Late-season Polar Dip raises $5K for Sebago Lakes Chamber's 'Feed the Need' Program

By Masha Yurkevich

About three months behind schedule, Polar Dip participants of the annual Polar Dip rushed into 38-degree water at Raymond Beach, all for a great cause.

Seven participants take the plunge during the annual Sebago
Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce's Polar Dip at
Raymond Beach on Saturday, April 13. Funds raised
benefit 'Feed the Need,' a program that supports food
pantries in the Lakes Region.
PHOTO BY SCOTT WALDREN

Sponsored by Maine State Credit Union, the event is typically held in February at Raymond Beach where a hole is cut in the ice and participants jump into the water from the edge of the hole. But this year the Sebago Lake ice wasn't thick enough for participants to safely hold people in February, so the decision was made to postpone it until April when all the ice was completely melted.

As a result, instead of jumping in, participants would run in from the beach, said Robin Mullins, President and CEO of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce.

The Polar Dip previously was around for many years as part of the Sebago Lake Rotary's Ice Fishing Derby. The Maine Children's Cancer Network was the benefactor of the Polar Dip for many years. The chamber took over the Polar Dip portion in 2021.

“In 2020, I was approached by my fellow Sebago Lake Rotarian, George Bartlett,” says Mullins. “He was a huge proponent of the ‘dip’ and wanted to bring it back as part of the 2021 Ice Fishing Derby, and he wanted to know if I would help. I immediately said I would and asked if the proceeds could benefit the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Charitable Trust, or what we call ’Feed the Need.’ Food insecurity is a concern in the region and the ‘trust’ was started in 2016 to address that need.”

February 2021 was the first time the chamber hosted the Polar Dip as part of the Ice Fishing Derby. Mullins said it was a great opportunity during the pandemic to plan a fun, outdoor activity in partnership with the Sebago Lake Rotary Club while helping to alleviate hunger in the Sebago Lake Region.

“Participants of the Polar Dip get pledges,” says Mullins. “And 100 percent goes directly to Feed the Need. We partner with the town of Raymond and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department. They provide assistance in traffic control, onsite emergency personnel, and divers in wetsuits who stay in the water to ensure participant safety.

Participants of the Polar Dip can be any age, young or old and everyone in between, who wants to brave the cold and raise money to help alleviate food insecurity.

“We did have several teams who were signed up in February who could not make it on April 13,” says Mullins. “We have learned the start of April vacation is not the best time for the Polar Dip.”

So, while participant numbers were down slightly this year, Mullins decided at 7 p.m. on Friday night, just 16 hours before the event, that she herself, for the first time, would take the plunge if she could get her family and friends to donate $250 on her behalf.

“Not only did I meet the $250 goal,” says Mullins, “but thanks to my Lakes Region BNI group, the Sebago Lake Rotary, members of the chamber board and a few of my fellow Windham High School 1986 graduates, I crushed it, bringing in an amazing $1,450.”

Because of the lack of ice in April, instead of jumping in, participants would run in from the beach.

The event brought in just over $5,000 from the eight participants, which included Mullins, two people from the Town of Standish, Dr. Mark Wasowski of Windham Chiropractic, a representative from Gorham Savings Bank, two representatives from Maine State Credit Union and a representative from Camp Skylemar.

Mullins said the $5,000 raised will be added to the $13,000 that has been raised over the last year and checks will be going out soon to the 12 food pantries in the Lakes Region including those in the towns of Casco, Gray, Naples, New Gloucester, Raymond, Sebago, Standish and Windham.

“A huge thank you to our participants, our volunteers and sponsors from Maine State Credit Union, Raymond Fire and Rescue, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department, and Richie Vraux and Jonathan Priest from the chamber board,” Mullins said.

Pledges and donations can still be made. Please visit the chamber website at SebagoLakesChamber.com/FeedtheNeed for more details.

“Sadly, we lost our great community partner George Bartlett last year,” said Mullins. “In his honor, we will be renaming the dip to the George Bartlett Memorial Sebago Lake Polar Dip. He loved the Polar Dip and poured his heart and soul into it.”

The date for next year’s Polar Dip is set for Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, at Tassel Top Beach in Raymond. <

Penobscot leader inspires RES students about Maine’s native history

By Lorraine Glowczak

To gain a better understanding of indigenous history and culture, Raymond Elementary School invited John Bear Mitchell, a Penobscot Nation citizen and lecturer specializing in Wabanaki and Multicultural Studies at the University of Maine in Orono, to speak with each class from kindergarten through third grade on Friday, March 29.

Penobscot Nation citizen and UMaine lecturer Jon Bear
Mitchell speaks to a room full of Raymond Elementary
School students last month. He was invited to the school
with the hope to dispel myths and stereotypes about
Native Americans. PHOTO BY GARY HARRIMAN  

Susan Brackett, a fourth-grade teacher at RES who led the project, said the purpose of the presentation was to educate RES students from an American Indian’s perspective and how their life is today.

“We hope to dispel myths and stereotypes about Native Americans and to ignite an interest in students to learn more about past and present Native Americans in Maine,” Brackett said.

Through interactive music and the art of storytelling, Mitchell engaged RES students, offering insights into Maine's indigenous heritage, and addressing concerns regarding the stereotypes and myths people may have about his culture. As a former elementary school teacher and principal, Mitchell has years of experience connecting with students on their level.

The Penobscot leader and educator began each presentation with a call-and-response chant. Mitchell explained why he always begins with this interactive chant when speaking to his audiences, especially young children.

“This gets the students involved, creating a comfortable space for them,” he said. “By engaging children with the chant, they can better immerse themselves in the cultural experience, preparing them for storytelling and singing. When a person feels the experience first, they are more comfortable hearing and listening to it.”

After the chant, Mitchell shared a story that is still taught to Native American children today.

“Long ago, the people of the land experienced a 48-hour snowstorm,” he began. “Realizing they only had three days of food left, the hunters were sent out to search for food. They hunted for a very long time without seeing any signs of animals. They returned to their families, feeling disappointed. The hunters did this the second day. Again, no signs of animals. The third day, the same thing. Feeling sad, they didn’t want to return to the village, disappointing their families who relied upon them for survival.”

He related that the hunters came upon a group of dancing rabbits who seemed to be celebrating. Curious, the hunters asked what they were doing. The rabbits said that their dancing promoted community with each other while celebrating the impending arrival of spring. The hunters, desperate for food, pleaded with the rabbits to help them. Moved by their plight, the rabbits agreed to share their lessons. Guided by the rabbits' counsel, the hunters finally succeeded in their quest, bringing food home to their village.

“The story of ‘The Dancing Rabbit’ teaches lessons about resilience, cooperation, and the importance of respecting nature,” said Mitchell. “It emphasizes the connection between humans and the natural world, highlighting how working together and respecting the rhythms of nature can lead to abundance and prosperity.”

During his presentation, Mitchell also introduced elements of his ancient Passamaquoddy language which included singing songs with rattles and drums all naturally made by hand and spoke to the students about names given to us by our parents.

“How many here have three names, a first, middle, and last name,” he asked the students.

Everyone raised their hands. But only one hand was raised when he asked if their middle name was an animal.

“The purpose is to emphasize our shared humanity. Despite the diversity in our middle names, whether they're uncommon or familiar, we remain a part of today’s modern society,” Mitchell said. “Alongside our Christian names, we still carry on our traditional cultural names, celebrating the richness of our heritage in today's world.”

He also pointed out other ways in which Native American culture integrates into contemporary society.

“We go to movies, we travel to different countries, we are educated, we are like all people with the same needs and wants,” Mitchell said.

Brackett agreed.

“Mitchell’s presentation showed students that Native Americans today are just like them,” she said. “This helped to dispel any misconceptions or stereotypes that the students may have had before his visit.”

RES third grader Shyanne Normand shared what she learned from Mitchell and why.

