Pumpkinman Triathlon Raises Money, Awareness

SOUTH BERWICK –

The Pumpkinman Triathlon Festival sponsored the Step Out to Stop Diabetes Walk at Marshwood Great Works School on May 24. Pumpkinman provided t-shirts and medals for the participants. The fourth and fifth grade students from Great Works raised $467 for the American Diabetes Association by walking or running laps of the half-mile trail on the school grounds for an hour. The event encouraged the students to remain in “constant motion” and promoted heath and fitness in addition to raising funds in the fight against diabetes.

Kyle Burnell, Pumpkinman Social Media Director, of South Berwick, commended the students for their efforts.

“It was special to see so many students supporting their community and the fight against diabetes,” he said. “These students are also working to improve their own health in the process of helping others and that is something we at Pumpkinman are thrilled to see,” Burnell elaborated.

Since its inception in 2007, the Pumpkinman Triathlon Festival has awarded and donated more than $150,000 back to the communities in Southern Maine. The Festival which takes place on September 8 and 9, 2012, hosts more than 1,100 multisport athletes and 2,000 spectators. Its success is due in part to the participation and volunteerism of over 250 local volunteers.

The Pumpkinman Triathlon Festival also recently awarded seven student athlete scholarships to Marshwood High School students.

Luke Fernandes, Eliot; Troy Pappas, Eliot; Megan Maguire, South Berwick; Sam Morrison, South Berwick;  Kate Pouliot, South Berwick; Natalia Bachelder, South Berwick; and Ryan Grogan, South Berwick, were all awarded the Fourth Annual Pumpkinman Triathlon Festival  Student Athlete Scholarship Award in the amount of $500.  These students displayed not only high academic achievements but also displayed leadership on the playing field and within their communities through their volunteer efforts.

Each recipient was a varsity level athlete for a minimum of two years, displayed an exemplary record of positive athletic and non-athletic citizenship through volunteerism, as well as success in the classroom. Event director, Kat Donatello, of Eliot, praised these local student athletes.

“In this very busy environment where so many students lose focus, it was exciting to see how diligent these seven students were in maintaining such high academic standards, as well as being incredible leaders on both the playing field and within their communities,” she said. (courtesy photo)

Safety Matters to Area Girl Scouts

YORK COUNTY –

Eighty-six Girl Scouts from York, Kittery, Eliot, South Berwick and Kennebunk recently attended “Safety Matters,” an event designed to help Daisy, Brownie and Junior girls earn the Girl Scout Safety Award. York Beach Fire Captain Ferris Boardman, along with Kittery Police Officers Jay Durgin, Chris Kondos and K-9 officer “Emma” presented a fun an informative evening explaining how girls can stay safe at home and how to make safe choices when encountering strangers and other outside influences.

Captain Boardman explained how fire alarms work and how important it is to make sure batteries are fresh and that alarms are properly maintained. “How many of you hear the smoke alarm at your house and say ‘It must be Dad cooking again?’” Boardman asked the girls. He explained that even if you think it might just be Dad burning toast, families should get in the habit of exiting the house and gathering at a predetermined “family meeting spot” in the yard to make sure everyone is safe.

In addition to demonstrating “Stop, Drop and Roll” and explaining what to do if someone were choking,  he also covered the importance of knowing where the emergency exits are in your home or in public buildings. He emphasized making sure emergency exits, especially in your home, are not blocked. Not only will the occupants of the home not be able to get out, but firefighters and rescue workers will not be able to get in to help. Sound advice.

Officer Chris Kondos discussed playground, school bus and bicycle safety, what to do if a stranger approaches or if you are lost in the woods or in a shopping mall. He emphasized that girls should know their home telephone number and street address, and the importance of having family contact information available. The contact information should include telephone numbers where parents can be reached including work and cell phone numbers as well as the phone numbers of trusted neighbors the girls could call if there were an emergency in the home and their parents were away. The Gundalow Service Unit, sponsor of the Girl Scout safety award event, provided each girl with a Family Contact packet to take home which also included a mini first aid kit for minor scrapes and burns.

