Northern Light pharmacy expands

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Northern Light Pharmacy has announced the opening of a new location on December 6, in Waterville, at the Penny Hill Plaza Park, located at 295 Kennedy Memorial Drive. The new storefront will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Some great features this location will offer include:

• Free local delivery
• Drive thru pick up service
• Storefront stocked with durable medical equipment including items like canes, walkers, wheelchairs, braces, and bathroom safety devices.
• Partnering with Northern Light Inland Hospital to offer their Meds to Beds program (bedside delivery to inpatients).

“We know that having access to medications and other medical equipment is an important part of patient care,” says Matt Marston, vice president and chief pharmacy officer of Northern Light Health. “We look forward to offering a variety of pharmacy services to the greater Waterville area.

Join them on Thursday, December 15 from 5 to 7 p.m., at the open house with a chance to win a grill, giveaways for kids, and the opportunity to talk to experts about vaccines you might need.

LIFE ON THE PLAINS: The nice cozy, backyard ice rink

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by Roland D. Hallee

This week we’ll take a look at another winter activity. This one required work, cold nights, and the help of some adults.

The four of us boys grew up in a family of Canadian descent: my dad and grandfather came to the United States from Canada. Even though my mother and grandmother were born in Winslow and Waterville, respectively, they were of Canadian heritage.

So, naturally, my dad played hockey in school, when he attended a seminary in Sherbrooke, Canada, (the Great Depression forced him to give up the avocation of priesthood and open a store in Waterville – lucky for me) before playing for the Notre Dame team, in Waterville. So, hockey was in our blood.

Growing up, we had an ice skating rink in our backyard. The process would begin in the fall when the grass was cut short, and 10-inch wide wooden boards were installed by driving wooden pegs into the ground, and attaching the boards to them. The area was approximately 40 feet long and 12 feet wide. It was mostly located under our mother’s clothesline, which she would not use in the winter.

When the first substantial snowfall arrived, we would pack it down using an old wooden crate filled with sand. Once the snow was leveled and compacted, we would wait for the perfect, cold night.

Our grandfather would haul the garden hose from his cellar, attach it to the spiget on the house, and drag it to the rink. We then would take turns spraying a light mist of water to form a good base. Once in place, we would apply more water until a smooth ice surface was formed. When we were finished, our grandfather would come back out, and drag the hose back to the cellar so it wouldn’t freeze. We would do this most evenings on days when we used the rink, which was mostly every day.

After school, we would get dressed warm, put on our skates, in the house, which our mother made sure we didn’t walk on her immaculately clean floors, and head for the outdoors. We would skate, shoot pucks, and even have small two-on-two pick-up games. When finished, the process would start all over to “flood” the rink and get a nice, new surface for the next day. Sorry, no Zamboni for us.

Neighborhood kids would often come to enjoy the rink with us – we even had a designated time for “public skating” for the girls. But, for some reason, when it was time to resurface the rink, they all had to go home to “suppah”, or do homework, or some other “lame” excuse. We didn’t like it, but our parents taught us how to share.

It was on that tiny ice surface that we learned to hone our hockey skills for what was to come later in life – youth hockey, high school, and beyond.

Keeping the rink going was work, but we enjoyed every minute of it because of its reward.

Volunteer coordinators needed for Big Brothers/Big Sisters

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Volunteer coordinators lead a group activity with high school Bigs and their Littles at a Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine school-based mentoring program at Williams Elementary School, in Oakland. (contributed photo)

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine (BBBSMM) is looking for adult volunteers to serve as coordinators at eight of its school-based mentoring programs. Coordinators are adults (18 years or older) from the community who can dedicate 1½ hours, one day each week from October through May (except school vacation weeks) to supervise Big/Little match meetings of high school mentors and elementary school Littles.

School-based programs have 1-2 coordinators who attend each week to oversee and supervise match meetings to ensure child safety and support Bigs and Littles.  School-based coordinators are interviewed, screened and trained, and receive ongoing support and training from BBBS professional staff throughout the year. Continuing education credits are provided.

Successful coordinators are responsible, dedicated, enjoy working with and coaching youth of all ages and backgrounds, have great listening skills, are willing to learn, have patience, flexibility and love helping kids reach their greatest potential. Coordinators arrive early to greet the matches, help set up and clean up, organize meeting supplies and snacks, facilitate group activities, and provide support to both Bigs and Littles.

