Ted Stainman, a retired Air Force military chaplain, and his wife Barbara lived in many parts of the country during his career. Prior to moving to Highland Green, they resided in Denver, Colorado, which became a bit too congested for them. Since Barbara originally came from Bangor, they turned their sights to Maine and became attracted to Highland Green.
Once they arrived, the Stainmans were overwhelmed by the hospitality of residents, who warmly welcomed and readily included them into their community. “No one grew up at Highland Green,” Ted joked and then added, “It is a community where many of us come from somewhere else, having to recreate a network of friends, associations and activities. Existing Highland Green residents understand that and try to be quite helpful when new residents are moving in and readjusting.”
The Stainmans also appreciated Highland Green’s close proximity to the Bowdoin College campus in Brunswick and all it offers, including interesting lectures, concerts, classes and other activities. In fact, they are a host family who have opened their Highland Green home to two students so far—one who is now spending a year overseas in China and a first-year student from California. Interested in meeting people and actively participating in the Highland Green lifestyle, the Stainmans have taken part in a number of activities and clubs, such as Green Steps, which Barbara chairs. Focusing on providing environmental information and education, Green Steps promotes the use of native plants and works to make Highland Green a healthy and beautiful place to live.
Then there are the Highland Green Lunch & Learns, which the Stainmans assumed leadership of this year (I know, they are very busy!). These are immensely popular monthly presentations and include diverse topics like the operation of a nuclear plant or the problems faced by a private school headmaster during COVID. According to Ted, “The talent here is prodigious, and the people are very generous with their time. Many of our lecturers are residents of Highland Green.”
The couple also mentions that many of the residents become involved in the community, volunteering, for instance, at the local library or the Maritime Museum, while others are politically active or prefer social service. Ted has chosen to conduct tours at the Joshua Chamberlain Historical House and volunteers at the Food Bank, preparing and delivering meals.
He also takes a Tai Chi class at Highland Green while Barbara is involved in the Highland Green Art Club, which encompasses all levels of skill – from accomplished artists to those who are interested in learning.
Barbara shares, “At Highland Green, residents have the freedom to be involved as little or as much as they like; but the activities here can prevent people from becoming insular and instead remain involved in the world.”
