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

By Ed Pierce

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Ed Pierce

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Windham shows outpouring of support for local hero Moody during basketball court dedication

By Matt Pascarella

A night of mixed emotions spread around the basketball courts next to Windham’s Public Safety Building on Sunday, Nov. 3 for coach, father, husband and Windham’s most enthusiastic supporter, Pat Moody.

Windham basketball's biggest supporter Pat Moody smiles
while among his fans at the 'Pat Moody Basketball
Courts dedication event on Sunday, Nov. 3. Moody
has learned his cancer has returned and only has a 
few months to live. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

He was surprised when the basketball courts he championed for were officially named the “Patrick Moody Basketball Courts,” while surrounded by members from Windham and nearby communities that Moody has had an impact on. Recently Moody received some difficult news that his cancer has returned, and he has been given just a few months to live.

People showed up at the event to show their love and support for Moody as the dedication to him was made through tears, applause and laughter.

“I love this town, and I love this sport,” said Moody. “I don’t know how many hundreds of people are here who I love also; it’s very special,” he said. “To come out here and have this dedication ... it basically just made my heart explode seeing everybody’s faces here and all the love. ‘Gratitude’ isn’t a strong enough word; It’s just super, super special. It’s too special for me to put into words.”

Moody’s goal was always to give back to Windham basketball and do whatever possible to better Windham so people could enjoy the greatness he enjoyed growing up.

“He’s had a huge impact across the community and the kids,” said Windham resident Nick Davis. “He’s inspired the next generation – just an awesome guy, awesome friend.”

Windham residents Tyler Graves and Windham High varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen wanted to do something lasting to honor Moody. He was a big part of the blue basketball courts by the Public Safety Building being built. Moody had wanted lights on the blue courts and Pulkkinen and Graves, along with the help of various companies, organizations and donations, made that happen.

“He’s been one of the biggest advocates for spreading basketball positivity throughout Windham and means so much to this community,” said Windham graduate Josh Guite.

It was important Moody be surrounded with the love he’s given everybody else; it was also important that his family see the impact and for them to feel that love. The event brought everyone together to lift Moody’s spirits up and really showed the strength of the community.

“He’s done a lot for the basketball community,” said Windham resident Nicole Lewis. “We’ve known them for a long time, the Moodys are good people. As a community, everybody is here to support the Moodys as a whole – it’s not all about basketball.”

Pulkkinen said that Moody always believed in him at every stage of his basketball career, right through becoming the WHS varsity boys’ basketball coach.

Graves and Moody met in the first grade. Graves was best man at Moody’s wedding; Graves says he would do anything for Moody, just like Moody would do anything for anyone anybody else; and Moody is Graves’ hero.

“He’s been such a huge influence in my life and my daughter’s life, wouldn’t miss (this dedication) for the world,” said Windham resident Tina Sabine. “He’s been a coach to my daughter, he’s been a friend. Our kids went to school together, he has a huge impact on everyone he comes in contact with.”

It meant a great deal for Moody’s family to see the love and support of everyone from Windham for Pat Moody.

Rod Moody, Pat’s father, said it was tremendous to see how many people love and support him.

“The only thing I can say is Amor Fati, it means ‘love of one’s fate’ and it is a true testament of Pat’s kind heart and paying it forward,” said Pat Moody’s wife Sherma Moody. “Every one of these people he touched in one way or another and it was just overwhelming for the family to see what a great community to be a part of, but also giving him the love and support he needs during this time.”

According to son, AJ Moody, it means the world to him; Pat Moody really deserves this honor. His son said he’s the best person and AJ Moody is very proud of his dad’s journey that has become history.

“What this means to me is the community just loves and cares and every person in the community is so amazing,” said Pat Moody’s daughter, Hayleigh Moody. “All these people who came together and did this for my dad means the world to me. I can’t thank anyone enough for all the love and support you guys did and how you made this become an actual thing. Ever since I was young my dad has been trying to figure out where can kids go to play after school and these courts came along and now that they’re under his name ... thank you so much, every one of you.”

