Seamstress celebrates 103rd birthday at Windham party

By Ed Pierce

On Oct. 15, 1922, direct dial phone service without a telephone operator was introduced for the first time in New York City and closer to home, the Bisbee Family of Gray welcomed a daughter, Mariam Bisbee, who was born at home that day. On Wednesday, 103 years later, Mariam Bisbee celebrated her birthday with friends and relatives, and she shows little signs of slowing down.

Mariam Bisbee displays a cake marking her 103rd birthday
during a special party and celebration with friends and family
at Ledgewood Manor in Windham on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

During a party and celebration at Ledgewood Manor in Windham, Bisbee recalled growing up on her parent’s poultry farm on Whitney Road in Gray. Both her mother, Eleanor, and her father, Will, had been schoolteachers before Mariam was born and they had hopes that she would follow them and become a teacher. Mariam’s actual first name is Eleanor but because it was also her mother’s name, everyone called her by her middle name.

By the time Mariam was 6, she had learned to operate a sewing machine, and it came in handy as she made a lot of her own clothes and for her sister, Elsie.

In 1939, she traveled to New York City to attend the World’s Fair and learned about new inventions such as television and air conditioning for the first time. Upon her return to Maine, Mariam’s parents sent her to Brooksville to live with her aunt while she attended the Castine Normal School for teacher training.

‘The intellectual part there was less challenging than at a high school,” she said. “I spent one awful year teaching all grades at a one-room schoolhouse in a place in Maine called Atkinson,” she said. “I didn’t enjoy it at all and wanted to do something else.”

She returned home and found another job as a seamstress at a dress factory. Both her and her sister continued to live with their parents at the family home in Gray until 1970.

“That’s when we moved the carriage house in the property over an old cellar hole and my sister and I lived there until she passed at the age of 86,” Mariam said.

She never married because as she puts it, “nobody ever asked me.”

Leaving the dress factory, Mariam found another job as a seamstress working for Maine Medical at an osteopathic hospital and stayed there until she retired. But retirement was boring for Mariam, so she got another job working at the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray.

She continued driving until she was 98 and attended the Congregational Church of Gray where she made many friends, some of whom were at her 103rd birthday party in Windham.

Alison Ashley of Buxton is Mariam’s first cousin twice removed and says she has a wonderful sense of humor.

“She had a cat named Baby and something that nobody may know about her is that she can shoot a shotgun and a rifle,” Ashley said. “I think she would shoot her rifle right up to the age of 98. She’s not a fussy person she just goes with the flow.”

Mariam stayed alone in her own home until July at the age of 102 1/2, when she moved to Ledgewood Manor. She never drank, never smoked and spends much of her days now reading, doing crossword puzzles and playing word search games.

“I read for fun,” Mariam said. “If it’s got print on it, I’ll read it, even if it’s a medicine bottle. And I like chocolate a lot.”

Having made many friends at Ledgewood, she says the food is good there and for the first time, she’s learned to play bingo. She’s become so adept at bingo, she won a fancy quilt while playing there that now covers her bed.

“I love my family, and I love my church family,” Mariam said. “I guess I just enjoy being around people.”

She admits the secret to longevity is very simple.

“Just keep breathing,” Mariam said. “I tell everyone who asks me, my advice is to just keep breathing.” <

Mountain Division Trail project in Windham could be part of Maine’s Three-Year Plan

By Ed Pierce

After years of discussion, studies and surveys, the final segment to extend the Mountain Division Trail from Windham could be added to Maine Department of Transportation’s Three-Year Plan.

A $16.2 million project to extend the Mountain
Division Trail from Windham to Westbrook has
been recommended to be included on the Maine
Department of Transportation's Three-Year Plan.
The 5-mile stretch would finish a continuous
nearly 10-mile off-road bicycle and pedestrian 
link running from Standish to Westbrook.
COURTESY PHOTO

During a meeting of the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System’s Advisory Committee on Oct. 7, PACTS members voted to recommend the project to be included on MaineDOT’s Three-Year Plan spanning 2026-2027-2028.

Aubrey Miller, Senior Transportation Program Manager for the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG), said that following the Draft Plan’s adoption by the committee, the GPCOG Policy Board will review and consider adopting the Regional Trail Plan on Oct. 23.

The $16.2 million project will extend the Mountain Division Trail from its current end at Main Street (Route 202), in Windham, and extend the trail about 5 miles south to Bridge Street in Westbrook. Doing this will create a continuous, nearly 10-mile off-road bicycle and pedestrian transportation link running from Standish to Westbrook, Miller said.

In 2012, a preliminary design and draft report for the Mountain Division Trail using old railroad beds and tracks was developed and submitted to the MDOT, the City of Westbrook, and Town of Windham for initial review but the project was put on hold because of insufficient funding. The project sat dormant for a decade until in 2022 the Town of Windham applied to the MDOT’s Quality Community Program, seeking funding for the design and construction of the multi-use trail.

A $450,000 grant for engineering and design work for the project was obtained, with a report submitted to the Maine Department of Transportation upon its completion.

Once funded by MaineDOT, project work will include new pavement, gravel, curbing, drainage, signing and striping, retaining walls, fencing, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons located at the trail crossings on Bridge Street in Westbrook, Depot Street in Windham, and Main Street (Route 202) in Windham.

Plan specifics include installing a prefabricated steel pedestrian bridge over Mallison Falls Road with a structural subconsultant hired to complete the design of the bridge. MaineDOT will hire a bridge firm to evaluate the Inkhorn Brook and Colley Wright Brook stone arch culverts and impacts to the project will be further evaluated as trail work progresses.