“It’s kind of cool to learn about his culture because you get to know people differently and get to know what happened in their life.” Normand said. “It was really fun to speak an ancient language, too.”

She said that she realized from attending Mitchell’s presentation that Native Americans are fun teachers who dress in modern clothing.

The students' learning about Native Americans will not stop with Mitchell's presentation.

“To expand upon the students’ education of Native culture, John Bear Mitchell is providing the school with a variety of lesson plans and information that we will be able to use in the future,” Brackett said. <

Windham student places fifth in Maine State Math Meet

By Ed Pierce

LIMESTONE – A student from Windham attending the Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) helped his team earn first place at the 45th Annual Maine State Math Meet at the Augusta Civic Center on April 2.

Windham's Ari Anghel, 16. a sophomore at the Maine
School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone, 
finished fifth among sophomores competing in the
Maine State Math Meet in Augusta on April 2. He
also was successfully able to recite Pi digits to 919
on National Pi Day on March 14. 
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

Ari Anghel, 16, a sophomore from Windham was part of the MSSM Ivory team, which is Maine’s only magnet high school and one of the few public boarding schools in the country. The MSSM team traveled to Augusta for The Maine State Math Meet drawing the top math students from around Maine to competitively demonstrate their understanding of challenging math concepts.

After obtaining the highest total score in the state during the five regular math meets, MSSM’s Ivory team entered the state meet with high expectations.

The MSSM Ivory math team was made up of 10 students from the school including Anghel, who placed fifth overall in the competition for high school sophomores.

Vanda Madore, one of the MSSM Ivory math team coaches, said that the students should be proud of their accomplishments at the Maine State Math Meet.

"In addition to strong individual performances, I’m most proud of the team effort demonstrated in the two team rounds where MSSM pulled ahead,” Madore said. “We won the highest honors that we could, which were First place in Regional, First place in Division A, and First place at State. You can't do better than that. There are many very good individual awards that students got because of their scores. Just as a coach, I find that winning as a team is wonderful."

His award from the state math meet was in addition to his reciting Pi to 919 digits on Pi Day at his school on March 14.

School officials say that Anghel exemplifies the caliber of students drawn to MSSM, where academic excellence and a passion for mathematics converge.

“Last year, as a freshman, Ari stunned onlookers by reciting Pi to 500 digits. This year, the sights were set even higher to nearly double their previous record, captivating the audience with mathematical virtuosity,” said Ryan McDonald, Director of Admissions and Summer Programs for the Maine School of Science and Mathematics. “Ari's ambition is attending the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), propelled by their passion for mathematics nurtured at MSSM.”

Anghel said he remains committed to shattering the school record for reciting Pi digits.

“It's just a matter of keep going at it, if that makes sense,” he said. “So long as you keep going, eventually you'll make more and more progress until you get further and further. I'm glad I got that far. It would have been nice to go a bit further to get the record, but 919 is definitely a good record to go to."

He said he practiced for several hours and that his goal was to reach 1,300 Pi digits.

“I practiced that much, but I messed up part of the way there,” Anghel said. “My goal for next year is to get over 1,300 digits and set the new school record."

The current record is 1,248 digits.

MSSM provides a rigorous STEM-based curriculum in a residential setting where learning is celebrated by the student and adult community. Students interact with teachers in and out of the classroom and have unique opportunities to explore courses and topics they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.

MSSM’s highly motivated students begin their academic journeys in schools throughout the state, a partnership that MSSM values and appreciates, and come to MSSM to build upon that strong foundation to excel and thrive in an environment where they can find their place and go beyond.

The Maine Association of Math Leagues (MAML) is the organization that sponsors the numerous math competitions in Maine. MAML promotes innovative solutions to difficult problems through analytical thinking and team-based math competitions.

Participating schools can send up to 10 “mathletes” and one alternate who work through difficulties both individually and collaboratively. The solutions are revealed after each round and students may appeal if they believe they have a valid solution.

The topics range from Algebra 1 to Pre-Calculus and require students to have both academic skills as well as the ability to work as a team. <

JSMS performance of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ dazzles after Nor’Easter

By Briana Bizier

On Saturday, April 6, as Windham and Raymond recovered from the powerful Nor’easter that left much of the town without power, the show went on for Jordan-Small Middle School’s drama program.

Student cast members of 'Beauty and the Beast' perform at
Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond on Saturday,
April 6and staged the production despite a Nor'Easter
that blanketed the area wiping out final rehearsals.
PHOTO BY JULIA HEBERT  

Despite missing both their final dress rehearsal on Thursday and opening night on Friday, every single member of the cast and crew arrived Saturday afternoon for their performance of the musical Beauty and the Beast.

“When I joined the drama program in 2022,” Tyler Costigan, Director and Production Designer, told the audience for Saturday’s second performance, “I had a cast of 20. This year, I have a cast of 50. That’s a lot of students.”

Along with Victoria Stubbs as the Vocal Coach and Patricia Valley as the Choreographer, Costigan has been working with these 50 students since January. Yet on Saturday, after months of practice, an abbreviated tech week, last-minute microphone changes, emergency costume repairs, and a backstage conga line warm-up, Costigan, Stubbs, and Valley took their seats in the audience as C.J. Payne, the Technical Director, turned on the lights and microphones.

The performance was now in the hands of the young actors and the student tech crew, led by Ari Green, Olivia Beal, and Jordyn Morris. The show opened with an enchantress, played by Maria Rosetti, casting a horrible spell on a cruel prince and everyone who lived in his castle. As the curtains closed on the cursed prince, Belle, played with fantastic confidence by Araia Peterson, walked down the middle of the gymnasium theatre silhouetted by the spotlight.

While the stage filled with villagers going about their daily business, Belle sang longingly about her desire to escape her small town while her suitor Gaston declared his intent to marry Belle, the only woman “as beautiful as me.”

Gaston was played to great comedic effect by Lucy Payne and trailed by a trio of adoring fans played by Emma Horowitz, Zoe Woodbury, and Layla Martin. Belle and Gaston were joined by a crowd of singing villagers, played by Sage Bizier, Michelle Buzzell, Brecken Cressey, Zoe Decker, Bella and Julia Doyon, Mikel Gilbert, Clare Goan, Ella Jacobson, Arianna Libby, Anica Messer, Miles Moreau, Mia Quinn, Leah Ronfeldt, and Alita Sargent.

Belle’s father Maurice, played by a very sympathetic Eli Delude, promised Belle she will soon be able to see all the places she reads about in books. However, in a turn of events narrated by Paige Leveille, Marley Hebert, Rian Borella, and Izzy Gonzalez, Maurice was attacked by a pack of somersaulting wolves and driven to the enchanted castle where the Beast, played by Rex Freyre with an impressive mask and a perfect blend of tenderness and ferocity, locks him in the dungeon.

When Gaston’s friend and sidekick Lefou, played by Addy Madsen, arrives in town wearing Maurice’s scarf, Belle realizes something has gone wrong and sets off to find her father. After bargaining her own freedom to set her father free, she sings of finding home, a performance that made both this audience member and the friend sitting beside me reach for our tissues.

Castle residents Mrs. Potts the teapot, played by Cadence O’Brion, Mme. de la Grande Bouche the wardrobe, played by Liza Powers, and Babette the feather duster, played by Acadia Vingers-Sirois, tried to comfort Belle with their hopes that she might someday think of the castle as home. Meanwhile, Payne’s Gaston, dejected over Belle’s rejections, was consoled by Lefou and the villagers with a hilarious song and dance that left the audience cheering long after the curtains closed.

