Windham attorney wins National United States Mrs. 2025 Pageant

By Ed Pierce

It’s hard to stop Katie Winchenbach. After winning the title of United States of America’s Mrs. Maine for 2024, the Windham resident was crowned National United States Mrs. 2025 at the National United States Pageant, held in Hershey, Pennsylvania from July 28 to Aug. 1.

Windham resident Katie Winchenbach, a
corporate attorney, has won the National
United States Mrs. 2025 Pageant and was
honored with the pageant's 'Diamond Crowns
Making An Impact ™ Award' for
outstanding community service work. 

Winchenbach is corporate attorney for a Fortune 500 company, a fashion designer, an international speaker and hosts her own podcast. She is widely recognized for her mission to empower and inspire rising women leaders of all ages and through her work, she blends professional expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and heartfelt advocacy for women’s leadership and confidence-building.

“In 2024 I competed for the United States of America (USOA) pageant system. This time I competed in the National United States pageant,” Winchenbach said. “I chose to switch to National United States because the pageant has a significant community service focus through the ‘Crowns Making an Impact’ initiative and I felt that it was more closely aligned with my personal values and goals.”

Beside winning the national title, Winchenbach was honored at the pageant with the Diamond Crowns Making an Impact ™ Award for her dedication to volunteering and community service. She is passionate about advancing women’s leadership, breaking barriers, and inspiring confidence in women of all ages.

Winchenbach is the founder of Lead Fearlessly, a movement and podcast dedicated to elevating women’s voices, sharing stories of resilience, and providing actionable strategies for personal and professional growth. She is also the designer behind a new clothing line created to inspire confidence through bold, empowering designs.

Beyond her professional achievements, Winchenbach is deeply involved in numerous community organizations. She actively volunteers her time and expertise to initiatives that promote leadership development, mentorship, and education for women and girls. As National United States Mrs. 2025, she said that she looks forward to traveling nationwide to speak, mentor, and collaborate with organizations committed to empowering women.

“This title means more than a crown and sash. To me, it’s a platform to encourage women to embrace their full potential, trust their intuition, and step boldly into leadership,” Winchenbach said. “I’m honored to represent the National United States Pageant system and to connect with women across the country who are ready to lead fearlessly.”

She says that deciding to compete for the National United States Mrs. title gave her the opportunity to evaluate the impact I was making on my community and challenged her to find new ways to tap into my passion for supporting rising women leaders.

“As a result, I created a podcast titled Lead Fearlessly in which I invite women leaders from all over the world to share their stories, their struggles, and their tips,” Winchenbach said. “My goal is to give women all over the world the leadership support that I once needed. This podcast has opened so many doors for me including giving me the opportunity to present my first TEDx talk on leadership and confidence next year and partnering with Supermodels Unlimited for New York Fashion Week and Miami Swim Week events and a clothing line titled Fearless by Katie Winchenbach.”

Along with her husband Jared, she moved to Windham in 2021. She was born in Maine and grew up in the small town of Milford, near the University of Maine Orono. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Maine, a Juris Doctorate law degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hofstra University.

According to Winchenbach, she is humbled to have the support of her family, friends, and community and she loves to stay busy, so she doesn't have a lot of downtime.

“When I do get down time, I love being out on the water on my paddleboard,” she said. “My husband got me an inflatable one a couple of years ago and I love it. I try to get out on the Presumpscot River on the weekends, do paddle board yoga in Casco Bay, and every once and a while bring my rescue pup out for a ride. My family and friends have been incredibly supportive of my pageant journey.”

By competing in pageants such as the National United States Mrs. 2025, Winchenbach is following the footsteps of her late mother.

“My mom competed in a Mrs. pageant when she and my dad were just married,” she said. “She passed away from cancer in November 2022, so this is a really nice way for my family to be able to come together again. They cheered her on over 30 years ago and now they get to cheer me on.”

Her husband has been so incredibly supportive, not just of her pageant participation, but of all the things that have stemmed from that.

“He was front row in Miami when I launched my clothing line, he holds down the fort at home when I travel for appearances and events, and of course, he was right there in the audience when I won this national title,” she said. “I've poured a lot of time and effort into my podcast, my service work, and my pageant preparation. I wouldn't be able to do that without knowing he has my back.”

Winchenbach is optimistic about the future and where it will take her.

“This is a really difficult question because if you asked me even 5 years ago if I thought I would be a national titleholder I would've said no. I just wasn't thinking boldly enough,” she said. “I do know that I want to keep supporting inspiring women leaders. I was fortunate enough to be the keynote speaker for the Maine Department of Corrections Women's Summit and I'm looking forward to more speaking engagements and leading more workshops. I'm also excited to continue serving as President of Women Standing Together Maine and to grow our flagship event, the Leadership Intensive. My goal is to launch a second Leadership Intensive in the central Maine area and to expand the reach of Women Standing Together to all of New England and maybe even the whole United States. And I definitely plan to continue growing my podcast. I know there are so many inspirational women out there who want to share their story and even more women who will benefit from hearing those stories.”

As far as what she’s learned about herself by competing in pageants, Winchenbach says that she feels empowered.

“I didn't realize that I had put myself in a box. I think when you are in a male-dominated field like the legal profession it's easy to get caught up with trying to fit in and I definitely did that,” she said. “It wasn't until I started competing in pageants that I realized I wasn't being my full, authentic self. I have always loved fashion, modeling, and design. I actually went to undergrad with the goal of becoming a fashion writer. When I joined the legal profession, I felt like I had to leave that part of me behind, but pageantry made me see that wasn't the case. I finally found the confidence to show up as who I was meant to be. Now I'm proud to be a successful attorney and a podcast host, model, designer, and advocate for women.”

The National United States Mrs. Pageant celebrates women of all ages for their achievements, leadership, and contributions to their communities, providing a platform for personal growth and public service and Winchenbach said she admires the qualities that the pageant stands for.

​“I am honored to hold the title of National United States Mrs. 2025, using my platform to advocate for women leaders, raise awareness of my podcast, and share the knowledge I have learned throughout my career,” she said. “Every woman has the potential to achieve great things, and my mission is to help them unlock it.” <

Windham Primary School to start school year with popsicles

By Dina Mendros

It doesn’t get much better for kids on a summer day than enjoying an icy cold popsicle. To keep the summer fun going before heading back to school, Windham Primary School will once again be holding “Popsicles on the Playground with Principals” on Monday, Aug. 25. Two days after that on Aug. 27 is the official first day of school for first- through third-graders. Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students start after Labor Day with half the students on Sept. 2 and the other half on Sept. 3.

Windham Primary School will once again be conductiing
the 'Popsicles on the Playground with Principals' event
to welcome students and their families back to school
from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 25.
COURTESY PHOTO  

According to WPS Principal Dr. Kyle Rhoads, a lot has taken place while students were having fun during summer vacation.

Some students didn’t have the whole summer off as a number were attending summer school. “Summer Academies, both online and in-person, were successful and well-received by families,” Rhoads said. “Like during the school year, our concerted efforts to support students make a difference. Impressive work indeed! Thanks to all the staff for their help this summer.”

There will be some new faces during the 2025-2026 school year. New WPS teachers include Pre-K teacher Tatum Ledue; Special Education teacher Ashley Dunham-Conway; Grade 1 teacher Kim Courtemanche; music teacher Sara Wolfe; part-time music teacher Marie Jacques; and part-time music teacher Eric Yim. Other new WPS staff members include Special Education Site Coordinator Kim Guptill; school psychologist Kaylee Jipson; and Special Education Ed Tech Amanda Day.

