Cinco de Mayo With a Purpose

OGUNQUIT—
May 5, a traditional Mexican holiday, is typically celebrated as a rite of passage. This year, join Daisy’s Children as they celebrate a night of promise at Jonathan’s Restaurant in Ogunquit.
What began as a simple desire to care for three children in a small mountain village in Honduras has rapidly grown to provide nutritious meals, clean drinking water, educational uniforms and supplies, as well as medical care for more than 100 children in this village, under the guidance of founder Sharon Beckwith and her Honduran partner, Maria Elena Plaites Manzano.
Cinco de Mayo has a far deeper meaning to Beckwith as well as Joyeis, Carla and Roberto. May 5, 2008, was the day that Deysi Suyapa Madrid Chavez died in Concepcion del Norte due to complications of malnutrition. This 24-year-old mother gave her life because she chose to feed her young children rather than herself.
This year, Jonathan’s Restaurant partners with Daisy’s Children to host a celebration of all that has happened in honor of Deysi. A night filled with laughter and joy, coupled with a south of the border flair will commence with a cocktail hour at 7 p.m. A cash bar will feature specialty margaritas, sangria, Corona and more. Appetizers will include a Latin flair. A silent auction will be held throughout the cocktail hour and into dinner, featuring many fine local and Honduran items brought back from the village area. Dessert will be coupled with Honduran coffee and select live auction items.
Throughout your meal the wait staff will muster up their comedic timing to raise a grand total in tips to cover our First Annual Gringo Trophy. Come prepared to tip them well knowing that each dollar you spend will feed a child two meals and a healthy snack. Guests may also bring along a bag of props to entice their waiters to perform in order to incur a higher tip!
This event is open to the public. Tickets are on sale now by calling 207-646-4777. Tickets are also available at The Hair Shop in North Berwick, and Lucy’s Art Emporium in Dover, NH. For more information, please visit www.daisyschildren.org.

Photo caption: Daisy’s Children works to provide sustenance, education, and medical support to the disadvantaged children of Honduras. (daisyschildren.org photo)

The Man behind the Music: Maestro Robert Moody to Visit

KENNEBUNK –
Do you ever wonder what it means to be the music director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO)? How do conductors spend their time when they’re not on the podium? Get to know the man behind the music as Maestro Robert Moody shares the answers to these questions and more about American orchestras in the 21st century.
Robert Moody, conductor of the Portland Symphony Orchestra, will be making the rounds in Kennebunk on May 1. The first stop on his visit will be as guest conductor of the Kennebunk High School Band, led by band teacher Benjamin Potvin. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions as well as perform for Moody during the morning band rehearsal.
“We were excited to extend the offer for Mr. Moody to work with the KHS Band. Due to the unique collaboration of Huntington Common, River Tree and Kennebunk Savings, we were able to sponsor his visit at no cost to the school,” commented Juliette Coldreck, program director at RTA. “Susan Benner, the activity coordinator at Huntington, has been supportive of the event by allowing us to use this funding to benefit the community.”
Huntington Common will be hosting a Lunch and Learn after Moody’s visit to KHS. The PSO music director will be talking to residents and guests about his life as a conductor, working for the PSO, and his passion for music. Huntington Common will be accepting Lunch and Learn reservations from the community. The RSVP includes lunch and the lecture in the Huntington Common dining room at no cost; only 50 reservations will be accepted. Guests must arrive by 11:45 a.m. on May 1. To reserve a seat, please call 207-985-2810.
Since his appointment as Music Director in 2008, Robert Moody has gained renown for the Portland Symphony Orchestra through its outstanding performances, innovative programming, and deep-rooted community collaborations. Highlights of his tenure with the PSO have included critical and audience acclaim, a fully revamped “Magic of Christmas,” a sold-out gala concert with Renée Fleming, and the establishment of important new works through commissions and premiere performances. Moody is a frequent guest conductor with orchestras throughout the country.
Robert Moody’s visit has been sponsored by a union of Huntington Common, Kennebunk Savings Bank and River Tree Arts to bring art, music, and theatre enrichment to the lives of Kennebunk area seniors. For more information, please call River Tree Arts, 207-967-9120.

