Roosevelt Trail History Tour hits road for second year

By Erin Rose

Members of the public are welcome to journey through history during the Second Annual Roosevelt Trail Historical Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12.

The public can tour the Raymond-Casco Historical Museum 
in Casco and other historical sites including some in
Windham during the Second Annual Roosevelt Trail 
Historical Tour running from Westbrook to Harrison
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12.
COURTESY PHOTO  

A dozen different historical sites, from Westbrook to Harrison, will be open for visitors to tour at no charge. Refreshments will also be available at some locations.

“There are some new sites for this year,” said Bill Brennan from the Raymond-Casco Historical Society. “We had eight last year, and we have 12 now.”

One of the new additions had hoped to join last year but was unable to welcome visitors for last year’s tour after moving into a new location at 214 Main St. in Bridgton and is excited to join the trail historical tour this year.

“The Bridgton Historical Society had just taken over the Methodist Church on Main St.,” Brennan said. “They had to back out two or three weeks before because they weren’t going to be ready.”

Another new site for visitors is the Bridgton and Saco River Railroad Museum, located on the first floor of the Bridgton Historical Society. The group is working to preserve the two-foot narrow gauge railroad that once ran throughout the Lakes Region.

“That’s also an exciting addition,” Brennan said. “They want to do new things, like being able to show how they lay railroad track.”

The event provides a chance for locals who may frequently drive past the historic sites in their day-to-day lives, but who may not have taken a chance to stop in.

“I’ve heard it a dozen times this summer; ‘I’ve never been to the Raymond Casco Historical Society. I’ve seen it on the road and I’ve never dropped in.’,” Brennan said. “People just don’t stop.”

Brennan said that he’s guilty of the same, despite frequent visits to Bridgton.

“I’ve driven through Bridgton and have stopped at the Cool Moose but never stopped at the Rufus Porter Museum,” he said. “I stopped last year and will be doing some of the other sites out west before coming east on that Saturday, just so I can see the Harrison Historical Society.”

The Harrison site, located at 121 Haskell Hill Road, is a new addition to the trail and has new displays this year, including details on notable local businesses, farming equipment, and a replica of a canal boat.

All of the organizations that had previously participated in the tour returned for the second annual event, after seeing a great increase in attendance on the day last year.

“After the event last year, everybody has come back because they had some of their best turnouts,” Brennan said. “Sometimes you’ll get five or ten people showing up on a weekend. Some people had 40, 50, 60 that day.”

A returning site is the Scribners Mill and Homestead at 244 Scribners Hill Road in Harrison. They have recently opened the homestead to visitors who can see how the Scribner family lived when the mill was in operation, in addition to the sawmill.

Brennan said that a recent visit to a more modern milling facility helped show how technology has changed aspects of woodworking.

“My family and I went to Hancock Lumber last summer, and we got a two- or three-hour tour,” he explained. “When you compare what they do there to what Scribners Mill does, it’s exactly the same thing, just in a different era and different technology. Where a guy is looking at a computer screen now, at Scribners, you had a guy there shaping it, doing whatever he could as best as he could with what he had.”

The Raymond-Casco Historical Society Museum will also be participating in the day for the second year and will have a blacksmith operating the museum’s 19th century Watkins Blacksmith Shop. The property, which includes a one-room schoolhouse and 19th century barn in addition to the museum, is located at 1 Shadow Lane in Casco.

The Naples Historical Society and Museum, at 19 Village Green in Naples, will be highlighting their restored jail located on the site, while a guide will be on site at the Quaker Ridge Meeting House from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., located at 141 Quaker Ridge Rd. in Casco. The meeting house, built in 1814, is the oldest such Quaker building in Maine that is still in use today.

The idea for the day was developed from a desire to find a unique way to draw new visitors to the different historical sites that dot the area.

“The Hawthorn Community Association, met with the Raymond-Casco Historical Society a day in March” last year, Brennan said. “We were all talking about how we could reinvigorate our museums and historical sites.”

“This idea popped up amongst us, as something we might try,” he added, noting that the group worked to find a date in the fall that would allow more residents to attend.

The different organizations all meet to develop ideas for each year’s event, and they all are hoping that this becomes a tradition in the vein of other community events.

“It’s a collective effort from all of us,” Brennan said. “We brainstorm together ideas and we’re all invested in this.”

“It’s the second annual and we’re proud of that,” he continued. “We want it to be like the Maple Syrup weekend or the Sebago Fishing Derby, where it gives our community the chance to come out and see us and experience the local history.”

One local organization praised Brennan and the Raymond-Casco Historical Society for their drive to make the event a reality.

“Their society was an integral part in getting this idea off the ground,” said Susan Simonson, President of Windham Historical Society. “Windham Historical Society is pleased to be a part of this unique idea.” For more information on the day and the different sites open for visitors, visit www.raymondcascohistoricalsociety.org <

New chorus sings way to ‘Raymond’s Got Talent’ win

By Erin Rose

Newly formed women’s a capella chorus Harmony 207 captured the audience’s votes to win Raymond’s Got Talent on Friday, July 24.

Formed earlier this year, women's a capella chorus Harmony
207 was the winner of the 'Raymond's Got Talent' contest
on Friday, July 24 at the Hawthorne House in Raymond.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

“Everyone had a great time, and it was a great confidence booster, because it was the first time they’ve sung anything in public as a group,” said Denise “D” Dyer, founder of the group. “It was amazing.”

Hosted by the Hawthorne Community Association at the Hawthorne House, the event featured 12 performances from talented members of the local community, including singers, jugglers and comedians. Two acts were given golden tickets, and the audience selected Harmony 207 as the ultimate winner.

Dyer’s sister, Debbie Redmond, helped embroider shirts with the Harmony 207 logo, enabling the group to look the part during the competition.

“We looked put together,” Dyer said, noting that there were about 45 people in the audience. “Everyone had a blast.”

The group performed two songs, including “Christmas Chopsticks,” a song set to the tune of “Chopsticks” with lyrics that begin with “Twas’ the night before Christmas.”

“We figured we could get away with it at the Hawthorne House because it was July 24,” Dyer said. “If you think of Christmas in July, this was Christmas Eve in July. We did that first, and then “Let There be Peace on Earth”, which is universal and good at any time of the year.”

When asked to perform, Dyer said that the group, which was founded on May 5, was unaware that it would be a competition.

“The really cool thing is that some of the members, when we found out we got to perform, they said ‘what if we suck’ or ‘what if we lose?’” she said. “First of all, I explained, it’s just a performance and a chance to sing before a friendly audience.”

“I know we call it a competition; I prefer to call it a performance and someone else has to decide where it ranks,” Dyer continued. “We just do our best and enjoy the performance and our audience will enjoy it as well.”

The win has energized both those who performed and the members who had to miss the event. While the group membership has grown to 19 women, 13 were able to perform in Raymond.

“These ladies are excited to learn more music and sing in public,” Dyer said. “It was shared with the rest of the group who couldn’t go and made them want to be able to go to the next one.”

The next event will be a Christmas benefit concert that will be held at the Windham Hill United Church of Christ where the group rehearses from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday nights. Songs at the performance will include “Let There be Peace on Earth” and Con Fullam of Windham’s “The Maine Christmas Song.”

“Their chapel is one of those quaint beautiful New England chapels, with wreathes on the door,” Dyer said, adding that the church permits the group to use the space throughout the year without charge. “It’s what you would picture as a Christmas church.”

“It’s the perfect setting to do Christmas music, including “The Maine Christmas Song”,” she said.

The group continues to grow as the Christmas concert approaches, and Dyer reminds anyone still interested to attend a rehearsal and join in.