In addition to new faces some physical changes took place at the school over the summer. “The construction crews, tech department and custodial crews have been very busy getting our school ready on time,” Rhoads said. “Our school has been under construction with roof upgrades and a new gym floor. Many of our spaces have gotten a new paint job, too.”

WPS is one of the largest elementary schools in the state with about 780 registered students for school this fall. It serves students from Pre-K through third grade. The school's core values are teamwork, growth, creativity, and acceptance, with learners at the center.

Among the changes this year is the addition of a Pre-K classroom. “We are adding one Pre-K classroom because we had the chance to expand the overall RSU 14 Pre-K program,” Rhoads said. “In the future, we will expand Pre-K classes at Windham Primary School. Our program is just beginning, and it is exciting to welcome our first 4-year-olds.”

The school will be using the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) model for the second year.

“The model has been research-based for over 20 years and addresses the needs of students by strengthening teacher-student relationships and using real-time data to inform interventions,” Rhoads said. “However, successful implementation requires expert coaching and support. Teaching staff will have two full days of training with the organization this year.

Before the school year starts, students and their families will have a change to meet with Principal Rhoads and Assistant Principal Diana Jordan and other WPS staff at the “Popsicles on the Playground with Principals” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 25. The event will include school tours, directions for the Parent Square app, playing on the playground, and of course, popsicles.

Rhoads said he started the event when he first became principal of WPS in 2008. “I used this event as one of my first opportunities to get to know the families of students. The following summer staff and families shared that they hoped I would continue the event. I decided to continue it. When our new playgrounds were built, it also became an opportunity to celebrate and enjoy them, too.”

“Popsicles with the Principal highlights many important parts of our school community,” he said. “Most importantly, it provides a great chance for the students, staff and families to reconnect after summer and build new relationships while enjoying popsicles and our beautiful playgrounds! We are looking forward to this opportunity to meet with the students and their families. The event is an indicator that school is returning, and summer is winding down.”

Later in the fall the annual WPS Fall Festival free school community event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 25. Other family events for the year can be found at tinyurl.com/mw4a56x7.

Those wishing to volunteer at WPS for the first time should contact the office at 207-892-1840 or attend the Volunteer Orientation scheduled for Sept. 17 in the school library from noon to 6 p.m. <

WHS graduate brings high school swing dance back for second year

By Masha Yurkevich

While having a way of dealing with stress is important for everyone, it is especially important for the high school age. Greta Paulding, a 2023 Windham High School graduate, found swing dance to be her way of not only coping with stress, but also noticed improvements physically, mentally, and socially.

Members of the Windham Swing Dance Club perform a line
dance during a recent session at the Windham Town Hall Gym
The club is for high school students and recent graduates. 
SUBMITTED PHOTO

This is the second year that Paulding has served as president of the Windham Swing Dance Club, a group she founded. When she left for college in the fall of 2023, she decided to join a swing dance club for an extra-curricular activity and found that she not only enjoyed it, but also noticed improvements in her life mentally, physically, and socially. She decided to bring the idea back home when she came to Windham for summer break and started a high school swing dance club, open for incoming high students, current high school students, and recent graduates.

Paulding blocked off the Windham Town Hall gym on Wednesday evenings between 7 and 9 p.m. during the summer to hold her swing dance club.

“We started off very small with is group of around eight people,” says Paulding. “It was small, but the people who attended were loyal and would invite other people; we had a lot of fun. Coming back this year, we have grown to between 20 to 30 regulars and about 20 attendees each event.”

Swing dancing is known for its energetic and playful nature, use of triple steps (three steps in two counts of music), partnerships and social interaction, variations of turns and spins, arm flourishes and the potential for acrobatic moves like flips and dips.

Since the club’s inception, students from South Portland, Durham, and even students from New Hampshire have traveled to swing dance with the Windham Swing Dance Club.

“It was my anxiety that made me think about the friends that I had in high school and how many of them struggled with anxiety and depression,” says Paulding.

Through her high school swing dance club, Paulding has created an environment where high school students can stay physically active, meet new people within their age group, and get out of their comfort zone in a place where they feel comfortable.

“Even people who are more introverted come to just check it out, people who do not expect that they would be dancers and end up falling in love with it just like I did,” Paulding says.

After learning new dance moves each evening, there are also a few staples that show up, such as the line dance.

“We do certain dances to certain songs, and we do the line dance to the song ‘Stuck like Glue’ and everyone recognizes it from the first beat and they all line up to do the line dance. It is definitely a cardio workout, but it is so much fun,” says Paulding. “It is easy to pick up but gives you a feeling of belonging because now you know the big group dance, which adds to the feeling of community.”

Paulding also administers the club’s social media account that is currently updated with photos, videos, and information. Their social media can be found on Instagram @windhamswingdance.

“Windham swing dance has fostered an excellent community. The runners of this show are fantastic teachers and have created a safe space to learn a new skill and get out of the house during summer break,” said swing dance club member Devyn Doyle. “Swing dancing is not only fun and easy to learn, but it has also been a great opportunity to make new friends. I love Windham Swing Dance.”

Other club members agree.

“Swing Dancing was truly the highlight of my summer. I got to learn, laugh, and dance with friends, and I now have a lifelong skill,” says Iris Hubbard, also member of the swing dance club.

While Paulding is going back to college next week, she plans on returning home next summer in May and continuing to run the club.

“My goal is to have a team of volunteers by next summer that know the moves and dances and can keep the club going for summers to come,” says Paulding. “I see that it has made a positive impact, and I think that it would be worthwhile for it to continue.” <

Statewide alliance provides valuable guidance for private road residents

By Dina Mendros

Private roads are prevalent throughout Maine, especially in the Lakes Region. They are so commonplace in Windham and Raymond that both towns have resource pages on their town websites providing information about how to form a road association, references to state statutes regulating such roads as well as how to get in touch with the Maine Alliance for Road Associations.

Terrace Road at Thomas Pond is a privately
maintained road off Route 32 in Raymond 
and administered by a road association for
sharing costs of plowing, grading and
upkeep. PHOTO BY JIM BUNTIN 

The alliance, known as MARA, provides a wealth of information on road associations from how to form them to helping provide solutions for individuals and associations when problems arise.

MARA is a nonprofit corporation with a volunteer board of directors. It was formed in 1998 by Betsy Connor Bowen. “The alliance,” according to the MARA website, “is an online volunteer-sponsored community in response to the need to disseminate information to property owners who wish to form road associations for sharing maintenance costs of private ways under the continually evolving statute.”

MARA board member Andrew “Sandy” Allen says the organization helps members deal with “the challenges in common that face the people living along private roads in Maine, whether they belong to an informal road association, or a statutory road association, or a nonprofit corporate road association. Allen says they are concerned with road maintenance and sharing of expenses, understanding the laws that apply to road associations, and state laws.

He says they often have neighbor disagreements, and differences of opinion that we need to resolve to move forward with our maintenance in harmony and have a need for resources and answers to questions about the state laws that are now in existence.”

“MARA,” Allen said, “is formed to help answer questions that road association members might have and to provide perhaps some solutions to those problems that they might face.”

Maine’s road association statutes go way back stemming from archaic statutes having to do with private ways, MARA board member Roberta Manter said.

“Private ways were roads that were laid out at the request of an individual whose property was not yet connected to the public road system. Through changes in legislation and court cases it got to a point where the statutes didn’t apply to anything anymore,” she said. “Many people from lake associations and some other people went before the legislature and said, ‘look right now these statutes don’t apply to anything but it would be very useful if you just reworded it so they would apply to private roads rather than these private ways.’

“Although informal road associations may be successful for some owners, MARA favors the more formal ‘Statutory’ structure permitted by the Private Ways Statute,” according to the alliance website,” Manter said. “This statute offers road association governance through democratic processes, cost-sharing that is enforceable, and gravel road maintenance that is sustainable and environmentally friendly.”