BBBS of Mid-Maine has immediate need for school-based coordinators for the 2022-2023 school year:

Kennebec/Somerset Programs

Silvio J. Gilbert Elementary School (Augusta): Mondays or Thursdays 3 – 4 p.m.

Williams Elementary School (Oakland): Wednesdays 2:45-3:45 p.m.

To learn more about becoming a volunteer school-based coordinator, please contact Haley Stearns, School-Based Manager, at (207) 236-BBBS (2227) ext. 103 or email haley@bbbsmidmaine.org.

Northern Light welcomes three new specialists

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Clockwise from top-left: Muhammad Zakariya Alam, Brendan Wallace, Steven LeClair.

Northern Light Inland Hospital has announced three new specialists to the staff in Waterville.

Muhammad Zakariya Alam, MD, joins Northern Light Neurology; nurse practitioner Steven LeClair, AGACNP-BC, is now part of Northern Light Gastro­enterology; and Brendan Wallace, MD, joins Northern Light Urology. All are welcoming referrals. Their offices are located in the Medical Arts Building, attached to Inland Hospital on Kennedy Memorial Drive.

Dr. Alam is a skilled neurologist, board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neuro­logy, with an expertise in clinical neurophysiology with a particular interest in epilepsy, neuromuscular conditions, headache and post stroke care and rehabilitation. Dr. Alam shares, “I enjoy listening to and developing relationships with my patients and their families. Hearing them out and validating their concerns is important. They or their loved ones need to advocate for themselves, and I will be their partner in finding the best solutions.” Learn more about Dr. Alam by calling his office at 207-861-7050.

Steven LeClair is a board-certified Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and is also board-certified with the American Nurses Creden­tialing Center. Steven provides treatment and medical management of liver and digestive issues, hepatology, dysmotility, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Steven says, “I empathize with my patients as I have had GI issues in the past and understand how frustrating it can be. Our goal is to guide patients through the care experience. I have lived in Maine my whole life and grew up in these communities; these patients are my community members, and we must look out for each other.” Contact Steven’s office for more information at 207-861-7874.

Dr. Wallace is a urologist, board-certified by the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada and is board-eligible by the American Board of Urology. Dr. Wallace specializes in the medical and surgical management of kidney stones using minimally invasive surgery. He provides urete­roscopy, transurethral resection of prostate, transurethral resection of bladder tumor, prostate needle biopsy, circumcision, hydrocelectomy. “Working with my patients on shared decision making ensures patients are involved and engaged in creating individualized care plans. I also like my patients to be well educated so they have a better understanding of what to expect with treatment and with their diagnosis.” For more information about Dr. Wallace’s services, reach out to 207-861-7874.

Contact your primary care provider for a referral. For more information, please visit northernlighthealth.org/Inland.

Waterville Creates announces staffing changes

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Waterville Creates (WC) has announced the arrival of several new staff members across the organization.

Bryant Cyr was hired as production manager and Michael Churchill appointed technical director for the Waterville Opera House.

Cyr previously worked in the Boston and New York City theatre industries for national tours, regional productions and Off-Broadway shows. Churchill studied entertainment production at the New England School of Communications prior to beginning his career at theaters around New England.

“We are thrilled to welcome Bryant and Michael to the Waterville Creates team,” said Michelle Sweet, executive director of the Waterville Opera House. “They bring years of experience in the industry that will elevate our stage productions and enable us to expand offerings at the Waterville Opera House.”

Austin Frederick was hired as AV coordinator at the Maine Film Center (MFC) on Nov. 1. Frederick brings invaluable experience from previous roles at the Maine International Film Festival (MIFF), including operations coordination and venue management.

“We’re so excited to welcome Austin to the MFC staff,” said Mike Perreault, executive director of MFC. “Austin will coordinate regular-run and special screenings at MFC, technical components for special events throughout the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, and projection operations of MIFF.”

Lisa Wheeler has joined the Waterville Creates staff as education and outreach coordinator. In her previous role as art educator in the Waterville Public School system, Wheeler oversaw Waterville’s gifted and talented program for the visual and performing arts and was a frequent community collaborator with Waterville Creates.

