Maine Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum

Maria Holloway will be leading a tour to the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum on behalf of Western Mountains Senior College on Thursday, September 28 departing Bethel at 1pm. We will meet at 12:45 pm in the GEM Theater parking lot and depart at 1pm sharp. You may drive yourself or carpool with us. Please allow one hour to get there. The Museum is located in the lower level of The Silver Spur Dance Hall at 272 Lewiston St, Mechanic Falls, ME. The tour begins at 2pm.

For more details about the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame and to register for the tour click details and register here. The tour will begin at 2pm and will be followed by a live 30-minute musical presentation. We will plan to depart from the Museum at about 3:30 PM. The cost is $10 payable at the Museum. We ask that you register with Western Mountains Senior College and then pay the $10 admission directly at the Museum. For those interested, we may stop at Oxbow Brewing (Rt 26) on the way home for a pizza. Please pass along this info to any friends who may be interested.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Maria Holloway. I hope you can join us. It will be a fun adventure!

Maria Holloway
Maine Country Music Hall of Fame Museum Outreach Coordinator
603-553-1973

To Your Health to Present "Healthy Living for Brain and Body"

Tips from the latest research from the Alzheimer’s Association will be presented by Valerie Cole, SeniorsPlus Licensed Social Worker, on Thursday, October 5 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at the West Parish Congregational Church, 32 Church Street, Bethel. This program is sponsored by “To Your Health” of the Western Mountains Senior College and is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

For centuries, we have known that the health of the brain and body are connected. But now science can provide insights into how lifestyle choices may help keep the brain and body healthy as one ages. Cole, a resident of Greenwood and the Community Outreach Specialist for SeniorsPlus Oxford County, has been with the organization since 1999. She will discuss research in the areas of diet and nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity, and social engagement and will use hands-on tools to help incorporate these recommendations into a plan for healthy aging.

“To Your Health” is offered as a community service by Western Mountains Senior College serving the greater Bethel area with the collaboration of Bethel Family Health Center and School Administrative District 44/Continuing Education. The program is free and open to the public. Light refreshments available. For more information, call 207-522-4625.

Bethel area seniors in need of a ride may call Age Friendly Neighbor-to-Neighbor at 207-824-4444.

Pairs and Spares

Want to join us at Nonna's Kitchen in Gorham, NH, for dinner on Thursday, October 12?  We have reserved the back room from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.  If you want to be among the seating limit of 12 people, don't wait to reserve a spot with Kay Rector by phone or text, 207-824-3333, or e-mail, kaymail3333@gmail.com

Nonna's Kitchen Website:  https://www.nonnasgorham.com/

Want to Learn More about Green Burials?

Chuck Lakin, an experienced speaker on natural end-of-life alternative, will describe options for a "green burial", rethinking some of the assumptions about funerals. You and your family can save a considerable amount of damage to the environment and save money by opting for a green burial. Maine has very flexible laws with regard to burials. Unlike in some states, you do not need to be embalmed or cremated and embalming is not necessary to protect the public health. Come and hear Chuck and learn about how green burials can help our environment. Wednesday, October 4, 3:00 pm, West Parish Congregational Church.  Free and open to the public.

Annual Meeting and Potluck

Welcome to summer?  Oh well, it’s bound to get better.  And because that’s true, and because the outdoor Annual Meeting and Potluck was so well attended last year, we are going to do it again.

Annual Meeting and Potluck

August 12, 2023

1:00 PM to 5:00 PM

On Irene and Jack Kuchta’s lawn

2203 Main St., Hanover, ME

Bring an appetizer, entrée or dessert to share.  There will be water and lemonade but bring what you want to drink.  Hear about the courses available for the Fall and sign up to be sure you have a place.

More Thespians Needed for Senior College Players

Are you interested in theater?  Do you like to act?  We invite you to join the Senior College Players, a theater group of Western Mountains Senior College.  No experience is needed.  You carry your scripts on stage and memorizing is not needed.

We’re busy recruiting new members.  Join us and enjoy the fun of performing before friends and neighbors.  If you are interested in theater even if you don’t like to act, you can still join us as we will need helpers like stage-hands and props.

Players rehearse on Thursdays from 2pm to 4pm starting in mid-September (location to be announced) and performances are held the weekend before Thanksgiving.  

