Christmas by the Sea Comes to Ogunquit for 22nd Year

OGUNQUIT –
The Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce announces the schedule for the annual Christmas by the Sea celebration, December 12-14, 2008. Many of the favorite events will come back, but we have also made some new additions, including the sailing of Santa in the Ogunquit Dory, and a craft show. Also added this year is a special event from the Ogunquit Lifeguards. Please take a look at the schedule, and join us for an exciting, fun-filled weekend!
Friday, December 12
CAROLERS. 5:30pm - 7:30pm. Stopping throughout town.
CONCERT. 7pm - 8pm. Barbershop quartet. Ogunquit Baptist Church.
BONFIRE. 8:30pm. Ogunquit Main Beach. By Meadowmere Resort.
Saturday, December 13
HAY RIDES. 9am - 3pm.
SANTA ARRIVES AT PERKINS COVE. 9am. Watch as the Ogunquit Heritage Museum’s dory sails Santa into Ogunquit! Then Santa will be whisked away by fire truck to the Fire Station for a 9:30 appointment with children.
VISIT WITH SANTA. 9:30am - 11am. Upstairs at the Fire Station. Have your picture taken with Santa! Photos courtesy of Ogunquit Camera Shop. Treats courtesy of Harbor Candy. Santa courtesy of Clay Hill Farm.
4TH ANNUAL ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW. 10am - 4pm. Fire Station, downstairs. Free admission. Proceeds benefit Ogunquit Fire Rescue.
BASEMENT BAZAAR. 10am - 3pm. Dunaway Center, downstairs. Craft show with a free raffle.
THE “GIVING TREE” SILENT AUCTION. 10:30am - 2pm. Dunaway Center, downstairs. Theme-decorated artificial trees have been donated by local businesses, groups, and individuals, to be silent auctioned. Come bid on the popular Lottery Tree.
KIDS’ ORNAMENT MAKING. 11am - noon. Ogunquit Baptist Church, downstairs.
CHOWDER & CHOCOLATEFEST. 11:30am - 1:30pm. 19th Annual Chowder Tasting Competition. Dunaway Center, upstairs. Area restaurants compete - you are the judge! Bring a non-perishable food item to enter to win a prize. Admission: $10.
OPEN HOUSE. 1pm - 5pm. Ogunquit Heritage Museum. 18th century decorations, special Santa and angel exhibit, menorah exhibit and holiday refreshments.
STORYTELLING. 2pm - 3pm. Ogunquit Library.
THE OLD OCEAN “PLUNGE” - 2:00pm to 2:15pm. Main Beach, Watch the Ogunquit Lifeguard Service parade into the chilly Atlantic Ocean in their lifeguard gear in order to raise toys for disadvantaged kids. All proceeds to benefit Toys for Tots.
CHRISTMAS PARADE. 3pm. Presented by the Village Spirit Committee. Beginning at the Main Beach and ending at Perkins Cove.
TREE LIGHTING & CAROLING. 5:30pm - 6:00pm. Rotary Park, Perkins Cove.
CANDLELIGHT WALK to the LIVING MANGER. 6:00pm - 6:30pm. Perkins Cove to Ogunquit Baptist Church.
LIVING MANGER. 6:30pm-6:45pm. Sponsored and performed by Ogunquit Baptist Church.
CONCERT. 7pm - 8pm. Barbershop Quartet. Ogunquit Baptist Church. Doors open at 6:50pm.
TOWN TREE LIGHTING. 8:15pm. Veteran’s Park. Announcement of the town-wide decorating contest winners.
Sunday, December 14
HAY RIDES. 10am - 2pm.
FREE GIFT WRAPPING. 11am - 1pm. Gypsy Sweethearts Restaurant. Purchase your holiday gifts at our members’ shops; we’ll wrap for free! Sponsored by Harbor Candy Shop, Gypsy sweethearts, and Rockmere Lodge.
OPEN HOUSE. 1pm - 5pm. Ogunquit Heritage Museum.

Christmas Prelude Celebrates 27th Anniversary

KENNEBUNK / KENNEBUNKPORT –
This year’s Christmas Prelude will be held from December 5th through December 14th in the Lower Village of Kennebunk as well as in Cape Porpoise and the Dock Square of Kennebunkport. The following is a summary of events for the second weekend, provided by the event’s website www.christmasprelude.com. Please note that programs and events are subject to change.

