NORWAY — Norway Savings Bank has, for the second year in a row, been rec-ognized as a Best Wellness Employer.

Wellness Workdays, a leading provider of corporate wellness programs, in col-laboration with Harvard Medical School, bestowed the honor. The designation in-cludes gold certification, the highest level achievable, and recognizes businesses and organizations committed to creating best-in-class corporate wellness programs that promote a culture of wellbeing.

“It’s truly an honor to be recognized for our wellness efforts alongside well-known and diverse organizations such as New Balance, John Hancock Life Insur-ance and Brown University,” said Richelle Wallace, SVP senior resources officer. “Employee wellness is truly a strategic direction for the bank and we are proud to have received this designation.”

The Best Wellness Employer recipients recognize their wellness initiatives as a part of an overall corporate plan for a productive, top-performing workforce.

Turner Publishing Inc., PO Box 214, Turner, ME 04282 • 207-225-2076 • Fax: 207-225-5333 • E-Mail: articles@turnerpublishing.net • advertising@turnerpublishing.net • turnerpublishing.net/news

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INDEXFunny Things Kids Say............ 2Reader Recipe........................3 Movie Review.........................4The Healthy Geezer.................5V. Paul Reynolds.....................6Victor Block............................7Classifieds............................ 14

FEATURE ARTICLES Health & Wellness.................10Letters to Santa....................12Fall and Winter .....................15

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Submitted photoFrom left, Norway Savings Bank employee, Tricia Brooks, AVP compliance and benefits administrator and Patty Shields, VP human resources operations manager display the 2020 Best Wellness Employer Award.

Norway Savings Bank recognized as Best Wellness Employer

Page 2 Oxford Hills Observer December 2020www.centralmainetoday.com

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Bake it! You suck the juice out and then you shuck it when you bring it outside, and then you put it on the grill. The juice burns up and gets hard and then you eat it. The juice is turkey! - Brock, Age 4, Raymond

First – buy a turkey. Pull guts out of turkey. Then put gravie in or whatever

you like in. Then seasen the turkeys outside. Then cook in oven, grill or smoker. Then enjoy! – Julianna, age 10, Gorham

Take it out of the pack. Clean it out. Put it in the oven. Cook for 1 hour at 800 degrees. Take it out. Put it on a plate. Put it on the table. Eat it.- Haley, age 6, Wilton

Get a turkey in the woods and bring it in to your house. Lay the turkey on a cookie pan. Turn on the stove and start cooking it. Have some potatoes with it. Eat all your food! – Carson, age 5, Turner

First you take the turkey out of the package. Then you get a pan, a big pan, you put it in the oven and then you turn it on to 10 but if it doesn’t cook that

good then put it on to 15. Then you take it out of the oven, and get some cooking gloves and take one out of your hand and put your hand over it so you can see if it is too hot. If it’s too hot let it sit for 5 minutes and then you get the turkey and then you put it on your plate and eat it. – Ashling, Age 6, Raymond

You go kill a turkey and put him in the freezer. Then you take him to the store. Then you put him in the oven and you eat him. –Francesca, age 8, Standish

Funny things kids say!How to cook a Turkey

Share the funniest thing your kid or grandkid said this week!

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Or email: FunnyThingsKidsSay@turnerpublishing.net

December 2020 Oxford Hills Observer Page 3www.centralmainetoday.com

NEW!NEW! EXTREME PULP ORANGE JUICE

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ReaderReader Recipes Recipes

If you send us a recipe, yours may be selected to ap-pear in our publications!

Either fill out the entry form below and include with recipe (one entry per month please) and mail to: Reader Recipes, P.O. Box 214 Turner, ME 04282 or email to: recipe@turnerpublishing.net. (one entry per household please)

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Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies(All the best cookies, by Joie Warner)Submitted by: Tabatha Edes

Ingredients:1 Cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temp1 Cup sugar1 large egg1 TB VanillaGrated zest of 1 medium lemon2 Cups all-purpose flour1 Tsp baking powder1/8 Tsp saltAbout ¼ cup all-purpose flour – as needed

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees2. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Lightly spray or grease cookie sheets.3. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl or electric mixer. Beat in egg, vanilla, lemon zest. 4. Then add flour, baking powder and salt until just thoroughly com-bined.5. (If dough seems too soft, mix in more flour, but I find the less flour the more tender the cookie.)6. Divide dough on to three pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper. Chill rolled dough, if necessary until firm enough to cut into shapes.7. Remove plastic wrap and cut dough until desired shapes with cookie cutters as close together as possible.8. Place 1” apart on prepared cookie sheets. 9. Bake in batches for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden.

Let cool. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

LEWISTON — SeniorsPlus recently an-nounced four promotions.

Dana Morrell has been promoted to com-munity services supervisor. Morrell will pro-vide supervision and assistance to staff of the various Older Americans Act programs man-aged by the Community Services Department.

Michelle Beers has been promoted to case management supervisor and will pro-vide implementation and oversight for the various contractual case management pro-grams supported by the Community Ser-vices Department.

Morrell is a licensed social worker and Beers is a licensed master social sorker.

Kerry Faria, promoted to medicare coor-dinator, will provide education and assist with enrollment and advocacy for Medi-

care beneficiaries.Tina Record has been promoted to Atypical

Services program supervisor. She will be re-sponsible for supervising development, man-agement and implementation of the Atypical Services program, which includes the follow-ing services: Emergency Response Systems, Facility Respite, Assistive Technology, and Home (Environmental) Modifications.

SeniorsPlus is the Western Maine desig-nated Area Agency on Aging and is head-quartered in Lewiston and covers Franklin, Oxford and Androscoggin counties. The overall program goal of SeniorsPlus is to as-sist older adults and adults with disabilities to remain safely at home for as long as possible. The mission of SeniorsPlus is to enrich the lives of seniors and adults with disabilities.

SeniorsPlus promotes four team members

Holiday Funny things kids say!Ask a young child in your family -

How do you cook a turkey?Write down what they say (or have them write it!)Send it to us, we will print it and you will be entered to win a gift certifi cate!p y g

HOW TO COOK A THANKSGIVING or CHRISTMAS TURKEY

Include: Name, address and age.

Funny Things Kids SayTurner Publishing, Inc.P.O. Box 214Turner, Maine 04282

Or email: FunnyThingsKidsSay@turnerpublishing.net

HO

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two Maine counties have been designated as primary natural disaster areas by the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture.

Producers in Cumberland, York, Androscoggin, Oxford and Sagadahoc counties who suffered losses caused by drought and above-normal temperatures that has occurred since May 1 may be eli-gible for U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency emergency loans.

This natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natu-ral disasters. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of

certain debts.FSA will review the loans based on the

extent of losses, security available and re-payment ability.

FSA has a variety of additional programs to help farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster. FSA programs that do not require a disaster declaration include Emer-gency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; and the Tree Assistance Program.

Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for information on eligibil-ity requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Information is available online at farmers.gov/recover.

Five counties eligible for USDA loans related to drought

Page 4 Oxford Hills Observer December 2020www.centralmainetoday.com

MOVIE REVIEW

(Sony Pictures Classics/Tri-Star Pictures)

This year, the pandemic has put a heavy effect on the moviegoing experience, as well as the release of new movies. It especially affected this Oscar season, since the choices for whichever film takes home the awards are very limited. One movie that seems to be trying to take a crack at going for the gold is the historical drama “The Last Vermeer.” It’s inspired by true events as well as the nonfiction book “The Man Who Made Vermeers.” by Jonathan Lopez.