Jordyn Chelf has joined Waterville Creates as marketing and development coordinator. Chelf brings extensive theatre experience to her new role, having worked at the Theater at Monmouth in Maine, as well as the Creede Repertory Theater, in Colorado.

Sara Stewart was hired as WC’s event and volunteer coordinator and brings a wide array of event and operations experience from her previous roles at the Tribeca Film Institute, in New York City, Campus Movie Fest, in Atlanta, and the Sunset Beacon Neighborhood Center, in San Francisco.

“We are delighted to welcome our new employees to the Waterville Creates team. Their collective expertise, professionalism and enthusiasm to support the arts in Waterville is both inspiring and provides a solid foundation which enables us to offer a wide range of arts experiences,” said Vice President Patricia King.

More information about upcoming events and classes can be found at watervillecreates.org.

Waterville Creates connects artists, organizations, and the public with arts and cultural events and programs happening in our community.

New book by Waterville author gets rave reviews

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by Jeanne Marquis

Michelle Shores

When you discover the compelling combination of a haunting mystery, unexpected plot twists and romantic conflict, you know this is a story that needs to be written. That was exactly what author Michelle E. Shores, of Waterville, thought when she stumbled across the Nelly Butler ghost hauntings of Franklin, Maine. This spark of an idea grew into the novel, The Gathering Room – A Tale of Nelly Butler.

Shores has had a lifelong love of history, genealogy and was already a nonfiction author of historical records, so a typical evening for Shores would be to pursue historical records. On Halloween night of 2015, Shores came across The Nelly Butler Hauntings: A Documentary History edited by Marcus LiBrizzi and Dennis Boyd. She became obsessed with this legend. It was a six-year long obsession that took her through the process of researching and writing a story, which she said at some points seemed to mysteriously write itself.

The Gathering Room is based on real people – Nelly Butler, George Butler, Lydia Blaisdell and Reverend Abraham Cummings – living in the late 1700s in an early port town of coastal Maine. Author Shores found actual written testimonies of the appearances of the ghost of Nelly and skillfully used these accounts as the foundation for her novel. She developed other fictional characters based on her research of her own genealogy and family portraits from the time period.

Shores’ accuracy for historical details and knowledge of life in early New England came from her two earlier nonfiction books, Vital Records of Bangor, Maine, Volume 1 and 2. Both of these works are part of the collection of the National Library of Congress.

As Shores wove the plot to fill the gaps left by historical records, she drew from her own imagination and detailed research of the customs of the times. Shores explains, “I knew that I needed to write a wedding scene for George and Nelly, and I started researching 18th century, 19th century wedding customs. I came upon the custom of putting the little ring in the posset to find out who the next bride was going to be, whereas we throw the bouquet. They created this custard-like alcoholic drink called posset, and they would put a little ring in it. Whoever found the ring would be the next one to get married.”

Shores tells people the book wrote itself. The ring, a theme running through the book, is one example of why she feels this to be true. She told of another incident of how an idea came to her more mysteriously. Shores was working on her book while on vacation with her husband in Jamaica and was typing along rapidly because the words were flowing. She looked over the text and saw the phrase “sardonic smile.” She didn’t remember ever using that word before and wasn’t quite sure what the word precisely meant. She had her husband, who was sitting on the beach next to her look it up on his tablet. Sardonic was the exact adjective she needed for this description.

Shores has begun to hear from fans of her book who tell her the book is a gripping story that’s hard to tear themselves away. Shore remarked, “I had one woman who went out on her deck to start reading, and read until it got dark, realizing she was already on page 142.”

Another reader purchased the book while camping in Bar Harbor, and she realized how close she was to Franklin. She drove over there and located George Butler’s gravestone. She took a photo of The Gathering Room book next to George’s gravestone and posted it on the book’s Facebook page. Shores said, “My book cover is the exact same color as his gravestone. How weird? And I did not do that on purpose. I did not know. I had not even seen George’s gravestone.” Perhaps, this was another aspect of the book that was mysteriously meant to be? Readers will have to judge that for themselves.

The Gathering Room – A Tale of Nelly Butler offers all the elements of an intriguing winter read and a very welcomed holiday gift. This ghostly legend, which once divided a small town on the coast of Maine 200 years ago, comes to life through the writing of Michelle E. Shores. The Gathering Room is available for purchase at www.mshoreswriter.com.