Statute 23, sections 3101 through 3106, lays out how statutory road associations are formed and run. It also covers what happens when a private road property owner neglects to pay required fees for road maintenance, which can involve civil action; and it describes how a notice of claim at the county registry can be attached to the land for unpaid fees which must be paid upon the transfer of the land.

MARA is important because “many towns have more private roads than public roads,” Allen said.

In Windham, about 115 miles of roadways, roughly half, are private roads, according to Town Manager Robert Burns. He says that figure, which is from 2021, includes roads which are totally private as well as roads with public easements. Of the 108 private roads, 95 have public easements which allow the town to provide winter maintenance such as snow plowing.

According to Allen, private roads are very prevalent in Maine in part because of their expense, an expense that often municipalities don’t want to take on. When subdivisions are built, often the developer is responsible for building the road. Sometimes a town or city will accept a road as public and take on the expense for maintaining the roadway. However, even if a community had the will to do so, such roads would have to be built to the municipality’s standards, with shoulders, room for emergency vehicles, etc., and many private roads are not built to those standards.

To learn more about the Maine Alliance for Road Associations or become a member, go to the website maineroads.org. MARA’s website has resources regarding private road state laws, guidance on how to form a statutory road association, templates for road association bylaws, a discussion forum where members can post questions and other members can post answers and more.

In addition, to provide more information to its members the alliance holds an annual conference where attorneys, Maine Department of Environment Protection staff members and others hold workshops on specific topics like road maintenance and keeping roads environmentally friendly, liability insurance for road associations, conflict resolution, and more.

This year’s MARA conference will be held Oct. 4 at Maple Hill Farm Inn and Conference Center in Hallowell. To register or for more details, go to maineroads.org/ <

Triumph over Tragedy: Windham family copes with devastating adversity

By Ed Pierce

Faith can provide the foundation for resilience and hope and teach us lessons about life when the future seems impossible. That’s something that a Windham family discovered over the past year while undergoing a personal ordeal that tested their faith and strengthened their resolve.

Ethan March who grew up with his parents
Brian and Kathleen March in Windham,
became paralyzed from the waist down 
when he fell off a roof in a workplace
accident a year ago. He is learning to
cope with his injury and with the help
of his parents and others he is hoping
to become a pilot someday.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Brian and Kathleen March of Windham were going about their lives last summer when their son, Ethan, 22 at the time, was working as an electrician and was installing solar panels off grid on a roof in Kingfield on July 30, 2024 when he suddenly fell 20 feet to the ground. He sustained multiple breaks in his T-11 vertebrae which smashed and put pressure on his spinal cord.

Trying to understand the seriousness of what had happened devastated the family. Ethan, who was less than a year into starting his career, was left paralyzed and struggling to cope while his parents did their best to lift his spirits and motivate him to go on.

“One of the hardest things for me is not being able to make things better for him,” said his mother, Kathleen March. “I can't heal his broken heart. I can't promise or even tell him he will get better because it's an unknown of time and faith. It's been hard to see our son who was just beginning his life in his chosen career, enjoying it and doing well to lose it all, including the possibility to be able to return to that job as he did it.”

Brian March said that the most challenging aspect of the situation for him as a father was watching his son suffer.

“Not just the struggles with getting in and out of the car and our house but thinking he may never walk again therefore not experiencing the feeling of sand under his feet or the snow under his skis or even just standing up to give me a hug,” he said.

And for Ethan, he says coming to terms with his injury and its implications was tough.

“The mental anguish of recognizing I'm going to be like this in this condition for the rest of my life is difficult,” he said.

As parishioners at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Windham, Brian and Kathleeen March prayed and placed their faith in God to help their son overcome the trauma and give them strength and hope.

Just before Thanksgiving, Ethan moved into an extended stay hotel in Portland in a handicapped suite with a tiny kitchenette.

“It’s far from ideal and there are still challenges with the layout of this suite for functioning with his wheelchair,” his mother said. “It’s difficult such as not being able to roll under the counters or the stove, not being able to reach most of the cabinet shelves, and in general just tight quarters for movement. The staff at the hotel have been great at trying to work with him to accommodate his individual needs. They treat Ethan and us like family and with kindness and generosity.”

In late December, American Legion Post Adjutant Dave Tanguay attended a coffee social after church with Kathleen March, and she updated him about Ethan.

“We were shocked to hear that Ethan had fallen earlier from a roof while installing solar panels and sustained severe back injuries requiring multiple surgeries and months of rehab,” Tanguay said. “Kathleen mentioned that Ethan was now in a handicapped-accessible hotel in Portland and was still undergoing therapy. The Windham Field-Allen Legion Post 148 had a small collection of support items for veterans including a motorized wheelchair.”

Tanguay said the equipment is normally held to support a veteran in need, but in this case, it was a local veteran family who needed support for their son.

“I asked if she might be interested in a particular chair that had the ability not only for mobility but allowed the user to stand and remain mobile,” he said. “I checked with Post Commander Tom Theriault to see if the chair was still available and the March family made plans to pick the chair up on Jan. 2. By the end of the day, Ethan had the chair and was actively checking out its capabilities with his physical therapist.”

Kathleen March said that the donation of the motorized wheelchair was provided at the perfect time.

“It was early into Ethan's time being back in Maine and being the winter season, the motorized chair helped Ethan to get through some snowy weather,” she said. “Portland is full of hills, so trying to manually wheel himself up those hills was exhausting and difficult. “The motorized chair meant he could meet up with friends at the coffee shop on his own without needing to transfer to a car and back again or need to be pushed by someone else. The motorized chair provided more independence in some ways. This chair also allowed for Ethan to rise to a somewhat standing position, which could help him reach some things up high a little easier in the hotel.”

Eventually, Ethan’s physical therapists advocated for a non-moving standing apparatus for exercise and strength development and the family returned the motorized wheelchair to the American Legion to provide the opportunity to another veteran family in need.

“It was an incredibly generous gift of kindness. We are very grateful to have had the opportunity to have had such a valuable gift to be able to have the freedom of independence that it provided at a prominent point in Ethan's recovery,” Kathleen March said. “As an active 22-year-old that had only recently left his daily rehab facility to be able to feel more independent was simply amazing. There is nothing that would come close to reciprocating the value of what this gift was at the time that we received it. We are very grateful to the American Legion, and ‘Thank You’ doesn't seem big enough.”

Now a year after his accident, there has been no change regarding Ethan’s physical situation, but his spirits are unusually amazing. His parents say he does pretty good navigating the challenges of everyday life and tries not to let things get him down, although there are certainly moments that come and go.

“Spinal cord injuries affect so many aspects of how our bodies can function,” his mother said. “Unless you experience life in a wheelchair yourself or care for a person who is handicapped in this way, most people never really understand the magnitude of the situation day to day and how many obstacles there are to navigate out in public and how many limitations are set before you.”

Both Brian and Kathleen are doing OK and in a better place today.

“Life is full of ups and downs. Brian and I are people of strong faith and trust in God,” Kathleen March said. “In this difficult situation, God has already shown us his grace through our brothers and sisters in Christ and their prayers. We have seen the face of Jesus in neighbors as well as strangers through their kindness. There are still many challenges to work through both for us and especially for Ethan and we know that we are in God's hands. If we allow him, by continuing to trust in our relationship with him, God will make a way for the road to be less bumpy leading us to a beautiful place.”

She said the hardest part as parents is having patience as they navigate the critical aspects of what Ethan still needs like his adapted vehicle and their home revamped to meet all their needs as their son continues to visit with his siblings for all occasions.

