Contact: Antonia Ferrier (202) 224-5344
Thursday, September 29, 2005

**Photo Available**

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) met today with Helen Rundell of Brooklin who has been named the 2005 Outstanding Older Worker from Maine by Experience Works, Inc.

“Helen Rundell has accomplished truly amazing things in her life,” said Snowe. “She has followed her dreams of becoming an artist and is now widely known and celebrated. I congratulate her on being named 2005 Outstanding Older Worker from Maine.”

Mrs. Rundell has focused on making hand-drawn lithographs at some of the world’s most famous art studios. Doing this, she has completed and sold more than 100 editions. Mrs. Rundell began struggling with physical disabilities that required her to have multiple operations on her hands but that did not slow her work down. She expanded to working on a series of paintings and lithographs of famous golfers. Today, Mrs. Rundell paints, knits, weaves, writes and maintains a garden for the church food pantry.

Experience Works not only trains and places senior Americans in valuable jobs, but also has put in place the nation's largest program that honors our outstanding older workers. The Prime Time Awards program covers all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and The District of Columbia. It is a year long effort to identify the most Outstanding Older Worker in each state, America's Oldest Worker, and Outstanding Employers of Older Workers. The purpose is to recognize the contributions that these people make to their communities and to our economy and to help break down the barriers associated with age and work. Experience Works is in its seventh year, and proud to honor a group of Americans who exemplify the positive work ethic, experience, loyalty and dependability so important to society and the economy.

**Photo Available**

Photo can be found at www.snowe.senate.gov/photo_constituents.htm ###