« November 2024

AREA Newsletter - November 2024




Next Meeting - November 13, 2024

Montello Heights

Lewiston, Maine 04240


10:30am - Meeting

11:00am - Speaker

12:00pm - Lunch


Registration Form 

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All the downloads...  November Downloads



President's Message


Many thanks to everyone who made the annual auction a success. Thanks to Ruben, the magnificent auctioneer, Hugh for organizing items and Donna for taking the prize possessions to everyone and for all of you for the wonderful items you brought in and then turned around and bid to own.


A huge thank you to Gina and Marsha Graham for collecting the bidsheets and money. I will let Gina tell you the final tally of our auction at the November meeting.


Thanks to Beth Bell for the publicity, Mona Ervin for the articles on scams and  Congratulations to Joyce Bucciantini for the article for the Clarion!


Don’t forget our next meeting will be at Montello Heights – refreshments from 10 to 10:30 and our program will start then.


Our presenter will be Ray Dumont of the Public Theater of  Lewiston.


Cindy Peters will finish the AREA history part 2.


Facebook  - Remember we have BOTH a Facebook Page for MEA-Retired and a Group Page for AREA.

MEA-Retired Facebook Page

Androscoggin Retired Educators Group






Treasurer's Message


All the reports from Gina. 

October Financials

The Long View-Three Months




Exercise and Volunteer Form 

From Joyce Bucciantini


Let's move this off the charts this year.  I'll bet there are many more hours than we report! 


AREA Volunteer Form



From the State House

From Crystal Ward


VOTE     VOTE     VOTE



  1. If you have voted CONGRATULATIONS!
  2. Make sure you sign your name on the outside back of the envelope before you mail it or put it in the drop box
  3. Early in person voting has started in Maine contact your local town/city office for times and locations.
  4. VOTE on November 5 election day.


Because over 50% of Americans are voting absentee and more voting in person the results for some states will take several days.  Some states have over a million absentee ballots and they do not start processing them until Nov. 5.


Maine has the gold standard for voting process : paper ballots , scanner never connected to the internet, scanners locked , number of ballots sent to you town must match the amount counted at the end of the process, all ballots send in locked boxes to Augusta at end of local process to be used for recounts and verifications, Maine is doing outstanding !!


Get ready for the possible YES vote on the HR82 The Social Security Fairness Act in November.  We must push Senator Collins, a sponsor of S597 the companion bill in the Senate and Senator King  to get Majority Leader Senator Schumer to put in on the floor for a vote in the Senate before the end on this Congress . Dust off a letter/ message you have already written on the topic and be ready when I send out the word to start pushing !!


All state of Maine bills must be summited in December for the upcoming Legislative session in AUGUSTA. If you have an idea for a bill or see an issue we need to look into,  please send the info to me in the next couple of weeks before my meeting.    cward10@roadrunner.com




Things to Think About
from Mona Ervin

Here are a few tips for senior citizens:
Eat Healthy
Maintaining a healthy diet as you age is essential for living well. The digestive system slows down with age, so it becomes necessary to incorporate important vitamins and high-fiber foods — such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — into your loved one’s diet. Not only does adding fiber help seniors with maintaining a healthy diet, but it also can lower the risk of major health problems like stroke and heart disease.
Another health secret for seniors is to stay hydrated. Because they tend to generally feel less thirsty as they age, seniors are prone to dehydration. Make sure your loved one drinks plenty of water to stay energized and to avoid constipation and urinary tract infections.
Get good sleep
Frequent waking and insomnia are common among seniors. But, it’s important to maintain a regular sleep schedule to maintain health. “Sleep hygiene” refers to a set of healthy sleep habits that can improve one’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Simply waking up and going to bed at the same time can help seniors’ internal clock sync to their daily schedule. Avoid taking naps during the day, and stay away from alcohol or caffeine in the evening. It may also help to turn the lights down in the evening to spur drowsiness. And, always make sure your bedroom is comfortable, cool, and quiet.
Exercise the mind
Staying mentally active and learning new skills may even lead to improved thinking ability, according to the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health. Seniors should keep their minds sharp through various brain games and other engaging activities: Completing crossword puzzles, reading, writing, and trying new hobbies can stimulate seniors’ minds and help them engage with their surrounding environment to ward off cognitive decline.
Stay physically active
Exercise is important in all stages of life, but especially for seniors. Staying physically active may help seniors maintain a healthy weight and avoid chronic health problems. Regular exercise can also make it easier for seniors to complete activities of daily living.
Along with alleviating depression, physical activity can improve seniors’ energy levels, memory, and sleep. But what are the best exercises for seniors? Healthy seniors should focus on low-impact exercises like aerobics, balance exercises, and strength training. Be sure to talk with a health care professional to find out what type of exercise program best suits a senior’s needs.


Monthly Quiz

From Mona Ervin



There are many songs with a female name in the title. There are fewer songs with a male name in the title but there are some.  Can you correctly identify the song title and the recording artist?

  1. t was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day
    I was out choppin' cotton, and my brother was balin' hay
    And at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat
    And mama hollered out the back door, y'all, remember to wipe your feet
    And then she said, I got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge
    Today, ... jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge

  2.  Oh, ... boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
    From glen to glen, and down the mountain side.
    The summer's gone, and all the roses falling,
    It's you, it's you must go and I must bide.

  3. What's it all about ...
    Is it just for the moment we live
    What's it all about
    When you sort it out, ...
    Are we meant to take more than we give
    Or are we meant to be kind?