While the girls were very attentive and interacted throughout each of the presentations, they were particularly interested in Emma the German Shepard K-9 officer. Emma’s “dad,” Officer Jay Durgin explained the search work Emma performs and her importance to the police department. He demonstrated how well she is able to find items, which generated many excited squeals from amazed girls (and adults). Emma was rewarded for her success with a special toy, which she absolutely loved.

(courtesy photo)

Silent Spring’s 50th Anniversary Celebration

WELLS –

This year, Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of its namesake’s seminal work, “Silent Spring.” Join the Refuge in its celebration kickoff on Saturday, June 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Refuge headquarters on 321 Port Road in Wells. Bring the whole family for guided tours along the Rachel Carson Trail, nature crafts, exhibits from local organizations, live animal demonstrations and performances from local artists. Make your own bird feeder, take home a tree to plant, explore the tidal critters touch tank, design your own nature-inspired t-shirt, learn about local flora and fauna, participate in the Wildlife Olympics, and more. Guided tours along the Carson Trail and events include Bird Identification at 7 a.m., Salt Marsh Ecology at 10 a.m., York Center for Wildlife’s “Raptors and Reptiles” live animal show from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Flora of Maine Walk at 1 p.m., a local 6th grader’s National History Day performance of “Reactions to Silent Spring and Reforms to the Environment” at 1:30 p.m., and the Sense of Wonder walk at 2 p.m.. Purchase sandwiches and baked goods from Borealis Breads.

If you would like to learn more about Silent Spring’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Rachel Carson, visit www.fws.gov/northeast/rachelcarson for more information. (photo courtesy of wikipedia)

Two Towns Unite to Land Fireball Run

By Timothy Gillis

Staff Columnist

OGUNQUIT & SANFORD -

Ogunquit and Sanford have landed a exciting opportunity to be part of an effort that assists in the recovery of missing children. Fireball Run, has assisted in the recovery of thirty-eight missing children since the road rally started in 2007. Ogunquit will house the eighty participants and additional cast and crew members on Friday, September 28. Sanford is the location of a secret mission earlier in the day.

Karen Arel, president of the Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce, and Suzanne McKechnie, economic development specialist for the Sanford Growth Council, were the two main players in landing the adventure rally, called “2012 Fireball Run Northern Exposure".

“This is a great way for our regions to collaborate,” McKechnie said. “It’s a great way to show people what our towns have to offer.”

McKechnie got a phone call from the Sanford Downtown Legacy group, saying the show was interested in Sanford’s Pumpkin Regatta. The annual race features 800 to 1,000 pound pumpkins, carved out, painted, and raced on No. 1 pond in Sanford. Contestants in the race are clad in outlandish costumes and compete furiously to come in first, or at least not sink their pumpkins. The race, part of Sanford’s Harvest Daze, was featured on the National Geographic Channel, and drew the attention of Fireball Run. This September, the forty teams made up of business leaders, industry celebrities and elected leaders will test their own gourd-racing talents as one of the show’s many missions.

McKechnie called the Ogunquit Chamber and talked with Arel about the two towns combining efforts. The teams will stay in Ogunquit, at the Meadowmere Resort, and they will dine at Jonathan’s.

“We’re very fortunate they selected two businesses who were able to work with Fireball Run’s strict guidelines that are set for being the host hotel and host restaurant,” Arel said.

Part of the competition involves trading cards of the participants. Local fans of the show are encouraged to try to collect these trading cards as an avenue for possible future business. “If people can make it to the dinner, there will be some great business connections to make,” she said.

They are still looking for contestants to join the race. “If some local business wants to be the hometown team, they can contact me,” Arel said. “This is exciting. The country is the game board; the participants are the pieces.”

There will be two Maine celebrity teams in the race. Timber Tina Scheer, world champion lumberjill, and Carolann Ouelette, director of the Maine Office of Tourism, will be raising awareness for the search for Ayla Reynolds, of Waterville. Bill and Valerie Sowles, of Yarmouth, will be trying to increase awareness for the search for Aydriana Tetu, of Lewiston, according to David Hickman, executive vice-president of marketing for Fireball Run. Bill Sowles owns Morong Brunswick and Morong Falmouth with his brother, Peter.

