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Welcome to Your July Newsletter!
It's definitely summer in Maine - it took it's time getting here but it's been pretty spectacular so far!! The Maine Senior Colleges are still going strong through the summer months and are planning very interesting fall programs. We have news from Lewiston-Auburn, St. John Valley, Sunrise, Coastal, Gold LEAF and Augusta. Annual meetings are happening across the state. Fun field trips to museums, adventures through kayaking and a photo contest are keeping senior college members busy! The staff from the Maine Senior College Network Office wish you all a happy and safe 4th of July!
Sincerely,
Kali Lightfoot
Executive Director
Maine Senior College Network
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L-A June Excursion Trip to the Colby Museum of Art
 Rachel Morin and Cindy Boyd led the Lewiston-Auburn Senior College members on a June excursion trip to the Colby Museum of Art in Waterville. The museum has acquired a superb private collection donated by Peter and Paula Lunder of Waterville, totaling over 500 pieces. In order to house this collection, the museum undertook extensive renovations and also built on an addition making it the largest museum in the State of Maine! Judging from the responses received everyone was impressed with the museum and felt it was a cultural gem for the State of Maine and our vacationing visitors.
submitted by - Rachel Morin, Lewiston-Auburn
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Valley Seniors Enjoy Kayaking Class on Eagle Lake
On Wednesday, June 11, nine senior citizens accompanied by two instructors took part in a beautiful afternoon of kayaking and socializing as part of a class the St. John Valley Senior College offers. Ron Guy, a member of the board of directors for the college, made note of the sunny skies and still water as the group gathered at the boat landing area next to the Eagle Lake beach, "The weather Gods are with us," he said. Before the real fun could commence, Guy instructed the group on issues of safety, such as what to do in the unlikely event they encounter rapids. One woman made a joke which was met with appreciative laughter from the others in the group. "Do you have a tow rope?" she asked. 
Fun in the Sun - Students enrolled in a kayaking class offered by the St. John Valley Senior College enjoyed a day of sun and still waters out on Eagle Lake on Wednesday, June 11. - Photo by Jessica Potila
Lifelong friends Gertrude Albert and Pat Michaud participated in the expedition and have canoed together since they were kids growing up two houses from one another, they said. Albert took advantage of small waves which gently rocked her kayak from a speedboat passing in the distance. "This is nice. It's like a duck floating in the water," she said. The St. John Valley Senior College is one of approximately a dozen such institutions in Maine, and offers 10-20 classes each term, according to Bill Loder, vice chair of the board of directors. The college runs on a two-term schedule, Fall-Winter and Spring-Summer. "We're more for having fun than for scholarship. There are no grades and no tests in our classes," he said.
The tuition for each class costs $10 for members and $15 dollars for non-members, but Loder said he wants the public to become aware of upcoming changes beginning in this fall. At that time, classes will cost a flat $15 membership fee and will cover as many classes an individual would like to participate in during the session. The college decided to make the change in order to encourage more people to join, Loder said. In addition, scholarship funds are available for those experiencing financial hardship. The only requirement for participants to register for the classes is to be 50 or older. Next Wednesday, the kayaking class will meet at the Fish River Lodge and explore the waters of the Fish River. "For those who have never really kayaked, it's a good river to start on," said Guy. For more information about the college visit sjvsc.org or call 834-3536.
submitted by - Bill Loder, St. John Valley, reprinted with permission of Fiddlehead Focus, Inc.
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Fifty members of SSC convened at Kilburn Commonson at the UMM campus for luncheon and their annual meeting on June 21st, celebrating 12 years of success, attesting to the mission of SSC: to provide intellectual stimulation, practical knowledge, social interaction and fun to people ages 50 and up.
Our agenda included election of five board members as three board members leave and are replaced and two return to the board.
 Outgoing Treasurer, Margaret Gardner displaying the framed
Sunrise print she received as a gift.
Outgoing Larry Finnegan (Membership and Enrollment), Margaret Gardner (longtime Treasurer), and Joan Miller (Chair of the Special Programs Committee) received gifts, of framed photos of sunrises in Washington County, courtesy of Hoz Hosley, a local photographer and member of SSC.
All nominees were approved and are now members of the board. Anne Archie, a retired forest service, wild life biologist and avid birder replaces Joan Miller as Chair of Special Programs Committee. Margaret James comes from Massachusetts where she owned on-line businesses, will be our secretary. Jacqueline O'Clair is our new Membership and Enrollment person. She has recently retired to this area after working as an Information Engineer, designing and developing systems for an insurance agency. Catherine Prince, another information technologist will be assuming the role of data management for SSC. She hails from Maryland, originally. And Marilyn Saffer is elected for her second three year term. She functions on the Volunteer Committee and the Special Programs Committee. Another big change was that Naida Pennell, our UMM Liaison will no longer serve in that role. Naida received a gift of fine jewelry for her loyal support of our group over the years. She will be greatly missed! Amy Lentz, special assistant to the President will be assuming Naida's role. We appreciate that Amy will add this work to her duties and tasks that she already performs at UMM.
