Seniors Not Acting Their Age

By Ron Chase

When I heard there was a hiking trail to the summit of Lobster Mountain, I resolved to return to remote Lobster Lake for a climb.  The pristine body of water with an impressive shoreline is located northeast of Moosehead Lake in northern Maine.  Letting your imagination soar, it’s shaped something like an asymmetrical lobster.  Both a destination for outdoor adventurers and a popular way-stop on the iconic West Branch of the Penobscot River canoe trip, I had been there twice never realizing Lobster Mountain existed.    More proof there is still much for us old folks to learn.

My first visit to Lobster Lake was an overnight stop on the multi-day canoe trip.  Arriving at the most accessible campsite on Ogden Point in the dark on a cold fall evening, my brother-in-law and I departed early the next morning without enjoying the benefits of the picturesque tarn.  A few years ago, I returned with three Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society (PPCS) Chowderheads intent on exploring the entire lake during a three day visit.  Powerful northwest winds kept us marooned on Ogden Point for the entire stay.

Planning a return, I recently scheduled a PPCS three day Lobster Lake and Mountain surf and turf trip.  The proposal received substantial club interest.  Unfortunately, remnants of hurricane Delta resulted in postponement.  A few days later, three acceptable weather days were identified with short notice.  My retired friend, Jean Miller, was able to quickly adapt to the new timeframe.

You can’t get to Lobster Lake from here.  More accurately, it’s not easy to get there from here as all routes entail extensive driving on rough logging roads.  Prior experience indicated paved roads extended closest to our destination by traveling through Millinocket.  Not anymore, the erstwhile paved section of the Golden Road was an unrelenting succession of lapses in pavement, potholes, ruts, and pooling water.  Heavy rain and snow the previous day worsened conditions.    After paying day-use and camping fees at the North Maine Woods Caribou Gate, the drive mercifully ended at a boat landing on Lobster Stream at the confluence with the Penobscot River. 

Paddling sea kayaks against a modest current on Lobster Stream with cloudy skies and cool temperatures, our adventure began by navigating about 1.5 miles to Lobster Lake.  Entering the lake, prominent Lobster Mountain could be observed almost due south.  Our research indicated Lobster Mountain Trailhead originated at a campsite in Jackson Cove located south of Ogden Point, an additional two plus miles.  Calm conditions facilitated an easy journey to a spacious site situated atop a steep bank on the southern shore of the cove.  Arriving shortly before dusk, our reconnaissance quickly located the trailhead.  The convenient location would be home for the next two nights.

By Nathan Tsukroff

Where do you turn for help if you are a victim of rape, child sexual abuse or other forms of sexual violence?

In Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties, you can get help from Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services.

Advocates from SAPARS will help victims by traveling with them to a hospital for treatment, helping them to decide if they want to report the sexual assault or abuse to police, help them make the police report, and refer them to professionals in the community.

Most importantly, SAPARS advocates will “listen, listen, listen, any time of day or night”, according to Meagan Davis, Executive Director of the group.

The group works to prevent and eliminate sexual violence and promote healing and empowerment for people of all genders and ages who are affected by rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, stalking and sexual harassment, according to their mission statement.

Victims of sexual trafficking and exploitation receive help from SAPARS with crisis intervention and ongoing support services, such as accompaniment and support during forensic medical procedures, police interviews and civil or criminal court proceedings.

Advocates from the group help assess the needs of survivors and assist with developing and implementing a comprehensive safety plan, Davis said. And advocates provide referrals to other social agencies, as appropriate, and will provide help for survivors to file for victim compensation.

“Our outreach and education programs help community members understand how to support survivors of sexual assault and abuse, how sexual violence impacts everyone in the community, and how to be part of the solution to ending sexual violence,” Davis said. “We offer presentations to professionals, service providers and any group interested in learning and helping.”

Through SAPARS’ school-based programs, students can receive on-site support. Face-to-face communication and advocacy helps young survivors cope and heal, David said.

Additionally, school-based prevention education from SAPARS works with all grade levels to help create a safer school environment. Advocates provide both classroom educational presentations to students, as well as specialized training to help teachers and administrators recognize and respond to sexual harassment, acquaintance rape, and child sexual abuse.

In support groups, victims have the chance to share their experiences, identify coping strategies, learn new information and support one another in their healing process.