After World War II ended, Allied officials in Europe have started the process of

eliminating any trace of Nazi occupation. In Amsterdam, Capt. Joseph Piller (Claes Bang), who was part of the Dutch resistance, is called in to look at a Vermeer paint-ing, “Christ and the Adul-teress,” that was sold to the Nazis. His investigation leadshim to an eccentric art-ist, Han Van Meegeren (Guy Pearce), who has a good rea-son for doing so, but cannot say. However, the Ministry of Justice sees him as a Nazi sympathizer and is ready to arrest him. So Piller and his secretary, (Vicky Krieps), risk themselves to hide the artist in the attic of their of-fices.

Once there, Meegeren puts the Captain on a journey to slowly unravel this mys-tery to prove his innocence.

Soon enough, Piller finds himself on a trail to the truth with clues and twists at ev-ery turn.But as soon as the Captain learns the real truth, the Dutch authorities finally catch up to Meegeren and ar-rest him. This leads to an ex-plosive trial that will decide the artist’s fate.

While it’s certainly a his-torical drama, the movie devotes much of its running time to being an art lover’s film. Especially when it’s all about the works of Ver-meer, they do play into the film’s story while fans of fine art can appreciate their artistic value. The mystery itself gets more interesting the more the main character digs deep into this artist’s life. You see flashbacks of the artist’s lifestyle, but it also leaves you wondering if there’s any truth to it, which makes the character even more fascinating.

Though based on a true story, the movie takes some liberty and makes changes to such real-life events for dramatic purposes. But not many people may know the story, so viewers will be left feeling indifferent about how the film tells the story well. With that said, it’s still a nicely made movie with sets and costumes staying true to the authenticity of the time during the mid-1940s. The cinematography also does the job well showing the grit-

ty and glum nature of Europe after the destructive war.

The acting is quite good for this kind of film, given a cast of internationally talent-ed actors on display. Pearce gives a career-based perfor-mance in a role seemingly written for Johnny Depp if they had a bigger budget. Regardless, the actor brings his own mannerisms and charisma that works well for his character. Bang is serviceable enough to carry this film as does the rest of the cast trying his best to add drama and pathos to his character.

While far from great, “The Last Vermeer,” is a solid pe-riod drama that’s more ap-preciated for understanding the importance of art. Fans of World War II movies will likely be disappointed by the lack of battle scenes, but those looking for simple drama will find something to enjoy.

THE MOVIE’S RAT-ING: R (for some language, violence, and nudity)

THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.25 Stars (Out of Four)

‘The Last Vermeer’

Lucas AllenLucas Allen

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The paper is informa ve and full of great local stories. Keep up the great job!– Nichole, West GardinerEnjoy it! Great catching up on my home town!– Jessica, Manchester Great local news and advertising - look forward to it! – Richard, Vassalboro There is a lot of businesses i was not aware of!– Danny, Lewiston Great local news, good stories and updates! – Diana, Wayne

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AUGUSTA — Business owners in Hiram, Pownal,and Lewiston were among those who received U.S. Small Busi-ness Administration 2020 Maine award winner.

Nat Peirce and Aaron Anker, owners of Bountiful Berry, which does business as GrandyOats, in Hiram were named 2020 Small Business Persons of the Year Award for Maine.

“Owning and running a business in Maine is incredibly re-warding, we have so many local supporters that have cheered us on as we have grown over the years.” Said Peirce and An-ker. “One of the biggest supporters has been our local bank, Bangor Savings and the local SBA team.”

Sarah Lapine, owner of Watershed Floral, in Pownal, won the 2020 Home Based Small Business of the Year Award for Maine and New England.

With many events cancelled in 2020, Lapine has focused the year on building the farm’s capacity, and planning for an anticipated rise in future events.

Glen E. Holmes, president of Community Concepts Finance Corporation in Lewiston and South Paris was named 2020 Financial Services Champion of the Year Award for Maine.

CCFC is an SBA microlender in addition to hosting several business advising services. As part of his role with CCFC, Holmes plays an integral part in ensuring the implementation of various programs across Oxford County and beyond, in-creasing economic diversity and participates in numerous re-gional boards, according to the SBA. He was recently named director of business and community development in Auburn.

Other winners were Maddie Purcell, owner of Fyood Kitchen, in Portland, Young Entrepreneur of the Year; Karen Gellis, owner of SwimLids LLC in Saco, Woman Owned Small Business of the Year Award; Jodi Breau, owner of Dental Lace LLC, in Pittsfield, Small Business Exporter of the Year Award; Heather Lux, owner of True North Beauty, in Milo, Business Manufacturer of the Year Award.

Hiram, Pownal, Lewiston business owners win

Maine SBA awards

December 2020 Oxford Hills Observer Page 5www.centralmainetoday.com

All of the winners listed have won gift certifi cates to one of our advertisers. If you haven’t won - keep playing! We get hundreds of entries each month!

It’s easy to enter - read through the ads in this issue and fi nd the phony ad, fi ll out the entry form found in this paper and mail it in. If you have the correct answer, your name will be entered into a monthly drawing!

No Exchanges. Gift Certifi cates are from all over, there is no guarantee you will receive one from your area.

Name:Address:City: State: Zip:Phone: ( ) - Please tell us your age (circle one) 12-25 yrs. 26-35 yrs. 36-45 yrs. 46-55 yrs. 56 yrs. & upThe Phony Ad is:Tell us what you think of this publication:

The winner of the November phony ad contest is Ellery Gammon!Thank you to our phony ad sponsor Smokin’ Dave’s

230 Main St., Norway, ME 04268 • 744-2578

FIND THE PHONY AD!!!You could win a Gift Certi�icate to an area

merchant from one of our papers!It is easy to �ind - just read through the ads in this issue of this paper and �ind

the phony ad. Either �ill out the entry form below (one entry per month please) and mail to: Find The Phony Ad Contest, P.O. Box 214 Turner, ME 04282 or email to: phonyad@turnerpublishing.net. (one entry per household please)

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Send us your email address to receive free community digital news:

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November Phony Ad WinnersAuburn Highlights: Elsa WardCountry Courier: David RoyCountry Connection: Stacie RobbinsFranklin Focus: George ScottGood News Gazette: Jacki NickersonKennebec Current: Anne TessariLewiston Leader: Suzanne CharlandLisbon Ledger: Andrew TibbettsLake Region Reader: Karen BryantMoose Prints: Diane RapsonOxford Hills Observer: Ellery GammonSomerset Express: Heidi EdgecombTwo Cent Times: Patricia WhiteWestern Maine Foothills: Angelic KorbelMountain Messenger : Helene MacDonoughMidcoast Beacon: Janet Littlefi eldPresumpscot Post: Grace Borgault

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Q. Is it possible for bipo-lar disorder to first appear when you’re older?

A. Bipolar disorder can strike anyone at any age, but it isn’t likely to start when you are old. However, it is possible that a person could suffer from bipolar disorder for many years and not be

diagnosed until late in life. It’s not known what

causes bipolar disorder, but a variety of biochemical, genetic and environmental factors seem to be involved in causing and triggering bipolar episodes.

Bipolar disorder — also called manic-depressive illness — causes extreme mood swings. When people with bipolar disorder are happy and energetic, they are in the mania phase of the illness. When they are sad and listless, they are in the depression phase.

The shifts from mania to depression and back again can occur quickly. The

deep mood swings of bi-polar disorder may last for weeks or months. Often, there are periods of normal mood in between.

