Lost and Found: 'Christmas Miracle’ answers Windham family’s prayers

By Ed Pierce

Christmas presents come in all shapes and sizes, yet for one Windham family this year, the enormity of the gift they have been given simply cannot be measured.

Kristina Atkinson and her son, Rylen, left, helped return
Noodle to his owners Sarah Walker and her daughter,
Eliza Symes last week. The cat had been missing
from his Windham home for more than three months
and his family had about given up hope that he would
ever be found. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

Sarah Walker of Windham and her daughter, Eliza Symes, 8, adopted Noodle, an orange kitten, from the Animal Refuge League three years ago and he rapidly became a beloved member of their family. He grew into a mischievous and friendly indoor cat with a huge personality and a large appetite who likes to perch at the top of the stairs in their home and observe his surroundings or to encourage hugs and attention from Eliza.

But on Saturday, Aug. 31 all of that changed. Sarah and Eliza couldn’t find Noodle anywhere in their home and believed he had somehow slipped out the door and become lost. They spent the remainder of Labor Day Weekend desperately searching for Noodle, walking up and down their street, searching under bushes and calling out his name. They posted on local community boards that he was lost and even notified the Maine Lost Cat Recovery Network praying and hoping someone would find Noodle and bring him home.

Days turned into weeks without knowing Noodle’s whereabouts and as the weeks turned into more than a month of the cat being lost, Sarah and Eliza’s optimism about finding him started to fade.

“I felt sad and didn’t think he’d come back,” Eliza said. “It was like losing my friend forever and I cried a lot.”

Sarah says she tried to remain hopeful for her daughter but that wasn’t easy as the weather began to turn colder at night in September and the calendar changed to October, and then on to November and eventually to December.

“After the first couple of weeks, I didn’t think he’d come home,” she said.

The mother and her daughter focused on recalling the good times with Noodle, who is known in their household as sort of a troublemaker.

“He’s very friendly but can get under your feet and trip you,” Sarah said. “I also think it was him who turned on the faucet and flooded our kitchen one time.”

Kristina Atkinson and her family live about a mile, or what amounts to a 10-minute walk, from Sarah Walker off Albion Road in Windham.

She said that on Nov. 8 she told her son, Rylen, 6, to use caution in letting their dog out in the backyard because she had briefly spotted what appeared to be an orange tail in her neighbor’s yard and thought it might be a fox.

Later that same day, Kristina noticed that some leftover chicken sitting on their grill was gone. She saw the orange tail again and observed that it didn’t belong to a fox, rather it was a large orange cat. She said she assumed the cat belonged to her neighbor.

A few days later her sister saw the male cat, sitting in the Atkinsons' driveway. And suddenly he was everywhere on their Ring cameras, showing up at 8 p.m., 11 p.m., 3 a.m. and at all hours of the day and night.

Despite her husband’s apprehension, Kristina started leaving some soft cat food outside her door for what she surmised was a homeless and lost orange cat. The cat would eat the food and leave, and it wouldn’t make eye contact with Kristina or Rylen.

But on Saturday evening, Dec. 7, Kristina opened the door when the cat was eating, and he appeared to be startled and walked about 20 feet away. But he suddenly turned and came back, sitting there still for about five minutes before approaching Kristina and letting her pet him. When she returned inside, he sat outside the door and cried to come inside.

Kristina and Rylen let the friendly cat in and found a warm space inside their garage for him and started to post on social media about finding him and looking for his owner. Her husband fell in love with the cat and thinks it may have found a warm spot in a nearby culvert to survive while lost.

“I had a woman from Raymond contact me and they thought he was their lost cat,” Kristina said. “They drove here and took the cat to their home and thought it was theirs.”

But as it turned out, it wasn’t their lost cat, who was much older and was polydactyl with multiple toes on its paws.

At 5 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 9, Kristina then read a Facebook post by Sarah looking for Noodle. She contacted Sarah and they agreed to meet later that day at the veterinarian’s office to see if the cat was Sarah’s. It seems Noodle had been microchipped when Sarah first got him, and the vet could determine if the cat found by Kristina was indeed the lost Noodle.

Kristina drove to Raymond and picked up the cat from the family who had originally thought it was theirs. She met Sarah at the veterinarian and within a few minutes, the microchip confirmed that the orange cat was the missing Noodle.

Before meeting Kristina at the vet though, Sarah had picked up Eliza from school.

“She did not know. I picked her up a little early and said I had a surprise, and that Noodle was in the car,” Sarah said. “Then we took him to the vet. I didn’t want to tell her we might have found him and then to have it not be him. She was happy and excited. I think she kind of didn’t believe it was him for a moment.”

Kristina and Rylen say they were pleased to have played a part in returning Noodle to his home after being lost for more than three months and one week.

“I keep telling people I lost my dad a year ago and he was a huge animal lover,” Kristina said. “I think he led Noodle to our house. My hope is this will inspire others to do this too.”

Noodle quickly adapted to being warm and back at his home.

“He had lost some weight but was a big cat to begin with,” Sarah said. “He’s been hungry ever since. I tell Eliza that Santa Paws helped him find Kristina and she knew how to get him back home.”

Sarah said she cannot begin to express her gratitude to Kristina for her kindness.

“We are very grateful for her going out of her way for us,” Sarah said. “It’s nice to know the community will help you if you need it.”

As for Eliza, she rarely takes her eyes off Noodle these days. 

“He hasn’t changed at all,” she said. “He’s my friend and if you ask me, it’s truly a Christmas miracle that he’s back home with the people who love him.” <   

Student ‘Clean Air Campaign’ continues effort to reduce airborne pollutants

By Ed Pierce

It’s a proven fact that our lungs can heal themselves when they're no longer exposed to pollutants and are a key component to everyone’s overall health and well-being. With that in mind, the “Clean Air Campaign” is part of a project launched to support the clean air policies within public buildings like schools, municipal offices, libraries and outdoor spaces like parks, conservation lands, and ordinances supporting a smoke-free environment.

The winning design for the Clean Air Campaign's
2025 Window Cling competition was created 
by sophomore Margaret 'Maggie' Soule of
Windham High School. SUBMITTED PHOTO 

This year-long initiative has been taken up by Windham and Raymond students in conjunction with the Be The Influence coalition with the intention to keep air indoors and outdoors clean throughout Lakes Region communities and improve everyone’s health and the environment. Since its launch more than 10 months ago, the “Clean Air Campaign” is on the way to achieving its desired results.

To further raise awareness about the “Clean Air Campaign,” an art design competition for students in the community using art and doodle designs that represents clean air spaces both indoor and outdoor for all was conducted and a winning window cling design was selected.

Patrice Leary-Forrey, Be The Influence Project Director for Windham/Raymond said that the winning design printed for a window cling was chosen by a jury of adults and students on Dec. 11 and will now be recreated into a window cling and distributed throughout the Windham and Raymond communities.

The first phase of the project was to present to members of the Windham Town Council a sign change for public spaces indicating that vaping is not allowed. Participating students attended the Windham Town Council meetings in November to propose the sign ordinance change and the measure was discussed by councilors and passed unanimously during a council meeting on Nov. 12.

“Here in Windham, the Be The Influence Club of Windham High School worked together in November with the Windham Town Council to change the sign ordinance for outdoor spaces to include smoke free from tobacco, vaping and cannabis. The Windham Town Council unanimously passed the sign change for outdoor spaces,” Leary-Forrey said. “With the use of vapes and the medical and recreational use of marijuana in Windham, students wanted to make sign changes to open spaces in the community and keep current the no-smoking message and prevention education for the town.”

To promote that message, the students wanted to extend the effort with an art contest for RSU 14 students to submit artwork for a “Clean Air Cling” allowing the community to take personal accountability in their cars, homes, boats, and small businesses stressing the importance of clean air for everyone.