We mourn other losses of long time members, Tracy Smith (one of the original board members), Ozias Bridgman also an early board member and educator), and Gary Haase, a more recent board member and SSC instructor. In Gary's memory we have a scholarship fund for those who wish to attend SSC but are financially unable to do so. The meeting was interspersed with announcements of winners of various drawings, and ended with Our Board Chair, Gail Peters, commenting, "There have been many changes this year at SSC and at UMM. Change is never easy, but it is a reminder that we should never take anything for granted. Just because it was there yesterday is no guarantee for tomorrow without all of us doing our part. Whenever you have the opportunity, be sure to tell everyone you meet how important the University of Maine at Machias and Sunrise Senior College are to your quality of life. Just imagine how ordinary life would be without the opportunities afforded by the university and senior college!"
submitted by -Joan Miller, Sunrise
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Artist Marnie Sinclair Speaker
at Coastal Senior College Luncheon
On May 29th at their Annual Luncheon, Coastal senior College was privileged to hear a presentation developed by Marnie Sinclair, a process artist and an environmentalist. She challenged herself to create one new piece of art each week for a year on the general subject of climate warming. In the beginning this was a bit of a struggle, but as time went on Marnie found that, instead of having to be on the alert to identify and seize her "creative moments", she became aware that her creativity was engaged almost all the time. Since she is a "process artist", who is most deeply satisfied by the details of finding and improving a concept, and then in the evolving ways of bringing it most meaningfully into a finished piece of art, this awareness was a real revelation in thinking about her relationship to her art.  Coastal members discussing Sinclair's work at he annual meeting.
During her year-long project Marnie created both sculptures from driftwood, colored gels for theatre lights, string and also other objects, and paintings and colored photographs. Some of these were combined in a six-foot high, free-standing assemblage, while others of the paintings and photographs were designed to be displayed either vertically or horizontally on tables. Marnie also created a quarter of an hour movie designed around her interviewing three recognized, climate-change experts. In addition, she prepared a half-hour talk on her concerns about climate-change and its meaning for coming generations, with special reference to her own grandchildren.
Finally, Marnie developed a fascinating, combined presentation using her talk, the movie and some of her related art objects. Coastal Senior College was privileged to experience it during their annual luncheon. Perhaps others would be interested, too. Marnie may be reached by e-mail at: martcamv@aol.com or contacted at her gallery at 172 Bristol Road in Damariscotta (cell phone 508-667-6475).
submitted by - Jack Farlow, Coastal
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Photo Contest at Gold LEAF
Gold LEAF-ers are encouraged to enter photos representing the appeal and interest level of GLI activities and classes which depict the natural beauty and quality of life in our part of Maine. Some suggestions: photos of nature scenes, scenic vistas, wildlife, GLI classes, trips or activities, pictures of completed GLI craft projects, needlework, art, or other creations by Gold LEAF members.
There will be two first place prizes awarded in two categories. At the last Board meeting it was decided that there will be a year's free membership awarded: one for a photo and one for a photo of some other type of art the member has created. The deadline for submissions will be September 15, after which the Board will choose three entries (with no identification of the artist or photographer) in each category. The top three photos and top three "other art" selections will then go to the October Kick-off where they will be brought to a paper vote by those present.
It is the goal that the first-place selection (of the proper size, landscape format) will be used on the front of the flyer, and items of other sizes may be used on the front cover of upcoming term booklets. The Board feels this contest will serve the organization well in terms of wider involvement of the members and looks forward to showcasing their works. A further goal is to help members see the art made by others, and grow in appreciation of the creativity that is going on "behind the scenes".
Other senior colleges around the state could consider this type of contest for such things as creative writing about their senior college, and of course for art and photography. Watch for the new flyer early next year. Attached to this article is the photo currently in use on the current flyer. That design was the result of a contest run some years ago with graphic arts students at UMF.
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Explore Maine with Duane - Maine's Champion Trees 
Maine's Project Canopy exists to locate, measure, verify and maintain current records of the Champion Trees in Maine. This list is a compilation of the largest specimen of each tree species in Maine. Over 150 Maine Champions have been found over the past four decades, some of which are National Champions, but several have not been measured in over 10 years. Duane Prugh, of UMA Senior College, will be leading a group of students to find 40+ of these Champions, measure, photograph, and score them. Champion trees for each species are based on a scoring formula that accounts for its trunk circumference, height, and crown spread. The sheer size of these magnificent specimens brings about a huge sense of awe to the spectator. Some of these trees have a trunk diameter of 6-8 feet, a canopy spread of 150-175 feet, and a height of over 100 feet.
Jan Santerre, coordinator of Project Canopy and Maine's Big Tree Program, a partnership of the Maine Forest Service in cooperation with the Viles Arboretum, will be a professional consultant for this course. The course will start in mid-August, 2014 and continue until mid-October. Only those champion trees between Scarborough, Belfast, Augusta, and Lewiston will be viewed. The class size limit is 30 students, but could be increased to 60 if a second 30 student section is needed.
submitted by - Duane Prugh, Augusta
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Poetry From Around the Network
Visual Questions
From Greeks to Euclid all the way to Einstein,
sages gave us postulate and theory.
Scalene, right, obtuse - start with line. My
mind bends, stretches till it's weary. Learn
to use the compass, make a trefoil. What
is Pi? Do not confuse with Phi. Polygon,
ellipse locked in turmoil.
Infinity - is it beyond the sky?
Bothered and bewildered by protractor
(maybe it bewitches me as well),
knowing simple multiplying factor.
But circumcircle? Find the parallel?
One thing learned, the meaning now I see -
On great circles will you watch for me?
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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. |
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Flag: By Dave Johnston (http://ideaspot.net/world/index.html) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Trees: By Dana Moos [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via 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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