“If you know someone who wants to sing but they worry that they’ll feel like they are behind, they shouldn’t worry,” she said. “We’ll help them prioritize what to learn, what to work on, and they’ll learn right along with us when we get the new stuff.”

The upcoming rehearsal on Tuesday, Sept. 1 will present a great opportunity to join, as they regroup after the busy summer. Members will bring food for a potluck, allowing them to reconnect over a meal and share the tales of their summer adventures before setting goals and beginning rehearsals for the Christmas concert.

“Singing and rehearsing through the summer has been difficult with rotating vacation schedules, so we’re doing a potluck welcome back from summer on Sept. 1,” Dyer said. “Anyone who is interested in singing with us is welcome to come.”

“My goal is that people remember that family comes first and we’re singing because we love to sing, not because we want to compete or because we want to win,” she added. “Right now, the expectation is that people are coming to sing and learn Christmas music to do the concert on Dec. 12.”

As the group grows, Dyer has accelerated her plan to join international parent organization Harmony Incorporated, as a chapter charter, citing the benefits of the extensive resources provided by membership. Founded in 1959, the organization represents 2,000 women, and more than 65 chapters of choruses in the United States and Canada.

“There are a lot of resources available from Harmony Incorporated,” she said. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, we can join and be able to reap the benefits of the resources that are available.”

The focus is currently on the Christmas concert, but Dyer said that future goals will likely not be to compete. While the group may ultimately join competitions, the goal is to perform as a way to raise funds to purchase music and other items to support the chorus.

“Competition is expensive,” Dyer explained, accounting for event passes, hotel rooms, food, and transportation to the event. “Music costs money, music tracks cost money. If we want to perform more than Christmas music, which we do, it’s best if we can raise money by doing singing than by having extra events or selling things.”

Dyer continues to seek out new members via the group’s Facebook page, Harmony 207 Windham, Maine, reminding anyone who may be nervous that the group exists to support all singers.

“The voice is an intensely personal thing,” she said. “People are reluctant to put that out there because they fear criticism. There is none of that. This is a place for everyone to sing.”

“If you can sing “Happy Birthday” in tune, you’re welcome to sing with us,” she said.

The Windham Hill UCC is located at 140 Windham Center Road in Windham. More information about the group or meeting can be found on its Facebook page or by reaching out to Dyer at [email protected]. <

Windham Swing Dancing to close summer with gala event

By Erin Rose

Windham Swing Dancing will wrap up its summer of dance lessons and free dances with the Summer Gala for local high school students from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8 at the Windham Town Gym.

Audrey Knowles and James Orasky swing dance during an
event hosted by the Windham Swing Dance group. The
summer of dance lessons and free dances concludes with
the Summer Gala dance for local high school students
from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 at the Windham Town Gym.
PHOTO BY HEATHER PAULDING

“It’s going to be a fantastic time,” said Greta Paulding, a 2023 Windham High School graduate who founded the group in 2024 with the help of Greely High School graduate Elsa Knowles. “We want to get as many people as possible and see some of the faces we haven’t seen in a while.”

“If anybody has danced with us, even if they’ve since graduated, or if they’ve never danced with us before, they are more than welcome to come,” she said.

While the group’s events are typically free, due to the scale of the gala, there will be a $5 charge to help cover expenses decorations and the baked treats that will be available.

“Usually, we try to keep everything free, but because we had to rent the space from the town and with all of the decorations, it’s a lot of expense,” Paulding said. “If $5 is too much, put on whatever you have that’s fancy and come have some fun.”

Paulding’s mom, Heather, has been a major help to the group during its time and is working to prepare the decorations by hand for the gala.

“She’s making 20 to 30 feet of bunting from scratch,” Paulding said. “Our house is literally covered in fake wisteria and muslin, and fake flowers are coming out of the walls.”

The group has been preparing for the gala all summer, with lessons in ballroom dance styles, such as Viennese waltz, foxtrot, and cha cha during their weekly Wednesday meetings.

“Part of the fun of this gala is for them to be able to ballroom dance,” Paulding said.

They also did a lot of country swing dancing, which allows partners to pair off but does not require full body contact, which can help nervous teens.

“The nice part of country swing dancing, it’s more open and fluid,” Paulding said. “It’s only really hand contact for the most part, which means you can take someone by the hand, spin them around, and have a great time without feeling super close.”

Paulding also says that all the members of the group have been novices at one time, so they also understand the challenges of learning the different steps.

“You don’t have to be a great dancer or be good at this. It’s your first day,” she said. “If you can manage to spin in a circle and not fall down, you’ve already done better than I did on my first day.”

The gala will also be one of the group’s final events for Paulding, as she is engaged to fellow Grove City College student Caden Schipani, and will be moving to Pennsylvania once she graduates in the spring. As to the group’s future, it remains unknown.

“There is interest from the kids to keep it going, but there is nobody who is stepping up to lead,” she said, citing difficulties teens have in planning future summers, with internships, beginning college, or finding work taking priority. “We’re praying it continues in some capacity.”

“Right now, there are no good answers, which is why we are celebrating everything that we have done and all of these great people we have brought together,” Paulding said.

The Windham group was founded after Paulding started attending college at Grove City, where a school club helped Paulding discover her interest in dancing. That interest helped Paulding overcome mental health challenges.

“When I was a freshman, I had a lot of different mental health things that I was struggling with, including anxiety and depression. I’m also on the spectrum too, so I was dealing with a lot of stuff,” she said. “Even so, I said ‘it’s swing dancing, how bad could it be?’”

“It’s only loud music and lights and crowds and physical touch, all the things that would set me off,” Paulding continued. “For the first month probably, I would have pretty frequent panic attacks after going swing dancing because my body was not used to that.”

“I just kept going back because I was making these new friends, getting more active and getting more healthy. I was even miraculously slowly getting better at it,” she said. “It was so much fun, and the community was so wonderful.”

Not only has dancing improved her physical health, it quickly made long-lasting changes to her mental health.

“All of the anxiety symptoms that had kept me away from social spaces disappeared and didn’t come back,” Paulding said. “They haven’t come back.”

Seeing how dancing helped her anxiety helped inspire Paulding, with the support of co-teacher Knowles, to provide the same opportunity for local teens.

“All through high school, I was watching all of these other kids struggling with things that were so much worse than what I was dealing with and they had no outlet,” she said. “I came back and said, ‘I have one year of swing dancing under my belt. How hard could this be?’”

“I asked my friend Elsa, who is the coolest person I know, who also had not really done much dance,” Paulding said. “Elsa is phenomenal.”

The group started small in 2024.

“If we had 10 people in the room that year, it was a miracle,” Paulding said. “But we had a really fun time.”

A marketing major and a graphic artist, Paulding used her expertise to help grow that number to 25 for 2025 after an Instagram post found popularity.

“We had one post that reached 16,000 views, which was really exciting,” she said. “We got reposted by all of these different organizations as examples of building community. It was awesome.”

The post also helped bring new members from far afield to attend the group’s meetings.

“We had a whole group of kids that came from New Hampshire after they saw us on Instagram and drove two hours to find us,” she said, adding that a Grove City graduate who lives in Bath, Jack Herman, has been driving an hour weekly with his sisters to attend and help teach. “He’s been holding down the fort for us on ballroom styles.”

“We have a huge cohort out of Yarmouth, with one friend group who keeps pulling new people in, and one girl who comes all the way from Durham by herself every week,” Paulding said. “It’s been wonderful.”

Now, the group has over 30 members who attend regularly, but summer schedules make it challenging for everyone to attend every week, so there are usually 20 to 25 people dancing each week. Their final regular meeting will be on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

For more details, visit the group’s social media pages on Instagram and Facebook. <

Windham Hometown Hero brings light to community

By Erin Rose

Longtime Windham resident Karen Rumo was selected as the 2026 Modern Woodsman Hometown Hero and honored at Windham’s Summerfest on Saturday, June 20.