The new clings will send a personal message that supports the health and wellness of friends, family and loved ones, said Leary-Forrey.

The winning art design for the new 2025 Clean Air Cling was created by Margaret “Maggie” Soule, a sophomore at Windham High School.

“As a community we can continue to ensure the health and wellness of all by supporting this community project,” Leary-Forrey said. “The 2025 Clean Air Window Cling will be available mid-January at the Public Safety Buildings, Town Office, Public Libraries of Windham and Raymond. Small businesses in the community are encouraged to showcase the youth-driven project by showcasing the cling in the windows and company cars.”

Leary-Forrey said that the third phase of the “Clean Air Campaign” is prevention education of the health impact of Tobacco/Vape/Marijuana on an individual and for public and personal spaces and that’s the underlying purpose of the window cling.

“The window clings will be distributed by students in the spring and summer for individuals and families to put on their boats, cars, business, homes and they support clean air and community health and wellness,” she said. “The idea is to raise awareness of the science behind smoke of all types and the individual health impact it can have over time. Students will help distribute the window clings, prevention materials and provide the Quit Link/QR codes to anyone who wants to improve their personal health and wellness.”

According to Leary-Forrey, BTI is supporting this youth-driven “Clean Air Campaign” project and is committed to supporting youth and keeping the community healthy and thriving.

“Keeping the community current with education and awareness so that everyone can have a positive healthy experience when visiting and accessing indoor and outdoor spaces in Windham and Raymond is the primary goal for this project,” she said.

If you or someone you know wants to quit tobacco, vape, or nicotine product, text the Quit Link for Maine: https://mainequitlink.com/ or 1-800-quitnow or for additional support/referrals call 211 Maine Information Line.

For further details about the “Clean Air Campaign,” call BTI at 207-804-6742 or send an email to btidirector@windhammaine.us <

WEDC report details TIF activity to Windham Town Council

By Ed Pierce

The Windham Economic Development Corporation has issued a report updating the Windham Town Council about the status of the town’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Program and estimated fund balances.

The Windham Town Council has received a
report from the Windham Economic 
Development Corporation updating the  
status of Tax Increment Financing fund
balances at the end of the last fiscal year
and municipal valuations for TIF districts.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

By definition, TIFs are flexible finance tools that allow municipalities to use new property taxes to fund public and private projects within a defined geographic district. Any portion of the new taxes may be used to finance public or private projects for a specific period of time.

Both the total acreage and the amount of acreage in individual TIF’s are limited. A single TIF cannot exceed 2 percent of the town’s total municipal acreage, and the total of all acreage, with certain exclusions, cannot exceed 5 percent. Currently, 476.28 acres of the total of 35,572 acres or 1.34 percent of Windham are in TIF Districts. With 5 percent of the total municipal acreage of 1,779 acres, the town could place up to an additional 1,302.72 acres into TIF Districts, provided that, under state law, no more than 711.44 acres are in any one district.

Here are fund balances and valuations from the WEDC report which was issued to the town in November:

Windham’s 2000 Pipeline TIF District runs through June 30, 2030, and was extended in 2015. It is a development program for Route 302 roadway, intersection, sidewalk and sewer engineering and construction, GIS system, environmental study, and economic development administration. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $718,344 based upon current municipal valuation of $10 million.

The 2006 Roosevelt Promenade TIF District expires in 2036 following Windham Town Council action and approval of a 15-year extension in March 2021. The district consists of 37.39 acres including the Home Depot and Lowe’s parcels in Windham. It is a development program funding costs for a local transportation study, growth study, public infrastructure study and WEDC staffing as well as infrastructure improvements including roadway and intersection improvements in the district, roadway and intersection improvements on Route 302, wastewater facilities’ engineering and construction in the district, and wastewater facilities engineering and construction on Route 302. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $490,502.

The 2014 New Marblehead Manor Affordable Housing Development District expires in 2044. The district consists of 3.7 acres consisting of one phase of New Marblehead Manor. The Development Program consists of a Credit Enhancement Agreement with Avesta New Marblehead. Its unaudited Fund Balance was $0.00, and its Current Municipal Valuation is $2,157,900.

The 2015 Gateway North A TIF District runs through June 30, 2045 after an extension in 2023. The district consists of 99.77 acres of various parcels in the North Windham commercial district. The development program includes making roadway and intersection improvements in the district, roadway and intersection improvements on Route 302, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in the district, and utility services relocation either above or underground in the district. As of June 30, its Fund Balance was $265,666 with current valuation of $19,597,041.

The 2019 Gateway North B TIF District runs through June 30, 2048. The district consists of 42.81 acres of various parcels in the North Windham commercial district. Its development program includes roadway and intersection improvements in the district, roadway and intersection improvements on Route 302, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in the district and streetscape improvements in and/or adjacent to the district and on Route 302. Its Fund Balance as of June 30, 2024 was $359,284, and its current Municipal Valuation is $26,269,900.

Established in 2021, the Boody’s Corner TIF District runs through June 30, 2051. The district consists of 16.31 acres improved as the Cross Insurance/Bangor Savings Bank building and apartments on Dusty Rhoades Lane in Windham. The development program includes making roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in North Windham, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in and serving the district, streetscape improvements in and/or adjacent to the district and on Varney Mill Road, and transit improvements. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $368,293 and its Current Municipal Valuation is $13,560,600.

2021’s SWFS Depot Street Apartments TIF District runs through June 30, 2051. The district consists of 0.35 acres so improved as a municipal fire station and 2.08 acres improved as the Depot Street Apartments in the South Windham Village for a total of 2.43 acres. The development Program includes roadway and intersection improvements in South Windham Village, roadway and intersection improvements on River Road, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in SW Village, and streetscape improvements in and/or adjacent to the SW Village and on River Road. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $185,061 and its Current Municipal Valuation is $2,548,200.

The 2022 Enterprise Development A TIF District runs through June 30, 2052. The district consists of 67.13 acres improved as commercial buildings and parcels in the Quarry Ridge Business Park and adjacent to Route 302 in Windham. The Development Program includes roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in North Windham, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in and serving the district, streetscape improvements in and/or adjacent to the district and on Route 302 and transit improvements. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $65,059 and its Current Municipal Valuation is $4,495,600.

2023 Boody’s Corner B TIF District runs through June 30, 2053. The district consists of 14.06 acres improved as the Badger Run Apartments (1.79 acres), 55 Tandberg Trail Apartments (0.3 acres), commercial land currently improved as a mobile home park on Robin Lane (9.49 acres), and a portion of 718 Roosevelt Trail improved as a municipal fire station (2.48 acres) in Windham. The development program includes roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in and serving the district, utility services relocation either above or underground in North Windham, and transit improvements. Its Fund Balance as of June 30, 2024 was $42,110 and its Current Municipal Valuation is $7,904,200.

2023’s South Windham Industrial Zone TIF District runs through June 30, 2053. The district consists of 62.99 acres improved as commercial buildings and parcels on or adjacent to Gambo Road in the South Windham Industrial Zone. The development program includes roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in South Windham, streetscape improvements in and/or adjacent to the district and in South Windham, transit improvements, Windham Economic Development Corporation administration and the design and development of economic development facilities including maker space, co-working space, and shared commercial kitchen space in Windham. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $10,568 and Current Municipal Valuation is $2,076,200.

The 2024 Boody’s Corner C TIF District runs through June 30, 2054. The district consists of 72.60 acres of commercial property on Franklin Drive, Tandberg Trail, Turning Leaf Drive, and along Route 302 in Windham. The development program includes roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in North Windham, and wastewater facilities engineering and construction in and serving the district. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was not available. Its Current Municipal Valuation is $8,275,700.

