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Summer-Fall 2025
2025- 2026 Membership

IMPORTANT
When you are checking out, please make sure that you select the option “My SSC Membership is Current” when answering the question about your membership status - otherwise you will be overcharged for this.
MEMBERSHIP POLICY
This membership covers June 1st, 2025, to May 31st, 2026. SSC Members must have a valid membership entry on your file to enjoy the full benefits of our Summer-Fall 2025 and Winter-Spring 2026 programs that take place during this period. You should select your 2025- 2026 membership one time as part of registering for your first class in this new year. If you need to apply for a scholarship to cover your membership fees, this is done using a separate application which is located on the SSC website. Your request must be reviewed and processed by the Scholarship Committee before registering for any classes.
If you are not sure what your current membership status is, before registering for this please contact SSC at sunriseseniorcollege@maine.edu or call 207-255-1384 and leave a message – we will get back to you.
“OFF TO SEA ONCE MORE”: TOPICS in MARITIME HISTORY & SONG CULTURE (Part 1)
with Stephen Sanfilippo

Sunrise Senior College is pleased to once again bring you Maritime Historian and folk singer Stephen Sanfilippo on a seafaring adventure of song and the maritime history of Maine. This in person only summer offering, held over 3 three separate sessions, will see Stephen presenting information and songs that will cover the following topics:
– Maritime History - What is it, why is it important, and how can it be presented through historic songs of the maritime trades?
– Maine’s Widespread Maritime Song Tradition
– Maine, the Atlantic, and the Revolutionary War and War of 1812
– Storms & Disasters – Working & Living & Dying in Nature
Each of the three classes will cover different material and songs from “BYGONE BALLADS of MAINE, volume 1: Songs of Ships & Sailors.” Stephen loves participation and singing in in his classes but it is not mandatory. If you’re not inclined to sing, just come to listen to the wonderful songs and learn more about Maine’s sea lore and history.
Stephen is requiring the following book for this class:
Title: BYGONE BALLADS of MAINE, volume 1: Songs of Ships & Sailors
Author: Julia Lane & Fred Gosbee, compilers & editors
ISBN: 978-1-935243-79-3 (paperback)
This book is available on amazon or from the author at Castlebay.net.
!!! IMPORTANT !!!
At this time, it is too late for SSC to order the book. If you wish to take this class you must purchase the book yourself.
Presenter: Stephen Sanfilippo, a United States Navy veteran, has a Ph.D. in History. He has been researching and performing historic songs of the maritime trades since 1973. Stephen is a retired assistant professor, Maine Maritime Academy, teaching “Maritime History through Historic Songs of the Sea.” He has led the monthly Chantey Sing at Pembroke (Maine) Library since 2006, and has performed from Prince Edward Island to Saint Vincent in the Caribbean.
Class Information: This is an in person only class - held in-person in UM@M’s room TORR 226 with the presenter being in person at UM@M.
All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant. The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms. Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible. SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.
IMPORTANT: See Below
“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation. SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”
This class is available to all current Maine Senior College (MSCN) Members. The general public not wishing to join Sunrise Senior College at this time may attend this class for a $20.00 fee.
Important: If at this time you are not a current member of Sunrise Senior College (SSC) but are planning to join as a member today, make sure you answer that “Your SSC membership is current” when checking out so that we can properly bill you for this class.
Sunrise Senior College (SSC) is a membership-based organization. Our SSC members receive special benefits as current members when they register for this course. Any member of another MSCN college is also able to enjoy this course, but may incur some additional charges. If you are a member of the general public, you can take this course but will have to pay additional fees associated with being a non-member. For any attendee that is not a current member of Sunrise Senior College, any materials required for the course are your responsibility. When checking out, please carefully read and answer the questions asked associated with this specific course so that you are charged appropriately for this class. Failure to do this may result in your being cancelled from the course. We hope you enjoy this offering.
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Fraud and Scam Prevention “Red Flags of Frauds & Scams”
with Elaine Abbot

