Prevention can save a life
To the editor:
Approximately 800 Mainers develop colon cancer every year, and over 300 die from the disease.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States and Maine has the eighth highest colon cancer death rate in the U.S. The good news is that colorectal cancer is one of the most detectable forms of cancer and when found early enough one of the most treatable forms of cancer. Colorectal cancer is 90 percent treatable when detected early.
Most colorectal cancers first develop as polyps. Simply stated, screenings can find polyps before they become cancer. If polyps are detected early and are removed before they become cancerous, this is one cancer that can be prevented. Screenings are the most important precaution you can take because the most common symptom of colon cancer is “no symptom at all”. A simple screening can save your life of the life of a loved one.
Carol Bell
Partnership
for a Healthy Community
Long before out-migration
To the editor:
The first Europeans to actually settle in central Aroostook came up the Aroostook River from New Brunswick, landing in 1820 on the north bank in Maysville (north Presque Isle). They burned and chopped clearings for homesteads near the river where lofty white pines, some up to eight feet in diameter at the base, yielded an early income.
In 1838, Dr. Ezekiel Holmes, representing the State Land Agent, concluded his “Report of an Exploration and Survey of the Territory of the Aroostook River” with a response to those asking “Should you advise me to go to Aroostook?”
“Are you in straightened circumstances, but in good health, with a robust and hardy family of children to assist you? Go to the Aroostook. If possible, take a supply of provisions with you to last till you can get a crop — select a good lot of land, be prudent and industrious, and in three years you can look around upon your productive acres and your well-filled garners [crop storages] with satisfaction.
How could men made poor and destitute by rocky farms and “the fall of lumber” in New Brunswick and southern Maine acquire lots in the Aroostook Valley? The Maine Legislature had a plan to offer settling lands in the new Aroostook County.
Starting in 1839, the price of the settling lots was 50 cents per acre, “for which the purchaser shall give three notes, payable in one, two and three years, in labor on the roads in said township, under the direction of the land agent. The land agent shall thereupon give him a certificate, stating that he has become a purchaser of the lot or lots therein described, and that he will be entitled to a deed thereof, when he completes the requirements of law.
The certificate of the person appointed by the land agent to superintend the laying out of the labor on the roads shall be evidence of the payment of the notes. Only one lot, not exceeding 200 acres, shall be granted to the same person.
Beside the payment of the notes, every such purchaser shall be required, within two years from the date of his certificate, to establish his residence on his lot, and within four years of such date to clear, on each lot, not less than fifteen acres, ten at least of which shall be well laid down to grass; and to build a comfortable dwelling house on it.”
According to a letter written in 1859 by Rev. J.C. Fletcher, “A gentleman in Oswego County, New York, last year saw it stated, in about ten lines of a newspaper, that each actual settler could obtain, in the fertile Aroostook, 200 acres of land at 50 cents per acre to be paid in making one’s own roads.
He went to bed, but did not sleep that night. He had a large family of sons, and no apparent future for them. He determined to write to the sheriff of Aroostook County, to know if it were true – if such inducements were realities. He told his neighbors what he had done. They laughed at him, and said he would never hear from his letter. But in four days he received a polite answer, and a circular from the land office of Maine confirming all.
This year he went to see for himself. He entered lands for himself and for each son, and also had orders from his neighbors to select for them. An emigration has thus really commenced from one town in New York to the East [probably Monticello, incorporated July 29, 1846], thus reversing the usual order of things.”
Rev. Fletcher encouraged those who wished to look for themselves to “take the Menemon Sanford each Wednesday and Friday night, at Boston, steam it to Bangor, and then in three days they will reach Presque Isle. Let them, if fond of gunning, take along a musket or rifle, for there is the finest pheasant or partridge shooting in the world. Often stage drivers take their guns, in order that they may provide themselves with a dozen partridges before they reach the end of their route.”
