FINANCIAL FOCUS – Failure to plan: is it planning to fail

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submitted by Sasha Fitzpatrick

Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” But as you chart your financial course, what steps should you take to help you keep moving forward to where you want to go?

Consider these suggestions:

Establish and quantify your goals. Throughout your life, you’ll have short-term goals, such as an overseas vacation or a home renovation, and long-term goals, the most important of which may be a comfortable retirement. You’ll want to identify all your goals and put a “price tag” on them. Of course, it’s not always possible to know exactly how much it will cost to achieve each goal, but you can develop reasonably good estimates, revising them as needed.

Create an investment strategy to achieve your goals. Once you know how much your goals will cost, you can create the appropriate savings and investment strategies to potentially help you reach the needed amounts. For your retirement goal, you will likely need to contribute regularly to your IRA and 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. But for shorter-term goals, you may need to explore other types of investments. For all your investment moves, though, you’ll need to consider your risk tolerance. You won’t want your portfolio to have such a high-risk level that you’re constantly uncomfortable with the inevitable fluctuations of the financial markets. On the other hand, you won’t want to invest so conservatively that you jeopardize your chances of achieving the growth you need to reach your goals.

Control your debts. We live in an expensive world, so it’s not easy to live debt-free. And some debts, such as your mortgage, obviously have value. But if you can control other debts, especially those that carry high interest rates, you can possibly free up money you can use to boost your savings and investments.

Prepare for obstacles. No matter how carefully you follow the strategies you’ve created to achieve your goals, you will, sooner or later, run into obstacles, or at least temporary challenges. What if you incur a large, unexpected expense, such as the sudden need for a new car or a major home repair? If you aren’t prepared for these costs, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments – and every time you do that, you might slow your progress toward achieving your goals. To help prevent this, you should build an emergency fund containing several months’ worth of living expenses.

Review your strategy. When you first created your financial strategy, you might have planned to retire at a certain age. But what if you eventually decide to retire earlier or later? Such a choice can have a big impact on what you need from your investment portfolio — and when. And your circumstances may change in other ways, too. That’s why it’s a good idea to review your strategy periodically to make sure it still aligns with your up-to-date objectives.

None of us can guarantee that our carefully laid plans will always yield the results we want. But by taking the right steps at the right times, you can greatly improve your chances.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Edward Jones, Member SIPC

PHOTO: 2022 Waterville Youth Spirit Squad

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Front row, left to right, Ava Frost, Noella Mathieu, Rayne Vallier, Scotlynn Romero and Sophia Barnaby. Second row, Jorja Duprey, Ava Paradis-Bard, Naomi McGee, Olivia Bradstreet, Janaya George, Makenzie Burton-Wing and Jaelynn McInnis. Back, Coach Crystal Cullen. (photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography)

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The summer of 2022 sure has been a strange one

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photo by Eric W. Austin

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

It’s always a sad time of the year when we have to close up camp. That is a ritual my wife and I do every year on the last weekend of September. While taking a break during last Saturday’s “just gorgeous” day, we started to rehash the last six months.

It has been a strange summer, with many of the observations we discussed while sitting on the deck. It actually all started back in March and early April. It is said that a 40-year-old maple tree should produce approximately 10 gallons of sap to make maple syrup. I have two trees that I tap in my backyard. This year, those two trees produced 48 gallons of sap. Do the math, it doesn’t add up. They produced more than double what they should have produced.

Then, on to May. We didn’t realize it at the time, but later we would conclude that the black flies this year were not all that bad. And that was followed by a summer when mosquito numbers were down. Even the dreaded browntail moth caterpillar was nowhere to be found. I saw one in late spring-early summer.

Another strange occurrence, we only saw three June bugs in late May and early June. This is compared to some years when, in one particular season, we counted 53 June bugs in one night.