Photo caption: Tree Lighting Ceremony in Dock Square (www.christmasprelude.com photo)

Commander Roberts and The USS Dallas Arrive at Shipyard

KITTERY –
PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD: USS Dallas (SSN 700) and her crew of 18 officers and 126 enlisted personnel arrived at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on December 3, 2008. While at the Shipyard, Dallas will complete various maintenance work and receive several system upgrades. Built by the Electric Boats Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, Dallas is the first United States Naval Ship to bear the name of the City of Dallas, Texas.
Dallas’ Commanding Officer, Commander David Roberts is a native of New Providence, New Jersey and a 1985 graduate of Westerville North High School in Westerville, Ohio. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in May 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Architecture. In 1996, he received a Master of Engineering Management degree from the George Washington University in Washington, DC. Following nuclear propulsion and basic submarine training, Commander Roberts reported to USS New York City (SSN 696) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where he served in a variety of division officer assignments during three western Pacific deployments. In February 1994, he was assign to the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Arlington, Virginia as a submarine Junior Officer Detailer. In 1996, Commander Roberts reported to USS Miami (SSN 755) in Groton, Connecticut as Engineer Officer. During this tour, the ship completed three deployments to the North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf and participated in Operation Desert Fox, conducting Tomahawk missile strikes against Iraq. From 1999 to 2001, Commander Roberts was assigned to the staff of Commander, Submarine development Squadron Twelve as the Material Officer. Commander Roberts’ Executive Officer tour was aboard USS Nebraska (SSBN 739 Gold) in Kings Bay, Georgia. He completed three strategic deterrent patrols on Nebraska and was then assigned to the Operations Directorate on the Joint Staff in November 2003. Most recently following the Submarine Command Course, he was assigned as a Middle East liaison officer in the Center for Submarine Counter-Terrorism Operations.
Commander Roberts’ awards include the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (5 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 awards) and various campaign and unit awards.

Photo caption: USS Dallas (SSN 700) and her crew of 18 officers and 126 enlisted personnel arrived at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on December 3, 2008. (Courtesy photo)

FEI Equestrian Susan Jaccoma Awarded Educational Training Scholarship by New England Dressage Association

KENNEBUNK –
The New England Dressage Association recently named nationally-ranked dressage competitor Susan Jaccoma as the 2008 award recipient of a $2,000 educational scholarship to further her riding education in training sessions with an Olympic coach this winter in Florida.
Jaccoma, who placed 5th at the 2008 National Intermediare Dressage Championship in San Juan Capistrano, California this season, was selected from a pool of finalists for this prestigious honor. Intermediare is one of the top levels of dressage -only Grand Prix is higher. With her eye on the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, Jaccoma will utilize the funding to train intensively with renowned Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) trainer Lars Petersen of Denmark with her two horses Wadamur and Donatella. Petersen, a 5-time Danish National Champion, has competed in an Olympiad, two World Cup Finals, and three World Equestrian Games and was recently ranked #2 in the world.
“I am so excited to have this wonderful opportunity to further my education and work toward my competitive goals; I can’t wait!” Jaccoma said. “Lars possesses an amazing depth of knowledge in training Grand Prix horses and riders and has a program that is in sync with my own. When he recently helped me at the national championship our personalities just clicked and the chemistry felt right.”
The mission of the 15-member New England Dressage Association (NEDA) Scholarship Committee is to provide educational opportunities to its members who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to and excellence in the sport, as well as service and ambassadorship within the association. The program exists to further two specific objectives - to provide the widest possible range of dressage education to the greatest number of members, and to support the development of dressage in the field of international competition. Scholarships are awarded to professionals and amateurs alike.
“Our committee looked very hard at numerous objective criteria regarding each individual application, from the competition level of the rider, their length of time with the organization and their degree of volunteerism,” NEDA President Paul Cormier said. “Sue fit the criteria extremely well.”
That sentiment was echoed by Scholarship Committee Chairwoman Sue Edelen.
“Sue is a wonderful rider who has an exciting and successful young horse coming along. While our selection of candidates is strictly objective based on points awarded for factors we weigh, Sue is the type of person and professional we like to help if we can,” Edelen said.
Jaccoma heads to Florida in December and will invest her time into both of her horses in four sessions with Petersen a week. Her California partner is the superstar Wadamur, an 8-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Weltmeyer and Sandro Hit. Six-time US Olympian Robert Dover calls “Moe” a “world-class horse” who showed Grand Prix potential right from the start. This past season the young horse competed in the high performance classes and qualifiers at the United Equestrian Team Headquarters at Gladstone in the Pan-Am Selection Trials and at the Intermediare championships. They are currently named on the United States Equestrian Team Developing Young Horse list, and are ranked third on the high performance list for Intermediare with a score of 68.583%.
Her second horse Donatella, 9, is an Oldenburg mare by Donnerhall out of Nina Ricci. As her established Grand Prix partner, Donatella is ranked 12th in the country by the United States Dressage Federation this year.
“It is extremely exciting to have two young Grand Prix horses poised to advance and compete at Grand Prix in this stage of our careers together,” Jaccoma said. “I feel blessed.”
About Susan Jaccoma: Susan Jaccoma, a native New Englander, has competed at the highest FEI levels in the sport of dressage, winning numerous championships at many levels up to Grand Prix on horses she has trained herself. She has been on the United States Equestrian Team long list since 2000 and is a United States Dressage Federation Gold Medalist. Over the years Jaccoma has represented the United States in Sydney, Australia at the Nation’s Cup in 2000, earning team and individual gold medals; has successfully competed at several Can-Am Challenges; and competed as a member of the US Team Quadrille for the Challenge of the Americas to benefit breast cancer. When not competing, Jaccoma shares her knowledge and experience by coaching other horses and riders from Maine to Florida.
Caption: Susan Jaccoma on her horse.