2024’s Gateway South TIF District runs through June 30, 2054. The district consists of 40.85 acres of commercial property on First Light Drive, and along Route 302 in Windham. The development program includes roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, wastewater facilities engineering and construction connecting to the district, Commercial Façade improvement programming and transit improvements. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was not available. Its Current Municipal Valuation is $542,200.

For 2025, new TIF Districts in Windham will include 2025 Anglers Road Senior Affordable Housing Development and Tax Increment Financing District and the 2025 Andrew School South Windham TIF District. <

VFW Post 10643 honors Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy student winners

By Ed Pierce

There is no shortage of patriotism in Windham and especially on Veterans Day. During this year’s annual Veterans Day observance, three local students were honored as winners of VFW Post 10643’s Patriot’s Pen essay contest and the Voice of Democracy audio essay contest.

Winners of VHW Post 10643's Patriot's Pen and Voice of'
Democracy contests gather on Veterans Day at the Windham
Veterans Center. From left are Zoie Hougaz-McCormick,
Brenna Wheeler and Amber Sands.
PHOTO BY ANDREA HOUGAZ-MCCORMICK
 

The first-place winner of the Patriot’s Pen competition for area students in Grades 6 to 8 was Zoie Gabriel Hougaz-McCormick, a sixth grader at Windham Middle School who wrote her essay on the theme “My Voice in America’s Democracy.” Sixth grader Brenna Wheeler of Windham Christian School was second in the Patriot’s Pen contest writing about “My Voice in America’s Democracy.” Taking home first-place for students in Grades 9 to 12 was Windham Christan Academy junior Amber Sands for her audio-essay on the theme is "Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?" Each of the three winners got to read their essays before an audience of more than 200 attending Veterans Day events at the Windham Veterans Center on Nov. 11.

As local winners from Windham, Hougaz-McCormick, Wheeler and Sands advance in the contest to compete at the VFW district level in Maine. The girls also were presented with checks by VFW Post Commander Willie Goodman for winning the local contest. Hougaz-McCormick received a first-place check for $200, while Wheeler took home a second-place check for $150. Sands received a first-place check for $250.

Goodman said that the Patriot's Pen essay competition is open to all middle school students from Windham and Raymond attending Windham Middle School, Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond, Windham Christian Academy, Baxter Academy for Technology and Science, and other public and private schools and home-schooled students, in grades 6 to 8. Middle school students were invited to write a 300- to 400-word essay about this year's theme and what it specifically means to them. The Voice of Democracy competition is open to all high school students from Windham and Raymond in grades 9 to 12, including those who are home-schooled. Students are asked to write and record a 3- to 5-minute essay (on an audio CD) on this year's theme and the meaning it holds for them.

Essay Contest

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society.

District winners compete in the VFW’s annual state competition while trying to secure a berth in the national competition with a chance to win thousands of dollars in college scholarships. The first-place VFW state winner also receives a four-day trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the national Patriot’s Pen contest.

Each year, nearly 25,000 students in grades 9 to 12 from across the country enter to win their share of more than $2 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the Voice of Democracy program. The first-place winner nationally receives $5,000 for the Patriot's Pen winning essay and the first-place winning essay nationally for the Voice of Democracy receives a $35,000 college scholarship.

Hougaz-McCormick said the best part of this year’s contest was being able to share her work with the community because she could show others her opinions and make a difference in the world.

“Making sure my opinions were strong enough that people would listen to them and consider what I had to say was the hardest part of the contest for me,” she said. “It took me about three weeks to write it and I worked on it after school for about 30 to 45 minutes a day. I thought about how much democracy means to me and I wrote down all my feelings and then put it together in an essay.”

She said that her family was excited and happy for her when she won the contest, but it was challenging to read her essay aloud before the audience.

“I was a little nervous at first, but I felt honored and excited to read my essay,” Hougaz-McCormick said. “I would recommend participating in this contest to other students because it gives others an opportunity to express their feelings about topics they feel strongly about. I learned that if you step outside your comfort zone it can have a positive consequence.”

According to Hougaz-McCormick, she would like to become a police officer when she grows up and specifically a D.A.R.E. officer.

Patriot’s Pen second-place winner Brenna Wheeler said the best part of the contest was typing out her essay and seeing the progression she was making.

“This helped me show how much my essay had grown since the rough draft,” Wheeler said. “The hardest part was keeping to the word count. My rough draft was over the word limit and I had to cut it down. And, for me, I would have typed more and more.”

It took her about three weeks to fully complete her essay.

“My teacher did a great job making sure we started early and had enough time to edit and make sure we were happy with our final draft,” she said. “My teacher suggested we start with a question and write an answer for that question. It helped so I could summarize what we could do for My Voice in America’s Democracy.”

Surprised by honor

Once she learned she was one of the local winners, Wheeler said her family was very surprised and excited.

“It was really encouraging for me as it showed you can accomplish something you work hard for,” she said. “I am proud of what I did and honored to be one of the winners. Reading my essay in front of the VGW members and their families was nerve racking. I was so nervous. But I soon realized that it would all be just fine and that I needed to have confidence. I was honored to be the first person to read their essay. I highly recommend other students participate in this contest. It is hard work to write an essay, but it is worth it. You get to see your progress and you may even get the chance to read it in front of veterans and their families. Do not be afraid to be a voice, and do not be afraid to speak in front of others. Both of these will help you in the future and show that hard work pays off. You should always try and maybe you’ll receive a reward.”

Wheeler said she wants to pursue a career in photography, science, or astronomy when she’s older.

For Amber Sands, the best part about being in the Voice of Democracy contest was the confidence it gave to her writing.

“I've been hoping to win this contest for years, and finally achieving that was a great boost for my creative self-esteem,” she said. “The hardest part was recording my essay. I tried to put as much feeling into it as I could, like I would if I was speaking directly to someone. It was difficult to manage without sounding like I was simply reciting a paper. I worked on this in my government class for a few days, so probably a total of an hour and a half. Being in a government class was great for writing my essay, because I was able to use terminology I hadn't known before. I'm also a fan of the musical Hamilton and enjoyed referencing that time period using my knowledge of the movie.”

She says her family members are proud of her achievement and excited that this could be a great step for her potential writing career.

“I'm generally fairly confident speaking in front of people, but I was definitely nervous at the Windham Veterans Center,” Sands said. “They were a great audience though, and many people came up to me afterward to congratulate me and compliment my essay. I would recommend this contest to other students because it really is a great platform, and it is totally worth it. I have taken away from this experience that you never know what will happen and how much people will like your work, but it's still good to try! You could end up touching a lot of people.”

Sands said she plans to go into creative writing for a future occupation.

“Writing is something I've always loved to do, and so this was a great step for me,” she said. <

Windham composer’s ‘Maine Christmas Song’ becomes illustrated children’s book

By Ed Pierce

When first approached several years ago about turning his beloved “Maine Christmas Song” into a children’s book, composer Con Fullam of Windham was open to the idea but wondered how it would turn out. His answer is a beautifully illustrated classic that just like the song, will stand the test of time.

The Maine Christmas Song book is based upon
Windham resident Con Fullam's popular tune.
Fullam will be signing copies of the book at
the 'An American Family Holiday' concerts
at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at 
Windham High School. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Fullam will be on hand at Windham High School for the Windham Chamber Singers “An American Family Holiday” concerts on Dec. 7 with copies of his book for purchase that he will autograph for the public. The “Maine Christmas Song” has been included in the “An American Family Holiday” concerts for decades.

Since Fullam composed the tune in 1986, the “Maine Christmas Song” has sold more than 100,000 copies and is the centerpiece of Christmas music set in the Pine Tree State. It’s been a holiday favorite of students and adults since it first hit the airwaves on WPOR as sung by Malinda Liberty and shows no signs of decreasing in popularity.