Longtime volunteer Karen Rumo of
Windham has been honored as the 2026
Modern Woodmen of America Hometown
Hero and was a featured honoree during
the Annual Windham Summerfest Parade
and festivities on Saturday, June 20. She
has served as a member of the Summerfest
organizing committee for al most a decade 
and a volunteer at the event for even longer.
COURTESY PHOTO

“I would never have thought,” she said, adding that she “was in good company” being chosen for an award that has been given to prestigious names in the past. “I am honestly so grateful.”

A member of the Summerfest organizing committee for almost a decade and a volunteer at the event for even longer, Rumo looks forward to learning who is chosen each year as the Hometown Hero.

“I always get excited because I want to see who people connect with,” she said. “There are so many good people in our community that do so many wonderful things.”

Deb Matthews, the President of the Summerfest Committee, explained that Rumo was the perfect choice this year.

“Karen is a spark,” she said. “She brings an enthusiasm that everybody needs in their life.”

“She loves her hometown and loves our community,” Matthews said. “She is so welcoming and she draws people in.”

 

Rumo, who has lived in Windham since the 1970s, dedicates more than 60 hours a month to volunteering in the community, through her church, her professional career, and any organization or friends who may need a hand.

“There is always something, whether it’s with work or in the community, the school, friends or whatever it is,” she said. “It’s about helping people and supporting people. It takes a village, no matter what you’re looking at.”

To select the Hometown Hero, the committee puts out nomination forms to the community, allowing residents of Windham to make suggestions to the committee for someone who meets the criteria.

“The person must, as we say, ‘bring unity to the community,’” Matthews said, naming one of the core principles of the community event.

Another of the criteria that unexpectedly came into play for this year’s nominees is that the person must be alive.

“We presented two names for nominees,” Matthews said, “Karen was dumbfounded” when they announced Rumo was one of two people chosen by the majority of the community’s votes. “We got to talking and realized the other person had passed away.”

“Someone made the joke that Karen has the pulse of the community,” she said. “She is the pulse of the community.”

After many years at Summerfest, Rumo has more fond memories than she can count, but one mother has stuck in her mind, after a brief interaction at the Information Booth where she dedicates her time during the event.

A lone mother approached the booth with her three young children. One of her toddlers looked excitedly at the items that were displayed on the table, asking how much the lollipops, glow sticks, and other items the committee has on offer for attendees were to purchase.

“I said ‘It doesn’t cost anything. It’s free,’” she recalled. “He looked at his mom and said ‘Mom, it’s free!’ She had tears in her eyes.”

“You could tell she was going to have to say no if there was a cost, and it was going to be hard for her,” Rumo continued. “When she heard they could have it, she saw the happiness in her kids, and I got tears in my eyes.”

“What we are doing makes a difference,” she said.

Rumo inherited her love of her community from her mother, Beverly, and her grandmother Althea.

“One of the things my grandmother always said is that no matter what is going on in your life, don’t ever lose your sense of humor,” Rumo said. “Your sense of humor is what is going to get you through.”

“My mom added, ‘kindness really spreads,’” she said. “Anything can spread but be one of those do-gooders in the world.”

Those previous generations are looking down as Rumo continues their legacy in the community, including passing that dedication to her daughter, Alyssa.

“I know my mom and grandmother are proud,” she said. “They passed that torch and that responsibility to us.”

“We need to help take care of people and help spread that kindness,” Rumo added.

Rumo spreads that same kindness through her work as a Psychiatry Technician at Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook, where she serves as a resource and mentor for new technicians.

“After 40 years at SHH, even with the different roles and jobs I’ve had here, I feel like there is experience and authenticity in my training when the new techs know I’ve been doing the job I’m training them to do for as long as I have,” she said. “I love it. I would never claim to know everything as I’ve done a lot of different jobs, so I hope that I’m a resource and a motivator for people.”

Another organization Rumo dedicates her time to is Out of the Darkness, overnight walks in communities across the nation to spread awareness of suicide, sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Through the events, she has the chance to interact with patients and their families outside of the hospital.

“They love seeing Spring Harbor because that’s what we do- we try to help people find their light and hope and purpose again,” Rumo said. “Former patients come over and celebrate wins, or we give them hope when they need it. The mental health population deserves it. Sometimes they feel like they’ve been voted off the island of society.”

Throughout her volunteer efforts, both in the community and professionally, Rumo has discovered a universal language.

“What I’ve learned through both work and life – it doesn’t matter if you speak the same language,” she said. “Everybody understands a smile and they understand kindness and the energy around them.”

And, as Matthews said, Rumo’s energy is infectious.

“You can’t help but get excited around Karen,” she said. “She brings that ray of sunshine that we all need in our lives.” <

Unique interactive exhibit asks library visitors to grab art and explore

By Erin Rose

Visitors are welcome to touch and explore art in a new exhibit by artist and Windham resident Tony Prizio on display until the end of July at the Windham Public Library.

A unique new hands-on exhibit by Windham artist Tony Prizio
at the Windham Public Library features a collection of 500
different works ranging from as large as a sheet of paper to
as small as an index card and will be displayed through
July 31.  PHOTO BY ERIN ROSE  

“A lot of artists say, ‘don’t touch my stuff, that’s why it’s on the wall,’ said Sally Bannen, Technical Services Librarian. “This is very different. He really did create it to be interactive.”

Prizio has curated a collection of 500 different works ranging from as large as a sheet of paper to as small as an index card, and divided them into different easels, crates and boxes. Visitors are asked to take a crate or easel and go through the selected art pieces to see what sparks their inspiration or starts their mind thinking.

“I’m encouraging people to pick up one of the crates, and take a seat and thumb through them,” Prizio explained. “Art is instructive; it’s supposed to bring you out of the shell you’ve built around you so you can expand your view to see.”

The works range from photographs, both new and from the past, to collages, pen and ink and watercolors, and include some realism, pointillism, and pieces for the viewer to interpret. They are on top of the stacks on the second floor, as you exit the stairway, along with some works hung around the area.

“Some of the pieces, to one person they may look incomplete or just an idea, but to other people it may look like a cool piece,” Bannen said. “It does really make you look at things.”

The artist hopes that viewing the pieces will help others expand their mind as to what art may be, and potentially inspire them to start to create works of their own.

“It’s as simple as a scribble or a doodle on a piece of paper that’s representative to the way you’re thinking or what’s on your mind,” Prizio said.

“People say they ‘can’t draw a straight line with a ruler’ or ‘I can’t draw a tree.’ There are plenty of pictures and photographs of trees,” he said. “So, do your thing instead of trying to imitate what you saw at a museum.”

Prizio was inspired to shift to smaller canvases after retiring and needing to create in a way that considered his smaller surroundings.

“I used to be able to paint in a large barn and in an attic space, and now, I live in an apartment, so I don’t have a ton of space,” he said. “I started making a lot of desktop items in paint, collage, pen and ink, and drawing.”

Retired after a career in construction, Prizio has spent his life making art and even majored in painting and sculpture at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, New York.

“I did not make my living that way [through art], because you can count on two hands the number of people who have actually made successful living from painting or sculpture,” he said. “Throughout it all, and I’m 76 years old, I’ve painted and made drawings and whatnot the whole time.”

Exhibits that infuse artwork into the library’s stacks help bring art to those who may not otherwise have access, Bannen said.

