St. Mary’s for 11

“We continue to love and serve, caring for the vulnerable people of LA, oftentimes the poor and elderly,” said Keene. She notes that the Lewiston facility maintains ties with the Montreal and St. Hyacinthe sisters quite regularly. “We have Marguerite d’Youville Award winners among our employees, who best represent the values of our foundress. Each year, we offer them pilgrimages to Montreal to walk in the footsteps of Marguerite d’Youville.”

Employees can view the birthplace of the foundress in Varennes and visit the Mother House, in the heart of Montreal, where the original Room for the Poor has survived virtually intact from the 17th century, and where the needy could find a meal and comfort.

“Employees come back with a renewed sense of our beginnings and mission,” said Keene.

Identifying community needs In an organization that is always ready to serve the community in any capacity, how does St. Mary’s determine which projects to take on?

Keene & Jorgenson stand in front of the new main entrance

“Our strategic plans look at one to three years in the future,” said Keene, pointing out that health care trends adjust so quickly that looking out further is very difficult. She noted that the health system conducts its community health needs assessment along with Central Maine Medical Center and the Community Health Stakeholder Coalition, a collaborative group of local community health and service agencies. There is now statewide collaboraLA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

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Wood-carved panel of Marguerite d’Youville

tion on conducting community health needs assessments with the Maine Center for Disease Control and all the major health systems in the state.

includes d’Youville Pavilion, a senior care community that offers a rehabilitation center, long-term skilled nursing care, and memory care.

The health assessment asks consumers to identify the most important needs in their communities. “We then determine where the needs and expertise intersect in the community,” adds Keene.

Covenant Health is an innovative, Catholic regional health care system and a leader in values-based, not-for-profit health and elder care. Its member hospitals include St. Mary’s in Lewiston, St. Joseph Healthcare in Bangor, and St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, New Hampshire.

In the 2019 assessment, consumers prioritized the greatest need in these areas: social determinants of health, mental health, substance abuse, access to care, and tobacco use. These first four match the top needs determined statewide. It doesn’t surprise Keene that social determinants top the list.

“The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people live and work that affect their health, including factors like education, income, poverty, and housing,” said Keene. These conditions influence an individual’s health and define the quality of life.

Organizational structure St. Mary’s Health System, a member of Covenant Health, is an integrated medical center comprised of a 233-bed acute care community hospital, an employed group of primary care and specialty providers, urgent care and emergency department, an extensive complement of behavioral and mental health services, and outpatient specialty practices. St. Mary’s Health System also 56

LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

“We are an affiliate of MaineHealth, the state’s largest integrated health system,” said Keene. MaineHealth owns 12 hospitals with a roster of 19,000 employees and a network of 1,600 employed and independent physicians.

“As an affiliate with MaineHealth, we can access resources, expertise, and clinic offerings that we couldn’t otherwise offer on our own,” said Keene.

Service strengths “What makes St. Mary’s so special for the community is our vertically integrated medical delivery system,” notes Jorgensen. “We have employed a strong physician primary care group supported by outstanding employed physician specialists with access to a high-functioning hospital. The hospital is connected to an award-winning independent senior living care and long-term care facility.”

By Dan Marois | Photography by Jose Leiva | Celebrating 130 years of service Jorgensen noted that certain service lines continue to grow, based on the demand for high quality services such as primary care, orthopedics, and behavioral services, while the access to all specialties is still critical in delivering complete care.

“We are pleased to be opening a new infusion center and clinic facility on our campus this spring and then immediately begin construction of a new inpatient adult behavioral health unit in the hospital. Both will bring a new and healing environment for our patients,” said Jorgensen.

Local collaboration While they are competing hospitals, located in the same city, Jorgensen believes that St. Mary’s and Central Maine Medical Center can be collaborators with a common goal to improve the health and wellness of their communities.

“I have been so pleased with the relationships that have developed with the CMMC leadership since my arrival at St. Mary’s,” said Jorgensen. “Together we are addressing many social determinants of health, such as reliable transportation, food insecurity, and the rapid growth of teen vaping. We are jointly partnering with the school systems and other groups to aggressively address vaping.”

“Having a job is the number one predictor of good health, as it allows for quality food, housing, transportation, and access to health care,” said Jorgensen. “We can work together to help address poverty in the community.”

St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center 93 Campus Ave, Lewiston • www.stmarysmaine.com

REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Built on the work of a saint Marguerite d’Youville, the first native Canadian to be elevated to sainthood, was born 1701, at Varennes, Quebec. She was the eldest of six children. Her father died when she was 7 years old, leaving her family in great poverty. It was only through the influence of her great-grandfather, Pierre Boucher, that she was able to study for two years at the Ursulines in Quebec.