Sometimes, severe epi-sodes of mania or depres-sion include symptoms of psychosis such as hal-lucinations. Some people with bipolar disorder be-come suicidal.

The cause of bipolar dis-order is not known. A vari-ety of forces seem to be in-volved in bipolar disorder. Some studies indicate that people with bipolar disor-der have physical changes in their brains. And re-searchers are trying to find

genes that may be involved in the condition.

As people get older, symptoms of bipolar dis-order may change in nature and severity. Because of this, treatments may need to be adjusted.

Bipolar disorder is treated with medicines to stop the mood swings. Mood stabiliz-ers are used to even out highs and lows. Antidepressant medicine can help reduce the symptoms of depression. Counseling is an important adjunct to drug treatment of bipolar disorder.

People with bipolar dis-order can lead healthy and productive lives when the

illness is treated effectively. Without treatment, however, the natural course of bipolar disorder tends to worsen.

Bipolar disorder runs in families. If you have a parent who has bipolar dis-order, you have a greater chance of having it.

Alcohol and drug abuse are very common among people with bipolar disor-der. Anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress dis-order and obsessive-com-pulsive disorder, also may be common in people with bipolar disorder.

Some specific symptoms of mania include irritability, an-ger, rapid speech, decreased

need for sleep, difficulty con-centrating, spending sprees, inflated ego, substance abuse, increased sex drive, high en-ergy level, restlessness, poor judgment, aggression, denial that anything is wrong, in-creased physical activity and risky behavior.

Some specific symptoms of depression include: no interest in pleasure, anxiety, hopelessness, loss of sex drive, unprovoked crying, low energy level, feeling un-worthy and guilty, thoughts about death and suicide, ap-petite change, insomnia or oversleeping, forgetfulness, body aches, restlessness, weight loss or gain.

Bipolar disorder isn’t likely to start when you’re old

By: Fred Cecitti

THE HEALTH GEEZER

NORWAY — The Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine has announced its sched-ule of free virtual classes for November.

One of the featured classes is From The Kitchen – Let’s Cook Health!, which is 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, and this months’ is “The Genius of Grains.” Karen Vasil-Bush will share some of her favorite recipes.

Weekly ongoing virtual classes include Monday Morning Meditation, Self-Reiki, Virtual Yoga & Meditation, Virtual Yoga Warriors, Virtual Chair Yoga.

The center also has two fundraisers this month. The signature event, Turkey Trot 4 Hope will be held virtually. Par-ticipants may register at raceroster.com/events/2020/31423/turkey-trot-4-hope and participate on their own, anywhere, any-

time from Thursday, Nov. 26 through Sun-day, Nov. 29.

The Hannaford supermarket in Oxford has chosen the center as the recipient of their reusable Community Bag program. The center will get a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Community Bag during November.

Beginning in November, the center will be open from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday morn-ings. A volunteer will be in the center to greet visitors and assist them with their needs.

Anyone impacted by cancer, whether newly diagnosed or out of treatment for a period of time, is eligible for services that the center offers. Comfort items such as port/seatbelt protectors, wigs, afghans, hats and pillows are available.

Caring Coupons for sessions of reiki, massage, reflexology, therapeutic yoga and others are available from a list of approved wellness providers. Survivors receive four coupons, their caregiver receives two cou-pons. The Wellness Providers have all been vetted by the CRCofWM and are reimbursed by the center for their services.

For those facing the financial impact of this pandemic while going through cancer treatment, assistance is available through a grant from the Maine Cancer Foundation. Families may be eligible for gas cards so they may get to their medical appointments and cancer treatments, and gift cards to help with groceries are available.

New client orientation is available by phone or virtually, where new clients can

meet with Executive Director Diane Mad-den to learn about free programs offered to individuals living with cancer, their care-givers and their families. First time regis-trants are asked to email dmadden@crcof-wm.org or call 207-890-0329 to fill out a brief registration/waiver form. The center website also provides free prerecorded virtual classes, which may be tried out at any time, as well as a link to the center’s YouTube channel. There is also a link to participate in free virtual classes offered throughout Maine offered by the Associa-tion of Maine Cancer Support Centers.

For more information call 207-890-0329 or email dmadden@crcofwm.org. To see a full schedule, and get more information on the sessions, visit www.crcofwm.org.

Cancer Resource Center calendar set, fundraisers coming up

Page 6 Oxford Hills Observer December 2020www.centralmainetoday.com

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A Product ofMaine’s largest direct mail community publication company serving nearly

250,000 homes and “It’s All Good” News!

Turner Publishing Inc., PO Box 214, Turner, ME 04282 • 207-225-2076 • Fax: 207-225-5333 • E-Mail: articles@turnerpublishing.net • Web: www.turnerpublishing.net

AdministrationGinna CaldwellReporter/WriterBill Van Tassel

Advertising/MarketingGeorge McGregorRandy BellJodi Cornelio

ProductionMichelle PushardGarret CarverKevin Lowell

Published by Turner Publishing Inc., P.O. Box 214, Turner, ME 04282-0214 Turner Publishing Inc. founded in 1992. Advertisers and those wishing to submit articles of interest can call 1-207-225-2076, email advertising@turnerpublishng.net or you can also send e-mail to us at: articles@turner-publishing.net. Turner Publishing produces, monthly, bi-monthly quarterly and weekly publications. Any views expressed within these papers does not necessarily re ect those of these papers. These papers assume no responsibility for typographical errors that may occur, but we will reprint, at no additional cost, that part of any advertisement in which the error occurs before the next issue’s deadline. This paper also reserves the right to edit stories and articles submitted for publication. All content within our publication and on our website is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered personal, legal, or medical advice. In the state of Maine, cannabis is intended for use by those 21 and older, or 18 and older with a medical prescription. Both the printed publication and website are intended for those over the age of 21. If consuming, please keep out of the reach of children. The Publisher assumes no responsibility for the advertisements within this publication. We strive to ensure the accuracy of the information published. The Publisher cannot be held responsible for any consequences which arise due to error or omissions.

Tell us how we are doing!Send your raves/comments to: raves@turnerpublishing.net

“I so enjoy this good community news about our people here.” – Donna, Waterville

“Great informa� on and ads for our area!” – Jill, Poland

LEWISTON — SeniorsPlus has announced its online Education Center class schedule for December.

All classes are held over Zoom or telephonically. Classes are free, unless noted.

Some of the offerings in December are:Zoom 101: Using Video Technology to Stay Connect-

ed, 10-11 a.m., Tuesday Dec. 15 or 29; Become more fa-miliar on how to use Zoom to participate in SeniorsPlus’ online classes, or to simply stay connected with friends and family near and far. You do not need a Zoom account or to download any apps to participate in this class, un-less logging in from an Apple device. You do not need a video camera for your computer, although it is helpful. You can participate with computers or handheld devices.

AT&T Cyber Aware Webinar Tech Training, 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, Ryan Clark, regional director of VT External Affairs and Michael Hartigan, director of public

affairs - New England, viaZoom, AT&T experts host an interactive training session about how older adults can stay safe in a digital world while taking full advantage of the latest connected technology and devices. This will be a 20-30 minute presentation with time for a question and answer session to answer device-related questions.

Journalism, Truth, and Healthy Communities, 10-11 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 17, Judy Meyer, Executive Editor of the Sun Journal, Kennebec Journal and the Morn-ing Sentinel, via Zoom, discussion of the importance of newspapers and our evolution into an increasingly digital platform. There will be time for Q&A.

