Silver Tracks December 2018
Greetings!
It is an honor to provide my first message to the retired employees of the University of Maine. During my early months here at UMaine I was pleased to meet the wonderful and dedicated President’s Council of Retired Employees (PCRE). It is clear they manage to accomplish extraordinary things and have a lot of fun at the same time.
Several of you will be familiar with the Blue Sky strategic plan and assessment, a comprehensive undertaking that guided the work of our campus from 2012 – 2018. Building on the momentum and success of those efforts, we just announced UMaine’s next iteration of strategic vision and values-setting. On November 15, 2018, with Provost Hecker, I held an interactive forum at Wells Conference Center, in which we described three shared and guiding values and solicited questions and comments. Now, I’m asking you to participate as well. Your perspective and experience as retirees of this campus mean that you will have much to contribute toward this process. I encourage you to visit the dedicated website at https://umaine.edu/strategic-visioning. There you will be able to view the presentation and participate by sharing your feedback and questions. You will also see the dates and locations of three upcoming forums. This process will continue to be interactive and I look forward to hearing what you have to say.
Our retirees’ continued interest in UMaine speaks volumes about why this institution is the wonderful place that it is. You, our retired employees, engage by attending athletic events, at performances and exhibitions, serving on boards of your colleges and centers, and volunteering in a variety of ways. Your engagement shows us that UMaine is special to you, and you are an important part of the community. We rely on your experience and perspective to guide us.
Thank you for your continued dedication to the University of Maine!
President Ferrini-Mundy
“None are so old as those who have out-lived enthusiasm.” –Henry David Thoreau
Soliciting Nominations for the 2019 Hikel Award
We invite nominations for the 2019 Barbara Hikel Retiree Award. This award was established in the memory of Barbara, who was an exemplary UMaine employee who stayed involved with the university for many years after her retirement. The award goes to a University of Maine retiree who provides extraordinary voluntary service to the University of Maine. This award will be presented at the 2019 President’s Council of Retired Employees Homecoming on June 4, 2019. Details regarding the award and nomination form appear on the UM Retiree Council website.
UMaine Retirees Visit Cellar Door Winery
On October 9, 2018, thirteen University of Maine retirees traveled to Lincolnville, Maine for a delightful visit to the Cellar Door Winery. The weather was spectacular as the retirees enjoyed a wine pairing; wine tasting together with food prepared to bring out the flavor of the wine. Following the wine pairing, the retirees toured the wine making facility, were introduced to the wine maker and received an excellent lecture on the process used to prepare the wide variety of Maine wines available at the winery. Several of the retirees also took a tour of the vineyards to see the grapes used in the wine making process. A good time was had by all on a truly spectacular Maine day.
Top 10 Health Tips for 2019!
- Embrace a healthy diet plan
- Move more
- Be smoke-free
- Schedule sleep
- Prioritize preventative screenings
- Connect with others
- Stay hydrated
- Appreciate what you have
- Pick up a hobby
- Meditate
Oral History Project
The Retirees’ Council is partnering with senior honor society All Maine Women (AMW) to interview retirees as a beginning of building an archive of oral histories from UMaine retirees. The Council’s own AMW Alumna Marian Dressler is taking the lead on this project. The 2018 interviewees were George Jacobson, Marisue Pickering, Michael Pullen and Judith Round.
Scholarship Awarded
Julianna Southworth Acheson was the most recent recipient of the UMaine Retirees Harold “Brownie” Brown Scholarship Fund. Julianna is the granddaughter of James M. Acheson, professor emeritus of marine sciences and anthropology.
Julianna is a junior majoring in child development and family relations.
Remembering Harold “Brownie” Brown
Brownie was Professor Emeritus of the University of Maine. He began his career there as a member of the cooperative extension service faculty from 1968 to 1999. From 1985 to 1999 he served as the Maine 4-H Program Coordinator.
Brownie received numerous awards including the Achievement Award and Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents, the Doctor of Public Service Honors Causa, of Unity College in 1987 and he was introduced into the National 4-H Hall of Fame in 2005.
Brownie sreved as the first chair of the President’s Council of Retired Employees. In 2007 he was presented the Barbara Hikel Retiree Award in recognition of outstanding volunteer service to the University following retirement.
He palyed an important role in establishing a scholarship designed for relatives of UMaine retirees. At the time of his death, the scholarship was renamed in his honor.
If you would like to support this scholarship, you can contact the University of Maine Foundation and tell them that you would like to give to the UMaine Retirees Harold “Brownie” Brown Scholarship Fund. You can make checks payable to University of Maine Foundation with UMaine Retirees Scholarship in the memo line. If you would like to pay by credit card, go to the University of Maine Foundations secure online site.
The President’s Council of Retired Employees Mission Statement
The Council will enhance communication between the University of Maine and the community of retired employees. The Council will encourage active involvement of retirees in the life of the University. The Council will provide advice to the University President on matters of importance to retirees.
Ethel Hill, Chair
Mark Anderson, immediate past chair and secretary
Marian Dressler
Joseph Genco
Candace Jordan
Raymond Pelletier
Mike Pullen
Judith Round
Claire Strickland
Phyllis Thibodeau
Gloria Vollmers
New Members as of January 2019
Harold “Dusty” Dowes (replacing Mark Anderson)
Nancy Boyington (replacing Candice Jordan)
Sue Randall (replacing Judith Round)
The University of Maine is an EEO/AA employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System)