A final plan version was submitted to MaineDOT in July 2024 and recommended bicycle trail design speeds between 12 to 30 mph, with a speed of 18-mph being generally accepted in relatively flat areas. Because of the adjacent near rail of the railroad track, the plan called for the near edge of the trail to be set back a minimum of 15 feet from the near rail.

Plans also propose introducing vertical curves to minimize drainage and property impacts, as well as to improve the trail construction. It prefers that the trail width be 10 feet although reduced to 8 feet minimum for short distances where a physical barrier or right of way does not allow for the full width of the trail. The proposed shoulder widths in the plan are 3 to 5 feet.

If accepted as part of the Maine Three-Year Plan by MaineDOT, the subgrade and surface of the trail will be graded to drain away from the rail line unless adequate drainage is provided by the trail developer to prevent trail runoff and providing that there are no impediments to normal rail line maintenance.

Equestrian use will be allowed on the proposed trail and snowmobile passage may be accommodated by removing the middle bollard of the trail during winter months.

The proposal includes sidewalk reconstruction along Main Street (Route 202), Bridge Street, Depot Street, Pierce Street, and Stillwater Drive and rectangular rapid flashing beacons to be installed at the mid-block crossing located for Main Street (Route 202) in Windham, Depot Street in Windham and Bridge Street in Westbrook.

In November 2023, voters statewide approved the $30 million Maine Trails Bond and funding for the new multi-use trail could be derived from that bond. Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands will administer $30 million with about $7.5 million per year in competitive grant funding to towns, organizations, and clubs to support the design, maintenance, and construction of trails, prioritizing accessibility and sustainable design standards. The bond provides equal access for all types of trail projects, including for motorized trail use, non-motorized uses, and multi-use trails; and to help leverage other sources of public and private funding to support trail projects in Maine.

The Mountain Division Trail itself follows the former Portland and Ogdensburg Railway. When Maine Central Railroad originally acquired the line, the name was changed to the Mountain Division Rail Line and it was originally built to connect the port of Portland with the St. Lawrence Seaway in Ogdensburg, New York with a spur connecting to Montreal. By the time that its construction was finished, there was more competition, and it became difficult for the railroad to be profitable. Passenger service for the rail line was suspended in 1958 with freight service halted in 1983 and by 1994, all rail service on the former Mountain Division Rail Line in Maine was abandoned.

A public hearing was conducted by the state in May 2021 regarding a feasibility study to replace the existing rail tracks with a paved, multi-use trail. Under federal law, if railroad tracks are removed, the corridor needs to be railbed meaning that it is available to be converted back for railroad use if needed at any point in the future.

The first mile-and-a-half of the proposed trail leading south from South Windham is a flat walking path along an undeveloped rail bed. The remaining 3.5 miles ending on Bridge Street near the Westbrook Community Center is slightly more rugged and contains railroad tracks which would need to be removed to finish the project.

Currently the Standish-to-Windham segment of the Mountain Division Trail runs for 5.6 miles. It starts at the parking lot behind the South Windham Fire Station, and crosses Route 202, where the 10-foot-wide paved trail follows the unused rail tracks for 1.6 miles to a crossing over the Presumpscot River. Just past the Presumpscot River bridge, a side trail heads downhill past Shaw Park and to a bridge just above Gambo Dam. The trail continues west for 3 miles to a gate and then continues up a hill as a gravel path for 1.2 miles to the trailhead at the south shore of Sebago Lake. <

Harvest Festival blends family fun with historical significance

By Ed Pierce

As the season changes to autumn and crisp fall temperatures arrive in the Lakes Region of Maine, Village Green in Windham Center will be alive with the sights, sounds and flavors of fall during the annual Harvest Festival hosted by the Windham Historical Society on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Contestants compete in the sack race at last year's Harvest
Festival, sponsored by the Windham Historical Society at
Village Green in Windham. This year's festival will run 
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4.
COURTESY PHOTO 

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Village Green, 234 Windham Center Road in Windham and is jam-packed with fun, activities and something for everyone.

“It really is a family-focused day where people can have fun while learning a bit about Windham's very rich history,” said Haley Pal of the Windham Historical Society.

Among things to do this year are to view an antique car show with Model Ts and Model As, take a tour of Community Booths sponsored by Age-Friendly Windham, Windham Parks and Recreation and the Windham Public Library.

Pal said for children there will be old-fashioned relay races including a potato sack race, an eggs on a spoon race, and a three-legged race. Kids will be able to guess how many candy corns are in a jar, participate in a coloring contest and bob for donuts.

Both adults and kids can take part in the Harvest Festival’s annual Pie Eating Contest, which is among the event’s most popular activities year in and year out.

Participants can also compete for prizes in Pumpkin Bowling, and the entire family can join a Scavenger Hunt to locate one or two clues in each Windham Historical Society buildings that are situated on the grounds of Village Green. Pal says that members of the Windham Parks and Recreation Department have partnered with the historical society in helping to stage all the games at this year’s Harvest Festival.

There will be a Vendor Fair at the festival where a variety of crafters and other vendors will be selling goods they have made.

“Among the makers, we have a potter, a jewelry maker, a woodworker, and a doggie treat company,” Pal said. “There is a rock artist, a sign-maker, a card/paper product maker, a woman specializing in wreaths and wind chimes, and one who makes sewn products.”

One of the vendor booths will be reserved for Maine Authors Publishing and three authors are scheduled to be on hand to meet the public and discuss their books including Dr. Nancy Creighton Collins (“The Perfectly Impatient Potter”), Edith Netter (“The House of Schumannstrasse 7”), and Kathy Eliscu (“Brain Tumor: A Love Story.”

