From the Congressional compromise that tied Maine’s statehood to slavery in Missouri, to Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and Mainers’ support for the Union in the Civil War, our state was integral to nineteenth-century debates over the institution of slavery. Mainers today celebrate the state’s antislavery heritage, but how do we separate myth from historical fact when archival sources are scarce? This lecture will briefly explore the long history of slavery and emancipation in Maine before focusing on antislavery activism in the decades leading up to the Civil War, with particular attention to Mainers’ involvement in the Underground Railroad. 

Presenter:  Dr. Mary T. Freeman is an assistant professor of history at the University of Maine. She studies the history of slavery and abolition in the United States, with a focus on Maine and New England. She received her PhD from Columbia University. Her current book project examines letter writing in the nineteenth-century antislavery movement, and she is working on an article about abolition and African American politics in Maine. She also serves as the Managing Editor for the Maine History journal, published by the Maine Historical Society.

Please Note:  This map is from The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom by Wilbur H. Siebert (New York, 1899).

Have you ever wondered what causes storms and why some places get rain and others snow?  Why are some storms stronger than others?  Do you know how clouds are formed and what the difference is between the different types of clouds you see?  Join us as we learn about the basics of Meteorology and explore different topics such as cloud formations, layers of the atmosphere, basic forecasting practices and common weather phenomena.

Presenter:  Curt Olson’s passion for weather was born here in New England.  He was born was born and raised in Massachusetts and went to college in Vermont where he got his degree in Atmospheric Sciences from Lyndon State College (now Northern Vermont University at Lyndon) in 2014.  While at Lyndon, he interned for the Vermont Institute of Applied Meteorology forecasting road conditions along with interning at WFXT in Boston.  Curt also worked at the college's local news station, News7, where he provided the forecast for local towns.  After graduation, he moved to Bismarck, ND to be the morning meteorologist at KFYR-TV.  He spent close to 7 years there forecasting everything from severe weather to blizzards and even wind chill values as cold as -65°.  Curt is now back east here in Maine and is the Evening Meteorologist for WABI TV 5.

Please Note:  Picture by Nick Kwan.

Over 35 years as a family physician, Dr. Hunkler came to realize that the root cause of most disease is not known and because of this, he was not trained to treat the underlying root of disease but rather the symptoms of diseases - mainly with medications. Medications can help treat symptoms, but they rarely treat the source of disease.  Through his career he become aware that we all have personal issues which he has come to call dis-ease. He believes this dis-ease is a major component of illness, and gets in the way of us caring for ourselves and our bodies.  In this class, we will get an overview of the main sources of our dis-ease along with a discussion on the fundamentals of healing.

Presenter:  Dr. Samuel Hunkler, MD is a Family Medicine Specialist in Jonesport, ME and has over 35 years of experience in the medical field and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Maine Coast Memorial Hospital and Down East Community Hospital.. He graduated from Case Western Reserve U, School of Medicine medical school in 1987. 

Class Information:  This class is being held in-person at UMM's Science Building in Room 102.  Proof of Covid vaccination must be presented however, masks are optional at this time. 

Please Note:  Image from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health.

Since 2004, there has been a growing resurgence of interest in alternative health modalities including herbal remedies, gemstones, saunas, meditation, yoga, psychedelics, and breathwork.  In this class we’ll get an overview of these trends and take a look at the benefits of specific healing traditions from various cultures: common herbal remedies, meditation practices, and approaches to healthy living.  We’ll also discuss how to incorporate aspects of mindfulness and healthy lifestyle practices into your daily life, along with some stories from the road detailing our instructor’s own (sometimes scary) experiences experiencing indigenous healing practices.

Presenter:  Debra Bokur is an award-winning writer, journalist and poet whose work has appeared in a wide variety of publications and literary journals.  She has traveled around the world extensively exploring and writing about indigenous and traditional healing practices from global cultures including Thailand, Israel, Fiji, Iceland, Europe, Central America, and Nordic countries. Debra is the former Wellness & Travel Editor at Healing Lifestyles & Spas Magazine, travel editor at Fit Yoga Magazine, Managing Editor of Bloom Magazine, Managing Editor of Delicious Living Magazine, and regular contributor to Yoga Journal, Alternative Medicine Magazine, Body+Soul Magazine, Spa Magazine, Shape Magazine, Experience Life Magazine, and American Spa Magazine.  She is the author of the Dark Paradise Mysteries series from Kensington Books (The Fire Thief, The Bone Field, and The Lava Witch), and is currently at work on a new mystery series set in Downeast Maine.  She is also currently a columnist and feature writer at Global Traveler Magazine and the Global Researcher and Writer for the Washington, DC-based Association of Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT).  Debra was a contributing author to Spreading the Word: Editors on Poetry (The Bench Press, 2001), and was a long-time poetry editor at Many Mountains Moving literary journal.  Her awards include a Lowell Thomas Award for Travel Journalism and the Frances Buck Sherman Award for Outstanding Woman Poet.

