The Schooner Flash

January 2017
Issue 106

Writers:
Your Schooner Family

Editor-in-Chief:
Sue O’Brien

Designer/Co-Editor:
Linda Hildonen

In This Issue:

• A Time for Reflection
• Welcome
• Silent Auction
• Robin Dow 2017
• Word Search
• Trinity Jubilee Center
• Fraud Watch
• Winter Safety
• Kitchen Update
• Our Favorite Pics

The New Year: A Time for Reflection

2016 was a year for the books. With its political upheaval and cultural unrest, many in the media have been looking back with disdain.   But those who look at it through experienced eyes may be able to give some much-needed perspective: we’ve all been through so much and it is with patience and gratefulness that we continue forward, together. Indeed, taking time to appreciate what’s right in our lives each and every day is   the best way to start a new year, as embracing the good memories while moving past the bad is the happiest way to look back.

Within our community, 2016 had many milestones. Our hallways have been given a makeover with the completion of two long-standing projects: a refresh of our art, and new wayfinding signs. We got to know many of our residents’ “Words of Wisdom” through a new marketing campaign. In August, we opened our doors to the public for a tremendously successful Open House, with the help of you, our residents. Perhaps most importantly, we added many new residents who have become an integral part of the Schooner Family.

2017 holds much promise for our community. Kitchen renovations are under way as part of a continued promise to serve the highest quality food. Our marketing focus continues to be based on our pride in the people who live and work here. And we look forward to welcoming even more new faces to our community, and strengthening the bonds of those who live here. We rely on you, our residents, to be involved in making   our community the best that it can be, through active participation, feedback, and your help in recommending our community to those who would flourish here. As always, we are grateful for you and your efforts, each and every day. Our community truly is your community.

By Linda Hildonen

It is with Great Pleasure that we Welcome You to the Neighborhood!

• Carol “CJ” Cooper, studio 112
• Bette Ann Cushman, apartment 527
• Dorothy Hanson, apartment 631
• Ann McDonald, apartment 428
• Elaine Morrison, Residential Care

Silent Auction Update

Have you placed any bids? Our Silent Auction is a great success! Residents and employees are getting fantastic deals on some really nice items that have been packed away in storage. Going up for bid so far have been such items as beautiful glass lamps, well cared for furniture such as a chest of drawers, a desk and an entire bed set including the headboard and so on…plus much more!

A new set of one or more items is advertised every Friday for you to bid on. All bids must be submitted by noon each Thursday. See our posters located next to the Camden coffee bar and at the front desk in the Castine building.

Robin Dow 2017

The Robin Dow Senior Citizens Club will resume meetings in the Tenants Harbor Room on January 11th and will still be held the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month.   This meeting brings together seniors from the local area. Living here at Schooner, you have the advantage of not having to go out on cold winter days.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. for socializing with free fresh brewed coffee and sale of raffle tickets to members only, prior to the 11:30 a.m. meeting. You are invited to attend as a guest. Members enjoy many scheduled activities such as birthday celebrations. Stop by and enjoy some time with the group. They look forward to seeing you!

The Gift that Keeps on Giving!

Last month, we featured Ann Anderson in a Words of Wisdom ad, sharing the following pearl: “I am so fortunate. I think so many of us are, and we just don’t realize it.” When we interviewed Ann, we were speaking to her about her project of knitting slippers and hats all year long to donate in the Christmas Season. This year, Ann chose to donate her knit goods to the Trinity Jubilee Center, a local non-profit that works with underprivileged families and individuals in the Lewiston-Auburn area.

When we visited the center to drop off her four boxes of knit goods, we spoke to the center’s director, Erin, about their ongoing needs. This conversation inspired us, and we quickly endeavored to collect from you, our residents, any unwanted clothes, blankets and other goods to donate to the center. In less than a week, we were able to gather a whole truckload of donations to drop off at the center.

We want to thank everyone who donated! It just goes to show that a little generosity can go a long way!

AARP Fraud Watch on the Schooner Estates Facebook Page

You probably already knew that the Schooner Estates Facebook page is a great place to see pictures and videos from the latest events that take place right here. But did you know that it’s also a great place to learn about ways to protect yourself from the latest scams targeting the senior population? Each Wednesday, we post alerts from the AARP Fraud Watch team, letting you know what kind of scams are happening to seniors in the country, so that you can be prepared. Go online to learn, and be a fraud fighter! Here’s the latest AARP Fraud Alert, from December 28th:

Last year, Americans gave over $373 billion to charity. Government officials who regulate charities and fundraisers say that most charities are legitimate, but there are fundraisers that keep most of the money they raise. As you consider year-end giving, do your research. Check out charities at www.give.org or www.charitynavigator.org to make sure your money is going where it should and not into the pockets of scammers!

