Pine Tree Camp offers Parkinson’s retreat

BATH – The Pine Tree Camp will be host to Maine’s first Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease Retreat from Saturday, Sept. 13, to Sunday, Sept. 14.

“It will be a great opportunity to connect with new people, relax and rejuvenate in a beautiful and fully accessible setting,” said Teresa Barrow, director of the Parkinson’s Program at Pine Tree Society.

According to Karen Bardo, founder and board member of Maine Parkinson’s Society, this type of retreat will fill a void in the young onset Parkinson’s disease community.

“In Maine, young people with Parkinson’s disease are spread across the state. A young onset PD support group would be great but there are not enough of us in one area to ensure its success,” Bardo said.

“Many of us attend local PD support groups,” she said. “However, the needs of young people with PD are different. The disease affects us differently from older people, plus many of us still work and are raising families. It is important for the young people to meet a couple of times a year to support each other and to brainstorm.”

The event will take place in the camp’s winterized cabin. The fully-accessible cabin offers 2,500 square feet of living space, two fully-accessible bathrooms, six bedrooms, a 20-by-20-foot deck overlooking North Pond and a welcoming living area with cathedral ceilings, full kitchen and an amazing view. The cabin also provides easy access to all that the 250-acre camp has to offer, including accessible nature trails and a traditional campsite where cooking over the open fire is a common activity.

The cost is $60. Price includes lodging and meals. For information or registration, contact Teresa Berkowitz at 443-3341, Ext. 112, or at tberkowitz@pinetreesociety.org.

For more than 60 years, Pine Tree Society has been providing Maine children and adults with disabilities the opportunities and the means to create better lives for themselves and their families. For information, call 443-3341, or visit the Web at www.pinetreesociety.org.

The Greater Bangor Parkinson support group meets at 2 p.m. the third Sunday of each month in the Osprey Room at Acadia Hospital on Stillwater Avenue. Family members and caregivers are welcome.