The Children’s Advocacy Center of Androscoggin, Franklin & Oxford Counties is a safe, comfortable, place for a child to be interviewed about sexual or physical abuse. The CAC is a child-focused, community-oriented facility where professionals from many different disciplines meet to discuss the investigation, treatment and prosecution of child abuse cases.

From October 2019 to September 2020, SAPARS served about 450 people with around 1,500 hours of support. Services are free and confidential to anyone impacted by sexual violence or abuse. Support is provided for survivors and others, regardless of whether the impact is recent or several years ago.

Victims can get help from an advocate by contacting the SAPARS helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-871-7741. The caller can share as much or as little information as they would like, and can keep the call anonymous by not providing their name.

SAPARS does not provide shelter services, but collaborates with community partners to help identify safe locations for people to stay temporarily. They frequently partner with the local domestic violence agency, Safe Voices, to connect individuals to the Safe Voices shelter services.

The group is funded in part by Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services, United Way of Androscoggin County, United Way of Oxford County, United Way of the Tri-Valley Area, and public and private donations. 

Community members can volunteer at SAPARS, either through fundraising activities or training to be a volunteer advocate on the 24-hour helpline service.

Information about the group and the services provided can be found at  www.sapars.org  or on the Facebook page: Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services, or by calling the helpline at 800-871-7741.

From Baxter Library

THURSDAY. NOV. 19

9:30 a.m.

Toddler Discovery Time. Join Ms. Dani for a Virtual Discovery Time on Facebook.   (18months-3 yrs)

6 p.m.

Quitting Conversations: Accessing the Maine QuitLink. Via Zoom. Join us as we discuss tobacco dependence, how to support tobacco users looking to quit, and the free resources that are available to Mainers. With tobacco use continuing to be the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the world, 7 out of 10 smokers report wanting to quit. But what resources do they have? And how do they get connected?

In this program, attendees will learn about tobacco dependence, the Maine QuitLink and how to use it, and how to engage individuals in conversation about their tobacco use.

The Maine QuitLink is free, confidential, and evidence-based. It offers both tobacco counseling and Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) medication at no cost to Maine Residents. Those interested will receive a certificate of participation. This program is presented in partnership with Portland Public Health.

Please register for this event at the Baxter Library website. Once you have registered, a Zoom link for the program will be sent to the email address you provide. 

TUESDAY, NOV. 24

9:30-10:00 a.m.

Travels with Ms Heidi. Watch on Facebook as Ms. Heidi takes Preschool Discovery Time on the road.  Enjoy guessing her locations as she reads to you, and discover different places and people in Gorham. (3-5yrs)

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 25

10 a.m.

STEAM – Double-Doodle Drawing. Join Ms. Deb on Facebook for a virtual STEAM activity. Activities are geared toward K-5 learners and require minimal supplies that you’ll likely have right on-hand at home. This time, use both your left and right brain with this art activity that involves imagination and symmetry.

THURSDAY, NOV. 26

Closed in observance of Thanksgiving. 

FRIDAY, NOV. 27

Closed in observance of Thanksgiving.

From Gorham Food Pantry

The Gorham Food Pantry drive-through food drive on Oct. 24 collected 1,270 pounds of goods and $1,745 in cash to support its mission of feeding Gorham residents.

Girl Scout Troop Leader Betsy Nygren and her scouts decorated and donated Thanksgiving boxes complete with everything needed for a wonderful holiday meal. 

 Donations were sorted and weighed by board members and volunteers to be packed into individual holiday boxes for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 The Gorham Food Pantry is available to any Gorham resident. Residents should visit during pantry hours with proof of residency, such as a utility bill with name and  Gorham address on it – not a drivers’ license.

The best way to keep up-to-date on Pantry happenings and current needs is to follow them on Facebook – Gorham Food Pantry Friends. Messages via Facebook are responded to quickly. 

 Current needs during the month of November are:  baked beans, canned pasta sauce (small), canned sweet potatoes, jarred turkey or beef gravy.

From Maine Legislature

AUGUSTA — On Thursday, the Maine Senate Democratic Caucus unanimously re-elected Sen. Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, Sen. Nate Libby, D-Lewiston, and Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, to serve in leadership roles for the 130th Maine Legislature. 

