Experience Works, a training and employment organization for mature workers, is searching for Maine's outstanding older worker.

Experience Works Prime Time Awards program is part of Experience Works' national effort to raise awareness of the contributions made by older individuals and to break down barriers associated with the hiring of all older workers.

Outstanding older workers from every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico will be honored in Washington, D.C., and in their home states for their contributions to the workforce and local communities.

Nominees or applicants must be 65 years of age or older, a resident of Maine, currently employed, and working at least 20 hours each week for pay. The honoree must be willing and able to travel to Washington, D.C., the week of September 22-26 for the Prime Time Award events. The visit will include meetings with congressional representatives, a tour of the city's landmarks, and the awards banquet and ceremony. Honorees have an opportunity to meet, share their stories, and celebrate their accomplishments. Family, friends or colleagues can send in a nomination, or older workers can self nominate.

Maine's outstanding older worker in 2007 was 70-year-old Patricia Myshrall. For over 40 years, she has assisted Hawthorne-Longfellow Library patrons with research, giving tours, and supervising student workers. She has learned to maintain the online patron records, and is the one person assigned to call "difficult" patrons about overdue books or bills because she is so gracious, they don't argue with her. Ms. Myshrall also assembles humorous anecdotes about the library to read at the annual holiday party. In stark contrast, her early factory jobs were dirty, hard and low-paying work.

However, becoming a governess for a Bowdoin College professor's family while they toured Europe changed her life. Upon returning home, the professor urged her to seek a job at the library, where she was hired the day she applied. In her free time, this winner of the 1997 Bowdoin College Employee Excellence Award audits college classes, watches film and theatre, participates in church activities, follows the Boston Red Sox, stays current on the British royal family, and rescues stray cats.

The search for America's Oldest Worker for 2008 is also under way, as is the search for outstanding employers of older workers. Last year, 101-year-old Ray Jenkins, maintenance coordinator from Colchester, Vermont, was named America's Oldest Worker. An online nomination form or a printed nomination form can be accessed on the website, www.experienceworks.org . The deadline for nominations is June 1.

Established in 1965, Experience Works reaches more than 125,000 mature individuals in all 50 states and Puerto Rico each year.