“There are still so many other devices and things to navigate in his life including re-education to find a new life career and exploring his previous interests from a new perspective,” Brian March said.

Ethan says he’s grateful for everything his parents have done to help him, and that he is determined to forge a new life for himself.

“My new career plan is to do everything I can to become a commercial pilot," he said. <

RSU 14 music teachers attend four-day workshop at Carnegie Hall

By Ed Pierce

The distance between Windham and New York City is about 300 miles, but it was a trip worth taking this summer for some local music educators.

Four music teachers from RSU 14 recently attended the
Summer Music Education Workshop at the Weill Music
Institute of Carnegie Hall in New York City. From left
are Simon Roussel, Dr. Richard Nickerson, Mary Reed and 
Morgan Riley. They spent four days in New York City with
educators from around the world exploring the theme of
'Joy in the Music Classroom' through community, 
empowerment, innovation and process.
COURTESY PHOTO   

Four RSU 14 music teachers, Simon Roussel, Dr. Richard Nickerson, Mary Reed and Morgan Riley, joined educators from around the world participating in the Summer Music Educators Workshop at the Weill Music Institute of Carnegie Hall from June 28 to July 1. The theme for the event was “Joy in the Music Classroom” through community, empowerment, innovation, and process.

The four-day workshop was held at Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing and provided music teachers with the opportunity to expand the impact and breadth of their work with young musicians. Sessions for participants explored how can music educators create joyful learning environments that inspire and sustain a lifelong love of music among their students and how can expressions of joy in the classroom empower deeper learning and discovering what joy looks and sounds like in a music classroom.

RSU teachers joined Carnegie Hall faculty members and guest professional musicians in a series of musical and professional training activities while engaging in workshops with student ensembles, visiting faculty and attending Carnegie Hall concerts. The workshop’s purpose is to reinvigorate the individual artistry of teachers, strengthening their teaching practice and fostering connections with peers.

“This was my fourth time attending the Weill Institute at Carnegie Hall and each time I have found it to be inspiring and informative,” said Dr. Richard Nickerson, Windham High School’s Director of Choral Activities. “This year, I wrote a grant which enabled several other RSU 14 music staff members to attend. We spent four days networking and sharing ideas with other music educators from across the world. We also took classes and participated in music making activities with distinguished faculty members. To top it all off, we were in a space that is one of the most historically significant places in American musical history.”

Nickerson said each time he attends the Summer Music Educators Workshop at the Weill Music Institute of Carnegie Hall, he returns feeling energized and excited about starting a new school year.

Morgan Riley, Windham Middle School’s band and orchestra teacher, said that workshop sessions were well-organized and the presenters were all highly qualified music educators and included some Broadway performers.

“The workshop focused on how to improve students and teachers sense of joy in their instrument playing, singing, movement, composing and improvising,” Riley said. “One session was presented by Dr. Janet Kim, conductor of the University of Connecticut Symphonic Wind Ensemble geared toward rehearsal techniques to encourage student's music listening skills, guiding students to detect what needs improvement themselves instead of always being told by the conductor.”

She said that session brought to light the way teachers talk about music with students and how it could be less conductor-centered and more music-centered.

“We were encouraged to ask more questions like ‘What is the music asking for in this section’ and ‘Where are the dynamics leading us?’ All of these things encourage a ‘shift from control to curiosity.’ I learned many things in this session I will use in my rehearsals at Windham Middle School.

Riley said another excellent session she attended was led by Alysia Lee, director of the Sister Cities Girlchoir in Philadelphia, Camden, and Baltimore and it focused on movement and simple dance as a way for students to connect with one another and bring joy to the classroom.

“I attended a session led by Sbongiseni Duma and Tshidi Manye, two performers from the Zulu nation who have been performing as part of "The Lion King" Broadway cast for many years,” Riley said. “We learned a traditional Zulu song and were taught how to sing along in a traditional manner. The call and response type song in many cultures includes one singer demonstrating and the group singing back the exact same musical line. In the Zulu tradition, one singer demonstrates the melody, and all the responses are in harmony. That takes great listening skills, and it didn't take long before we were responding in beautiful harmonies together.”

Another fantastic session featured Brian Drye, an award-winning jazz trombonist, pianist and educator based in New York City. Riley said that his session required everyone to bring a musical instrument, and he took us through the very beginning of teaching improvisation.

“Many classically trained musicians like me are used to having to play exactly what's on the page and that improvisation is intimidating,” she said. “Brian showed us a step-by-step low-stress approach that had us all playing improvised solos with ease by the end of the session.”

According to Riley, all of the RSU 14 music educators took something positive away from attending the workshop.

“Every good teacher knows that they are never finished learning,” she said. “I was thrilled to learn a great amount and my students will have a better learning experience because I went to the Summer Music Educators Workshop. I hope to attend next year and beyond.” <

Young boat builder realizes dream of creating first vessel

By Ed Pierce

If dreams are the touchstone of our character, then Brysen Sheridan, 10, has a very bright future ahead of him and because of his persistence and determination, his dream of building a boat and taking it out on the water has come true.

Brysen Sheridan of Raymond, 10, right. takes his younger
brother Benny, 5, fishing on his boat 'the unsinkable' in a
small cove near Jordan Bay. He conceived the idea and built
his own boat after working shoveling snow and mowing
lawns to earn enough to buy materials to make the boat.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

Brysen just completed fourth grade at Raymond Elementary School and will be in fifth grade at Jordan-Small Middle School this fall. He has spent much of the past 10 months designing his own boat and working to pay for materials to build it.

The son of Rob and Chanelle Sheridan of Raymond, Brysen came up with the idea for a small boat last fall.

“I just had the idea and wanted to make it happen,” he said. “I thought of the idea before bed one night and I drew it out and started making it the next day.”

The first obstacle he had to overcome in his plan was figuring out how to pay for the building materials he needed to construct the boat and then saving up to purchase them.

Throughout the winter, Brysen shoveled snow from driveways and sidewalks for his neighbors and helped them with yard work. As the weather slowly warmed up this spring, he earned some additional money from mowing lawns and stacking firewood.

After school officially ended for the summer in June, Brysen discovered that he finally had saved enough money to purchase the materials he needed for the boat.

“We went to the store I bought them with my money,” he said.

Working steadily in his family’s garage and outside in his yard from his initial design, the boat project began to take shape.

“I needed some help with the circular saw, and then I had some leaks when I first put it in the water, but I used Flex Seal to fix that,” Brysen said.

The project was wrapped up on July 11 and resulted in a vessel measuring about 6 feet by 2 feet.

He named his new boat “the unsinkable” and tested it out with his family watching to ensure it was safe to be out on the water.

“I am very proud, and it was so worth it,” Brysen said. “I’d like to build a larger boat sometime or my mom wants me to build a console table for her.”

His mother, Chanelle Sheridan, says the entire family is amazed at what Brysen was able to accomplish with his design and a dream.

“We are so excited,” she said. “He was so determined and worked so hard to finish this.”

During the summer, Brysen has taken his younger brother Bennett (Benny), 5, out on the water for a fishing trip on “the unsinkable” on a small cove near Jordan Bay in Raymond.

He says that looking back at everything regarding his boat project, the hardest aspect of building the boat for him was all the work that he had to do and all of the hours that he put in around his neighborhood to earn the money for the parts and materials.

According to Brysen, his favorite subject in school is writing and he says he would eventually like to become a game warden when he grows up.

But having realized his dream of building a practical vessel, he says he now knows what needs to be done to see a project through from start to finish.

As far as something that he’s learned from building his first boat, Brysen says that’s simple to answer.

