Raymond couple welcome Darfur immigrants for July 4th celebration

By Nicole Levine

During the summer, Raymond residents Roberta “Bobbie” Gordon and her husband George, welcome immigrants from Darfur, now living in Maine, to their home for their annual 4th of July celebration.

George Gordon of Raymond, left, and his
wife, Roberta 'Bobbie' Gordon, right, visit
with El-Fadel Arbab, who emigrated to
Maine in 2004 from Sudan. Every year
the Gordons welcome immigrants from
the Darfur region of Sudan to their home
for a 4th of July Celebration.
PHOTO BY NICOLE LEVINE 

This event originally began with 45 people and has now grown to about 200. This will be the first year returning to this celebration since 2019, when it was indefinitely postponed due to the pandemic. Bobbie and George provide their guests with traditional 4th of July barbecue food, books and toys for the children, and a place to gather on the holiday for all Darfurians. The people from Darfur bring side dishes and desserts that originate from their country. Together they play games to help learn English and interact in an engaging group setting.

One year during a previous 4th of July celebration, a man sitting across from Bobbie stared at her with a confused look on his face. He then asked her “Why are you doing this?” He was confused about how somebody could give themselves so wholeheartedly over to another culture and help them while wanting absolutely nothing in return.

To that Bobbie responded, “It’s from the heart. This is what's in us and this is what we want to do, and we are happy to do it.”

The annual gathering first began in 2008 when Bobbie retired, and she was looking for opportunities to fill her time. Searching for volunteer positions, she gravitated toward the community of immigrants from Darfur, who were now living in Portland.

She and another colleague decided to create a program to help these Darfur immigrants become acclimated to the area, learn to speak English, and connect with fellow Mainers. They were originally funded by the National Council of Jewish Women.

Through this program, they spoke locally to different groups, spreading awareness, and hoping to raise funds to help this cause. Through their efforts, they also generated support and resources, enabling them to acquire and ship stoves powered by the sun to Chad, where many Darfurians were living during ongoing violence in Sudan. By eliminating the need to search for firewood, the lives of many women were protected from recurring violent encounters in the region.

During her time organizing and running this program, Bobbie met El-Fadel Arbab, who immigrated from

Sudan in 2004.

“We got right into the core of what his journey was all about,” she said. They would spend hours together where Bobbie would mentor El-Fadel, to help him learn English.

Following their time together, El-Fadel would not accept a ride home, but instead walked, so he was able to absorb what they had discussed, and to clear his head of any trauma that was discussed.

El-Fadel is the Community Outreach Coordinator of an organization called the Fur Cultural Revival. He gives speeches and advocates to end violence in Sudan, including several schools, the STAND (Students Take Action Now) Conference, the Holocaust Survivors Conference, and many more organizations.

His goal is to educate people and create a community that works towards ending the violence in Sudan.

“We the people have the power,” he said, explaining how it is up to the people to drive desired change themselves.

Like many of the lives Bobbie and George have touched, the 4th of July holds a special place in El-Fadel’s heart. “This was a golden opportunity for us,” he said, when referring to the gatherings hosted by the Gordons.

El-Fadel looks to the 4th of July to honor the people who have lost their lives for the freedom that we have today in America.

“I am hoping and praying that one day this kind of freedom will come to my people,” he said.

Immigrating to a new country is often an extremely difficult and harrowing journey and support from

locals is what helps connect and integrate people to become one community.

“It’s really [through] the Maine community that we are able to get support and help,” says El-Fadel, giving credit to the Mainers who have contributed, and emphasizing the importance of citizens helping one another.

By holding this 4th of July Celebration, Bobbie Gordon said she’s able to celebrate this great American tradition, and to include people of other cultures who can also now appreciate the freedom that we have in the United States.

Volunteering to tutor or mentor immigrants in need of help, is a great beginning to build and become one community, she said.