Crafting with Corinne, at participant’s convenience, material pickup is week of Dec. 21 (subject to change based on current CDC guidelines), with Corinne Sain-don, pre-recorded video/instructions, $5 for two project kit, quick, fancy folding cards that are not time-consum-ing to make. Limited to 10 kits.

A full schedule of classes and activities, as well as more information, is available at seniorsplus.org/educa-tion-center.

Register for classes by emailing edcenter@seniorsp-lus.org or calling 207-795-4010.

SeniorsPlus, which is the Western Maine Agency on Aging, is fully accessible. Hearing assistive equipment is available upon request.

SeniorsPlus December online schedule announced

A number of years ago when I was a working newspaper editor, the si-lent unsung heroes of the newsroom operation were the “copy editors” on the copy desk. These word and fact sleuths did not wear green eye shades or elastic arm bands, but they were meticulous and detail ori-ented to a fault. They were the gate keepers — the fi-

nal check before the news story went to press and then on to the readers.

Nothing got by the copy desk unchecked, and these yeomen checked for more than spelling, grammar and run-on sentences. If some-thing didn’t add up or if a fact seemed suspect, their job was to challenge the reporter or the desk editor, who gave the story the green light.

Since then, for almost 30 years, I have been writing this weekly outdoor column for this paper and a number of others in Maine. I have no copy desk to “proof” this column before it is sent to my client newspapers. There is Diane, however. She is my wife of more than 50 years,

my cribbage partner and ex-traordinary cook, she is also a second set of eyes to look over this column before it is sent out.

Her sharp eyes and gram-mar knowledge have saved me more than once. Editors at my client newspapers have also caught mistakes before they wound up engraved in black type for all to see.

Back in August, how-ever, I made a beaut — a significant math error in an article about Ruffed Grouse that just slid on by me, Di-ane and, as far as I know, the client newspaper edi-tors as well.

The piece in question was a tribute to Maine’s most popular and sought after

legendary upland game bird. Sporting literature has over the years, with no small mea-sure of hyperbole, helped along the grouse’s sterling reputation as exceedingly elusive, hunter wary and very fast. Inadvertently, I contrib-uted to the myth building by stating that the grouse flew at 900 feet per second!

That number caught some readers’ attention. They wrote to me, “C’mon, man. They are fast, but not that fast!” Another wrote, “ Wow, no wonder I have such a hard time hitting them in the air.” A friend, who enjoyed pok-ing me in the eye, observed, “At that speed a grouse could take off from Bangor Inter-national Airport and land in

Rochester, New York in one hour!” My critic ground it in by reminding me that some handguns don’t shoot bullets that fast.

My face is red. In fact, a grouse’s top speed is 35 mph. If my math serves, and you might want to double-check me, that computes to 51.3 feet per second. A grouse that flies at 900 feet per second is supersonic at sea level, 613 mph, or as the test pilots say, Mach One.

So where did the 900 feet per second come from? We are still checking our research notes. In all prob-ability, 90 feet per second was found by me in a grouse book that took liberties as well with grouse speeds. My

clumsy typing style clicked in an excess zero that did not belong.

My apologies to all, espe-cially to the Ruffed Grouse, who is a stalwart and impres-sive game bird in its own right and needs no marketing hoopla from me.

The author is editor of the “Northwoods Sport-ing Journal.” He is also a Maine guide and host of a weekly radio program — “Maine Outdoors” — heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on “The Voice of Maine News - Talk Network.” He has authored three books; online purchase information is available at at www.sportingjournal.com. Contact email is vpaulr@tds.net.

The ruffed grouse blunder of 2020FEATURE COLUMN

V. Paul Reynolds

December 2020 Oxford Hills Observer Page 7www.centralmainetoday.com

Middle seats in many air-planes are vacant. Passengers on cruise ships are wearing masks. Some countries re-main closed to people from the United States., and few aspects of life have been hit harder by the Covid-19 pan-demic than travel.

The trips people take in the months ahead will be dif-ferent from the past. Some travel industry experts pre-dict not all of the changes will disappear as the virus does. Many people, who of-ten fly, are loathe to set foot on an airplane. Hotels are running below capacity; hol-iday travel has plummeted.

According to CNN Business, “Airline traffic has plunged, and it prob-ably won’t recover any time soon.” Stewart Chiron, a leading cruise expert, says the covid 19 outbreak may be the worst blow the industry has ever suffered, but that doesn’t mean people seeking an es-cape have no alternatives.

While the borders of many countries are closed, some have lifted travel bans — al-though perhaps not for people from the United States — be-cause of the high rate of in-fections here. When they’re

opento Americans, safety regulations must be followed, and some tourist sites have restricted access.

When Dr. Louis Meyers recently flew from Burling-ton, Vt., to Washington, D.C., he was routed through Char-lotte, N.C., and his ticket cost much more than in the past. Higher fares and fewer direct flights are the new norm for air travel. According to a re-port on the SFGate website, these challenges aren’t likely to disappear soon.

TravelStride.com, a lead-ing marketplace for world-wide travel, notes that most tour companies have imple-mented safety guidelines and flexible cancellation policies, limited group sizes and taken other steps to keep people healthy. The organization’s website hosts more than 50,000 group tour packages, expedition cruises and inde-pendent itineraries.

Currently, its experts rec-ommend “custom travel” as an option, eliminating any concerns about going with a group. The website maintains a list of current countries re-opening for tourism. While it’s impossible to predict with certainty how travel will evolve in the months and years ahead, there are sign-posts pointing toward what’s likely to take place.

Many observers believe airlines will offer fewer choic-

es and charge higher fares. Low-cost seat options may dwindle and passengers are likely to have limited alterna-tives for flight times, routes and possibly companies. The International Air Transport Association estimates that the industry won’t fully recover from the impact of covid 19 until 2024.

Rather than heading for mega-resorts, amusement parks and other popular vaca-

tion spots, more people are likely to drive to a beach, the mountains or a lake that’s fair-ly close to home. As a result, hotels and motels probably will enjoy an uptick in busi-ness. Early in November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced it was lifting the “no-sail” order it had imposed and will allow a phased-in return of passen-ger cruises. In order to resume sailings, ship lines must take

steps that include informing people of the potential risks caused by the pandemic, lim-iting voyages to a maximum of seven days, testing crew and passengers and mandat-ing wearing masks and social distancing. It probably will take some time for those pro-

tocols to be put in place.Even as consumer travel

slowly increases, business-related trips may lag behind. Robert Crandall, former head of American Airlines, pre-

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What to expect and where to visit when traveling in the months ahead

Victor Block Submitted photos

FEATURE COLUMN

TravelinggPage 8

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Page 8 Oxford Hills Observer December 2020www.centralmainetoday.com

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dicts many companies cur-rently conducting meetings and other tasks electronically rather than in person won’t return completely to their pre-vious travel practices.

Along with the near cata-strophic situation impact-ing travel there are some bright spots on the horizon. One relates to negative ef-fects over-tourism has had on some destinations around the world. The temporary re-duction of visitors will give them a much-needed rest and an opportunity to recover. Furthermore, the many set-backs to travel caused by the pandemic have done noth-ing to dampen the penchant of Americans for vacation trips. Michelle Gielan, a psychologist who heads the Institute for Applied Positive Research, conducted a survey on the role of vacation jour-neys in people’s happiness quotient.