Sarton Centennial Pays Tribute to Renowned Writer

YORK –
The May Sarton Centennial is just two weeks away. The author, who would have been 100 years old on May 3, was born in Belgium. At age 2, she fled to England with her family when the Germans invaded, and they moved to Massachusetts the next year. The famous wrier of more than fifty books settled in York in her later years. The York Selectmen just proclaimed May 3 as May Sarton Day, and the celebration is filling up fast with participants.
Some of the highlights in the May Sarton Centennial Schedule:
Opening Reception with Symposium presenters, appetizers, wine and a Birthday Cake for May Sarton. From 4 to 7 p.m. at the Parsons Center.
Two days of presentations by friends, filmmakers and scholars on Friday and Saturday.
Rare screening of the film “Mrs Stevens Hears the Mermaids Singing.”
A Poetry Celebration and Clambake on Saturday Night at Fosters Clambake in York with Poets Laureate, music, and great food. Tickets available separately for $40 each.
Educators can earn 1.5 CEUs while attending the Symposium.
Walking tour of York Village for attendees.
Sunday service at South Church Unitarian Universalist with a focus on May Sarton in Portsmouth. Public Welcome.
Raffle of a unique collection of books and film inspired by the Centennial and donated by the Symposium presenters. Tickets are $10 each or three for $20. Tickets can be bought when registering, through PayPal now or at the event. Drawing is during the dinner on Saturday, May 5. Winner need not be present to win.
Special Sarton exhibit of photos, letters, rare books, art work and other artifacts will be on display at the York Public Library and Parsons Center. Some items, including a framed print by York artist and May Sarton friend, Beverly Hallam, are for sale to support the Symposium.
The books have all been donated by the Board of Trustees of the York Public Library as its contribution to the symposium. Hallam, a longtime friend of Sarton’s, personally donated her print, as well. Hallam and Sarton were neighbors in York. Wild Knoll, Sarton’s home, is on the same property as the house where Hallam still lives today.
A limited edition print by Hallam, entitled “Keukenhof Gardens 11,” is one of only three made. Hallam has had a long and distinguished career as an artist and is a pioneer in the use of acrylics and the airbrush. In recent years Hallam has been experimenting with the use of shape and color in computer-generated prints.
Rounding out the sale is a framed photo interpretation of Sarton’s gravestone in Nelson, New Hampshire, created by tombstone artist Walter Skold.
All of the items are currently on view at York Public Library. They are part of a larger exhibit that includes photos and letters on loan from the Maine Women Writers Collection at the University of New England, and copies of rare and personal writings on loan from the Berg Collection at the New York Public Library. Several “Broadsides,” limited edition beautifully crafted poems written by Sarton and given to friends on special occasions, are on loan from the Maine State Library
The public is also welcome to attend the opening reception on May Sarton’s birthday, Thursday, May 3 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Parsons Center, and a presentation at the First Parish Church on Friday morning, May 4, at 9 a.m. and on Saturday morning, May 5, at the same location at 10:15. All other Symposium presentations require a Symposium ticket. A complete ticket is $90, or you may choose to attend only the Symposium for $50. Please see maysarton100.org for details.

Maine Supreme Judicial Court Improves Transparency

As a public service, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court now provides live streaming of its oral arguments. Although associated technical support is not offered to listeners, if you experience problems listening to the stream, please send an e-mail to lawcourt.clerk@courts.maine.gov. Staff will then be given the opportunity to determine if there is a technical issue or a common problem that can addressed. In your message, please include information on what device you were using to tune in (PC, Mac, iOS, or Android) and, if on a PC or Mac, what browser you were using. It should be noted that not every e-mail will be acknowledged.
The stream will be active only while the Court is in session and on the bench. A schedule of the Court’s next oral argument session, with a summary of the issues involved in each case, can be accessed online. The Court’s schedule for the year is available on its calendar page.