Although Sen. Jackson’s candidacy for Senate President received unanimous support from the Senate Democratic Caucus, an official vote will be taken by the entire Senate on Dec. 2 when the Legislature convenes for swearing-in day.

“Now, more than ever, Maine people are counting on us to help them survive this pandemic, rebuild our economy and rebuild their lives. It’s a daunting task but I’ve never been known to back down from a challenge or give up fighting for what’s right whether it’s standing up for the basic dignity of Maine workers, taking on ‘Big Pharma’ or delivering on property tax relief,” said Sen. Jackson. “I know Mainers are worried right now but the one thing they shouldn’t worry about or whether or not their elected officials have their backs. It’s time to put the partisan rancor and ugliness of the election behind us, heal old wounds and come together not as Democrats, Republicans and Independents but as members of the 130th Maine Legislature to rebuild our state.”

Sen. Jackson is a fifth-generation logger from Allagash, who entered the Legislature as a champion for Maine workers and families. He has sponsored legislation to give loggers and wood haulers a fair shake and to create good-paying jobs in Aroostook County. Throughout his tenure, he has emerged as a fierce advocate for health care, spearheading legislation to protect Mainers with preexisting conditions, rein in the cost of prescription drug prices, fund rural hospital and ambulance services, and hold “Big Pharma” accountable. He was named a 2019 Rx Price Fighter by AARP and has been recognized by the Maine Ambulance Association for his steadfast support of rural ambulance services. 

“Mainers are putting their faith and trust in us during an unprecedented time, and we must do all we can to rise to this challenge,” said Sen. Libby. “Maine’s legislators have our work cut out for us, but I know my colleagues and I are up to the task. Mainers have never been afraid of hard work, and they expect the same from their elected leaders. I’m dedicated to working collaboratively to help Maine face our current crises head-on and chart a path to economic recovery.”

Sen. Libby has represented Maine’s second-largest city for eight years in the Maine Legislature, for two years in the House of Representatives and six years in the Maine Senate. Throughout his tenure in the Legislature, he has focused his efforts on improving public education, investing in career and technical education, supporting community redevelopment, and advocating for student debt relief. He also has pushed for policies that promote responsible spending and good government. Previously, Sen. Libby has served on the Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee and Taxation Committee.

“Maine is facing extraordinary challenges, and the legislative session ahead of us will be unlike any other. But I have no doubt that our core values of respect, hard work and frugality will continue to see us through,” said Sen. Vitelli. “Mainers are looking to their newly elected leaders to do the hard work that will get our state back on its feet. The policies and investments Maine lawmakers set up in the last two years have positioned us to weather this storm better than many other states. I have every confidence that Maine will continue to lead the way.”

Sen. Vitelli has dedicated her life to supporting Maine workers and small businesses, promoting entrepreneurship and connecting Mainers with quality, good-paying jobs. She recently retired after 38 years with New Ventures Maine, a statewide organization that helps Maine people achieve their career, financial, and small business goals. In 2006, the Maine Small Business Administration presented Sen. Vitelli with the McGillicuddy Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence for her work with New Ventures. She is also a 1995 inductee into the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame and a 1986 co-recipient of the Maine Small Business Administrations’ Women’s Business Advocate of the Year Award. In the Maine Legislature, she has become a staunch advocate for prescription drug price transparency, workforce training, reliable high-speed internet access, energy independence, and retirement savings accounts.

The leadership team was selected by the incoming Maine Senate Democratic Caucus. Lawmakers will be sworn in for the 130th Maine Legislature on Dec. 2.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERS

The Maine House Republican caucus re-elected Rep. Kathleen Dillingham (R-Oxford) to serve as their leader during a meeting last week in Augusta.Rep. Joel Stetkis (R-Canaan) was elected Assistant Republican Leader.

Dillingham’s re-election comes after a strong showing by Maine House Republicans in a difficult election year. Maine House Republicans gained 11 seats, and defeated 7 incumbents without losing a single incumbent.

“I am grateful to receive the support of House Republicans following our strong showing on election day,” said House Republican Leader Kathleen Dillingham. “By sending eleven more Republicans to Augusta, voters sent a strong message that they expect House Republicans to be included in decisions that affect their lives. The infusion of new energy and expertise they bring to our caucus will be particularly helpful as we try to address the $1.4 billion revenue shortfall projected over the next three years.”

