Class of 1986 Summer 2019 Class Note

Julie-Ann Baumer

What a treat it is to get my envelope of clippings from Buchanan Alumni House. Although the size of our class makes it impossible to remember everyone, one consistent thread runs through the stories that come across my desk about the Class of 1986. Success!

Speaking of running, last September, Paul Elkin was inducted into the Brewer High School Athletic Hall of Fame for his legacy in indoor and outdoor track. According to the Brewer Witches Hall of Fame website, Paul was “one of the greatest sprinters in the history of Eastern Maine schoolboy track.” He was described by Maine sports reporters as “fleet and powerful” and a “dominant force.” After Paul graduated from high school, he hung up his running shoes and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. After graduation, he worked for Central Maine Power for 11 years and is currently the senior vice president of substation engineering for TRC. He’s worked for TRC for the past 19 years. Paul and his wife of 23 years, Karen Pickering Elkin ’87, live in Sydney, ME, and have two children.

Earlier in 2018, Matthew Chase of Wells was elected vice chair of Kennebunk Savings. Matthew has served on the bank’s board of directors since 2010. He’s been self-employed as a certified public accountant since 1989.

Last but not least, the big news from me (Julie-Ann Baumer) is that I’ve been selected by the town of Lisbon to serve as the 2019 Moxie Festival coordinator. This year, administration of the festival will fall under the parks & recreation department.

I am a Lisbon native and current resident; I’m an insurance analyst by profession. I’m a freelance writer and blogger and I’m on the board of directors for the Gendron Franco Center in Lewiston, where I also serve as their volunteer coordinator. I’ve served on the Moxie Festival Committee since 2013 and hosted the Moxie Recipe Contest for three of those years.

As many of you Mainers know, Moxie is the soft drink of the state of Maine and the Moxie Festival is always the second weekend in July. Mark your calendars for the 2019 Moxie Festival, July 12 – 14, 2019, in Lisbon, ME, and find me at the epicenter of the Moxie universe!

Friends and classmates, I enjoy hearing from you! Take care, drink Moxie, and we’ll meet again here in early autumn!