Sunrise Senior College is very pleased to have Elaine Abbott, Sunrise County Economic Council, offer an us an in-depth series of presentations on the ever-present risk of Scams and Fraud. This topic impacts every citizen, but is especially found to be targeting Seniors in the online world we all live in. Con artists and thieves see us as the most vulnerable. Over four free sessions during July and August, she will teach us about the techniques that they use to trick people into giving up our personal information, money and our personal security. Can’t make every session? No problem! Just pick and choose the ones that you can attend and sign up today.
In this first session, Elaine will give us an overview of the warning signs of what to look for. In Red Flags of Frauds & Scams, participants will learn about the most prevalent online scams in investments, tech support, romance, impersonation, and the lottery and what all scams have in common. Participants will learn how to stop a scam before it starts and where to report a scam. This is the perfect introduction to help train and alert you on what you can do and perhaps which of the other three sessions might benefit you most. Please invite your friends or family to attend any or all of these informative sessions.
Presenter: Elaine Abbott is the Regional Broadband Coordinator at Sunrise County Economic Council and the Maine Connectivity Authority Regional Wabanaki Broadband Partner for Washington County. Her work focuses on broadband infrastructure and digital equity throughout the region. Elaine lives in Eastport with her husband and their two dogs.
Class Information: This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom with the instructor being in person at UM@M.
All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant. The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms. Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible. SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.
IMPORTANT: See Below
“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation. SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”
This class is being offered Free and Open to the public and we encourage everyone with any interest in the material being presented to attend.
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Fraud and Scam Prevention “Digital Safety for the Real World“
with Elaine Abbot

Sunrise Senior College is very pleased to have Elaine Abbott, Sunrise County Economic Council, offer an us an in-depth series of presentations on the ever-present risk of Scams and Fraud. This topic impacts every citizen, but is especially found to be targeting Seniors in the online world we all live in. Con artists and thieves see us as the most vulnerable. Over four free sessions during July and August, she will teach us about the techniques that they use to trick people into giving up our personal information, money and our personal security. Can’t make every session? No problem! Just pick and choose the ones that you can attend and sign up today.
In this second session, Elaine will cover Digital Safety for the Real World. Participants will learn about the ever mysterious “cookies” and how they are used to make your browsing sessions more interactive, about private browsing, password management, two factor authentication, and how to quickly identify a scam email or text when you see it.
Presenter: Elaine Abbott is the Regional Broadband Coordinator at Sunrise County Economic Council and the Maine Connectivity Authority Regional Wabanaki Broadband Partner for Washington County. Her work focuses on broadband infrastructure and digital equity throughout the region. Elaine lives in Eastport with her husband and their two dogs.
Class Information: This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom with the instructor being in person at UM@M.
All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant. The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms. Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible. SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.
IMPORTANT: See Below
“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation. SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”
This class is being offered Free and Open to the public and we encourage everyone with any interest in the material being presented to attend.
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Fraud and Scam Prevention “Scam-proof Your Accounts“
with Elaine Abbot

Sunrise Senior College is very pleased to have Elaine Abbott, Sunrise County Economic Council, offer an us an in-depth series of presentations on the ever-present risk of Scams and Fraud. This topic impacts every citizen, but is especially found to be targeting Seniors in the online world we all live in. Con artists and thieves see us as the most vulnerable. Over four free sessions during July and August, she will teach us about the techniques that they use to trick people into giving up our personal information, money and our personal security. Can’t make every session? No problem! Just pick and choose the ones that you can attend and sign up today.
In today’s session, Elaine will give us tips and demonstrate ways that we can Scam-proof our Accounts - both on-line and on conventional paper - providing us greater protection. Participants will learn about common financial frauds including check washing and check fraud. Also covered are critical components of keeping accounts secure including password management and freezing one’s credit.
Presenter: Elaine Abbott is the Regional Broadband Coordinator at Sunrise County Economic Council and the Maine Connectivity Authority Regional Wabanaki Broadband Partner for Washington County. Her work focuses on broadband infrastructure and digital equity throughout the region. Elaine lives in Eastport with her husband and their two dogs.
Class Information: This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom with the instructor being in person at UM@M.
All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant. The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms. Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible. SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.
IMPORTANT: See Below
“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation. SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”
This class is being offered Free and Open to the public and we encourage everyone with any interest in the material being presented to attend.
Will run
Foraging for Wild Mushrooms - The Easy Edibles
with Esther Tozier