She reports that 97 percent of respondents said having a trip to look forward to makes them happier, and 80 percent said planning travel during the coming six months does so. The potential kicker is that 96 percent replied that feeling safe during a trip is a high priority.

As travel gradually returns toward normal, more people will share the joy it can bring to life. Hopefully that in-cludes you.

Crowded cruise ships, a thing of the past at present.

Submitted photosLarge tour groups may be gone for now.

TravelingPage 7

Many countries have closed their borders to visitors.

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December 2020 Oxford Hills Observer Page 9www.centralmainetoday.com

SOUTH PARIS — Paris Public Library Board of Trustees recently recog-nized retiring board mem-ber Raymond Glover for 45 years of service by mak-ing him a trustee emeritus.

For many years, Glover has been the vice president of the Paris Public Library Association and has been the corporate registered agent with the state for more than 25 years. Read-ily and regularly assisting in a wide-range of library programs and events, his skills at the cash-box dur-ing the library’s annual used book sales will be especially missed, library board officials said.

Glover joins Jane Gib-son and Carolyn Blais as trustees emeritus for the Paris Public Library. His retirement opens a trustee position on the library’s board, which oversees the library and its operations. Anyone who is a resident of Paris, 18 years old or older, is invited to apply to join the Board of Trustees, which meets in the eve-nings of the third Thursday

of the month.For more information,

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brary at 743-6994 or email par is .publ ic . l ibrary@MSLN.net.

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Submitted photoMembers of the Harrison Grange recently presented the Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine with handmade rectangular comfort pillows and crocheted lap robes to bring comfort to patients undergo-ing cancer treatment. According to Gail Butterfield of Lakeside Grange, “Our members take great pride in using their talents to make and provide these items to individuals undergoing cancer treatment and we want them to know we are thinking of them and wishing them well.” The Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine, at 199 Main St., Norway, offers resources and support to those affected by cancer.

Harrison Grange donates comfort items to Cancer Resource Center

Submitted photoBonnie Ripley, president of the Paris Public Library Board of Trust-ees, presents Raymond Glover a plaque recognizing his service to the library and his designation as a trustee emeritus.

Glover honored by Paris Public Library trustees as he retires

Page 10 Oxford Hills Observer December 2020www.centralmainetoday.com

Visit Diane’s all new CatchingHealth.com website for Health Reporting That Makes a Difference.

Read what’s new on the Catching Health blog

Listen to the latestCatching Health podcast

Get expert answers tocommon health questions

Try a new healthy recipe

Read what’s new on the Catching Health blog

Listen to the latestCatching Health podcast

Get expert answersto health questions

Try a new healthy recipe

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Live Long, Live WellJodi R. Cornelio, AS, BA, MBANutritionist, Personal Trainer and Motivational Speakerjcornelio@turnerpublishing.net

Tips to fitness at home – thank you Maine General for keeping it healthy

Lucky me, I won the backpack filled with ex-ercise equipment at the Kennebec Valley Cham-ber of Commerce virtual super raffle.

The backpack filled with exercise goodies was do-nated by MaineGeneral Medical Center. First, I have to say, I love it! Thank you MaineGeneral! The back-pack included an ab roller (my favorite), two-pound wrist/ankle weights, glide disc (this was on my Christ-mas list to Santa -- gotta cross that one off now), a 65 cm exercise ball, Jillian Michael resistance tube, some resistance bands, an Echo Dot (I gave that to George), some yummy reci-pes, which I shared with the group and a first-aid kit by Delta Ambulance -- thanks

Bill, we can use that in the office at Turner Publishing.

All these goodies in-spired me to develop a get fit at home class. You don’t have to have a gym in your house to get fit. I remember when I was in my 20s, go-ing to college and living in a tiny one-bedroom apart-ment. I had no money for a gym membership. Rent, food and tuition sucked up any money I did have. The space at the foot of my bed was approximately four by eight feet. Really just large enough room for me to lay down a yoga mat, if you can envision that. I had a self-made exercise routine that lasted an hour. That and a busy college life was all I needed at the time to stay healthy and fit. Of course, I would mix it up a little each day, but it was basically made up of a bunch of the same type exercises.

I still hang onto those old-fashioned workouts in a limited space. Its amaz-ing what a good workout you can get if you crank the music and just keep moving, and now I can incorporate all my new exercise equipment.

So if you are stuck in-side and still want to stay fit or get fit, try this rou-tine with or without exer-cise equipment:

1. Turn on your favorite workout music for one hour. Choose one exercise for each song. Most songs are three to four minutes long, which is perfect for any muscle group.

2. For the first two songs, warm up by performing all of the following moves while counting to 60: march or jog in place, skip rope, high-knee pulls, step side to side, high kicks, jumping jacks.

3. After a nice two-song warmup, start with upper body exercises and work your way down. This ex-ercise is perfect with the two-pound wrist weights. For song number three, do arm circles as you count to 60. Keep your arms up at shoulder level and roll your shoulders forward and back as if you are turning a door knob with your hands for another 60 seconds, then criss-cross your arms in front of your body for the last 60 seconds. You should feel a burn in your shoulders

by the time you reach the third.

4. Repeat some of the car-dio in number two for songs four and five.

5. Song number six is for the arms: Perform bi-cep and triceps curls for 90 seconds each. Make it count by tightening your arms and pretending you have a weight in your hand. Or use a resistance tube for extra benefit.

6. Songs number seven and eight repeat the exer-cises in number 2.

7. Song nine is for the chest muscles: push-ups. Depending on your level, you can do military push-ups or modified with knees on the floor. Do one push-up and sit back on your knees

for one second then do two push-ups and sit back, then three push-ups and sit back. Take this process all the way up to eight and back down, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two one. Try to hold the last push-up until the song is over.

8. Stand up for cardio and repeat number 2 with more vigor and energy for songs 10 and 11. You can incorporate the glide disk and do mountain climbers for a great cardio benefit.

9. Stay standing for squats for song number 12. Do squats while counting to 60, then forward lunges for a 60 count and reverse lunges for 60.

10. Songs 13 and 14 re-peat the cardio moves from

number 2.11. Song 15 is when you

take it to the floor for three mins of sit ups. Do a series of crunches, single crunches and bicycle crunches or use the ab roller for the entire three minutes.

12. Songs 16 and 17 are reserved for a nice relaxing stretch. Great place to use the exercise ball to stretch those hard-working muscles in the back. Just lie back bend over the ball for 20 to 30 seconds take a short break, then repeat three times.

So, there you have it. A 17-song workout made to hit every body part. Thank you again MaineGeneral for keeping it healthy!

Live long, live well.

FEATURE COLUMNS

CATCHING HEALTH - DIANE ATWOOD

Managing motherhood when you have MCAS, POTS and hEDSBy Diane Atwood

In 2011, Crystal Good-win’s life turned upside down when she was diag-nosed with a rare disorder

called mast cell activa-tion syndrome (MCAS). Mast cells are a type of white blood cell found in the immune system. They contain histamine, which

helps fight infection, but if too much is released or released inappropriately, it can wreak havoc.

“When someone has a mast cell condition like Crystal’s, suddenly their mast cells just explosively release chemicals — out of the blue, sporadically and unpredictably,” noted Dr. Marguerite Pennoyer, Goodwin’s former aller-gist (now retired).

That’s exactly what hap-pened. Out of the blue, she had severe intestinal problems — pain, inflam-

mation and bleeding. Soon after, about every three weeks, sometimes twice in one week, she had anaphy-laxis, which is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. When it happens, the immune system releases a flood of chemicals. The blood pres-sure drops suddenly, and the airways narrow, mak-ing it hard to breathe.

