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Welcome to Your November 2018 Newsletter!
Andrew Stevovich oil painting, Woman with Autumn Leaves, 1994
The picture above reflects how many of us feel after we have been raking up millions of leaves! I can promise you that this month's newsletter will help you adjust to the Fall temperatures with apples and music! My thanks to the Lewiston-Auburn Senior College for inviting me to join them in their lovely 20th Anniversary celebrations. And, a special thank you to Eileen Kreutz from the Gold LEAF Institute. Eileen is a regular newsletter subscriber who always manages to convey the joy of learning at her Senior College. This month Eileen has sent in an inspiring article titled "A Caravan of Caring."
Senior College Events
Senior College Reports
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 University of Southern Maine, Lewiston-Auburn Senior College Presents:
John Bunker: Apples are his passion!
Food for Thought Luncheon
Friday, November 9th
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John Bunker
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On November 9th, USM LAC Senior College welcomes John Bunker to its Food for Thought Luncheon. Apples are his passion. He grows them, writes about them, lectures about them and researches their history. He is also an apple detective, searching out varieties thought to be extinct yet still thriving in old farms and fields.
You may notice them only in Spring when a blush of rosy pink appears in an overgrown area as you are driving by. They are remnants of family orchards abandoned when many small Maine farms were abandoned in favor of factory jobs. At one time, over 20,000 varieties of apples were grown in America. Maine itself had 2-3,000 varieties. Each type had its special use: pies, applesauce, cider, eating. Fed to farm animals, preserved through the winter, apples provided fresh fruit to a family for most of the year.
Apples have a fascinating history. Originating in Kazakhstan, where there are forests of apple trees, traders on the famous Silk Road brought apples first to the Middle East, then to Europe. Fishermen brought barrels of apples on their voyages to Maine. Seeds they left behind flourished on islands in the Gulf of Maine. Apple trees were growing in Maine before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.
Newly graduated from Colby College, John purchased farm land in Palermo, Maine. Apple trees were already there waiting for him to take an interest. It has been a lifelong relationship. He began researching old apple varieties and travelled throughout Maine looking for long forgotten trees. The trees can live 200-300 years so his quest was not in vain.
Today he owns an apple research station, grows heirloom apples, and has helped establish an heirloom orchard at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association in Unity, home of the Common Ground Fair. It is currently home to 300 varieties of apple and pear trees.
oin us November 9th when he will share stories of his adventures in pursuit of heritage apples. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. and the program will begin at noon. Food for Thought Luncheons take place in Room 170 at USM's Lewiston Auburn Campus, 51 Westminster Street in Lewiston. The program is free. However, if you wish to have lunch, the cost is $8.00 and an advance reservation is required. Call 753-6510 before noon on Wednesday November 7th. Food may also be purchased at the campus cafeteria.
NOTE: There will be no Food for Thought Luncheon in December. It will resume on January 11th when forensic pathologist Fred Jordan will return with two stories of crime detection: The Case of the Missing Housewife and the Life and Death of a Maine Boy.
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Midcoast Senior College Presents:
The DaPonte String Quartet
Free & for the Public
Curtis Memorial Library, The Morrell Room
23, Pleasant Street, Brunswick
Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at 12:15.
Bartok the Refugee -
A Study of Bartok's Sixth Quartet
Béla Bartók wrote his last string quartet in 1939, while contemplating emigrating from Hungary-first to Switzerland, then to the Americas as a refugee. This music draws upon a venerable but widely misunderstood tradition of social protest, which resurfaces in the music of many other composers (notably Shostakovich). The DaPonte String Quartet traces its provenance from Mozart, through late Beethoven, to Bartók.
For more information contact:
Midcoast Senior College (207) 725-4900
29 Burbank Ave., Suite 6, Brunswick ME 04011
Download PDF Flyer
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University of Maine at Augusta Senior College Presents:
Concerts at Jewett
George Lopez, Classical Pianist,
UMA Jewett Auditorium,
Sunday, November 18, 2018, 2PM
The "Concerts at Jewett" Series sponsored by University of Maine at Augusta College of Arts and Sciences and UMA Senior College will feature George Lopez, classical pianist on Sunday, November 18, 2018, 2PM at UMA Jewett Auditorium. There will be a pre-concert talk at 1PM. (Snow date: December 2nd)
Tickets are $10, students $5, 12 & under free. Tickets are available at Dave's Appliance in Winthrop and at the door. Call 621-3551, or
email for more information or for mail order tickets. You can also visit the
Concerts at Jewett Website.
