11/2/2012
To the Editor,
On Thursday, October 25, more than 100 guests attended our ninth annual Victorian Tea and Breast Health Fair organized by Pen Bay Healthcare's Picker Family Resource Center. Held at the beautiful Berry Manor Inn on Talbot Avenue in Rockland, it was a wonderful event full of fun and learning opportunities. We are grateful to our hosts Mike La Posta and Cheryl Michaelson, owners of the Berry Manor Inn and their remarkable crew who supported us all day long. And a special thanks to their guests who vacated their lovely rooms for our use. Once again, thank you chef Jeff Space of Pen Bay Medical Center for preparing an elegant tea with traditional sweets and savories.
All three floors of the Inn plus both floors of the Carriage House and 83 Granite St. were filled with opportunities for guests to gain insight into better self-care and learn more about healthy lifestyle choices. Many of the guests wore “Tea Hats” and some were in full Victorian regalia—it was grand! In the main house, guests visited with a wide range of experts who were on hand to offer information from breast self-exam to acupuncture. Naturopathic physician, Barbara MacDonald presented a survivors' workshop “What You Can Do To Help Prevent a Recurrence of Breast Cancer and Feel Great While Doing It."
The Carriage House offered opportunities for guests to experience a wide variety of therapeutic body work modalities, or attend workshops from Chair Yoga with Erika Manning or learn about delicious green smoothies and non-dairy ice cream with whole foods Chef MiMi McGee. Dee Bielenberg, owner of City Drawers in Belfast offered Bra Fitting workshops and assessments.
Thank you to all the wise women who shared their knowledge and skills with our guests. Registered dietician Eileen Molloy was there to offer information about early intervention and prevention of diabetes to folks who came with a question or concern. Adrienne Gallant from Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0 and Donna Ames, RN from the ZING! Program offered information to help parents and teens learn how to manage weight through healthy food choices and physical activity. Karen Searls provided Jin Shin Jyutsu pulse assessments and offered ideas for self-help. Molly Kivus from the Pen Bay Cancer Care Center offered information about skin cancer. Nicki Powell-Fiske was there to help survivors with hats, wigs and scarves and Sandy Bodamer from the Penobscot Bay YMCA demonstrated practical fitness and conditioning options for everyone. We also want to thank the very popular and wonderful body workers, Sherrie Clark, Susan Miller, Abi Morrison, Eileen Murray, Michelle Nettles, Julianna Pfeiffer, Tami Rogers and Amy Wadsworth. Physical therapist and lymphedema specialist Nicole Wigglesworth from Pen Bay Medical Center offered resources to breast cancer survivors. Nurse Linda Zeigler offered in-depth breast self-exam instruction using the excellent MammaCare teaching models.
Thank you Berry Manor Inn, Hoboken Gardens, RHEAL Day Spa, Sogno Salon, Dena Davis of Barefoot Books for offering gift certificates or door prize items. A special thanks to Connie Welt for the donation of beautiful antique tea cups and to the Samoset for loaning your elegant tea urns. Deep appreciation goes to Boy Scout Troop 215 and Girl Scout Troop 2117 for volunteering their time and cheerful assistance. Thank you to the Lincoln Street, McLain and MacDougal schools for sharing your parking lot with us. Special thanks to Scott Ewen from the Knox Center for Long Term Care for providing bus shuttle service to and from the Inn to the parking area.
Finally, we wish to thank our volunteers and Pen Bay Healthcare colleagues who kept things running smoothly: Wendelanne Augunas, Franny Bateman, Sherry Gagne, Patty Kitchen, Maura Kelly, Pam Tibbetts, Nicole den Ouden, Betsy Saltonstall and Eric Waters.
Sincerely,
The Victorian Tea Planning Committee
Pen Bay Healthcare