The Pat Moody Foundation was also created and raised more than $5,000 on the night of the dedication. This is a new non-profit that will continue to support youth sports and activities in Windham as well as give a scholarship to a graduating student athlete who has shown dedication to community service.

To donate to the new Pat Moody Foundation, you can do so through Venmo at moodyfoundation. <

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

By Ed Pierce

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

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

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

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

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

Originally from Kansas, Meeske is a natural at writing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Town of Raymond publishes draft of new Comprehensive Plan

By Kendra Raymond

The Raymond Comprehensive Plan committee is staying on schedule producing the preliminary draft of the document just in time for the fall 2024 projected deadline.

A poster displays notes and suggestions
for community services and facilities
developed during a workshop used
to formulate the Town of Raymond's
new Comprehensive Plan.
PHOT BY KENDRA RAYMOND

Residents on the email list received a copy of the draft and it is also available on the town website. The announcement says, “The Raymond Comprehensive Plan team is happy to share the first draft of the Comprehensive Plan for your review.”

The website explains, “Raymond staff, the Comprehensive Plan Committee, and North Star Planning have been working together since May 2023 to update Raymond’s comprehensive plan. This draft plan includes Maine State requirements along with goals, policies, action items, and a Future Land Use Plan based on what we’ve heard from the Raymond community through online surveys, workshops, informal polls, and the Committee.”

The CPC draft features several top Priority Goals and Actions that emerged through surveys and workshops held over the past year. These include “Build a resilient Raymond, protect Raymond’s natural and water resources, invest in road and traffic improvements, prioritize walking and biking around Raymond, and strengthen Raymond’s sense of community.”

CPC Co-chair Peter Leavitt took a minute to provide an update about the progress of this long-term and much anticipated project.

“The community feedback collected by the Comprehensive Plan Committee (CPC) over the past two years is reflected in the plan's Mission Statement (page 9) and Priority Actions listed at the very beginning of the draft plan,” he said.

Leavitt highlighted the priority actions at this junction as:

* Build a more resilient Raymond regarding extremes in weather and natural disasters

* Protect Raymond's natural and water resources

* Invest in road safety and traffic improvements

* Strengthen Raymond's sense of community

It is important to recognize that the priority actions are just a starting point. Leavitt explained, “While these are intentionally broad goals, the data and detail of the many initiatives necessary in achieving them are contained in the section of the draft entitled Goals, Policies and Action Items beginning on page 33. Each initiative is identified with a segment(s) of municipal government assigned to its implementation as well as an assigned timeframe for action, for example priority (As Soon As Possible), short term (one to three years), medium term (three to five years), and long term (five to 10 years).”

The document is comprised of three parts: the outlook for the future (including the vision, goals, and action items), data collection results (topics required by state law), and the appendices which include public engagement events and the Capital Improvement Plan for the town.

North Star Planning representatives Ben Smith, AICP, Kate Burch, and Sam Peikes lead the process with the assistance of Forrest Meader with Rhumbline Maps. The Comprehensive Plan Committee consists of a cross-section of Raymond residents including John Clark, Greg Foster, Kaela Gonzalez (co-chair), Peter Leavitt (co-chair), Frank McDermott, Shawn McKillop, Danelle Milone, John Rand, Jacqueline Sawyer, and Brad McCurtain.

The committee has been working together since August 2022 to guide the process, gather and synthesize data and feedback to create a vision for the future of Raymond.

The update reminds residents, “During this time, the State of Maine Municipal Planning Assistance Program will review Raymond’s plan for completeness and compliance with the state’s Growth Management Act.”

Once the public comment period has ended and state review is complete, Raymond staff, the Comprehensive Plan Committee, and North Star Planning will make edits and updates to finalize the plan. Then, the plan will go to the Select Board to vote on inclusion in the 2025 Town Warrant, where you will be able to vote on its approval.”

Following gaining approval to proceed, Leavitt said that the next step after the statutory public comment period and public hearing will be the submission of the draft plan to the State of Maine.

