« AREA-February 2021
Welcome to AREA NEWS for February, 2021
Welcome to AREA -
Androscoggin Retired Educators Association - Many thanks to Crystal Ward, Mona Ervin and Gina Fuller for the contributions this month.
HEY! We are back!
After two month's of "winter break," the newsletter is back!
Hooray!
Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive. Mahatma Gandhi
Newsletter Notes!
Please feel free to contribute
to your newsletter. You can send contributions to me by emailing
them to - area@mainenet.org
or rfuller@mainenet.org
Please note - MEA Retired now has a Facebook page - You can follow us there.
If you want up-to-date information on the pandemic and its impact, consult this link -
or directly at -
by Mona Ervin
First item is a thank you from the members of the Ritter Committee for all of the cards, e-mails, and phone calls thanking the committee for the “words of encouragement “ mailing and the Dunkin Donuts gift cards sent to members who are 75 and up.
Second item is to alert members that the Wal-Mart Pharmacy has been scheduling appointments for the Covid vaccine shots. Among other locations that will be scheduling appointments when more vaccine doses arrive are CMMC, St. Mary’s Reginal Medical Center, The Medicine Shop, CVS Pharmacy and Wal Greens Pharmacy. Our members should check the websites of the above listed locations regularly or phone the locations. The web sites state if appointments are being scheduled or not. Members who are veterans can receive the vaccine through the Veterans Administration at Togus. Veterans have been receiving phone calls from the VA. If you are a veteran and have not received a call, feel free to call Togus directly.
Third item is to inform members that wearing two masks (double masking) is now being recommended by the USCDC. This is particularly important due to the rapid spread of the Brazilian, South African, and UK variants that have now migrated to the US. In Maine the UK variant has been identified in a patient and there is a suspicion that the other variants are here as well. The CDC recommends wearing the paper masks by looping the ties around the ear to close up any gaps and wear a tight fitting cloth mask over the first mask. Remember to change paper masks after each use and to wash the cloth mask as well.
Fourth item is to remind members to be alert to scams. Scammers are trying to capitalize on the rollout of vaccines and are asking for payment for the vaccine. This is a scam, the vaccine shots are FREE. Scammers are trying to secure your insurance information, credit card numbers or cash from you. Again the vaccine is FREE. RELY ON LOCAL VACCINE PROVIDERS. Trust the people/agencies/providers you know.
Legislative
Update
by
Crystal Ward
Covid Vaccination Updates to Phase 1b: Phase 1b is dedicated to protecting vulnerable residents and frontline workers. Maine is in Phase 1b including:
Older Mainers: Maine will first focus in Phase 1b on vaccinating older Maine people, beginning with people age 70 and older because they are at greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19. In Maine, more than 85 percent of COVID-related deaths have been of people in that age range.
St Mary’s , CMMC, WalMart are having clinics but you have to sign up in advance. There are several sites across the state now. The issue is Maine is not receiving enough doses weekly for the current demand.
This site contains information on all vaccination sites in Maine ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
http://www.maine.gov/covid19/vaccines/vaccination-sites
The National Digital Equity
Center is a DBA of Axiom Education
& Training Center, a 501c3 nonprofit based in
Machias, Maine. The National Digital Equity Center has offices in
Wiscasset and Machias, Maine and staff are located statewide. This
organization has free ZOOM classes for retired people on many digital
topics. If you want to learn more go to their website. They
also have program to loan laptops to people,which included training and a
possible chance to purchase a laptop or if you meet the age requirement a
free one. https://digitalequitycenter.org
For the most current
Legislative happenings in Augusta sign up for the Under the Dome newsletter which
comes out on Fridays. snichols@maineea.org
BIG NEWS !!! All committee hearings in Augusta will be on ZOOM so you will not have to drive to Augusta to attend a public hearing on a bill. Just attend to support, give oral testimony (no more than 3 mins) send written testimony. This is a great opportunity for retired to be heard. The first hearing on zoom impacting us was held on Feb 17 on the issue of increasing from 45% to 55% for the state share of our Health Insurance, This will be a hard sell because of the state’s current budget situation
Down in Washington D.C few bills have been resubmitted for this new Legislature for retired issues at this time. When things get rolling I will keep you informed. Your guess is as good as mine about a timeline. The Biden Administration’s Covid relief bill contains a $1400 payment but that is still being worked on at this time.
If you are a member/or want to join LA Senior College,you are also a member of the other 17 senior colleges in the state. Because almost all statewide classes are on ZOOM you can sign up for classes at any Senior College Class statewide, you will need to pay the class fee to the location where the class is coming from. So if I take a zoom Class from Sage in Presque Isle I would pay the fee to Sage in Presque Isle. Go to Maineseniorcollege.org for more information
The $600 stimulus from the Federal government has been sent electronically to your bank or mailed as a check. Contact the IRS if yours did not arrive at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment
Remember a lot of help is available using your phone at 211
AREA
SCHOLARSHIP
The AREA scholarship winner in 2019 was Audrey Varney, the eldest daughter of the couple killed in Turner this past week. She is studying to be a teacher. The Varney’s were awesome parents and both of their daughters excel in their studies. I wonder if you could let members know that we helped this young lady and perhaps now can keep her and her sister in our prayers.
Stay safe , Penny Jaskalen, Scholarship Chairperson
Treasurer's Report
Gina Fuller sends along the Treasurer's Report as a downloadable PDF. Remember that you can send your dues for this year by sending a check to -
Gina Fuller
36 Elliott Ave.
Lewiston, ME 04240
We invite you to follow
us on Facebook:
MEA
Retired - Facebook
Dutch Oven Bread
-
WHEW... this one is a real keeper. It's easy,
non-messy, and bakes a great loaf of bread. I made bread about four times
a week during the depth of the winter. It was a great, great
adventure - the bread rising by the warmth of the fire, and the great
taste for dinner, and then great toast in the morning.
Use warm/hot water for the yeast, and let it "work" for about 15 minutes before mixing into the flour.
It does need a cast iron dutch oven. I found that by warming the dutch oven in the pre-heating oven, that the bread rose better.
I also found that the wooden spoon for mixing makes all the difference in the world. Why? I have no idea, but use a wooden spoon.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Flour
- 1½ cup Warm Water
- 2 tsp Yeast
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Sugar
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. The dough will come together in seconds and come off of the sides of the bowl.
- Allow the dough to stay in the bowl on the counter, covered with Saran Wrap or Press and Seal for 16-24 hours. I have done 24 hours with no problems. A warm place, like near the fire, helps the dough rise more quickly.
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 450 degrees with the dutch oven in the oven when heating up. This is essential. I have preheated it up to 45 minutes and haven't seen a drastic difference in the outcome of the bread, so I just heat up in the oven as the temperature comes up.
- While the oven is heating up, remove the dough from the bowl and form into a ball. It may be a bit sticky which is fine. Don't work it, just form a big ball. Depending on the humidity in the air, I will add a teaspoon or so of flour to get it to work into a ball. Don't over do it though.(Alternatively, you can drop the dough on a sheet of parchment coated with PAM. It's easy then to form and drop into the Dutch oven.)
- When the oven is completely heated up, remove the dutch oven from the oven and place the ball of dough inside and cook for 45 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and cook an additional 10-15 minutes allowing the top to get a crusty brown color. Don't overcook as the outside will get too hard.
Be well. Stay well.