For further information about how to become involved in volunteering to help immigrants, please contact Bobbie Gordon by sending an email to robertakgordon@yahoo.com. <

Small steps begin vast Romanian adventures and friendships for one local Rotarian

Gabriella Saftiou was a student that George Bartlett of
Windham mat in Ramnicu Valcea, Romania during his first
of 16 trips to that country while representing the Sebago
Lakes Rotary Club. Saftiou has visited Maine twice, once
on a tour with other students and while working at
Bartlett's laundromat one summer.
PHOTO  BY GEORGE BARTLETT  

By Lorraine Glowczak

In the mid-1990s, around the age of 60, George Bartlett of Windham had never traveled outside the United States. Having been a member of the Sebago Lakes Rotary Club since 1985, he was inspired to get his first passport. 

“Our club was looking for ways to work on our international service program and wondered what country to consider,” Bartlett, said. “There was a club member who had relatives in Romania and he suggested that we start there.” 

It was from this initial conversation that Bartlett decided to obtain his passport if an opportunity would arise to travel on behalf of the Rotary. This first spontaneous step eventually snowballed into other adventures, meeting people in another country that would become lifelong friends.

“From there, we emailed a few Rotary Clubs in Romania to start an initial conversation and we discovered that they needed assistance with their orphanages and hospitals,” Bartlett said. “In 1998, six Rotarians representing the Southern Maine district traveled to Romania and spent about 10 days to check out the exact needs. The hospitals were in really bad shape – not much equipment to speak of and very few beds for the sick.”

To meet these needs, the Sebago Lakes Rotary collaborated with the six other Rotary Clubs and began gathering medical equipment, collecting over $750,000 worth of equipment that included 12 refurbished dialysis machines from the Maine Dialysis Center. Once collected, the six Rotaries had the containers filled with the much-needed items shipped to 4 hospitals to Ramnicu Valcea, a town located in the central-south area of Romania.

Unfortunately, it was discovered that the equipment was not delivered to the hospitals, remaining on the docks for two months. This was due to the communist influence, which required additional money for the equipment to be released to the hospitals. 

At a Rotary district meeting, it was determined that someone needed to travel to Romania to make sure the equipment made it to the right place. 

“Our District Governor called our Rotary president and asked him to send somebody to Romania,” Bartlett said. “During the next Sebago Lakes Rotary meeting, the president at the time looked at me and told everyone present that since I just got my passport, I should be the one to go to Romania.”

Despite not knowing the language and never having traveled internationally before, Bartlett agreed to go. 

“I didn’t know anyone there. When I landed at the airport in Bucharest, there was no one there to pick me up when I first arrived. Finally, after about five or ten minutes, a woman holding a Rotary sign came through the doors. She was the wife of the local rotary club president who spoke very little English so the three-hour ride to Ramnicu Valcea was quite a challenge, especially after the long air travel.” 

Bartlett didn’t get much rest upon arriving at his destination as he was requested to speak at a Rotary Club at 6:30 that evening. A retired English Teacher, a member of that club acted as his interpreter and guide for the rest of this trip.

In the days after that meeting, Bartlett toured the city, making sure the hospitals received and were using their donated and updated medical equipment. When he thought he had completed his mission and was preparing to return to the US the next morning, he was asked by the English teacher if he could stay and tour the schools. “The students need English books,” she said to him.

“I said ‘yes’, postponing my trip home for three days,” Bartlett said. “In those three days, I visited 13 schools. Sixty students were crammed in one room designed for 30 and they were reading old books in Russian, German, and French but there was no book written in English.” [English is taught in Romania before the fourth grade]. 

It was in this extended stay in Romania that this additional small step led to another adventure. He was asked to send English books. Bartlet said this was a perfect international service project for local Interact Clubs.

“Many southern Maine Interact Clubs, including Windham club members, collected over 10,000 books to schools and the city library in Ramnicu Valcea.”

