GUILFORD – Not much happens in a small, rural Maine town that makes the history books. That changed on June 5, when United States President Donald J. Trump came to town to thank Hardwood Products/Puritan Medical Products employees who have been working 10 hour days, seven days a week to provide the nation with COVID-19 testing swabs.
“The employees and the company were honored to have the president come and recognize the work our people have been doing,” said CFO Scott Wellman. “Everyone has been working extremely hard and taking on extra projects to help the country, and to have the president thank them for the work they’re doing was an amazing experience.”
Wellman also set the record straight Monday morning regarding rumors of wasted swabs. “This was essentially a day off for our employees. Those people came in because they wanted to be part of the demonstration on the floor,” he said. “It was planned. We knew we were not going to keep the items that were there, but it wasn’t because the president was not wearing a mask. There were a huge number of people in the room – mostly media – who did not have on hair nets, booties and smocks, because of the time requirements. That’s why we needed to dispose of a very small amount of product. We knew the tour was going to be 15 minutes; you’re not making a lot in 15 minutes.
“We wanted our employees to be able to experience this, the time with the president talking with them,” Wellman continued. “It was a great moment that’s never going to get reported and will never get seen that really meant a lot to the employees in the room.”
About 2,000 Trump supporters poured into Guilford on Friday morning, and about 80 protesters, according to Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office estimates. Many Piscataquis residents were surprised and more than a little thrilled when the presidential motorcade rolled through the region around noon on their way to the staging area at the Piscataquis Community High School.
President Trump arrived at BIA aboard Air Force One around 1:55 p.m., pausing for a round table discussion with representatives from Maine’s seafood industry, and signing a proclamation reopening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing. He then boarded Marine One for his flight to the PCHS athletic fields, accompanied by three Osprey helicopters.
The president traveled by motorcade from PCHS, waving and giving a thumbs up to people lining the streets. After the 15-minute production tour at Hardwood, President Trump was escorted to the warehouse, which had been staged as an impromptu event venue with space for about 150 employees, chosen by lottery.
“I want to be the first person to thank every one of you, and also all of our employees that couldn’t be here in this room with us today, for the hard work that you guys have been doing during this emergency,” said Wellman, before introducing President Trump. “We’re on the front lines, fighting COVID-19 and you guys are working extra hours and putting in amazing effort and you’re certainly making a huge difference for the United States. Every one of you has made sacrifices to make sure that we’re producing the high-quality products the country needs so desperately. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for everything that you’ve been doing.”
The company, already a leader in producing highly sensitive DNA swabs in a clean environment, quickly switched gears in March at the request of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Puritan employees have produced 20 million COVID-19 swabs per month -- but more are needed. In April, President Trump used the Defense Production Act to provide $75.5 million to Puritan, allowing the company to hire more workers, and build a second plant in Pittsfield. About 200 new employees have already been hired; another 150 are anticipated at the Pittsfield location.
“The administration has been supporting us and our company and all of you as the people in ways we never could have imagined before,” Wellman said. “It has been an amazing partnership. They’ve made it possible for us to quickly build a new factory. By July 1 we’ll have it open. They’re allowing us to build it in that timeframe with custom equipment in it and have it ready so we can make more swabs that are needed. We really want to also thank the administration for what they’ve done for us, for our great company here in Guilford, Maine.”
President Trump took the stage to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and the cheers of attendees.
“I just want to thank you all,” said the president. “You’re very special people and this is a great plant and it’s doing a phenomenal job. Thank you very much.”
The president said he came to Maine to “say hello to the hard working men and women of Puritan Medical Products. Great company. The incredible workers of this company have carried on the noble tradition of American manufacturing excellence for more than 100 years. Now our nation has turned to you as we massively increase our unrivaled testing capacity.”
He thanked the company and its employees on behalf of the nation. “Thanks to the testing capacity that you’re making possible, our country is reopening and our economy is recovering like nobody would have thought possible,” said President Trump. “Earlier today it was announced that the U.S. economy added 2.5 million jobs in May. It was supposed to lose nine million, you know, during this period of transition. I call it transition to greatness, but it’s coming a little earlier than I thought, and that’s okay.”