“The state approval can take up to three months. Once approved by the state the plan is presented to the town Select Board for placement on the Town Warrant for our June 2025 elections,” said Leavitt. “As with any major warrant article the plan will be the subject of a final town hearing prior to the community vote.”

Once approved, it will be time for the committee to “roll up their sleeves” once again.

“The real work is in the implementation of the priority actions, goals and policies identified by the community. It is the responsibility of the Select Board to create the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee to this end,” said Leavitt.

He went on to sum up the journey perfectly.

“The process is completed once the citizens of Raymond vote to accept the Comprehensive Plan,” Leavitt said. “As I have learned with Municipal comprehensive planning this…’is not the end...this is not even the beginning of the end...but perhaps this is the end of the beginning!" (Winston Churchill).’”

The CPC is seeking public comments and feedback on the recently published draft as requested on their website, “Now, we want to hear from you. The public comment period runs through Dec. 4. Please submit your comments using the form or drop them off in person at the Raymond Town Office.”

A Public Hearing on the draft plan will be held by the Raymond Comprehensive Plan Committee at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 4. 

Follow this link to learn more about the comprehensive plan, review the draft, and submit your comments: https://compplan.raymondmaine.org/index.php/review-the-plan/ <

Windham’s oldest resident dies at 106

By Ed Pierce

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Windham resident becomes living organ donor

By Andrea Elder-Bruns
Special to The Windham Eagle

So, have you done anything ‘big’ lately? For one Windham resident, the answer is a resounding yes. That resident is Barbara “Billie” (Carlin) LaVallee, and if you met her, you’d likely have no idea what she has recently experienced and accomplished. Billie just donated a large portion of her liver to save the life of a person suffering from acute liver disease. This makes her a so-called “living donor.”

Billie LaVallee of Windham became a living
organ donor when she voluntarily gave part
of her liver to a stranger during a transplant
operation at Lahey Medical Center in
Massachusetts. She was inspired to become
a donor by her husband, Dan, a cancer
survivor. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE   

Most people are familiar with posthumous organ donation, where organs are harvested from a deceased person and transplanted into a recipient. But many are less familiar with the notion of donating an organ while the donor is alive. Billie agreed to share her story and her experience in hopes of raising awareness about this life-saving endeavor.

LaVallee, 54, grew up in Windham and has deep roots here. She and her husband, Dan, recently purchased a home and moved back to Windham. Billie works for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and as a dental hygienist. She has three adult sons and is active in corporate track and field competitions. She and Dan are enthusiastic travelers who share a strong interest in our National Parks.

Billie and I are lifelong friends, and I know that Billie has done lots of noteworthy things in her life, but perhaps none quite as incredible as her choice to become a living donor. That said, Billie is adamant that her decision to do this does not classify her as a “hero.”

In fact, when that word comes up, she is quick to highlight that the real heroes in the realm of organ donation/transplantation are the individuals who persevere through daily pain and hardship while waiting in the hope of a donation to be available. She is also quick to mention the surgeons and medical staff whose skill and hard work make this whole process possible.

It was my idea to write this article, and I broached the topic knowing full well that Billie might initially resist. Visions of headlines about a local woman becoming “a hero” were repugnant to her. As Billie and I talked, though, it became clear that in sharing her story and her personal experience, her community could be made aware of the very notion of living organ donation, and of the life-changing possibilities it brings.

INSPIRATION

Billie credits a friend and former co-worker with inspiring her interest in exploring living organ donation.

"This friend spearheaded our office's participation in National Donate Life Blue & Green Day, which is celebrated every year in April,” she said. “We would wear blue and green that day to raise awareness about organ donation. Sadly, my friend became ill and in an ironic and tragic twist of fate, she died from liver disease."

She was also inspired by her husband.

“Throughout his life he has worked hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle by religiously exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, eating well, etc.,” she said. “Despite his efforts he has been both unlucky and lucky in regards to his health. He is a cancer (unlucky) survivor (lucky) and had to undergo open heart surgery due to a congenital heart defect.”

Billie does not take her good health for granted.