“It’s important especially since not everyone can get into places like galleries or museums,” she said. “To be able to look at and interact with art because you just happen to be at the library, and here’s something like this, whether you’re looking at art on the wall or sitting down and interacting with it, I think it’s important.”

“That might be the only time that someone is exposed to it,” Bannen said. “Like Tony says, if it gets someone thinking about ‘hey maybe I can do this,’ I think that’s great.”

Prizio is a longtime visitor to the Windham Library making the exhibit more meaningful for the staff who have gotten to know him over the years.

“I love getting anyone in to show their work at the library, but it’s extra special when it’s someone you’ve interacted with and chatted with, and you find out there’s an aspect to them you didn’t even know about,” Bannen said.

The exhibit will continue through July 31. More information can be found on the library’s website at https://www.windham.lib.me.us/. <

Summerfest welcomes community for a day of fun and first-ever drone show

By Erin Rose

A new drone exhibition to celebrate the nation’s birthday will wow Windham residents at this year’s Summerfest.

The Windham Police Honor Guard will lead the
annual Summerfest Parade, kicking off a day of
fun at Windham High School on Saturday,
June 20. Parade participants will line up at
11 a.m. at Windham Public Works and the
parade route follows School Road to
Windham Center Road before turning right
onto G\Fray Road and proceeding to 
Educational Way. COURTESY PHOTO   

The annual event will be held at the Windham High School on Saturday, June 20, with the day’s festivities kicking off with a parade set to begin at noon.

The organizing committee chose the theme of “Sun, Stars and Stripes” to blend the annual event with the country’s 250th birthday this year. The day’s motto is “Bringing Unity to the Community,” and the organizing committee is hopeful the event will inspire people to get to know their neighbors.

“People nowadays don’t know their neighbors,” said Deb Matthews, the chair of the Summerfest committee in her fifth year leading the team organizing the event. “This is a way we can get to know everybody in our community.”

“It’s so important to bring your mom and dad, bring your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews,” she said. “Come and bring unity to our community.”

The parade will begin lining up at 11 a.m. at the Windham Public Works building. It will take Windham Center Road then left onto School Road before turning right onto Gray Road (Route 202) where it will proceed to its end at Educational Way. Awards will be presented in several categories, including best illustration of the event’s theme and motto.

The Modern Woodsman of America Hometown Hero, Karen Rumo, will be honored in the parade. A member of the Windham Summerfest organizing committee, Rumo is a long-time Windham resident and was selected because of her devotion to giving back to the community.

“Karen is a bright light. She is so generous and so kind and she is a hero,” Matthews said. “She loves our community, she loves giving back, and she loves family. She has the pulse of the community.”

The parade’s Grand Marshal will be Windham High School’s popular Director of Choral Music, Dr. Richard Nickerson, who is retiring this year after nearly 40 years at the school.

“He is the epitome of a grand marshal – a person that brings unity to the community,” Matthews said, noting Nickerson’s work to establish the Windham Chamber Singers, who have performed internationally during the director’s tenure. “He doesn’t realize how much of an impact he’s had on those students, their parents and their grandparents, and our community.”

Nickerson was shocked when he found out he’d been selected to be honored as the parade’s Grand Marshal.

“I never in a million years thought I would be asked to be the Grand Marshal of a parade,” he said. “This entire year has felt like an out of body experience.”

In addition to being Grand Marshal, Nickerson will also join other local teachers to perform on the Main Stage at 7 p.m. with their band “Cousin Itt.”

The event will formally open at 1 p.m., including the beginning of the entertainment, which will include performances from Andi Fawcett and Doubting Gravity on the Main Stage and Tyler Dhone on the Hall Implement/George Hall Memorial Stage. Phil Smith, a magician who has appeared previously at Summerfest, will be roaming the grounds and performing spontaneously as people gather. Spark You will also be performing at 1 p.m., creating different science experiments to entertain viewers. The Refuge Church will be sponsoring and manning a dozen bounce houses from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“They let all these adorable kids bounce their little hearts out,” Matthews said. “It’s so important to include them and make people aware of these wonderful businesses and organizations that are part of our community.”

The annual Pat Moody Memorial 3v3 Basketball Tournament will begin at 2 p.m., and there will be several rounds of Bingo, hosted by the Lions Club, which will be called by Town Manager Robert Burns, Windham Fire/Rescue Chief Brent Libby, and Summerfest organizing committee member Tom Matthews, who manages all of the day’s entertainment and musical acts.

The drone show will start at 9 p.m. and will be followed by a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m.

There will also be a variety of food available for purchase from non-profit organizations at the event, including Barry’s famous barbeque, chicken, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw, sold by the Windham Snowmobile Drifters, mocktails, walking tacos. Hot dogs, hamburgers, soda and chips will be prepared by non-profit Keeping Kids Safe. The group has been in attendance at the event for a decade, and it provides them with its sole major fundraiser for the year.

“We love the people from Windham,” said Mike O’Neal, founder of Keeping Kids Safe, who is currently seeking sponsors to help support the cost of developing a new app that would provide alerts for missing children and juveniles based on the user’s geolocation, beyond what is available through an Amber Alert, and searching for community partners to join the effort. “The people have embraced Keeping Kids Safe. We’re always packed, and the committee are incredible and amazing people.”

The theme of community runs throughout the day and is evident by both participants and members of the community groups who have booths during the event.

“Windham has gotten much bigger since I started here, but it still has that small town feel where people look out for each other,” Nickerson said. “That’s the wonderful thing about a small-town community.”

Kate Turpen, Board President for the Windham Raymond Pride Planning Committee, echoed the same sentiment when asked why their organization has enjoyed managing a booth at the event for three years. The group will be selling rainbow snow cones this year, which can be fully customized with different colors or flavors.

“It’s a really great opportunity for our community to come together in one place, and to get to see familiar faces having fun,” they said. “It’s really important that families can come and enjoy without a financial barrier.”

Matthews stressed that financial concerns should not prevent people from attending and bringing their families to the free event.

“If you can’t afford to pay, come and play, on me. No charge,” she said. “If you can’t afford to buy food from the non-profits, bring a picnic lunch and sit on the field and enjoy the day for free.”

“It’s so important for us to bring this community together, to share this beautiful community, “Matthews said. “That’s why we work so hard to raise the money we raise. That’s why we work so hard to make sure that everyone understands that this event is free.”

While the town donates money for Summerfest, the organizing committee has fundraised to fully support the event financially and its $40,000 budget. The town Parks and Recreation Department also contributes time and manpower to the event, including Director Linda Brooks who, “brings enlightenment to areas we’re grey on,” Matthews said.

“It’s the committee that’s doing the work,” she said. “We appreciate everything the town does for us. We’re blessed to have the Parks and Recreation Department.” 

The event is rain or shine, and Matthews says that in the past, they’ve endured pouring rain, sleet, and thunderstorms to put on the community day.

“It is what it is,” she said, explaining that they’ve only had a few vendors or performers cancel due to weather. “They want to be there. The excitement we all feel on that day really draws them in.”

Volunteers are still needed for the event, for both the organizers and the groups that will have booths to man.

“It’s the problem we’ve discovered – Every organization, non-profit, or business that wants to participate needs volunteers,” Matthews said. “It’s something as small as watching the booth while they take a lunch.”

“We need people to help with the parade and people to just be there to help,” she said. “There’s always a need for bathroom breaks and lunch breaks.”

Anyone interested in volunteering for the Summerfest Committee or looking for more information about the event should visit the Summerfest website at www.WindhamSummerfest.com. <

MSSPA donkey foal’s name fits fiery personality

By Erin Rose

After more than 400 votes and many comments on Facebook, the newest donkey at the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals (MSSPA) has a spicy name to match a fiery personality.