Publisher Stephanie Mulligan of Maine-based McSea Books first heard the “Maine Christmas Song” as a first grader growing up in Maine and always thought it would be great if it could be turned into a book.

“Like so many, I grew up with the song and always thought it could be a wonderful book with an important message, given the deep divide that we are experiencing today,” Mulligan said.

She sought out Fullam and pitched him the idea of using his song lyrics as a book filled with colorful illustrations. At the same time, Mulligan told an artist she knew in Otisfeld, Cynthia Baker, about the potential book and asked her to come up with some ideas for the book. As it turns out, Baker knew about the song because her husband had gone to college with Fullam.

Fullam grew up on a farm in Sidney and his father passed away when he was just 5, leaving behind his ukulele which his son learned how to play. Within a year of that, Fullam was playing guitar at church and school functions and by the time he was 10, he was performing on a Saturday night radio show in Waterville.

As an adult, Fullam’s love for performing, producing and songwriting lifted him to unprecedented heights in the music industry and five Emmy Award nominations. Along the way, he’s appeared on stage with such renowned artists as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, EmmyLou Harris, Joan Armatrading, John Sebastian, Asleep At The Wheel, Willie Nelson, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Earl Scruggs Review, Richie Havens, and Tammy Wynette. He is also responsible for creating The Wompkees, a popular animated television series for children on PBS.

In Maine, Fullam has a prominent place in music for his “Maine Christmas Song”.

“Reporter Bob Elliott of Channel 6 was working on a story about Christmas music in 1986 and I had just moved back to Maine from New York,” Fullam said. “He asked me to write a song about Christmas and I agreed. It sounded like fun. I figured I would work on it over the next year, but I was wrong. Bob told me he needed it now and that changed my original plans.”

Sitting down to create the song’s music, everything came together faster than Fullam expected.

“Sometimes things just magically happen in songwriting,” he said. “I didn’t have time to think about it. The melody and words came gushing out and in 20 minutes it was done.”

His inspiration for the song’s lyrics came from his recollections of his early life in Sidney and many Christmas seasons he spent there with his family growing up.

Maine actor Gary Merrill, the former husband of actress Bette Davis, recorded the opening narration for “The Maine Christmas Song” and Fullam then asked his friend, singer Malina Liberty, to record the tune in Portland. When it was first released in November 1987, the song became an instant sensation with proceeds from sales donated to Maine Credit Union League’s “End Hunger” initiative.

According to Mulligan, it took about 18 months from coming up with the book idea to its completion.

She said she was thrilled with the final product.

“It represents generations before us, but the message is timeless,” Mulligan said. “We’re trying to preserve the goodness and sharing with others.”

Fullam, who is included in the 2023 Marquis edition of “Who’s Who in America,” said he was delighted when he saw a proof of the “Maine Christmas Song” book.

“I really had no idea how it would turn out, but it was great,” he said. “The feedback I get about it is always wonderful. People all have stories about the song and what it’s meant to them and how it’s been a part of their lives.”

The “Maine Christmas Song” books are available in bookstores and gift shops throughout Maine, and online at McSeabooks.com and Amazon.com. <

Windham’s last surviving World War II veteran Carroll McDonald dies at 99

By Ed Pierce

And then there were none. Carroll McDonald, the last surviving World War II veteran living in Windham, died at the age of 99 on Nov. 14.

Carroll McDonald, the last surviving World War II veteran
in Windham, died at the age of 99 on Nov. 14. He trained
as a P-51 pilot during World War II and later served as a
postal carrier, seaplane pilot, Meals on Wheels driver and
was a former commander of American Legion Field-Allen
Post 148 in Windham. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Born on his parents’ dairy farm in South Windham on March 1, 1925, he was the first son of Edwin and Nellie McDonald and would soon be joined by a younger brother, Kenneth. From an early age he was fascinated by airplanes, and it was a passion he never lost sight of.

“When I was about 4 years old, I heard a biplane flying near a school,” McDonald said. “The sound of it going up and down and buzzing all around stirred my interest and it never left me when I was growing up. It was doing spins and barrel rolls overhead. At first, I was scared, but the longer I watched that old biplane, the more impressed I became, and I knew from that moment that I wanted to become a pilot someday. The sound of it going up and down and buzzing all around stirred my interest and it never left me when I was growing up.”

Both McDonald brothers were so infatuated by airplanes and aviation that in 1937 when Carroll was 12 and Kenneth was 9, they rode their bicycles from Grant’s Corner in South Windham for more than 12 miles to the airport in Portland one morning. Without their parents’ knowledge, the brothers paid for and boarded a flight to Boston where it landed, and then took off again for a return flight back to Portland. Both brothers then rode their bicycles back to their farm, and neither of their parents learned about their flight until years later.

Throughout his high school years, McDonald played trumpet in a dance band and then formed his own group called the Don Carroll Orchestra and also played for the Windham Town Band. He graduated from Windham High School in 1942 and started classes at Northeastern Business College in Portland that fall, but by the next summer he decided to accept a commission in the U.S. Army Air Corps to become a pilot before being drafted and assigned any job that was needed.

Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, he was sent to an Army flight school in Alabama and then for training as a P-51 Mustang fighter pilot at Page Field in Fort Myers, Florida. He received his flight wings in 1944 and spent the remainder of the war in Fort Myers flying P-51s, a long range, single-seat fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War.

“I joined because it was an opportunity to be well-trained and a chance to fly every single day,” McDonald said.

Upon his discharge from active duty in 1945, he attended business school using the GI Bill but in 1951 while fulfilling his military commitment in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, was promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant during the Korean War.

“Flying P-51s was the best experience I could have ever hoped for. It was a top-of-the-line aircraft and was really very fast,” he said. “Here I was just a teenager, and I was flying one of the fastest aircraft in the world and serving my country during wartime. It was simply an amazing time.”

Following his active-duty discharge in 1945, McDonald returned to Windham and attended business school using the GI Bill. He joined the U.S. Post Office as a rural postal delivery driver, a job he worked at for 32 years, delivering mail in South Windham and on River Road until retiring. He also continued to pilot aircraft while serving as a mailman and would finish his mail route by 2 p.m. in the summers and then drive to Naples where he would fly sightseeing trips for tourists around Sebago Lake.

About that time, McDonald joined American Legion’s Field-Allen Post 148 in 1951 and eventually served as Post Commander and performed many other duties for the veterans’ group through the years. He married Marjorie Steeves, and they raised a son, David, who graduated from Windham High in 1963, and a daughter, Karen.

“Carroll is surely near and dear to all of our hearts,” said Al LaRhette of South Weymouth, Massachusetts, during a 2023 reunion gathering for the Windham High School Class of 1963.

“I remember getting to play in the band with him when we performed at Fenway Park in Boston for the State of Maine Day in 1959.”

LaRhette said Carroll was known as a friend to all the class members and is beloved by everyone who knows him.

“He was just always there for us,” LaRhette said. “He had a way about him. It was like when you were with him, you were the most important person he got to speak to that day. He’s been a cherished friend to all of us throughout all these years since our graduation.”

Upon his retirement from the U.S. Post Office in 1980, McDonald volunteered for more than 20 years delivering Meals on Wheels to area seniors. He also became a member of the Presumpscot Lodge of Masons, Windham Hill Church, and Windham Historical Society.

While attending a vintage airshow in the Auburn area in 2014, he jumped at the chance to take a test flight in a restored P-51 Mustang aircraft.

“I couldn’t believe it after all these years,” he said. “I was thrilled to have that opportunity once more.”