Back at the castle, the candleholder Lumiere, played with a terrific French accent by Allie LeBoudais, tried to convince the clock Cogsworth, played with a perfect air of stiff formality by Alyssa Dismore, that their guest Belle deserved a special meal. Happily for everyone, this conversation resulted in the spectacular “Be Our Guest” performance. As Lumiere narrated, forks, knives, spoons and plates, played by Bella Anderson, Camryn Golebiewski, Riley Huff, Lauren Inman, and Julianna Vassoler, as well as several actors who had hasty backstage costume changes, danced and sang to end Act One. When the lights came up for intermission, another audience member leaned over and said, “Wow, that was really good!”

As the student tech crew moved set pieces behind the curtain and organized an entire cafeteria table’s worth of props backstage, the actors changed costumes and prepared for Act Two. When the curtains rose again, the enchanted residents of the castle expressed their hopes to be “Human Again” in song as Belle and the Beast formed a tentative friendship, and finally, shared a dance as Mrs. Potts sang the classic “Beauty and the Beast.” Again, some members of the audience reached for their tissues.

Back in the village, Gaston continued his attempts to marry Belle, this time by arranging with M. D’Arque, played to great sinister effect by Leo Roma, to take Maurice to the insane asylum. When Belle resists, Gaston decides the villagers must attack the castle and kill the Beast. The actors leapt from the stage and carried their torches through the audience as they cried, “Kill the Beast!”

After an impressively well-choreographed fight between the villagers and the enchanted castle servants, the wicked Gaston attacked the Beast. Fortunately, Belle was close behind. With the injured Beast at her feet, Belle sang about how she had finally found her home with the Beast, and this audience member cried for the third time.

In the end, Belle declared her love for the Beast, and the castle’s curse was lifted. Chip the teacup, played by Alice Thibodeau, got a round of laughs when she asked if she would still need to sleep in the cupboard now that she’s human again, and then the entire cast gathered for a final song. Both shows ended with standing ovations, cheers, and a lot of congratulatory hugs in the middle school hallway.

Despite the massive Nor’easter, 12 inches of fresh April snow, widespread power losses, and two days of school closures, Jordan-Small Middle School’s performance of “Beauty and the Beast” proved once again that true love always saves the day, and that perhaps we are all capable of a little more magic than we think. <

Windham resident part of Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in Washington

By Ed Pierce

March 21 is a day that Malinda “Mindy” McKinney of Windham will never forget as she was part of a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in Washington, D.C. recognizing her late father for his service during World War II as a member of the secretive U.S. Ghost Army.

Malinda 'Mindy' McKinney of Windham, left, joins her
sisters, Helen and Anne, in accepting the Congressional 
Gold Medal on March 21 in Washington, D.C. on behalf
of their late father, U.S. Army Captain William Skelton, 
who served in the 'Ghost Army' during World War II.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
 

McKinney’s father, Captain William Skelton, served with the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, 603rd Camouflage Engineers Unit and McKinney and her sisters were given the Congressional Gold Medal, the oldest and highest civilian award in the United States awarded by Congress, for the work of their father. To date fewer than 200 Americans have been awarded this distinction and it was presented to the sisters by U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.

The medal presentation ceremony wraps up a nearly 20-year effort by members and volunteers of the Ghost Army Legacy Project to raise awareness and win recognition for the little-known Army units that played a unique but unheralded part in the Allied victory of World War II.

“Ghost Army” soldiers represent nearly every state in the nation, including eight from Maine, and the units were handpicked, top secret units containing some of America’s most promising artists, engineers, and signals professionals. The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, composed of a mere 1,100 soldiers, impersonated up to two divisions of 30,000 men physically, sonically, and radiographically to the enemy.

The strategy of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops was so effective, they held a position in the middle of the line for eight days during combat, allowing U.S. General George S. Patton to throw all the fighting forces at German defenses. Captured German officers and documents related to the operations of both units demonstrated that the Germans were utterly convinced by the unit’s deceptions and redeployed units and assets in response.

The efforts and contributions of the “Ghost Army” were classified for more than 40 years, until 1996, and therefore have not received formal recognition. Without the “Ghost Army,” an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 American soldiers and 10,000 German soldiers would not have made it home alive during World War II.

McKinney, a retired Raymond Elementary School secretary, said that her father served in the Ghost Army as a member of the 603rd Camouflage Engineers Unit of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops Unit and was previously awarded the Bronze Star by the Army for Meritorious Service with five battle engagements for his valor and distinction in World War II.

Following the war, Skelton studied chemical engineering at Carnegie-Melon Institute of Technology and had a 33-year career working for DuPont Corporation in Delaware, and in Kinston and Wilmington, North Carolina. He passed away in 2011 and was predeceased by his wife, Jessica Matthews Skelton, in 2007.

In February 2022, U.S Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts announced that bipartisan and bicameral legislation had been approved to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the top-secret U.S. Army units that served in World War II.

Collins attended the March 21 “Ghost Army” medal presentation and said this recognition is long overdue.

“The ingenuity and contributions of the ‘Ghost Army’ were classified for decades without its members receiving the recognition that they deserved. It was not until 1996 that their heroic actions were declassified, and the American public began to learn the full scope of their contributions to achieving our Allied victory,” said Senator Collins. “I was so proud to co-sponsor in the Senate with Senator Markey, the bipartisan, bicameral legislation to honor these unsung heroes with Congress's highest civilian award. And today, finally, today, Congress will bestow this long-awaited honor on these deserving veterans.”

Because of the secretive nature of his work with the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, 603rd Camouflage Engineers Unit, McKinney said her father never divulged with his family his military activities until the unit had been declassified 50 years after World War II ended. After that, McKinney said that Skelton shared many fascinating stories with his family about his service and the activities of the Ghost Army and he would be very proud of this honor if he were still alive.

“Receiving this Highest Honor, The Congressional Gold Medal, that one can receive is very humbling,” McKinney said. <

PowerServe volunteers gearing up for 2024 Windham projects

By Ed Pierce and Masha Yurkevich

Author Mitch Albom once wrote that love is how you stay alive, even after you’re gone. In the case of Windham High School student Shane Donnelly, his death has led to an outpouring of community service projects accomplished in his memory through an organization called PowerServe.

Shane Donnelly was 16 and a 
sophomore at Windham High School
when he tragically died in 2015. To
honor his memory, the organization
PowerServe was created to assist
people in need in Windham with
home repairs and other community
projects. This year's PowerServe
event will be April 27 and 
volunteers are needed to lend a hand.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

Shane Donnelly was just 16 and a sophomore at WHS when he passed away unexpectedly in May 2015. He cared deeply about his community and to show their love for him, his family joined Young Life students and Kristine Delano in organizing the first PowerServe in 2016, a one-day event where volunteers serve Windham area organizations and individuals who need assistance by performing various tasks from painting, yard work, and repairs. The first PowerServe event was only supposed to be a one-time occurrence but following an enormous volunteer response, it became an annual event growing to include hundreds of volunteers and dozens of projects each year.

“The purpose of the event is to come together and support and serve others. We had our largest turnout last year with over 300 hundred volunteers that supported 17 projects throughout the community,” said Bob Donnelly, Shane’s father. “The event this year will start at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 27 at the Windham Historical Society.”

He said the Power Serve team is always looking for more volunteers but more importantly, needs projects that they can work on for others in need.

“If you know of a person or group that is in need of help with a project, we clean trails, plant memorials, paint sheds, pick up trash, clean gutters, rake leaves, remove old structures, and repair decks,” Donnelly said. “We want to provide joy and bring smiles to those in need in our community. We want to help people from all walks of life and hope to make a difference so join us for this great event and nominate a project that we can help someone in the Windham area. Thank you so much for your support in growing this event.”

Kim Donnelly is Shane’s mother and serves as Volunteer Coordinator and Co-Director of the PowerServe event.

“My son Shane Donnelly was a student, athlete, kind young man and loving son. When he passed away unexpectedly at the age of 16, it was not only a shock to our family, but to the community and students at school,” she said. “Nothing can fill the void from Shane’s passing. However, being able to materially see the impact that this event has had on the students, individuals and our larger community does help to feel that he left his mark on this world. Having past classmates of Shane’s and current students come back to Windham to support one another and our neighbors is so heartwarming.”