There are forty two-person celebrity teams. “We used to have more teams but we’ve pared it down, restricting it to forty,” said Hickman. The teams will begin in Independence, Ohio, and travel more than 2,000 miles in eight days, through fourteen cities. The trip ends in Bangor. They will complete hundreds of missions, locating items of local, historic nature or something from pop culture. “It will be roadside, whimsy fun,” Hickman said. The teams race to collect points for achieving a mission, and then find out what the next mission is.

“It’s a nod to ‘The Cannonball Run’ movies with Burt Reynolds, but also a nod to Fireball Roberts, a Nascar driver from central Florida,” Hickman said. Fireball Run is produced at Orlando Studios in Florida. Jay Sanchez, the show’s director, said the Fireball Run is a celebration of the America less-travelled. “We have forty influential teams who are going to discover your communities.” This year’s run celebrates women in professional sports.

Sanchez said the show will pull in more than $40 million worth of news media this year, up from $13 million their inaugural year. News media coverage is a statistic determined by what the coverage of the event would be worth in advertising dollars. In other words, the road rally is so popular, good for local businesses, and benefitting a worthy cause that makes it such an interesting, newsworthy event.  

Sanchez, who said he didn’t know how to pronounce Ogunquit when he first heard of the town, came to love the area quickly. The crew was in town last week to announce the show at a press conference held at Perkins Cove. They met with local authorities to hash out the myriad details for a show of this large scale, and were whisked around town by Maine Limousine to scout possible filming locations. (photo by Tim Gillis)

Rodeo to Raise Money for Wounded Warrior Project

By Timothy Gillis

 

YORK –

The Churchill Ranch Rodeo at York Wild Kingdom, June 1 through 3, will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors.

Kenny Churchill, the champion bull rider, is holding the 2^nd annual event as a way to share his passion for bull-riding and the rodeo, as well as pay tribute to veterans. “I took care of a veteran for thirty years,” Churchill said from his ranch this week. George Parker, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, was friends with Margaret Thatcher, the British prime minister, and the Kennedys.

“I used to have a cleaning company in Brookline, Massachusetts. One day I found him on the floor, unconscious, going into a stroke,” Churchill said. “When he got better, I asked him for contact information, in case it ever happened again. He said he didn’t have any.”

Churchill brought him into his own family, and cared for him until last August, when Parker died of cancer.

“He was like a grandfather to my kids,” Churchill said. “He loved the military so much. I know he would love that we’re doing this for the Wounded Warrior Project.”

The rodeo weekend kicks off Friday, June 1, at the York American Legion at 7:30 p.m. with a silent auction. There will be four live bands – Johnny Wad and the Cash, Whiskey Kill, Jandee Lee Porter, and Walkin’ the Line – and food and drink. The event is hosted by the World Cup Bull Riders, the Motor Cross Team, and the Monster Truck Team.

Churchill rode professionally for twenty years, and was in the championship finals for sixteen of them. The rookie champion of the year in 1982, Churchill is happy to have his rodeo at York Wild Kingdom, on Saturday, June 2, and Sunday, June 3. He had tried to have it at his ranch in the past, but ran into trouble with permits.

“It’s going to be a great time, and a good cause,” he said. (courtesy photo)

Local Woman Featured in National Magazine for Her Work Fighting Polio

By Timothy Gillis

SOUTH BERWICK -
Ann Lee Hussey is featured in this month’s issue of Real Simple. The South Berwick native has traveled twenty times around the globe, bringing polio vaccines to poor countries. Most recently, she was in Chad. “I’m going back to Nigeria in the fall. I plan to return to Chad and the South Sudan,” she said from her home this week. “Even though these countries are not on the endemic lists, their neighboring countries are, so the neighbors are at risk.”
Hussey was in India in February of last year when the World Health Organization took India off the polio endemic list. But her efforts reach far beyond that. “Some people just go to India, or places they know have trouble. I like to go to other places that are also at risk,” she said.
Hussey, who suffers from polio herself, has made it a life quest to help eradicate the disease. “Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus,” according to the WHO website. “It invades the nervous system, and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. The virus enters the body through the mouth and multiplies in the intestine. Initial symptoms are fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis (usually in the legs). Among those paralyzed, 5 to 10 percent die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.”
Hussey said the disease is less prevalent now, but is still a problem in many parts of the world. “Most cases are now found in areas of poor sanitation resulting in fecal contamination of water, and primarily occurs in children under the age of two,” she said. “The first vaccine was available in April 1955 by Dr. Jonas Salk.”
All this globetrotting is taxing on Hussey, especially given her continued health concerns. “I have changes that I fear may be early signs of  PPS,” she said. PPS is post-polio syndrome, a progressive condition that causes muscular weakness, pain, and exhaustion for up to twenty-five percent of polio sufferers.
Her husband, Michael Nazemetz, is proud of the work his wife is doing, and of the national acclaim the magazine article brings with it. Often working behind the scenes as Hussey’s PR man, Nazemetz also knows full well how challenging all this travel is for someone with chronic joint and muscle aches so painful they interrupt sleep.
Hussey says it’s all worth it. Knowing she may be able to help rid the world of this deadly disease is a pretty good panacea. (courtesy photo)