“Friends Church will also have a booth filled with nostalgic favorites like baked goods, pickles, relishes, jam, jellies, handsewn products, and more,” Pal said.

The festival will have a White Elephant Sale featuring gently used items such as housewares, jewelry, and holiday decorations up for sale and food will be available all day long.

“We will be cooking and selling burgers and hot dogs,” Pal said. “This year, Poppies Kettle Corn will be on hand as well with snacks and we also will have a dessert table where we're selling cookies for just $1 each.”

Musical Entertainment in the morning will have the Lakes Region Strummers performing. The Stummers are a ukelele group who play casual, feel-good tunes that invite folks to gather, tap their toes, and enjoy the moment.

At noon, the Windham Middle School Eighth Grade Orchestra will take the stage under the direction of WMS Orchestra and Band Teacher Morgan Riley. Band members earned the highest rating of “Superior” in competition at the Trills & Thrills Music Festival in Nashua, New Hampshire in June.

During the afternoon, the Saco River Jazz Band, a group of volunteer musicians, will perform classic tunes from the “Big Band Era,” of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s and sure to please all who attend the festival.

Tours of Historic Buildings located on the Village Green grounds will be conducted by Windham Historical Society members and will showcase The Old Grocery Store displaying authentic rural mercantile of the late 19th century, The Village School, a one-room schoolhouse with the historical society’s schoolmarm, Miss Hawkes (Paula Sparks) doing lessons, and The Hearse House where an old horse-drawn town hearse is housed. There will also be tours available for The Windham Center Library and The South Windham Library and Railroad Museum.

“The Windham Historical Society’s Blacksmith Shop is not quite finished inside, but our resident blacksmith, Sam Simonson, will be doing demonstrations at the festival,” Pal said.

Festival participants will also be able to visit and tour the Old Town House which once served as Windham’s Town Hall.

“People can step in and take a look at the renovations done to date there,” Pal said.

Currently the historical society is organizing a capital campaign to seek donations for further renovation work on the Old Town House, which was not only Windham’s original Town Hall, but also served as a school for many years, and is now the historical society’s headquarters building.

The Old Town House building was remodeled about 60 years ago to address cosmetic and structural issues with the building. At that time, a raised floor system was installed with a wood-framed suspended ceiling and wall paneling. It covered up some issues with the building things up but didn’t fit the ambiance of an 1833 structure. Planned renovation work will restore the original 19th century structure and create a building consistent with that era.

In the event of rain, the Harvest Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5. <

Town of Raymond searching for new Town Manager after Crocker resigns

By Ed Pierce

For the fourth time in 20 months, the Town of Raymond is seeking a Town Manager following the resignation of Joseph Crocker last week.

Raymond Town Manager Joseph
Crocker, who has served in that
position first as interim manager 
since March and then as the
permanent town manager since
May, has resigned and the town
will undertake a new search to
find a replacement.
FILE PHOTO    

Crocker, 37, had formerly served the town as Parks and Recreation Director, and was appointed to the Town Manager position in May succeeding Sue Look, who resigned in March. The Raymond Select Board had then tapped Crocker to serve as the interim Town Manager until a permanent replacement could be hired.

Look had served as Raymond Town Clerk before succeeding longtime Town Manager Don Willard in January 2024 upon his retirement. Willard had been Raymond’s Town Manager for 23 years until he became ill, and while recovering chose to retire from the Town Manager role. Willard was elected in June 2024 to serve on the town’s Budget and Finance Committee for a three-year term.

Originally from Saco, Crocker attended high school at Thornton Academy and then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. He later earned an MBA in sports and recreation management from New England College. Prior to coming to work for the Town of Raymond, Crocker worked in parks and recreation for Saco, Auburn, Kennebunk and Lewiston. In 2020, Crocker was hired to lead Raymond’s fledgling Parks and Recreation Department as director.

Crocker was hired for the Town Manager position after a competitive recruiting and hiring process conducted by HR Maine Consulting, LLC. All told, there were 46 applicants for the town manager position. Nine of those candidates participated in a rigorous essay and pre-screening process, with four candidates moving forward in the panel interview process, consisting of the Raymond Select Board Chair, Vice-Chair, a community member, town department heads, a Town Manager from another community, and Betsy Oulton from HR Maine Consulting.

His contract was for three years at an annual salary of $100,000.

Raymond Select Board Chair Denis Morse posted on the town’s website on Monday that he and all the Select Board members placed “high value” on Crocker as a town employee and that following his resignation, Morse asked him to remain as a town employee “and be a part of our ongoing work to devise a transition plan that included being mentored by an interim town manager.”

Before that could happen, rumors and misinformation began to swirl about Crocker’s departure, Morse said. He says this caused strife, anxiety and discomfort directed at other town employees as well as members of the Select Board.

According to Morse, this behavior, including some public comments made about the situation from former elected town officials “is the opposite of civil discourse and would be unconscionable even if this situation happened to be contentious or controversial, which it is not.”

Morse also posted a letter that the Raymond Select Board had received from Crocker which amended the timeline for his original resignation.

“I will stay on in a capacity to help with the transition to find a Town Manager who will bring experience that will fit the needs of the community,” Crocker wrote in the letter. “If this transition involves a space for me after the search has ended, I would be happy to stay in a different role if it works for everyone involved.”

Crocker said he does not wish any animosity toward the Town of Raymond but prefers to keep the reason he resigned private.

“When you provide services to a small town for so long, they become your friends,” he said. “All I can say is I have given my best effort to make the Town of Raymond better, and all I ask is that our elected officials act in good faith to do the same.” <

Windham stylist earns ‘International Women of Service Miss 2025’ title

By Ed Pierce

Deeply devoted to helping others in the community, Morgan Wing of Windham has been honored as the International Women of Service Miss 2025 at the organization’s pageant held Sept. 2 to Sept. 7 in Orlando, Florida.