Because everything she encountered was poten-

Photo courtesy of Crystal GoodwinCrystal Goodwin and her husband, Stanley Phanor.

MotherhoodgPage 11

Health &

December 2020 Oxford Hills Observer Page 11www.centralmainetoday.com

tially an allergen that could end her life, Goodwin became practi-cally housebound and dependent on many, many medications. Venturing out meant needing to know the environment as well as she could, wearing a mask, always being aware of any reac-tions or symptoms, and making sure she had her EpiPen.

Since her diagnosis, she has experienced a lot of downs and some meaningful ups. Let me start on the upside. She met and married a wonderful man — Stanley Phanor. Yes, her al-lergies presented a problem, and yes, he knew what he was sign-ing up for. When things got seri-ous, she put him to the test.

“Either you’re in it for the long haul or you’re not. It was not a decision he could take lightly. It was a big decision. It took him a little while to de-cide, but finally, he said, ‘I’m jumping in with both feet.’ And he’s still here,” Goodwin said. “March will be eight years.”

Nevertheless, love didn’t sud-denly make everything better. Goodwin started having fainting spells. At one point, she couldn’t sit up without fainting. At least once a month she lands in the hospital because of fainting or non-stop vomiting. Her heart rate increases and her blood pressure either soars or plummets.

The cause is dysautonomia – a disorder of the autonomic ner-vous system controlling, among other things, the heartbeat. One of the treatments is beta-block-ers, but Goodwin can’t take them because she is allergic to them. Doctors are trying other medications; in the meantime, once again, she has to be on high alert.

There are different types of dysautonomia — the one Good-win has is called postural or-thostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). It affects the blood flow throughout the body and can ei-ther make you dizzy when you stand up or cause you to faint.

If two serious conditions aren’t enough, it turns out Crystal also has a connective tissue disorder called hypermobile Ehlers-Dan-los syndrome (hEDS)

“When I go back to my child-

hood, I used to have all these weird things I could do with my joints and the way I could bend my arms backward. I was double-jointed, and they would easily dislocate,” she recalled. “My shoulders, hips, and ankles dislocate. I never knew that this is what I have.”

MCAS, POTS and hEDS. A trifecta. There hasn’t been enough research to solidify the connection, but there certainly does seem to be one. In a 2015 pilot study published in the “Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology,” scientists referred to the three disorders as “a new disease cluster.” Goodwin’s doc-tors believe her allergies brought on the POTS, which made them think about the hEDS.

It’s a lot to take in, but let’s get back to the upside of Goodwin’s story. Last December, she and her husband welcomed baby Gisele into their family.

It was a high-risk pregnancy that required close monitoring of both Crystal and the baby. The most concerning risk to the baby centered around the medications Crystal was taking for mast cell.

“It was like a Catch 22. If I stopped them, my health was at risk, but if I continued them the baby’s health was possibly at risk. It was really hard. I had a meeting with a few differ-ent pharmacists and my doctor talked to a couple of pediatric specialists,” Goodwin said. “It was definitely challenging. I did end up stopping a medication for migraines and experienced quite a few migraines, but I had to stay on other medications such as heart and blood pressure mediation and prednisone.”

She had a C-section because her doctors thought it would be too risky for her to go through labor. After Gisele was born, breastfeeding was out of the ques-tion because of Goodwin’s medi-cations. She said It was hard for her, but she didn’t have a choice.

In addition to the birth of Gisele, something else that was also miraculous happened. Goodwin’s allergies calmed down. She’s been in remission ever since, and her doctors says it could last a year or two.

“I’m excited that things have gotten better with the mast cell disease.” she said. “I’m still dealing with little symptoms,

but I haven’t had — I should knock on wood — a major ana-phylactic event for over a year now, which is a record for me because I was going to the ER at least once a month.”

She still has to take medica-tions and is still dealing with POTS and being rushed to the hospital at a moment’s notice. How on earth can she also man-age being a mother? She gets a lot of help and support from her husband, her mother and sister, and a good friend.

“I definitely could never do it on my own. There’s no way. We say to each other all the time that we never could have done this without help from our family and friends,” Goodwin stressed.

With all she has to deal with, Goodwin still manages to have a positive attitude.

“I think having my daughter has definitely helped me contin-ue going on, especially with an increase in the dysautonomia,” she said. “I just don’t feel good, my body just hurts, everything hurts, but when I see her smil-ing and laughing and think of the future and what she’s going to bring to our lives, that helps me keep going.”

There is something else that should help Goodwin keep go-ing — a service dog trained to alert her when her heart rate starts getting high or her blood pressure is changing and to sense when she might be faint-ing even before she feels any-thing. An alert from a trained service dog won’t prevent her from fainting, but could give her control over how she falls or where she lands.

The dog could also be trained to detect any allergens that might cause a severe reaction. That’s what Martina Baker’s dog Keeva was trained to do. Like Goodwin, Baker also has mast cell activa-tion syndrome. Because of Kee-va, Baker’s hospitalizations have reduced significantly, says her mother, Loretta Morse Leighton.

“She was up to two to three times a week going to the ER from anaphylaxis. Her ana-phylactic reactions are greatly reduced because Keeva alerts her to rising histamine levels before Martina even knows she is having a problem,” Leighton explained. “When this happens,

Martina then takes her emergen-cy meds. The times we haven’t trusted that Keeva is right, (Martina’s thinking she is fine and not reacting.) within a half-hour she starts to get the famil-iar feeling — scratchy throat, itchy skin, hives, flushing and anaphylaxis, which means EPI and a trip to the ER. We now say “Keeva is ALWAYS right.”

Like Goodwin, Baker sudden-ly began having unusual aller-gic reactions. She woke up one morning covered with hives. Af-ter eight months of trying to get answers, Leighton was doing an online search of her daugh-ter’s symptoms and discovered a blog post I had written about Goodwin 2014. Her story and symptoms paralleled Baker’s, so Leighton reached out to her.

“She was instrumental in get-ting us to Boston where Mar-tina’s illness was finally diag-nosed. I cannot tell you how many times we have called her in the middle of the night while at the ER when we need sup-port and advice,” Leighton said. “She is amazing. She has helped so many in the MCAS world.”

Leighton is now trying to

help Crystal who, after seeing what Keeva has done for Bak-er, realized that a service dog could help her, too. The dog will be purchased and trained by Jamie Robinson, who not only trained Keeva but also delivered her in person and stayed with the family to help them get used to each other. (You can read that story on the Catching Health blog: diane-atwood.com/keeva-a-service-dog-for-martina.)

After an exhaustive search and screening of potential dogs, Rob-inson found a suitable candidate for Goodwin— a golden doodle named Demi. She gave the breed-er a deposit and has until Decem-ber to get the remaining funds.

It costs $20,000 to purchase a dog and complete highly spe-cialized training. To help raise the money for Goodwin’s dog, Leighton has set up a GoFund-Me page. If you’d like to make a donation and help get a service dog for Goodwin here is the link to the GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/life-sav-ing-dog-for-crystal

Here’s one last cute picture. Pup-pies and babies. Who can resist?

Photo courtesy of Crystal GoodwinGoodwin and her daughter Gisele just after the birth.

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December 2020 Oxford Hills Observer Page 13www.centralmainetoday.com

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As the consequences of COVID-19 affect our communityand our world, the importance of our connection to reliable

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NORWAY — Norway Memorial Library, in partnership with Norway Historical Society, has been awarded a World in Your Library event by the Maine Humanities Council.