Newly elected Assistant Republican Leader Joel Stetkis praised the team effort that led to last week’s election results. “House Republicans are unified in their desire to play a larger role in the policies and decisions governing Mainers,” said Stetkis. “Mainers from all walks of life and occupations can expect us to fight for them and to have their voices heard.” 

From BGCSM

PORTLAND—Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine (BGCSM) has launched a new diversity, equity, and inclusion program, beginning with the election of three new board members who are recent alumni of BGCSM.

“We believe this program will create learnings for our Board and staff, provide opportunities for our young alumni to develop skills that will position them for further success, and serve as a training ground for future board engagement at other agencies in our community,” says Dajuan Eubanks, President of Maine Red Claws and Chair of BGCSM Governance Committee.

The young alumni will be full members of the BGCSM board of directors, with all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities afforded to all board members. Board positions will be held for three years, and BGCSM will add one new alumni seat each year going forward. Support for the new board members will include facilitated workshops on board governance, leadership, board fundamentals, financial oversight, inclusion, fundraising, and more.

The Young Alumni/Cultural Inclusion Board Program is one component of larger diversity, equity, and inclusion plan at BGCSM. The organization is committed to accelerating this work by providing a forum for Club members to express their views, concerns, and questions; embedding social justice curriculum into all elements of BGCSM programming; assessing the organizational culture; training staff; and intentionally partnering with the community to advance racial equity and social justice efforts.

The BGCSM board of directors unanimously endorsed the program and elected the inaugural group of young alumni directors at its annual meeting earlier this month. They are:

Roger Charest attended the Auburn/Lewiston Boys & Girls Club. He graduated from USM in 2017 with a BA in applied math. He is working as a Store Manager for Hannaford.

Mohamed Awale – attended the Portland Boys & Girls Club. He received a Promise Scholarship to attend the University of Southern Maine and graduated with a degree in Political Science. He works for Progressive Insurance and hopes to one day pursue a career in performance art.

Dorcas Ngaliema attended the Portland Boys & Girls Club. She graduated from SMCC with an Associate degree in Political Science. She is attending USM with a focus on social justice and hopes to go to law school to work in immigration law.

“We are so excited to welcome our recent BGCSM alumni onto our Board. They will bring a fresh perspective and voice to the table and help ensure that BGSCM continues to support the next generation of members on their path to productive, healthy, and successful futures,” said Brian Elowe, CEO of BGCSM.

Also elected to the board are new members John Gaudet, President of J. Gaudet Associates, and Brianna DiDonato, Special Education Teacher at Spurwink Glickman Academy and President of BGCSM Alumni Association.

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine has provided youth development programs for children ages 6-18. Our Clubhouses are safe places to learn, have fun, and develop skills and interests that last a lifetime. For more information visit bgcmaine.org. The BGCSM has offices at 277 Cumberland Ave in Portland.

From Thomaston Place AG

THOMASTON – Thomaston Place Auction Galleries has assembled a large and incredibly diverse catalog of important art and rarities for its last major sale of 2020 on Nov. 12, 13, 14 & 15 at 11 a.m. each day.

Timed just ahead of the Holiday season, the four-day auction will be the perfect venue for a gathering of one-of-kind gifts, unusual decorative treasures, or new acquisitions for collections.    

Out of an abundance of caution in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sale will be conducted as a live virtual sale, with telephone, absentee and internet bidding.  

Each day will have particular emphasis. Thursday, November 12 will be a collector’s auction, offering decoys, model trains, portrait miniatures, rifles, fishing items iron banks, and Asian antiques.

On Friday, Nov. 13 the emphasis will be on tribal arts, including a diverse array of African and Eskimo artifacts.

The auction Saturday, Nov. 14 will feature early paintings and fine antiques.

And on Sunday, Nov. 15, the focus will be on 19th & 20th Century decorative arts and estate jewelry.

 Thomaston Place owner and auctioneer Kaja Veilleux said: “We’re hoping this sale will be enjoyable for all and offer buyers some fun at the end of an otherwise challenging year.”