Earlier this year he entered St. Andre’s Health Care Facility in Biddeford but insisted he would make it home in time for his 100th birthday on March 1, 2025 and a parade in his honor. His wife Marjorie died in 2007, followed his son, David in 2013, and his brother and sister-in-law Kenneth and Elizabeth McDonald in 2014. McDonald is survived by his partner Joan Esty of Windham, a daughter Karen Hopkins and her husband Blaine of Greenville, Maine, granddaughters Maureen Hopkins of Auburn, Maine and Brenda Lebo of Milford, New York, and a daughter-in-law Molly McDonald of Arcanum, Ohio.

Of everything he accomplished during his lifetime, McDonald said he would like to be remembered most as a pilot and for his military service in defense of America.

“I still think it was the right thing to do,” he said. “I am very positive about my time in the military. I enjoyed the structure, the discipline and was very pleased with the training I received. I’m lucky to have served and proud of what we accomplished.” <

Pumpkin design contest tests teamwork abilities of WMS students

By Ed Pierce

Believing that unity is strength and when there is teamwork that anything can be achieved, student groups at Windham Middle School recently collaborated as part of an exercise intended to build trust while creating, designing and decorating a winning pumpkin.

The 'Oscar the Grouch' pumpkin design 
created by a sixth-grade team advised by
teacher Matthew Zidle was the winner of
this year's Pumpkin Contest at Windham
Middle School. Team members proposed 
the design, painted the pumpkin and added
the finishing touches in an exercise intended
to build teamwork and collaboration among
the students. COURTESY PHOTO  

The winning pumpkin was one of about 30 different designs submitted by student teams and was unveiled during morning announcements on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The sixth-grade group advised by WMS teacher Matthew Zidle won this year’s contest for its “Oscar the Grouch” design.

The advisory groups at the school met, chose a pumpkin, suggested possible designs, voted on one design and then worked together on turning their pumpkin into the design they wanted. Following several weeks of work on the activity, the groups displayed their creations for their peers in the hallway outside the school gymnasium for a panel of judges including WMS Principal Greg Applestein and Assistant Principal AJ Ruth.

This popular annual student advisory group activity aims to forge strong connections among the students, foster creativity and to refine communications by drawing together students with diverse backgrounds and different personalities tasked to work on a common problem.

Zidle said the first task for the winning design group was to gather supplies needed for the pumpkin.

“Many of us were able to provide ‘trash’ items for the can,” he said. “Students painted the pumpkin and attached green ‘fur.’ We’d like to thank Ruth’s Reusables for helping us by donating supplies as well. They are an incredible resource for our communities by allowing us to work as a team and have a lot of fun in the process.”

He said it was a great opportunity for members of his advisory group to demonstrate leadership, think outside the box and develop a sense of solidarity, making them more invested in themselves and others.

Sixth grader Natalie Norcia was involved in painting the pumpkin to resemble “Oscar the Grouch” from Sesame Street.

“Besides painting, I helped with the googly eyes, the trash stuff and the fur,” Norcia said. “It took a few weeks to produce, but I thought it looked really good and that we all did a good job with it.”

Max Caron, a WMS sixth grader, said student creativity was on display in this activity.

“I liked how we could do whatever we wanted with the design,” Caron said.

He said some of the suggestions among their group for a design included the Earth, actor Mike Myers, and one based upon Friday the 13th films before the students settled on creating Oscar the Grouch.

He said this pumpkin decorating activity was challenging but was not so tough as to frustrate or overwhelm members of the student advisory group.

“Lots of friends got together in class, put our heads together and got to work on it,” Caron said.

As the project came together slowly, sixth grader Bradford Jorgensen thought that the group’s design might not get much attention from the judges.

“I thought we were going to get last place,” Jorgensen said. “In the end that wasn’t the case.”

When completed, Oscar the Grouch was seen emerging from a red trash can filled with crushed soda pop cans, candy wrappers and other trash. There is trash on top of his green hair, and he has thick black eyebrows over his large googly eyes. An empty plastic yogurt container is perched on top of his head and a sign on the trash can reads “Grouch says SCRAM.”



Members of Zile’s winning team included WMS sixth graders Chase Austin Lewis; Natalie Norica; Brittany Sharkey; Elena Vujanic; Elliot Condon; Liana Aguilar; Finnegan Niman; Bradford Jorgensen; Max Caron; Atticus Cunningham; James Riley; and Ian Dorie. <

Community shows gratitude for those who served at Veterans Day observance

By Lorraine Glowczak

Singer Bob Dylan once said that a hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his or her freedom. That truth was evident during the 2024 Veterans Day observance held on Monday at the Windham Veterans Center.

VFW Post 10643 Commander Willie Goodman presents
a plaque of appreciation to Ed Pierce, Managing Editor
of The Windham Eagle newspaper during the post's
annual Veterans Day observance on Monday, Nov. 11
at the Windham Veterans Center. Pierce, a U.S.
Air Force veteran, gave the keynote speech at the event.
PHOTO BY TOM THERIAULT   

Hosted by Windham VFW Post 10643, the annual gathering drew more than 200 people and celebrated the men and women of Windham who put their lives on the line when they wore the uniform of the United States of America protecting and ensuring the continued freedom of our nation.

VFW Post 10643 Commander Willie Goodman led the event and welcomed guests including Windham’s state delegation members State Senator Tim Nangle and outgoing State Representative Jane Pringle, and Windham Town Council members Mark Morrison and David Nadeau. It was part of the national celebration of Veterans Day, which was originally known as “Armistice Day.”

The commemoration of a special day to pay tribute to military veterans was originally created Nov. 11, 1919, one year after the end of World War I. At the time, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson declared “Armistice Day” to take place annually in America on the “11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour” to remember the end of what was known as “The Great War,” now called World War I. In 1975, U.S. President Gerald Ford designated Nov. 11 as the permanent Veterans Day holiday because of the historical significance of veterans to America.

During the Windham observance, Goodman recognized three local students as winners of this year’s Patriot’s Pen essay contest and Voice of Democracy audio essay competition.

Zoie Hougaz-McCormick of Windham Middle School was first overall, and Brenna Wheeler of Windham Christian School finished second in the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen contest for students in Grades 6 to 8 writing on this year’s theme of “My Voice in American Democracy.” Amber Sands of Windham Christian School won first place for her audio essay in the VFW’s Voice of Democracy contest for high school students on the theme of “Is America Today Our Forefather’s Vision?”

Ed Pierce, a U.S. Air Force veteran and the Managing Editor of The Windham Eagle newspaper served as the keynote speaker for the observance.

Pierce related three different stories, two about his own time in the military and one about a veteran he had met in New Hampshire during his time working for a newspaper there.

In his first story, Pierce described an incident he experienced as an E-1 Airman Basic on a seven-hour flight to Frankfurt, Germany from Gander, Newfoundland in 1977. During the flight, he inadvertently got brown gravy on the collar of the dress shirt of a U.S. Army Colonel sleeping next to him. While agonizing about what to do, the gravy dried and it turned out the colonel happened to be the chief aide to U.S. Army Four-Star General Alexander Haig, the Supreme Commander of NATO Forces in Europe at the time.

His second story involved meeting and interviewing future U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1975, and then seven years later having Reagan recognize him as an Air Force sergeant during an event at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Reagan mentioned that Pierce was his favorite writer and should be promoted and when the promotion list was posted two days later, he was indeed promoted. The following Monday, a large jar of jellybeans and a note bearing the presidential seal and offering congratulations appeared on Pierce’s desk when he arrived for work.

Pierce’s final story involved George Nichols, an 89-year-old resident of the New Hampshire Veteran’s Home in Tilton in 2014. He was covering the veteran’s home as part of his beat for the Laconia Citizen newspaper and was at the facility to report about a visit from then-New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan with the veterans for St. Patrick’s Day. Nichols, who was on oxygen and confined to a wheelchair, stopped Pierce and said he had a story for him to write about.