"It is a blessing, and living donation was a way for me to give back. It’s not realistic for everyone though,” she said. “People give back in all sorts of ways, some give their time, money, knowledge, compassion, blood and through their vocations, as well as many other ways. For me it just so happened to be part of my liver. I have also been a lifelong blood donor and plan to resume blood donation after my required six-month deferral."

The process began with a phone call to the Lahey Medical Center’s Transplant Program. This got the ball rolling and led to some initial blood work for her.

“I was also encouraged to apply for financial assistance through the National Living Donation Center (NALDC) which is a non-profit organization who often assists eligible donors with costs such as travel expenses, lost wages, and dependent care costs," she said. "For example, NALDC covered the cost of my husband’s hotel stay postoperatively. It’s also important to note that many employers have organ donation programs, such as mine, which paid me lost wages while I was out. In addition, donors are not responsible for any of their medical costs as the recipient’s insurance plan covers the donor’s expenses."

The work-up to be accepted as a live donor is extremely comprehensive. After the initial blood work came back favorable, Billie was scheduled for two days of tests at Lahey Hospital in Burlington, Massachusetts. The exams ran the gamut and included a chest x-ray, echocardiogram, stress test, abdominal MRI, a psych evaluation, a surgical evaluation and more.

The time from her acceptance to the actual procedure was less than three months.

"I was accepted as a living donor shortly after my mid-February evaluations," she said. "I donated on May 1 and did not know the recipient at the time of donation."

The day of her surgery was very emotional as she was concerned about what a long day it would be for her husband and children.

"I believe that the waiting is the hardest part,' Billie said. "I had it easy as I was going to have a long nap. I was also anxious as to what the outcome would be. Would sharing my liver change the life of my recipient? I was prayerful. The surgery took place at Lahey Hospital in Burlington, Massachusetts. There are no liver transplant programs in Maine."

SURGERY

The surgery was about seven hours on a Wednesday, and she was released early the following Monday.

"The first couple of weeks were rough despite my pain being well controlled. I had a reaction to one of the pain meds and had some nausea and vomiting on postop Day 3," Billie said. "Imagine how little fun it is vomiting with a new incision that runs vertically from the thorax just below my belly button. Fortunately, that did not last long."

According to Billie, getting quality sleep was also a challenge.

"Getting out of bed and even rolling over were suddenly a Herculean feat. I also had an abdominal drain that was removed immediately before discharge from the hospital. The wound site from this drain was still discharging fluid and I would often wake up having soaked through the bandaging and my pajamas. Napping suddenly became an essential part of my existence."

She began walking, more like shuffling, in the hospital and continued upon returning home.

"The first day I slowly ambled about my neighborhood about one-quarter of a mile. After week one I was able to get out several times a day and began gradually increasing the distance and speed. She felt remarkably well and almost back to normal at about six weeks, returning to work after eight weeks with restrictions not to lift anything above 20 pounds.

"At this point I had also begun to run again and by the end of July I was able to lightly return to competing with my corporate track and field team," she said.

The experience was what she expected.

"I was well prepared for the experience thanks to the wonderful transplant team at Lahey as well as my mentor and now friend, Lynn," Billie said. "Lynn has donated both a kidney and part of her liver and works for the National Kidney Donation Organization."

HUMBLING EXPERIENCE

But despite being well prepared for the surgery itself, Billie said that the experience was humbling.

"I am so grateful to the Lahey Hospital and Transplant Program staff, my surgeons, and the entire nursing staff," she said. "I wish I had known a bit more of how losing your gallbladder can affect your digestion. Gallbladders are removed along with your liver donation. I took Pepcid, as prescribed, for 90 days postoperatively to alleviate acid reflux. I also learned to eat several smaller meals. I am happy to report that I am no longer having any issues.

As far as doing anything differently, Billie advises to have extra boxes of gauze and bandages on hand.