We moved on from there, and noticed that the cicadas, the insect that “sings” (buzzes) during the hot summer days of July. I, personally, didn’t hear one until July 26. Remember the old farmers folklore? From the day you first hear a cicadae, we will get the first killing frost 90 days from that time. However, that is not the problem. I probably heard cicadas less than a half dozen times during the hot days of summer. Unusual. You normally hear them almost every sunny day. Oh, by the way, the first killing frost should come around October 22.

How about the hickory tussock caterpillar? The fuzzy white one with the long black “feelers” that usually show up in abundance in August. If you just make incidental contact with them they can leave you with a rash. I have not seen one yet.

Another caterpillar is the wooly bear, which usually predicts the severity of a winter depending on the length of the rust-colored bar on its body, and usually makes its appearance around early to mid September. So far, I have not seen one. You usually see them crossing the road everywhere. Nothing, so far, this year.

Over the last couple of weeks, however, we have heard and seen an unusually large number of Canada geese settling on Webber Pond for their break before continuing south.

This summer, we have gone through an unusually long, hot, dry spell. A time when we are pestered by yellow jackets who are in search of moisture. Well, they made their presence known this year, especially in July and August. So far, I haven’t seen a nest. So, that predictor of upcoming weather will be unreliable. Old folklore has it that the amount of snow you will receive over the winter is forecasted by where you find the nests. The higher, the more snow you can expect.

For those of you who have taken vacation time to go leaf peeping, it’s not happening at the same time this year. Have you noticed that, here in early October, the trees have just started to change colors.

One thing that did remain constant was the hummingbirds arriving and departing on schedule. Even the annual overrun by the harvestmen (daddy long legs) was not all that bad.

Things, overall, just don’t seem right in 2022. But, following some research of my journal, I found we had similar summers in 2015 and 2018. Maybe not as hot and humid, but very similar with respect to natural activities.

Even some of the old, reliable folklore observations are inconsistent. Peelings on the onions have been thin and easy to peel, indicating a mild winter, while the squirrels have some of the bushiest tails I have ever seen, an indication of a severe winter. Again, not having seen a bee hive is unreliable.

You can probably blame it on climate change; El Nino, La Nina or polar vortex, but it’s just not normal. Weather folklore warnings of a harsh winter are based on La Nina.

However, three almost identical summers within a seven-year span could spell the beginning of a pattern. I’ve heard many predictions on our upcoming winter. I don’t believe any of them. I will continue to get ready for a “Maine winter.” The oil tank is full, snowblower tuned up, and shovels ready to go. Are you?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Outside of Bailey Zappe, who was the last Patriots rookie quarterback to win his first NFL start?

Answer can be found here.

Roland’s Trivia Question for Thursday, October 13, 2022

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Trivia QuestionsOutside of Bailey Zappe, who was the last Patriots rookie quarterback to win his first NFL start?

Answer:

Jacoby Brissett, week 3, 2016, 27-0 over Houston.

EVENTS: The Sebasticook Regional Land Trust (SRLT) moves nature series to Waterville

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View from behind tombstone of Capt. Timothy Heald, looking southeast toward the Sebasticook River.

The Sebasticook Regional Land Trust (SRLT) is bringing its popular nature Speaker Series to the Colby College Chace Community Forum, in downtown Waterville. This series presents a broad range of nature topics to the public. Lead by experts in their fields, these presentations are designed to educate and engage the public, free of charge. Doug Wescott, board member of the SRLT Board of Directors, noted “The aim of moving to Waterville is to engage and educate a larger audience. Because the Sebasticook River flows through the towns of Benton, Clinton, Burnham, and Winslow, moving this series to Waterville is a natural change.”

On October 19, in recognition of Halloween and Bat Month, Cory Stearns, from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, will speak about the important ecological role and status of the eight bat species that fly in Maine. Cory is the MDIFW small mammal biologist.

On November 16, the topic will be “What is a Watershed,” presented by Christian Fox, Watershed Restoration Specialist, The Nature Conservancy – Maine.

Colby College Chace Community Forum, 150 Main Street, Waterville ME. For more information, visit www.SebasticookRLT.org.