We all love mushrooms and they are used in our everyday cooking. If you are like the vast majority of mushroom eaters however, you find them in the produce aisle of your favorite supermarket. They grow in the wild but we need to be careful to select only edible ones. Why not take an hour or so and enjoy this presentation by Esther Tozier as she introduces the novice beginner to the fascinating hobby of becoming a mushroom forager.
Her talk will introduce us to the traits and features of edible wild mushrooms. We will meet the easily recognizable edible species and discuss their growing habits and habitats. If you ever thought you might like to try and pick your own mushrooms, you will find this informative talk very helpful as it will give ethical foraging tips, as well as preservation and preparation methods of our edible wild mushrooms.
Presenter: Esther Tozier has spent the last ten years studying and identifying mushrooms. She has been teaching about mushrooms since 2016. She has taken numerous classes at Eagle Hill Institute on mycology, as well as attending conferences and courses lead by leading mycologists, herbalists and other nature-based organizations. As a practicing Herbalist, she soon began to develop an interest in all of the mushrooms used as medicine, researching those species and their various uses. These studies have enabled her to incorporate and appreciate the health benefits of fungi as foods and extracts.
Class Information: This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom with the instructor being in person at UM@M.
All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant. The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms. Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible. SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.
IMPORTANT: See Below
“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation. SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”
This class is available to all current Maine Senior College (MSCN) Members for $5.00. The general public not wishing to join Sunrise Senior College at this time may attend this class for a $10.00 fee.
Important: If at this time you are not a current member of Sunrise Senior College (SSC) but are planning to join as a member today, make sure you answer that “Your SSC membership is current” when checking out so that we can properly bill you for this class.
Sunrise Senior College (SSC) is a membership-based organization. Our SSC members receive special benefits as current members when they register for this course. Any member of another MSCN college is also able to enjoy this course, but may incur some additional charges. If you are a member of the general public, you can take this course but will have to pay additional fees associated with being a non-member. For any attendee that is not a current member of Sunrise Senior College, any materials required for the course are your responsibility. When checking out, please carefully read and answer the questions asked associated with this specific course so that you are charged appropriately for this class. Failure to do this may result in your being cancelled from the course. We hope you enjoy this offering.
Will run
Fraud and Scam Prevention “Phishing, Smishing, Vishing and OH MY!“
with Elaine Abbot

Sunrise Senior College is very pleased to have Elaine Abbott, Sunrise County Economic Council, offer an us an in-depth series of presentations on the ever-present risk of Scams and Fraud. This topic impacts every citizen, but is especially found to be targeting Seniors in the online world we all live in. Con artists and thieves see us as the most vulnerable. Over four free sessions during July and August, she will teach us about the techniques that they use to trick people into giving up our personal information, money and our personal security. Can’t make every session? No problem! Just pick and choose the ones that you can attend and sign up today.
In this final session, Elaine gives us valuable tips on understanding ways to identify Phishing, Smishing, Vishing and OH MY! For this session participants should have previous knowledge of the basics of frauds and scams, discussed in her prior sessions, as the content for this class covers phishing, vishing, smishing, skimming, shimming, and e-pickpocketing. Participants will learn to take a more alert and proactive approach whether in the digital or the real world.
Presenter: Elaine Abbott is the Regional Broadband Coordinator at Sunrise County Economic Council and the Maine Connectivity Authority Regional Wabanaki Broadband Partner for Washington County. Her work focuses on broadband infrastructure and digital equity throughout the region. Elaine lives in Eastport with her husband and their two dogs.
Class Information: This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom with the instructor being in person at UM@M.
All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant. The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms. Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible. SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.
IMPORTANT: See Below
“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation. SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”
This class is being offered Free and Open to the public and we encourage everyone with any interest in the material being presented to attend.
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A Perspective of Healing
with Dr. Sam Hunkler

Over more than 35 years as a family physician, Dr. Hunkler came to realize that the root cause of most disease is not known and because of this, he was not trained to treat the underlying root of disease but rather the symptoms of diseases - mainly with medications. Medications can help treat symptoms, but they rarely treat the source of disease. Through his career he became aware that we all have personal issues which he has come to call dis-ease. He believes this dis-ease is a major component of illness, and gets in the way of us caring for ourselves and our bodies. Come join us as we get an overview of the main sources of our dis-ease along with a discussion on the fundamentals of healing.
Presenter: Dr. Samuel Hunkler, MD was a Family Medicine Specialist in Jonesport, ME with over 35 years of experience in the medical field and was affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Maine Coast Memorial Hospital and Down East Community Hospital. He graduated from Case Western Reserve U, School of Medicine medical school in 1987.
Class Information: This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom.
All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant. The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms. Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible. SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.
IMPORTANT: See Below
“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation. SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”
This class is available to all current Maine Senior College (MSCN) Members for $5.00. The general public not wishing to join Sunrise Senior College at this time may attend this class for a $10.00 fee.
Important: If at this time you are not a current member of Sunrise Senior College (SSC) but are planning to join as a member today, make sure you answer that “Your SSC membership is current” when checking out so that we can properly bill you for this class.
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