  4. Starry, starry night
    Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
    Swirling clouds in violet haze
    Reflect in ... eyes of china blue

  1. Well, the South side of Chicago
    Is the baddest part of town
    And if you go down there
    You better just beware
    Of a man named ...

  1. The marching band came down along Main Street
    The soldier blues fell in behind
    I looked across and there I saw ...
    Waiting to go and join the line

  1. Can you hear the drums, ...?
    I remember long ago another starry night like this
    In the firelight, ......................
    You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar
    I could hear the distant drums
    And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar

  1. Hey ..., don't make it bad.
    Take a sad song and make it better.
    Remember to let her into your heart,
    Then you can start to make it better.

  1. Hit the road ... and don't you come back
    No more, no more, no more, no more
    Hit the road ... and don't you come back no more
    What you say?
    Hit the road ... and don't you come back
    No more, no more, no more, no more
    Hit the road ... and don't you come back no more

  1. Deep down in Louisiana close to New Orleans
    Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
    There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
    Where lived a country boy named ......................
    Who never ever learned to read or write so well
    But he could play a guitar just like a-ringin' a bell
    Go, go
    Go ..., go, go
    Go ..., go, go
    Go ..., go, go
    Go ..., go, go
    ...

  1. I was born in a cross-fire hurricane
    And I howled at my ma' in the driving rain
    But it's all right now, in fact, it's a gas
    But it's all right, I'm ...
    It's a gas, gas, gas

  1. Uptown got it's hustlers
    The bowery got it's bums
    42nd street got big ...
    He's a pool shootin' son of a gun
    Yeah, he's big and dumb as a man can come
    But he's stronger than a country hoss
    And when the bad folks all get together at night
    You know they all call big ...boss, just because
    And they say

  2. Well, he must've thought that it was quite a joke
    And I got a lot of laughs from a lots of folk
    Seems I had to fight my whole life through
    Some gal would giggle and I'd turn red
    And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head
    I tell you, life ain't easy for a boy named ......................

  1. Anybody here seen my old friend ......................?
    Can you tell me where he's gone?
    He freed lotta people but it seems the good they die young
    You know I just looked around and he's gone
    Anybody here seen my old friend ...?
    Can you tell me where he's gone?
    He freed lotta people but it seems the good they die young
    I just looked around and he's gone
    Anybody here seen my old friend ......................?
    Can you tell me where he's gone?
    He freed lotta people but it seems the good they die young
    I just looked around and he's gone

  2. ...is traveling tonight on a plane
    I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
    And I can see... waving goodbye
    Oh it looks like ......................, must be the clouds in my eyes
    They say Spain is pretty though I've never been
    And ...says it's the best place that he's ever seen
    He should know, he's been there enough
    Oh I miss ..., oh I miss him so much, oh

Answers

1. Ode to Billy Joe, released in 1967 by Bobbie Gentry.
2. The lyrics to Danny Boy were 1910 and the song has been sung by many.  It is considered the national song of Ireland.
3. Alfie is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David to promote the 1966 film Alfie. The song was a    major hit for Cilla Black (UK) and Dionne Warwick (US).
4. Vincent is a song by Don McLean, written as a tribute to Vincent van Gogh. It was written in 1971.
5. Bad Bad Leroy Brown is story song written by American folk rock singer Jim Croce. Released as part of his 1973 album Life and Times, the song was a No. 1 hit for him, spending two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1973. Billboard ranked it as the No. 2 song for 1973.[
6. Billy  Don't Be A Hero  is about a guy who goes off to war, and despite his fiancé's pleas to stay safe, volunteers for a dangerous mission and is killed. The girl receives a letter telling her that Billy died a hero, which is specifically what she asked him not to do. It was released in 1974 by Bo Donaldson and the Haywoods.
7. Fernando was released in March 1976 and became one of Abba's best-selling singles, topping the charts in at least 13 countries, and selling over 10 million copies. worldwide.
8. Hey Jude is a song by The Beatles that was released as a non-album single in August 1968. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership.
9. Hit the Road Jack became famous after it was recorded by the singer-songwriter-pianist Ray Charles, with The Raelettes vocalist Margie Hendrix. Charles's recording hit number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, beginning on Monday, October 9, 1961.
10. Johnny Be Good is a song by American musician Chuck Berry, written and sung by Berry in 1958. Released as a single in 1958, it peaked at number two on the Hot R&B Sides chart.
11. Jumping Jack Flash was recorded by    the Rolling Stones, released as a non-album single in 1968. It is the band's most-performed song; they have played it over 1,100 times in concert
12. Don't Mess With Jim is a 1972 ) story song by Jim Croce from his album of the same name.
13. A Boy Named Sue is a song written by Shel Silverstein and made famous by Johnny Cash. Cash recorded the song live in concert on February 24, 1969, at California's San Quentin State Prison
14. Abraham, Martin and John is a 1968 song written by Dick Holler. It was first recorded by Dion, in a version that was a substantial North American chart hit in 1968–1969. Near-simultaneous cover versions by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and Moms Mabley also charted in the U.S. in 1969, and a version that same year by Marvin Gaye became the hit version in the UK
15. Daniel is a song written by English musician Elton John and his long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was first released on John's 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player.




A Small Advertisement -


All these years of publishing the newsletter have been good training.  I've decided to open a cottage business to create websites for small organizations and non-profits.  You are welcome to take a look and make any referrals.


Go to Homepage  North Star Works









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