AccuWeather forecast calls for winter previews in Nov. and Dec. 2022

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Don Cote clearing the pathways at the Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center, in China. (File photo)

by Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and staff writer.

Winter is fast approaching, but AccuWeather meteorologists say that it will shape up much differently than last winter in part due to a volcano that erupted on the other side of the globe.

From the abundance of acorns in the fall to the bushiness of squirrel tails, many fanciful forecasting techniques have been used over the years as a means to glean a glimpse of what the weather will be like in the upcoming winter.

AccuWeather’s approach to concocting the winter forecast, one of its most highly-anticipated seasonal outlooks, is a bit different: The process involves a team of veteran long-range forecasters analyzing computer models, looking at how previous winters have played out and using their own personal experience to determine if it’s going to be a snowy winter, if and when the polar vortex will unleash Arctic air across North America and whether it will be a good season for skiers.

This winter is indeed looking like a snowy one across most of the northern tier of the contiguous United States, but AccuWeather senior meteorologist Paul Pastelok says, there is more to the forecast than just snowstorms.

Pastelok and his team of long-range forecasters are predicting a “triple dip La Niña,” as it is the third winter in a row that La Niña will shape the weather patterns across the U.S. The regular climate phenomenon occurs when the water near the equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean is cooler than average, which in turn influences the jet stream and the overall weather patterns in North America. Despite what will be the third La Niña winter in a row, this winter will not necessarily be a carbon copy of the past two.

“These third-year La Niñas are very tricky,” Pastelok said, with no two La Niña winters being exactly the same. The weather setup will be one of the most complicated and dynamic in recent memory due to all of the weather factors in play over the upcoming months, Pastelok said.

One of the more unusual factors that could influence the overall weather patterns this winter can be traced back to a cataclysmic volcano eruption that took place in the early weeks of 2022. The volcano spewed an unprecedented amount of debris high into Earth’s atmosphere which, as Pastelok will explain, could still be having an effect on the weather on a global scale.

With this in mind, AccuWeather is ready to make its annual prognostication of the U.S. winter forecast.

Will snow shovels gather dust in Northeast?

A wave of chilly air swept across the Northeast and Midwest just in time for the arrival of astronomical autumn, which started on Sept. 22, but the arrival of astronomical winter on Dec. 21 may not start in a similar fashion.

Residents across the Northeast will experience a few winter previews in November and December as waves of cold air dive down from Canada, but the biggest blasts of cold air will hold off until later in the winter.

New England is one of the only areas east of the Rocky Mountains where snowfall could end up being above normal. The snowfall totals will be boosted by a few nor’easters, with January and March bringing the highest chances of powerful coastal snowstorms.

Boston may end up being the only major city along the Interstate 95 corridor that finishes the winter with near-normal snowfall. AccuWeather long-range forecasters are predicting that 40 to 50 inches will accumulate in the city, around the average snowfall amount of 49.2 inches. Last winter, Boston finished the season with 54 inches of snow with 23.5 inches falling during a blizzard on Jan. 29.

Efficiency Maine offers $100 rebate on home weatherization products

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Efficiency Maine kicked off a special promotion to raise awareness about resources that will help Maine homeowners and tenants stay warm and manage their heating bills during the upcoming winter heating season.

Efficiency Maine announced it has launched a limited-time $100 “DIY” Winter Prep Rebate, which will reimburse Maine homeowners and tenants up to $100 toward the purchase of select weatherization and insulation products, including weather stripping, caulk, spray foam sealant, window insulation shrink kits, pipe and duct insulation, duct sealing, tank wrap, and foam board insulation. The promotion covers eligible purchases made from October 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022.

Complete promotion details, a list of eligible products, and a claim form can be found on the Efficiency Maine website.

“Small investments to tighten up your home for the winter months can make a big difference,” said Governor Janet Mills. “This new program from Efficiency Maine will help even more Maine people weatherize their homes this winter to save money and stay warm. I encourage homeowners and renters to take advantage of this incentive over the coming weeks and months.”