When Pierce went back the next day to speak to Nichols, he learned that the veteran had cancer and was a lifelong baseball fan. Nichols told him he had gone with his father to Fenway Park in Boston to watch his first Red Sox game in 1929. Nichols had wanted to pitch someday for the Red Sox but World War II intervened. He instead was drafted and trained as a medical corpsman and sent to Anzio Beach, Italy during the American landing there in 1944.

At the same time, Pierce’s father was drafted in 1943 and was shipped overseas as an infantryman serving first in Libya and Morocco and then was part of the U.S. invasion force trying to take Anzio from the Nazis. He was shot in the back by a German sniper and was rescued by a medical corpsman and taken for treatment.

During the Battle of Anzio, Nichols was asked to run onto the beach, pick up American soldiers who were injured but had a chance to survive, sling them over his shoulder and carry them to the medical station for treatment. On his 19th trip onto Anzio Beach to rescue wounded soldiers, a German mortar shell exploded nearby and sent shrapnel into Nichols’ left knee. Despite bleeding profusely, Nichols completed his mission, had his knee cleaned and bandaged and he went back and successfully completed six more trips. At the end of the day, he was informed that he would be put in for a Purple Heart medal for being wounded in combat.

But it never happened and years later when he turned 65, Nichols applied for his Purple Heart medal. He was denied the medal by the VA and over the next 19 years, Nichols applied every year and was denied each time. The reason for the denial was Nichols did not have his Army medical records to prove he had been wounded. Those paper records were stored in a facility in St. Louis, Missouri which burned to the ground in 1973 and lost forever, along with the records of 18 million other American military personnel.

The story about Nichols’ plight ran on the front page of the Laconia newspaper and was subsequently picked up and run by the Associated Press throughout the U.S. It so happened that the owner of the Boston Red Sox saw the article and invited Nichols and his family to be his guest and for him to throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park on Armed Forces Day in 2014, fulfilling Nichols’ lifelong dream of throwing a pitch for his favorite team. The following spring he died without ever receiving his Purple Heart.

According to Pierce, veterans like George Nichols and those from the Windham VFW Post 10643 and Windham American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 gave unselfishly of themselves to protect our freedom and deserve our respect and gratitude not only on Veterans Day but throughout the year

In addition to the keynote speaker at the observance, the Windham Chamber Singers, under the director of Dr. Richard Nickerson, performed the National Anthem and a medley of military branch songs for the veterans. Afterward, those in attendance were treated to a lunch provided and served by Chick-Fil-A of Westbrook. A donation of coleslaw was made to the gathering by Windham Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Windham Boy Scout Troop 805 presented the colors, passed out programs and helped seat visitors at the observance. <

Historical fiction author prepares to discuss novels at Windham Public Library event

By Ed Pierce

A great writer can take readers to faraway places they may never experience themselves or tell stories that inspire their imagination. Michael Meeske of Windham is one of those rare writers whose work is not only commercially successful, but also provides some great storytelling.

Author Michael Meeske of Windham, who
writes under the pen name VS Alexander,
will appear from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday,
Nov. 6 at the Windham Public Library to
discuss his novels The Taster and The
Novelist from Berlin.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Meeske, the author of 11 novels, has sold nearly a half-million books in the past seven years and he will be on hand from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the Windham Public Library in a free event to meet the public and discuss his writing. Through the years, his novels have received critical acclaim from Publisher’s Weekly, the Library Journal, and other industry publications and he’s been a speaker at numerous writing conferences and events around the United States.

His novels for Kensington Publishing are under his pen name of V. S. Alexander and have been published in more than a dozen countries including Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Mexico, the United States and Lithuania. A novel of his called The Taster has been optioned for a film.

During his appearance at the library, Meeske will discuss The Taster, his novel about a food taster for Adolf Hitler, and The Novelist from Berlin, based on a true story of a writer during the late days of the Weimar Republic and the early days of the German Reich. He’ll be talking about both of these heroines and their different lives under Nazi rule.

Originally from Kansas, Meeske is a natural at writing.

“I was a storyteller from an early age, but I didn’t know it. I wrote a play – an extremely short one – plus a couple of short stories about astronauts and visitors from another planet. It was kid’s stuff. My last semester at the University of Kansas, I needed a class, any class, to fulfill my credits,” he said. “I enrolled in a fiction writing course taught by James E. Gunn, then President of the Science Fiction Writers of America. I didn’t know who he was, so I went in with no expectations. Also, I knew how hard it is to write good science fiction, having read it for many years in my youth. Most everyone in the class had enrolled because of Gunn’s reputation and stature in the writing world. I didn’t write science fiction, and I got A’s on my stories. He lit the fire.”

After taking Gunn’s class, Meeske said he had a burning desire to write, but his big break didn’t come until much later in life.

“I’d have to say, I enjoy the creative end of writing more than any other part of the business – creating characters, moving them around, keeping the story fresh and exciting for readers which is easier said than done,” he said. “But I realize how far-reaching the editing process is, and how a good working relationship with an editor is crucial. Editorial work is fine tuning and makes the book so much better. Beta readers are important as well. Find one you trust. I’ve had the same beta reader for all my books.”

He says the ideas for his novels are ones he comes up on his own.

“A magazine article, a news story, or a thought, triggers the process,” Meeske said. “If it digs its claws firmly into my head, I know I should do something with it. My editor also has pitched me ideas. He’ll say I want a book on the Magdalen Laundries, or the Irish Potato Famine and I’ve done both of them. When I first started writing, I was a total panster, just thinking that the creative juices would guide me wherever I needed to be in the book. I wrote myself into a corner a couple of times and shortly thereafter, I made bullet-point outlines. The Taster, for example, I developed from a grocery list. I had 15 or so points, and I wrote the book from them. At one point, the heroine grabbed the story, and I followed. It was an exhilarating experience, and her unscripted journey added immensely to the novel.”

When he’s able to write, Meeske enjoys writing in the afternoon or early evening after he’s completed his other tasks for the day. And, unlike some writers, he doesn’t write every day.

“There’s some kind of rule that says writers have to write every day, but I have to take a day off once in a while,” Meeske said. “I find that I’m very productive on weekends – that’s because I used to work full time. I gauge my writing time by word count. My goal is to write 1,000 to 1,200 words per session. That usually takes two or so hours. If you write a page a day, say 350 words, for a year, you’ll have a book. Breaking the process down into manageable tasks helps.”

He previously lived in New England for 20 years before moving to Florida.

“After 23 years there, I was ready to move back. I was tired of hurricanes, the congestion, and a quality of life that had changed since I left Boston in 2001,” he said. “New England has changed as well, and I’ve had some adjustment pains, but I love living in Windham. I grew up in small-town Kansas. The population here is much like my hometown when I was growing up.”

Enjoying an excellent relationship with his publisher, Meeske found a literary agent through a referral from a colleague who couldn’t do a book his editor wanted.

“So, I sold my first book on 75 pages, a 25-page synopsis and three chapters,” he said. “That became The Magdalen Girls in 2017. We’ve been working together for nearly a decade.”

Now firmly established in his career, it took some time for Meeske’s family and friends to approve of his decision to focus on writing.

“When I first told my parents that I wanted to be a writer, sometime after college, they asked, ‘Fine, but how are you going to make a living?’ Probably every kid going into the creative arts has heard that line,” he said. “Eventually, they got behind me. My friends have been supportive and sometimes amazed. It’s hard to make a living as a writer. Only about 15 percent of writers make a living from their craft, and many take on other jobs to pay the bills. You have to love it, and persevere, to succeed.”

Putting together his novels have not come without challenges and one has been the most difficult to overcome.