Plan to attend the WMSC Annual Meeting/Pot Luck on Saturday, August 12, from 1 pm to 5 pm at Jack Kuchta’s, under a tent. Players will be available to answer your questions.

Information is also available by contacting John Reilly, Facilitator, at:  jreilly@mit.edu

To Your Health Program on “A-Fib: Old Questions – New Answers”

Daniel van Buren, MD

Daniel van Buren, MD, Cardiologist, a popular speaker for To Your Health, returns during American Health Month to help educate the community about heart disease.  Since A-Fib has an increased incidence with aging and is a frequent diagnosis in every cardiology practice, he said he will focus on this topic.  The program, “A-Fib: Old Questions – New Answers,” will be held on Thursday, February 2, from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at the Congregational Church Hall, Bethel.  Snow date is February 9.  Admission is free and light refreshments available.

Dr. van Buren said, “A-Fib is the most commonly treated cardiac arrhythmia.  The frequency of A-Fib is estimated to affect over 4% of the population over the age of 60 and is associated with an increased annual risk of stroke to as much as 12%.”  He added that the risk of stroke can be greatly reduced if diagnosed early and treated appropriately.  He will discuss recent advances in the treatment of A-Fib and options for treatment as well as the new frontier of contemporary therapeutic options.   

Dr. van Buren is board certified in cardiology, internal medicine, adult echocardiography, nuclear cardiology and cardiovascular disease.  He is a Fellow in the American College of Cardiology (FACC).  He completed his internal medicine and cardiology training in Brooklyn, NY.  He is the Director of Cardiovascular Medicine at the New England Heart Institute at Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin, NH and resides in Bethel.

The program is sponsored as a community service by To Your Health of Western Mountains Senior College with the collaboration of Bethel Family Health Center and MSAD#44/Continuing Education.

Senior College Players on Stage This Weekend

"The Pie Ladies Make Bail” and other goodies will be on stage Friday, November 18 at 7 pm and Saturday, November 19 at 2 pm at the Gould Academy McLaughlin Auditorium.  Due to popular demand, the Players scheduled their first Matinee this year. 

Ray Leghart, facilitator, said the Players welcomed four newcomers this year. Gail Parent, Hanover, is one of “The Pie Ladies.”  Lainey Cross, Bethel, appears in "The Pie Ladies" but is also featured in one of the comedy plays, “Extra-Curricular Activity.”

The other two newcomers appear together in the play, “The Sweet By and By.”  It features Mary Hickey as Anne, from Rumford, and Lia Paliocha as Mary, from Newry.  Mary has lost a loved one, but through her faith she’s certain they’ll meet again.  Mary’s neighbor, Anne, is more concerned with how Mary managed to bury her husband in her backyard.  

Mary Hickey and Lia Paliocha.  Photo by Lainey Cross

Plan to attend and be prepared for lots of action and practical jokes in five comedies. Admission is free but donations are accepted to offset Royalty fees.  Masks are optional. 

Thanksgiving Fundraiser for the Bethel Food Pantry

Bethel Rotary and the GraceNote Inn & Spa are planning a fundraiser to benefit the Bethel Food Pantry. It's a Thanksgiving dinner (intentionally expensive) geared towards those who want an excellent Thanksgiving without doing all the work: visitors, those without family visiting, those with family visiting... All food and labor are being donated by Rotary and the GraceNote Inn so 100% of the ticket proceeds goes to the food pantry.

Seatings at 2 and 6 PM.

Adults $100. Children 12 and under $40.

100% of your ticket price goes to The Bethel Food Pantry, for western Maine residents in need.

To purchase tickets call the Inn at 207-530-4365

Online at https://tinyurl.com/bde597vv

And you don't have to be a Rotarian to help out! If you might be able to volunteer to help on Thanksgiving or before, contact Steve Smith (stsmith4041@gmail.com) and he can let you know the options for prep, serving or clean up. 

Senior Tax Stabilization Program

Have you heard about the newly announced tax stabilization program for eligible Maine senior homeowners? Applying for the program involves filling out a simple form due to your town offices by December 1. 

For full details go to https://www.maine.gov/revenue/taxes/tax-relief-credits-programs/property-tax-relief-programs/stabilization-program