Enjoy Winter and Be Safe!

Winter is here and the cold weather has arrived. But remember, all that ice and snow means an increased chance of slipping and falling. Just one bad fall on ice can have long-term consequences. Here are some things you can do the make winter a little less perilous:

¨ Check your footwear. Wear winter boots when outside. How’s the traction? Better traction can help keep you more stable on icy surfaces.

¨ If you drive a car, bring a cell phone (if you have one) when you leave. If you fall, it can sometimes be hard to get up. Carrying a cell phone whenever you go out can bring peace of mind.

¨ Slow down. Allow extra time if it’s slippery out. When you hurry, you end up pushing the envelope of what your balance can handle. Keep in mind that being a little late is better than falling.

¨ Ask for help. If you have to walk across an icy sidewalk or parking lot, try to find a steady arm to lean on.

Also, we want to thank our fantastic maintenance crew for everything they do here at Schooner during the harsh winter months. From keeping the walkways safe, plowing, clearing off residents’ cars, etc. They do it all!

Have You Heard?

We are happy to inform you that the start of the construction for our new kitchen update has officially begun! Pictured below is the laying of the concrete pad for the new cooler.

Despite the challenges of winter, our project is marching forward.

December 2016 Flash Newsletter

The Schooner Flash

December 2016
Issue 105

Writers:
Your Schooner Family

Editor-in-Chief:
Sue O’Brien

Designer/Co-Editor:
Linda Hildonen

Inside This Issue:

• Holiday Parties
• Welcome
• Silent Auction
• Maintenance Note
• Word Search
• Senior Living
• Holiday Menus
• Books are Fun Event
• Words of Wisdom
• Our Favorite Pics

Let’s Get Together for the Holidays

Celebrate the season and plan to attend your 2016 Schooner holiday parties! Join your friends and neighbors for a joyous evening of festivities. Each event will include live entertainment, many delectable items to eat and drink and of course, exceptional company.

On the entertainment side, vocalist Mary Murphy will provide the evening’s music for both holiday parties. The Present Company Band will entertain at both New Year’s Parties.

• Apartments Holiday Party: Tuesday, December 13th at 5:00 p.m. in the Tenants Harbor Room.
• Residential Care, Studios and Memory Care Holiday Party: Wednesday, December 14th at 5:00 p.m. in the Village Green.
• Residential Care, Studios and Memory Care New Year’s Party: Saturday, December 31st at 3:00 p.m. in the Village Green.
• Apartments New Year’s Party: Saturday, December 31st in the Tenants Harbor Room, at 5:00 p.m.

The annual lighting of the big outdoor tree at Castine will be held on Thursday, December 1st at 4:00 p.m. Come join us for a few holiday songs and refreshments!

See our party menus on page four. Delicious!

It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to our community!

• Deanna Fickett, studio 111
• Lennice Godbout, studio 103

Announcing a New Program

We will be offering an item OR items, that have been donated to Schooner Estates. The item(s) will go up for bids on Friday of each week and close to bids on Thursday at noon of the following week. The item(s) will be shown on a flyer and can be viewed in person. The high bidder will win the item(s) and need to pay and pick up within three days. Schooner management reserves the right to accept and/or reject all bids. The money raised will be donated to one of our selected Charities.

The Auction is a fair way to let staff and tenants, who have expressed interest in such a process, to get to purchase items donated. It will also help with ALL of our fundraising efforts. That in turn will greatly help our chosen Charities. Bid high & often, it’s a great way to feel good and be a part of the effort to help raise money for worthwhile causes.

Please look for the bid item(s) posters at the front desk and the Camden coffee bar. Pick up and submit your bid forms at the front desk. The item(s) are located in the Tenants Harbor Room.

Hope you are a winner!

For Your Convenience…

During the cold, snowy winter months, if you need your vehicle for an appointment, etc. , please let maintenance know (ext. 159, at least a day ahead) and they will have it ready for you. They will start your car, clear frost from the windshield and do any snow removal, with a smile!