“With winter just around the corner, we want to remind Mainers that by weatherizing your house or apartment you can reduce your energy use, increase your comfort, and lower your bills,” said Michael Stoddard, executive director of the Efficiency Maine Trust. “While it is typical to employ a professional contractor to perform major weatherization projects, this promotion recognizes that there are plenty of smaller, low-cost steps that we can install ourselves with the right materials from the local hardware store.”

The $100 DIY Winter Prep Rebate is just one of many resources available to Maine people to help manage their energy costs, improve their home’s energy efficiency, and find heating assistance programs if needed during the upcoming winter season. Other resources include:

Efficiency Maine has produced a downloadable flyer providing a summary of Winter Energy-Saving Tips. The flyer describes useful do-it-yourself heating and weatherization steps and best practices to help homeowners seal their homes against drafts and to use existing heating systems more efficiently. The flyer can be downloaded from the agency’s website here. Efficiency Maine’s Energy & Money Saving Tips webpage features winter heating-focused tips and a new blog post has been published featuring the information. In addition to these new resources, consumers also can download a more extensive 25-page Energy Efficiency Tips booklet that provides suggestions for all seasons.

The Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) has issued its 2022-2023 winter heating guide, which contains resources for Maine people to help stay warm this winter and find heating assistance if needed. It can be downloaded from the GEO website.

Homeowners and tenants can find information specific to Efficiency Maine’s weatherization incentives here.

Information about enhanced rebates from Efficiency Maine for low- to moderate-income households can be found here: For insulation and air sealing supported by the $25 million allotment of federal funds through the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan.

For heat pumps: MaineHousing’s Weatherization Program provides grants to low-income homeowners and renters to reduce energy costs by improving home energy efficiency. More information is available here.

OBITUARIES for Thursday, October 13, 2022

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MARY McFARLAND

CHELSEA – Mary “Anita” McFarland, 94, of Chelsea, passed away the morning of Tuesday, September 1, 2022. Better known as “Anita”, she was born in Portage Lake, on May 26, 1928.

Anita was devoted to her Catholic faith and attended the St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Anita was a dedicated self-employed hairdresser for 46 years. In her younger years Anita enjoyed spending time at her camp on China Lake. She also enjoyed traveling and spent some time exploring France. She was also a breast cancer survivor.

Anita is survived by her children, Paul Lizotte, and Andrew McFarland and his wife, Cheryl; her grandchildren, Jessica Simmons and her husband Jake Simmons, Timothy McFarland, Sarah Wheelock, and Taylor Wright; five great-grandchildren, Acadia Simmons, Aurora Simmons, Saffron Simmons, Guinevere Simmons and Mykah McFarland; a niece, Darlene Leonetti.

Anita was predeceased by her husband, Raymond Bacon McFarland; her mother and father; brothers Armond Cormier, Hubert Cormier, and Willard Cormier; and her niece, Rosalie who was like a daughter to her; daughter-in-law, Lucinda Lizotte.

A graveside service will be held on Monday, October 17, at noon, at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 143 Blue Star Ave., Augusta, ME 04330.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Plummer Funeral Home, 16 Pleasant St., Augusta, ME 04330. Condolences, stories, and photos may be shared by visiting http://www.plummerfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Anita’s name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 383 US Route One #2C, Scarborough, ME 04074.

WALLACE V. STRATTON JR.

BELGRADE – Wallace Vernon Stratton Jr. “Buddy”, 81, passed away on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Buddy was born on October 29, 1940, in Augusta, to Wallace Vernon and Dorothy May (McGlashing) Stratton.

He was the middle child of three. He grew up on the West Road, in Belgrade; many of his neighbors will remember him for singlehandedly being responsible for all the rocks on their lawns once he got behind the wheel of his mother’s Studebaker! Buddy will be most remembered for his incredible work ethic and ability to fix or repair most anything. At the age of nine, he started his career in the woods by working with his uncle Denny, loading train cars with pulp wood.