“You can do whatever you put your mind to,” he said. “I’d tell other kids wanting to build a boat to stick with it even if it’s hard.” <

Great Falls Bridge Project in Windham nears start date

By Ed Pierce

After appearing on Maine Department of Transportation’s annual Three-Year Plan list for the past few years, work on the Great Falls Bridge connecting Windham and Gorham will be starting in a few weeks.

Crews will start work on the Great Falls Bridge connecting
Windham and Gorham on Aug. 18. The project involves
350 feet of approach work, replacing guardrail transitions,
flare terminals and expansion joint modification. A light pole
will also be removed. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE    

The project was first unveiled on MDOT’s list of road and bridge projects in its annual Three-Year Plan in January 2023.

MDOT Commissioner Bruce A. Van Note says that the preliminary scope of work for this bridge project consists of replacing the wearing surfaces on both Great Falls Bridges. The east and west bridges span the Presumpscot River between North Gorham and Dundee Ponds.

Van Note says that replacing the wearing surfaces will preserve the longevity of the bridges’ existing decks and superstructure.

Bridge wearing surface replacement involves 350 feet of approach work, guardrail transitions and flare terminals, and expansion joint modification. Workers will also install concrete coring connect to bridge beams and remove a light pole that conflicts with a new guardrail.

The reason MDOT cites for the project is to improve the condition of the existing structure while preserving the existing deck and superstructure longevity of the bridges. The project intends to minimize impacts to the traveling public and minimize impacts to adjacent properties and utilities during the project and implement a cost-effective solution to fixing the bridge’s wearing problem.

An MDOT study reveals that the average daily traffic crossing the Great Falls Bridges between Windham and Gorham is 1,910 vehicles per day with about 8 percent of that traffic consisting of heavy trucks.

Maintenance of traffic during construction will be achieved either by using a closure and detour or by using staged construction. The closure and detour alternatives would require all traffic to detour around the site on by using an alternate route.

Van Note said that the staged construction alternative would have one-half of the bridge under construction at a time, while a single lane of alternating one-way traffic would use the other half of the bridge. But it is possible that North Gorham Road and Windham Center Road at the project site may be closed to all traffic for a maximum of 45 consecutive days.

This project shall be performed in accordance with erosion control measures conforming to the latest version of State of Maine Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges and the Department of Transportation’s Best Management Practices for Erosion and Sediment Control.

The Great Falls Bridges are located on Windham Center Road over the Presumpscot River and connect Windham to North Gorham.

Both bridges were constructed in 1970 and following recent MDOT inspections, they both show signs of cracking and rutting on deck and surfaces.

The bridge site is located near the Great Falls Dam, which was one of the first sources of hydroelectric power in the Lakes region of Maine. Use of hydroelectric power was implemented by early settler Zebulon Trickey, who constructed bridges and mills on both sides of the Presumpscot River in Great Falls.

When a fire swept through the Great Falls area in 1872, it destroyed the mills and a bridge built by Trickey, and settlement of the Great Falls site has declined since then.

The estimated funding for the Great Falls Bridges Wearing Replacement Project is $500,000.

Scott Construction Corporation of Portland will perform the bridge wearing replacement work and distribute bridge closure notifications when needed. Both the Gorham and Windham Public Works Departments will also post notifications on social media accounts regarding project updates and bridge closures.

Work on the Great Falls Bridges project will start on Monday, Aug. 18 with traffic control devices put in place by Aug. 19. Soon thereafter the bridge may be closed temporarily to allow workers to remove all the bridge guardrails for both the east and west Great Falls bridges.

The project is expected to be completed by Oct. 31 Van Note said. <

Local student first winner of Design Your Dream Money Contest

By Ed Pierce

Mason Hall is not your typical 11-year-old enjoying the summer before entering sixth grade next month. He’s also a skilled artist who has been honored as the first-ever winner of the Finance Authority of Maine’s (FAME) “Design Your Dream Money Contest.”

Mason Hall, 11, who will be a sixth-grade
student this fall at Jordan-Small Middle
School in Raymond, shows off his 
winning design of a $500 bill as the
first-ever winner of Finance Authority
of Maine's (FAME) 'Design Your
Dream Money Contest.'
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

The contest was created this spring and intended to help raise awareness of the importance of teaching financial skills to younger students in partnership with the Alfond Scholarship Foundation. Students in first grade through sixth grade were invited to create their own $500 bill using a template created by FAME.

Hall was a student in Lynne Latham’s fifth-grade classroom at Jordan-Small Middle School this past spring and he joined his classmates in learning about basic financial education, capped off by the students entering FAME’s “Design Your Dream Money Contest.”

He started his design work during school hours and then took it home to finish it. While at home, Hall added specific elements related to Maine to his $500 bill design including the ocean, a harbor, farms, the Maine countryside, and lobster boats with a village situated in the middle.

Between working on it in class and later at home, Hall says that he spent about an hour and a half working on his design for a $500 bill.

"I showed it to my mom who is a teacher, and she thought it was really good,” he said. “My classmates told me I did a good job too when I showed it to them.”

The design was submitted in April and Mason said that he forgot all about it.

But on Memorial Day Weekend in May, school administrators received a phone call informing them that Mason was the winner of the statewide contest.

“My teacher announced it to our class in early June,” he said. “I never had any expectation to win. I just did it because it was something that our class was doing.”

During a school assembly before classes let out for the summer in June, Jordan-Small Middle School students cheered when Hall was announced as this year’s “Design Your Dream Money” contest winner. His parents were thrilled to learn he had won too.

“When it comes to money skills, parents and caregivers are the most important influence in a child’s life,” said Mary Dyer, FAME’s Financial Education Programs Manager. “Our goal is to make teaching about money fun and easy, and we have created a variety of programs that do just that. Through Invest in ME Reads, families will find extensive games, activities, and conversation starters to help them begin the money conversation at home. The ‘Design Your Dream Money Contest’ is just another way to inspire young people to learn about money and to dream about their future.”

For his winning design, Hall received an Amazon gift card and a box of prizes including a T-shirt with his $500 bill design printed on it.

“I was really surprised by winning,” he said. “I truly felt like I accomplished something.”

Despite being recognized for his artistic design, Hall says art and drawing is just a hobby for him and he thinks of it as merely a way to pass time when he’s not doing something else. He says he likes art and plans to take the subject when he goes to high school, but other topics also interest him.

He participates in school in track and field, cross country and lacrosse and he also helps at his father’s business when he can.

“When I finish school, I want to own my own business someday,” Hall said. “I want to own a septic tank company because they make a lot of money. Or maybe own a landscaping business.”

Hall thinks he won the “Design Your Dream Money Contest” because of one thing he always tries to do, no matter what he is involved with.

“I pay attention to detail,” he said. “I think I won because I tried hard, paid attention to detail and thought about it when I worked on it at home. The aspects of Maine pointed out the differences between our state and other places. Maine is our state, and people should take pride in it.” <

Windham inventor creates innovative new ‘Snow Sling’

By Ed Pierce

A Windham inventor is back at it and optimistic that his latest innovation will find a use in the world.

Inventor Michael Lyons shows a prototype of his 'Snow
Sling' creation  which he is selling the patent rights to. 
The device uses a foot lever to toss snow for you
without wrecking your back. COURTESY PHOTO 

Michael Lyons grew up in Windham and graduated from Windham High School in 1977. He is the founder of Rogue Industries in Standish and known for his patent and design of the front pocket wallet but now he’s at it again, this time focusing on making the tough task of snow removal easier.

He’s created a new type of snow sling which with the push of a foot lever tosses the snow for you without wrecking your back.

According to Lyons, the idea for the snow sling came to him years ago as he worked late into the night through a Nor’easter snowstorm.

“Nothin’ special,” Lyons said. “Maybe 8 to 10 inches of wet snow.”

