Thanks from York Education Foundation
Dear Independent,
Many thanks to the community for supporting the Second Annual York Education Foundation Harvestfest Wishing Well fundraiser! We are grateful for the generosity of all who mailed in their donations and stopped by our tent on Saturday making wishes for their favorite teachers and buying our famous star sunglasses. It's because of your generosity that YEF is able to provide our teachers with grants to fund additional classroom activities, projects and add equipment to our children's classrooms. Please visit www.yorkeducationfoundation.org for a full listing of past and present grants and for opportunities to help our organization.
The winner of the $200 unrestricted grant was seventh-grade teacher Mrs. Ellen Rothwell! The winner of the Video iPod was eighth-grader Rachel Barrows.
Congratulations to the winners and a final thanks to Best Buy for donating the Apple Video iPod and supporting our mission at the York Education Foundation.
Thank you for your continued support,
Board of Directors
York Education Foundation
Kettle Boys thank Harvestfest fans
Dear Independent,
Our family would like to express our deepest thanks to all the wonderful people who stand in line each year to purchase our Kettle Corn at Harvestfest.
Whether it's rain or sunshine you always support us and we are grateful. We also want to acknowledge our terrific employees and friends Ali, Peter, Derek, Gigi, Cyndy and Bob. They were the ones truly responsible for shortening the wait from an hour (last year) to no more than 25 minutes this year. You all are the best.
Finally, a big thanks to the York Police Department for helping us lug heavy supplies while we double-parked several times thorough out the day.
Jeremy, Loretta and Sabia Prescott
The Kettle Boys Popcorn Company
York Beach
Taking steps to end Alzheimer's
Dear Independent,
What if there was no Alzheimer's disease? What if progression of the disease could be stopped so people could live longer, more independent lives?
On Saturday, Oct. 6, 98 walkers gathered at the York Beach Ball Field to help make this a reality by joining the Ninth Annual York Memory Walk to benefit the Maine Alzheimer's Association.
A total of $19,564 was raised from walker pledges and corporate sponsors to fund research to develop better Alzheimer's treatments and for programs to help those affected by this still-fatal disease. More than 4.9 million people over age 65 are living with Alzheimer's. Unchecked, up to 16 million could have the disease by 2050 and a growing number of people in their 30s, 40s and 50s will be diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's.
The Alzheimer's Association, the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer research and support, is advancing progress in prevention, treatments and an eventual cure and provides support for all those affected by the disease.
Before walkers headed out on their scenic 2K walk along York Beach's Ocean Avenue, they were treated to a gourmet breakfast from Chef Asi of York Hospital. Tim Vogel, elder law attorney, kicked off the walk with welcoming words. Trophies and prizes were awarded to the business team that raised the most money: Home Instead Senior Care; the family team that raised the most money: Pardie's Smile; the individual who raised the most: Cathy Walters; the oldest walker: Florence Gregory, 94 years old, and the youngest walker: Anya Horne, 15 months.
Congratulations to the winners and to all our wonderful walkers who raised funds and Alzheimer's awareness.
Many thanks to the cosponsors of the event: York Hospital and Home Instead Senior Care. Special thanks to Tim Vogel, elder law attorney, Vogel & Dubois, P.A., York Hospital's Chef Asi, town of York, Lee Tree, St. Christopher's Church, Libby's Oceanside Camp and Kittery Lions, and to our national sponsors, Creative Memories, Home Instead Senior Care and Kindred, and to our corporate sponsors, Oscar Plotkin Charitable Foundation, Beacon Hospice, Dockside Guest Quarters and Restaurant and the Lusty family, Sentry Hill at York Harbor and York Hospital.
Special thanks also go to our Way Station sponsors, Susan Heckaman and Edward Jones Financial, and to our local business sponsors, GIA Mortgage Corp. and Morgillo Financial Management. Thanks also to our donors A & W Promotional Products of Arundel, Fiona's Porch, York Harbor Inn, The Goldenrod, R & W Engraving of Biddeford, Sports Stop of Sanford, Union Bluff and Ken's Pizza. With your support the York Memory Walk will make a difference for the more than 30,000 families in Maine who are affected by Alzheimer's Disease.
With gratitude,
York Memory Walk Committee members from Home Instead Senior Care, York Hospital, GIA Mortgage Corp, Curves in York and In-Home Senior Services
York
"There's No Place Like Home"
Dear Independent,
Dorothy sure knew what she was talking about in The Wizard of Oz!
It is the place where you probably feel the safest and most comfortable, the gathering spot for good times with family and friends, and the central location of your life: It is the place you call home. In American society, most of us aspire to own a home in our lifetime; after all, it is part of the "American Dream." Here in Maine, roughly 75 percent of the population reached their goal of becoming home owners in 2006 (source: U. S. Census Bureau).
Over the years, lending agencies, mortgage brokers and other financial institutions have become more accessible and loans more affordable to many first-time home buyers. Purchasing a house may be easier to do in today's market, but with all the convenience comes the real threat of risk. Predatory lending has become a major hazard for many looking to own a home. Using a method called "loan flipping," predatory lenders will increase a home payment and include hidden fees and difficult terms within the fine print of a home loan. The "flip" in the loan usually forces a homeowner into the unfortunate position to foreclose. Predatory lending practices cost working Maine families and senior citizens more than $23 million every year.
To protect Maine homeowners, the 123rd Legislature enacted into law, and I was proud to co-sponsor, L.D. 1869, An Act to Protect Maine Homeowners from Predatory Lending. As a result, the Maine Homeowner Protection Act will help curb predatory lending practices. Under the new law, lenders will be limited in charging unreasonable fees to consumers and will be prohibited from offering loans that a consumer cannot afford to repay. Access to mortgages will continue to grow and access to low-interest rates for homebuyers and homeowners seeking to refinance will remain preserved even with the new protections. To reduce abusive lending practices, the new law requires a lender to evaluate a borrower's ability to repay a loan, and outlaws "loan flipping." It is now much more difficult for a Maine family lose their home to a sneaky lender.
For further protection, the Legislature passed and the governor signed into law, L.D. 1244, An Act to Reduce Foreclosures. This bill grants the Maine State Housing Authority (MSHA) the power to pay off an existing loan, through a new loan, for a single-family residence if the homeowner is in default of the existing loan and in danger of losing the home through foreclosure.
To ensure affordable housing opportunities in this state, the Legislature supported L.D. 936, An Act to Protect the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund. Otherwise known as HOME, the program, offered through MSHA, is designed to provide housing for the homeless, assistance for first time home buyers, support for low-income housing, grants for planning in communities, and improvements for substandard housing. The HOME fund also creates matching federal funds for affordable housing initiatives. Understanding the importance of HOME, the new law will ensure money used to support the program remains and cannot be shifted to fund things other than affordable housing initiatives.
Protecting Maine homeowners is important. Whether you already own a home or are looking to buy one, the Maine Legislature is working to protect your interests. A great resource for housing programs in Maine is the MSHA. The mission of MSHA is "to assist Maine people to obtain and maintain decent, safe, affordable housing and services suitable to their unique housing needs." Programs and services available through MSHA include housing development and homebuyer, homeowner improvement, rental, energy and homeless assistance.
For more information about each program go to www.mainehousing.org or call (800) 452-4668.
Sen. Peter Bowman
Kittery