World in Your Library events fea-ture qualified Maine-based speakers to explore local and international current topics and relevant issues. This will be a virtual presentation using Zoom from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Robert W. Glover will present “Im-

migration in the 21st Century: How Immigration is Changing the American and the Global Political Landscape.” Glover is associate professor of Political Science & Honors at the University of Maine His research focuses on demo-cratic theory, political engagement and the politics of immigration.

The program is free of charge and open to the public. For information and instructions to connect, call the library at 207-743-5309, ext.1.

Norway library presents immigration talk Dec. 15

Submitted photoThe Haines Landing boat launch in Oquossoc. The Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust inspected 3,340 boats and trailers for invasive species this summer at boat launches throuhout the region, a record in the 18 years of the program.

RANGELEY — Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust’s Courtesy Boat Inspection program inspect-ed 3,340 boats and trailers this summer — a record across the 18-year-old program.

Throughout the summer, inspectors collected 45 non-invasive plants traveling in or out of the water at public boat launches. Inspectors showed boaters how to inspect their recreational equipment and encouraged them to do so when entering and exiting a water body.

One small fragment of an aquatic invasive plant can take hold and start an infestation on a lake. Once established, there is no native predator in to

slow its progress and it grows at an expediential rate, rapidly taking over shorelines making the area unsuitable for swimming or fishing. One person can make a difference — report any unusual plants growing in your water body to RLHT at 856-701-5742 or the Maine Volunteering Lake Monitoring Program at VLMP.org.

RLHT has conserved 14,000 acres in the Rangeley Lakes Region, with 35 miles of rec-reational trails, for everyone to explore. Open from dawn to dusk, the conservation areas are free for exploration, hiking, photography, bird-ing, family outings, inspiration and adventure.

Rangeley Lakes region boat inspection program sets record

OTISFIELD — We hear about people in need, high unemployment, reduced work hours, and people going hungry. East Otisfield Free Baptist Church wants to help, striving to be the “hands and feet of Christ” in the community. Its food pantry is open to all Otisfield residents, without any income restrictions.

The pantry volunteers distribute food the fourth Friday of each month from 1 to 5 p.m., at 231 Rayville Road (off Route121, above the town office). It is supported by donations from the congregation and members of the Otisfield community. Canned and dry foods, frozen meat, personal hygiene

items, often fresh vegetables and fruit, laundry and dish soap, a cloth face mask and more are available.

The food pantry was started in 2008 in response to the Great Recession and has been providing assistance ever since. A member of the deaconate and volunteers from the congregation and community join together to assist getting food together each month. Due to the current pandemic, the volunteers ask that people stay in their car; someone wearing a mask will procure the grocery checklist, bag the items requested and load them into their vehicle.

For more information call Deb Dyer at 207-539-4619.

East Otisfield Free Baptist Church ready to lend a helping hand

Page 14 Oxford Hills Observer December 2020www.centralmainetoday.com

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• Do you love selling advertising?• Do you feel unappreciated in your present situation?• Are you stuck in a dead end advertising sales job?• Are you an experienced road warrior that can uncover every rock and ind owners and decision makers to get in front of?

If so, Turner Publishing is looking for an experienced advertising sales

account representative to be our Territory Sales Manager.

While other medias are shrinking distribution because of lack of advertisers and readers we are adding distribution because of increasing advertisers and readers. We are adding more pub-lications and more towns. Come join a growing company and be appreciated for your talents! We saturate 50% of the state of Maine and we are looking for driven, self -motivated Sales ex-perts. If you know how to sell and service clients you can make upwards of $70,000 in the irst year and grow substantially from there. “Let’s Talk”Primary responsibilities:• Sell ads for publications.• Visit businesses to inquire about advertising sales.• Build relationships with clients.• Understand the needs of each client.• Perform extensive research on clients and competitors.• Focus on growing existing accounts and acquiring new clients.• Make sales presentations.• Cold Call• Work from home Experienced only should apply. Must have a great attitude and be a team player.Compensation is competitive with full bene its and company perks. Call 207-225-2076 for more information. Please apply by sending resume to jobs@turnerpublishing.net or mailing resume to: HR Manager

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Hello from Holly

Holiday celebrations during a pandemic

Many around the country are struggling with how to safely celebrate with family and friends – especially our older loved ones – during the holidays this year. While the COVID-19 pandemic has forced older people to self-isolate and limit contact with others for months, it’s no surprise they are more eager than ever to interact with the people they love this holiday season.Unfortunately, the coronavirus must be a major consideration when deciding how your family will interact. The fear of including older loved ones may be heightened this year since the risk for severe complications from COVID-19 increases with age.

5 Questions to Assess COVID-19 RiskIn order to help you make a safe plan for your older loved ones, here are some tips on assessing COVID-19 risk during the holidays:1. What is the level of COVID-19 in the community?

Before attending or hosting a holiday event, consider the number of cases and spread of COVID-19 in your community. If it’s in an area where there are many cases, the risk will be much higher.

2. Where is the gathering being held?Gatherings are usually less risky outdoors than indoors. Maine weather can be unpredictable, but you may be able to be outside some of the time during your event. Places with good ventilation, such as open windows or doors, have a lower risk than ones with poor ventilation.“Virtual attendance” is another option. While it may not be ideal for everyone, it can help the family see and hear each other while eliminating your older person’s risk of contracting COVID-19.

3. How many will be there; how long will it last?As the number of people at a gathering increases, the risk of catching COVID-19 rises. Also, the longer the get-together lasts, the chances of catching COVID-19 become higher. Be sure to follow your community’s guidelines on the number of people that are allowed to gather in one place.

4. Have attendees been practicing safety measures? Will all act safely at the gathering?

Although there is no way to eliminate all risks during gatherings, there are many personal choices you can make to help:

o Wearing masks over mouths and noseso Staying six feet aparto Frequently washing hands with soap and watero Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces

Before attending or hosting a gathering, ask if guests have been following these precautions. Make sure no one who is attending has symptoms or has been recently exposed to someone who has COVID-19.

5. How vulnerable are your older loved ones to serious complications from COVID-19?

Consider the personal risk your older loved ones face if they contract COVID-19, especially if they have underlying medical conditions. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, individuals who are highly vulnerable to complications should avoid attending any in-person gatherings.

The answer to these questions will help you protect your loved ones and safely celebrate the holidays.More than ever we are all feeling isolated, exhausted, and afraid. Try to stay positive and know that this will end. Do all you can to follow safety precautions and insist others you are in contact with do the same.

Happy Holidays from SeniorsPlus!

Holly Zielinski is the Chief Operating Officer for SeniorsPlus.

Diet Scams – COVIDNearly half of US adults say they are trying to lose weight, and with many people worried about weight gain while stuck at home during the pandemic, that number may very well rise. Unfortunately, scammers know this and are trying to take advantage for their own fi nancial gain. In fact, diet scams are the most common types of health care fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission.

Be leery of websites that off er results that seem too good to be true, even if they include celebrity endorsements – which are often fake. When signing up for a free trial, read the terms and conditions closely. Often hidden in the fi ne print of even legitimate free trial off ers is that your free trial becomes a paid subscription, and you’re on the hook for a monthly fee. . Also, check with your health care provider before starting any new weight loss supplements.

Be a fraud fi ghter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 1-877-908-3360 to report a scam or get help if you’ve fallen victim.