The donkey foal born in April at the Maine
State Society for the Protection of Animals 
in Windham has been named 'Pepperjack'
following a vote by the public on social 
media. The foal's mother, Diane, was
part of a group of donkeys and miniature
horses that were surrendered last fall
to the MSSPA. COURTESY PHOTO 

The public chose “Pepperjack” from a list of five names, which were selected by the MSSPA staff from names proposed by the organization’s Horse Heroes, monthly donors who support their work and receive special updates from the MSSPA. Members of the public were asked to vote via a link on the MSSPA’s Facebook page.

“’Pepperjack’ was by and large the runaway winner,” said Peg Keyser, MSSPA Advancement Director. “It also means we get to call them ‘Jack and Diane,’ which will be meaningful to music fans.”

The foal’s adorable features, including oversized ears, and impish personality have enraptured the staff at the MSSPA.

“He is the cutest thing in the whole world,” Keyser said. “His ears are adult sized and the rest of him is just catching up.”

Diane delivered the male foal (also called a “jack”) in the early hours of Monday, April 20. She is part of a group of five donkeys and two miniature horses known as the “Thanksgiving Angels” who were surrendered to the MSSPA in November 2025.

The staff suspected the 15-year-old donkey was expecting but had been waiting for a blood test to confirm the news when Pepperjack arrived in the night.

“When donkeys get close to delivery, they typically get a little uneasy, dribble a little water from their udders, they get a little waxy on their udders, and none of that happened,” Keyser said. “She was completely chill with no indication of any uneasiness or anything like that.”

When staff came in to start the morning routine and feed the animals in the outdoor paddock, they were shocked to find an extra inhabitant in the pen.

“Kenny, one of our staff members, came around the corner to begin to deliver the morning breakfast, and did a rub-your-eyes double take as there was little Pepperjack,” Keyser explained, saying that the staff have a group text chat, which exploded with talk of how many speeding tickets would be issued to the team that morning as everyone raced to the facility to get a look at the new baby, who was already walking around and nursing.

“The vet said he was born probably very early morning, likely 1 or 2 a.m., just like they’ve been doing since time eternal,” she said. “By the grace of God, everything went seamlessly.”

In the winter, staff started noticing Diane growing in unexpected ways and suspicions began to grow that the herd would soon expand.

“Around February or March, Diane started getting quite round and everyone noticed,” Keyser said. “She was round in a way that looked like she was carrying a baby and wasn’t just her putting on weight.”

Determining when donkeys are pregnant is challenging, as they carry babies for 11 to 14 months, meaning Diane was likely pregnant when she was surrendered to the care of MSSPA last fall.

“We had zero idea when she got pregnant, so this could have been in April or even maybe July,” Keyser said.

Prior to being surrendered, the two intact males of the farm’s Thanksgiving Angels, Kevin and Finn, were able to freely mingle with the two intact females. While Olive, the other female donkey of the group, arrived with a six-month-old baby named Yahtzee, Keyser explained that “a week after having that baby, she’s available to get pregnant again.”

The staff are now watching Olive even more closely, as they suspect she may be expecting a new baby.

“It’s too early to say for sure, but we’re hoping for a Christmas donkey,” Keyser added, noting that the MSSPA is waiting for the results of a blood test to confirm the pregnancy.

From information received by the MSSPA, they believe this may be Diane’s third baby meaning she was well-versed in the process of delivering the foal.

“She is an amazing mom. He was checking things out, nursing well, and she would push him in the right direction to guide him,” Keyser said. “We reveled in the sight of the paddock, but Diane, God love her, was just saying ‘it’s no big deal.’”

One of the biggest struggles for the Thanksgiving Angels has been developing a positive and healthy relationship with humans, including trusting their caregivers to halter and lead them. None of the equines were handled much prior to their surrender, so the staff at MSSPA have worked hard to build bonds to allow for easier handling.

“Diane was so unhandled and un-handleable that two staff members would each have a lead and try to lead her from the paddock to the barn, and she would drag them,” Keyser said, adding that she wanted nothing to do with humans.

Hours of work from the staff and from Chris Lombard, a professional horse trainer who donates his time to the MSSPA when able, and their limitless patience, helped show Diane how to trust the people around her.

“Diane was such a dramatic transformation,” Keyser said. “She became affectionate, curious, gentle; she began to trust humans.”

“When you have the gift of time to spend with these horses, and they begin to realize that they’re in a different place, a place where they can start to trust that the humans here are nice to them, you can really see the difference,” she said. “Their eyes start to brighten, they become curious. They come to the fence as opposed to standing in the back corner of the paddock and making very clear they don’t want to have anything to do with you.” 

“It’s inside all of these horses; it just takes time, patience, love and skill to peel those layers back,” Keyser said.

Diane has regressed slightly in her amazing progress from becoming a mother, but Keyser said it is to be expected.

“That’s because she’s a protective mom,” she said. “She’s not as interested in engaging, but now she’s allowing staff to be with her and be with the baby.”

“All of that training, we had no idea how important it was. Had she had this baby and she hadn’t been handled, it would have been very different,” Keyser said. 

Interest is high in donkeys, but none of the now six donkeys from the Thanksgiving Angels have been adopted yet, due to each of their own unique situations and needs. Olive was only recently weened from Yahtzee, and if she’s expecting again, she will remain under the care of the MSSPA until delivered. While there has been some interest in adopting her, Diane also will remain with the center until Pepperjack is weened and the two can be separated. Finn and Kevin have been gelded and are working to recover from that procedure before being considered for adoption.

The two mini horses from the group have found a new home together after spending some time at the MSSPA to lose some weight.

“It was unusual for us, as they were quite overweight,” Keyser said. “They were like meatballs with legs. They lost a good amount of weight and have been adopted together.

The 501(c) (3) charitable organization uses a combination of donations, bequests, grants and fundraising to provide care and support for equines that have been abused or neglected. Volunteers provided more than 10,700 hours of service to the MSSPA last year. Visitors are welcome to the MSSPA’s facility on River Road in Windham on “Summer Sundays”, which run from May through October from 11 a.m.-2p.m.

For more details about Pepperjack or Diane, or about donating to the MSSPA to support the duo or its other equines, visit www.msspa.org <

Volunteers provide backbone for Riding To The Top equine therapy center

By Erin Rose

Riding To The Top Therapeutic Riding Center (RTT) is celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Week, marked nationally from Saturday, April 19 to Saturday, April 25, by showcasing the significant contributions their dedicated volunteers give to the center and to the patients who receive equine therapy there.

Volunteers Fran Maxwell, Pat Niboli and Sara
Treat get Carrot cleaned up before a lesson on
a muddy day at the Riding To The Top equine
therapy facility in Windham.
COURTESY PHOTO

“The impact of these volunteers is visible every day,” said Kelly Johnson, Development Director for RTT. “A rider taking their first independent steps, a child gaining confidence in communication, or a veteran finding peace being in the presence of our horses – these moments are made possible because volunteers show up, week after week, ready to give their time without expecting anything in return.”

Last year, the center’s 200 specially trained volunteers donated over 14,000 hours of time to assist its more than 250 clients. The time was spent helping to lead horses while clients ride or in walking alongside the horse to ensure the client feels secure and confident. The volunteers also provide care for the center’s 17 horses, complete chores in the barn, or by helping with administrative support or with special events.

“Volunteer Appreciation Week is not just about saying ‘thank you,’ though gratitude is certainly deserved,” Johnson said. “It is also about recognizing that organizations like RTT simply could not operate at their current level without volunteer support.”

“Volunteers are not just helpful additions, they are the backbone of the organization, making it possible for RTT to fulfill its mission of improving the health and well-being of children and adults with disabilities through equine-assisted services,” she said.

