I am 79 years old. Currently I:

• Run a business with 14 employees that will grow over 40% this year (with no paid marketing).
• Serve on nine boards, including as treasurer of two and chair of one — plus 11 other committees.
• Have a farming operation that hosts 24 beef cattle and organic gardens.
• Annually teach two very popular adult ed courses.
• Tutor a Kiev (Ukraine) resident in English.
• Provide consulting services regionwide that gets comments like “you are a national treasure.”
• Continue to personally do the carpentry for our buildings and for a long list of nonprofits.

I don’t get recruited to boards because I’m rich (Social Security is our big paycheck). I am valued because I know how to make things work — a talent that has apparently increased as I have aged.

I don’t suspect that there are many Mainers of any age who are as involved (and hopefully as effective) as I am. I also take no medications and have no health issues of any kind (with the possible exception of diarrhea of the mouth).

Les Fossel
Alna