“I’d say my writing of The War Girls was the most difficult. I had the idea of two Jewish sisters separated by the start of World War II, one living with relatives in England and the other in Warsaw,” he said. “I had to research the Warsaw Ghetto, Special Operations Executive, and, most difficult of all, what a traditional Jewish home would be like in Warsaw before and after the invasion. Not being Jewish, I called upon friends, historical resources, and a sympathetic freelance editor to help me navigate a 5,000-year-old religion. It was a challenge, but the book has been well-received and I’m very proud of it.”

He’s just signed a contract to write his eighth historical novel for Kensington.

“It will be out sometime in 2026. I can’t talk about it at this point, but I’m excited and ready to get to work.” <

Mapmaker uses artistic skills to help those in need

By Ed Pierce

A map can tell you where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going and for one local mapmaker, his maps also are making a difference in the community.

Sam Merriam, the president of
Great Northern Docks, has been
making maps of local lakes for
the past 10 years. Proceeds from
map sales have been donated to
assist area food pantries. This
month the proceeds from online
map sales will benefit hurricane
victims in the south.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

Sam Merriam of Great Northern Docks in Naples comes from an artistic family and became interested in cartography, the art and science of representing a geographical area on a vintage-style map about 10 years ago. One of his brothers, Tom, is a wildlife artist and sculptor and another brother, Dan, is a watercolor artist.

“They have been an inspiration to me,” Merriam said. “I’ve always enjoyed illustrations ever since I was a child, and art is a thing in my family.”

While visiting Waterboro’s Little Ossipee Lake in 2014, he decided to create a map through his work as President of Great Northern Docks and offer it to the public. He needed a place to distribute the map, and he found it at the Lakeside Market owned at the time by Sandy and Leo Binnette.

“I went to them and wanted to get the maps out there,” he said. “But I felt there would be no perceived value for them if they were free. I told them they can sell them, and they agreed. We set a suggested price, and they said they would donate 100 percent of sales from the maps to the local food pantry. I thought it was generous and that set everything into motion.”

Since then, Merriam has done the same thing for other local lakes and has produced maps for Long Lake, Brandy Pond, Sebago Lake and many others with proceeds from sales benefitting local food pantries in the Lakes Region.

“Every time I put a map out, I get requests for others I don’t have,” he said. “I’m up to 20 now and not ready to stop. It has given me such a sense of fulfillment.”

Most of his maps are completed in the winter. He starts with paper and a pencil and then determines how his idea will lay out on the page.

“Sometimes the borders will be different and there will be different illustrations. I figure out to use the art comprehensively with each map,” Merriam said.

The maps also include text for information such as the names of islands or coves, and sometimes local roads.

“The whole thing is a piece of art,” he said. “When it’s all finished it’s a piece of art to be put on a wall.

Each drawing is done by Merriam freehand with India ink and he sits and does a composite to put it all together as an 11 x 17 in a vertical and portrait type of presentation. It usually takes him about two to three weeks to complete each map from start to finish.

“They turn out, for the most part, to be mainly the vision I started with,” he said. “Another of my brothers Seth is a graphic artist, and he helps me in the editing phase and the graphic design of making the maps.”

His goal right now is to focus on making maps of the Sebago Lake region including Peabody Pond in Bridgton and Pleasant Lake in Casco. When those projects are finished, Merriam intends to wrap up local lakes and then move on to making a map of Casco Bay and eventually Moosehead Lake.

Among favorite maps that he’s worked on so far is the one he did of Moose Pond in Bridgton.

“I love the way the antlers came out on that one,” Merriam said. “It’s long jagged splash art that I’m happy with. I also enjoyed a map I created of Yarmouth as it has an interesting shoreline.”

Some of his maps have illustrations buried in them that you need to search to find the illustrations because you won’t see them anywhere else.

“I created one where the border depicts the story,” Merriam said. “Another was a lakebed with arrowheads. I enjoy hiding imagery in these maps, it’s the art of entertainment and perpetuates the message of giving subtlety. That would make art more purposeful. My aim is to create each map to have a positive impact.”

Merriam also plays piano and admits that he’s not the best artist or illustrator but is proud of what he’s accomplished through his mapmaking.

“You have to take what you’ve got, and somebody will like what you do,” he said. “Everybody’s needed. If you help or inspire one person in a positive way, you’re not wasted.”

Artistic lake maps of local lakes produced by Great Northern Docks are available at local stores or by visiting https://greatnortherndocks.com/maps/

From now until Oct. 31, for every map purchased all proceeds will be donated for hurricane relief to areas devastated by Hurricane Helen and Hurricane Milton in the Southern United States. <

Windham’s oldest resident dies at 106

By Ed Pierce

The Town of Windham’s oldest resident has died at the age of 106.

Hazel P. Gilman, who was born July 20, 1918, passed away Oct. 9 in Gorham.

Hazel Gilman, Windham's oldest resident,
died Oct. 9 at the age of 106. She was a
1935 graduate of Windham High School and
was married to her husband Ken for 55 years
until his death in 1996. 
PHOTO BY LORRAINE GLOWCZAK

She was the daughter of Harry M. Plummer and Mildred Lord Plummer and graduated from Windham High School in 1935.

When Hazel was 2 years old, her parents moved in with her grandparents to help take care of them.

“My grandfather was deaf and blind, so my mom and dad wanted to be there and help them out in any way they could,” Gilman told The Windham Eagle in 2021.

After high school she stayed in Windham and in 1941 she married Kenneth Gilman, and they enjoyed 55 years together until his death in 1996. The couple did not have any children of their own but helped to raise Hazel’s three younger brothers in the family’s home.

“My mother died at the age of 50, leaving my father a widower, so Ken and I stepped in to help raise my younger brother,” she said.

Her father remarried and together, he and his new wife welcomed two more sons into their lives. But tragedy struck the family a second time when Gilman’s stepmother died from cancer in her 50s. Once again Gilman and her husband stepped up to raise the two young sons.

Gilman was employed by Universal Watkins and National Medical Care and upon her retirement she served as a volunteer at Brighton Hospital.

In 2018 at the age of 100, Windham Town Clerk Linda Morrell presented Gilman with the town’s Boston Post Cane, for her being the oldest living resident of Windham.

She was reticent about receiving that distinction, saying “It’s nothing I’ve done to deserve it. I just happen to be the oldest person alive in Windham.”

The Boston Post Cane originated in 1909, when replicas were sent to the selectmen of 700 towns in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island. Made of ebony imported from Africa and featuring a 14-carat gold head two inches long, decorated by hand, and with a ferruled tip, the canes came with instructions to be presented to the community's oldest citizen. When the recipient died, it was to be given to the successor to the title. This tradition was the idea of Boston Post Publisher Edwin Grozier and continues in Windham and many towns across New England to this day.

When Hazel was young, community and neighborhood gatherings would often happen spontaneously, she told the newspaper in 2021.

“I remember one of our neighbors was a piano teacher,” Gilman said. “In the evenings, he would practice and when he started playing, music came through the windows and the whole neighborhood would hear it, gather around, sitting on his lawn, listening, and singing to the songs we knew. We’d experience a concert right then and there.”

Modern inventions she witnessed during her lifetime made life more convenient but detracted from the community’s dependence upon one another, she said.

"I put laundry in the washing machine the other day and it dawned on me that I can have my clothes washed and dried in a couple of hours,” Gilman said. “It would have taken my mom two days to do the same amount of laundry by the time she boiled the water, soaked the clothes, hung them out to dry and then ironed them. I think we were much better off when we had to work together to get things done. It created a sense of community among families and neighbors that doesn’t seem to happen today. It felt as if we were all in the same boat and we simply had fun, despite the challenges and hard work it took to live.”