Morgan Wing of Windham, 20, has been
crowned International Women of
Service Miss 2025 during a pageant in
Orlando, Florida from Sept. 2 to 
Sept. 7. She is a 2023 graduate of
Windham High School and an advocate
for children who are learning how to 
navigate in life while having
divorced parents.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
  

Wing, 20, has lived in Windham for 11 years and is a hairstylist at the All About U salon in Auburn. She hopes to someday own her own salon and is a 2023 graduate of Windham High School, going on to complete studies at the SpaTech Institute in Westbrook.

This is the fourth pageant title that Wing has won, and she says she was excited and humbled to hear her name called as the winner of the International Women of Service Miss 2025 Pageant.

“My personal platform is Separated not Different,” she said. “Through my platform, I advocate for children who are learning how to navigate having divorced parents. As someone who has divorced parents, I know the difficulties and emotions firsthand. So, I have partnered with Kids First Center, a non-profit that holds classes not only for the parents but also the children to learn how to navigate their new normal.”

According to Wing, she chose to compete in the International Women of Service Miss 2025 Pageant in particular because of its community service opportunities.

“My goal is to grow ‘Separated Not Different’ to reach as many people as possible,” she said.

As a student at Windham High School, Wing says she first became interested in pageants because one of her aunts was competing in one. Through her aunt’s encouragement, Wing took a chance and entered a pageant. She says it allowed her to step out of her comfort zone and prompted her to become more involved in her community, and to create an incredible platform of service to the community that she’s truly proud of.

International and American Women of Service Pageants exist to enrich the lives of women and girls of all ages through an unsurpassed pageant, sisterhood, and volunteer experience. ​The program offers contestants in their organization extraordinary opportunities for growth, personal achievement, community involvement, and excellence in a fun and trendy community of sisterhood.​Contestants are ambassadors of many worthy causes and charities and represent our platform, Crown of Service, and strives to be a pageant that is inclusive to all and has our core values at the forefront.

Winning the International Women of Service Miss 2025 Pageant took a concerted effort from Wing.

“Pageants take months of preparation in many different ways,” she said. “You have to find the perfect gown and your entire wardrobe, get out in your community and volunteer, grow your platform, practice your walking, prep for interviews and most importantly have fun with your title and sister queens.”

She says that of everything she worked on over the past year leading up to the International Women of Service Miss 2025 Pageant, improving her interview skills was at the top of her list and was worth the long hours and hard work she put into it.

“Leaving the interview room, I was so proud of myself for sharing my story with the judges,” Wing said

Her mother, Melissa Johnston, and stepfather Andrew Johnston live in Windham. Her father, Mike Wing, and stepmother Lindsey Wing, live in Englewood, Florida.

“My family and friends are so supportive of my pageant journey,” Wing said. “I even had 14 of my family and friends in the audience and many more watching the live stream of the pageant.”

Winning the title as International Women of Service Miss 2025 will present some amazing opportunities to travel and promote the organization and her personal platform, Wing said.

“I have plans to go to New York for our Forum event,” she said. “As a part of my prize package, I get to go on a Bahamas cruise with my sister queens.”

She wants the public to know that competing in a pageant builds confidence in young women and is not only meaningful to those who choose to compete but also for everyone in the community.

“Pageantry is about more than just dressing up and looking pretty,” Wing said. “It is about being an advocate for something you are passionate about, self-confidence, community involvement and so many other things. This organization embodies those qualities.” <

Wishing well dedication event reminds Manchester students of 9/11 sacrifices for freedom

By Ed Pierce

In the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, Manchester School fourth-grade teacher Donna Morton wanted to help her students honor the sacrifices made by Americans on that fateful day while helping them grasp what had happened and inspiring them to help make the world better for everyone.

Retired Manchester School teacher Donna Morton, left,
gathers with her former students and their parents in 
Windham to dedicate a wishing well that they created   
in the days following the terrorist attacks on America
on Sept, 11, 2001. Now adults, Morton's former students
and their parents restored the wishing well and thanked
Windham police and firefighters attending a school
ceremony on the anniversary of 9/11 for keeping
the community safe. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Morton had an idea and enlisted her students and several parents to create a wishing well for the school where children could hope for a peaceful future through kindness and love for one another. Built in just one afternoon, Morton’s students got to hammer, sand, and paint the wishing well, and it received a prominent place in the school’s front garden.

For more than two decades, on the anniversary of 9/11, Manchester students would form a circle around the wishing well, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, sing the “Star Spangled Banner,” and place wishes into the well for the future. But last year during the reconfiguration of the parking lot and traffic pattern at the school, the front garden was removed, and the wishing well was found to be deteriorating and unsafe.

Now retired from teaching, Morton was informed by a parent of one of her former students about the wishing well’s condition and they decided to restore it and dedicate it at Manchester School for students this year on the anniversary of 9/11. She contacted some of her students from her 2001-2002 class and a few of their parents still in the area to help. They gathered at Morton’s home and set about to reconstruct the well.

Scott Gartsu was 9 on Sept. 11, 2001, and a student in Morton’s fourth grade class. He wasn’t at school that day as he was at home with a broken foot but recalls sitting on the living room floor of his home in Windham and crying watching the events unfold on television. He was part of the students who helped to build the original wishing well for his classmates.

“It was a group effort,” he said. “My dad Todd was a carpenter, and I loved working with his tools. I remember building it and all the kids coming together. The fact that the wishing well has been around this long is pretty cool.”