Bartlett has been back 16 times, working with the schools and helping schools establish Interact Clubs (a high school version of the Rotary Club). While there, he stays with his adopted Rotary family, making long-distance, long-term friendships.

However, Bartlett did not do all of this work on his own.

“I helped to create trips for area Interact Club high school students so they can connect with or help establish Interact Clubs in Ramnicu Valcea and other seven cities throughout Romania,” Bartlett said. 

Bartlett also helped a student from Romania visit Maine.

“During my first high school visit in Romania I met a girl named Gabriella Saftiou who told me she would love to visit Maine but she said she would never be able to,” Bartlett said. “I told her to never say never.”

To give the Romanian Interact Club members the possibility of an American experience, an essay contest was developed and winners of the contest were selected by their teachers to represent Romania in the US. The title of the essay was “Why I would make a good ambassador for Romania.” Saftiou was selected by her teachers and she won a trip to Maine. 

“This was a perfect example of ‘Never say never,’” Bartlett said.

Bartlett continues to stay in touch with Saftiou and his other Romanian families and he hopes to visit again once the pandemic ceases its grip. His greatest hope is to encourage more youth in the local area Interact Clubs to become more civically engaged, both locally and internationally. 

“I hope we can get more youth involved and take them on a trip to Romania to develop long-term friendships much as I have over the past 20 years,” Bartlett said. “I may have started later in my life and I want our youth to have longer and deeper experiences. And all it takes is just one small spontaneous step – and who knows where it will lead you. At least that is what I have discovered throughout all of this.” <

About the Rotary Club

The Rotary began in February 1905 by a Chicago attorney named Paul Harris. He intended to create a space for professionals with diverse backgrounds to gather, creating meaningful and lifelong friendships and exchanging ideas.

Fast forward to today. With over 1.4 million members worldwide, it’s the biggest service organization in the world. Members are currently working on helping save mothers and children, supporting basic education for children, fighting diseases, promoting peace, providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. Rotary has no religious or national affiliation.

 

Determination motivates 2021 WHS graduate to overcome adversity

Vania Murch has overcome many obstacles on the way to her
graduation from Windham High School this weekend. She was
adopted from an orphanage in Haiti at 10 and did not speak
English when she arrived in America but focused on academics
and volunteering to help other students. She has earned a ROTC
scholarship to attend Stetson University and will be commissioned
as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army upon earning her
college degree. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

By Ed Pierce

If there is one graduate from the Windham High School Class of 2021 that best symbolizes perseverance and the ability to overcome adversity in certainly one of the most challenging years in school history, it’s Vania Murch.

Her story of determination to rise above her circumstances is an inspiration to her classmates and fellow graduates and she truly represents the promise of what hard work can lead to both in education and in life. The moment when she receives her high school diploma on Sunday will be cause for immense celebration for her family and testament to the indomitability of the human spirit and her desire to succeed, no matter what life may throw at her. 

Murch was 10 and living in abject poverty in an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti when she was adopted in 2013 by David and Anne Marie Murch of Raymond and brought to America. She didn’t speak a word of English at the time, only Creole. With the help of her family and her teachers, she was able to fit in and make the transition to a new life in Maine.

“When she first got here, she had an incredible gift for picking up English quickly,” said her father, David Murch. “Because the orphanage had regular visitors and work teams from the United States, culturally she had few problems adapting to life here, but it was a major change for her.”

Her father said Vania dedicated herself to putting in the time required to master her new language as she started class in fifth grade at Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond. Before long she spoke was reading and writing in English and became highly adept at speaking comfortably in her new language overcoming a formidable obstacle.

As she moved up to Windham High School, Vania made new friends said that she set a goal of learning as much as she could in school and seeing where that would lead to.

She’s actually done so well academically that she’s earned a ROTC scholarship to Stetson University in Florida and will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army when she completes her studies in business administration and obtains her college degree.