President Trump said that, “every person here today is playing a vital role in the greatest national, industrial mobilization since WWII. We’ve marshalled the full power of the U.S. government and U.S. industry to defeat the invisible enemy.” He said that ultimately, Puritan will be able to produce 60 million swabs per month. “To accomplish this tremendous increase, you partnered with another legendary Maine institution -- you’ve never heard of this, I’m sure – Bath Iron Works -- builder of some of the most powerful war ships in the United States Navy for over 135 years. They do a great job. Under the Defense Production Act, Bath Iron Works is now producing the complex machinery you need to manufacture tens of millions more swabs.”
President Trump also said he wanted to, “take a moment just to recognize a few of the hardworking patriots – and that’s what they are – of Maine, who were instrumental in this colossal effort that you’ve done at Puritan.”
Angelita Buschur, an operator in Puritan’s laboratory kit manufacturing area, was invited to the podium, where she said that “since the coronavirus hit, we have spent every day making millions of swabs that help save lives, and help people save the world. I am so grateful to this company and for the chance to serve our country, that the best way we can pay back is to work harder.” Buschur also thanked President Trump for his leadership.
Next up was Tracy Porter, lead tipping and packaging technician, who said “More often than not when we see news about a crisis in the world, we lament that few of us have any chance of changing the outcome. Today, we find ourselves blessed with this opportunity to make a difference.”
Porter said that even prior to the pandemic he and his coworkers were wishing for more machines to fill orders faster and keep customer costs down. “Well, it looks like we’re going to have enough equipment now,” he said. “We look forward to working with two great Maine companies like Cianbro Construction and Bath Iron Works and I want to thank you, Mr. President, for making it all come together.”
And finally, President Trump introduced Derek McKenney, the senior manufacturing engineer at Puritan, and a project manager for the new manufacturing plant. When McKenney said his mother had been with the company for 35 years, President Trump motioned for “Mom” Wendy McKenney to join her son on the stage. The younger McKenney said, “I’ve been presented with many amazing opportunities to make a difference in the world with Puritan’s critical products. But nothing compared to that day on March 12 when we got the call from the White House Task Force. From that day forward, I’ve been part of a team who’ve chosen to rise up and serve their country and the American people.”
McKenney said that the new plant in Pittsfield would normally have taken 18 months to build, rather than the eight weeks made possible through the support of the federal government, “and the dedication of the phenomenal workforce here in the great state of Maine. This company, and all these people, are what make the United States of America the greatest country in the world. God bless you all!”
In conclusion, President Trump again thanked the company and the employees. “You and your families are making momentous contributions to the vitality of our country, helping us reopen, rebuild, and most importantly, saving lives. We will vanquish the virus, we will get our nation back to work, and we shall build our glorious future with American hands, American grit, and American pride.”
Keeping the discourse civil
A presidential visit in the midst of a pandemic and nationwide civil rights protest is not without controversy. While most in the region were excited about President Donald J. Trump’s visit to Guilford, and even those who were lukewarm about the current president acknowledged that a presidential visit is a huge honor and exciting thing for this area, there were some concerned about the spread of the coronavirus, the number of people being drawn into the region, and potential clashes between Trump supporters and protesters.
“In ordinary times, a presidential visit to Guilford, Maine would be a great thing, regardless of who the president is,” said Piscataquis County Sheriff Robert Young in a statement issued on Facebook earlier in the week. “Sadly, at this time, our nation is so full of strife and rancor, that the good nature of his coming is overshadowed by the politics of our time. It would be good if folks let the employees of Hardwood Products / Puritan Medical Products have their moment of recognition, as the president, on behalf of the nation, expresses our collective thanks. They have, after all, stepped up in a huge way to provide much needed testing supplies to help battle the pandemic.”
And after the event, Young took to Facebook again to thank everyone for what turned out to be a relatively peaceful and positive day.
“The president’s visit has come and gone. It was a good day for Guilford and one surely to be long remembered,” Young wrote. “While crowd size is difficult to measure, we’re estimating at least 2000 people lined the main drag. It was a good day for the president’s supporters and protestors. While loud at times as they cheered and jeered back and forth, they allowed each other space and things were peaceful. No arrests, no damage, only minor issues. Wish the rest of the country could catch this same spirit. Disagree passionately while allowing others the space to think differently.” Young said later that there were an estimated 80 protesters present, as well.