Steve McFarland of Harrison was living in Windham on 9/11 and his son, Sam, was in Morton’s class that year. They both attended the dedication event and not only helped to build the original well but also worked on the new one.

“It’s neat to see all the kids out there involved,” McFarland said. “It’s nice that Donna Morton is keeping this tradition and reviving it. It’s a testament to her and her connection to her students.”

Speaking to current Manchester students, former students and a contingent of Windham police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians attending the dedication event for the well on Thursday, Sept. 11, Morton said 9/11 remains a special day for her.

“It’s a reminder of the hard work of police and firemen who keep us safe every day,” she said. “We want this wishing well to stand as a symbol of hope.”

She introduced Sara Conant, who was in Morton’s fourth-grade class on Sept. 11, 2001, and helped to build the original well.

“Wishing wells throughout time have been a symbol of hope, gratitude and a bit of magic,” Conant said. This well is no exception. On this day 24 years ago I was sitting in Mrs. Morton's fourth grade class when American history was forever altered by attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Anyone alive at the time knows where they were on that day and I was fortunate to be safely here.”

She said that as a way to honor the first responders, victims, and their families and offer the school community hope, her class made the wishing well to stand forever as a symbol of hope.

“In one afternoon, we all pitched in with some of our parents, my dad included, to create this,” Conant said. “But time isn't always kind and the well needed some love, so Mrs. Morton rescued it and tried contacting everyone in the class to help restore the well to the lasting symbol of hope, gratitude and magic it always was.”

She said Morton’s deep care for each of her students is what brought her to save the well and inspired her to help.

“The magic of the well gave me a happy visit back to fourth grade that I am so thankful for,” Conant said. “We hope you join us in making a wish in this special well brought back to its former glory through love and kindness.”

Windham Police Captain Jason Burke told students that on 9/11 that firefighters, police officers and everyday people worked together to save lives and clean up the damage.

“This is a good reminder that violence is never the answer to a disagreement, a different opinion or a dislike for someone,” Burke said. “Choosing to work together and talk through our problems is always the right choice. As you go through school, you’ll be learning how to be a good citizen and a problem solver. You’ll learn how to work with others even when you don’t agree.”

He said thinking about the events of Sept. 11 reminds us that the way we treat each other everyday matters.

“By being kind, understanding, and respectful to everyone, you can make the world a better place,” Burke said. <

WRMS construction running smoothly and under budget

By Ed Pierce

Significant progress has been made on the construction of the new Windham Raymond Middle School on Windham Center Road, including moving the horse barn on the property for future use as an outdoor classroom.

Construction on the new Windham Raymond Middle School
is on schedule and remains about $16 million under budget,
according to RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools Christopher
Howell. Steel building framework and enclosed student
stairwells are going up and work to move an existing
horse barn at the site has been completed.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Christopher Howell, RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools, says that construction costs for the school have remained constant and the project continues to be on schedule for a planned opening of September 2027. The new school will be a free-standing multi-story building with more than 260,000 gross square feet of new construction for learning space, an auditorium, gymnasium, and dining facilities.

Howell said that the new school will use a team-teaching concept where students will be divided into 12 teams to provide personal connection and then broken up into smaller instructional teams. It will incorporate Integrative Project Based Learning through team teaching, a method of instruction where a group of teachers work together to plan, conduct, and evaluate learning activities for the same group of students and the school’s design takes all of that into account with the team areas of the building allowing for a science teacher, math teacher, social studies teacher, and an English teacher to be in the same teaming area.

Classrooms will be on the new school’s upper floors and will not have any outside stairs or hallways, with administration and guidance offices housed on the ground level. The school grounds also feature a protected wetland area that students will cross by an aluminum boardwalk for outdoor learning opportunities and a school garden. The cooling and heating system will be designed for long-term cost savings and adaptability for the future. State-of-the-art drainage will protect the site’s surrounding environment and a 600-seat performing arts auditorium will be built as part of the new school.

“It’s just been an amazing process to watch and see the large precision of this process,” Howell said. “We are $16 million under the original budget and expect things to remain that way.”

Back in November 2023, a plurality of voters in the school district, which encompasses Windham and Raymond, approved a referendum to build the new school with about 77 percent of construction costs paid by the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program. The total project budget including fees, soft costs, contingencies, furnishings, and equipment is estimated at about $171.5 million, with the state funding $131.7 million and residents paying the remaining $39.8 million.

The original Windham Middle School opened in 1977 and was intended for a capacity of 483 students. That number has grown in the past years to 650 students and some sixth graders being housed for classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, which was built in 1949. Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond opened in 1962.

“The new school will open with a little more than 1,000 students, and has a capacity for 1,200 students, so there’s some room built in taking future growth into account,” Howell said. “Kids in Grade 3 to 6 right now will be the first to use the new school.”

The school site will also include the creation of three new athletic fields and an existing soccer field near Windham Center Road.

Once open, the new Windham Raymond Middle School will provide instruction for students currently attending Windham Middle School, Jordan-Small Middle School and fifth graders at Manchester School in Windham. The current Windham Middle School and Jordan-Small Middle School will be closed and turned over to their respective municipalities for repurposing.

RSU 14 first applied for the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program in 2016 for funding for construction and was ranked as the fifth-highest priority among 74 proposed school construction projects statewide each year before eventually gaining approval in March 2021. Once a district applies for funding, Maine Department of Education reviews and rates the projects based upon need. The State Board of Education then funds as many projects from the list as available debt limit funds allow. Working with the State Board of Education, Maine DOE establishes both size and financial limits on projects.