The painting selection will feature: a 1943 work by Fernando Cueto Amorsolo (Philippines, 1892-1972) titled “Woman with Banga”; a New England woods scene by Albert Bierstadt (NY/CA/MA/KS, Germany, 1830-1902); Alfred Thompson Bricher’s (NY/NH, 1837-1908) “Noon at Point Judith (Rhode Island)”; “Beach at Cliffside, Nantucket” by Frank Swift Chase (MA, 1886-1958); and “Kanha Sunset”, depicting a tiger and four deer, by Dahlov Ipcar (ME/VT, 1917-2017).

There will also be works by: Joseph Goodhue Chandler (MA/NY, 1813-1884), Francois Gilot (NY/CA/France, 1921-), Gustave Courbet (France/Switzerland, 1819-1877), Karel Christiaan Appel (NY/France/Italy/Switzerland, 1921-2006), and Brian Coole (UK, 1939- ).  A rare etching by James Abbott McNeill Whistler (MA/UK/France, 1834-1903) titled “The Little Lagoon” will also be included in the sale.

The sculpture category will be led by a cast and patinated bronze maquette, “Armless Seated Figure”, by Henry Spencer Moore (UK, 1898-1986), an important German Renaissance carved walnut figure of Christ the Redeemer attributed to Tilman Riemenschneider (c. 1460-1531), and a bronze by Dmitri Chiparus (Romania/France, 1886-1947) depicting three little girls with an umbrella.  

Many important 19th Century pieces in the African collection come with historic provenance, most recently from the Walker Foundation.  These include: a carved standing male ancestral shrine from the Ibo/Igbo Peoples, Nigeria; a Songye people carved and ornamented “Bishimba” fertility figure from the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire); and two Baule bronze ancestral bronze figures depicting a king and queen from the Ivory Coast.

A 100-lot single owner collection of Eskimo artifacts will be led by a Northern Quebec Inuit sculpture of walrus tusks with intricate figural scrimshaw decoration mounted in a green soapstone base centered by a carved walrus, and an ancient Yup’ik shaman’s pottery bowl. Also among the Native American items will be a rare circa 1900 polychrome painted and carved Northwest mask, probably Tlingit, that descended in a mid-coast Maine family.  

Other auction highlights will include: a 1947 Ford Woody Model 79A Super Deluxe station wagon; a circa 1920 Old Town Canoe 48” long store display, a perfect replica of full-size canoe; a Faberge silver and guilloche enamel frame by workmaster Johan Victor Aarne; a rare 18th Century Quebec country painted diamond point cupboard; a Roman 2nd – 3rd Century AD stone sculpture depicting the head of a patrician lady wearing the Crown of Athena; an early 20th Century carved carousel horse by D.C. Muller Brothers, Philadelphia; a circa 1870 Minton majolica four-tier revolving oyster server; and several lots of lighting and glass by Tiffany Studios.

The sale will also offer interesting selections of estate jewelry and watches, early Scandinavian furniture, Russian icons, fine oriental carpets, custom and modern design furniture, art pottery, and folk art & marine items.

A complete, full color catalog, with detailed descriptions and photographs, is available, and all lots can be viewed at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ website, www.thomastonauction.com.  Telephone, absentee, and online bidding on three internet platforms will allow multiple bidding options. Please visit Thomas Place website or call 1-207-354-8141 for more information.

Thomaston Place Auction Galleries is Maine’s premier international auction company located on U.S. Route 1 in Thomaston.  Thomaston Place is a leader in discovering Maine’s antique and fine art treasures by offering Free Appraisals each Tuesday at the gallery, creating fundraiser events for civic and charitable organizations, and providing house call appraisal services.  Their expertise in researching and marketing antiques and fine art has earned Thomaston Place the respect of buyers, collectors and experts worldwide.

By Nathan Tsukroff

GORHAM – A socially-distanced drive-through Halloween candy giveaway was a huge success for Summit Community Church on the grounds of the Gorham Middle School last weekend.

Nearly 100 cars had wound their way through the staff parking lot just outside the school on Weeks Road in the first half of the two-hour “Trunk or Treat” event, with children collecting candy handed to them at the end of sticks, chutes and tubes.

Travis Bush, the lead pastor of the church, said he and wife, Kristin, “Were just sitting around thinking what we are we  going to do” for trick-or-treating on Halloween. “Going doing door-to-door didn’t seem an option this year.”