The sheriff said he was grateful for the “tremendous and capable assistance we received from other law enforcement agencies: sixty sheriffs and deputies from around the state; an equal number of Maine state troopers; a strong contingent of US Border Patrol officers; Maine game wardens; the FBI; and the very impressive Secret Service. Like a well-crafted puzzle, law enforcement worked in unity and accord. When the president comes to town, there is no stone left unturned and no detail left to chance. My thanks to the many officers who spent a hot day under a burning sun to make this a day of celebration for the folks of Puritan Medical/Hardwood Products.”
Young said he is proud to be the sheriff in a county where people cheer as a cruiser rolls down the street, where people shake hands with officers and thank them for their service.
“I know life is different in rural settings,” he said. “Issues change and while people are people, there’s a different way of looking at life. Rural life doesn’t work for everyone. For those who’ve come to appreciate the slower pace, the meaning of ‘neighbor’ and the simpler things, it works. It was a good day for Guilford and for Piscataquis County. The president came to town. Yahoo!”DOVER-FOXCROFT – The COVID-19 pandemic and associated safety guidelines have been hard on most businesses, to say nothing of new business owners. Mike and Elizabeth Loomis dreamed of someday owning a bed and breakfast during his years working in higher education and hers running their household and raising their three children. Last spring, the couple, full of high hopes and big plans, purchased the Freedom House Bed & Breakfast.
“We closed at the end of March and basically opened in April of last year,” said Mike Loomis. “It’s been just over a year. We’ve done a lot of redecorating, painted every room, and now we’re working on painting the exterior.” Taking on a property this size includes a lot of deferred maintenance, he said.
Because the business showed a loss in its first year, when COVID struck, the couple did not qualify for the Payment Protection Program. “A great lady at the bank advocated for us twice, and we were turned down twice,” Loomis said. “That didn’t help. And apparently, we don’t qualify for unemployment. We’ve never been able to get through to them, but the lady at the Guilford Bed & Breakfast did and they told her no.”
The couple tried for several weeks, calling the Maine Department of Labor each day at 8 a.m. to discover “the queue was already full for the day,” Loomis said. “We would hear from the state that they were adding more people to help out, but it didn’t matter.”
At first, business was as expected according to occupancy numbers provided by the previous owners. The business lost some income over Christmas because the couple travels to see her family over the holidays every other year.
“In late fall and early winter, people were calling to make reservations for this time of year,” Loomis recalled. “We thought, ‘Man, this is great! We are going to have a great summer!’ In January, they started calling to cancel. In March, the Governor shut things down. Under her plan, we could still take in essential workers, and we do get a number of nurses.”
The bed and breakfast was also allowed to take people in on an emergency basis, which came in handy after that destructive snowstorm in April downed trees and left one local couple with no electricity. “They stayed with us for about a week,” Loomis said.
That was about all the business the couple saw until the weekend of June 5, when President Donald J. Trump visited the region. “We were full this weekend,” Loomis said on June 8. Guests were mostly Mainers, but there were a couple of “Boston Globe” essential workers in the mix.
Freedom House, which features a mix of guest rooms and small apartments, also served as a refuge for the couple’s daughter for eight weeks. “She was here from Chicago,” Loomis said. “She got out just before they shut it down.” She has now returned to the Windy City to resume her wedding flower business.
Running a hospitality business doesn’t feel very hospitable these days, Loomis said. “It feels so weird to sit on the porch to welcome guests, and they put on their mask and I put on my mask. We’re not shaking hands, and we keep our distance. People understand and have been great about that.”
Unable to serve breakfast at this point in the shutdown, the business basically offers “just a room,” but it’s a very clean room, Loomis said, adding that guests always complimented the couple on the cleanliness of the rooms, but that has been stepped up even more during the pandemic, Loomis said.
Governor Mills’ announcement last week that folks from New Hampshire and Vermont are welcome, and that those from other areas may visit Maine with either a 14-day quarantine or a recent negative COVID test, may help a little…maybe. Loomis doubts that COVID-19 tests will be readily available to those without symptoms in other states, as they have not been available here.