She said PowerServe is such a gift and tribute to Shane’s memory.

“Shane loved the peace and beauty of the outdoors,” his mother said. “The projects that we do mean that our volunteers are working outside together to do good. It’s wonderful to see these students volunteer alongside local business teams, church members, teachers, friends, and families. It truly shows that Windham residences support one another.”

This year’s event will start at the Windham Historical Society gardens in Windham Center. Each volunteer will receive a PowerServe t-shirt and by 1 p.m. the projects wrap up and all volunteers are treated to a barbecue lunch at the Windham Historical Society.

“This is an opportunity to talk about the wonderful people you have supported as most love to come out and talk with the volunteers,” Kim Donnely said. “It gives you an amazing feeling of giving back to the community and those around us. You will also meet some wonderful people in your community who are volunteering alongside you.”

PowereServe Committee Member Anne Daigle said that she’s known the Donnelly Family for over 30 years and personally knew Shane.

“I felt compelled to do this in hopes that it would help to heal the family as well as the community,” Daigle said.

Past projects accomplished by volunteers involved cleaning up storm damage at Dundee Park, spring cleanups, painting softball dugouts, performing repairs on decks and steps and stacking firewood.

“Giving back and helping others is the heart of any community and having the students and other members of the community work together I believe gives us all a little hope that this coming generation is amazing,” Daigle said. “We help continually, and we are happy to help anyone in need.”

To sign up to volunteer for this year’s PowerServe event or to nominate a project to be worked on, visit https://www.facebook.com/PowerServePage/ or send an email to Powerserve@yahoo.com <

Retired Raymond Town manager proud of devoted service to community

By Ed Pierce

Don Willard wants to set the record straight regarding the rumors circulating about his departure as Raymond’s Town Manager.

Don Willard served as the Raymond Town
Manager for more than 23 years until his
retirement on Jan. 2. A party in his honor
will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday,
April 7 at the Boy Scouts of America's
Messer center at Camp Hinds in Raymond
and the public is invited to attend.
COURTESY PHOTO   

Willard says he’s not dying of a terminal illness or was fired from his position, the simple truth is that he spent some time last fall recovering from an illness and then decided to retire after 23 years of working for the Town of Raymond. His retirement became official Jan. 2 and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 7, the public is invited to a special party at the Boy Scouts of America’s Messer Center at Camp Hinds in Raymond to say goodbye and wish Willard and his family well in retirement.

“Living and working in Raymond has been a great experience and a wonderful place for my wife Megan and I to raise our son Holden,” Willard said. “I always thought, and often expressed my belief that the Town of Raymond has the capacity to achieve any and all desired goals.”

He said that with a new comprehensive plan on the horizon, a new universe of possibilities will be envisioned and ultimately approved by the voters in Raymond.

“I am certain this will include a continued commitment to environmental protection, as well as a range of quality-of-life issues,” Willard said. “In that regard, I am looking forward to staying actively involved in the community to help realize a new way forward and to see the town reach its full potential.”

Originally from Scarborough, Willard graduated from high school there and spent his first year of college at the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham before transferring to the University of Maine at Orono. He launched his career in municipal government as a paid intern in Scarborough, and then as an intern in Cape Elizabeth in 1981 while still an undergraduate in college.

After earning a college degree in Public Management, Willard served as a congressional intern in Washington, D.C. before being chosen as first Town Manager of the Town of Dixfield in 1983. Then in 1986, he became Town Manager of Rockport, a position he held until December 2000 when he joined the Town of Raymond as Town Manager.

“I have been quite fortunate to work with great elected officials in the past,” Willard said. “The early 2000s were a high watermark for community improvement. The town received an Economic Development Infrastructure Community Development Block Grant to extend the Portland Water District waterline from Windham to Raymond. In so doing, Raymond became the first new member town in 50 years.”

He said that achievement was a result of transformative and visionary elected leadership.

“Selectmen Betty McDermott, Ada Brown, and Christine McClellan also envisioned and supported the Route 302 improvement project, the new public safety building, and the town’s first major road rebuilding program which transformed the appearance of the town's main business area while improving both pedestrian and motor vehicle safety,” Willard said.

According to Willard, he will miss working for the town and says that he always sought to make myself visible and accessible to the townspeople.

“I made my cell phone publicly available and took calls 24/7 and 365 days a year over my tenure,” he said. “One time, I answered a citizen phone inquiry from the back of an ambulance, after a serious personal injury, while being treated on the way to the emergency room. I think people appreciated the fact that they could reach out and share their concerns with me at any time. I was committed to resolving issues and concerns efficiently and comprehensively, so they didn’t become problems for the Board of Selectmen.”

Being a town manager can be a difficult job, but Willard said what he liked best about it was that no two days were ever the same.

“Although the challenges were sometimes unpredictable, one commonality was that I always felt a great sense of satisfaction, making a difference in the communities that I served,” he said. “Having a job like that makes for a pretty good life. The town received extremely high citizen satisfaction ratings across the range of municipal services, while maintaining one of the lowest property tax rates in the region.”

Many employees for the Town of Raymond stayed in their jobs for years as Willard says he sought to create and maintain a positive work environment for his fellow employees, resulting in a sense of esprit de corps and extraordinarily low turnover.

“It was a pleasure to mentor and see many younger employees realize their career dreams,” Willard said “Treating those in need with respect and kindness, while providing guidance and support was a big part of the job and something I particularly enjoyed. If you approach the job of town manager with a dedication to service, commitment to upholding the law and standing for ethical behavior, that is really everything. You can never go wrong by doing the right thing. While I am proud of all the accomplishments over my 40-year career, none of them would have been possible without the support and assistance of others. If Raymond has been successful over my time here, it is because we have always had engaged and committed local government officials and a team of dedicated hardworking staff members.”

As in life, not everything went his way as Town Manager though.

“My greatest disappointment was the failure to achieve a modern and adequately sized municipal office,” Willard said. “Hopefully, when the middle school is vacated and turned over to the town, that goal, which was the top one when I was hired 24 years ago, will finally be realized.”<

RSU 14 vehicle donations promote community service

By Lorraine Glowczak

Promoting a culture of community engagement, the RSU 14 school district works to demonstrate by example the impact that educational institutions can have beyond the four walls of the classroom.

RSU 14's recent donations of a van and school bus to
the Windham Food Pantry and the Raymond Parks and
Recreation Department are intended to strengthen the
district's partnership with the local community.
 SUBMITTED PHOTO

Acknowledging the transportation requirements of the Windham Food Pantry for delivering food to elderly individuals and shut-ins, as well as facilitating ongoing educational opportunities through recreational activities, the district has donated a school van to the food pantry and a school bus to Raymond Parks and Recreation.

The district's dedication to academic excellence includes in its mission to instill values of compassion, service, and social responsibility among its students and staff.

“Community service has always been a focus and academic commitment of the school board,” RSU 14 Superintendent Christopher Howell said. “It’s the reason why it has been incorporated as a graduation requirement through the Capstone Project which integrates a service-learning component.”

Howell said that hands-on engagement in community initiatives not only fosters well-rounded graduates but also nurtures a sense of civic responsibility and empathy among its student body.

“We have always been supportive of student initiatives like PowerServe and clubs like the National Honor Society and Key Club of which community service is the focus,” he said. “Alongside endorsing service learning, the district aims to set an example through its actions.”

Typically, retired school vehicles are auctioned off. However, upon recognizing opportunities to serve the broader community with these vehicles, the district opted for donations instead of auctioning them off.

In 2022, Raymond Parks and Recreation received a donated RSU 14 school bus, supporting resources of this relatively new department within the Town of Raymond. Committed to serving its community, the department offers diverse learning activities, and the addition of the bus alleviates financial burdens by eliminating extra costs to town members.

