Issue No. 80
January
2017 
The MSCN Newsletter
Welcome to Your January 2017 Newsletter!

"Winter Landscape with a River" by Julian Falat

Happy New Year to everyone in the Maine Senior College Network! As you will see from this month's news the Senior Colleges are back in action following the holidays and despite the wintry landscape!

Lewiston-Auburn SC honors veterans with two events that focus upon cemeteries. The first is their upcoming "Food for Thought" lecture titled,  "Final Resting Place." The second accounts for their participation in "Wreaths Across America Day" at Togus National Cemetery.

Other Senior College events include the launching of two lecture series. UMaine at Augusta SC (Brown Bag Lunches) and York County SC's Gary Sullivan Memorial Lecture Series. Acadia SC also has an excellent lecture on the horizon titled,  "Rethinking Energy: Opportunities and Challenges for Communities."

Additional Senior College reports include The Gold LEAF Institute's "Last Meeting of the Year." A poetic celebration at Lewiston-Auburn SC and last but by no means least congratulations to Acadia SC on the generous donation they recently received from Camden National Bank.

2017 is beginning in style for the busy Maine Senior College Network! 


UMA-Brown-Bag
University of Maine at Augusta Senior College Brown Bag Lunches

Dates: January 3 to March 7
James Tissot - Holyday (Detail)

The Brown Bag Series is a program of the UMA Senior College that encourages people to attend weekly presentations in January and February at the UMA campus. The series begins on the first week of January and runs for 8 weeks.

UMASC members and guests are invited to bring their lunch to each session at 12 noon on Tuesdays, to see and hear a different presentation each week. Topics will be of various subjects and content. Equipment for slide shows and PC based digital projects is available. The length of shows should be 60-90 minutes duration. There is no admission fee.
 
2017 BROWN BAG SCHEDULE 
(12 noon on Tuesdays)

January 3 - Presenter: Tom Feagin                      
Did the Election Change the Party System?

January 10 - Presenter: Douglas Rooks 
Statesman: George Mitchell and the Art of the Possible

January 17 - Presenter: Jonathan Lepoff 
Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations 

January 24 - Presenter: David Greenham 
Shakespeare Upended  

January 31 - Presenter: Bob & Sue O'Halloren 
A Geezer's View of Iceland 

February 7 - Presenter: Mike Bell 
Gettysburg for the Next Generation  

February 14 - Presenter: Art Ray 
Halifax, NS Explosion 

February 21 - Presenter: Elizabeth Reinsborough Wildlife of the Galapagos Islands  

February 28 - Presenter: Cassie Bouton 
Hallowell's Harlow Gallery: Past, Present and Future 

March 7 - Presenter: Jeanne Coleman 
BIG Birds

Snow dates: Thursday, January 26 and Thursday, February 23. (In case a regular lecture is canceled due to inclement weather).

Questions:  Please call 621-3551.

Submitted by Bev Ludden,  University of Maine at Augusta Senior College (UMASC)
 
LASC-FOOD-4-THOUGHT
USM's Lewiston-Auburn Senior College 
Food for Thought Lecture:

"Final Resting Place" with Alan Gregory
Dates: January 13 

Alan Gregory
Alan Gregory, from New Gloucester, will be the presenter at the University of Southern Maine's Lewiston-Auburn Senior College Food for Thought luncheon on Friday, January 13, 2017. The title of Mr. Gregory's sessions is "Final Resting Place". Alan will share stories and images of Arlington National Cemetery and the overseas military cemeteries and memorials operated and maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. 
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - Arlington Cemetery

For more than 240 years, the United States of America has been embroiled in conflicts, both at home and abroad, and members of its armed services have answered the call to duty. During wars or in peacetime, considerate care and burial of the dead of our armed forces is one of the most respected actions our nation can bestow on its fallen heroes. We, as a nation, are most fortunate to have dedicated governmental agencies who commemorate and memorialize the service and sacrifices made by our armed forces members.

Alan is a retired Army officer with more than 31 years of military service. Following his military career, he entered the federal government workforce and served as the Chief Financial Officer at both the American Battle Monuments Commission and at Arlington National Cemetery where he learned firsthand how appropriate honors are rendered to our nation's deceased armed forces members.  He retired from federal service in 2012 and moved to New Gloucester with his wife, Cathy, who was born in Lewiston.

Alan holds both bachelors and masters degrees in business and management and has completed advanced graduate studies in adult learning and human resource development. Alan enjoys the outdoors, especially kayaking and fishing, and loves spending time with his two married children, their spouses, and three grandchildren when they visit from Virginia.