LIFE ON THE PLAINS: The legend of Ginjine Hill

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Radio Flyer sleds

by Roland D. Hallee

This week we’re going to continue with our look at Life on the Plains during the winter, that we first took a look at two weeks ago.

Besides the hard work of shoveling the driveway following every snowstorm – lots of nor’easters – we had a good time playing in the white stuff. Two weeks ago we talked about the massive snow banks created from moving all that snow, and how we fashioned tunnels through them, usually culminating with a “snow” fort on the end, facing the street. From there we would spend much time making snowballs – conditions permitting – and creating a cache. When the time was right, and unsuspecting kids walking by, we would send a barrage of snowballs their way. Sometimes they couldn’t figure out from where they came. Many laughs, and many snowball fights ensued.

To fortify our fortress, we would take a shoebox, pack it with snow, creating a “brick” and mounted them on top of the snow mound for added protection. Our fort was the “cat’s meow”. On especially cold days, we would squirt some water in the shoebox to freeze the snow, and make a hard brick that would better withstand an onslaught from the other side. Our mother was never impressed when we came home with our mittens soaking wet.

And then there was the sledding. At the end of one of the streets in the neighborhood – Lockwood Alley – was a steep hill that connected with Silver Street, just about across the street from the location of the old Morning Sentinel building. The city would blockade the hill during the winter for the neighborhood kids to sled without the danger of oncoming traffic. The elevation was called the “Ginjine Hill” (pronounced Jin-Jine). I’m only guessing here because no one really knew how to spell the word, nor do we, still to this day, know from where the name came. The hill is no longer there, dismantled during the downtown urban renewal project in the 1960s that produced the Concourse.

There were many adventures there. We would all show up with our Radio Flyers, a sleek sled made of wood, with steel runners. Believe it or not, I still have mine. Before the initial run, we would wax up the runners to make the sleds super fast. We would line up three – sometimes four – wide to see who had the fastest sled. However, there was a hazard at the bottom of the hill where it flattened out. It was a low spot in the road that could launch a sled airborne, along with its rider. We all knew it was there.

Not only did we want to see who had the fastest sled, along with who could glide the farthest, you also had to maintain control of the sled. Many a contestant would go flying off the vehicle when it would encounter that dip in the road, sending the occupant one way, and the sled the other. There were also times when the ejected rider would collide with a steel fence that surrounded the first house at the bottom. Many times we would walk away unscathed, but on a few occasions, the operator had to go home for “repairs,” and not to the sled.

Of course, being 10-12 years old, we had no fear, which didn’t always bode well. Many a crash would bring out roaring laughter from the others, until we discovered some injuries. Of course, the older boys would always look out for the younger.

The Ginjine Hill was at the northern end of The Plains, but many kids knew the legend.

Local author’s novel gets “stellar” review

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by Roy E. Perry

Set in Waterville, Maine, Lucy’s in the Neighborhood, by David M. Carew, is an intriguing and stellar whodunit—a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Miss Lucy Bouchier is the owner and proprietor of Lucy’s in the Neighborhood, a popular corner market, in Waterville. The corner market is near the Two-Cent Bridge, and there Lucy specializes in serving up tasty Italian sandwiches, pizza, and whoopie pies. At age 64, Lucy is the star of the show. Specializing in her own zany brand of humor and with a loving heart as big as the State of Maine, she passes the downtime in her store by sharing stories from her past with her best friend and coworker, Jasmine. One day Lucy launches into the true story of a horrendous crime from 1972.

The story centers around the assault of a pretty teenager, 17-year-old Katherine Ambers, and her death two weeks after the assault. Investigating the case is Detective Ed O’Shaughnessy. Before her death, the only clue that Katherine is able to give O’Shaughnessy is that the assailant kept saying “animal” and “cracker” or “animal cracker.”

O’Shaughnessy has two “quasi”-suspects or “persons of interest” who may have committed the crime: a white racist named O’Casey (a supporter of George Wallace for President) and an alcoholic Black man named Curtis Jackson, the father of Mo (“Slo-Mo”) Jackson, a great friend of William Brady, a fellow teenager and Lucy’s boyfriend. The most obvious suspect is O’Casey, but why is Curtis Jackson so eager to “get the heck out of Dodge”—that is, leave Waterville—before Mo’s school term is over?