Local school districts may exceed these limits at local expense through municipal bonds, but the state bears the major financial burden of capital costs for approved school construction projects. As such, Maine DOE first looks at the possibility of renovations or renovations with additions and new school construction projects are only considered in instances in which renovation projects are not economically or educationally feasible, which was the case with Windham Middle School and Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond.

Construction at the site is being led by Shaw Brothers and Landry French.

Because of the steady construction progress to date, Howell said he believes by next August 50 to 60 percent of the school construction will be completed.

“It’s a once in a career thing to do and watch this process all the way through,” Howell said. “Everything we planned on paper is coming to fruition and it’s so exciting.” <

Candidate field set in Windham for November election

By Ed Pierce

Voters in Windham will have a large field of candidates to choose from on Tuesday, Nov. 4 in races for two RSU 14 Board of Directors positions and three different Windham Town Council seats.

The field of candidates for the Nov. 4 election has been set
in Windham. Three non-partisan town council seats and
two non-partisan RSU 14 Board of Directors positions
will be filled following the election. FILE PHOTO  

Windham Town Clerk Linda S. Morell said candidates successfully submitted paperwork to qualify for the general election ballot by last week’s deadline.

For RSU 14 Board of Directors, the top two candidates receiving the most votes will be elected for three-year terms representing Windham on the board. The positions are non-partisan.

Candidates include Matthew S. Irving, Destiny J. Johnson, Megan N. Potter, incumbent Christina R. Small, Bradley M. Youngs and Adam G. Zajac. Small currently serves as RSU 14 Board Chair and Caitlyn Downs is not seeking re-election to the board.

The RSU 14 Board of Directors concerns itself primarily with broad questions of policy rather than with administrative details. The application of policies is an administrative task to be performed by the Superintendent of Schools and his/her staff, who shall be held responsible for the effective administration and supervision of the entire school system.

Members of the RSU 14 board have authority only when acting as a board legally in session. Board members are involved in policy making, choosing the schools superintendent, planning, setting goals and appraising results, approving and adopting financial resources, negotiating and approving collective bargaining agreements.

RSU 14 Board members also set clear expectations/standards and adopt policies regarding instructional programs; determine school building needs; communicate with various constituencies; advocate for the needs of the students; establish procedures for the operation of the board; review and evaluate board operations and performance; choose board officers; approve the annual school calendar; establish and maintain effective board-superintendent relations; and work along with authorizing school administration to work with town, county, and other government and non-government officials and agencies.

For Windham Town Council, three positions, including the North District, South District and At-Large, will be elected for three-year terms.

Town Council North District candidates are Deborah L. DeVou and Margaret A. Terry. Incumbent Jarrod Maxfield is not seeking re-election.

Town Council South District candidates are Douglas R. Fortier and Michael R. Russin. Incumbent Nicholas Kaleogerakis is not seeking re-election.

Town Council At-Large candidates are Joseph A. Campbell, Katie P. Cook and Clayton W. Haskell. Incumbent John Henry is not seeking re-election.

As outlined in the Windham Town Charter, all town council positions are non-partisan.

The Windham Town Council has seven members, three are elected at-large and four are elected from the four defined geographic areas of the town (north, south, east, and west). Voters throughout the town elect all members of the Town Council, both At-Large and by district.

A town councilor’s responsibilities are varied and include:

* Legislative and policy making in setting town policies.

* Budget and Finance in approving the annual budget and setting the town's tax rates.

* Planning and development by approving, rejecting, or modifying plans proposed by the Windham Planning Board.

* Directing the Town Manager by providing oversight for the Windham Town Manager and town staff.

* Making appointments by choosing members and residents to serve on various town committees and boards.

* Conducting investigations into the affairs of the town and its departments.

* Exercising statutory powers concerning legislative, financial, borrowing, and other powers given by state statutes to town officers.

To be fair to everyone concerned, here are the rules that The Windham Eagle newspaper is setting forth for election coverage this fall.

Letters to the Editor supporting candidates will be accepted up to seven days prior to Election Day on Tuesday, Oct. 28. The letters should be sent to editor@thewindhameagle.com and be no more than 300 words in length. The deadline for submitting letters is noon on Tuesdays for that week’s newspaper edition.

The newspaper will print no more than two letters supporting a candidate per edition. Readers may only submit one letter supporting a candidate during an election cycle. The letters will be published in the order they are received by the newspaper.

Candidate endorsement letters must focus on reasons why the writer supports the candidate and are not used as an attack against an opposing candidate. Organized letter-writing campaigns are not allowed by the newspaper and letters deemed to be part of an organized campaign will not be published.

Because of space limitations in the print edition of the newspaper, letters will only be published from Windham residents.

The Windham Eagle newspaper does not endorse candidates. All Letters to the Editor are reviewed for factual information and edited accordingly for spelling and grammar issues before publication.

A questionnaire will be sent to election candidates by email and candidates are asked to complete it in a timely manner and send it back to the newspaper editor to compile into a candidate preview for publication. The candidate preview will appear in the Oct. 10 edition of The Windham Eagle. Should a candidate not return the questionnaire, their space in the candidate preview will indicate that they did not respond to questions posed by the newspaper.

Issues and statewide referendum items will be profiled for readers in an upcoming edition of The Windham Eagle newspaper prior to the election on Nov. 4. <

Doctorate degree launches civilian Navy career for WHS grad

By Ed Pierce

Sierra Yost is following her dreams and is surely bound for bigger things in life but right now she’s relaxing with her family in Windham and enjoying some well-deserved time off before starting a new job in three weeks working as a Material Engineer for the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, California.

