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Welcome to Your July Newsletter!
 Ah, the strawberries...summer is finally here, along with a timely article below on Katherine Musgrave's wonderful nutrition classes. I think her name was mentioned to me (as an example of a great teacher) in the first meeting we had when Penobscot Valley Senior College was just an idea. Another "blast from the past" is the GoldLEAF "Our Town" series -- also described below -- which was one of the first great course ideas we learned about at a statewide videoconference. But brand new is Maine Seniors Day that was just signed into law. September 14th every year is our day!
Sincerely,
Kali Lightfoot
Executive Director
Maine Senior College Network
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MSCN Named "Best in Maine"
The Maine Senior College Network was named "Best in Maine for Senior Education" in Downeast Magazine's Reader's Choice Poll for 2013! The MSCN staff accept the award at a winner's reception hosted by Downeast Magazine. The Reader's Choice Poll will be featured in the July issue of Downeast Magazine which is scheduled to hit news stands any minute! We want to say thank you to all the staff, volunteers and members of Maine Senior College for making our network worthy of such an honor!
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2014 Poet Laureate Contest
Who Will Be MSCN's Next
Poet Laureate?
Do you write poetry or would you like to give it a try? Are you a member of a Maine Senior College? If so, you could become the next MSCN Poet Laureate! It's easy to enter -- simply email a poem you have written to Fran Myers at the MSCN office. Or mail a printout of your poem to: Fran Myers Maine Senior College Network University of Southern Maine P.O. Box 9300 Portland, ME 04104 Be sure to include:
1. Your name
2. Address
3. Telephone number
4. Email address
5 Name of you senior college
Each Maine Senior College member may enter one poem. The poem must be previously unpublished with the exception of having been published in the MSCN e-newsletter. The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2013. The winning poem will be published in the MSCN e-newsletter, and the new MSCN Poet Laureate will receive an Amazon Kindle e-book reader. We're looking forward to reading poetry from members across the state!
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Nonagenarian still loves to teach
At the age of 93, Katherine Musgrave admits to a passion for teaching. "I just love teaching," she said. "I love running into a brand-new classroom and seeing those minds that are so fertile, so full of potential. Think of the power that is in there - I can't imagine any other life."
Katherine has been teaching off and on since she became a registered dietitian in 1942. She taught at the University of Maine and worked in the offices of three local physicians. Over the years she has given several classes on nutrition at Penobscot Valley Senior College and her students love her. Her students commented "Katherine Musgrave is a remarkable instructor with an enormous knowledge about nutrition. ... Katherine Musgrave is a treasure. Her class is wonderful - informative and delightful. ... This food class was excellent!"
Asked the inevitable question about the secret of her productive longevity, Katherine said she believes she couldn't have survived her most recent bout of cancer if she hadn't been eating three nutritious meals a day (lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grains) and exercising. "I just like to move," she said. She also enjoys laughing together with her Senior College colleagues.
-submitted by Helen Genco for Penobscot Valley Senior College
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Bridging the Generations - A Public CelebrationThe Western Mountains Senior College celebrated its tenth anniversary this year. We received a Chamber of Commerce commemoration last spring, the member dinner in September was a huge success, and we were trying out options for the public celebration we had targeted for this spring. Our ho-hum ideas finally coalesced into a very exciting project. " Bridging the Generations - or What do your grandparents do all day" was held on May 2 in the community's high school cafeteria. The concept for this community event derived from two projects, both successful collaborations for the past several years. For the third annual combined art project, our students and the advanced middle school art class exchanged beginning art pieces and finished each other's illustrations. This summer the middle school garden project will, for the fourth year, benefit from a highly organized summer program of WMSC "Garden Masters" and local businesses.  | |
The audience gathered for a musical performance by a small community band of players from the middle school to local WMSC member. (photo by Melissa Prescott)
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We had also, in recent months, made good progress in working with the local Senior Citizens group. And finally, several youth organizations in the area had identified working with seniors as an annual goal. Combining all these preliminary initiatives, we formed a planning committee headed by a WMSC team and expanded to involve a wide variety of local organizations. Throughout the early spring, seniors from both WMSC and the Senior Citizens group met with middle school classes on collaborative projects in art, music, creative writing, drama, community needs, and cooking, all of which were exhibited or presented at the May 2nd event. -submitted by Nancy Davis for Western Maine Senior College
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"Our Town" Series held at
GoldLEAF
The Our Town Series was the brainchild of long-time GoldLEAF Institute member, Belle Foss, who started it in order to learn more about other towns in the Farmington area. Through GoldLEAF, she was able to develop the series and have company along the way. And she expressed her appreciation of all the work done by the historical society members to make these experiences so successful. Because of the series, GoldLEAF members have had the opportunity to visit towns including Temple, Wilton, and Farmington.