Healthy Eating and Carbohydrates

We need carbohydrates (carbs). They are our chief source of energy – like gasoline is to a car. Carbs fuel your body and your brain, too. The richest sources are anything that grows from the earth; fruit, vegetables (and root vegetables), grains and legumes. These are whole foods or complex carbohydrates, which our body breaks down slowly during digestion.

What we don’t need is the simple carbs so prevalent among our food choices today – the processed, refined foods. These are whole foods or complex carbs that have been drastically altered before we eat them.

Sadly, misinformation has made carb another four-letter word. Low-carb diets tell us carbs are the reason we become insulin resistant and gain weight, as indicated by the rising incidents of obesity and diabetes. But carbohydrates were around long before these high disease rates occurred. Processed carbs weren’t. Therefore, carbohydrates aren’t the problem, say nutritionists. It’s the processed, refined carbohydrates that throw our bodies out of balance. If we had left carbs in their natural state, they wouldn’t have become a problem.

The body is designed to slowly and methodically break down a whole food into the nutrients it needs. Refined sugars and other highly processed foods are already broken down and absorbed very quickly. Eating them too frequently is confusing and stressful to the body. Nutritionists advise not to follow a low-carb diet, but a “proper carb diet.”

The human race is getting sicker. It’s not just obesity and diabetes, but cancers and heart disease are also on the rise. Processed, refined foods are a contributing factor to declining health. They lack the nutrition needed to strengthen our bodies and our immune systems. Same for the restrictive low-carb diets, say nutritionists. These diets lack fiber and many phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables – including nutrients science hasn’t discovered yet.

Perhaps the best strategy to correct an insulin imbalance and lose the resulting weight is to eat more natural carbs and less of the carbs that can create an insulin problem — the “junk” food. If your carb choice isn’t in a form Mother Nature created, it may not be a healthy choice. Cut back on foods designed and altered by humans. Choose an apple as a snack instead of a cookie or a sports bar. Eat more fruits and vegetables, legumes, root vegetables and whole grains. Carbohydrates are not “bad” for us. We must avoid using the word carbohydrate when we are referring to processed, refined foods.

ARTICLE FROM INSPIRED SENIOR LIVING – JULY 2016

Be sure to make it a point to visit our “Wellness Board”, located right outside the Searsport Dining Room, next to the main kitchen on the ground floor. Each month a different Schooner department is assigned to set up the board with new, health conscience tips. We are committed to helping you keep in tip, top shape!

Christmas Day Menu

It’s here! Take a look at our Christmas Day menu below and you might just feel a slight rush of pre-Christmas spirit!

Appetizers

Shrimp Cocktail
Mixed Greens Salad w/Cranberries, Walnuts, Crumbled Bleu Cheese & Balsamic Vinaigrette

Entrées

Prime Rib us Jus w/Horseradish Cream
Cranberry-Sage Stuffed Chicken Breast
Seafood-Stuffed Sole w/Sherry Lobster Sauce

Accoutrements

Mashed Potato
Sweet Potato w/Marshmallows
Honey-Glazed Carrots
Asparagus
Fresh Squash

Desserts

Gingerbread Cream Cake
Cherry Pie
Oreo Mint Ice Cream

Holiday Party Menu

Passed Hors d’oeuvres

Assorted Fruit and Cheese with Crackers
Various Dips and Breads
Stuffed Cocktail Rolls with Lobster
Ham, and Egg Salad
Mini Quiche
Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Scallops Wrapped in Maple Bacon
Cocktail Meatballs
Classic Shrimp Cocktail

Holiday Table

Glazed Pecans
Holiday Cookies/Sweets
Coffee/Tea
Mulled Cider
Spiced Egg Nog

Books & Gifts Galore

Schooner is happy to be hosting another “Books Are Fun” event. The fair will be loaded with gifts and books from hundreds of great publishers. All are at great discounts of 30, 40 and even 50 percent off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. You are sure to find something special. So stop by and browse through their many items. Shop for the holidays!

The fair will be held in our Village Green on Wednesday, December 7th, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Words of Wisdom: Glenn Hayes

Glenn Hayes, from apartment 313, has some insight from his 31 years as a school teacher that is good advice for students, teachers, and just about everyone else: “Whatever life throws at you, meet it calmly and with a smile. You can go much further with a smile than a frown. A calm person can do much more than a hurried one.”