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January 27, 2001

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The 12th annual UMM Faculty/Staff Groundhog Day Show will occur Friday, February 2, 2001
at 7:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Powers Hall.  A relaxed, let-your-hair-down,
"cabin fever follies" evening is planned--minimally planned--according to Gene Nichols,
UMM Associate Professor of Music and faculty president.
Songs, dances, jams, readers' theatre skits and of course the traditional tiddley winks contest will be
among the features. It's fun for the whole family, free to all, and a chance to see UMM employees in a
different light than the classroom fluorescents. For further information, call Nichols at 255-1229.

A goodwill ambassador and supporter of numerous educational causes left Washington County
January 23 for Africa. There, Tom "Lefty" McIntyre will attend a Rotary International conference, make
a special presentation to African youth and tout educational opportunities at UMM.
McIntyre’s luggage included three duffel bags packed with deflated soccer balls, a gift for impoverished
young Africans whose love of the sport is tempered only by inability to acquire the most basic of equipment.
The attention of area Rotarians was drawn to the dilemma by a VISTA volunteer who during a presentation
in 1999 described how children in Malawi tied tightly compressed rags together to
make soccer balls.
As assistant district governor of Rotary’s District 7810, comprising 41 local clubs in Maine, New Brunswick
and Quebec, McIntyre led a drive to collect new soccer balls for the children in southern Africa. The gift will
be presented during the special Rotary International conference.
McIntyre said the Presque Isle Rotary Club donated more than 100 soccer balls to the effort. In addition,
a generous contribution was received from the Wal-Mart store in Calais, he said.
McIntyre also carried printed recruitment information from the admissions’ office at UMM, where he serves
as International Club adviser. As a goodwill ambassador, dedicated fund-raiser and active promoter of
the Downeast institution, the longtime educator will speak to high school students and university
representatives in the Capetown area. He often makes presentations about UMM in his travels and was
involved in early discussions that led to international student exchange programs with universities in
England and Wales.
More recently, McIntyre initiated preliminary discussions with officials at Earth University in Costa Rica and
at an institution in Reykjavik, Iceland about possibilities of future exchanges. UMM’s programs in
environmental studies and marine sciences seem to be of particular interest to many of his contacts,
he said.
The trip to Africa is his first and brings to seven the number of continents McIntyre has visited over the years.
He and his wife Connie were in Antarctica in 1998 at a time when their friends and neighbors in Maine
were experiencing a devastating ice storm. The McIntyres reside in Jonesport.
Plans for an earlier visit to the Ivory Coast as part of an international relief effort was canceled when the
African nation was gripped by civil unrest. As a result, the safety of aid workers
could not be ensured.
McIntyre is a past president of the Machias Rotary Club, where he has been active for several years.
Another member of the University of Maine at Machias staff, Jim Miner, will take over the club’s leadership
in July. Miner is director of physical facilities for the university.
The special conference in South Africa was called by Frank Devlin, president of Rotary International. McIntyre
said one of Rotary’s goals from its beginnings has been to be a partner in the eradication of polio in the
world. "Unfortunately, there are still in pockets in places like the Congo," he said. "It is our goal to end
this tragedy by the year 2005, which is the 100th anniversary of Rotary International."

The Unobskey School, a center of the University of Maine System and affiliated with UMM will hold an
open house for prospective teachers and anyone in need of secondary teacher certification or re-certification
from 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, February 3. The School is located in Calais in a new downtown location at
71 Main Street.
Director Gayle Moholland said the center’s staff has directed letters to local New Brunswick high school
principals in particular, urging those interested in earning credits leading to teacher certification to attend
the open house. Fliers also have been sent to local secondary schools, she said.
The Unobskey School wants to expand opportunities for prospective teachers by bringing appropriate
courses leading to certification to the immediate area, the director said.
Formerly known as the Calais Center, the Unobskey School moved to a vacant business block in the border
city in November 2000. Before that, the educational facility was located on the campus of Washington
County Technical College for more than 10 years. The school opened its doors downtown November 18
to offer traditional and interactive television classes to students enrolled in UMM programs. At present, a
number of on-site classes, in addition to Interactive Television (ITV) classes are up and running,
the director said.
The 119th Maine Legislature provided $250,000 in startup funds for
the new Unobskey School.
The business block, which was occupied earlier by Marianne’s Clothing and before that by an A&P store,
was made available to the university by Sidney Unobskey of California, a former Calais businessman.
The Unobskey School pays an annual rent of $7,000 that will be returned through an outreach program
designed to help the community.
The expanded facility has rooms for ITV classes, classrooms for on-site instruction, a computer lab with
15 workstations, administrative offices, a reception area and a student lounge with kitchenette services.
A community resource room, which has an additional four computers, is available for meetings of various
groups, nonprofit agencies and other organizations.
Moholland said the resource room is open to the public; and has already attracted attention as a meeting
center. A teachers’ workshop has been held in the facility; another is planned and the Calais Library plans to
hold its semi-annual used book sales at the center. The local Chamber of Commerce is using the resource
room and the Washington County Leadership Institute, based at UMM, will hold its March session in the
facility, she said.
Among the Unobskey School’s community projects is a summer program for children now in the planning
stages. Focal points will include the city library, where activities such as story hours are proposed, and
the school’s resource room, where computer instruction would be offered.
"Education is our main focus and we intend to involve the community as much as possible,"
Moholland said.
Approximately 200 students, predominantly nontraditional, are enrolled at the school with applications
continuing to come in, the director said. An opportunity for expansion exists because only about two-thirds
of the available floor space in the one-story business block has been renovated for use. A full basement
provides a great deal of additional storage space.
Thanks to the generosity of Bernie Osher, a Maine native who resides in California, the University of
Maine System was able to grant numerous scholarships designed to draw students to satellite centers
such as the Unobskey School. There, six scholarships were awarded last fall and 14 this spring. The aid
goes to new students or those who have only taken a course or two earlier in life,
Moholland said.
In addition to its director, the Center staff includes Kim Sermersheim, a full-time administrative assistant,
and Terri Angiolillo, an evening receptionist. Professional staff members are available to assist students
with admissions and financial aid application procedures, academic advising and career counseling.
Members of the University of Maine at Machias faculty, other University faculty and locally accredited
teachers provide instruction for on-site courses.
"Our math professor has been with us eight years and the history teacher has been here for about three
years," Moholland said. "Both are middle school teachers in the area."
Inquiries about the Unobskey School should be directed to the staff by calling
454-8230 or toll-free 1-800-429-1323.
Information is also available from the admissions office of UMM,
by calling toll-free 1-888-468-6866.

David Mallett will perform at UMM's PAC on Saturday, February 3, 2001 at 7:30 p.m. Mallett’s melodies
of country combined with folk/rock have reached audiences around the globe.
Mallett has performed across America and Europe and his eleventh album, "Ambition", was released in
October on Flying Fish/Rounder.
UMM and Down East Maine’s own Pete Merritt will open at 7:30 p.m. for Mallett. Merritt has been playing
piano, guitar, and singing for over 20 years and has performed across New England and the Canadian
Maritimes under the stage name "Piano Pete".

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children.
The doors will open at 7:00 p.m.
You may call (207) 255-1384 for ticket information.

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