u News yo
wand!t to rea
Sentinel The Weekly
ECRWSS PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID Seacoast Media Group Portsmouth, NH POSTAL CUSTOMER
Your Community Newspaper Serving: ARUNDEL, BERWICK, CAPE NEDDICK, ELIOT, KENNEBUNK, KENNEBUNKPORT, KITTERY, KITTERY POINT, MOODY, NO. BERWICK, OGUNQUIT, SO. BERWICK, WELLS, YORK & YORK HARBOR
Friday, December 13, 2024 Volume 20 • Issue No. 50
Respecting the Past: Scouts Restore Dignity to Cemetery By Susan Gallagher, Staff Writer YORK When Loralee and Robert Schaedel moved into their York home in early July, they stepped through a portal to the past. The Robert Oliver House 1727, named for its Scottish-born original owner, not only enveloped them with classic New England charm; it echoed with lingering whispers of those who lived here before. Loralee immediately felt the presence of her predecessors in the old farmhouse. “I knew there had to be ghosts in the home, since it was built so long ago,” she says, “but it isn’t a spooky feeling at all. The energy in the house is
overwhelmingly light. These all feel like friendly, happy people.” Schaedel sensed a vastly different mood when she first came upon the crumbling, neglected 1800s cemetery on the property. Here, a powerful aura of abandonment prevailed. She looked around in dismay at the
unkept state of the plot that was the final resting place of 32 former residents. While the granite posts surrounding the cemetery were intact, the cast-iron rods once connecting them were either on the ground or bent. Many trees were wildly overgrown, and others blown down by a long-ago
Story Trees by the Sea at OMAA OGUNQUIT The Ogunquit Museum of American Art (OMAA) will open during the holiday season for Story Trees by the Sea on Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15. This festive two-day celebration will welcome the community into the museum for a free, familyfriendly experience that captures the spirit of the season. The Carol and Noel Leary Gallery will be transformed into a winter wonderland showcasing beautifully decorated trees by local schools and art organizations, celebrating the community’s creativity. This enchanting display celebrates the com-
Local Average Tide Chart Date High Low Sat 14 Sun 15 Mon 16 Tue 17 Wed 18 Thu 19 Fri 20 Sat 21
am pm
9:40 10:23 10:32 11:16 11:23 12:07 12:13 12:56 1:02 1:45 1:51 2:33 2:41 3:22 3:32
am pm
3:17 4:09 5:00 5:50 6:40 7:31 8:23 9:18
4:03 4:55 5:45 6:34 7:23 8:12 9:01 9:50
Sun Rise Sun Set Sat 14 Sun 15 Mon 16 Tue 17 Wed 18 Thu 19 Fri 20 Sat 21
7:05 4:08 7:06 4:08 7:07 4:09 7:07 4:09 7:08 4:09 7:08 4:10 7:09 4:10 7:09 4:11
munity’s creativity and is part of the 38th Annual Christmas by the Sea festivities in Ogunquit. Visitors are invited to explore the museum’s seasonal d isplays, i nclud i ng snow y scenes of Ogunquit by renowned artists such as Henry Strater. Thanks to a collaboration with the Wells Public Library, children will listen to stories read by student ambassadors and local authors, Melany Kahn, Cindel Lamothe, Laureen Donato, and Brenda Yorke-Goodale. Story Trees by the Sea
STATEWIDE Stay; For Life, a Mainebased nonprofit dedicated to reducing the stigma around men’s mental health with a focus on suicide prevention, will be hosting several Trent’s Tree locations for the 2024 holiday season. Trent’s Tree was created by Angela Whitten, co-founder and executive director of Stay; For Life, in honor of her son, Trent, who died by suicide in June 2022. The initiative began during the 2022 holiday season as a way for family and friends to cope with their first holiday without Trent. It has since grown into a statewide effort, with trees placed as far north as
Library News
Classifieds
People & Business
8-10,13,20
Dining
Finance & Career
Home & Business
27
24-26
20
20-23
Obituaries Pets
Puzzles
Sports & Outdoors
14-15 11-12
12
5
30
28
PAGES
Presque Isle and as far south as Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The public is invited to hang an ornament in memory of Trent, to commemorate a loved one lost to suicide, or to show
Health & Fitness
A section concerning your health . . .
29-30
See SCOUTS on page 4 . . .
“Night of Hope” WELLS The annual “Night of Hope” at Norton Lights will take place Sunday, December 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The event honors and celebrates the memory of Frankie Hope Norton, who passed away in February of 2020. On this special evening, every young visitor – and those young at heart – will receive a holiday gift, as Santa makes an early stop at Norton Lights. Visitors can simply pull up, enjoy the magic of the light display, and friendly elves will deliver a gift directly to their vehicles.
Annual “Trent’s Tree” Supports Mental Health, Suicide Prevention
Arts & Entertainment 16-19 Calendar
promises interactive art activities for all ages. The Common Roots Studio mobile art bus will be on-site, offering engaging art projects for visitors. Sunday will feature drawing instruction by artist Heather Lewis. Additionally, students from River Tree Arts will perform a selection of winter-themed songs on Saturday, adding to the festive atmosphere. A special appearance by Santa will also take place on Saturday. For more information, visit www.ogunquitmuseum.org.
windstorm, resting their limbs wearily on the worn headstones. Most troubling were the many headstones that had tumbled over, dishonoring the deceased buried beneath. Kneeling, Schaedel sadly swept aside the dead leaves obscuring the names on the mark-
ers. The dearly departed seemed to be crying out to her. She knew she must do something about this. “We’re going to bring back this cemetery to pristine condition,” she declared to herself and the nonliving who surrounded her. But first, she hoped to find out more about who these people were. Her mind swirled with questions. Did they live on the property? What did they do? How did they sustain themselves? She was amazed to see that some lived into their eighties, an impressive feat for the 19th century. Her search for answers led her to the
support for those facing mental health challenges. Guests are also encouraged to visit a Trent’s Tree simply to find peace and strength in the outpouring of love displayed on the tree. The holiday season can be difficult for many, and Stay; For Life hopes Trent’s Tree serves as a reminder that no one is alone. Trent’s Tree locations will be open to the public through Sunday, January 5, 2025. Guests can expect their privacy to be respected during their visit – no one will approach them to discuss the reason for their visit. Locations for Trent’s Tree 2024 include Partners Bank in Sanford; Bandaloop Restaurant
The gifts for the event are provided by Frankie’s family, with no cost to those who attend. Donations are always welcomed and will benefit Make-A-Wish Maine. The Norton family encourages all to join in for a night of smiles, joy, and the spirit of giving, as they continue to spread cheer – and hope – one light at a time. For more information, visit www.nortonlights.org or find them on Facebook. in Arundel; Wells High School; Rotary Park in Ogunquit; Fat Tomato Grill in York; Kennebunk Savings Bank in Eliot; Kittery Animal Hospital; Portsmouth Naval Shipyard; and Trent’s home at 869 Bragdon Road in Wells. Other locations across the state include MJ’s Construction in Lebanon; University of Maine at Presque Isle; Main See TRENT on page 5 . . .
tech talk Tour Our Giant
Real Estate
Section This Week!
31-32
Our Technology Page
6