Later, Buddy worked twitching logs with a team of horses with his dad. Buddy always spoke of his love for the teams of horses and remembered them all fondly by name. After marriage, he briefly moved to South Portland where he worked for several construction companies (White Brothers, Cook Concrete) however, the draw of being a lumberjack always brought him back to the industry. There were not many moments in Buddy’s life that he was not behind the wheel of a pulp truck, skidder or working on them in the garage.

In his “spare” time, Buddy was known for his legendary horseshoe throwing. On June 15, 1985, Buddy married his second wife, Edith Alexander, and together they celebrated 37 years of marriage.

Buddy is survived by his wife, Edith Stratton, of Belgrade; one sister, Gail Wilcox, of Augusta; his five children from his first marriage, Billie Jo (Skip) Tilton, of Dummer, New Hampshire., Travis (Lisa) Stratton, of Valdosta, Georgia, Scott Stratton, of Freedom, Rudy (Kathy) Stratton, of South Portland, and Jimmy (Sara) Stratton, of Norridgewock; three stepchildren, William Hayes, of Belgrade, Jean Saucier, of Belgrade, and Joanne Fuller, of New Hampshire; eight grandchildren, Danyelle Stratton, Sophia Stratton, Jamin Tilton, Devon Stratton, Solomon Stratton, Heidi Elva Tilton, Levi Stratton, and Joshua Stratton; and one great-grandchild, Jovita Stratton; five step-grandchildren, Nicholas Savage, Liza Soucier, Lexi Soucier, McKenzie Savage and Kelsey Soucier; and many aunts, uncles; cousins; nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents Wallace and Dorothy Stratton; sister, Evelyn Alexopoulos; and his first wife, Elva Stratton.

A private graveside service for family and friends will occur at a later date.

Arrangements are in the care of Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home and Cremation Care, One Church St., Augusta, where memories, condolences and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of our website at http://www.khrfuneralhomes.com.

DEBORAH A. POULIN

SHAWMUT – Deborah A. Poulin, 72, passed away Thursday, September 29, 2022, at Maine Medical Center, in Portland. Deborah was born and raised in Clinton, Massachusetts, April 2, 1950, daughter of the late Edward T. Duchnowski and Theresa A. (Fitzgerald) Duchnowski.

Deborah was a graduate of Clinton High School class of 1967, where she had made many friends and was very proud to be a Clinton Gael. In her early 20s, she survived a month long coma from a car accident, resulting in permanent paralysis of her left side. After spending many days in speech and physical therapy, she moved to Maine, married her now late husband, Henry, and raised two boys, Matthew, and Justin.

Deborah was a devoted wife and mother and loved her family so very much. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, in Fairfield, for many years. She was a proud Catholic, and had strong Christian faith and beliefs. She served as treasurer for the Boy Scouts, in Fairfield, where both her boys were members of Cub Scout pack #471, and Boy Scout Troop #460.

Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her husband of 32 years, Henry G. Poulin; and a brother, Edward “Chip” T. Duchnowski.

Deborah leaves her two sons, Matthew E. Poulin and Justin H. Poulin, both of Waterville and their wives, Sara Poulin and Jessica Poulin; grandsons, Nicholas, and Brevin; granddaughter Gillian; her brother, George W. Duchnowski and sister, Madelyn Grady, both of Clinton, Massachusetts; many nieces, nephews, cousins, and their respective families.

A graveside service was celebrated Monday, October 10, at Falls Cemetery, in Benton.

Arrangements are by Lawry Brothers Funeral Home, of Fairfield. To share memories, or to offer condolences, please visit http://www.lawrybrothers.com.

GARY J. VIOLETTE

NORRIDGEWOCK – Gary James Violette, 69, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, October 1, 2022. Gary was born March 6, 1953, the second of seven children of Robert and Ethel Violette.

He grew up in Fairfield and attended Lawrence High School, where he played football, graduating in 1971. He later received a degree in civil engineering from Central Maine Community College (CMCC), in Auburn, and enjoyed a long and successful career in construction inspection and management.

