Historical Society gazebo blooms with flowers from a new garden

By Masha Yurkevich

Famous American botanist Luther Burbank got it right when he said that “flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.” To that end, a recent Windham High School graduate spearheaded an effort to bring blooming flowers to the grounds of the Windham Historical Society in Windham Center and on Aug. 7, a flower garden was added to the Windham Historical Society gazebo.

Students and volunteers from Windham High School and the 
community planted a flower garden around the Windham
Historical Society gazebo in Windham Center on Aug. 7.
PHOTO BY MASHA YURKEVICH 

The event was led and organized by 2023 WHS graduate Greta Paulding, who has been working for the Town of Windham for over a year now as a marketing intern and has collaborated on a variety of projects as a graphic designer. She creates logos, posters, and art pieces to make town projects more beautiful and accessible to the public.

“My boss, Tom Bartell, was the one who suggested that we should have a nice place for town hall weddings,” said Pauling. “Linda Morrell, our town clerk, also wanted a flower garden and suggested that I speak to the historical society about using their gazebo.”

Pauling said that the historical society was excited and supportive from the beginning. Their encouragement went a long way toward making this project a reality.

“None of this would have been possible without our Windham community,” she said. “I put out the call on social media for donations of flowers, tools, and labor and received everything we needed. Friends, family, and neighbors came from near and far to help out.”

Because of their work, the project was completed within a few hours.

At 10 a.m. that morning, the area around the gazebo was just grass. By 1 p.m. the same day, it was a beautiful flower garden. Most of the volunteers creating the flower garden were of high school age and their energy and sense of humor kept their spirits up when they encountered obstacles.

“If you had told me a month ago that I would be organizing and leading this project, I wouldn’t have believed you. I am not a gardener. I have never been good with plants. Fortunately, I received a lot of help and guidance from experienced gardeners,” said Paulding. “I want to particularly thank Abbie McGilvery and Morgan Riley for staying all day to dig, plant, and teach myself and the other volunteers how to create a garden that will last. Their help was a vital part of completing this project and making sure it will continue to beautify our community for many years.”

The historical society gazebo is the perfect location for a wedding garden. Not only is it next door to the Windham Town Hall, it is also beautiful, quiet, and surrounded by local history. Over the past few years, the society has moved several historic buildings from around Windham to the village green, and they are working tirelessly to restore them.

“Strolling around the green feels like being transported back in time,” said Paulding. “Not enough people know about the work the historical society is doing or have seen the village green. I hope that the wedding garden will provide the society with an opportunity to share their passion for local stories and become an important part of the stories of those who get married there.”

Paulding said she hopes that as more people come to visit the historical society, they will be able to appreciate the beauty of the garden and of the entire village green. This garden displays the strength and generosity of our community and its readiness to serve others. It is a symbol of unity.

“Planting flowers is a small way to make a big impact. I hope that this garden inspires other projects around town. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this, it’s that people will gladly come together to make our town more beautiful,” said Paulding. “If you’ve always had an idea to make this town better, talk to people. Do something about it. What seems like a pipe dream today might become reality tomorrow.” <

Internship paves way to future success for Windham graduate

By Masha Yurkevich

Most of us remember our first few jobs quite well. For Greta Paulding, one of those first jobs is working for the Town of Windham as a Marketing Intern. The 2023 WHS graduate has been interested in infrastructure reform and town planning for years and at the end of her junior year of high school, she asked RSU 14’s Director of Community Connections, Lorraine Glowczak, if she could help her find a summer job.

Greta Paulding is a marketing intern for the Town of Windham
and was recently offered an internship at U.S. Senator Angus
King's office in Washington, D.C. as a result of her graphic
designs for the Windham Wastewater Treatment site's
groundbreaking event. PHOTO BY MASHA YURKEVICH 

“I mentioned the best scenario for me would be working for the town, but I was certain that wasn’t going to happen,” said Paulding. “Within a week, she came back and said, ‘I’m still figuring things out, but I think I got you a job at the town.’ I was amazed.” She designed an Extended Learning Opportunity for me which allowed me to get school credit through a civil engineering internship. I am the first high school student to work for the town as part of the Windham Economic Development Corporation.”

Each day, Paulding sits down at her desk with a cup of tea and designs something new for the town, from creating logos, maps, and signage, to finding unique and eye-catching ways to provide valuable information to the public.

Paulding first developed an interest in civil engineering and town design three years ago when a research rabbit hole led her to a YouTube channel called “Not Just Bikes” that documented the differences between North American and European cities. “Not Just Bikes” contrasted the benefits of modern European infrastructure with the problems U.S. cities face; many of which she recognized in Windham.

“As I dove deeper, I wanted to find ways to serve my community by advocating for change. Of course, since I now work in marketing, a major part of my job is graphic design,” said Paulding. “I’ve loved art since I could hold a crayon, and it has been an important part of my upbringing. My mother is an excellent graphic designer and she taught me everything she knows. I’m so grateful to have a job that allows me to participate in improving my community through both infrastructure and infographics.”

Within her first month of work, she was assigned to search for septic documents in the town records.

“I spent three months at a desk sorting through papers that were often more than twice my age,” said Paulding.

Though she was originally prepared for a difficult and dull experience, she said that she became invested in the stories she uncovered, told through permits and plans and the occasional letter of complaint.

“I got to know my town in ways I never imagined,” she said.

Not every assignment is a glamorous one. Often, Paulding can spend an entire day looking through papers and barely making noticeable progress. However, by finding ways to enjoy her work, she never gets too discouraged.

“Sorting through files helped me learn how to find fun in every situation,” she said. “When I finally finished, I had collected data for 115 properties in North Windham and helped create a valuable resource for the engineers making the North Windham sewer system a reality.”

As she did more design work for the town, she realized that marketing was a better fit for her than civil engineering. When she told her boss, he quickly helped her find new ways to apply herself that fit what she wanted to study. His flexibility strengthened her appreciation for her work.

“I want to leave a mark on my town before I leave for college. I cannot wait to see how my designs and ideas impact Windham going forward,” said Paulding.

Her internship has also given her a chance to be a bridge between her peers and those who lead and represent the people of Windham. She’s gotten to help her peers speak up for the things they care about.

“I was very surprised and thrilled when Senator King mentioned the possibility of a college internship for me at the groundbreaking for the North Windham sewer system,” said Paulding. “While I do not know what my future holds, I would be honored to serve my community from D.C. and will consider applying for the position in a couple years. Although, I think I might be able to do more good if I stay closer to the people that I want to impact.”

Paulding will be attending Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania to study Marketing and Graphic Design. She hopes to eventually return to Maine to work as an advocate for infrastructure reform.

“It is an exciting time to live in Windham. The amazing people I work with work incredibly hard to make Windham the best it can be,” Paulding said. “I want to thank Lorraine Glowczak for her work to not only give me the chance to live out my dream, but also help countless other students discover their passions. I want to thank my boss, Tom Bartell, for going the extra mile to create new opportunities for me and for always encouraging me to work hard and have fun. I also want to thank all my coworkers for helping me with projects and for being easy to chat and laugh with. Lastly, I want to thank my parents for cheering me on and reminding me to take breaks every once in a while.” <