“The bus has been a tremendous resource because it cuts down the cost we must charge our participants,” said Raymond Parks and Recreation Director Joe Crocker. “It allows us to take the transportation cost completely out of our program fees.”

The donated school bus primarily supports the department’s summer camp and winter ski programs.

The idea to donate a van to the food pantry emerged from a collaborative community meeting that addresses issues of homelessness and food insecurity within the school district. This RSU 14 Community Wellness Committee involves representatives from the school district, town officials, and businesses, who collectively brainstormed solutions to tackle these pressing challenges.

“The Community Wellness Committee meets three or four times a year,” Howell said. “It was during one of these meetings that we realized the challenges the food pantry faces when transporting food to shut-ins or to get food from the area stores and food banks. Because they have always supported our students, we thought it was imperative to also support them and their needs.”

Windham’s General Assistance Administrator Rene Daniel said that the Windham Food Pantry has been delivering food to shut-ins that had no means of coming to the pantry, but the donated van will allow the pantry to elevate itself to the next level.

“It will allow us to pick up generous donations from in and out of Windham,” Daniel said. “Also, we can now institute and implement visiting our senior housing communities by using the van, bringing the Windham Food Pantry to them where they reside.”

Daniel expressed his gratitude to the many individuals and organizations that assist the Windham Food Pantry as it works to eliminate food insecurity.

“It is our sincere appreciation to the Windham School Committee, the Windham Superintendent, and Windham Public Works for their dedication to our community,” Daniel said. “And to Marge Govoni for her continued 100 percent support of the Windham Food Pantry/Clothes Closet since its inception. Words are not enough to express our thanks.”

Howell said that the school district hopes that the recent vehicle donation initiative will inspire students with their service-learning ideas as well as nurture an ongoing sense of community partnership, strengthening the bonds between educational institutions and local communities. <

Author’s visit ignites literary and artistic excitement in elementary students

By Lorraine Glowczak

Two weeks ago, the second- and third-grade students at Raymond Elementary School (RES) and Windham Primary School (WPS) hosted a distinguished guest, John Patrick Green, the author and illustrator of the beloved graphic novel InvestiGators and Agents of S.U.I.T series.

Through engaging storytelling and illustration, Green not only entertained but sparked enthusiasm for reading among the students.

Windham Primary School third grader Carter
Caswell has eight books by graphic novelist
and illustrator John Patrick Green, who recently 
visited Raymond Elementary School and WPS
and gave a presentation to students. Carter
was able to have Green sign one of his books
for hm. PHOTO BY ASHLEY CASWELL  

RES third-grade teacher Carolynne Bacon said that Green engaged the audience by weaving humor into his stories, describing his early experiences of reading and illustrating during his elementary school years.

“The story of his youth resonated with the students, who recognized a few parallels between John's journey and their own, inspiring them to embrace their passion for graphic novels while fostering a love for reading," she said.

Bacon explained that Green promoted graphic novels as an authentic reading experience that enhances their vocabulary, improves reading appreciation, and helps to understand plot and character development like any other novel.

“Students experienced a boost of confidence upon realizing that graphic novels are also considered as ‘real’ literature,” she said. “They are often told that graphic novels are not ‘true’ books.”

Amy Jorgensen, a WPS third grade teacher agreed, sharing an additional way Green connected with the students.

“He engaged the students through illustrations, beginning with a drawing of Garfield while telling his origin story,” Jorgensen said. “Many students in the audience enjoy reading his books and his story made an impact. Some students bought signed copies as part of the event.”

One of those schoolchildren was WPS third grader Carter Caswell, who reads about two hours per day. He said that Green is one of his favorite authors, boasting a collection of eight books from Green's two prominent series.

Caswell shared a few highlights from the author’s visit.

“He told us that when he was a little kid, he was sick, so he drew a lot,” Caswell said. “He really liked to draw Garfield. He said he got so good at it that he started selling his drawings of the cat to his friends at school. The author got in trouble because his friends were spending their lunch money on his artwork. But he got in the most trouble because he did something called ‘copyrighting.’”

The author confirmed Caswell’s recollections.

“During my talk, I mentioned I had terrible asthma, and my allergies were really bad,” Green said. “I was diagnosed at 3 months old, spending a lot of time in emergency rooms throughout my youth with severe asthma attacks.”

Until medical advancements allowed him more freedom outdoors, Green spent most of his youth indoors reading and drawing his favorite comic strip character, Garfield.

“I got really good at drawing Garfield,” Green said. “Carter is right, my friends purchased my drawings with their lunch money. When the school called my mom to tell them that the children were spending their lunch money on my pictures of Garfield, she was a bit more concerned about another offense. She had to explain to me about copyright infringement.”

Jorgensen said that Green’s jovial authenticity and skill of connecting with youth inspired creativity in her students.

“He made them feel like they could write and draw comics because his passion for the arts was so contagious,” she said. “He highlighted the process of editing your work. Editing and revising is a difficult skill for learners at this age and he made it ok to rewrite a whole book, pictures, and all.”

Jorgensen also incorporated some of the inspiration of Green’s visit into her lessons for her students.

“I added some autographed copies of the "InvestiGators" series to my collection which they are welcome to put into their book boxes and use with care,” she said. “I also used his passion for editing and revising while finishing up publishing our recent books. Many learners were inspired to push through and really make it their best work.”

Caswell said he is currently working on a new project and could not contain his excitement about the way meeting his favorite author has inspired him.

“At school me and my friends are working on a project in art class and are making a comic called, “Gary and Grape,” he said. “I think we can make a really good comic strip out of this. We are even going to sell it just like the author did when he was a kid.” <

Newspaper surpasses 11-year anniversary in community

For not knowing much about journalism or the publishing industry when first creating a newspaper, the owners of The Windham Eagle are celebrating their 11th anniversary this month and continue to believe their work is essential and needed by the residents of Windham and Raymond.

The first edition of The Windham Eagle newspaper was
published March 1, 2013 and the publication remains
a positive and solutions-based newspaper covering
the communities of Windham and Raymond and
supported by local businesses in the area.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

Kelly and Niels Mank published the first edition of The Windham Eagle on March 1, 2013, and now more than a decade later, the couple remains focused on delivering positive and solutions-based news to readers. Headquartered in Windham at 585 Roosevelt Trail, the newspaper publishes 51 weekly editions every year along with a popular Summer Guide for the Sebago Lakes Region and serves as a host for the Eagle Choice Awards every summer.

“When we first started The Windham Eagle, we felt there was a need for a community publication to tell positive stories about our local residents,” Kelly Mank said. “There are so many negative things about this community that are publicized elsewhere but having a newspaper that emphasizes positive achievements and solutions-based news is a necessity and has led to our success.”

She said she had never thought about creating a newspaper before starting The Windham Eagle in 2013 but knew it had to be different for it to succeed.

“I remember talking about it initially and remarking that if we are going to do it, it is going to be different,” Mank said. “We wanted to create a publication that all ages could find something of interest in, and that would contain positive articles focused on the communities of Windham and Raymond. It would spotlight the youth and their accomplishments as they are the future, we would highlight the veterans and their history for their dedication to our community and we would partner with local businesses to help create a thriving local economy.”

According to Mank, many people were skeptical that such a newspaper could be sustainable. They told her that newspapers across America are dying, and that positive news isn’t real news and couldn’t work.

“With a lot of dedication and the commitment we made to ourselves and the community, we have survived,” Mank said. “The newspaper’s success did not come easy or without debt and sacrifice, however, it has proven to be a positive tool and resource for our towns, schools, families, non-profits, organizations and businesses.”

Advertising Director Melissa Carter joined The Windham Eagle in October 2013, having worked at other publications for many years, and said that the greatest misconception people may have about the paper is that it operates with much more of a crew than it actually does.