Scam Alert Bulletin Board

December 2020 Oxford Hills Observer Page 15www.centralmainetoday.com

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How small businesses can prepare for a unique holiday seasonWhen the famous ball dropped in Times Square on

New Year’s Eve and 2020 officially began, few people might have anticipated what awaited the world in the months ahead. By the end of March, a global pandemic had changed the way people across the globe lived their lives as governments scrambled to prevent a potentially deadly virus from spreading.

No aspect of life has been left untouched by the CO-VID-19 outbreak, including how people shop. Stay-at-home measures and government-mandated closures proved a formidable challenge for small business own-ers. Another challenge awaits such businesses this holi-day season, when consumers are expected to do much of their shopping online.

Many small businesses thrive on welcoming custom-ers into their facilities. While no one can predict how long social distancing measures will remain in place, it’s reasonable to assume that consumers may be hesi-tant to visit stores en masse this holiday season. But the spirit of the holiday season will return, and that spirit will still compel consumers to look for gifts for their loved ones. Small business owners looking to capitalize on the holiday shopping season can try these strategies as they prepare for what promises to be a unique final month of 2020.

• Start early. Holiday promotions typically feature discounted items, and small business owners can hit the ground running by announcing sales well in advance of the holiday season. Consumers have adapted to lengthy delivery times during the outbreak, and retail analysts predict many will begin shopping earlier than ever before to account for potential delivery problems. By

discounting items early, small business owners can put themselves in position to capitalize on early bird shop-pers.

• Keep sales going. The Bureau of Economic Anal-ysis noted that economic growth in the United States declined by 5 percent in the first quarter of 2020, and in June the Congressional Budget Office predicted that growth would ultimately decline by 38 percent. Such figures suggest that money will be tight this holiday season, and small business owners can expect to com-pete for every dollar. By starting sales early and keeping those sales going throughout the holiday season, small business owners can put themselves in the best position possible to capitalize on consumer spending, however limited that spending may be.

• Apply past experiences. Small businesses have had

more than a few litmus tests to gauge consumer behav-ior during the outbreak. Easter marked the first major holiday to occur while stay-at-home restrictions were in place, and since then retail holidays like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day have come and gone. Small business owners can examine consumer behavior dur-ing past retail holidays to inform their approaches to the coming holiday season. If consumers expressed a desire for gift packages that reduced their need to make multiple shopping trips, small business owners can design and promote gift baskets filled with an as-sortment of products available in their stores. Creativ-ity figures to be a necessity to attract customers this holiday season, and past retail holidays can inspire a new approach.

Small businesses can confront the challenge of the coming holiday season by embracing a handful of strat-egies to attract consumers during what promises to be a season unlike any other in recent memory.

Metro

BETHEL — The Mahoosuc Land Trust has received grants from two state of New Hamp-shire programs to acquire the 853-acre Shel-burne Riverlands.

A $125,000 grant from the Land and Com-munity Heritage Investment Program and a $761,668 grant from the New Hampshire De-partment of Environmental Services Aquatic

Resource Mitigation Program were recently announced. With additional support from dozens of individuals and foundations, MLT hopes to close on the purchase early in 2021.

The Riverlands will permanently conserve 22 islands and 12 mainland parcels along an 8.7-mile stretch of the Androscoggin River.

“We are truly appreciative of the significant

investments of LCHIP and ARM,” said Kirk Siegel, Executive Director of MLT. “The wild and scenic nature of this section of river makes it a favorite of paddlers and anglers, while the wetland resource is outstanding.”

The project includes silver maple flood-plain forests braided with oxbow and flood channel wetlands, and interspersed grasslands

along miles of river and stream shoreline. The natural communities host wildlife species of conservation concern and connect hundreds of thousands of acres of intact forests across the Androscoggin. The ARM Fund Program was particularly appropriate for the Riverlands project, because of the important wetland val-ues, land trust officials said.

Larry Ely photosSolo paddler on Androscoggin River and First Mountain, upriver from Meadow Bridge

Mahoosuc LT’s Shelburne Riverlands gets support from NH grants

Page 16 Oxford Hills Observer December 2020www.centralmainetoday.com

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LEWISTON — The United States Department of Agriculture Office of Rural Development on Oct. 22 held a live event at New Roots Cooperative Farm to an-nounce three federal grants to sup-port the work of the Cooperative Development Institute.

CDI is the Northeast’s center for cooperative business education, training, and technical assistance, and works with organizations like New Roots, Isuken Cooperative, the Raise Op housing initiative, Herban Works and Spoke Folks, of Norway, to grow their member-owned busi-nesses and organizations.

CDI was awarded a two-year $250,000 Rural Community De-velopment Initiative, a $175,000 Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant and a $200,000 Rural Co-operative Development Grant. the funding will help create new busi-nesses, new job, and address iden-

tified community needs in under-served communities.

The primary objective of the Cooperative Development Insti-tute is to improve the economic condition of rural areas in the Northeast through the develop-ment of cooperatively owned businesses and enterprises.

The Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant help Black, indig-enous, people of color communities and New American communities create food system cooperatives and cooperative business enterprises in central Maine. Groups supported by the grants include Lewiston’s New Roots Cooperative, the first New American-owned cooperative farm in the state, and Isuken Cooperative, the first Somali-Bantu farm-to-table food truck in the country.

Omar Hassan, CDI, cooperative marketing & development assis-tant, said, “New Roots is four fami-

lies who have been in the farming business for generations and know what it means to survive with a little. The last 10 years they were able to join the fight against food insecurity, giving back to the com-munity and producing fresh veg-etables and fruits chemical-free. It is an honor to see this farm grow the last three years and to be part of that development.”

The Rural Community Develop-ment Initiative grant uses a “train the trainer” model to teach cooper-ative development techniques and business development strategies to community-based organizations, so they can provide technical as-sistance to address the needs of the clients they serve.

Azenaide Pedro of the Raise Op Housing Cooperative, who worked with CDI on a culturally appropriate child care cooperative in Lewiston as part of the RCDI grant, said the

training was a great experience. “I was able to better understand how cooperatives work and...to have a clear picture of the project I wanted in my community. There was so much support in terms of resources and research to find a better child care model that would work for my community. Now I feel more con-fident about sharing the child care cooperative with others all because of the support that RCDI offered.”

Scott Vlaun, of the Center for an Ecology Based Economy, who helped to develop the Spoke Folks Cooperative, said, “Work shopping our cooperative idea throughout the USDA RCDI funded training gave us confidence that we had a good idea and that we could take it through to becoming an operating cooperative. The process of going from idea to forming a cooperative business instills confidence to be able to help others start businesses

in the cooperative model. Being in a cohort of other developers helped us see other possibilities and strengths and pitfalls of various approaches.”

Spoke Folks began as a com-munity bike sharing cooperative in Norway to assist with waste haul-ing and composting sustainability. During the COVID-19 state shut-down, the cooperative re-focused its mission and partnered with the local food pantry to deliver food to community members in need who needed to shelter in place. On one day in April, Spoke Folks delivered 40 meals to a senior housing facility.

To date the Cooperative De-velopment Institute has provided education and training programs for approximately 16,400 peo-ple throughout the Northeast. Thanks to the support of the 2020 USDA grant awards that impact will continue to grow and significantly expand.

Maureen Milliken photoLewiston are cooperatives supported by USDA Rural Development grants, local and other officials, gathered at New Roots Farm in Lewiston Oct. 22 to celebrate the success of the cooperatives and the grant support area.

Lewiston area co-op success celebrated at New Roots Farm event