His plow guy had blown a hydraulic hose and couldn’t show up to plow for him, so, Lyons grabbed a snow shovel and went at it.

“I knew enough to take frequent breaks from the shoveling,” Lyons said.

It ended up taking more than two long hours to clear the entire driveway and parking lot before he could make it home.

He had also forgotten to bring his snow boots, so he shoveled the entire time wearing wingtip shoes.

“Not having boots may have added to my cumulative effort, but something fortuitous happened after the first hour,” Lyons said. “The shoveling was exhausting, and I started imagining that there had to be a better way to do this without electricity or gas.”

After finding himself straining while working with a small, traditional snow shovel, Lyons thought that the snow scoop had originally been invented for storms exactly like this. Yet that scoop was heavy, cumbersome and not ergonomic.

“I thought to myself what if a snow scoop could be designed which had a mechanism so that the snow could be flung without having to lift it,” he said.

That idea launched an eight-year journey involving testing, creating a prototype and finally building what he named as a “Snow Sling.”

Lyons says coming up with the idea for the device was the easy part.

“The testing of it was actually fun. But the design iterations took the talents of no less than three engineers, each with a different skill set,” he said.

Before starting Rogue Industries, Lyons ran a small publishing company and had injured his back. His doctor told him that his back issues were attributed to him sitting on his bulky wallet, causing problems with his spine. With that, Lyons then set out to find a wallet that would comfortably fit in his front pocket but had no luck. So, he decided to design his own wallet, one that was curved and would comfortably fit in his front pocket.

“We kind of accidentally went into the design world of leather goods,” says Lyons. “Our original design was one wallet and one collar; now, we have more than 100 stock keeping units. We went into women’s tote bags, belts, crossbody clutches, coasters, and many more high-quality designs.”

Through the years Rogue Industries has developed a stellar reputation for its products and last year his company was asked by designer Ralph Lauren to produce 3,000 leather belts for Team USA for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Rogue Industries now produces products for 500 stores, including LL Bean, The Vermont Country Store, and Hammacher-Schlemmer.

Now with his latest “Snow Sling” invention tested and proven, Lyons says the next step will be to find someone with both the vision and resources to take this new product from a proven prototype to full-on production.

Recognizing the uniqueness of this design, the Maine Technology Institute became one of the early backers of this new creation, he said.

“Many companies originally started with a simple idea and then built from that,” Lyons said. “LL Bean created their iconic boots, Singer with an automated sewing machine, Orvis with a novel fly-fishing reel. This snow scoop has the very real potential of being that seed concept for an entirely new business venture. It won't be easy, but it could be an interesting and rewarding journey.”

Lyons and his fiancé, Mary Anne Hildreth, currently run two companies together, Rogue Industries and Tower Publishing, and they have decided that adding a third business into the mix would take too much time away from their family. So, the patent for Lyons’ new invention, the “Snow Sling,” is now available for either an outright purchase or a license.

He says it’s an opportunity to introduce an innovative new product to the market and that doesn’t happen often. To discuss this further, call Lyons at Rogue Industries, 1-800-786-1768. <

WHS basketball coach Pulkkinen to be enshrined in SJC Athletics Hall of Fame

By Matt Pascarella

Over the last few years, Windham High varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen and his team have made quite a bit of news. Pulkkinen’s team won back-to-back State Championships in 2024 and 2025, and he achieved his 100th career win. If that wasn’t enough, Pulkkinen was notified on June 10 by his former Saint Joseph’s College basketball coach Rob Sanicola that he will be inducted into the 2025 Saint Joseph’s College Athletics Hall of Fame at the Stone Barn at Saint Joseph’s College on Oct. 17.

Windham High School varsity boys'
basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen is 
shown during a college basketball game
during the 2006-2007 season. He will
be enshrined in the Saint Joseph's
College Athletics Hall of Fame during
a ceremony at the college in October.
PHOTO BY SAINT JOSEPH'S 
COLLEGE ATHLETICS  

“To be able to deliver the news to someone who gave so much to the program and the college, was truly special,” said Sanicola. “He poured his heart into Saint Joseph’s College; to be the one to tell him he was getting this well-deserved recognition was an honor. He embodied what it meant to represent Saint Joseph's College, and it wasn't about just how he played, but how he carried himself every day. What made Chad special was the impact he had on the people around him. From day one, Chad cared deeply about leaving the program better than he found it, and he absolutely did that; he made it better for everyone who came after him.”

After suffering possible season-ending injuries twice while playing for the Monks, Pulkkinen battled back and was a three-season captain. He set records and achieved major accomplishments including becoming a member of the 1,000-point club, he helped lead the Monks to the 2007 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Northeast Region Independent Championship and a slot in the Eastern College Athletic Conference playoffs, as well as a 2007 All-State honoree.

“I grew up about three miles away from Saint Joseph’s College, so I lived in the gym there; watching, playing and dreaming about one day playing there,” said Pulkkinen. “My parents Bruce and Denise would take me, my brother and sister to the Chamber of Horrors to watch games in a packed gym. I was hooked. I idolized John Wassenbergh, Carl Howell, Steve Schuler, Rob Sanicola, Erbie Mitchell, and all the great teams that I was fortunate to follow. As a kid I wanted to be a Monk, to wear the jersey of the players I looked up to back then. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame just validates the work and the unseen hours, the long days and the tough times where I was able to persevere. To me the honor is shared with my family, teammates, and coaches who helped put me in the best position for success.”

To truly understand Pulkkinen’s success at Saint Joseph’s College, you only need to look at his determination. He tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament during a Christmas break tournament in his freshman year. He tore the same ACL again less than a year later; and was devastated as the rehabilitation process was physically and mentally challenging. It would be extremely difficult to return to the player he once was. A lot of people questioned whether he would be able to continue to play.

Pulkkinen took that skepticism and used it to motivate himself; he told himself he would return better than he was when he was healthy. He was granted a fifth year and a medical redshirt because of the lack of games he played in after his second injury. He returned a year later and had his strongest season in his graduate year.

“Through my injuries I really started to understand the game from a coach’s perspective as I was able to participate more with the coaches on that side of things since I was not able to play,” said Pulkkinen. I learned a ton in my freshman year about the game through (coach) Rick Simonds. My sophomore season I found myself studying film and scouting opponents, something that I became really interested in and felt I brought value to the team and eventually helped me as a player when I returned. I became a more intelligent player and more aware on the court. Off the court my friendships with my teammates and the small knit community of Saint Joseph’s College was memorable and something that has carried over to today, with connections and mentors to reach out to. I was also able to meet my wife Ramsey at school which made my decision to go there even more special.”

During his high school career playing for Windham, he thought playing professionally overseas would be a realistic goal because someone he knew, John Wassenbergh was playing over there. It motivated Pulkkinen to try to get to that point. He became friends with Wassenbergh who would send him gear from overseas. Once healthy, Pulkkinen’s dream seemed attainable again.

“Overcoming two serious knee injuries during one's college career is almost unheard of and coming back from one is impressive,” said Saint Joseph’s College Hall of Fame Committee Chairman Corey McCarthy. “Having it happen again and battling through the rehab again is incredibly difficult and certainly speaks to Chad's character. His time at Saint Joseph’s College coincided with a time frame during which Saint Joseph's College competed as an NCAA DIII Independent meaning conference championships and/or accolades were not available for him to attain. His play helped the Monks go about as far as they could, NCAA Independent Tournament and ECAC Tournament championship game appearances, achievements that absolutely played a major role in the program's success as a new member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference the following year.”

In 2007, having obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in business, Pulkkinen played in the European Basketball League for the Northampton Neptunes, where he, along with his team helped mentor and coach 400 kids within the community, teaching them the fundamentals of the game.