“Unlike most other publications, we are very a small staff. We do not have a large team of employees but manage to put out more pages on a weekly basis than any other single newspaper in Maine,” Carter said. “Readers may not realize that 100 percent of the newspaper’s revenue comes from supporting advertisers which is why we ask all our readers to support the local businesses they see in the paper.”

Carter said she loves her work with The Windham Eagle. She said she is passionate about working with local businesses, new and old, to help market and brand them so they can grow and succeed. As both the advertising director and designer Carter can deliver a level of service and expertise not found with other publications.

“Being able to get creative and come up with ideas to contribute to their overall success is challenging and rewarding,” she said. “I am not your average ‘salesperson’, in fact I went to school for graphic design and that is where much of my passion lies.”

Managing Editor Ed Pierce is the third of three different editors who have led the newspaper, following Michelle Libby and Lorraine Glowczak in that role.

Pierce has been with the newspaper since May 2020 and says working for a positive and solutions-based publication is refreshing.

“I started out in journalism in 1975 and one of my favorite jobs in my 49-year career was working for a small community newspaper,” he said. “This newspaper really is a throwback because once again I am telling stories about schools, churches, businesses, clubs, people with interesting hobbies and veterans who sacrificed everything so we can live in freedom.”

He said not writing about crime or politics allows him to focus on finding compelling articles that might not otherwise be published elsewhere or even heard about for that matter.

“Every day somebody sends me an email or calls us with a human interest story idea for the newspaper,” Pierce said. “I also enjoy working with our freelance writers to keep The Windham Eagle filled with great positive stories about this community.”

Carter said that The Windham Eagle is the only publication in the area that is direct mailed to every home and business in Windham and Raymond, making it an invaluable resource to the community.

“We saturate the market more efficiently than any other advertising source. I believe in our paper so much and wouldn’t be able to sell it to businesses if I didn’t,” she said. “We’re able to mail copies of the newspaper to every home because of the support of our advertisers. Because we circulate to 13,000 homes and businesses, there is no question as to who your ad will reach. We bring feel-good stories to the readers that they will not find anywhere else. When people see their neighbors, friends, family, and students in the paper, it creates a personal connection and is what makes us so unique and highly read. And our customers make us successful. Without them we would not be able to pay the high cost of mailing and printing so many copies. We have a loyal base that supports us week after week and for that I am grateful. The trust I have built with my clients is amazing.”

Lisa DiBase, a broker and the owner of Landing Real Estate in Windham, said having an outlet like The Windham Eagle has been invaluable for her company.

“This platform has served as a powerful channel through which we can reach our target audience and effectively communicate our brand message,” DiBiase said. “The Windham Eagle provides us with a local presence, allowing us to connect directly with members of our community. This localized approach is crucial for a real estate agency like ours, as building trust and rapport within the community is essential for attracting clients and closing deals.”

She said The Windham Eagle enhances Landing Real Estate’s credibility and visibility among potential clients.

“When individuals see our name and listings regularly in a reputable local publication, it reinforces the perception that we are a reliable and reputable real estate agency worthy of their consideration,” DiBiase said. “The Windham Eagle serves as a positive and reliable source of information for community events, news, and developments. By being present in such a publication, we not only promote our business but also demonstrate our commitment to staying informed and engaged with the local community. The Windham Eagle has provided us with a platform to effectively promote our business, showcase our listings and agents, and engage with the community. It has been instrumental in driving awareness, generating leads, and ultimately contributing to the success and growth of Landing Real Estate.”

Linda Manchester, the owner of The Good Life Market and Swift River Coffee Roasters in Raymond, says the newspaper has been a huge supporter of her businesses since they first opened, doing feature stories about them to let the community know what and who we were, and consistently coming up with creative and beautiful content for their advertising.

“The personal connection we’ve had with the staff at the paper has been amazing, it feels like they are truly in our corner, wanting to see us succeed,” Manchester said. “It’s meaningful that The Windham Eagle gives back to the community by doing fundraising ads, and highlighting the achievements of local people, organizations, and businesses. The fact that the paper shows up in every mailbox gives readers an effortless connection to each other, to the community, and to a simpler time, and reminds us that we’re all still here for each other. I love working with your paper, because I know and love this region, and I truly believe The Windham Eagle does, too.”

Chris McDonald, the owner of Windham Powersports, says he’s a believer in what The Windham Eagle newspaper does for his business.

"You can have the best product in the world and if no one knows about it, it won’t sell,” McDonald said. “The Windham Eagle has helped me get my brand out to their huge local audience. Customer Service is Key in business and Melissa at The Windham Eagle has provided top-notch service for me and my business. She has offered unique and creative advertising on a weekly basis for nearly a decade. Melissa and The Windham Eagle are like having an ace up your sleeve, helping you win with sales and customer relationships. Thank you to Melissa, and The Windham Eagle, for all you've done for Windham Powersports over the years."

The newspaper’s annual Eagle Choice Awards, where readers cast votes for their favorite and most trusted businesses in the region, remains as popular now as when it started, culminating with a gathering of award recipients hosted by The Windham Eagle. Last summer’s Eagle Choice Awards celebration was held for the first time at Erik’s Church in Windham and drew its largest crowd of several hundred people since the awards were launched in 2015.

The newspaper also sponsors regular advertising initiatives specifically intended to raise funds for local nonprofits and various charitable activities.

The Windham Eagle staff would like to thank their readers and advertisers for their ongoing support. See our celebration pages inside with a salute to more than 100 local businesses. Here’s to 11 more years. <

Windham Christian Academy student wins Maine 'Voice of Democracy' contest

By Ed Pierce

For the second consecutive year, a student from Windham Christian Academy has captured the state “Voice of Democracy” contest sponsored by the VFW and qualified to compete in the national “Voice of Democracy” finals in Washington, D.C. This year’s winner is Anna Seavey, 18, a WCA senior, and for her winning audio essay, she earned a $2,000 scholarship for college from the national competition.

Anna Seavey of Windham Christian Academy, center, receives
a $2,000 college scholarship during the national 2024 VFW
'Voice of Democracy' contest in Washington, D.C. She was
presented the award by the VFW National Commander Duane
Sarmiento, right, and VFW Auxiliary President Carla
Martinez on March 6. COURTESY PHOTO 

Seavey plans to use the scholarship to attend Southern Maine Community College this fall and plans to study early childhood education. She hopes to eventually teach at a daycare or preschool after college.

She said she was inspired to enter the local Voice of Democracy contest sponsored by VFW Post 10643 last fall after knowing several previous students at Windham Christian Academy who have won the contest in the past few years, including Hunter Edson of Windham, who won both the local and state contests last year.

“I was excited by the possible opportunities this contest offered including scholarships, a trip to Washington D.C., and meeting people involved with the VFW,” Seavey said.

Her 3- to 5-minute audio essay was based upon this year’s theme “What Are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy” and she said when she first heard about the topic, she was very excited to write about it.

The annual Voice of Democracy competition was established by the VFW in 1947 and encourages students to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society and provides students with a unique opportunity to express their own thoughts about democracy and patriotism with a chance to win college scholarship money. The national first-place scholarship prize is $35,000 and each year more than 25,000 students from across America submit audio essays for the competition.

According to Seavey, she was amazed when she learned that she had won the Maine Voice of Democracy.

“At first, I couldn't even believe that they read my name,” she said. “I was immediately filled with joy and excitement when I realized I would be going forward to the national level. I felt incredibly honored that I would get the opportunity to represent my state.”

The daughter of Michael and Maureen Seavey of Standish, Anna is the youngest of four children and says her family was excited to find out about her winning the state-level competition, the accompanying college scholarship and the all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete against other state winners.

“They were all incredibly supportive and encouraging to me as I prepared to go to Washington D.C. My parents were able to watch the parade of winners live, and my siblings watched from home on television. I am so thankful for the support they gave me.”