“At this point, I don’t think we have any other reservations for the rest of this month,” Loomis said. “Maybe if things open up, the phone will start ringing, but we’re pretty much counting this year as a loss. We will have to live on our savings, and we’re looking for part-time jobs.”
Elizabeth is partway through the process to become a U.S. Census taker, he said. “And I’m open. I used to work in higher education, so that’s another crazy business right now, but I’ve also worked in retail. Right now, I’m just busy painting the house and that keeps me out of trouble. It’s not small! My son is here from college helping me.
“We know it’s going to be a terrible year,” he continued, recalling a recent trip to Bar Harbor. “Acadia just opened up, and some of the businesses, but some of them, you could tell they’re just done. They’ve decided they can’t make it.”
But Loomis said they understand why Governor Mills is moving slowly, and that she is basing reopening on “the facts, the science. We have to be careful and do the best we can, but I think a lot of people are going out of business because of this.”
For now, Loomis said, they are “putzing along, trying to stay busy doing projects for the business. Until there’s a vaccine and people have more confidence that this thing is under control, I just don’t think they will be doing travel as much,” he said. “I have this nagging feeling that 2020, as a year to make money, is gone. It’s just not going to happen for hospitality. We are looking forward to 2021.”DOVER-FOXCROFT – Despite safety guidelines that have made listing and showing properties more challenging in recent months, the real estate market is doing well, according to Dorothea “Dolly” Perkins. In May, the Realty of Maine broker was recognized for the highest dollar volume for an individual agent, closing on nearly $1 million for the month.
Perkins said that she loves dealing with farms, but another passion is, “helping people get their first home, or get a home after financial difficulty is really where my heart is. It’s absolutely life changing, not just for the buyer, but for their whole family. Many years ago, we experienced a devastating financial situation due to medical events. We even gave the home we lived in back to the bank, and lived in an apartment over the shop where we had a computer business. We did not even have enough money to go bankrupt. Eventually, with good advice and guidance from some people who knew more about this than me, we were able to recover, and I was able to take that experience and show people how to change their future. I did not know it at that time, but it seems that God allowed us to go through that and gave us the tools we needed to get through, and then be able to show others how to, as well. It’s truly a humbling thing, and it’s ultimately been a blessing, because there truly is hope and a way. It can be a long process, but so worth it!”
Perkins was able to work though the mandated shutdown, but things have been different. “We closed our small Dover-Foxcroft office for about a month and I worked from home,” she said. “When it became clear that we would be able to reopen, I leased a larger space – three times the size – so we could have meetings and closings and still be able to socially distance.” The office is now located at 64 East Main St., Suite G (the former H&R Block office).
Perkins and business partner Xiaorong Horton, and Perkins’ son, Lliam Perkins, also a licensed agent, have room to spread out, and take turns providing office coverage when others are out for showings or closings. “We keep sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer, masks for anyone who wants or needs them, and we are able to now work in a larger, better space and still remain as safe as possible,” Perkins said. “We want our clients and customers to be comfortable.”
Realtors were able to show houses, but with some restrictions. Going out to show numerous homes to clients at one time was not an option. “We had to send the clients all the photos and data, make sure they were fully qualified, and then we had to go and do a ‘video tour’ of the properties they were interested in. They could then choose only one to visit in person. If they wanted to see another, we would then have to video that property, and schedule that showing for another time.”
Potential buyers were not allowed to bring friends, extended family, etc. Everyone had to wear a mask, gloves and shoe covers. “We had to provide them,” Perkins said. “I actually ended up buying over 1,750 pairs of shoe covers via my existing ULINE account. We were able to order when no one else was, because they were not accepting new accounts. We delivered many of them to our main office in Bangor, and they were able to help keep showings and marketing going for the area. Our staff in Bangor distributed shoe coverings to those who needed them, to help keep the local real estate market up and running.”
Another change is that much of the paperwork is done electronically, with digital signatures, to provide zero-touch safety. Agents go over disclosure forms by telephone while both parties view the documents on their respective computer screens. Two benefits are that nobody ends up trying to decipher handwritten notes, and that clients can keep the documents on the computer for future reference rather than being handed a “big stack of paperwork” to file.