Gary was an avid outdoorsman and spent most of his time enjoying and maintaining the beautiful parcel of land that he called home. He loved to garden and to pick apples in his orchards with his children and grandchildren. From a young age, he took great pleasure in hunting, fishing, boating, four wheeling, and snowmobiling. Gary was also well known for being a vintage car fanatic; his ‘64 Chevy Bel Air was his pride and joy. History and gun/war memorabilia collecting were passions of his as well. He was especially well versed in American and local Maine history and was always happy to share stories of the past with family and friends.

His three grandchildren from his daughter, Cortney Bard, Nile age 6, Nova, age 3, and Nellie, age 1 were the light of his life. Gary is also survived by his two sons, James Violette, and Coby Violette; as well as his six siblings, David Violette, Kevin Violette, Joel Violette, Peter Violette, Todd Violette, and his sister Donna Maiorino.

An outdoor celebration of life will be held at his home on Sunday, October 23. Please contact any of his family members for more details.

Arrangements are in the care of Lawry Brothers Funeral Home, 107 Main St., Fairfield where memories may be shared, and an online register book signed by visiting http://www.lawrybrothers.com.

TRUDY SMITH

ROME – Trudy Smith, 79, passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, October 2, 2022, following a decade-long battle with metastatic breast cancer. Trudy was born in Bellows Falls, Vermont, on October 5, 1942, the daughter of Belle (Hurd) and Ralph Halladay, and sister to Barbara (deceased), Richard, and Juanita. She graduated from Bellows Falls High School and held a real estate license.

She loved nature and volunteered as a milfoil inspector on the Belgrade Lakes and could be seen out on the lake before sunrise for the annual loon count.

Prior to the family’s move to Rome, she was a volunteer for Meals-on-Wheels, in Yarmouth. She was very passionate about giving back whether it was volunteering for the Maine Attorney Generals Office as a mediator or donating to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a charity she held dear. A true competitive spirit, she was an avid tennis player. Tennis gave her great joy. Remarkably, she played up until the final months of her life.

Trudy was most passionate about her family. She absolutely adored her grandchildren. She was very happy that they were all gathering for her 80th birthday telling stories and enjoying each other.

She is survived by her husband, Richard Smith; her daughter, Trisha (Jim), of Hingham, Massachusetts, her son, Stephen (Michaelyn), of Belgrade; her grandchildren, Jason, Hallie, Addy, Megan and Kaitlyn; many nieces and nephews.

Arrangements are in the care of Wheeler Funeral Home, 26 Church Street, Oakland, where condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the website at http://www.lawrybrothers.com.

AILEEN B. WESCOTT

MANCHESTER – Aileen Burhoe Wescott, 80, passed away on Monday, October 3, 2022. Aileen was born on March 25, 1942, in Farm­ington, to Wal­lace and Ma­rian (Becker) Bamford. She graduated from Mt. Blue High School, in Farmington, and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine at Orono.

Aileen worked for the State of Maine DHHS as a daycare licensing agent, then a foster care licensing agent until her retirement. She was married to Howard Burhoe from 1964 to 1986. Later, she married John A. Wescott in 1990 and they were together until his death in 2013.

Aileen was an active and caring woman who spent most of her life thinking about others. She always surrounded herself with her friends and family, which is where she felt most comfortable and loved. As a mother and grandmother, she was generous, loving and kind.

(Editor’s note: Aileen was an advertising sales representative with The Town Line newspaper from 2002 – 2007.)

Aileen is survived by her son, Mark Burhoe and wife Manon of Fayette; daughter, Karen Taylor and fiancé Brooks Van Sant, of Manchester; grandson, Daniel Taylor; step-grandchildren, Robert Martin, Jessica Martin, Ryan Martin and their families.

There will be no visitation or services at this time. Burial will be in the Fairview Cemetery, in Farmington.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 488 Farmington Falls Rd., Farmington, ME 04938.

Those wishing may make memorial contributions to their favorite animal shelter in memory of Aileen.

