Ogunquit News
Police Department provides three years worth of "Good Mornings"
By C. Ayn Douglass
Ogunquit Police Department receptionist Diane Moore shares a joke with Evelyn Navan during one of Project Good Morning's check-in calls.
Photos by C. Ayn Douglass
One of the reasons she likes the hours between 8 and 10 a.m. at the Dunaway Center is that she gets to talk with some of her favorite people every day at that time.
Since the inception of Project Good Morning three years ago, Moore has talked with a handful of Ogunquit's citizens who check in with her each morning just to say "Hi" and maybe share a joke or two.
The program is the inspiration of Ogunquit Sgt. Matt Buttrick who saw it work in Newmarket, N.H., and introduced it to Ogunquit three years ago.
"Ogunquit has one of the oldest populations in the state of Maine and I thought it would be a good fit," he said.
The program is designed to assist senior citizens or adults with disabilities who live alone in the community.
The goal is to provide a daily contact with the Police Department so the resident can continue living an independent lifestyle while assuring family members that the resident is in daily contact with someone on the other end of the phone.
The participant calls the Ogunquit Police Department between 8 and 10 a.m. and if Moore doesn't hear from them, she calls them. If contact isn't made, a patrol unit is sent to the residence to check on the welfare of the participant.
Evelyn Navan, 92, is a charter member.
"I was the first person to sign up," she said. "I moved here from Danbury, Connecticut in 1998 and have lived in Ogunquit ever since. There's no place like Ogunquit. The people are so polite and helpful. When I go to the market, they help with my packages and my neighbors help me with them when I get home. I wanted to be in a safe place and you have no idea how safe I feel here. Every morning I call up Diane and we have a couple of jokes between us. I would encourage everyone to sign up for this program."
From Moore's perspective, she considers the daily calls a treat.
"Not everybody who comes into the Police Department is happy," she said, "but we've gotten very attached to these ladies. We laugh and joke and they're just so nice."
Moore acknowledged that in a small community like Ogunquit, everybody knows everybody and she said all the departments know about Project Good Morning.
"During the hot spell last week, the fire chief came over to make sure everyone in the program was okay," she said. "He was worried about them."
Both Moore and Police Department administrative assistant Sharma Damren go the extra mile for program participants and do it happily.
"We get personal with them," she said. "We enjoy talking with them and we hosted a luncheon for them a couple of years ago. I love 'em. They remind me of my grandmother."
Ogunquit residents interested in participating in the program may contact Moore or Damren at 646-9362