The center’s programs include therapeutic riding, where patients are helped through horsemanship and riding activities. Therapeutic Carriage Driving provides the opportunity for patients who cannot ride to harness and drive a horse from a cart or carriage. RTT also offers Equine Assisted Learning, where interaction with the horse, both mounted and unmounted, helps in the development of life skills, and Hippotherapy, where the horse’s movement is used as a therapy tool.

“Volunteer Appreciation Week serves as a reminder that behind every success at RTT, there are volunteers helping to make it all possible,” Johnson said. “Each volunteer brings unique skills and heart to the program, forming a community rooted in kindness and purpose.”

The volunteers gift the center with a precious resource, and through their generosity, help enable RTT to provide high quality services for its patients. 

“In a world where time is often one of the most valuable resources, the volunteers of RTT demonstrate what it means to give selflessly,” Johnson said. “Their dedication ensures that RTT continues to be a place where challenges are met with encouragement, and where every rider has the opportunity to reach new heights.

“It reflects commitment, patience, and a shared belief in the transformative power of human-animal connection,” she said. “Each hour volunteered helps create a safe, supportive environment where participants can grow physically, emotionally, and socially.”

Founded in 1993, RTT is the only center in Maine accredited by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) solely dedicated to Equine Assisted Services. The center’s facility includes a heated indoor arena and an outdoor riding ring on 50 acres of land on Lilac Drive in Windham.

“Human-Animal Interactions are at the core of RTT’s work and are made possible because of our professional staff, dedicated volunteers and incredible horses,” said Sarah Bronson, RTT’s Executive Director. “We witness on a daily basis the health and wellness benefits of Human-Animal Interactions for our clients, their families, our volunteers and our staff.”

To learn more about RTT, its programs, make a donation, or to inquire about volunteering, visit www.ridingtothetop.org or call 207-892-2813. <

Local robotics team ‘brainstorms’ way to regional championships

By Erin Rose

A group of seven local high school students will be competing for the first time in FIRST Robotics’ New England District Championship in West Springfield, Massachusetts which started Wednesday, April 15 and runs through Saturday, April 18.

A team of area high school students, including some from
Raymond, are part of a new team led by Maine Community
Robotics competing this week for the first time in the
FIRST Robotics' New England District Championship
in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

Being selected to be one of the 100 teams competing at the district event in the team’s rookie year was a surprise for Stephen Goss, the Executive Director of Maine Community Robotics (MCR), a non-profit organization that was founded to support the FIRST Robotics program locally. He organizes and manages the team.

“I didn’t expect that we would get the invite this year to go to the district championship,” he said. “I was pleasantly surprised by that and excited, because it’s well deserved for their hard work.”

Members of the team, named Brainstorm after heavy debate by its members, are Eli Mattia, Cloe Wayne, Shaylee Wayne, Avery Sands, Ben Friedlander, Zach Friedlander, and Nathan Getchell. The team also has six adult mentors, including several who are alumni of the FIRST Robotics program, Erin Friedlander, Arin Friedlander, Beau Fairbrother, Isaac Friedlander, Steven Goss, and Frank Mattia. Their first competition was the Northeast District’s Pine Tree Competition Qualifying Event, which was held at Falmouth High School from March 6 to March 8.

The students, in grades 9 to 12 from Raymond, Standish, and Gray, receive a very basic kit of items from FIRST Robotics, a program that provides STEM education to students internationally from kindergarten to eighth grade. They must build a machine to complete specific tasks. Each year’s challenge differs, so the teams must create new mechanisms annually to achieve the goal. This year, the teams must create a machine that collects balls and then throws them into a large hopper to score points over several rounds. Points are also gained by adding the ability to climb the machines up a structure with three levels.

“There isn’t a manual or instructions from the kit to build it,” Goss said, explaining that the students created their own gears for their robot with the help of adult advisors, computer aided design software, and a 3D printer. “They designed these gears to be the right ratio needed for speed and strength.”

The team’s design depends on the ability for the motors to switch directions, allowing the robot to collect and then throw balls into the central hopper. 

“Their robot sucks orange dodgeball balls into a hopper and then they can reverse some of those motors and that allows them to shoot the balls into the target hopper,” Goss detailed. “They also added a hook onto the side of the robot, so they’re able to climb up the first rung of the ladder.”

In addition to designing and building their machine, the teens also must write the code that tells the robot what to do during the competition. They can add aesthetic details to their robots and team apparel, to show a unified theme. The team added an infinity mirror to their design to help pull the theme together. As a result of the addition, the students won the Imagery Award at the Pine Tree competition in March. The “award celebrates attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration of machine and team appearance; incorporated into all aspects of the team,” according to FIRST Robotics’ website.

Adding the mirror was part of the more than 200 hours that the students spent over the first 10 weeks of the year building their machine. Goss said that the students work three or four days per week after school to complete the robot build in such a short time. There’s also planning before the season begins to develop new ideas based on past designs. 

“There’s lots to be done to get a robot designed and built in 10 weeks,” he said.

The team is seeking both new members and new sponsors to help build the program. Teens interested don’t necessarily have to be interested in STEM or robotics. There are opportunities for teens to build business acumen, through helping to develop a business plan for the team’s year, opportunities to build marketing campaigns to help attract sponsors, and learning to write grants, where the team can receive from $1,000 to $5,000 in grant monies to help pay for the expenses required to compete.

“While the design and the driving piece are the ones that everyone focuses on, it’s not the only important piece” Goss said. “All of it together is what makes a successful team.”

Fundraising is especially important, as the team is entirely self-funded. Registration fees, parts and raw materials for fabrication, tools and equipment, and costs associated with traveling to the different weekend-long events are all paid for by the team. Sponsors are welcome to help the team offset those costs, along with donations from the community. 

“We are always looking for sponsors, since it’s not cheap,” he said, adding that a group of individuals could band together to help sponsor the team. “Being a nonprofit, registered by the IRS and Maine, allows us to accept donations easily.”

MCR will be hosting some open houses in North Windham over the summer which will feature some skills learning activities and computer assisted design (CAD), to allow interested students to check out the team before signing up.

“It’s not just for the nerd herd,” Goss said. “You don’t need to know how to code and you don’t need to know how to fabricate metal to join the team. We’ll teach you what you need to know, and we’ll help you find what you’re passionate about on the team and enable you to go do it.”

More details about Maine Community Robotics, including how to join, a link to donate, and sponsorship information can be found at https://mcrobotics.org. <

Women's four-part a capella chorus set to launch in Windham

By Erin Rose

Harmony is coming to Windham. Standish resident Denise “D” Dyer is forming Harmony 207, a women’s four-part acapella chorus, and will be hosting the inaugural meeting of the group at the Windham Hill United Church of Christ from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5.

A  new four-part a capella women's chorus called 
Harmony 207 will have its inaugural meeting from
6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 5 at Windham Hill
United Church of Christ, 140 Windham Center
Road in Windham. SUBMITTED PHOTO

“The meeting will be an introduction to our parent organization, Harmony, Incorporated, and to the genre,” she said. “People can feel what it’s like to experience those harmonies.”

The chorus is the realization of a longtime goal for Dyer, as in the past, she has had to travel more than an hour north or south to participate in an affiliated chorus. She is a lifetime member of Harmony, Incorporated and has also served as the organization’s International President from 2010 to 2012.

“The feeling that you get when you lock and ring a chord is absolutely amazing,” she said. “You have people who each sing a different part; they go off and learn their part, and when they come together, it all locks, and it’s magic the way that it fits together. That’s the magic of the seventh chord, the barbershop chord. It is just absolutely amazing when it’s done well and done right.”