Unique Hike through History Explores Childhood at Sites in Two States

SOUTH BERWICK –

Ringing the factory bell that summoned youth before there were child labor laws.  Shelling peas, and scrubbing clothes in a washtub like a French Canadian immigrant family 100 years ago.  Reciting classroom lessons learned in the 1800s by a student who became one of Maine’s most famous authors, Sarah Orne Jewett.

About 190 eighth graders from Marshwood Middle School and 30 third graders from Central School have been preparing for these activities by researching real local residents from the past.  They readied themselves to teach some 600 younger elementary students in preparation during the Hike through History on May 18. 

Eighth graders were especially enthusiastic as they prepared for the Hike through History in recent days. Abby Corriveau recalled her own experience on the Hike back when she was in Central School grader, saying, "It is great to be working on something that I was involved in when I was little, and help all the kids learn about history."

Andrew Bennington moved to the school district after third grade and thus has never experienced a Hike throughHistory. "I'm excited to be experiencing an awesome event for the first time as the teacher, and to help the kids learn."

Tabitha Fiorentini said, "The planning of Hike Through History is teaching me a lot. Hopefully all our work will pay off!"

"It's tough to put this together," Nicolas Ciampa admitted, "but I'm excited for the final result that'll be educational and fun for the kids."

For the past 18 years, Central School’s annual Hike through History has been a collaboration with the Old Berwick Historical Society.  The event is led by teachers, older students and volunteers, at little financial expense.

“The Hike provides engaging, authentic local history resources to introduce students to history studies using actual places and people of our own community,” said Nicole St. Pierre, curriculum coordinator for the Old Berwick Historical Society who is teaming up with Pamela Mulcahey, a Central School teacher who coordinates the Hike through History.

“The theme of this year's Hike is Childhood,” St. Pierre continued.  “Kids will be focusing on the idea of how children of the past contributed to their families, schools, and communities.”

“Both the eighth grade and third grade interpreters do a fantastic job, first conducting their own historical research, and then communicating what they learn to a younger audience,” she added.

This year's Hike through History planned to circulate throughout downtown South Berwick, including the Sarah Orne Jewett House and the new South Berwick Library. Taking advantage of their school’s location on the Maine/New Hampshire border, the route would also cross a bridge over a historic waterfall to follow the footsteps of factory workers at the Salmon Falls Manufacturing Company in Rollinsford, NH.  Eighth-grade interpreters were assigned to meet the young children, explain how cloth was made under difficult working conditions, and demonstrate life in a boarding house.

Along the way, children would also have fun tasting the wares of a bakery and confectionery, shopping for 1910 fashions, and enjoying an amusement park like that once operated by the trolley company.

Central School and Berwick Academy third graders prepared for the Hike by attending a special program at the Counting House Museum in early May, where they experienced a simulated school classroom of Miss Olive Raynes, a South Berwick teacher in the 1800s.

Counting students, teachers and families, the number of Hike through History participants is about 1000.  Historic New England, South Berwick Public Library, and owners of the historic properties along the route also have collaborated. 

Most of the Hike through History route travels through districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine and New Hampshire.

This year’s Hike preparations sawimprovements over past years. Staffing has allowed better integration of teachers’ educational goals with historic materials from the archives of the society’s Counting House Museum, and written plans to support the program’s continuation in the future. A supportive website, www.hikethroughhistory.org, has also been created. Funding for the improvements was provided by grants from the Davis Family and Marshwood Education Foundations. (courtesy photo)