“In 10 years, I see myself working in my career in the U.S. Army,” Murch said. “The one thing I’ve learned more than anything else at Windham High School is that if I work hard, I can accomplish anything.”

Along with her focus on academics, Vania said she saw a need to give back to others while attending high school. As someone who was welcomed to the America by her classmates, she wanted to assist younger students and be a role model for them.  

During her freshman year, she played soccer, but gave up athletics after one season to volunteer to help younger children in school.

“I’ve mentored students at Windham Middle School and volunteered my time at Camp Berea,” she said. “I’ve also served as a tutor for students in math and in English.”

During her senior year, Vania was elected by her classmates at Vice President of the WHS Studen Council. She also is a member of the National Honor Society.

“It’s going to be hard to say goodbye, but what I will miss the most about Windham High School is the people here,” Murch said. “I have made so many great connections with teachers and have made so many great friends at this school.”

She said it was difficult to single out the most influential teachers she’s had along the way but credits her eighth-grade teacher at Jordan-Small Middle School, Patricia Valley, and her Spanish teacher at Windham High School, Trish Soucy, as among the RSU 14 educators that helped her to reach her full potential as a student.

Of all the field trips she’s taken since starting school in America, Vania says the most memorable for her was a trip her class took to the Boston Aquarium a few years back.

“It was so nice to get away and see a new place while spending time with my friends,” Murch said.

Of the many classes she’s taken at Windham High School, Murch lists AP English as one of the most challenging she completed.

“It was hard, but I kept trying to get a good grade and eventually did,” she said.

Windham High School Assistant Principal Phil Rossetti said that Vania Murch has made an indelible impression upon everyone she’s met there.

“Vania is one of the most authentic and kind students at Windham High School. She genuinely cares about her classmates, school, and community,” Rossetti said. “She has made it her passion to get involved in a variety of activities and has accepted a number of leadership roles while taking a challenging academic load.”

Rossetti said she is not afraid to take risks and looks at any setback as a new challenge.

“Her positive outlook is infectious and helps keep her grounded,” he said. “Vania is a highly motivated student that is driven to be a success and makes each school she attends a better place.”

During graduation when Vania walks across the stage to accept her diploma, she will be one of three members of the Murch Family to receive WHS diplomas that day. Two other girls adopted from the same orphanage in Haiti, Pierre-Line and Jesulah, will join Vania in graduating from Windham High on Sunday.

“We’re proud of all of them,” David Murch said. “I very proud of what Vania has been able to accomplish. A lot of investment into this community has led to her own growth, All the special recognition that she’s received this year is based upon her character.”

Vania says that she does care a great deal about others and has spent many long hours studying and concentrating on her academics, but credits her family, her friends and her teachers for her success.

“I guess you could say perseverance is a good word for what I’ve been able to achieve, but I really ow a lot to the people around me who have helped me to succeed.”

As someone who relocated 1,750 miles away from where she was born, had to learn an entirely new language and then adapt to a different culture all while trying to get good grades and fit in during high school, Murch has overcome many challenges so far with many more ahead.

Her advice for others following in her footsteps at Windham High School is simple.

“The high school experience is what you make of it,” she said. “There are so many things to be involved in. Start by enrolling in the hardest class you can find and go from there.” <

Writing projects demonstrate student resilience during COVID-19

By Ed Pierce

Even the most experienced teachers found it challenging to continue to keep students focused on learning and improving while using remote learning during the COVID-19 crisis.

But for Amy Engelberger, a Windham Middle School English and Language Arts teacher, a special project this spring demonstrated for her that students are highly adaptable and despite facing obstacles, can produce superior results.

“There were many curriculum choices to make as a teacher during our remote learning and I chose to teach writing units for all three of my classes during our last several weeks together,” Engelberger said. “I wanted students to choose their topics and stressed they should choose something they felt very passionate about because this would keep them engaged and curious throughout the writing unit.”

Engelberger said she was confident she could support her students through the research and notetaking process, and then provide lessons to guide them through the writing process one step at a time using Google Classroom and Zoom meetings. 