The national Voice of Democracy competition was held in Washington from March 2 through March 6 and Seavey’s parents accompanied her to the event.

“I learned so much from this trip. The most important thing that I learned is to not be afraid to try new things,” Seavey said. “Submitting my essay to this contest opened the door for an incredible, life-changing experience that I will never forget. I was also able to learn incredible things about our nation's history by visiting memorials in Washington D.C.”

In addition to the $2,000 scholarship she earned at the national level, Seavey received a $750 scholarship for winning the Maine Voice of Democracy and she also earned a $200 check from the Windham VFW for her win at the local level last November.

She said she’s considering using the scholarships she received for further education after she graduates from Southern Maine Community College.

VFW Post 10643 Commander Willie Goodman said he is impressed by how well Seavey represented Windham in the state and national competitions and very proud of what she has been able to accomplish.

“This year our VFW Post 10643 was thrilled to have chosen Anna Seavey to represent our post and move on to the district level. Anna then won at that level which meant she moved on to compete at the state level,” Goodman said. “We were ecstatic that Anna won, which meant she would be representing the State of Maine in a four-day all expenses paid trip for her and her parents to Washington, D.C.”

Goodman did not attend the festivities in Washington earlier this month, but said he watched it online and was impressed watching Anna march in with Maine’s VFW State Commander.

“Anna is a delightful young woman with an engaging personality and I’m sure this was an experience of a lifetime for her and her parents,” Goodman said. “They must be so proud of Anna, the person she is, the essay she wrote and in her delivery. Clearly, Anna is on her way to an extremely bright future and our post thanks her for her participation in our annual essay contest and allowing us to be a part of this incredible journey.” <

Country star Michael Ray performs at Erik’s Church to raise money for The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital

By Melissa Carter

Nearly 300 people gathered at Erik’s Church over the course of two days, March 5 and March 6, to take in the inspiring acoustics of Warner Music Nashville recording artist Michael Ray and raise funds for The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital of Portland.

Warner Music Nashville recording artist Michael
Ray performs at Erik's Church in Windham to
raise funds for the Barbara Bush Children's 
Hospital of Portland.
PHOTO BY MELISSA CARTER  

The concert was presented by Country 99.9 The Wolf radio for the third consecutive year and featured special guests Ashley Cooke on Tuesday and Meghan Patrick on Wednesday. The community came together to bring in a jaw-dropping $38,000 between donations, ticket sales and live auction for tickets to see Tim McGraw in Boston.

Kenny Cianchette, the owner of Erik’s Church, expressed his gratitude for having a venue capable of giving people a chance to come together for a good cause and experience an intimate night of fun and good music at the same time. Cianchette hosts various fundraising events throughout the year and said it’s just one of the reasons that he absolutely loves what he does being in the business.

Before taking the stage on March 6, Ray answered a few questions during an interview.

His humble demeanor was like talking to an old friend instead of someone who has traveled the country and played on renowned stages like the Grand Old Opry over 75 times.

Ray said this was not his first visit to Maine, but that he hasn’t really had the chance to explore the beauty here like he wants to and hopes to experience the many outdoor recreation opportunities that he loves here like hunting and fishing.

According to Ray, he was inspired by country music since he was a very young boy, having had the influence of his grandfather Amos who played guitar and formed a family country band. It was Amos that taught Ray to play guitar at the age of 9 and he began writing his own songs when he was 11.

In describing his creative writing process, Ray had to stop and think for a minute. “It kind of just comes in waves,” he said. “When I am touring, I am solely focused on performing, but when I get down time, I find that through conversations, experiences and dreams the words and rhythms just come to me.”

He said he has a bank of more than 100 unreleased songs and there is no end in sight.

Ray has performed with many big names in country music but said one of his personal favorite tours was “Higher Education” with friends and idols Kid Rock, Lee Brice, Tim Montana and Billy Gibbons. He said he would love to collaborate with Gary Allen someday as he has looked up to him since his early days of learning to play guitar and that his music always spoke to him.

Aside from playing with Gary Allen, Ray is hoping to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry and to start a family. For now, his basset hound Bo is the one who welcomes him to his Georgia home when gets breaks, which is only for about two months a year. On his down time, he enjoys grilling in his backyard and getting outdoors hunting turkey and duck.

He says the best advice he’s ever been given is “Trust your gut, trust the process.”

When Ray went on stage at Erik’s Church, he captivated the audience with his relatable lyrics and stories and showcased such genuine talent. His heartfelt performance and overall realness was something felt by all who attended the show.

Ray expressed his love of this region and of Erik’s Church for its hometown feel. He said the outpouring of community support here is evident and there is nothing he loves more than being able to bring people together through music to raise money for a good cause.

“That is what country music is about,” he said, “It’s about community, connection, and giving back. Playing on a small stage like Erik’s Church is a nice change, a chance to just kind of ‘shoot from the hip’ and be myself.” <

Windham varsity boys’ basketball team wins first AA state championship in program history

By Matt Pascarella

From the very start of the season, the Windham varsity boys’ basketball team showed they had what it took to go all the way. On Saturday, March 2 at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland during the AA state championship against Gorham, Windham fought hard for 32 minutes – forced overtime – and came away with the first gold ball in the program’s history after a 62-58 win.

Windham High's varsity basketball team celebrates after
winning the Class AA State Championship on March 2
at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. From left are 
assistant coach Noah Estey, Braycen Freese, Noah Mains,
Beni Ninziza, manager Paolo Ventura, Joseph Blige, Tyrie
James, Conor Janvrin, Ryan Smyth, Colin Janvrin, Erik
Bowen, Creighty Dickson, Matt Searway, assistant coach
Geoff Grigsby, head coach Chad Pulkkinen, Blake
McPherson, assistant coach George McCrillis (far right),
and bottom row from left are Quinton Lindsay, AJ Moody,
and Grant Coppi. PHOTO BY SGIRARDPHOTOGRAPHY 
  

“I dreamed about this when we were in middle school,” said senior Quinton Lindsay. “Always wanted a gold ball; just a perfect way to end the story. We were all together – we did not get down on each other, if we got down, we knew we would have fallen apart, we stayed composed and won the game. We just knew one stop at a time, one stop and we’d be champions – and we are.”

According to sophomore AJ Moody, being surrounded by the community is amazing; it brought them closer together as a team. Winning this state championship is the best feeling with his brothers and such great coaches.

“My mindset was that we were going to win,” said sophomore Tyrie James. “Every time we scored [toward the end of the game] the excitement was just there. Even if it was an open layup, everyone on the bench, the fans they would all get loud. It’s good to know people come to your games to watch your whole team play. Our defense was amazing, and our composure was good too; at the end of the game hitting free throws. There was just so much excitement [toward the end of overtime], we had to get psyched and celebrate.”

HARD WORK

Windham hit the court with tenacity; they knew what Gorham could do. Lindsay hit a three-pointer and soon Windham led 9-0.

“We knew that [Gorham] would go on runs, they’re a high-powered offensive team,” said senior Erik Bowen. “We just stayed together like we have all year. It's taken a lot of hard work, these seniors have battled together, been a tight-knight group for many years, friends on and off the court, there was no separation from grade to grade; it’s just one big family. Coach Pulkkinen always talks about be where your feet are and ... that’s how we got through this season - now we’re state champions, one day, one moment at a time.”

Moody hit a three-pointer and Lindsay scored again from the top of the key. After one quarter, Windham led 23-7.

“These guys are such a good group of young men,” said Windham assistant varsity coach George McCrillis. “Our loss to Gorham [in the regular season] we came out of that and said that might be a good thing ... it took us down a little bit ... those guys are going to be in our sights ... [Gorham] was the team we wanted to play in this game. I’ve been around this game for 55 years, I’ve been associated with some really good teams, but this is the greatest group of young men and coaches – Chad is so dedicated and puts in so much time; he coached these guys up for this game. And the support from the community has been unbelievable; it has a very big impact. We’re about a team.”