She married François d’Youville in 1722 and the young couple made their home with his mother. She soon came to realize that her husband had no interest in making a home life. She was pregnant with her sixth child when François became seriously ill. She faithfully cared for him until his death in 1730. By age 29, she had experienced desperate poverty and suffered the loss of her father and husband. Four of her six children had died in infancy.

In all these sufferings Marguerite grew in her belief of God’s presence in her life and of His tender love for every human person. She, in turn, wanted to make known His compassionate love to all. She undertook many charitable works with complete trust in God. Marguerite was soon joined by three young women who shared her love and concern for the poor. In 1737, they consecrated themselves to God and promised to serve him in the person of the poor. Marguerite, without even realizing it, had become the foundress of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal “Grey Nuns.”

She persevered in caring for the poor despite many obstacles. She was in weakened health and mourning the death of one of her companions when a fire destroyed their home. This only served to deepen her commitment to the poor. She and her two early companions pledged themselves to put everything in common, in order to help a greater number of persons in need. Two years later she was asked to become director of the Charon Brothers Hospital in Montreal, which was falling into ruin. She and her sisters rebuilt the hospital and cared for those in most desperate need.

In 1765 a fire destroyed the hospital, but nothing could destroy Marguerite’s faith and courage. She asked her sisters and the poor who lived at the hospital to recognize the hand of God in this disaster, and to offer Him praise. At the age of 64, she undertook the reconstruction of this shelter for those in need. Totally exhausted from a lifetime of self-giving, Marguerite died in 1771. She will always be remembered as a loving mother who served Jesus Christ in the poor.

Today, the work of the Sisters of Charity is felt around the globe and continues in a hospital in Lewiston, Maine, that was built on the proud work she started in Canada.

Pope Saint John XXIII beatified Marguerite in 1959, calling her the “Mother of Universal Charity.” She was canonized in 1990 and her Liturgical Feast Day is Oct. 16.

Marguerite d’Youville

Information was gathered from various online histories including websites for the Grey Nuns of Montreal, Franciscan Media, and Catholic Online.

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

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FACES of

LA

Written by Peggy Deblois Photo by Jose Leiva

THE FACES OF

YOUR SOUP TO NUTS REALTY EXPERIENCE

Maine Source Homes + Realty 259 Minot Avenue, Auburn mainesourcehomes.com

Jon Mercier, Brandon Caruso, Regina Ritchie, Deb Morin, Toni Ferraro, & Mark Turner

Maine Source Homes + Realty has evolved into the community’s resource for virtually stress-free home buying, selling, or building.

Started as Maine Source Homes in 1972 by Bill Turner, the business originally focused on mobile and modular homes, developing a successful community in Poland called Brookdale Village. Now, run by Mark Turner and Jon Mercier, they focus on a “soup to nuts” solution to Real Estate with their talented team of Realtors.

PROMOTION

“We are truly unique,” says Mercier, owner/broker. “We can do it all for you and, best of all, put together a transition plan so it can all happen on your schedule.”

Mercier has put together a dynamic team led by Brandon Caruso, Toni Ferraro, and Deb Morin. After building over 600 homes, and selling hun dreds of existing homes, the full team of 16 employees has trusted partners in all aspects of the business.

Mercier explains they are truly a turnkey operation: the client can sell their home AND buy or build a new one seamlessly, as Maine Source Homes + Realty can manage every aspect.

Maine Source Homes + Realty recently moved from a location on Center Street to a larger space on Minot Avenue. “Now, we have this great model home for people to view, adjacent to our office,” explains Turner. “It’s really designed for the growing market of baby-boomers looking to downsize into one-story living.”

According to Caruso, associate broker, people who are ready to sell a family home after many years are the perfect client for Maine Source Homes + Realty. “We offer them a path forward based on their goals. We’ve fine-tuned our system to become specialists in making the transition stress-free for them.”

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com

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G

rd

e h p S he d o o

FIGHTING hunger in Maine

Fo od

B

k an

Written by Peggy L. DeBlois | Photography by Jose Leiva

Highlighting the good work of nonprofit organizations in the LA community.

M

ost people think hunger aligns with poverty, and that’s partially correct. To put that into perspective, you must define “poverty.” In Maine, a family of three with an annual income over $24,000 is considered to be above the poverty line, and does not qualify for federal food assistance.

Unfortunately, those who do receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) find the benefits have not

grown with inflation; they typically exhaust their monthly benefit after just two weeks of grocery shopping. This shortfall leaves about 200,000 Mainers “food insecure,” or lacking the financial resources to satisfy their nutritional needs.

The mission of the Good Shepherd Food Bank is to eliminate hunger in Maine, by improving access to nutritious food for people in need, building strong community partnerships, and mobilizing the public fight to end hunger.

Today, participation fees for food pantries are less than 10 percent of Good Shepherd’s operating expense. GSFB now has over 450 partners across the state, the majority being food pantries, as well as homeless shelters, soup kitchens, more than 150 schools, and every major health care center in Maine.

