From the Brown Bag Lunch Discussion on Civil Discourse

by Brendon Bass

Following our country's long and contentious campaign season, November 16th's Brown Bag Lunch discussion focused on civil discourse. The 14 participants shared constructive and creative responses they'd heard or thought over the previous week, noted local community-building opportunities, and shared ideas on what steps could be taken next. They also contributed to a list of online resources to be shared via email. If you missed the program but would like to receive or contribute to this list, please contact Nancy Davis (nancydavis.bethel@gmail.com or 381-1110). Let her know, also, if you have ideas for related Brown Bag Lunch discussions.

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

Senior College Players Celebrate 10th Anniversary This Weekend

by Rosabelle Tifft

Ross Timberlake, well-known for his acting and playwriting, wrote and is directing a play in a unique format to highlight and celebrate the tenth anniversary of the players. Jack Kuchta assists as facilitator. The play, “Thank You and Good Night,” introduces you to the Senior College Players as they've never been seen before.

Ross said, “Over the past ten years we’ve appeared as various characters in plays, but we’ve never played ourselves. We not only face the challenge of playing ourselves, but we face another challenge as we get into character in a number of “skits.” These skits, or vignettes, taken from a number of favorite plays, are interwoven throughout the play.

Here are the remaining skits not previously mentioned in previous posts:

“Cornbread and Beans” finds Tineke Ouwinga and Norman Milliard as two very different persons on a blind date.

Tineke Ouwinga & Norman Milliard  photo Bob McCartney

Two ditsy women, played by Carole Timberlake and Tineke Ouwinga, hold up a bank so they can get a date with the bank manager, played by Tim LeConey, in “Creative Dating.” Caught in the confusion are bank teller, Pat McCartney, and customers Mark Antell, Barb Dion and Arita Zitoli.

Carole Timberlake, Tim LeConey,  Tineke Ouwinga in front;  Mark Antell,  Pat McCartney in back.  photo Bob McCartney

“The Trial of Goldilocks” presents a different twist to this traditional story and features Norman Milliard as Goldilocks who steals the show from Mama Bear, Carole Timberlake; Papa Bear, Jack Kuchta; and Baby Bear, Arita Zioli. Tineke Ouwinga plays the narrator.
 

Carole Timberlake, Arita Zitoli, Jack Kuchta, Tineke Ouwinga and Norman Milliard.  photo Bob McCartney

In the closing scene, the entire cast members are still debating TV live screening versus radio and arrive at an unexpected conclusion.

First row from left:  Carol Timberlake, Jim McLean, Rosabelle Tifft and Tineke Ouwinga.

Standing (from left)  Arita Zitoli, Jack Kuchta, Norman Milliard, Roberta Taylor, Mark Antell, Tim LeConey, Carol Campbell, Pat McCartney, Ross Timberlake, Lorrie Hoeh and Barb Dion.  photo Bob McCartney

Don’t miss the performance, which will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19, at the Gould Academy McLaughlin Auditorium beginning at 7 pm.

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

Senior College Players Present Unique Anniversary Play

by Rosabelle Tifft 

Be ready for some surprises as the Senior College Players present their 10th Anniversary play, written and directed by Ross Timberlake, on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 18 and 19, at the McLaughlin Auditorium beginning at 7 pm.

You’ll see all cast members participating as their Radio Theater (WMSC) is given the mandate to become a live TV show and the Readers will have to act. Then the fun begins. Narrators, soon to be TV anchors, Jim McLean and Rosabelle Tifft, announce vignettes in the midst of humorous banter as cast members slip in, and possibly out of character.

Rosabelle Tifft and Jim Mclean. photo Bob McCartney

Here are a few of the vignettes you’ll see:

• “What’s on TV” finds narrator Jim McLean challenged by the TV remote, and changing channels to the delight of the audience as Roberta Taylor, Arita Zitolli, Barb Dion and Rosabelle Tifft turn their commentary into a hilarious show.
  
  

  

  Roberta Taylor, Arita Zitolli, Barb Dion and Rosabelle Tifft. photo Bob McCartney

  
  
  

• “A  Little Something for the Ducks” features Mark Antell as a depressed elderly gentleman who thinks he has nothing to live for. A caring elderly woman, played by Lorrie Hoeh, offers hope that better days are coming.
  