Quaint South Berwick Village Launches Holidays in Style

SOUTH BERWICK –
South Berwick’s 2008 Home for the Holidays celebration on the first weekend in December will feature for the first time a caroling parade run by a church, the opening of the Sarah Orne Jewett House and an artist’s reception at the newly opened South Berwick Art Gallery.
The fourth annual South Berwick Home for the Holidays, led by local volunteers with the group SmartGrowth South Berwick, has grown from a small grassroots operation into a mainstay of the town’s holiday season. Dozens of business owners – retailers, restaurants and realtors -- open their doors to the public in one of the village’s most festive occasions.
Just a few weeks after 200 people packed town hall to hear a national speaker address the importance of small independent businesses, downtown South Berwick will hold its holiday festivities. From 5 - 8pm on Friday December 5, businesses from the toy store and yoga center to the florist and the framer will offer food, crafts, raffles and merry-making.
The celebration annually draws hundreds of people to stroll the village sidewalks. Home For the Holidays reminds residents that shopping downtown is more fun, more efficient and a better way to support the local economy.
At the heart of the celebration is the Women’s Holiday Art Sale. Now in its 9th year, the sale will open Friday from 5 - 8pm, featuring the work of two dozen women on the third floor of town hall. The sale continues Saturday from 10am - 3pm. The jewelry, leather goods, pottery, soap and other items for sale are all made by women from the area.
The Sarah Orne Jewett House will open its doors Friday and Saturday to visitors to visit the first floor and to browse for unique gift items, including redware pottery, glassware, books and stationery. At 10am Saturday, the Jewett House will invite children to a special children’s program featuring the reading of Jewett’s1884 Christmas story, “The Becket Girls’ Tree”. Children will be invited to stay and make simple Victorian ornaments and use them to decorate a tree. Refreshments will be served. Reservations are requested and can be made at 384-2454.
The South Berwick Art Gallery at the South Berwick Yoga Center will hold an exhibit reception in conjunction with the open house at the yoga center. The artist’s reception will be for local artists Rose Theriault of southern New Hampshire who works includes watercolor, gouache, printmaking, and drawing, and John Klossner, a cartoonist from South Berwick.
Santa Claus will welcome children at P. Gagnon; Ocean Bank will set up areas for children to write and decorate letters to Santa; Edward Jones will host Mrs. Claus reading stories, and The Little Hat Co. will have children making ornaments and helping to decorate the store’s Christmas tree. York Hospital invites children into the community room for face painting.
Strollers are invited to enjoy spiced wine at Abby Chic flower shop, cider at the Little Hat. Co. apple-cranberry cider at the Catered Event and homemade treats at the South Berwick Pharmacy.
The Masiello Group will host local videographer Tim Benoit’s work, “South Berwick” featuring montages of present day scenes and photos from the Old Berwick Historical Society.
The brochure is online at www.southberwickmaine.org.
Caption: Logo from Home for the Holidays Brochure (Courtesy photo)