Bush said the church has conducted a “Trunk or Treat” event each year at its location on Gorham Road in Scarborough, but this year “we wanted to come in to the community and offer this to families who are wondering the same thing – what does Halloween look like this year?”

Church members chose themes and wore costumes as part of the event.

Guests stayed in their cars and drove slowly past each themed car as church members handed out candy and treats.

“We actually issued a challenge to each of our “trunks” to come up with the most creative to get the candy from the “trunks” to the (passing) cars,” Bush said.

One theme had a candy in a bucket hauled out on a long pole with a clothesline, while other themes placed candy into a tube that was upended to slide the candy into the waiting hands of the children in the car. In other themes, church members used arm extenders with hand-operated pinchers to grab candy and place it into passing hands while staying properly distanced.

Everyone in the themed “trunks” wore face masks and was careful to maintain mandated social distancing.

Guests at the event were decked out in a myriad of costumes and makeup, although only a few actually stepped out of the cars to collect candy.

By Gail Geraghty

AUGUSTA – Around 40 people gathered on Saturday, Oct. 24, next to the Blaine House in Augusta to protest Gov. Janet Mills’ statewide mask-mandate, led by members of the Facebook group Mainers Against Mask Mandates (MAMM).

Several Republican politicians made speeches, including 1^st District Congressional Candidate Dr. Jay Allen, who was the subject of a rap song sung in his honor by emcee Chris “Chrittah” Blais of Northwoods Outlaws.

“This is not an anti-mask rally, it is an anti-mask mandate rally,” Allen said. “We don’t mind people wearing masks if they feel that makes them more protected. But we are against people on high telling us what we need to do.”

Allen said Maine does not have the COVID-19 numbers to justify a statewide mask mandate, pointing out that 12 of the state’s 16 counties have a low transmission risk and that no counties, not even York or Cumberland, are considered high risk by the Maine Centers For Disease Control.

His remarks came just days before the Maine CDC began reporting a spike in new cases, which has led Mills to consider holding off on reopening bars Nov. 4 as planned.

Independent Senate candidate Max Linn, who made headlines when he cut up a mask during a debate, made a surprise visit to speak at the protest. “There’s never been a better time to be an American patriot,” he told the crowd. Linn said Washington politics won’t change until the people choose “citizen legislators” like him to replace those now in power.

It was the appeals of ordinary citizens who spoke that appeared to carry the most weight with the crowd. Rebecca Rochelle said she simply cannot wear a mask. The one time she did, she passed out, yet little concern was shown. “I’ve been called killer, uncaring, rude, entitled . . . I’m all for laws, but I also expect people to treat each other with respect, and to care for my health.”

The protest drew a response from Mills’ office later in the day which urged Maine people to continue to wear face coverings, not only to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission but “as a sign of respect for our fellow Maine citizens” and “to keep our economy up and running.”

From MAMM

PORTLAND – The Maine Academy of Modern Music is thrilled to be offering rehearsal space to Me2/Southern Maine beginning this Fall.

Me2/(“me, too”) is the world’s only classical music organization created for individuals with mental illnesses and the people who support them. Me2/ serves as a model organization where people with and without mental illnesses work together in an environment where acceptance is an expectation, patience is encouraged, and supporting each other is a priority.

More about them can be found at: https://me2orchestra.org/

“We are thrilled to bring Me2/’s mission to the greater Portland area. It is challenging to launch something new during a pandemic, but we all need something to boost our mental health right now. We hope that musicians of all ages and ability levels who are living with mental illnesses — as well as the people who support them — will join us to make great music, support each other, and help erase the stigma surrounding our diagnoses” says Jessica Stuart, co-founder of Me2/Southern Maine.

“Thanks to MAMM we have a great location to rehearse and launch our new ensemble. Me2/ and MAMM share some great synergy in our goals of bringing music to a diverse community,” Stuart said.

Rehearsals will be held on the second floor at MAMM’s Presumpscot St location on Saturday evenings at 5 p.m. and the group will observe all of MAMM’s Safety Protocols.

For more information or to join the group, please email info@me2orchestra.org or call (802) 238-8369.

For more information about MAMM visit www.maineacademyofmodernmusic.org