"Like I mentioned my incision site from my drain leaked for days and I ran out of dry dressings," she said. "One of my sisters came to the rescue and delivered a fresh supply. "If thinking about becoming a living organ donor, I would advise them to start with finding a mentor. I would be honored to speak with anyone who might be interested. Lynn was such a Godsend to me. We discussed the big stuff as well as the small little details that you may not feel comfortable asking a surgeon, like 'Will I get constipated?' or 'Will I be able to shower?' The answers respectively are: 'most likely' and 'not until just before you are discharged.'

She says be prepared for lots of needles.

“While hospitalized, I had IVs in both arms, one in my hand, and one in the jugular vein in my neck," Billie said. "I also received heparin shots daily (to prevent blood clots). Fortunately I am much more afraid of spiders than needles. I would also encourage a potential living donor to have candid conversations with their family and loved ones. Family support is crucial."

Billie said she can’t begin to convey the gratitude that she has for all those who have supported her on this journey and says thanks.

"Several people have suggested that I am a 'hero.' I adamantly disagree with this. I am however someone who has been blessed with good health, a loving husband, children, family, friends and community," she said. "Living donation is not possible without a team of real heroes surrounding you. I continue to think about the complexity of the surgery and the skills and competence of the surgeons. I recently found a video on YouTube and am awed with the intricate nature of the surgery. Interestingly, the liver is the only organ that regenerates."

Recently she had the opportunity to meet the recipient and his wife.

“It’s so hard to describe the magic of the moment. I am ecstatic to share that Mark is doing remarkably well," she said. "He is resuming beloved activities such as going to camp and hiking in the woods. We have stayed in touch and text frequently. We also are planning another outing in a couple of weeks. His amazing wife is currently going through the work-up to be a potential living donor."

Her goal in sharing her experience is to raise awareness about the living donation process and the impact it can have on the lives of people like Mark.

"I am hoping for a domino effect," Billie said. "If I can inspire one person to be a living donor and they in turn inspire another, just imagine the number of lives that can be changed."

If you would like to learn more, Billie recommends checking out Donate Life America’s website donatelife.net. Those wishing to contact Billie directly can reach her at barb.lavallee1@gmail.com. <

Fundraiser rallies support for abused children in Maine

By Ed Pierce

Bill Diamond of Windham isn’t about to overlook the issue of child abuse and child deaths while in state care in Maine and that’s why he created the nonprofit foundation called “Walk A Mile in Their Shoes” several years ago. On the evening of Sept. 5, supporters gathered at Erik’s Church in Windham and raised thousands to help the foundation continue its important work.

Auctioneer Stef Keenan was the emcee for the Walk A Mile
in Their Shoes Foundation's annual fundraiser at Erik's
Church in Windham on Sept, 5. He thanked each of the
many sponsors of the event which were listed on two
posters by the door. It raised thousands for the foundation,
which was created to reduce child abuse and child deaths
while in state care in Maine. PHOTO BY PATRICK COREY   

Diamond, a longtime State Senator and State Representative representing Windham in the Maine Legislature and a former Maine Secretary of State, said preventing child homicides and the abuse of children who are under the supervision or direct care of the State of Maine or who are or have been associated with the state’s Child Protective System is at the heart of what Walk a Mile in Their Shoes Foundation is all about.

“Donations are tax deductible and are making a difference in preventing the abuse and deaths of children in state care,” Diamond said. “We have brought much-needed accountability to the system that is failing our children. Momentum is on our side to help our most vulnerable children who are not being protected.”

He said that as of this past June, 2,573 children were in Maine state care and custody.

“Maine has the highest rate of child abuse and maltreatment in the nation, in fact, Maine’s rate of child abuse is over twice the national rate,” Diamond said. “More than 54 children died in Maine care over the last two years and another 34 died in 2021, four in one month. I started working this serious problem in 2001 when 5-year-old Logan Marr was killed by her foster mother, Sally Schofield, who used 42 feet of duct tape to bind Logan in a highchair and then put her in the basement unsupervised. She tipped over and then suffocated slowly. We discovered the department was failing children in many ways including not following required regulations pertaining to child safety.”

According to Diamond, this was during the administration of Maine Gov. Angus King and he since then the following three gubernatorial administrations, two Democrat and one Republican, have failed children as well.

