“Will you keep the cash ... Or, take a chance on what's behind curtain #3?”

“It's a holiday vacation in beautiful Boothbay Harbor, Maine!” When you visit this charming New England village, you can expect to see lots of the most refreshing and jubilant people alive during the shortest days of the year. On any given day, in the downtown walking area, there are many wonderful shops and shopkeepers who can help you prepare for the holiday season and brighten the four o'clock sunsets. An unforgettable experience awaits you.

One of your most exciting shopping experiences features a great assortment of seafaring and quality clothing products at Janson’s. Your host, Betty Maddocks, and staff, will surely help you view a great variety of authentic Maine items worn daily by the famous lobstering and fishing community, from rugged boots to great gloves, shirts and jackets. It’s a shopping opportunity for sure!

When Betty isn't running the store, she can be seen traversing the Village helping to encourage visiting shoppers. Betty's activities are not limited to just the shopping experience. She is a lifelong Mainer with roots deeper than lobster traps off Mackerel Ledge, a fishing location I just made up. But, it’s true. In addition to her Giles and Adams family heritage, she is married to Sewall Maddocks whose family is related to everyone else who is not an Adams or a Giles on the Maine coast. These are families who are at the very core of our community history.

Betty told me that her mother was one of 12 children. Their home place was on the shore of Mill Cove and one of the most active residences in the region. Back in the day, Betty, and others, worked tirelessly to help the YMCA Y-Arts family produce the most amazing choral performances we have ever enjoyed. This was not small town stuff. During her time and Ginny Bishop's tenure, the Y Chorus traveled to New Orleans to participate in the national YMCA competition. Then there were plays at Boothbay Playhouse which involved wonderful groups of area youth (and some less youthful). Community efforts galore!

All these activities and more kept Betty busy, as if she needed more to do than be a mom for three energetic young boys and a seagoing captain. Sewall, Betty's hubby, is very well known for his boat driving skills and still works in the industry on the left coast with the Frank O'Hara group.

I'd like to know more about Betty's vitamin regime. Because, if I had one third the energy of this woman, I'd have finished painting the laundry room years ago. She is a devoted supporter of our community and a great prize behind curtain #3!

Thank you Betty for all you do and have done. We'll keep the light on for you.