The next concert is Sunday, December 16, 2018, 2PM -Don Campbell Christmas (Snow date: December 23rd)
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The Gold LEAF Institute
A Caravan of Caring
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Kindness (detail), 1838, plaster, François Rude
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As the Summer term drew to a close in early October, a "Caravan of Caring" took off one morning from the United Way just north of Farmington. The "caravan" was a van load of Gold LEAF members willing to invest a full morning and early afternoon to learning about no fewer than a dozen local projects and campaigns designed to do good work in the area.
From
the "Underwearness" project, to the backpack project, to community dental, and lastly to the Homeless Shelter, the participants listened carefully and then were engaged in active questioning of the program designers and directors. Some knowledge was brand new, such as learning that donated backpacks were packed not just with paper and pencil, but also with a pair of underwear and a toothbrush, which for some children were their first-ever of such items.
Seniors Plus mentioned programs close to home, both geographically, but also in terms of the personal needs of our senior-college age participants. No doubt some will be signing up sooner rather than later. At the other end of the age spectrum, the group visited The Children's Task Force, learning much more than expected. The 1-2-3- Magic books and family-raising tips are taught there right downstairs from the oh-so-popular clothing pantry. The programs running out of that building are far too many to mention in this short article.
The same proved true of the visits to
SAPARS (Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services) on High Street and the Community Dental program. Both projects are indispensable and meet the needs of so many in the region.
Without a doubt the need that hit "home" very hard was the full accounting from the Homeless Shelter director. Over lunch there at the shelter, the group heard presentations about yet more projects, such as Seniors Plus, who provided the meal, and Catholic Charities Support Service.
More importantly, however, the contagious urge to do a bit of "caring" took over the lunch conversations. Before departing to the vans for the ride back to the start point, the group had implemented a plan by which donations of objects needed at the shelter could be requested as contributions at the upcoming Fall Term Kick-off and delivered to the shelter afterward.
And so, in conclusion, not every Kick-off event sees senior college members walking in with armloads of laundry and dish soap, cleaning supplies, and paper products, but this Kick-off was seen to do just that. Good planning and good work to the "Caravan of Carers". And our compliments indeed to the minuscule but mighty staff at the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area.
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University of Southern Maine, Lewiston-Auburn Senior College
USM Lewiston Auburn Senior College celebra
tes their 20th Anniversary year.
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One of the day's highlights was the introduction of the Korean Spirit and Cultural Promotion Project (KSCPP)
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It was a happy occasion September 27 when members of USM Lewiston Auburn Senior College gathered to celebrate their 20th Anniversary year.
Brian Toy, Interim Dean at USM Lewiston Auburn College, welcomed and congratulated the group on its excellent history at the college and active participation at the college. Presenters following were Anne Cardale of USM, Portland, Program Director of the Maine Senior College Network, and Lucy Bisson, Chair of Sr. College Board of Directors.
Judy Hierstein, Board member, prepared a continuous slideshow featuring memorable photos gleaned from albums of senior college members over past years depicting classes, awards, events, instructors and students. This was a special part of the celebration which led to much reminiscing among the attendees.
Another highlight of the afternoon was the introduction of the
Korean Spirit and Cultural Promotion Project (KSCPP) represented by four young Korean women garbed in their native dress who presented a narrated video about King Sejong the Great The Everlasting Light of Korea followed by serving delicacies from their Korean cuisine.
KSCPP is a nonprofit organization founded in 2005 and is dedicated to the promotion of greater awareness and understanding of Korean history and culture.
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Midcoast Senior College Present:
Winter Wisdom 2019
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| Snow Scene by Edmund Tarbell, c. 1905 |
Free & Open To The Public!
Curtis Memorial Library & UUC Brunswick
Wednesdays, 12:15 - 1:45 pm
Sponsored by The Highlands
30 Governor's Way, Topsham, ME
January 9: Johannes Brahms, "The Young Eagle"* Mr. George Lopez is the Beckwith Artist-in-Residence at Bowdoin College and a familiar performer/lecturer in the Bath/Brunswick Community. He has received local and international acclaim for his artistry at the piano as well as his insight and depth of context for the works of many composers. He will perform excerpts by Brahms and discuss the conflicted relationship between the composer and his contemporary, Robert Schumann. Mr. Lopez is a graduate of the Hartt School of Music and received his Master's Degree from the Sweelinck Conservatory, Amsterdam.
*At Unitarian Universalist Church, 1 Middle St., Brunswick, across from Curtis Memorial Library.
January 16: Action Plan for Terrorism
What can we do to protect ourselves from terrorism? This is a relevant question given the intelligence community assessment of future attacks against the U.S. and its citizens. This talk will explore six actions that could assist our country, region, and community in dealing with this threat. Francis Dillon, Brig. Gen., USAF (Ret.), received a B.S. in Business from University of CT, and a Master's Degree in Political Science from Troy State University. In 1993 he completed a 30-yr. career in the U.S. Air Force, serving with AF Office of Special Investigations. He assumed command of that office in 1988 and served in that capacity until retirement.