“Children are dying at record numbers so we at the Walk A Mile in Their Shoes Foundation are committed to exposing the department’s failed policies and pressuring them to change their policies and their continued mismanagement,” Diamond said. “We are volunteers, and we use the funds donated to us, every dollar, to reach out and build awareness among Maine citizens and policy makers about the problem and to build support for change.”

Foundation member Patrick Corey of Windham said that this is the second consecutive year that Walk A Mile supporters have held a fundraiser at Erik’s Church and about 150 people attended the event.

“The organization is doing a fantastic job, and the results speak for themselves,” Corey said.

Kenny Cianchette of Erik’s Church says he was happy to help the foundation by hosting the fundraiser.

“This is a justifiable cause to save kids,” he said. “The stats are going in the wrong direction and Bill Diamond has been pursuing this intently to help children across Maine.”

Diamond said that the foundation is starting to see concrete results and has made a difference in the short time since it was launched.

“Change has happened in only our second year of existence,” Diamond said. “The Director of the Office of Child and Family Services resigned last December, one day after we released our researched report revealing the broken culture in the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and the continual attempts to hide the facts of child deaths from the press and the public.”

Diamond said the state’s DHHS Commissioner resigned this spring which is a clear indicator that those in charge are eager to leave now that the facts about child abuse in the state are being uncovered.

“Maine’s independent Child Welfare Ombudsman has reported for the past four years that DHHS still does not make good decisions when it comes to placing children in safe environments,” he said.

Fundraising totals from the Sept. 5 event run well into the thousands are still being tabulated, but Diamond said that everyone associated with Walk A Mile in Their Shoes is grateful and appreciative for the support.

“It was a huge success, and the funds donated will help us on our journey to build a system that better protects our children,” Diamond said. “Kenny Cianchette, the owner of Erik’s Church, not only donated his tavern and his time, but also helped to raised money along with the dedication and support of Chris Black from Nappi Distributors and Shaw Brothers Construction. I am so grateful to everyone who attended and supported our cause, and we are so pleased that we are making a difference for our vulnerable children.”

Event sponsors included Central Maine Power, Maine Beverage, K&D Countertops, Tonya DiMillo, Senator Brad Farrin, Senator Jeff Timberlake, Maine Energy Marketers Association, Casco Bay Ford, Moody’s Collision Center, Joe Bruno, Johnny Shucks, UPP, Baxter Brewing, Mitchell Tardy Jackson, Glenn Cummings and Leslie Appelbaum, Dick Roy, Hall Implement Co., Troiano Waste, Mark Irving, Valley Beverage, Rep. Kim and Phil Pomeleau, Allagash Brewing Company, and Shipyard Brewing Company.

Auctioneer Stef Keenan of Windham was emcee for the event. < 

Author of historical fiction novel for teens eager to promote book in Windham

By Ed Pierce

The author of a new historical fiction novel set in Maine and containing a powerful message for teens will be in Windham on Saturday to meet the public and promote her book “Sophie’s Gifts.”

Author Shirley Ericson will be at Sherman's
Maine Coast Book Shop in Windham on
Saturday, Sept. m7 to promote her new
book 'Sophie's Gifts,' a powerful 
historical fiction story set in Maine
and intended for teen readers.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

Shirley Ericson was born in Bangor, grew up in Eddington, graduated from Brewer High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Maine. She spent two and a half years researching and writing “Sophie’s Gifts,” located in rural Maine in 1933. In her novel, the 10-year-old Protestant protagonist is best friends with an Irish Catholic immigrant and that creates significant conflict.

In “Sophie’s Gifts,” trouble quickly settles in the Glidden home and the community once Sophie's parents discover that Sophie has a rosary. While searching for answers about why many adults in the fictional Kittington, Maine town are biased against Catholics, Sophie uncovers secrets about the church that she attends, and she finds a skeleton in the family closet.

Reviewers have called the novel “a powerful message with so much history and information about the time weaved in” and “a fast-paced story that takes us on an exciting ride through history, weaving together action and suspense.”

Although Ericson wrote this book for students, it is also an engaging adult read.