Sierra Yost, a 2016 graduate of Windham High School and
the 2020 Valedictorian of the University of Maine Orono's
College of Engineering, has earned a doctorate in Chemical
Engineering at Penn State University  She will soon start a
job as a Material Engineer for the Naval Air Warfare Center
Weapons Division in China Lake, California.
COURTESY PHOTO
   

A 2016 graduate of Windham High School, Yost, 27, graduated as the 2020 College of Engineering’s valedictorian at the University of Maine at Orono and then went on to earn a doctorate degree in chemical engineering at Penn State University. She was inspired to study chemical engineering after taking the AP Chemistry class there taught by former WHS teacher Lisa McClellan.

“I knew I wanted to do research and development as a chemical engineer, and a PhD makes you much more qualified to do so,” Yost said. “I was able to take a lot of AP classes at Windham High, which prepared me for studying and understanding the material in my chemical engineering classes at UMaine and Penn State.”

Yost said that while she was at UMaine, she was able to work at a paper mill co-op, focusing on Research and Development, which led her to decide that she wanted to get her doctorate degree.

“Additionally, I was able to do a research-based honors thesis while there, which taught me the basics of research in an academic setting.” she said.

In 2021, Yost was awarded the Department of Defense Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation Scholarship. Recipients of the SMART award receive full tuition for up to five years, summer internships, a stipend and full-time employment with the Department of Defense after graduation. It was a unique opportunity which provided her with hands-on experience at one of the nation’s most innovative Department of Defense laboratories and working under an experienced mentor while gaining valuable technical skills.

“SMART is a scholarship-for-service program, so I owe four years as a DoD civilian to the Navy,” she said.

According to Yost, the biggest difference between her undergraduate studies at UMaine and her doctorate studies at Penn State were the things she learned about researching.

“I was on the pulp and paper scholarship at UMaine, so my time was very paper focused, but at Penn State I focused on the sustainability of common consumer plastics by optimizing them for 3D printing after they have been used and chemical recycling,” she said.

While at home in Windham, Yost has been working on a few papers with her advisor and colleagues from Penn State and she also went on a four-day trip to Iceland.

Yost says that she misses being close to friends and family here and says her all-time favorite teacher she had during all her time attending Windham schools is Jen Breton at Manchester School.

“She made learning really fun, even when we were doing more difficult work,” Yost said.

Her initial interest in science began at Windham High School.

“I loved the challenges the science classes offered, and I loved how much they loved science, it was contagious, so I have kept searching for positions and opportunities where I can do science that I am that excited about as well,” she said.

Yost’s eventual career objective would be to work in Research and Development in the pulp and paper industry.

“I did some of that during my time at UMaine, and really loved it,” she said. “Beyond that, I would like to end up in New England, preferably Maine, with enough land for a small garden and some chickens and bees.”

In her free time, Yost is an avid runner, likes spending time outdoors and enjoys hiking, skiing, fishing and kayaking.

She is grateful for the role that her father, Rick Yost of Windham, and her mother, Marla Pettinelli of Lewiston, have played in encouraging her success. <

Diamond leaves a legacy of exceptional public service to community

By Ed Pierce

There’s an old saying that “to live in hearts we leave behind is not to die” and for Windham’s beloved state legislator, educator and businessman Bill Diamond, that expression rings true.

Bill Diamond of Windham, a longtime legislator, educator,
business owner and child welfare advocate, has died at the 
age of 80. He co-founded Windham Neighbors Helping
Neighbors to provide heat assistance to those in need and
the Walk A Mile In Their Shoes Foundation to end 
child homicide in Maine.  FILE PHOTO  

Diamond, 80, passed away Sunday, Aug. 31 after a hard-fought battle with cancer and the outpouring of kind words and sentiment for him and his family has been non-stop. Having spent more than 40 years in politics and service as Maine’s Secretary of State from 1989 to 1997, Diamond leaves behind a legacy few will equal.

A lifelong Democrat, Diamond first ran for the Maine House of Representatives in 1976 as a write-in candidate and defeated Republican Barbara Strong. He won re-election for the seat in 1978 by defeating Republican Carole Bean. He won a third term in the Maine House in 1980 while running unopposed. In 1982, he beat Republican David Huber to win a Maine State Senate seat representing Windham, and he then defeated Republican Ken Cole in 1984 to win re-election before stepping down from the legislature at that time.

He grew up on his grandfather’s farm in West Gardiner and came to Southern Maine to study to become a teacher at Gorham State Teacher’s College, earning a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in education. He married his wife Jane in 1968, and the couple raised two daughters, Kristin and Karyn, in Windham and now have eight grandchildren. His actual first name was George but preferred to be known by his middle name, William.

Many students in Windham and Raymond will recall Diamond as their school principal or teacher. He taught from 1968 to 1986 in Windham schools and was the first principal of Windham’s Manchester School. He went on to lead Field-Allen Junior High School and Windham Middle School as principal and was Superintendent of Schools for Raymond. Diamond also served as superintendent and director of governmental relations for the controversial Elan School in Poland.

His interests varied outside of politics and education. He earned a brown belt in karate and was the owner of the now-closed Windham Independent newspaper. He was also a long-time co-owner of All-Med Medical Staffing in Windham and owned a security business for many years in town.

Before becoming Maine’s 45th Secretary of State in 1989, Diamond threw his hat into the ring in a bid to become governor in 1986 and then campaigned for the 1st Congressional District position in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, losing in the Democratic Primary.

In 2004, Diamond defeated Republican Joe Bruno of Raymond to win the Maine Senate District 12 seat and won re-election in 2006, 2008 and 2010 before being term limited. Four years later in 2014, Diamond defeated Republican Kaile Warren to win the Maine Senate District 26 seat and subsequently won re-election to that position in 2016, 2018, and 2020.