This time, the town was New Sharon. On a hot, late spring day, about a dozen members of GoldLEAF Institute converged on the New Sharon Historical Society building, where they were greeted by Jeff Brown and other members of the New Sharon Historical Society.
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The New Sharon Historical Society Building which is chock full of period items from quilts and tools to a small organ
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Once inside the small building, the GoldLEAFers were given a multipage handout with information on all the places that would be visited that day, and then a verbal synopsis of the town history, from its incorporation in 1794 to present time. Read more about the GoldLEAF exertion to New Sharon.
-submitted by Colleen Serrada for GoldLEAF
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The Poet's Corner
LIFE CLASS
Twice a week I sketch
The skinny woman named Jenny
A muscular male dancer, the handsome young janitor
and voluptuous Mrs. George
They pose with grace and balance
Energy and movement
No concern for how they look
Five minutes sketches, then ten
Then one hour detailed drawing
Pencil, charcoal, dry brush swirling
Nudes dance on my papers
At the break
Cigarette dangles from Jenny's bored lips
Mrs. George the sculptor
Moves gracefully among us
Sees where we went wrong.
Critiques us, she
Knows the body where it flows.
When beautiful young women take their place
Poses stiff, no energy, no grace
Still untouched by life's kick-ass blows
We don't know what's wrong
'Til Jenny and Mrs. George come back
Robes open, boobs hanging.
- by Ruth Bookey, Augusta Senior College
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Maine Seniors Day Signed into Law
Annual September Event will Raise Awareness and Celebrate Older Residents
Maine Seniors Magazine, AARP Maine and many other organizations throughout the state are announcing today the first annual Maine Seniors Day. The Act to Establish Maine Seniors Day was sponsored by Representative Richard Campbell (R-Orrington) and signed into law by Governor Paul LePage on May 24th. The Act designates the second Saturday of every September a special day inviting Maine people, businesses and organizations to show their appreciation for Maine's seniors. The first annual Maine Seniors Day will take place this year on Saturday, September 14, 2013.
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Notes From Here and There . . .
Senior Expo in July in Kennebunk - The Maine Senior Guide will be hosting a senior expo at the Kennebunk Elementary School on July 24th from 10 AM - 3 PM. The MSCN office will have a booth - please stop by and say hello!
Human Values in Aging - The "Human Values in Aging" newsletter (edited by H.R. Moody) covers
positive aging, the humanities, spirituality, the arts and creativity in later life. For a sample issue or a no-cost subscription, send a message to:
valuesinaging@yahoo.com
AARP Maine Resources Available -Looking for knowledgeable speakers for courses, AARP Maine offers presentations on Social Security, Medicare, State Legislative Issues, Fraud Prevention, and Driver Safety? AARP Maine can also provide resources and research on these and other topics through AARP's Public Policy Institute with Maine-specific data. Email me@aarp.org or call toll free: 1-866-554-5380 to request a speaker or additional information.
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Like MSCN on Facebook
 Now you can "like" Maine Senior College Network on Facebook. We've created an MSCN page on Facebook, so please visit it to share experiences, ideas, photos, and information about upcoming Maine Senior College happenings. We'll also post links to articles about lifelong learning and other topics relevant to senior college members. |
Photo of Fourth of July cake courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Photo of girl eating peach by Bruce Tuten from Savannah, Georgia, United States courtesy Wikimedia Commons
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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 |
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The Maine Senior College Network Display Boards are available to any senior college that would like to borrow them. For more information, check out the link below.
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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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About Us
Maine Senior College Network
P.O. Box 9300
Portland, Maine 04104-9300
(207)228-8256
(207)780-4317 (fax)
Kali Lightfoot
Executive Director
Anne Cardale
Director of Communication
Director of Conferences
fmyers@usm.maine.edu
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