“All of the characters are fictitious. However, Mrs. Weymouth is a combination of three people from my life,” Ericson said. “They were all snoops and one in particular was not fond of children. I came up with the name Weymouth one day while driving through Saco. I saw a street sign with the name and decided it was the perfect New England name for a character in my book.”

During the time that she was creating the book there were periods when Ericson did not feel like writing.

“I put the manuscript in the drawer, worked on other things, and did not think about the book,” she said. “When I returned to it, my eyes were fresh, and my mind was clear, making it easier to be objective and catch what wasn’t working. Sometimes, I did not work on ‘Sophie’s Gifts’ for as long as a month, especially if I was stuck. Usually, though, I set it aside for a week or two.”

When she was writing, it was in the afternoon most of the time.

“But once in a while, I woke up at night, and ideas flowed, so I got up and wrote for as long as two to three hours some nights,” Ericson said. “My favorite season to write is winter, but I write year-round.”

The inspiration for her book came from an experience in her own life.

“Thirty-five years ago, my husband served the Second Christian Congregational, United Church of Christ in Kittery, Maine,” Ericson said. “During his pastorate there, I had an eye-opening conversation with a parishioner. Charlie was in his 80s at the time. He told me that when he was a boy, he sat up on Rogers Road and watched the KKK march by the parsonage and the church right down Government Street. I was surprised. Charlie explained to me there had been considerable discrimination against immigrants, especially Irish Catholic immigrants, when he was growing up. I did some research and was stunned by what I learned. I knew I wanted to write a book and weave the history of Klan activity in Maine into the story. While teaching, I didn’t have time to write or do all the research needed. Now, in my retirement, I have met my goal.”

According to Ericson, readers are captivated by the history they learn in the “Sophie’s Gifts” book.

“Only a few people, including Mainers, know the history that is revealed,” she said. “It is important to learn history. It cannot be swept under the carpet. If we learn something about our ancestors that we don’t like, we should not scratch their names off our family trees. Instead, we should celebrate the growth that has taken place over time between them and us. We should look for ways to advocate for justice today, as Sophie did in her time.”

Ericson said that when she was writing “Sophie’s Gifts” she was sensitive to the fact that there might be people sitting in the pews at Second Christian Church in Kittery who are descendants of Ku Klux Klan members.

“Therefore, I did not use the names of any parishioners or the church's name in my writing, and I invented Kittington, Maine as the community's name for the book’s setting,” she said. “The story does not take place in Kittery or any other community. I drew from several places and memories when I created scenes. The kinds of events that took place in Southern Maine with the KKK occurred throughout the state, all the way up through Aroostook County.”

She currently lives in Hershey, Pennsylvania with her husband and is now working on a new book which will also be set in Maine.

“My husband has constantly supported me from the first words I put on paper,” Ericson said. “Now, he goes with me to signings and other book events. All of his coffee buddies at the neighborhood café and the staff have bought and read ‘Sophie’s Gifts.’”

The “Sophie’s Gifts” book is published by the Newman Springs Publishing Company and expects to have an audiobook available by early winter 2025. Ericson is also writing a study guide for teachers who might want to incorporate “Sophie’s Gifts” for their class.

Ericson will be at Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop in Windham from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 to meet the public and discuss “Sophie’s Gifts.” Copies of the book will be available for purchase. It is also available in paperback, hardcover, and eBooks through Apple iTunes, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. <

Daughters of the American Revolution pay tribute to first WHS valedictorian

By Ed Pierce

Daughters of the American Revolution regents and members gathered at Smith Cemetery in Windham on Sunday to remember the life and accomplishments of Edith Pride Elliot, a lifelong resident who was valedictorian of the first graduating class at Windham High School in 1897.

Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution gather
at Smith Cemetery to honor the life and legacy of Windham's
Edith Pride Elliot on Sunday, Aug. 18. She was the
valedictorian of the first graduating class of Windham High
School and went on to found the DAR's Joshua Stevens
Chapter in St. Cloud, Florida, PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

Elliot, who died at the age of 100 in 1977, was honored with a special engraved DAR designation on her headstone at the cemetery, a bouquet of flowers and graveside remarks by the regent of a DAR chapter in St. Cloud, Florida that she helped to found. DAR members from Maine, Vermont, and Florida attended the remembrance event.