  

  

  Lorrie Hoeh and Mark Antell.   photo Bob McCartney

   

• “The Challenge of Bureaucracy” shows a frustrated elderly woman, played by Rosabelle Tifft, dealing with three government officials over her lost Social Security check. Officials are played by Pat McCartney, Barb Dion and Mark Antell.
  
  

  

  Mark Antell, Pat McCartney, Barb Dion and Rosabelle Tifft.   photo Bob McCartney
  

Be sure to watch next week’s blog for more details on this special Anniversary Play.

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

A Follow-up to the Brown Bag Lunch Discussion on Clean Elections

by Nancy Davis

The recent Brown Bag Lunch discussion centered around public financing of election campaigns, a.k.a “clean elections.” After much thoughtful discussion of the topic, facilitator Brendon Bass introduced an equally compelling discussion on the topic of rank choice voting, which is referendum question # 5 on November 8. Brendon has suggested the following internet links on these 2 topics: Ranked Choice Voting: www.fairvote.org; Maine Citizens for Clean Elections (MCCE): www.mainecleanelections.org.

If you’d like to dig deeper on this critical election, you may read unbiased information on many national and state candidates by consulting Project Vote Smart (www.votesmart.org). In addition to critical presidential and legislative decisions, there are some important referendum questions on the ballot. For more on these six issues: http://www.state.me.us/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/citizensguide2016.pdf.

Participants in the Brown Bag Lunch were inspired to continue the discussion. Whether or not that happens, the next Brown Bag discussion will be on Wednesday, November 16, on the topic of “American Political Society.” What hope is there for our American society? How can we be agents of change in the civil discourse that surrounds our political environment? The discussion will be strictly non-partisan and will reference the frustration many of us feel at the tenor of dialogue and resulting dysfunction of our political system. But only briefly, as the main focus will be on moving into positive action each of us can take. More information to follow. As always, please contact Nancy Davis if you plan to attend (now is not too early), so we have enough seating (nancydavis.bethel@gmail.com; 381-1110). Please remember to RSVP; it is very helpful to us!

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

Dementia Conversations: Breaking the Ice with Empathy and Finesse

by Mary Haberman
 

On October 7, 2016, Western Mountains Senior College’s To Your Health offered the third in its series on dementia.  Open to the public and held at the West Parish Congregational Church, the program’s presenter was Mark Pechenik, Director of Community Outreach and Engagement for the Maine Alzheimer’s Association.

Sensitive Issues addressed:

1. When is it time to stop driving? (Everyone’s fear)
2. The need to see a physician for a firm diagnosis.
3. Reviewing and perhaps relinquishing control of financial and legal matters.

Strategies and Approaches:

Pechenik focused his presentation on methods used to overcome the most common hurdles faced by caregivers.  He prefaced these suggestions with the caution that, first and foremost, planning - detailed planning - should be worked on sooner rather than later.  “Don’t wait for a crisis. Have the conversation early and involve family whenever possible.  Be specific, honest, and patient.”

Listen closely and respond:

Remember that loss of independence, isolation, and not wanting to burden family are early-stage worries.  Appeal to the patient’s sense of responsibility to family and community when suggesting the need for often drastic changes.

Don’t become an adversary.  Go with the flow.  Keep notes and be specific. Reach out to family, friends, community and utilize the many dementia-related resources available.

Pechenik ended his presentation with a description of many initiatives taking place in Maine, and his Association’s hope for a cure by 2025.  He added that Alzheimer's and all dementias must be “brought out of the shadows.”

The Western Mountain Senior College To Your Health presentations are a community service offered in collaboration with the Bethel Family Health Center, MSAD#44/Continuing Education and the Maine Alzheimer’s Association.

Sandra Seaver, Carlie Casey, Charleen Chase, Mark Pechenik, speaker, Carol Bailey, Andrea Bennett.  photo: Judy Whitman

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

From Dump to High Tech - a Tour of the Lewiston Recycling Facility

A group from Western Mountains Senior College - Peter Gartner, Mary-Ellen Gartner, Jim Rector, Kay Larson, RoseMary McLean and Jim McLean - toured the Lewiston Recycling Facility on September 19. It was an informative, interesting trip -- the facility can process 22 tons of waste per hour. For those who could not make the trip because of the date change, stay tuned.  There may be a repeat open house in the near future.