Along with her parents and husband, Hazel was predeceased by her sisters, Murial Forbes and Idolyn Plummer, and a brother, Harry Plummer Jr. She is survived by her brothers Richard Plummer and wife Nancy, David Plummer and wife Mary, and sisters Neola Brown and Janice Morrell. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews; grandnieces and grandnephews, including her nephew Peter Forbes, who visited her often.

A memorial service for Gilman was held Wednesday, Oct. 16 at the Dolby, Blais, and Segee Windham Chapel with private interment at Arlington Cemetery in Windham. <

Local elections drawing interest in Windham, Raymond

By Ed Pierce

If you haven’t noticed it by now, local candidates and campaigns are coming down the home stretch as voters across Windham and Raymond will head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

A proliferation of candidate signs dot the landscape at 
School Road and Gray Road in Windham. Absentee
ballots are now available at the town clerk offices in
Windham and Raymond for the upcoming election
on Nov. 5. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

Ballots will be cast to fill seats in local and state races including State Senate in Windham and Raymond, State Representative in two different Windham districts and one in Raymond. Voters also will cast ballots for two Windham Town Council seats and for RSU Board of Directors positions.

In Windham, there are three individuals running for two Windham Town Council seats. Incumbent William D. Reiner is unopposed in seeking a three-year term representing the town’s West District. Competing for an At-Large council seat for a three-year term are incumbent David Nadeau and former town council chair Clayton Haskell.

Three candidates are vying for two seats in Windham on the RSU 14 Board of Directors for three-year terms. The top two candidates in this race receiving votes will earn seats on the board. Candidates include Frances Etheridge, Virginia Woodman, Jessica Bridges. Kathleen March has announced her candidacy earlier this year but has withdrawn from the race.

As a reminder, all seats on the RSU 14 Board of Directors and the Windham Town Council are non-partisan.

For Maine State Senate District 26 representing Windham, part of Raymond, Casco, Frye Island, and part of Westbrook, incumbent Tim Nangle of Windham, a Democrat, will be opposed by Republican challenger Kenneth J. Cianchette of Windham.

Two candidates are seeking the Maine House of Representatives District 106 seat representing part of Windham. Incumbent Barbara Bagshaw of Windham, a Republican, is running for re-election and is opposed by Democrat challenger Doris Poland of Windham.

Three candidates are running for the Maine House of Representatives District 107 seat representing part of Windham. Incumbent Democrat Jane Pringle of Windham is opposed by Republican challenger Mark Cooper of Windham and Independent challenger and former State Representative Patrick Corey of Windham.

Several candidates are on the ballot in Raymond vying for the Maine House of Representatives District 86 seat, representing part of Raymond, part of Poland, Casco and Frye Island. Longtime incumbent Jessica Fay, a Democrat, is term limited and Republican Rolf A. Olsen is challenged by Democrat Craig Messigner for the position.

Voters will also determine the outcome for five statewide referendum questions in the election.

For Windham residents, there will be a Candidate Forum from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20 at the Windham Town Hall gymnasium, 8 School Road in Windham.

This forum will be a moderated event with a 30 minute "meet and greet" session prior to the event.

Windham candidates for State Senate, State Representative, Town Council and RSU 14 Board of Directors have been invited to participate.

Residents seeking to vote absentee may do so at their respective town clerk's office as soon as absentee ballots are available. By law, absentee ballots must be made available at least 30 days before the election at the municipal clerk's office. Voters do not need to complete an absentee application if they vote in person at the clerk's office. The deadline for absentee voting in the presence of the clerk, unless special circumstances exist, is the Thursday before the election, which in this case is Thursday, Oct. 31.

If requesting an absentee ballot, to be counted, ballots must be received by the municipal clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Those seeking to mail an absentee ballot must request a ballot no later than 15 days prior to Election Day and they must be returned no later than seven days prior to Election Day.

In-person voting will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5 at Windham High School for Windham residents and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5 at Jordan-Small Middle School for Raymond residents. <

Windham High School sophomore revs up fast start in auto racing career

By Ed Pierce

He may only be a sophomore at Windham High School, but Cole Robie of Windham is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in professional auto racing.

Cole Robie of Windham, 16, won the Nelcar Tour Race at
Star Speedway in New Hampshire on Sept. 14 and that was
after he won the Legends Feature Race there on Aug. 30.
He comes from a racing family and has won five 
championships in just three years, starting at age 13.
COURTESY PHOTO 

Robie, 16, started racing three years ago at the age of 13 and since then has built a resume of success on the racetrack including winning five different championships so far and counting. Competing in his Legends car, Robie took the checkered flag and the features victory for the Nelcar Tour race at Star Speedway on New Hampshire on Sept. 14, and that came on the heels of his Legends feature win at the same racetrack on Aug. 30.

Racing cars in Legends, Late Model and Super Late Model divisions, despite his youth, Robie continues to rack up wins and experience as he ultimately aims for a career in the racing industry when he finishes school. His chances of doing that are excellent as racing is a family tradition with his grandfather, father and uncles all having raced professionally. Cole’s uncle, Derek Kneeland of Windham, is currently a spotter for NASCAR’s Richard Childress Racing and has been involved in the sport as a driver since he was young.

“I have always wanted to race,” Robie said. “My Dad had a lot of interest in getting me into racing and was the one that made it happen. We started in 2021, and racing is just in my blood.”

His exceptional driving skills and will to win at such a young age show that Windham remains at the forefront in state for developing championship auto racers, a fact not lost on Robie.

“There are a lot of race families born and raised in Windham and I just happen to be part of one,” he said. “Racing has just gone from generation to generation in those families which is pretty cool.”

Almost every weekend Robie can be found at the racetrack, and he travels to warmer states during the winter months when racing is not possible in New England.

According to Robie, he enjoys auto racing for several reasons.

“I like the adrenaline rush, and the speed factor,” he said. “I also like that it's an independent sport.”

And he’s been able to hold his own against older and more experienced drivers as his racing legacy grows.

Last year he captured his first Legend Car national title, winning the 2023 INEX Young Lions Road Course National Championship. In July, he topped an 11-car field during a Group B race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and in May Robie led for every single lap while cruising to a NELCAR Legends win at the Lee USA Speedway in New Hampshire.

“I think my family loves it, they have all been in the racing industry for many years and it's exciting for them to see me following my dreams,” he said. “They are all my biggest fans and supporters.”

Up next for Robie will be a Legends race at Dominion Motor Speedway in Woodland, Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 5 and then he will turn around and compete in a Super Late Model race on Sunday, Oct. 6 at Lee Motor Speedway in New Hampshire.

“The most challenging track I’ve ever raced on was at Hallett, Oklahoma in my Legend,” he said. “I didn't have a gear gauge and raced without knowing what gear I was in.”

As far as prestige races go, Robie says the biggest race he’s competed in thus far was in Las Vegas, Nevada for the Oval World Finals in his Legend car.

His racing journey has taken him all over the country this year including events at Anderson Motor Speedway in Williamston, South Carolina; Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina; New London- Waterford Speedbowl in Waterford, Connecticut; Cordele Speedway in Cordele, Georgia; Claremont Motorsports Park in New Hampshire; Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tennessee; Southern National Motorsports Park in Lucama, North Carolina; Lee USA Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire; Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire; Caffeine and Octane’s Lanier Raceway in Braselton, Georgia; and the Citrus County Speedway in Inverness, Florida.

In 2024 alone, he’s won four times, finished in the Top Five nine times and in the Top 10 a total of 20 times with several months of racing left this year.

He attributes his success to his family, his race team and his friends.

“Everyone in the town that I know has been very supportive of my racing,” Robie said. “Some of my friends have even come along to some of the races and helped me out as part of my pit crew. My whole family and all of my friends are my biggest fans and supporters. I couldn't do any of this without all of them behind me.” <