Senior College, now in its 19th year, presents this monthly luncheon program that is open to the public in Function Room 170 at USM LAC. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and the program will begin promptly at noon. The cost, which includes lunch, is $7 with an advance reservation or $8 at the door. To make your advance reservation, call Senior College at 753-6510 by noon on Wednesday, January 11. Reservation calls received after this date/time will be considered "at the door".

 
York-County-LecturesYork County Senior College
Lecture Series Brings New Perspectives to Maine

Dates: January 18, February 15 and March 15

York County Senior College's Winter 2017 Gary Sullivan Memorial Lecture Series commences in January with a "Woodsy" theme, with the February lecture looking at Maine through poetry and the Franco-American experience, and winding up in March with an eclectic blend of climate change in the Arctic and songs of yesteryear.
 
Brad Coupe

Lectures take place in the morning and afternoons of January 18, February 15 and March 15. The January 18 morning lecture features Sheri Poftak and Brad Coupe (photo above), both Board members of the Wood Island Lighthouse, talking about the Lighthouse "1986: Before and After." Recognizing the historic value of this local landmark, Coupe and Poftak instituted a campaign dedicated to the preservation of the lighthouse, documenting its significance, and to honoring those who served as its caretakers.

Roger Guay and Saba
In the afternoon, ranger Roger Guay (photo on right) will tell the " Maine Woods Story."  Guay, a 25-year K-9 handler and champion of law enforcement's use of canine units, and his dog, Saba, will show the science behind the scene, the role of dogs and the tools used in tracking and recovering evidence and in locating cadavers.

In February, a shift is made from the land and sea of Maine to the people of the Pine Tree State.  That morning, Steve Cowperthwaite and Claire Hersom will share poetry that tells " The Maine Story."  The afternoon lecture brings James Myall, former Coordinator of USM's Franco-American collection, talking about the experience of the group in Maine.

The series concludes in March with Thornton Academy teacher Dan Frost sharing insight into "Climate Change in the Arctic Region" in the morning, and Monica Grabin "Singing Songs of the 40's, 50's and 60's"  in the afternoon.

Lecture times
Morning lectures take place from 9:30-11:30, followed by lunch and a second lecture, given from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Lecture Locations
All winter lectures will be given at Denis Hall on the campus of the Brothers of Christian Instruction, 133 Shaker Hill Road, Alfred (off Route 202).  

Fee (includes lunch)
The fee for each day's program is $20 for York County Senior College members, $25 for non-members, payable at the door by cash or check made payable to the Brothers of Christian Instruction, and includes a lunch of soup, salad, sandwiches, dessert and beverages, as well as coffee breaks.  

Inclement Weather
In case of inclement weather, if Sanford Schools cancel, so will Senior College.  

Reservations
Call 207-282-4030 for reservations by the Monday before each lecture. 
Acadia-Rethinking-Energy
Acadia Senior College

"Food for Thought" - January 27, 2017

Rethinking Energy: Opportunities and Challenges for Communities with Anna Demeo


Businesses and individuals are facing rising and fluctuating fuel costs. At the same time, communities across the country are increasingly faced with the impacts of climate change.

In Maine, eighty percent of our residences are heated by oil, our highly dispersed population is dependent upon fossil-fueled automobile transportation, and our electricity is largely provided by imported natural gas. For these reasons, it is imperative that action be taken to increase efficiency and shift to renewable energy sources. Fortunately this shift can also serve to save individuals money while strengthening the local economy. 

The challenge for communities, businesses and individuals who want to take control of their energy future is that they often don't know where to begin or how to gather the necessary resources. The Community Energy Center was established to help local governments, businesses and residents transition to a more sustainable way of using and producing energy while reducing costs and supporting the economy.

Anna Demeo
Anna Demeo is the Director of Energy Education and Management at College of the Atlantic. She teaches energy and engineering courses with an emphasis on project-based, hands-on learning. Dr. Demeo is also responsible for migrating the college away from fossil fuels by embedding the work into the educational curriculum through courses and other educational and campus life opportunities.

She has a B.S. from the University of Colorado in Electrical Engineering an M.S. in Marine Bio-Resources and a PhD in Engineering in the Natural Science, both form the University of Maine. 

Dr. Demeo spent over 10 years in industry as an electrical engineer specializing in system design. Her current research focuses on smart-grid technology and community scale renewable energy.

Date: Friday, January 27, 2017 (No reservations accepted after noon on Thursday, Jan. 26) 

Location: Birch Bay Village Inn Time: Lunch 11:30, $11 each. Lecture noon - 1:00 

Reservations required - call the ASC office 288-9500, or  email.


 
GoldLEAF-FeastThe Gold LEAF Institute
Last Meeting of the Year

Feast

The Gold LEAF Board of Directors switched venues for its last meeting of the year, and rather than meeting in a campus seminar room, a lunch meeting was held at The Chef's Table, the culinary "institute" of the local high school, Mt. Blue, in Franklin County. The student chefs prepared a very tasty meal which was followed by an even tastier dessert.