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

Be a friendly persuader...

by Eunice Ruby

Do you have a friend who doesn't know about our very own Western Mountains Senior College--or needs a gentle push to take a course?  Talk to them!  Share their email and mailing addresses with us so we make sure they have the new brochure!  Bring them to one of your classes as a guest.  Encourage them to take a one-day class such as Isn't It Just a Dirty Old Mill Town? (a walking tour of  Rumford) or Medical Grand Rounds.  

Some courses are still open:  Drawing and Painting, Senior College Players, Making Your Personality Work For You, Digital Devices Part 2 and Creative Writing.  

(Guests are welcome at extended classes.  Just alert Irene Kuchta at 201-788-8817 or ikuchta@ramapo.edu).

Thank you!  We look forward to making new friends!

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

 

Photos from the Ancestral Androscoggin Esker Field Trip

Who knew that visiting local gravel pits could be so interesting? 25,000 years ago, when the glacier covered where we live, melt-water flowed into crevasses and created a raging river flowing through a tunnel in the ice. The tunnel was partially filled with rock debris that washed in, and the river tumbled it along, turning it into sand and gravel. When the glacier retreated the sand and gravel were left behind, forming an esker. Here are a few photos from Saturday's field trip along the Ancestral Androscoggin Esker with Bob Elliott.

The group. We began the trip on Route 5 along the Ellis River north of Rumford Point, about a mile north of Route 2. You can see the mix of sand and rock in the background, just as it was left behind by the glacier, then exposed by excavations to build roads and bridges, etc. Photo: Wendy Hutchins.

Layering in rings of the sand that filled the depression where an ice block melted, creating a kettle on the east edge of the esker. Because of the excavation, we now see the kettle-fill in cross-section.
Photo: Pat Stewart.

Little Davis Pond, a kettle pond across Route 5 from the gravel pit. Kettles formed where partially buried ice blocks melted to form a depression in the outwash. Kettles are more often found on the west side of glacial valleys than on the east side. The ice on the east melts faster because that side of the valley gets more of the sun’s heat during the day. Photo: Pat Stewart.

Going into the woods at the base of the esker to at least look up at it, about .4 mile north of Route 2. Photo: Pat Stewart.

Just off Route 232 at the south end of Milton Village, Bob showed us an unusual example of a section of the esker that contains a lot of finer sand. He explained how there were hurricane-force winds blowing off the glacier toward the oceans and the Great Plains, picking up and depositing the finer particles. Some of those finer particles ended up in the melt-water and thus in the esker. Photo: Pat Stewart.

Along the Whale's Back on Route 232 in Woodstock. Just right of center in the distance is the farm across the valley, at the top of the first hill along the Gore Rd., headed toward Locke Mills. Below that in the bottom of the pit is the bucket loader used to work the gravel pit. Photo: Wendy Hutchins.

A closer view showing the excavator and sorter in the Whale's Back gravel pit. Notice the pile of fine sand in front of the sorter. This is the sand that your town will use for treating roads next winter!  
Photo: Wendy Hutchins.

Last stop of the trip. Descending into “The Amphitheater” in Bryant Pond, a perfectly round kettle. Back in the early 1900s it was equipped with benches and a stage for high school graduations and concerts, etc. Photo: Pat Stewart.
 

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

Remembering Ruth Barrett

by Barbra Barrett

Our dear friend, Ruth Barrett passed away peacefully on Monday, August 15. Ruth moved to Bethel in 2003 from New London, NH to be close to her family. Her life was enriched by the circle of friends that she made through the Western Mountains Senior College, her memoirs group and her bridge group.

Her family is planning a memorial service for Saturday, August 27th at 1:00 pm at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel. Because of Ruth's love of gardening and flowers, the family requests that Ruth's friends each bring a few blossoms from your gardens or from the wildlands nearby to fill the vases in the sanctuary. Ruth would love the wild and spontaneous bouquet this will create. After the service the family invites you to attend a gathering of friends and family at the Mill Hill Inn to celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers, they have requested that donations be made to Western Mountains Senior College in her memory. If you have any questions you may contact Ruth's daughter-in-law Barbra Barrett (barbrabarrett@icloud.com).