Please Note:  Picture by Alina Vilchenko

Come take a summer walk through residential Machias, learning to identify common local plants using guides, keys and collective knowledge.  You’ll also learn some interesting facts about the plants’ growing habits and habitats.  The walking is easy and slow and there is plenty of time for questions. 

             (Rain Date:  Tuesday, August 2nd   10:00 to 11:30 AM)

Instructor:  Suzanne Carlisle is an artist and amateur botanist who deeply enjoys showing others the beauty of plants.  She has 50 years of gardening experience and academic classes in botany, horticulture, soils and local flora.  She has taught botany and art classes for Sunrise Senior College for several years.

Class Information:  This class will be held outside.  Students can park at UMM and will meet the instructor at UMM’s gazebo – directions available if needed.  Bring a sun hat, sun screen, water, wear walking shoes and don’t forget a pad/pencil for any notes you may want to take.  Proof of Covid vaccination must be presented however, face masks are optional at this time.

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at writing fiction?  In this two-session class, you will learn the basics of writing a short fictional story.  Join author Debra Bokur in this interactive course as she explains the craft of writing short fiction and explains how it is different from writing novels.  She will describe the:

• Elements that make short fiction different from novel-length fiction

           o   Types of short fiction with examples of micro fiction, flash fiction, and traditional short stories

           o   Why reading great fiction is essential to writing great fiction: short fiction writers of note

• The who, what, when, where, and why of story structure

           o   Components of story writing

• World building

           o   How to create a compelling, memorable setting for your story

• Structure

           o   Beginnings, middles, and ends

• Style

           o   AP vs Chicago Style: What do fiction editors prefer?

• Who’s There?

           o   Creating characters

• Writing prompt for those who wish to submit work for commentary
• The instructor will supply a prompt for writers who want a jumping off place (or writers can use their own idea)

Attendees are encouraged to ask questions in person and by email.  Between the two sessions, attendees will be asked to create their own short story and to submit it to Debra for review.

During the second session students will have the opportunity to read the first paragraph of the works they have submitted followed by a discussion of any works that were submitted.  Positive feedback will be provided.

The instructor will then provide:

• Tips on formatting works for submission to literary journals
• Explain the process of submission to publications:

           o   Give you tips on identifying markets for your work

           o   Writing a cover letter/query letter to accompany your submission

           o   What to expect from editors you’ve submitted to

           o   Keeping a record of your submissions

Instructor:  Debra Bokur is an award-winning writer, journalist and poet whose work has appeared in a wide variety of publications and literary journals. She’s the author of the Dark Paradise Mysteries series from Kensington Books (The Fire Thief, The Bone Field, and The Lava Witch), and is currently at work on a new mystery series set in Downeast Maine.  Ms.  Bokur has served as an editor and staff writer at a number of newspapers and national publications.  She is currently a columnist and feature writer at Global Traveler Magazine and the Global Researcher and Writer for the Washington, DC-based Association of Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT).  She served as a contributing author to Spreading the Word: Editors on Poetry (The Bench Press, 2001), and was a long-time poetry editor at Many Mountains Moving literary journal.  Her awards include a Lowell Thomas Award for Travel Journalism and the Frances Buck Sherman Award for Outstanding Woman Poet.

The Lubec Brewing Company is both the smallest and the most eastern brewery in Maine and this year marks its 7th year of operation.  We’ll take a tour of the brewery which will include seeing how beer is made, learning about the different styles of beer, and sampling the beers brewed.  Be prepared for a multi-sensory experience—see, smell, and taste!

Presenter:  Gale White is the owner and operator of the Lubec Brewing Company.  Before moving to Maine, White brewed beer as a hobby for a decade in eastern Pennsylvania. His day job was vice president of infusion systems marketing for B. Braun Medical Inc. in Bethlehem, PA.  In an interview with Amanat Khullar found on the Acadia Visitor website, White said “While he enjoys summer in Lubec, what really captivates him is the easternmost town’s wild beauty in winter.  “It’s a different type of beauty. Ocean looks gorgeous after a snowstorm,” said White, who also appreciates how local residents pull together. “If somebody needs help shoveling snow or has car trouble, there’s someone there to help them.”  “I’ve never been in a place where the people pulled together like this to support each other.”  In that same spirit, White is reciprocating by using Maine-grown barley and sourcing hops from 10 local farmers. He also factors in the local drinking water’s characteristics in his brewing techniques and recipes.  “Rather than forcing my style to it, I’m trying to find what works here,” he said.”

Class Information:  This class will be held at the Lubec Brewing Company, 41 Water St, Lubec.  Directions will be available upon request.  We are also looking into the possibility of car-pooling for students enrolled in the class.  Proof of Covid vaccination must be presented however, face masks are optional at this time.