Building strong community partnerships The original relationship between Hannaford and Good Shepherd Food Bank was recently strengthened by Hannaford’s $1 million dollar gift to help fund school-based pantries.

“In Maine, we already have more than 150 food pantries in schools, so Hannaford’s funding will be used to create new food access in Head Start programs,” explains Erin Fogg, vice president of development and communications at GSFB. This addition will benefit preschool children and their families.

Another community outreach program is Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters, providing hands-on cooking and nutrition information for people at risk of hunger. Classes are offered in all 16 counties through partnerships with Maine SNAP-Ed, educating low-income families on low cost healthy eating and active lifestyles.

Kristen Miale outside of the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn

Access to nutritious food Good Shepherd Food Bank (GSFB) arose in 1981, as an organic response to scarcity. “The economic downturn of the early 1980s was coupled with cuts to federal food programs,” explains Kristen Miale, current president at GSFB.

Good Shepherd also runs a Food Mobile program, to assist during emergency situations that might be caused by weather, or a mill closing. The Food Mobile program is also in high demand during government shutdowns, when people with SNAP cannot receive their benefits.

Since 2010, GSFB has also developed a Mainers Feeding Mainers program, with both land and sea farmers. According to Fogg, GSFB contracts with about 70 farmers ahead of the growing season, contributing $3-4 million dollars to the local agriculture economy. Funding comes from private foundations, along with some state funding. Produce that would be considered “second-choice” on the retail market is delivered directly to food pantries in the farmers’ local communities.

A local woman named JoAnn Pike was greatly disturbed by seeing her neighbors struggling with food insecurity. As the story goes, Pike literally pulled perfectly good food out of dumpsters before it was unnecessarily destroyed, and distributed it to needy people from her garage. And she didn’t stop there.

“Locally, JoAnn worked closely with Hannaford,” Miale says of her predecessor and GSFB’s founder Pike. “Together they brought in B&M Baked Beans and Barber Foods, to warehouse their excess and nonsaleable food for local food pantries.” Thus, Good Shepherd was founded.

Miale explains, “Local food pantries pay a membership fee to have access; this was the basic model for all food banks through early 2000.”

But by 2000, food banks realized the hunger problem was not going away. They became interested in bringing healthier foods to their clients. Just at the very start of this evolution, the major recession of 2007 hit.

“Hunger in Maine grew by 50 percent,” recalls Miele. “It was literally a crisis situation, in both food insecurity and in health care.”

Good Shepherd began working to recover fresh food product by investing in cold storage and finding ways to quickly turn inventory out to clients. The higher costs were funded by private philanthropy.

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LA METRO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Erin Fogg

Beth Tatro checks the GSFB inventory GSFB also partners with health care providers to connect food insecure patients with community food resources in its Community Health & Hunger program. Good Shepherd trains partners to implement screening as part of routine patient visits. GSFB also provides pre-packed emergency food bags for purchase by the health care center.

Mobilizing the fight to end hunger When GSFB began, no one thought the need would last 40 years. But Fogg says Good Shepherd Food Bank wants to meet this reality by increasing its 25 million meal deliveries to 32 million, with the long-term goal to fully meet the food needs of all food insecure Mainers by 2025. To accomplish that goal, the food bank has added a research and evaluation manager.

“No one was collecting data, we were all just acting in crisis,” says Fogg of the bank’s beginnings. “Now we’ve created Service Insight, which will allow us to collect data in a systematic way from our partner agencies.” The web-based platform collects geographically specific information on clients at local food pantries, allowing GSFB to plan for the unique needs in each community.

Since GSFB does not provide food directly to people in need, Miale wants to see the food bank’s role go from being transactional to relational.

“We are looking at how we do our work,” says Miale, “to ensure a way to provide hunger relief today, but also to help families

Bill Mungall

Raymond Wacome

be food secure in the future.” She believes food security has the ability to help people move beyond the trauma of poverty.

“Food access should make people feel valued,” she says. “Now, people feel marginalized, despite the good intentions of the food pantries. We need to do better in our society.”

Miale hopes providing resources will give those in poverty a voice and a sense of power over their lives. GSFB has hired an advocate to train people experiencing food insecurity to effectively write and speak in public, and connect with legislators and other influencers to effect change.

Helping people help people Good Shepherd Food Bank has about 80 employees statewide and is supported by over 2,000 volunteers. Those interested in volunteering have plenty of opportunities, either at the GSFB facility or at their local food pantries.

Good Shepherd Food Bank 3121 Hotel Road, Auburn • www.gsfb.org

Looking for food assistance? please visit the food pantry map located at www.gsfb.org/get-help/food-map/

LA METRO MAGAZINE digital edition @ LAMetroMagazine.com V Dustin Dubuc Mohamed Ahmed

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