E-news September 25, 2016

Important message from the Treasurer

In case you missed the Treasurer’s Report at the Annual Membership Meeting, the financial situation of the Belfast Senior College is unsustainable. The fiscal year ending in June 2015 had a surplus of only 1.5% of our revenue and the fiscal year ending in June 2016 had a loss of 5.0%. Costs are still going up, and something must be done to keep us viable. We’ve had some suggestions, and we’d like to get a “Sense of the Membership” on them via a 5-question survey now online. Please take a moment to tell us how you feel at https://goo.gl/forms/EhegjLySiuJy9Sz53.

Tour Schleppinghurst on Tuesday, September 27th

Tuesday, September 27, 2016
3:30 p.m. meet to carpool at Hutchinson Center lower parking lot
$5 per person
Sign up deadline: Saturday, September 24, 2016

Join us for an hour and a half guided tour of the Japanese-inspired garden in a former granite quarry in Lincolnville narrated by the owner and creator, Ken Cleaves. The landscaped acres are known as “Schleppinghurst” because most of the work of moving stones and exposing the black granite rock formations was done by hand, a project ongoing for more than 35 years.

Paths through the garden are nobedan-style (stone carpet) and the ground is uneven for walking. Tour is an hour and a half in duration. Cost is $5 to be paid at the carpooling gathering place rather than on-line as part of registration.

Community Service Committee

The Community Service Committee will have two meetings during the fall term. The meeting at 11:45 a.m. on September 29 during the lunch break (ask in office for location) is to focus on our projects in general. Non-committee members interested in our work are welcome.

On October 6, we will also meet at 11:45 a.m. to focus specifically on Read Across America (ask in office for location). At this time, we will establish our plans for who hosts each school, expansion to new schools, how many volunteers will be needed, the timeline to be in touch with the schools and get schedules established. If you are interested in serving Read Across America by reading to children in schools in Waldo County during the first week of March, please attend the meeting whether or not you want to join the committee. Read Across America is timed with the birthday of the late Theodore Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss. The more volunteers we have, the more schools we can serve. We especially hope to find retired teachers, librarians, and others who are comfortable choosing a picture book and reading to a classroom. The committee provides guidance on selecting titles and how to read to a group for those who welcome guidance.

The CSC committee could still use a few more volunteers to make phone calls for Neighbor4Neighbor. This is a one-shot way to contribute to your community. SC volunteers make phone calls to homes in Waldo County where seniors reside who have applied for food baskets for Thanksgiving and the Christmas holiday season. Waldo CAP (Community Action Partners) needs our help. They provide all the information we need to make the calls. The calls take place between late September and mid-October. Envelopes with the calling assignments are distributed through the SC office and also returned there when completed. If you can make calls, email Wendy C Kasten at wkasten@kent.edu or call 207-338-0462.

Judge Susan W. Longley of Waldo County Probate Court will present two “Probate Basics” workshops

Thursday, Oct. 6, Room 106, 11:45–12:45 – Medical Powers of Attorney
Thursday, Oct. 13, Room 106, 11:45–12:45 – Financial Powers of Attorney

At these brown-bag lunch workshops, Judge Longley will explain how powers of attorney – also known as “advance directives” – actually can save you and your family time and money. She will help you understand the legalese in the advance directive forms. With the help of other attendees, she will also share ideas on handling various family circumstances so that you also can have peace of mind with your decisions.

To help everyone understand, Judge Longley will hand out free advance directive legal forms for a Health Care Power of Attorney, a Financial Power of Attorney, and a Last Will and Testament.

Judge Longley welcomes all who want to learn about or refresh their understanding on organizing one’s legal documents. No matter how materially rich or poor, literate and/or articulate, she applauds every one who responsibly tries to learn about, organize, complete and try to review annually one’s important advance directives.

Judge Longley asks that attendees understand that she cannot provide individualized legal advice at these group gatherings. Instead, she explains how the forms work and welcomes general questions. She welcomes comments and finds that attendees themselves often provide excellent ideas on addressing various family situations that other attendees find very helpful in addressing their own values and family situations.

Last but not least, Judge Longley is known to provide treats in the area of fruit and home-baked cookies to help everyone digest the legalese on the free advance directive legal forms with a bit more energy and enthusiasm!

October 20th, Brown bag lunch, 11:45-12:45, Room 106

Learn more about Belfast’s own Capt. Albert W. Stevens WWI aerial photographer, Photographic Innovator, High Altitude Balloon Record Holder, Winner of two Distinguished Flying Crosses, Inventor, Explorer.

Presented by Megan Pinette, Belfast Historical society

Mark your calendars

On Friday October 28 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. our Senior College, in conjunction with the Hutchinson Center, will present a program on Maine’s Economic Stake in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. This report was prepared by Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, University of Maine, and will be presented by Catherine Reilly deLutio.