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

Move It or Lose It

by Marvin Ouwinga

On April 7 between 4:30 and 6:30 at the Congregational Church in Bethel about 30 participants enjoyed a wonderful, fully involved, series of health inducing exercise sessions led by three experienced local fitness trainers. This session was introduced by Dr. Catherine Chamberlin of the Bethel Family Health Center and sponsored by the Western Mountains Senior College. Dr. Chamberlin first introduced Betsey Foster who holds weekly classes in Tai Chi and Qigong at the Ripley Building of Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway. Betsey explained how the ancient arts of Tai Chi and Qigong stimulate the internal organs and help deal with chronic conditions such as arthritis and COPD.      

Next Patti Truman, a Zumba instructor and personal trainer, rolled away the rugs and led us in a fast paced Zumba dance workout. This was an excellent aerobic exercise. Patti has a studio called Leapz and Beatz at 208 Grover Hill Road in Bethel where she holds classes during the week. She is an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer. Call her at 824-3259 or use the Leapz and Beatz Facebook page to make an appointment.

After all that exercise Karen Swanson, a yoga teacher with 20 years experience, showed us how to relax with slow movements and deep breathing. She set a warm, comfortable tone with music and gentle instructions. Karen offers classes and private sessions at her home studio and in the Methodist Church annex on Main St. in Bethel.

Tai Chi with Betsey Foster

Chair Yoga with Karen Swanson

Zumba with Patti Truman

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

Dr. Daniel van Buren Speaks on Atrial Fibrillation

Last Thursday, February 4, Dr. Daniel van Buren spoke at a To Your Health presentation on Atrial Fibrillation (AF). AF is an abnormal heart rhythm affecting 33.5 million adults in the U.S., with 5 million new cases each year. Seven percent of everyone over the age of 65 is affected.  AF is responsible for 15% of all strokes.

Individuals with AF have a problem with the heart's electrical system. Very simply, disorganized electrical activity in the upper chambers causes the lower chambers to beat erratically. Blood is not pumped properly, which results in the formation of clots, hence the greatly increased risk of stroke.

Symptoms of AF include palpitations, shortness of breath, racing heart, general malaise and fatigue. Some experience no symptoms at all. AF is diagnosed with an EKG. Dr. van Buren described the EKG as showing a heartbeat that is “irregularly irregular.”

Because of the increased risk of stroke, medication that inhibits clot formation is usually prescribed. Traditionally that drug has been warfarin. But warfarin requires a great deal of tweaking and monitoring, which has led to under treatment. Newer drugs are now available that have proven to be at least as effective as warfarin, at least as safe, and do not require constant monitoring. The downside with any blood thinner is the risk of bleeding, but in the case of preventing stroke the benefits outweigh the risks.

An interesting new development is the Watchman Device. Most clots form in the left atrial appendage. The Watchman Device is inserted over the opening to the appendage to prevent blood from entering and clots from forming.

Jackie Cressy, Jan Stowell, Dr. van Buren and Rosabelle Tifft.

The thirty-five people in attendance asked many questions, which Dr. van Buren graciously answered.

The next To Your Health presentation, “Is Your Tummy Talking to You?” will be held on Thursday, March 3 from 4:30 – 6:00 at the West Parish Congregational Church.  It is free and open to the public.

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college

Fun for All at “Replaying the 60's”

Last Tuesday's Brown Bag Lunch, “Replaying the 60's,” was a fun-filled social event. Three teams of three players answered a variety of questions posed by Carlie Casey from the 60's edition of Trivial Pursuit. (A sample: What popular comedy hour was canceled by CBS in 1969?) Charlie Raymond put together a slide show of iconic photos from the 60's. Here's one:  What specific event does this political cartoon refer to?

Kathleen DeVore challenged the teams to a game of “Name That Tune.” Nancy Davis was scorekeeper. We ended the afternoon with a rousing rendition of “Twist and Shout.”

Stay tuned – plans are in the works for a possible multi-session course on the 60's in the not too distant future. The next Brown Bag Lunch discussion, “Ideas from the Age-Friendly Community,” is on Thursday, February 25 at 12:15 in the Bethel Inn Library. RSVP to Nancy Davis by Feb. 22; she really needs to know numbers for setting up the room (nancydavis.bethel@gmail.com, 207-381-1110).

For more information about Western Mountains Senior College visit our website at http://sad44.maineadulted.org/western_mountains_senior_college