Oldest School in Maine Receives Largest Single Gift in its 217-Year History

SOUTH BERWICK –
Berwick Academy Head of School, Greg Schneider, recently announced that the Academy has received the largest single cash gift in its 217-year history. The bequest totals $3.5 million dollars, and has been left to the School with no restrictions. The gift speaks to the passion of Berwick alumni, a group that the institution has been engaging with renewed vigor in recent years.
Berwick Academy was named a beneficiary to the estate of Helen Hasty Perreault, widow of Berwick Academy alumnus, Victor Perreault ‘33. Victor was a Navy veteran of World War II, and he spent the bulk of his career as a proofreader at a government printing office in the Washington, D.C. area until his passing in 1962. His widow, Helen, continued to live in Arlington, Virginia, until her death in the summer of 2007. Helen was an editor at the Bureau of National Affairs and a member of the Maine State Society, a “home away from home” for Mainers living and working in the Washington area.
Born in South Berwick, Maine, Helen had three siblings who, like her husband, are Berwick Academy alumni. She is survived by her sisters Zana Littlefield ’35, of Ogunquit, ME and Carolyn Bragdon ’49, of Wells, ME. Her brother Wesley Hasty ’41, of South Berwick, passed away in December 2001. Mrs. Perreault’s decision to donate to Berwick in honor of her husband, reflects their great commitment to the community of South Berwick and Berwick Academy.
Head of School, Greg Schneider commented, “The Perreault bequest is transformational for the Berwick Academy community on many levels. It embodies the lasting power of the Berwick experience, and it is inspiring to see an alumni family moved to make such an extraordinary planned gift. This gift, the largest single gift in the School’s 217-year history, sets the stage for additional gifts of this significance in the future. Beyond the immediate financial impact of the Perreault bequest, it has served as a catalyst for the Board of Trustees to discuss increasing financial aid resources.”
Founded in 1791, Berwick Academy is an independent, coeducational country day school located in South Berwick, Maine.
Caption: Victor and Helen Perreault (Courtesy photo)

The “Help is Here Express” Offers Help While Raising Awareness on Chronic Ills

By Larry Favinger Staff Columnist
WELLS –
The “Help is Here Express” bus was in Maine last week.
The tour, whose national spokesman is television star Montel Williams, is part of a nationwide effort sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical research companies to help financially-struggling Americans access information on various programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free while at the same time raising awareness of patient assistance programs.
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) also seeks to “raise the awareness of chronic diseases in the United States,” Jeff Gilbert, director of Communications and Public Affairs for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, said sitting in the conference room at The Weekly Sentinel. He said there is “a very big rate” of chronic illnesses in Maine.
Jerry Mathers of “Leave it to Beaver” Fame, who suffers from diabetes, was with the crew on the bus for part of the journey through Maine with stops in Fort Kent, Presque Isle, Bangor, Houlton, Lewiston, Rumford and Bridgeton.
Gilbert said the program, signified by the bus that is stocked with phones and laptop computers, has worked with thousands of people “getting their prescriptions” for free or at reduced rates directly from the pharmaceutical companies.
“Many of these programs have been around for years,” Gilbert said, but have gone unpublicized. The program as it now stands help people cut through the process to make it easy for them. “It is easy and fast,” he said.
In fact, he added, since the program began in 2005, the two buses have helped an estimated 5.3 million people, including more 21,000 Mainers.
Since its inception in April 2005, the PPA bus tour has visited over 2,000 cities and towns in all 50 states. Upon leaving The Sentinel, the bus was going to Rhode Island for its next stop.
Specially trained staff members provide help in many ways ways, Gilbert said. People can visit the bus and receive first hand help in making application by laptop computer and learn quickly what programs they may be qualified for.
If they qualify, the forms needed to send to the company are printed right there for them to take home, attach the necessary prescriptions and send to the company. The medicine can be obtained in a matter of days.
There is no age limits in the program. “Everyone can apply,” Gilbert said. About 70 percent of program applicants are under the age of 65. Many applicants are covered by Medicare Part D but, Gilbert said, “We’re still able to help some people over the age of 65.
Income levels are based on 200 percent of the federal government poverty level.
Gilbert said if a single person is making $19,500, without prescription medication insurance, “there’s a very good chance you’ll qualify for” some of the programs. A family of four with an income level somewhere in the $38,000 to $39,500 would qualify.
There are more than 475 patient assistance programs, including nearly 200 offered by pharmaceutical companies, Gilbert said.
The two buses involved with the program have traveled an estimated quarter of a million miles including more then 850 in Maine. They have visited the state four times.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is that many of these programs, if not all of them, have been around for 50 years,” Gilbert said.
The effort to make more people aware came “because we wanted to cut through the process and make it simpler for people,” Gilbert said.
There appears to be no limit on the how long these program will be available. “It won’t go away,” Gilbert said. “As I said it’s been around for 50 years of more. It’s not going to go away. If may change form, we may have a bus, we may not have a bus, but may do it differently, but we’re always going to try to come up with new ways to reach people we haven’t yet reached.”
Gilbert said there are rewards for those working on the bus.
“We see a lot of sad faces coming on the bus, people looking down,” Gilbert said. “To see that same person coming off the bus smiling” because of the help received is a very good feeling.
When the “Help is Here Express” bus moves on, people can visit PPA’s Web site (www.pparx.org.) 24 hours a day or call the toll-free phone number (1-888-4PPA-NOW) during business hours when trained operators field calls in 150 languages.
Caption: The “Help is Here Express” bus visited the office of the Weekly Sentinel while touring Maine to raise awareness on prescription assistance and chronic ills. (Weekly Sentinel photo)