“The seventh-grade unit was an argument unit where they had to develop a thesis statement and support their thesis with evidence gathered through research,” she said. “The sixth-grade unit was an informational unit where they initially researched their topic to see where the research led them. Students eventually planned three ‘chapters’ to teach readers about their topics.”

As the end of the school year drew closer, Engelberger said she was pleased with the results of the project.

“I have been a teacher for 14 years at Windham Middle School and I felt so emotional as we neared the end of this school year,” she said. “I was so proud of my students and was amazed at the level of engagement in these writing units. I told them as long as we continued to communicate as much as possible while we were apart I knew we would find success and they did it and stayed with me until the end of the year.”

Engelberger said she was so impressed with their finished writing pieces, she thought immediately that many of the pieces could be enjoyed by a wider audience.

She submitted four student articles she chose from the project to The Windham Eagle for publication because they seemed very relevant to her in a number of ways. 

The articles included “Supporting Local Farmers” by seventh-grader Mia White; “Online Learning: Is it more Helpful, or Stressful?” by seventh-grader Riley Yates; “The Library of Congress” by sixth-grader Elizabeth Duncan; and “Stop Motion is a Great Way To Tell a Story” by sixth-grader Nathan R. Paulding.

“Obviously the online learning piece is something we have all been thinking about,” Engelberger said. “Riley is a very gregarious young lady, and even though she was incredibly successful through the entirety of the distance learning it was hard for her to learn remotely.  I loved how she was exploring the topic and thinking deeply about it. 

“Mia is very passionate about farming and talks about a possible future in farming,” Engelberger said. “She can debate the need for farms like a champion. I thought the piece was so relevant as more families and communities consider starting home gardens and trying to support local farms.  It was informative and interesting to read.”

For the other two submissions, Engleberger said she chose them because she thought it might be fun for younger readers of the newspaper to possibly explore these two topics on their own this summer. 

“Nate loves stop motion and spends a lot of his free time making videos and posting them to his YouTube channel.  He even made his teachers a thank you video for Teacher Appreciation Week,” she said. “I thought more people might want to try this and Nate's piece can teach them and point them in the right direction. 

“Finally, it was important for Elizabeth to tap into her own curiosity with this unit and she settled on the Library of Congress. She worked hard to narrow down the innumerable sub topic ideas and her plans were well done,” Engleberger said. “The finished piece on the Library of Congress was fascinating, I learned so much. Perhaps people might take a rainy summer afternoon to explore the sites Elizabeth highlighted in her chapters. I know I plan to do this.”

A total of 35 of Engelberger’s students participated in the writing project and she said she’s thrilled by what they accomplished during the most trying of circumstances.

“The tasks my students completed during remote learning were not easy and I couldn't be prouder of their persistence and strong communication skills to partner with me in their learning,” Engelberger said. “They reached out to me often to seek feedback and used my notes to improve their writing.

To read the student writing projects online, click on:

Online Learning: Is it more Helpful, or Stressful? By Riley Yates, Windham Middle School Grade 7 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oXf71Sn57CQzk9CQ5vDB6jV5E1nU8LnqKOb6oZhDIOo/edit?usp=sharing 

Stop Motion is a Great Way To Tell a Story By Nathan R. Paulding, Windham Middle School Grade 6

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z-Lzh8zH5G1gxuvapvldHRBWP6sEUhs7iFce13jgGes/edit?usp=sharing 

Supporting Local Farmers By Mia White, Windham Middle School Grade 7

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BJhzZxGcxKwoG10keX6aK1HpHQUDw86td7RM5giKKKg/edit?usp=sharing  

The Library of Congress By Elizabeth Duncan, Windham Middle School Grade 6

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12kKdD-PY2nj7Rjjr_HyrnyFrSK4kJ4fHhHAZ5OZV3uY/edit?usp=sharing  <