Harmony 207 has been accepted as a prospective member of Harmony, Incorporated, an organization of 2,000 women and more than 65 chapter choruses in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1959, the organization hosts area and international competitions and provides educational resources for its membership.

The dues for membership are less than $100 annually, Dyer said, explaining that it would be little higher for new members. However, no fees will need to be paid until April 2027, as the group’s charter will not be official until the organization’s new year, which begins in April.

The inaugural meeting will include the attendance of two Harmony, Incorporated-affiliated choruses, Maine-ly Harmony, based in Gardiner, and Sounds of the Seacoast, from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Dyer said that their attendance helps show the bond that forms between members of the choruses.

“The women I sang with in Gardiner and in Portsmouth are coming on May 5 because it’s more of a sisterhood than an organization,” she said. “They say, ‘Music brings us together, harmony unites us.’”

While the organization hosts competitions, that is not the immediate goal of Harmony 207, as Dyer is seeking to start by building a community of like-minded women.

“It’s not mandatory to compete or attend conventions,” Dyer said. “My short-term goal is to get a group of women together that like to sing four-part harmony.”

During the inaugural meeting, attendees will be given a welcome packet which will include music for two songs, “Happy Birthday” and “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” written in four-part harmony.

“Everyone knows the words and everyone knows the melody” for Happy Birthday, Dyer said, adding that ensuring everyone can sing along will help “gauge which parts they find most comfortable to sing.”

Dyer explained that the vocal ranges for the chorus will differ from the standard soprano, alto, tenor, and bass parts, to accommodate the female singers.

“It’s tenor, lead, which is mostly melody, the baritone that fills in the chords in the middle, and then the base, which is a low alto,” she said.

While many people think of classic barbershop music in association with older music, Dyer said that the chorus will look at songs from popular Broadway musicals, including “Wicked,” and movies like “The Greatest Showman” and “Pitch Perfect.”

“We have to overcome the idea that barbershop singing is hokey and old fashioned,” she said. “This isn’t the barbershop that people know. It’s the structure of the chords that make it a barbershop song, not the era its written in.”

To start, members of the chorus will be learning holiday music, as the familiarity helps newer singers as they learn to navigate singing in four parts.

“We’re going to try to aim for the holiday music, and make it as much Maine as we can,” she said. “People already know the words and recognize the melody, so it will be easier to memorize over the course of the summer.”

Dyer says that the chorus will perform at the Windham UCC Church during the holiday season, in exchange for the use of their space to rehearse the rest of the year.

A perfect selection for the group is “The Maine Christmas Song,” written by Con Fullam of Windham about Christmastime in Maine. The song was arranged in a four-part harmony at the request of Maine-ly Harmony, and Dyer worked to receive the songwriter’s blessing to use the piece as part of their repertoire.

“He’s thrilled that we would use his arrangement and that we asked permission,” she said.

The Harmony, Incorporated charter requires a minimum of 14 members, so Dyer is hoping to recruit at least that many members from the inaugural meeting. There is no maximum number of members, and Dyer noted that the largest groups are 60 members. In competition, there must be 12 members performing on stage.

“I have no idea what to expect” as far as turnout, she said, “but I have welcome packets prepared for 100 people.”

The group’s Facebook page, Harmony 207 Windham, Maine, is helping to reach interested women, and there are already other local members of Harmony, Incorporated looking to join the chorus.

The Windham Hill UCC Church is located at 140 Windham Center Road. More information about the group or meeting can be found via its Facebook page or by reaching out to Dyer at [email protected]. <

Youth author inspires other children with epilepsy

By Erin Rose

A Raymond youth is using his experience with juvenile epilepsy to help others as they learn to live with the condition.

Weston Quinn. 9, of Raymond has written and
illustrated a book called 'Juvenile Epilepsy
Warrior' describing his experience being
diagnosed with juvenile epilepsy at age 7 and
how he's learned to thrive despite the diagnosis.
He will be on hand to autograph copies of his 
book from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 4 at Play
Warriors, 840 Roosevelt Trail in Windham.
COURTESY PHOTO  

Weston Quinn, 9, is the author and illustrator of “Juvenile Epilepsy Warrior,” a book that details his experience being diagnosed with juvenile epilepsy at age 7 and how he’s learned to thrive despite the diagnosis.

“It’s scary to tell the stories,” Weston said, but says that he “loved the ability to talk through my epilepsy journey.”

His mom, Hannah, said that the book has helped Weston communicate with others about the struggles he’s faced.

“It’s been amazing watching Weston use his story to help others,” she said. “He doesn’t realize how powerful his words are yet. When it comes to even talking to his friends about his experience, it made such a huge impact.”

Weston also completed the illustrations in the book, creating images that represent different stages of his diagnosis. One image shows blood in a needle, which represented the first day he had a seizure, Weston said.

Another image shows Kimberly Leighton, the founder of Play Warriors in Windham, as the pair apply electrodes to a doll to help Weston understand how an Electroencephalogram (EEG) would work.

“The artwork helped work through his fears,” Hannah said.

Leighton explained that the book was a result of Weston’s journey through child life therapy, which takes a different approach to helping children through difficult times in their lives, including medical diagnoses, grief, and trauma by providing medical play and therapeutic interventions, coping strategies and relaxation techniques.

“When working with a kiddo, we catalog their time with session notes and some dialogue, images and projects,” she said, pointing out that once a child is nearing the end of their time with the center, they have a mass of accumulated work that can be used to build a book to help others.

“I ask now that we have all of this information, what would you want people to know about what happened to you and what that might feel like,” Leighton said. “For some kiddos like Weston, they want to go on and help other kids, so this is a great avenue for kids that want that sense of agency and get to a point where they can tell their story.”

“Part of telling their story, there is a lot of healing in that,” she said. “That’s why therapeutic expression, whether it’s through art or telling a story, it helps process what you’re going through.”

Weston is one of several young authors at Play Warriors, as this is the sixth book published by the program’s participants, with another four books in progress currently. Other topics covered include childhood cancer, grief and loss.

The books are published by Books That Heal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting children facing medical or emotional battles to publish their stories. Leighton explained that the book’s proceeds are split between the nonprofit and a charity chosen by the child who penned the book.

“It’s going back to the charity forever and will continue to grow,” she said, explaining that Weston chose the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation to receive the funds from his work. “It’s a great way to have the book be a final capstone to his success and his work that he went through.”

The Play Warriors program also helped Weston discover more self-confidence and work through his anxieties around his condition, including going to school and interacting with his peers and friends.

“He was afraid of having a seizure at school,” Hannah said, “His friends knew he was going through something, but they just didn’t realize quite how hard it was.”

Through his child life therapy, Weston has been able to process his anxieties and fears, enabling him to face school and sports with confidence and joy.

“He carries himself with more confidence and self-esteem,” Leighton said. “He’s not looking at his diagnosis as limiting. It’s about ‘what can I still do’.”

Hannah said that Weston’s new sureness is most evident when he is interacting with the world, especially when he is playing point guard on the basketball court or as a striker and forward on the soccer field.

“We get to see his joy when he is either on the basketball court, on the soccer field, spending time with his friends and his cousins and all of his family,” she said. “We get to see him shine when he goes to school and all of the things he’s doing at school, as he had a hard time going to school for a while. He is shy, but once you get to know him, he is an absolute joy to know.”

Weston is a part of Team Impact, which pairs children who are facing serious illnesses or disability with college sports teams. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, located in Standish, participates in the program for their men’s baseball, soccer and lacrosse teams and their women’s volleyball, field hockey, and soccer teams.

Weston’s books may be purchased online from Amazon, and he will be signing copies of his book from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 4 at Play Warriors, the sole child life therapy provider in Maine, located at 840 Roosevelt Trail in Windham.