Detective O’Shaughnessy is indefatigable in his pursuit of the murderer, but time passes and the case becomes cold. But then Mr. Carew adroitly employs a literary device known as deus ex machina, which provides the identity of the criminal. But still: Will there ever be justice for Katherine Ambers?

Lucy’s in the Neighborhood is a tantalizing work of art and a fascinating study of the interaction of colorful characters. Featuring superb dialogue, it is an engaging, entertaining, intelligent look at the human condition. Lucy’s in the Neighborhood may be ordered online at Maine Authors Publishing or Amazon.

Roy E. Perry wrote book reviews for The Tennessean and Nashville Banner for more than 30 years.

Veterans honored at Northern Light

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In the photo, Tim Dentry, right, president and CEO of Northern Light Health, thanks Charlotte Bolduc (veteran), left, with Michelle Rossignol, back, manager of Life Enrichment at Lakewood.

On Veterans day, November 11, 2022, resident veterans were honored at Northern Light Continuing Care, Lakewood, in a special ceremony. Ron Cunningham, chaplain of Northern Light Home Care & Hospice led the event. Tim Dentry, president and CEO of Northern Light Health, delivered a heartfelt message to the veterans. Downeast Brass Quintet opened up the ceremony with their beautiful United States Armed Forces medley. Susan Roy, LSW, MHA, supervisor of Clinical Hospice Services of Northern Light Home Care and Hospice, shared a reading reflecting on our service men and women.

Parade of Lights returns after two-year hiatus

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Fairfield Police Officer Casey Dugas makes his way across the Waterville/Winslow Bridge during the Parade of Lights, on Saturday, November 26. (photo by Kevin Giguere, Central Maine Photography)

by Amarinda Keys
Children’s Discovery Museum

After two years, the beloved Parade of Lights was back! This annual event has drawn thousands of families for many years and serves as a fun and festive kickoff to the holiday season. The Children’s Discovery Museum was excited to collaborate with the town of Winslow and the city Waterville to host this wonderful event. The museum is working to create a brand-new play space for Central Maine. While they anxiously wait to open the doors of their new location, they are excited to coordinate such a wonderful event for the community.

The 2022 Parade of Lights was held on Saturday, November 26. Floats assembled at the Winslow High School, traveled down Benton Avenue, crossed the bridge, traveled up Main Street, in Waterville, and dispersed at the Elm Street/College Avenue/Main Street crossing. Santa made his entrance in a horse-drawn carriage. Floats included dancers from SP4D, a collection of Jeeps from Central Maine Jeep Owners, and fire trucks and police cruisers from local towns. This year’s parade included a panel of judges. The winning float was Living Water Community Church and their float featured The Chronicles of Narnia scene with characters. Runner-up was Hamlin’s Marine, with the most festively-lit boat the judges had ever seen. This year’s Grand Marshal, sponsored by Central Maine Motors, was a longtime volunteer and local martial arts instructor and photographer, Mark Huard.

As always, the parade also kicked off the Kringleville season, a long-standing holiday tradition that is now organized by the Children’s Discovery Museum. Santa will be visiting children in his house at Head of Falls each weekend from 1 – 4 p.m., leading up to Christmas. Many weekends feature free hot chocolate, giveaways and special activities thanks to local businesses and organizations. Every child who visited with Santa will leave with a book donated by the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce and Marden’s. Families will also be offered the opportunity to purchase a photo with Santa, courtesy of Central Maine Photography. For more information about Kringleville, including updates for the 2022 year, please visit kringleville.org.

Members of the Stage Presence Dance team, in Winslow, led Santa Claus in to Winslow/Waterville during the Parade of Lights, on November 26. From left to right, Malyn Beaster, Dinah Lemelin, Emmy Carlson, Lizzie Schmitt, Lexi Reynolds, Hayden Gates, Haley Martin, Addie Blackstone, Ailie Rancourt-Smith, Nevaeh Mason, Autumn Sawyer, Brooklynn Ferreira, Addie Benavente and Jayda-Ray Atkinson. (photo by Kevin Giguere, Central Maine Photography)