Probus hosts Canadian official
PRESQUE ISLE — The Probus Club met Oct. 20 at Northern Maine Community College’s Reed Commons.
President Thomas Lunn welcomed new member Royal Goheen, a retired professor from the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
Contributed photos
GUEST SPEAKER — Dana Crory, left, and Thomas Lunn, president of the Presque Isle Probus Club, welcome guest speaker Olivia Bradbury, community education specialist for Health Aroostook, at the Oct. 20 meeting.
SPECIAL VISITOR — Marlene Pearce, Atlantic director for Probus Clubs of New Brunswick, accepts a thank-you gift from Presque Isle Probus Club President Thomas Lunn during the local club’s Oct. 20 meeting.
Dana Crory, program chairman, introduced Olivia Bradbury as the first guest speaker. Bradbury, a community education specialist for Healthy Aroostook, is a certified alcohol and drug counselor and certified in substance abuse prevention.
She spoke about the changing landscape of marijuana, including products made from the drug, trends and important public health and safety data from both Maine and Colorado. She said it is no longer the “pot” of the 1960s and ‘70s, but much more potent and hidden in many edible products such as Pixie Stix, candy corn, soda, mints and chocolate bars, to name a few. These products are often attractive to children.
Bradbury said higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in today’s marijuana could mean a greater chance of an adverse or unpredictable reaction and a greater risk of addiction. The increased use of marijuana, she concluded, means public health costs will rise and likely outweigh any tax revenues from legalizing the drug, and it also poses additional tasks for law enforcement.
Crory then introduced a special visiting guest, Marlene Pearce, the Atlantic director for Probus Clubs of New Brunswick. These clubs are the largest women’s groups in Canada, and also include many men’s and women’s mixed clubs, as well, she said.
Pearce emphasized the basic philosophy of Probus Clubs everywhere as: friendship and learning; enrichment through speakers from the community; getting and staying connected; being a friend and bringing a friend to meetings; non-profit-making and non-funding; and no political designations.
The Presque Isle Probus Club was started in 1974 in affiliation with Canadian Rotary and Presque Isle Rotarians. It remains dedicated to professional and business activities, fostering fellowship and acquaintances.
In other business, Janet Snow read “Consuming More is Not a Path to Contentment,” written by Carl Richards.
The secretary’s and treasurer’s reports were read and accepted and the meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
The November meeting will be held at the new Sargent Family Community Center on Chapman Street.