As the cost of heating homes rose in the early 2000s, Diamond co-founded and served as president of Windham Neighbors Helping Neighbors in 2007, an all-volunteer effort which raised money to provide emergency heating oil to community residents in need. He also served as a board member for the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals in Windham and Hospice of Southern Maine.

Before leaving political office in 2022, Diamond was known statewide as a staunch advocate for children and led Maine Senate investigations into prominent deaths of abused children whose families were relegated to the state’s child welfare system. In 2014, Diamond wrote a book about the subject called “The Evil and the Innocent.”

In 2023, Diamond launched the “Walk A Mile In Their Shoes Foundation,” a non-profit dedicated to preventing child homicides and the abuse of children who are under the supervision or direct care of the State of Maine or who are or have been associated with the state’s Child Protective System.

“Children associated with state care have been dying at record levels, in fact, as recently as 2021 a record number of children died, many were victims of child homicides,” Diamond said at the time. “The chilling question is: How many more children must die before we make meaningful changes?”

He said he was first made aware of the issues affecting child homicide in Maine and the state’s child protection system in 2001.

“The problem has continued to persist over the past 22 years under four different gubernatorial administrations, Independent, Republican, and Democrat,” he said in launching the foundation. “The problems are not partisan based. They are the concern of all of us. This is the most important thing I’ve ever been able to do, nothing comes close.”

One of the purposes of the foundation is to bring people from a variety of interests and backgrounds together to develop meaningful strategies for positive changes to protect children who are the innocent victims of a broken system and to work with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Child and Family Services in a joint effort to improve the state’s child safety policies and practices and truly make a difference.

“We really don’t want to think about these children because it cuts deeply into our souls,” Diamond said earlier this year. “But we must if we want to help.”

In June, Diamond made his final public appearance at the 2025 Windham Summerfest Parade as he was honored as the Modern Woodmen of America’s Hometown Hero for 2025.

Funeral arrangements are pending. <

Classes back in session for Windham and Raymond students

By Ed Pierce

And just like that, summer vacation is officially over for students in Windham and Raymond as classes are back in session.

RSU 14's sch0ol schedule started on Wednesday, Aug.27 for
Grade 1 through 9 and Thursday, Aug. 28 for students in
Grade 10 through 12. Half of the RSU 14's Pre-K and
kindergarten classes start on Tuesday, Sept. 2 with the 
other half starting on Wednesday, Sept. 3. 
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

All RSU 14 schools, teachers, staff members and administrators have been carefully preparing for the new 2025-2026 school year and remind the community that with children out and about on their way to classes, motorists need to be careful and pay attention in school zones and around school buses transporting students to and from school.

After registering children for another year of school, purchasing new clothing and footwear, gathering school supplies, planning lunches for school, coordinating after-school care and arranging for student transportation, parents can finally sit back and rejoice that the start of the school year has arrived.

RSU 14’s school schedule started on Wednesday, Aug. 27 for Grades 1 through 9, and Thursday, Aug. 28 for students in Grades 10 through 12. Half of the RSU 14’s Pre-K and kindergarten classes start on Tuesday, Sept. 2 with the other half starting on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

Christopher Howell has led RSU 14 as Superintendent of Schools since 2019. Christine Frost-Bertinet is the RSU 14 assistant superintendent and Christine Hesler is RSU 14’s Director of Curriculum.

In Windham, students in kindergarten through Grade 3 attend Windham Primary School. Grade 4 and Grade 5 Windham students attend Manchester School, while students in Grades 6 to Grade 8 attend Windham Middle School. High school students in Grades 9 to Grade 12 in both Raymond and Windham attend Windham High School.

Dr. Kyle Rhoads leads Windham Primary School as its principal and has served in that role there for 18 years. Danielle Donnini is entering her 29th year of working at Manchester School and she has led the school as its principal since 2015.

Windham Middle School Principal Greg Applestein is entering his third year of leading WMS. He formerly spent three years as the principal at Bonny Eagle High School.

Ryan Caron is entering his eighth year as the principal at Windham High School and formerly served as the principal at South Portland High School.

This year in Raymond, elementary and middle school students will attend either Raymond Elementary School or Jordan-Small Middle School. Raymond students in Grade 1 to Grade 4 attend Raymond Elementary, while students in Grade 5 through Grade 8 attend Jordan-Small Middle School.

Beth Peavey is entering her sixth year as the principal at Raymond Elementary School and was the school’s assistant principal for three years prior to becoming its principal. Raymond Elementary, which houses students from Pre-K through fourth grade, has 258 students registered for the fall. Forty-four students are registered in the three classes of Pre-K at RES.

Jordan-Small Middle School will be led once again by Michelle Brann, who is entering her fourth year as the JSMS principal. Brann formerly served as the assistant principal at Lake Region Middle School. Some 180 Raymond students are registered for Grade 5 through Grade 8 at JSMS this fall.

For parents, RSU 14 uses Parent Square for school-to-home communications including mass notifications and urgent alerts, language translation for multilingual families, and to schedule parent-teacher conferences. The district also uses the Ride 360 app to view a student’s transportation assignment or to request changes to a student’s scheduled transportation. The Ride 360 app may be downloaded by visiting https://MERSU14.myridek12.tylerapp.com/.

Aaron Gant and Sharon Leeman serve as co-directors of transportation for RSU 14, while Jeanne Reilly is the RSU 14 Director of School Nutrition.

Windham Christian Academy

All students attending Windham Christian Academy in kindergarten through Grade 12 will return to classes on Tuesday, Sept. 2. The school offers non-denominational Christian education for students in PreK4 through Grade 12.

Jackie Sands is now in her 13th year of working for Windham Christian Academy and has served as the school’s principal since 2018. <

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.” <

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.” <