January 23: The Uncertain State of U.S./Cuba Relations
President Trump's decision to discontinue normalizing relations with Cuba has called into question the short- and long-term future of relations between the long-time foes. Are we returning to the hostility of the Cold War years or did Obama's opening progress to such an extent that a return to a more confrontational policy is unlikely? This talk will explore the factors that contributed to Obama and Raul Castro's decision to normalize relations, the Trump administration's apparent about-face and the prospect for future relations. Allen Wells is Emeritus Professor of History at Bowdoin College. He received his B.A. degree in History and Latin American studies from SUNY, Binghampton, and his Ph.D. from Stony Brook University. In addition to his teaching career, he has pursued research interests in modern Mexico, the history of commodities, and U.S./Latin America relations.
January 30: A Changing Casco Bay: An Update on the Health of our Coastal Waters
Friends of Casco Bay in South Portland works year-round to improve and protect the health of Casco Bay. As Casco Baykeeper,
Ivy Frignoca is the lead advocate of this effort. Her talk will provide an overview of current efforts to reduce pollution entering the Bay, address climate change and ocean acidification, and suggest measures to help the Bay adapt to changing conditions. She is a graduate of the University of Vermont, and received her JD degree from University of Maine. Prior to her work with Friends of Casco Bay, she served as an advocate for Vermont's public lands and Lake Champlain, and most recently as a Senior Attorney with Conservation Law Foundation.
February 6: Greece Before the Odyssey: Myth and Realities
In Book 3 of the Odyssey, Homer describes the royal palace of King Nestor at Pylos, in southwestern Greece. This talk will explore the Bronze Age reality behind that epic vision - the earliest Greek history we possess - from the discovery of Nestor's palace in 1939, to current excavations in Iklaina, one of the towns in his kingdom. Cynthia W. Shelmerdine is Robert M. Armstrong Centennial Professor of Classics, emerita at the University of Texas at Austin, and a Research Associate in Classics at Bowdoin College. Her main research focuses on Aegean Bronze Age archaeology, and the language, history and society of Mycenaean Greece. She was educated at Bryn Mawr College, Cambridge University and Harvard University (Ph.D. 1977).
February 13: Twice A Day Island: The Peterson Canal at New Meadows
Sometimes referred to as the "canal to nowhere," this project was constructed by hand in the 1790's with the expressed purpose of connecting the New Meadows River with Merrymeeting Bay. Its purpose was to allow the transport of logs cut along the Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers to sawmills on the New Meadows River. This talk will review the origins and history of this project and the people who built it. Brenda Cummings is a native of Phippsburg, studied philosophy and history at Antioch College, is a Certified Maine Assessor, and is City Assessor of Bath. Timothy Richter is a native of Bath and received his B.S. in Education/History from UMF. Both serve on boards of Phippsburg Land Trust and Bath Historical Society and lead the annual Peterson Canal walk.
February 20: Longfellow Days
February 27: Snow Make-up Day
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USM Portland Campus presents:
A poetry reading by Department of English's newest faculty member, Dr. Michelle Menting.
Thursday, November 15 at 4:30 pm in 41 Payson Smith, Portland.
Dr. Menting will be reading from her latest book, Leaves Surface Like Skin. She is also the author of the chapbooks Myth of Solitude (2013) and Residence Time (2016). She is poetry & nonfiction editor of Split Rock Review and the co-editor of the forthcoming Waters Deep: A Great Lakes Poetry Anthology. Her writing has appeared in Verse Daily, DIAGRAM, American Life in Poetry, Midwestern Gothic, and other places. She is the recipient of awards and residencies from Sewanee and Bread Loaf writers' conferences, Crosshatch and Hewnoaks artist colonies, and the National Park Service Artist-in-Residence program. Her creative work often focuses on bioregionalism, the dangers of nostalgia, and the mutability of memory. She is currently at work on her next poetry collection, as well as a collection of flash nonfiction.
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University of Southern Maine Aging Initiative
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The MSCN newsletter is sent to each Senior College board. The boards then forward the newsletter to their membership. However, if you are not a member of a Senior College or perhaps you are, and you simply want the news "hot off the press"
subscribe here!
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Newsletter Submissions Deadline Date:
The 26th of each month!
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Images Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
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Maine Senior Guide is a comprehensive web resource about all things senior that provides "one stop shopping" for Maine's seniors at the link below:
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Contact Information
Maine Senior College Network
P.O. Box 9300
Portland, Maine 04104-9300
(207) 228-4128
Email:
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