PHYLLIS A. DALEY

WHITEFIELD – Phyllis A. Daley, 89, passed away on Tuesday, October 4, 2022. She was born December 27, 1932, in Chelsea, the daughter of Fred and Beatrice (Oban) Campbellton.

She was married to Vance Daley who passed away in 2011. She was a graduate of Gardiner High School and Kennebec School of Commerce. She worked at the Hallowell Shoe Co., Gardiner Shoe Co., and Central Maine Power Co. She retired from Central Maine Power in 1991. She also worked for years teaching horsemanship and different seats of riding. In the 1950s she worked with the Civil Defense spotting planes.

In the 1960s she worked with the Red Cross where she taught many groups First Aid including the police and fire departments.

Phyllis was president of the Maine Trail Riders and the Central Maine Kennel Dog Club. She served on the board of directors for the Maine Horse Association and managed the AAA Horse Shows for about 10 years.

She liked being busy doing all kinds of arts and crafts, painting, making blankets and crocheting. She also liked bowling, square, and round dancing, boating, fishing, water skiing and swimming.

Phyllis loved working with horses, teaching to ride, trail ride and passing on the knowledge about horses to others. Her biggest love was her Shelties (Shetland Sheep dogs). She liked training, showing and above all, loving them, especially her beloved Missy Mae.

Phyllis is survived by brothers Billy and his wife Debby, Frank and his wife Jennette; sister Betty McKay; sister-in-law Gloria Campbellton; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her father Fred, mother Beatrice; and her brothers, John, and Dennis.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, October14, from 11 a.m. to noon, with a funeral service following at noon, at Staples Funeral Home, 53 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner. Burial will follow at the Oak Grove Cemetery, in Gardiner.

Arrangements are entrusted with Staples Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 53 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner, Maine.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Staples Funeral Home website, http://www.staplesfuneralhome.com.

LETTERS: Changing vote to Hemenway

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To the editor:

With only one month ahead of us to election day, we must now research and determine who our treasured votes belong to. I have decided to vote for Stephen J. Hemenway based on policy and principle beliefs solely.

Jan Dodge is a lovely individual but her voting history does not represent what is best for the families and citizens of Maine. Jan sponsored LD684 that supports schools over parents. LD684 initially removed parental and guardian rights to watch or listen to academic instruction when delivered remotely. Fortunately, the unauthorized persons, i.e parents and guardians, was amended in committee. If this had not happened Jan would have removed your parental rights to involve yourself with your child’s academic instruction via the internet.

In January of 2019 Jan co-sponsored LD434, an act to price/tax carbon pollution in Maine. This act would have raised all of our heating bills which are already unaffordable. Jan should stop penalizing the people of Maine and assist them to seek more affordable energy sources. Community, state, and federal governments should explore all clean energy sources and seek affordability to utilize those sources. Fortunately, this act too died in the house.

Fellow citizens of Maine we must take our votes seriously and vote for the representatives who align with the best outcomes for today and tomorrow. Do your research on all incumbents before you vote. This year I am changing my vote and voting for Stephen Hemenway for District #39.

Stephanie Guerry
Belfast

LETTERS: Swift a proven listener

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To the editor:

We have vital issues ahead in the 131st legislative session. We need Pam Swift MD with her decades of experience in women’s healthcare and agriculture for Representative in District 62. She is passionate about Health policy, Agricultural policy and Environmental policy. She sees these three areas as inextricably intertwined.

Swift supports health insurance coverage for all, reducing the cost of prescription medications, protecting women’s bodily autonomy, and preventing/treating opioid addiction. She has seen these issues firsthand in her medical practice. Swift is focused on supporting our small family farms, and dealing with PFAS, or forever chemicals. As Swift says, “whatever we do to the planet, we do to ourselves.” She has real-world concerns because she raises livestock on her small farm.

She has proven she can listen to constituents and work across party lines in her two terms on selectboard in Palermo. Please vote for Pam Swift, MD.

Jeanne Marquis
China