Gorham scored several three-pointers in the second quarter and made up the difference. Windham led 27-26 at the half.

As Windham took the court in the second half, they remained composed. They hustled, but not all shots were falling. This game was very close. Every time Windham scored the Cross Insurance Arena thundered with praise from supporters. The game was tied at 34, then Windham took the lead, then Gorham had the lead. Then the game was tied at 39.

Tensions were high as the clock wound down. Moody hit another three-pointer. With 53 seconds left, the game was tied at 49. Windham defense ran out the clock as they headed into overtime.

Senior Blake McPherson helped Windham pull away when he sunk a three-pointer. Lindsay sunk a foul shot. With two minutes left, Windham led by two.

Just 31 seconds remained and Windham led by three, then 27.5 seconds remained and Windham expanded that lead to five points and Gorham was unable to recover.

James finished with 17 points, 1 rebound, and was 11-13 at the foul line. Moody had 12 points, 2 rebounds, and was 4-4 at the foul line. Junior Creighty Dickson had 12 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and went 4-5 at the foul line. Lindsay had 10 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and was 2-6 at the foul line. McPherson had 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block and went 3-3 in the field during the fourth quarter and overtime.

RESILIENT

“They’re always coming back,” said assistant Windham varsity coach Geoff Grigsby. “I wasn’t worried when we were down 12 to Portland in the semifinal, I wasn’t worried when we were down five at the end of the game just because I know how resilient we are. I knew we were going to be good. I thought we could do this this year because our senior group was super special, and we had super talented young guys. They’re the best leaders we’ve ever had.”

Grigsby had nothing but amazing things to say about each senior on the team – their skill, work ethic and character.

To Windham varsity assistant coach Noah Estey, this game meant everything; being a teacher and coach is all about giving kids opportunities to be successful. To create memories and develop confidence in themselves. This is a special group of guys and Estey was honored to be a small piece of the historic puzzle. Coaches Pulkkinen, McCrillis, Grisgsby, students at Windham High and the community were a perfect and emotional way to end one of the best experiences of Estey’s whole life.

“It means everything to me because these guys got to experience it,” said Windham head varsity coach Chad Pulkkinen. “That’s all I wanted; I just wanted these guys to feel what they’re feeling right now and all the hard work they put in. We had so many alumni that I’ve coached that were reaching out wishing us luck and ... this group is very special and have set a standard for groups to come of how to play unselfishly and stick together and be good kids and most important that’s what they are, a great group of kids, who happen to be really good at basketball.”

Windham was led by great seniors who showed the younger guys the way. Pulkkinen has never been more confident in a team throughout a season than this one. <

Inspiring student travels path from dropout to nursing school

By Ed Pierce

When Rachel Doughty of Windham attends her first nursing class at Southern Maine Community College this fall, it will be the culmination of a journey of perseverance and determination.

Rachel Doughty speaks during the Maine Adult
Education Association Legislative Breakfast
in Augusts on Feb. 29. COURTESY PHOTO

Doughty, 22, shared her story at the annual Maine Adult Education Association Legislative Breakfast in Augusta on Feb. 29 and when she finished, there were few dry eyes in the room. She dropped out of high school, operates a small cleaning business called Dream Clean Maine, and is the mother of a young son, but decided that she wanted to become a nurse and would do whatever it takes to achieve her dream.

Not being comfortable as a high school dropout, Doughty pushed herself and adjusted her schedule to be able to earn her HiSET high school equivalency diploma with her family’s encouragement.

“I dropped out of Windham High School halfway through my junior year in 2018. At the time, I was in a sticky, tough spot in life. I was battling myself at such a young age and I made poor decisions and held onto bad relationships with the wrong crowd,” Doughty said. “Once I did drop out, I knew I made a mistake and would later regret it. I loved school, I loved my friends and teachers, and I actually missed school and even doing homework before I started going downhill with it. I was in a few honors classes, with English/Writing being one of my favorites. Once I dropped out, I regretted it all when I acknowledged how good I was doing before things got tough in my personal life.”

DEVASTATED

She was devastated when she noticed her classmates posting graduation pictures on social media only a year later in 2019.

“I was completely distraught and devastated. I cried for days and avoided opening Facebook or Instagram to see everyone’s photos,” Doughty said. “I wanted to be on that stage in my cap and gown with them all so bad. After the years went by and I had my son, Levi, I decided I needed to get my diploma to let go of that regret and push hard to make something better out of my regrets. I told myself that I needed to get my diploma and let it lead me to bigger and better opportunities in life.”

Enrolling with Windham/Raymond Adult Education, Doughty started by taking pretests in math, science, social studies, language and writing to determine what she already knew or remembered from high-school and to help give her teachers an idea as to how ready she was for the actual HiSET exams. She successfully passed all of her pretest exams and was then able to begin real testing for the HiSET.

"I passed every single real HiSET exam on my first try, except for math,” Doughty said. “I had to go back and do some tutoring in math with Jessica Conley before trying the math test again. On my second attempt at my math exam after all the tutoring, I passed.”

According to Doughty, every single one of her family members has supported her new-found interests with nursing and finishing school.

“On top of my own determination to get my HiSET, I had my mom and dad encouraging me the most,” she said. “My siblings and my friends were there to cheer me on. My dad, Dale Doughty, has been a firefighter for Windham nearly my entire life and he has his EMT credentials. I think his passion for helping others made him excited for me and my interest in the medical field. My mom has always been very supportive of me, and she always tells me that she believes I have a purpose that would surprise us both. I think I’ve pretty much nailed that by pursuing nursing.”

She says the decision to study nursing was easy because she already possesses a passion for helping others.

“I’ve always loved science and health, and when I begin to think about how incredible the human body is and how it functions, I am completely fascinated. The idea of being someone who plays a role, big or small, with helping someone to heal feels incredible,” Doughty said. “Becoming a nurse was never anything I imagined I could do without the help of Adult Education and the wonderful programs it has to offer. The free college program has proved to me that my life still has full potential, and I am capable of redeeming myself and creating a better future for my son and I.”

MOVING FORWARD

Her friends agree that Doughty has done the best that she can, and they are proud that she’s continuing to keep moving forward and upward in life, she said.

“Most of my friends also attended Windham High School and remember the time I dropped out. I know for a fact that they would all agree how I’ve come such a long way since dropping out. Back then, I never would’ve believed any of these great opportunities could happen to me. I never would’ve believed just how much I could grow and thrive out of the holes I had fallen into,” Doughty said. “I certainly never would have thought I would ever be in a position to pursue nursing and actually feel good about it. I hope I’ve surprised my friends as much as I have surprised myself with my accomplishments. I hope it inspires others who feel like they’re stuck or that they ‘can’t do that thing they’ve always wanted or dreamed of’ when I have truly discovered that you really can do anything you set your heart and mind to. I want to continue to prove to myself that I can be something incredible and I can do incredible things, all because I haven’t given up, and that’s all it takes. Just never give up and you will get exactly where you want to be.”

Her most endearing memory from her Windham/Raymond Adult Education journey is the satisfaction of receiving her diploma.

“That feeling I had when I passed all of my HiSET exams was exhilarating. It felt like a weight being lifted off my shoulders, coming from all of the regrets I had after dropping out and finally making it so many years later,” she said. “I will also never forget when Tom Nash invited me to publicly speak at the Legislative Breakfast event, and writing my own speech about my journey because he and Jessica Trimmer said I was an ‘outstanding, star student.’ I loved attending that event, it was at the Senator Inn in Augusta, the event started as early as 7 a.m. so Windham/Raymond Adult Education offered to pay for my own room within the Senator Inn so I wouldn’t have to drive the long commute so early in the morning. I will never forget any of the gratitude the people and program showered me with and the honor that I felt.” <