Winter is not exactly the strongest season for presenting the best assets of Aroostook County. It is hard work getting potatoes, rocks, and trees out of the ground. Nature teaches us tenacity.
Tenacity is a polite word for determination. At times it may seem that we are under a perpetual cloud of doubt. But as so often happens, a bright, sunny day even in January presents a picture to the larger universe of a nice place to be connected to.
A sunny day in January and people relax. You can hear the rustling of seed catalogs, fishing, hunting brochures. Few people in the modern world can have the solid, blue skies and sun that mark the skyline of The County. In short, the views are gorgeous.
These days are few and far between at this time of the year. But they are a key presentation point for all the Chamber of Commerce members. While we are waiting to hear if Washington and New York will survive a bit of snow, we can sit back with a cup of coffee and enjoy.
Tenacity brings a lot to the table. People who experience tenacity grow strong and serve as leaders for the rest of us. This is true for the plants, the animals and our students. And with emphasis today, it does not matter if it is boy or girl. If one can survive the vagaries of life in The County, one can make a difference in the world.
Kudos to a County woman who now sets the standards, teaches, and guides others in striving to be the best. HIgh school years saw this youngster do the usual stuff, play, learn, and explore. She loved math. College led her to pursue math as a career and 30 years ago she began to teach the subject. Over the years adventures ensued. Enjoying the outdoors she sampled the seasons of the outdoorsman. Hunting in the fall, fishing in the winter, spring, and summer. Her friends and students were treated to field dressing workshops if they stopped by her camp.
Zip lining, canoeing, hikiing, fishing, hunting, and biking all bear flashes of pink. For a masculine sport pink is a very strong color. Never that large she is one of the toughest hombres in the town. Snowmobiles and motorcycles are her toys. The world is a place to have fun. Live life to the fullest and honor those who served with integrity and tenacity. On her trips into the outdoors stones with the names and dates of heroes no longer here join in silent tribute to the fallen.
At the top of her list is encouraging young women to pursue subjects that once were only the domain of men. Teaching at one of the largest high schools in the state, she has encouraged hundreds of young women to challenge themselves in math, science, and technology. Thirty years of teaching and still loving the challenge. Presque Isle High School should be proud!
Now she joins a unique group of leaders. Having passed a written exam, answered hundreds of questions about fishing, outdoor safety, first aid, and the environment, Maine has awarded her a Registered Maine Guide Patch.
Catherine G. adds another feather and shows by example that any person determined to make a difference can. Her students can be proud and The County can claim one more success story coming out of its rocky soil.
Orpheus Allison is a photojournalist living in the County. He began his journalism career at WAGM television later working in many different areas of the US. After twenty years of television he changed careers and taught in China and Korea. Graduating from UMPI he earned a master of liberal arts degree from the University of North Carolina.