For more information, visit www.courts.state.me.us. This article was provided by Beth O’Connor, Maine State Rep District #145.

Berwick Academy to Host Passamaquoddy Tribe Members for Earth Day Events

SOUTH BERWICK —

Donald Soctomah and Chief Joseph Socobasin of the Passamaquoddy Tribe in Washington County, Maine will visit Berwick Academy this Friday, April 20 to help the community celebrate Earth Day. Soctomah and the Chief will speak at the annual assembly, which will be held outside in front of the Commons Building on campus from 8:30 – 9:15am. They will speak about what Earth Day means to them and their tribe as well as the idea of Mother Earth. The assembly is an all-school event, which is organized by the Middle and Upper School Green Committees, and will also include student speeches and musical performances.
Soctomah and Chief Socobasin will remain on campus for the day to visit with classes. In third grade, they will speak to students about the Native American culture, which coincides with a unit the children are currently learning. In the eighth grade, they will discuss the book, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian”, which the students read this year. In the Upper School, they will meet with an art class to discuss Native American crafts, a music class to discuss Native American music, and a history class for a general discussion on the Native American culture and history of the Passamaquoddy tribe.
Donald Soctomah serves as the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Passamaquoddy Tribe. He is the tribal historian and former Tribal Representative to the Maine State Legislature. He has appeared and advised on ten films which explore the history of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, including National Public Television, Animal Planet, Canadian Broadcasting, Maine Public TV and a jointly produced film with the Environmental Protection Agency titled “Our Relatives Place”. Donald is also an author of eight tribal history books which include one that won the National Multi-cultural Award for children’s books, titled “Remember Me: A Story about the Relationship of Chief Tomah Joseph and Franklin Roosevelt”. Additionally, he has produced several music CDs of Passamaquoddy music.
Chief Joseph Socobasin has served as chief, or Sakom, on the Passamaquoddy Tribe since 2010. As chief, he is the Head Executive and Administrator of all Indian Township tribal programs, including Health Service, Fire & Police, Education, Utilities, Infrastructure, Education, and Housing. He is also the head tribal representative for interactions with state and federal government agencies. The Passamaquoddy Tribe has nearly 6,000 members in the individual Tribal Councils of Indian Township, in Princeton, and at the Pleasant Point Reservation (Sipayik) in Perry, Maine.
Photo caption: Berwick Academy Students sport homemade Earth Day hats while assembled for Earth Day in 2011. (Courtesy photo of Berwick Academy's website)