Since leaving Saint Joseph’s College, Pulkkinen has continued to give back to the school. His family company, Windham Millworks, has been involved in several campus projects, including the redesign of the Hall of Fame Room and the finishing work for Baggot Street, their student union.

“I think there is no better role model,” said Windham assistant coach George McCrillis, who’s coached alongside him for 11 years. “He took the lessons he learned at Saint Joe’s and converted them into running a super successful business. There’s his commitment to his community; he would not be coaching someplace else. He has a basketball intellect where he could easily coach at the collegiate level, but this is his community, he’s tied to Windham, he loves Windham. He wants the best for Windham.”

Pulkkinen says he would like to thank his mom, Denise, his agent, trainer and coach. She took him to every gym possible as a kid and fostered his love of the game. He would also like to thank his dad, Bruce, as well as his wife, Ramsey, who has shown him all the love and support in the world. He also thanks his family, teammates, his friend John Wassenbergh, Coaches Kevin Millington, Simonds and Sanicola and past Monks players who inspired an 8-year-old kid to dream big and chase it with everything he had. <

Dream fulfilled: Afthim hears name called in 2025 MLB draft

By Ed Pierce

Ever since he was a young player and competing in Windham Little League games, Brady Afthim has clung to his dream of someday playing Major League Baseball. The next step in his quest became a reality on Monday when the Cincinnati Reds selected him in the 13th round of the 2025 MLB Draft with the 384th pick.

2021 Windham High grad Brady Afthim, who pitched in
college for the University of Connecticut, was drafted
in the 13th round by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2025
MLB Draft on Monday. He is now in Arizona to start
his professional career pitching for Cincinnati's
Rookie League team in Goodyear, Arizona.
PHOTO BY COLBY RUSH

A right-handed pitcher who dominated opponents while playing for Windham High School, Afthim, 22, was the closer for the University of Connecticut Huskies after graduating from WHS in 2021. He earned a baseball scholarship at UConn through hard work and dedication to improving his skills while playing at Windham High.

Under the tutelage of then-WHS Coach Cody Dube, who also had grown up in Windham been drafted and played in baseball’s minor leagues, Afthim made the most of his opportunity in high school. He was honored as Maine Gatorade Player of the Year, was USA Today Player of the Year in Maine, and was recognized as First Team All-Southern Maine Athletic Association as both a pitcher and a catcher. He also won the John Winkin Award designating him as the top senior high school baseball player in Maine in 2021 and he was named as the recipient of the 2021 Mr. Baseball in Maine Award.

A landscape architect major at UConn, Afthim showed promise as a freshman in 2022. He appeared in 22 games out of the bullpen for the Huskies and didn’t allow a run in 15 of his 22 outings while stranding 11 of 14 inherited runners. As a sophomore, Afthim held opponents to .205 batting average while making 26 appearances for UConn, including retiring all six batters that he faced to clinch the Big East Conference regular season title at Creighton University and then pitching a scoreless inning against Georgetown in the Big East Conference Championship Game.

By the time his junior college season arrived in 2024, Afthim drew the attention of professional scouts and was honored as a First Team All-Big East selection. He finished second in the Big East Conference with 8 saves and struck out 27 batters in 25 1/3 innings pitched. His 2.29 Earned Run Average was fifth overall in the Big East that season and he was credited with a save in the NCAA Norman Regional at No. 9 Oklahoma and then pitched a career-high 3.2 innings at No. 8 Florida State in the NCAA Super Regionals.

This year as a senior, Afthim closed out his college career as second in UConn history with 92 appearances. He was tied for 8th place overall in team history with 17 career saves and he posted the lowest opponent batting average in Huskies’ history at just .211. Afthim also had a career-low 2.45 ERA, earned nine saves and had two wins as the team’s closer. In 22 appearances, he racked up 53 strikeouts.

Signing a contract with the Reds, Afthim left Wednesday to join Cincinnati's Rookie League team in Goodyear, Arizona, and the first step on his road to the major leagues.

The Reds drafted Afthim for his talent as his fastball has been timed in the range of 93 to 95 mph and has touched 97 mph at times. Besides throwing a fastball, he also mixes in a changeup and throws a slider that he uses to offset his fastball.

His parents, Shelly and Phil Afthim, are well-known around town for their support of both Brady and his older brother Bryce, who also pitched for Windham High School and played in college for the University of Southern Maine.

“We are all incredibly proud of Brady’s accomplishment in being drafted,” said Shelly Afthim, Brady’s mother. “He has put in a lot of time and effort to reach this goal, and it hasn’t been without sacrifices and challenges along the way. To watch him not only set a goal, work toward that goal for years, then to watch him negotiate for himself and knowing his worth on the day of the draft was really amazing to watch as a parent. He has a lot of support from family, friends and coaches, but he earned this through his own efforts.” <

MSSPA breaks ground on new intake barn in Windham

By Ed Pierce

Tuesday morning was a dream realized for everyone associated with the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals in Windham as the non-profit organization officially broke ground a new intake barn for abused and neglected horses.

Donors Laurie Hooker, left, and her father, Dave McCulloch,
center, join Kathy Woodbrey, Executive Director of the
Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals during
a groundbreaking at the Windham facility for a new intake barn
for abused and neglected horses on Tuesday. The McCulloch
Family donated $500,000 to the 'A Safe Place to Land'
campaign to help build a new barn at the site.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE    

For 152 years, the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals (MSSPA) has been a sanctuary for Maine’s most vulnerable horses including those rescued from abuse, neglect, and heartbreaking circumstances. Its mission is to provide refuge, rehabilitation, and placement of seized equines and the idea to build a new intake barn at the facility on River Road in Windham was proposed more than three years ago.

Over the past five years, the number of horses arriving at MSSPA has grown with many coming from cases of severe neglect, abuse, or with significant medical challenges. As the complexity of these cases surged, so did the urgency for a dedicated space where incoming horses can receive the care they desperately need.

Earlier this year, MSSPA announced a $1.5 million fundraising campaign for a new “A Safe Place to Land” intake barn and with more than four-fifths of the way toward that goal now accomplished, staff, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and board members gathered at the site to celebrate starting construction for the new facility.

“It’s taken a group of individuals who have come together to make this barn possible, and it’s been a group effort,” said Kathy Woodbrey, MSSPA’s Executive Director.

The 3,000-square-foot intake barn will be situated on the other side of the MSSPA property from where other MSSPA horses are being cared for. It will include dedicated stalls for each new equine arrival, reducing potential disease transmission and offering a dry, warm space for horses to heal. Its secure paddock areas and improved footing will allow horses to slowly acclimate to their new surroundings and room for veterinarians to perform health assessments.

Because of its location away from the MSSPA herd, the new barn also will have separate grain and medication stations to prevent cross-contamination of food and medicine and help to streamline operations for MSSPA staff. The new barn will feature additional space for equipment and the project includes the installation of an electronic security gate at the MSSPA property.

Donors attending Tuesday’s groundbreaking festivities included members of the McCulloch family who provided a gift to MSSPA of $500,000 for the new “Safe Place to Land” intake barn. As a result of their generosity, the barn will be known as the “McCulloch Family Barn, A Safe Place to Land.”

Dave McCulloch of Scarborough and his daughter, Laurie Hooker of Alton, New Hampshire, each spoke during the groundbreaking event and they both expressed what a great and caring organization that MSSPA is.

“MSSPA has found a way to rescue horses who had nowhere to go,” McCulloch said. “It shows their devotion and that people do choose to care. And it says a lot about the resilience of horses.”

Hooker said that after visiting MSSPA in Windham for the first time, she knew this is a great cause to contribute to.

