J.M. Arbour

July 2020 The Somerset Express www.turnerpublishing.net Page 11 How your retirement account can feed FEATURE ARTICLE WE’ RE ALL IN hungry kids in Maine and provide scholarships to trade school students THIS TOGETHER

At this time of year four years ago, I gave a talk to eight hundred people at a Lewiston, Maine, elementary school. In it, I shared some ideas about how the students could create an amazing upcoming summer vacation for themselves. I had an absolute blast at the event, and the reaction from the kids and teachers assured me that my talk was well received.

After my talk, a teacher who was thanking me for my message shared a surprising perspective: she said that, for many of the students I had just met, leaving school on Friday is one of the largest stressors in their lives. When I asked why, I learned that many of these kids leave school at the end of each week knowing they won’t eat again until they return on Monday morning and are fed by the breakfast program. Then I learned a staggering statistic: in Lewiston, 100% of public school students receive free or reduced-price lunch, and this is true in many other cities and towns in Maine. This was news to me, as it may be to you. My heart sank into my stomach, and I tucked this piece of information into a file I knew I would someday reopen. This is that day.

At J.M. Arbour, we are changing what we do with company profits and redirecting our focus to Maine’s future, which lies in today’s youth, tomorrow’s leaders. So, here is what we are planning to do.

We will be donating a large percentage of our net profits from the management of employer sponsored plans —anywhere from 51% to 100% (as I write this, we are waiting to hear back from the tax pros about our corporate structure and ability to do so)—to two causes. The first cause we will support is a weekend backpack program that sends kids home every Friday with six meals so they can eat over the weekend. The second is a program that provides scholarships to Maine students who want to enter the trade industries. Plumbers, heating technicians, electricians, welders, crane operators, builders, diesel mechanics—all these professions are essential and always in high demand.

When I graduated from Bowdoin College, I remember people talking about the “need” to leave Maine in order to find “real economic opportunity.” I believe Maine has an abundance of opportunity, but to bring it to fruition we must align those who can mentor and provide opportunities with those who want to learn and are willing to do the work—access and connections can be simplified and strengthened.

That is why the next part of our plan is to encourage the owners, executives, and leaders of the companies that hire us to manage their company retirement plans to join a network we are building to provide support in the form of books and speeches (and overall mentorship) to kids who want to build fulfilling lives here in Maine.

I will sign off from this month’s column by saying that our goal is to feed kids for a lifetime. We want to feed them food as well as positivity, ideas, and hope, which they also need to thrive. We want to facilitate access to education, mentorships, and career opportunities to give Maine students the ability to build a rich and rewarding lives and retire on purpose, right here in Maine. We have titled this effort “The Purpose Project.”

Please call our office for more details; I am always thrilled to speak with people about this project and honestly, we need more teammates; we need your help to spread the word. Together, we can end weekend hunger and provide life opportunities for Maine’s young people.

Here is what I promise: If we focus on what we are doing today, we can aim for a better tomorrow.

See you all next month.

Jac Arbour CFP®, ChFC®

Jac Arbour is the President of J.M. Arbour Wealth Management. He can be reached at 207-248-6767.

Investment advisory services are offered through Foundations Investment Advisors, LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser.

YEAH - EVEN US!!

Lawrence Stevens is bringing us up with the times as he portrays Turner Publishing’s mascot COOP with the proper protective equipment. Lawrence is the originator of our mascot/logo and winner of the drawing contest held 28 years ago at the start of our first publication the “Country Courier.” His kind words and drawing mean so much to us in these time of need. Thank you Lawrence for your support and for following us for over 28 years!

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Page 12 The Somerset Express www.turnerpublishing.net July 2020 New Dimensions FCU celebrates completion of new building

ew imensions Federal Credit Union

Submitted photos

Ryan Poulin, CEO of New Dimensions FCU, prepares to cut the ribbon at a special ceremony commemorating the opening of the credit union’s new Waterville location.

It’s that time of year again! The sun is shining and we all want to get out of the house and enjoy the fresh air. This is also a time of year which motorcyclists are out on the road. Most riders often forget to minimize an obvious, but overlooked, risk: hearing loss! Earplugs can easily help reduce the risk of noiseinduced hearing loss (NIHL).

Motorcyclists are among our population of Americans who are at risk for NIHL. Thirty million Americans are at risk for NIHL in the workplace, recreational settings and at home. Motorcyclists are exposed to the loud noises of the motorcycle, as well as the wind noise. At 40 mph, motorcyclists are exposed to 90 decibels of low frequency wind noise that is caused by turbulent airflow around the helmet. OSHA requires hearing protection for exposure over 85 decibels. The louder the noise is, the less time you are safely able to be exposed to the noise before it can cause permanent hearing damage.

If you ride a motorcycle or know someone that does, here are some tips: • Wear earplugs when riding a motorcycle. Disposable foam earplugs are inexpensive and can reduce up to 25 decibels of sound. This means that harmful levels of noise are reduced, but not enough to interfere with your ability to hear engines or surrounding warning signals. • Avoid high speeds, which cause excessive wind noise. • If you listen to music while you ride, use noisecancelling earphones. Many people turn the volume up to drown out the engine or wine noise, however this is only causing more noise exposure. • Get your hearing tested! Dr. Becca Rancourt, our Audiologist at Waterville Audiology, will be able to determine your current hearing levels. If you have hearing loss, you will be educated on the appropriate steps to pre-

WATERVILLE — Representatives from the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, Central Maine Growth Council, City of Waterville and Bowman Construction recently joined New Dimensions FCU’s Board of Directors and employees at a ribbon cutting ceremony at its new location.

The credit union opened its new branch at 94 Silver St., June 29; all services at the Grove Street location

Noise exposure and motorcycle use

The wait is over! Our new practice is open! The wait is over! Our new practice is open!

will be discontinued. vent any further damage.

If you wear hearing aids, please take them out and exchange them for hearing protection as this will help prevent your hearing loss from becoming worse. Waterville Audiology offers custom hearing protection, designed to fit your ear and your ear only. Call us today at 207872-0320 to book your hearing test or custom hearing protection appointment! -Becca Rancourt, Au.D. CCC-A, Waterville Audiology’s Audiologist.

Lorie Lepley Parks, OD Schedule appointments online through our website www.MaineEyeDoctors.com or call 207-820-2020 25 First Park, Oakland, ME 207-820-2020

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