Berwick’s First Public Trail to be Dedicated

BERWICK —

“Conserved in memory of Ruth Worcester Greason who walked and loved these woods,” is how the bronze inscription reads for the dedication of Berwick’s first ever public trail on Saturday, April 21 at 1 pm by Great Works Regional Land Trust.
The event, which is open to the public, celebrates the official opening of a trail accessing lands conserved in the Beaver Dam Heath area, over 1,600 acres of vital habitat the Trust is actively preserving. Dedication of Grants Meadow also highlights the historical significance that is often tied to a tract of land when it is conserved.
On Saturday, Great Works’ Board Member and Berwick resident, Michael Wright, will present the dedication plaque to Carolyn Greason Bryan, Ruth Worcester Greason’s daughter, and her husband, Bill Bryan. Like her mother, Carolyn Bryan grew up walking, skiing and snowshoeing on the Heath, enjoying a property that had been connected to her family for more than two centuries.
Before the Bryans helped Great Works conserve the 28-acre site of Grants Meadow through a bargain sale in 2011, it had passed from the family of Joshua Grant to the Hussey and Worcester families. Over time, the Heath has experienced a major fire in the 1940s, and sections were used as a bombing range in World War II. In the book, “Old Families of Kittery,” Joshua Grant is referred to as a sergeant in the militia. The Heath was an important source of hay for him and others into the late 1800s.
“In the spirit of its history, we hope Berwick residents and many others enjoy the new trail that Great Works will be finishing this Spring. We also hope they will help us to preserve and enjoy more of Beaver Dam Heath going forward,” said Wright.
Grants Meadow was also preserved through generosity of the town of Berwick, Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership, US Fish and Wildlife Service (through New England Wetlands Conservation funds), and individual donors. The site provides road frontage for the planned parking and trails into Beaver Dam Heath. The shrub-land habitat lies next to an additional 113-acre parcel donated by the Bryans and an abutting two-acre parcel donated by the Town of Berwick.
The Heath is recognized by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as critical habitat for the threatened Spotted turtle, the endangered Blanding’s turtle and Atlantic white cedars, rare in Maine. Its vernal pools are primary breeding grounds for salamanders, frogs and fairy shrimp. The preserve is vital to flood prevention and water filtration in the area.
Great Works Regional Land Trust is a non-profit organization founded in 1986 to provide conservation options to the landowners and general public of Eliot, South Berwick, Berwick, North Berwick, Wells and Ogunquit. Over 4,800 acres have been conserved. Most lands are open to the public. The dedication of Grants Meadow will mark the sixth “public trail” maintained by Great Works.
For information on the Grants Meadow dedication or the Heath, please contact Great Works Regional Land Trust at www.gwrlt.org or (207) 646-3604. RSVPs are appreciated. (Courtesy photo)

Eliot Police Help Make Strides Toward Ending Elder Abuse

ELIOT—
The York County Elder Abuse Task Force was recently announced as the recipient of a $5,000 grant from the Huntington Common Charitable Fund, administered by the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation. The funds will be used to purchase hidden camera equipment and software, which will be made available to any Police Department in York County for the purpose of investigating suspected cases of Elder Abuse.
The York County Elder Abuse Task Force is a group of committed professionals from many fields, including law enforcement, social services, and legal services for the elderly and financial institutions. They meet monthly at the Eliot Police Department to share knowledge and skills, to serve as a resource to educate the public about elder abuse, and ultimately to eliminate it as a problem in York County.
According to Officer Candice Simeoni of the Eliot Police Department and Chairperson of the Task Force, “Maine is the ‘oldest’ State in the nation. By 2030, 27 percent of our population will be over the age of 65. It is estimated that there are over 12,000 cases of elder abuse in Maine each year.” Simeoni says “elder abuse can come in many forms, including physical, emotional, psychological, financial, neglect and even sexual abuse.”
One of the more difficult aspects of elder abuse is that the person being abused may not be able to speak for him or herself. Family members may suspect that abuse or theft is occurring, but in the absence of evidence it is difficult to prove who is inflicting the abuse. Several Maine police departments have had significant success in solving elder abuse cases with the use of hidden cameras. These cameras, installed with the knowledge and consent of the victim or the victim’s family, can provide the key piece of evidence in breaking the cycle of abuse.
In the current economic environment, with budgets as tight as they are, few police departments in York County have ready access to such cameras. “Thanks to the grant from the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation we will be able to buy some of these cameras, and make them freely available to any police department in York County for use in the investigation of suspected elder abuse” explained Simeoni. “We feel that we can not only assist our law enforcement officers in investigating these cases, but more importantly send a very clear message to abusers that these tools are now available to protect our senior citizens,” Simeoni continued.
Since 2007 the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation has administered the Huntington Common Charitable Fund and has distributed over $400,000 to area organizations to benefit York County Seniors. Each year, to further charitable work and the building of community, the Huntington Common Charitable Fund for Seniors of the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation seeks out projects and programs that will serve and benefit area seniors.
Funded programs have been wide-ranging and have included programs that help to feed seniors through area food pantries and meals programs, support for caregivers, library programs, job funding and various visiting nurse programs to name just a few.
If you are interested in learning more about the York County Elder Abuse Task Force please contact Officer Candice Simeoni at the Eliot Police Department at 207-439-1179 or cnoble@eliotpd.com.