More details can be found at the Play Warriors website, www.playwarriorsinc.com, or on their Facebook page. <

Local girls earn titles during Maine Women of Service Pageant

By Erin Rose

Raymond twins Alexa and Alison Largay and Windham student Peyton Dore are celebrating after taking home titles from the Maine Women of Service Pageant held in Freeport on Sunday, March 8.

Three girls from the Lakes Region brought home titles after
competing in the Maine Women of Service Pageant held
in Freeport on Sunday, March 8. From left are Alison 
Largay of Raymond, Alexa Largay of Raymond and Peyton
Dore of Windham. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Alexa took the crown as the winner of the Young Teen Division at the state-level competition, with Alison taking home the Ambassador title, meaning both will go on to compete at the national Women of Service pageant in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in July. Windham’s Peyton Dore also took first runner-up in the Little Princess Division and won the overall Most Photogenic and Best Casual category titles.

“This was my first time winning a really, really big title,” Alexa said. “It feels really good. I couldn’t stop crying.”

Both Alexa and Alison agree that the crowns and outfits are bonuses to participating in the pageant, in addition to the community service and other pageant-related activities, but Alison added that meeting new people throughout the course of the pageant is the best part of participating.

“In pageants, you meet the best people, especially the younger kids who look up to you,” she said.

Kristin Dore, Peyton’s mom, said that her daughter’s participation in pageants was inspired by her love of the stage.

“The minute she stepped on the stage, it was something else. She just shined,” she said. “It’s fun as a parent to see your kid shine. She’s got the personality and everything. I could never in a million years go up on a stage and do what she did.”

Instead of a traditional beauty pageant, the Women of Service pageant requires contestants to have community service platforms under which they work to execute projects to help others.

While Peyton is just establishing her platform, she has started building bags to distribute to homeless people in the community. The bags contain granola bars, hand sanitizer, pretzels, gloves, and other small items.

Alexa and Alison both dedicated their platforms to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital located in Portland. The two spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), making the cause personal for them.

Alexa operates “Pages for Premies,” and has donated books to the NICU at the hospital, ensuring that each child has a book when they go home.

“I reach out through social media, including Facebook and Instagram, and ask people to donate,” she explained. “They send me books and as soon as I hit 60 books, I go to the NICU and donate.”

Alison’s platform is “Toys for Tiny Miracles,” which raises funds to purchase toys and other items for the babies. She has donated more than $200 so far.

Alexa and Alison are both homeschooled, so the pageants provide them with an opportunity to be a part of a community and a chance to make friends.

“They’re making friends for life,” said Julie Largay, Alexa and Alison’s mother. “Once you make a friend there, it’s such a strong bond that they will stay together forever. “They are getting poise and elegance and stage presence, and they’re learning to talk to people. They’re learning charity work, what’s important and how to help people. Especially to a homeschool mom, they’re getting so much out of this. It brings so much more to who they are as a person.”

Dore also said that the pageant community is very supportive and helpful, especially for newcomers.

“It’s such a small community and they’re all really supportive of each other,” she said, explaining that the support of her own community of family and friends has helped ease the challenge of taking on pageants.

In addition to the pageant stage, the twins are actors and models who have featured in both local and worldwide campaigns. Alexa has shot three commercials, including an international campaign for CVS’s “Here for Her” program, promoting women’s health. Alison filmed a Jordan’s Furniture commercial for local audiences, where she “lived her best life…and got to jump on couches and jump on furniture,” Largay said.

The Maine Women of Service Pageant is part of the International and American Women of Service Pageant organization. It is a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to empowering girls and women through a commitment to service, education and leadership development. The pageant has nine age divisions, ranging from girls as young as 5 in the Little Princess division to over 50 in the Classic division. <

Local author to discuss his noir fiction novel at Windham Public Library

By Erin Rose

Author and longtime Windham resident Charles J. Pickelhaupt will give a talk about his novel, “One Week of Romance and Murder,” at the Windham Public Library at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18.

Longtime Windham resident and author
Charles J. Pickelhaupt will appear at
the Windham Public Library at 6 p.m..
Wednesday March 18 to discuss his
noir fiction novel 'One Week of
Romance and Murder."
COURTESY PHOTO

During the presentation, Pickelhaupt will read some of the book’s chapters and give attendees an insight into how he decided to embark on his writing journey.

The book, which was published in 2023, is the first in a trilogy, with the second installment being written currently. It is a noir fiction book, following seven days in the journey of World War II and United States Army Air Force veteran David Gardiner as he works to rejoin society in 1946 and falls in love. However, his trajectory is altered when a murder in Boston brings a detective into his life.

“It’s a guy who’s a former pilot trying to make his way through life. He’s 30 years old and he’s had numerous affairs with women but is looking for something more solid, and he finds it,” Pickelhaupt explained, saying that bringing the detective and the main character together “is the crux of the story.”

Noir fiction, which features heavier storylines and more gritty details than a mystery book, appealed to Pickelhaupt, as movies from the same genre are particular favorites. The time period was also selected because of the state of post-war America.

“I am a fan of 1940 noir movies, like Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart,” he said. “I think it’s a fascinating time, when America was together, for the most part.”

The book was a sudden revelation made one Sunday afternoon in 2022 while watching television, the author said, and the first three chapters were written by hand the same day his inspiration hit.

“This idea popped into my head. ‘Oh my god, I want to write a noir novel, with a hard-nosed detective or soldier or something,” he said. “I went to our office, grabbed some paper and all afternoon, I wrote three chapters.”

The entire process of writing the more than 120,000-word novel took about a year, as it was all written longhand before being transcribed slowly into a computer, and Pickelhaupt admits, “I’m not a typist.”

“I was very much aided by my wife, as far as spelling goes,” he said, praising his wife Nancy for her guidance in engaging technology to help his writing, in addition to her continued encouragement. “I would say ‘how do you spell this’, and she would say ‘doesn’t your spell check work?’”

He says that, “you have to get reasonably close in spelling for spell check to have it pop up.”

The sense of accomplishment has been the best part of the writing process for the novel, as it was an unexpected goal in Pickelhaupt’s life.

“The best part of writing a book is accomplishing something I never thought I would,” he said. “I never in my whole life said, ‘I’m going to write a book.” But somehow, that Sunday afternoon, I started writing a couple of chapters and I said, ‘by God, I’m going to do this. And it developed. As you start writing a book, you start out with some ideas and then you enlarge it and add detail.”

Some of the details in the book are particularly familiar to the author, as his father was a member of the Air Force, working as an electrician on B-17 bombers, which are also known as “Flying Fortresses” in North Africa and Italy. Pickelhaupt also spent time in his childhood moving through Air Force establishments in Germany, Italy and England before returning to the United States. His father was also stationed in Detroit, giving Pickelhaupt personal insight into the city that he used in the pages of the novel.

“I know Detroit, I know Michigan. It’s my home state,” he said, noting that his hometown is Port Huron, Michigan. “Detroit is a big city, and a lot of people were gathering there at that point.”

“And I wanted to get them out of Maine,” Pickelhaupt said.

The author, however, made it to Maine and never looked back, as he met his wife of 56 years while his father was stationed at Dow Air Force Base, located in Bangor before closing in 1968. The pair have two children, Charles and Kathryn, and five grandchildren.

“My son and his wife have encouraged me to reach out to the world,” Pickelhaupt explained, saying that he is hoping to give talks at the Gorham Public Library and possibly some senior facilities in the area.

“One Week of Romance and Murder” is available for purchase on Amazon. Copies will also be available for purchase during Pickelhaupt’s presentation at the Windham Library. <