“The work they do here truly moved me deeply,” she said. “It’s more than a facility, it’s a sanctuary.”

MSSPA Board Chair John Lescure told the gathering that the new barn has been carefully planned and will provide the foundation for recovery of every new horse placed into the care of the organization.

“All around it’s such a great thing,” Lescure said.

The MSSPA does not charge for its shelter services and seeks no reimbursement from any public source. Horses cared for by the MSSPA come from Maine law enforcement officials and most of them have been abused or neglected.

Peg Keyser, MSSPA Advancement Director, said MSSPA also wishes to thank all donors of the “Safe Place to Land” campaign and that the society also is grateful to receive thousands of feet of donated fencing and run-in sheds from the Dyke Horse Farm site in Windham and RSU 14 now that the school district is building the new Windham Raymond Middle School at the old Dyke farm site.

She said MSSPA’s goal for each horse they take in is rehabilitation and to find them a new home, but emphasized that if no suitable adoption is found, horses may live out their natural lives at the organization’s farm.

The new intake barn site will be located on 7 acres of MSSPA’s 124-acre property.

To make a donation online, visit msspa.org/asafeplace or in person at MSSPA, 279 River Road in Windham. <

Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade nearing in Naples

By Ed Pierce

The calendar may say July, but for participants and spectators of the 6th Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade in Naples next weekend, the holiday season arrives early this year.

The 6th Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade in Naples will
be held on Saturday evening July 19 at the Naples Causeway.
Boats in the parade will be decorated with Christmas lights
and line up on Long Lake and proceed down the west
shore toward the causeway and continue down the east
shore of Brandy Pond.  COURTESY PHOTO     

The popular parade will be held on Saturday evening July 19 at the Naples Causeway. Boats will line up on Long Lake at 8 p.m. and proceed down the west shore toward the causeway and continue down the east shore of Brandy Pond. Boats will be decorated with Christmas lights, and it makes for a spectacular summertime show.

Some children on the causeway will spot Santa and his helpers handing out foam glow sticks to wave in the boats and donations will be accepted for the glow sticks for the Raise the Roof fund to benefit the Cross Walk Community Outreach program.

One of the organizers of the 6th Annual Christmas in July Boat Parade is Joanne Jordan and she said that some of the event sponsors will be collecting donations for Naples Christmas4Kids where the Community Resource Council of Naples provides each child with pajamas, socks, underwear, a new toy and a holiday meal for the family.

“Donation jars can be located at Gary's Olde Towne Tavern, Beacon Bar & Bistro, Sun Sports +, and Captain Jack's,” Jordan said. “Boats can register for free to be eligible for great prizes.”

Created during the pandemic by the Naples Marine Safety Association, the boat parade has taken on a life of its own. In its first year in 2020 a total of 65 boats participated, and the parade has grown every year since.

“This event is unique for this area. There are other boat parades around the country, but the Naples Causeway provides a unique opportunity for this to happen in fresh water with a beautiful viewing area that allows the boats to get up close to the crowds when going under the causeway or visiting one of the waterfront businesses,” Jordan said. “The event is free for boaters to participate and free to watch. It creates a feeling of joy for both groups. We have been lucky to have talented music producers create a fun atmosphere for the crowd while waiting for the boats to arrive and when the boats reach the crowd, everyone is excited, and everyone feels like a kid at Christmas.”

Jordan said that buzz is already building in the community about the event.

“Many of our marina sponsors compete for the best decorated marina boat and some of the local shops and restaurants have started decorating their businesses with lights and trees and blow-up characters,” she said. “Safety is key for this event so much of the committee's time is spent on route and boater safety.”

Staging a parade on the water always presents new and interesting challenges.

“Standard parades are able to close the streets and keep spectators in a safe viewing area,” she said. “We cannot close the waterway and the people who watch from their boats can create a challenge. We have not had any serious issues and have designated people along the route communicating with boat spectators.”

Community feedback about the parade remains positive and enthusiastic.

“After the parade some of the local kids will come up to me and tell me about their favorite boats,” Jordan said. “Ice cream shops will tell me they had lines down the causeway while waiting for the parade. Restaurant owners on the waterfront say their patrons enjoy having prime seating for the parade while we have one restaurant sponsor not on the water who has sponsored every year just to support the community.”

She said the Christmas in July Boat Parade welcomes everyone of all ages to the fun family event, which is sponsored by the Naples Events Committee.

“In some way we hope you can participate, whether it be from the Causeway, shoreline on the parade route, or even participating in the parade on a boat we certainly hope to see you there,” Jordan said.

For more details about the parade, call 207-671-2368. <

Family rescues distressed moose in lake

By Ed Pierce

Monday evening June 30 was supposed to be nothing more than a relaxing sunset cruise around Sebago Lake, but it turned out to be a life-saving trip for a family visiting the Lakes Region from Massachusetts.

The Chasse Family, visiting from
Massachusetts for the holiday, were boating
on Sebago Lake on Monday night when
they encountered a large moose in distress
struggling to swim and trying to keep its head
above water. Along with a passing couple in
a motorboat, they teamed up and were able to
gently guide the moose back to the shoreline
and to safety. SUBMITTED PHOTO    

For years, the Chasse Family of Salem, Mass. has been spending the 4th of July holiday at Point Sebago Resort in Casco and enjoyed a leisurely day and dinner before opting to watch the sunset out on the lake.

With six family members aboard their pontoon boat, they set out from shore but got about halfway out on Sebago Lake before spotting something unusual.

“My younger sister saw what she thought at first was a buoy in middle of the lake, but when we got closer, we noticed that it was a huge moose fighting to keep its head above the water,” said Samantha Chasse, 19. “The moose’s ears were back, and it was having a difficult time swimming in the lake. Our family just didn’t know what to do, so we started calling the police and the warden service to see if they could help us.”

She said none of the agencies that the family called were able to respond and the moose continued to struggle in the water.

Thinking that the moose could drown being so far offshore, they chose to maneuver their boat directly behind the moose at a distance to see if they could gently guide the large creature back toward land.

“We took it upon ourselves to try and help an animal that was trying to survive. We had been doing that for a while when we noticed a couple in a passing motorboat and we flagged them down,” Chasse said. “They agreed to help us, and they got on one side of the moose, and we got on the other side and started slowly steering it back to the shoreline.”

According to Chasse, the coordinated efforts of both boats and through sheer determination, they were able to slowly guide the exhausted animal back to land and safety after about 30 minutes.

Moose are the largest members of the deer family, with adult males standing 6 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing between 1,200 and 1,600 pounds. Female moose typically weigh between 800 and 1,300 pounds.

As they got closer to what is known locally as “Cub Cove” between Casco and Raymond, the moose appeared to realize it was near the shoreline and appeared to become stronger, climbing out onto the beach, before it exhibited an unusual gesture.

“Once it reached the shore, it stopped and turned its head toward us as if to say thanks,” Chasse said. “Then it turned around and ran into the woods. We could see it was a huge animal as it ran off and we were all cheering that it was safe.”

For Chasse, it was the first moose she has ever seen in Maine.

“We’ve been coming to Maine for years and we have all grown up around Sebago Lake. We have seen plenty of deer and bears, but have never seen a moose,” she said. “It truly was an awesome experience.”

She said saving the moose is something all members of her family can be grateful for.

“I’m an animal lover and have been for my entire life,” she said. “To be involved in something like this in helping an animal in trouble is just incredible and I’m grateful to have been a part of it.”

Chasse says that their swift actions not only saved the moose’s life but also remind them of the power of unity being a good citizen.

“This remarkable moment is a testament to what can happen when people set aside differences and act out of kindness,” she said. “We hope this story inspires others to look out for both wildlife and one another.” <