Steve Sutter
Presque Isle
Question not asked
To the editor:
Much bickering, arguing, and complaining goes on concerning funding for the Iraq war and how and when we ought to withdraw or reduce our troops there; however, there is an even more important question few have asked that is of greater importance that is not being posed. That question is: Will there ever be true peace in the region unless we stay in Iraq forever?
The mideast region has been warring since Babylonian times and in Israel, peace has escaped the peoples of that slice of the region since Biblical King David’s time (8th century BC). It seems the nature of the peoples there to fight, dominate, and intimidate each other. There are peaceful, wonderful individuals in each of the religious, ethnic, and social groups in the area; but there, too, have been and are others who are too willing and able to stir the pot of dissention and revenge for past deeds and perceived religious, political, social, and ethnic slights. Only iron fisted rulers and despotic tyrants have temporarily quell massive violence such as Alexander the Great and Saddam Hussein. Neither the US nor other coalition nations will settle for another ruler in this model.
Since it seems like the region is likely to maintain its historical thirst for bloodshed, mayhem, and violence, why are we remaining there? We have shed the blood of too many brave service members and Iraqis in what I believe is a lost cause; and we have spend hundreds of billions of dollars that could have been better spent on American causes. We got into this war when our President and his administration cronies lied and exaggerated about mythical weapons of mass destruction and non existent connections between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda.
The pro war advocates’ mantra that chaos and bloodshed will occur if we pull out of Iraq is a hollow claim since that chaos is inevitable. Even if things somehow got better in Iraq – and I do not see that happening – the religious and ethnic guerrillas would surely reassemble with neighboring Sunni and Shiite allies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey, Iran, Jordan, and Syria to start the mess all over again as soon as we departed. We cannot and should not afford to be a never ending party in the middle of these never ending ethnic and religious disputes.
Iraq’s neighbors do not want Iraq to be democratic; their leaders, all of whom are dictators live in fear of such an outcome as they foresee their regimes being toppled if that should occur. These neighbors all support the Iraqi violence through mercenaries, money, and/or weapons.
Since we cannot “win” this war, let’s save the loss of more precious lives and more treasury and get out now!
Ken Petress
Presque Isle
Thanks for help
To the editor:
April 15-23 is National Volunteer Week, a time to recognize the efforts of the thousands of men and women in this country who give of their time and talents to help others. Nowhere is the importance of volunteering more strongly seen than among our nation’s hospice programs. Hospice volunteers accompany people on one of life’s most challenging journeys – the end of life.
Nationwide more than 500,000 volunteers provide over 10 million hours of service annually to Americans coping with life-limiting illness and to their families. They provide compassion, friendship and dignity at a time when they are needed most.
Hospice of Aroostook is very proud to recognize the 130 volunteers who have provided a total of 2,702 hours and traveled 15,829 miles throughout “The County” in 2006. Hospice of Aroostook deeply appreciates the contribution of time, energy, compassion, care and desire to help that hospice volunteers have so generously offered to the program, patients and families.
There is a common misconception that hospice is about giving up and giving in. That’s not at all true – and hospice volunteers know this firsthand. In fact, many volunteers came to hospice after experiencing the special care hospice provided to a loved one.
Hospice involves a team-oriented approach of expert medical care, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to the patient’s wishes. Support, training and care is also provided to family and loved ones. Help with the grief that accompanies the death is offered for approximately a year following the loss.
Hospice volunteers help make this special care possible. Volunteers are there to hold a hand, listen, read, visit, run an errand, provide respite, help out in the office, or provide support with special projects such as making memory quilts.
People often ask hospice volunteers “Isn’t it depressing?” Most volunteers will tell you “It’s the most rewarding thing they have ever done.” Hospice volunteers help patients and their families live every day as fully as possible. They help make a difference in the lives they touch with their kindness and sincere willingness to help.
“I am very proud of every Hospice of Aroostook volunteer! They help renew my faith in human kindness and sincere sense of neighbor helping neighbor every day!”
Robin Holmes
Hospice of Aroostook