“For the most part now, we are back to showing, with several restrictions still in place, but it is beginning to feel almost like the ‘old times.’
Perkins said she is not as familiar with the larger markets in southern Maine where the majority of real estate sales are located, “but in this area, people want to be in the country, and in small villages. They want that ‘Mayberry’ experience. We have so much to offer here – a safe place with low crime, reasonable home prices, an easy commute to Bangor and the services and shopping that they have, as well as job opportunities in ways that we never really imagined before. Working from home with the new fiber Internet has been life-changing and has allowed people to move to areas that they never would have been able to before.”
Perkins said that today’s low interest rates are also very good for first-time home buyers. “So, for us, sales are up,” she said on June 24. “We closed 11 transaction sides in our office in the last two weeks, so that is pretty good!”
The award-winning realtor credits good quality presentation, online marketing, and having PPE at the ready for her success. “We carry gloves, masks and sanitizer in our vehicles so that we are ready to show now that we can again,” Perkins said. “We do the best job we can by telling our sellers to leave all the lights on and interior doors open, so we don’t’ have to touch those surfaces. We do what we can to keep their homes as clean and safe as possible and to be respectful of their home.”
Despite robust sales in May and June, there are still people waiting. “I am hoping that the travel restrictions are lifted soon, and we can safely get those families a place where they can grow and flourish,” said Perkins. “We need the jobs and stability that they can bring to our area, and they crave the lifestyle we have here. Fortunately, I am not seeing a lot of the typical ‘out-of-stater’ cliché with the ones coming in. The people who want to move here seem to want to embrace the lifestyle, and do not want to re-create the one they are leaving.”
The biggest thing Perkins hopes people will understand about her business is that, “I am not here to ‘sell’ someone on the idea of buying or selling a home. By the time someone calls me to buy a place, or even sell, they have already decided that they want to do this. It’s a new chapter of life for them, and I am so honored when I get chosen to help!”
Perkins may be reached at 279-0571 or dolly@dollyperkins.com.
SANGERVILLE — The tradition of farming and the opportunities of the internet are being celebrated by the farmers of the East Sangerville Grange, as they announce the opening of their online farmers’ market — the Maine Highlands Farmers’ Market. When the COVID-19 pandemic required social distancing and people began to limit their in-person shopping trips, the East Sangerville Grange farmers began to problem-solve solutions to make their locally sourced produce and products available to the public in a safe, efficient manner.
Over many weeks, the Grange farmers met regularly on Zoom to discuss the possibilities. It quickly became clear that an internet-based farmers’ market would offer customers the ability to remain safely at home while shopping “at” a variety of farms in an online market. The customers would be able to support local farms, while the farmers would be able to provide much-needed, locally produced items to the public. And thus, with the full support of the East Sangerville Grange members, the online Maine Highlands Farmers’ Market was created.
The market had a successful soft opening on the weekend of July 11-12, with the help of their fellow Grange members as their first customers. Now the online market is opening to the general public at mainehighlandsfarmersmarket.com, where customers can explore the offerings of several local farm vendors. Brooke Isham, from Lomah LLC, one of the participating farms said, “Products will range from fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, to meats, honey, cheeses and soaps. Our farmers will update their individual pages on the Market website as products become available.”
Isham noted, “Shoppers will be able to add items to their cart from one, two or all the market farms in the same way they would buy items at a traditional farmers’ market, but now they can shop from home.”
Customers will be able to browse the various farm pages on the market website during the week. Orders will be allowed from 8 a.m. on Saturday through Sunday at 8 p.m., with payments completed on the website through Paypal. Customers will be able pick up their orders, using their reusable shopping bags, at the American Legion Hall in Dover-Foxcroft on Tuesdays between 4 and 6 p.m.
The farmers of old may not have dreamt of something like the online Maine Highlands Farmers’ Market, but they’d certainly appreciate the effort to provide the community a safe, convenient method of buying food and products from a wide range of local farms. Now the local shopper can visit several local farms from across the region within minutes and buy a variety of items from the comfort of the family couch.