The meal and the festive table allowed for members to not even notice that they were at "another" meeting, but since they were, there were items to be reviewed and decided.  A recently established scholarship fund had its policies and practices defined, and a donation to the UMF Campus College Completion Fund was approved by those present.  

The board now has all but one Chair position filled, and the tasks of that vacancy, in the membership and promotion category, are largely taken care of by the new Board president and a team that he has assembled. At some point, there is hope that someone will come forward to cover even that last position.

The Board celebrated its year of "transition" during which a new office manager was sought, and found, and now the "senior college of the foothills" is over that patch of ups and downs.  According to one board member, service to the senior college is a piece of cake when there is a good group, willing to share the work, and enjoy one another while doing so.  Speaking of which, how about that cake!

Written by Eileen Kreutz,  The Gold LEAF Institute
LASC-WreathsL ewiston-Auburn Senior College and Wreaths Across America Day at Togus National Cemetery 
Evergreen Wreaths covering the veterans' graves at Togus National Cemetery.

The Outdoor Adventure Club at USM's Lewiston Auburn Senior College, led by co-chairs Patricia Vampatella and Cindy Boyd, participated in the National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, December 17, the day of the first big snowstorm Members joined close to 90 volunteers laying fresh evergreen wreaths with red bows on Veterans' graves at the Togus National Cemetery.
 
Kaye Bouchard, Wreaths Across America Togus Coordinator, spoke to the volunteers at the end of the day. "Thanks again for joining us today. The weather may have been rough, but the love and compassion you showed were strong! We placed close to 4,000 wreaths and every stone was proudly displaying a wreath when our day came to an end, thanks to all of you."

Grace Trainor (above) was chosen to represent several members of her family who served with the U.S. Merchant Marines in laying a Commemorative wreath at the noontime ceremony at the base of the flagpole.

The wreaths are provided by the Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington in Washington County. It is now in its 25th year of providing wreaths for Veteran servicemen and servicewomen's headstones at Arlington National Cemetery and more recently, with National Cemeteries across our nation.

Following the graveside distribution of the wreaths, the group gathered for the noontime Ceremony honoring the fallen Veterans held simultaneously across the country and synchronized with the Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Representatives from all branches of the U.S. Services laid commemorative wreaths at the base of the flagpole.
Photo:  Kaye Bouchard, Wreaths Across America Togus Coordinator; Adriann Tucker, Janet Stenberg, Cindy Boyd, Don Robitaille, YN2 U.S. Navy, Korea; Grace Trainor, Joanne Sabourin and Patricia Vampatella.

Senior College members were honored to participate in Wreaths Across America and found the experience moving and gratifying to be part of the nationwide event. It was their third time participating. It is now on their annual calendar.

Submitted by Rachel Morin,   Senior College at USM Lewiston-Auburn College

Photos by Pat Vampatella and Adriann Tucker.  Our thanks  for the group picture taken by a Togus employee.

LASC-PoetryUSM Lewiston Auburn Senior College
Poetry Class

USM Lewiston Auburn Senior College Poetry Class held a Poetry Reading at the end of the fall semester December 1 for family and friends. Students read two original poems from their collection of eight original poems written during their fall semester at the college. Light refreshments prepared by the class concluded the afternoon.


Photo of LASC Poets: Seated L to R, Harolyn Zaldumbide, Linda DeSantis, June Spear, Marguerite Stapleton, Bill Frayer, Instructor; Standing, L to R, Adria Hahnel, Carol Hanscombe, Anita Poulin, Nancy Orr, Teri Latlippe, Diane Clay, Chris Decker, Darlene Glover, Kathryn Tracy. Absent were Nancy Duplisea, Connie Lecompte and Brigitte Whiting. (Photo by Pixie Frayer)

Submitted by Rachel Morin,   Senior College at USM Lewiston-Auburn College

Acadia-Congrats
Congratulations to Acadia Senior College!



Photo by Ann Caswell: Gail Conrad, ASC board member; Andrea Leonard, CNB; Jim Clunan, ASC President Emeritus; Alyssa Watson, CNB



DanceLikeJane

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In This Issue
Don't forget to go to the Maine Senior College Network website to find out what is happening around the state!

Maine Senior College Network
Links

Acadia Senior College

Augusta Senior College
 
Coastal Senior College

Downeast Senior College

Gold LEAF Institute

South Coast Senior College

Midcoast Senior College

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Penobscot Valley Senior College

SAGE at UMPI

Senior College at Belfast


St. John Valley Senior College

Sunrise Senior College 
 
Western Mountains Senior College

York County Senior College
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