Regent Julia Smythe of the DAR’s Elizabeth Wadsworth Chapter in Portland introduced members from the other states and said that Elliot deserves the attention because her legacy is far reaching and relevant years after her death.

“We who continue the work of the National Society and carry the responsibilities have been inspired by the lives of those whose tasks are completed, especially Edith Pride Elliot,” Smythe said.

She also recognized DAR Maine State Regent Elizabeth Calhoun who attended the event and is originally from Windham.

“This is a very special day because it brings together two special things,” Calhoun said. “First, it honors a fellow DAR member and second, the person we are honoring today is from the same town where I grew up.”

Calhoun attended Windham High School and graduated in 1990 before leaving Windham. While doing genealogical research about her family in 2003, she connected with the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania DAR chapter and has been a member ever since.

She said that she didn’t know Elliot when she lived here but was impressed to learn her story. Joining her at the event honoring Elliot was Calhoun's aunt, Patricia Jillson, a 1963 WHS graduate, who now lives in South Paris.

Edith Gertrude Pride was born June 24, 1876, and as a child helped at Windham’s first library which was founded by her mother and grandmother. She attended WHS when it opened in the red brick building that is now the Windham Historical Society Museum on Windham Center Road. She completed her high school studies ranked first overall academically in her class and was among the first group of students to graduate from the school.

In 1899, she married Orin Elliot, yet he tragically died seven months later from tuberculosis and she never remarried. Six years later she earned a teaching certificate and taught for four years at a one-room schoolhouse near her home at Windham Center.

She was a longtime member of the Crossroads Garden Club, the Helping Hand Club, The Windham Library Association, The Windham Republican Club, the Evangeline Chapter-Order of the Eastern Star and was a founding member of the Windham Historical Society. She attended every graduation ceremony and alumni banquet for WHS students through the 1970s.

Every winter Elliot would accompany her father to Saint Cloud, Florida until he passed away at the age of 95. She would continue to travel to St. Cloud each winter until she was 88. While in St. Cloud, she helped to organize a DAR chapter there.

That chapter’s regent, Kim Tennison, flew to Maine to attend the special recognition ceremony for Elliot, and was the guest speaker for the occasion.

Tennison said that when she became regent of the DAR’s St. Cloud chapter last summer, she looked at the first scrapbook of the St. Cloud Joshua Stevens Chapter and found notes, telegrams, letters and journals describing the beginnings of the chapter. In fact, Joshua Stevens was the patriot ancestor of Edith Elliot, born in Falmouth County, Massachusetts and he served as a lieutenant during the Revolutionary War.

“I sat down and poured over them a few hours at a time for days,” Tennison said. “I was especially fascinated by Edith’s handwritten journal she made. I saw a dedicated Daughter of the American Revolution and as I read, she let me accompany her into a time capsule as a DAR member in the 1950s, into a time when women wore hats and gloves anytime when in public and listened to their Sunday church service on the radio. I got a feeling for her servant’s heart, and had we existed at the same time, I would have loved to have been her friend.”

Reading that information and learning about Elliot’s life through a newspaper article in The Windham Eagle posted online prompted Tennison to research where Elliot was buried and she discovered that she did not have a DAR insignia on her grave marker.

According to Tennison, she was also moved by the fact that back in 1976, on Edith Pride Elliott’s 100th birthday, June 24 was proclaimed “Edith Elliot Day” by then Windham Town Manager David Miller and the Windham Town Council. In 1977, a special dedication sponsored by then State Rep. Bill Diamond and the 108th Maine Legislature paid tribute to Elliot for a century of contributions to the educational, cultural, political and charitable life of Windham. And only a week before her death in May 1977, the town and several local garden clubs designated a plot of ground next to the Windham Public Library on Windham Center Road as Elliot Park.

“I found that made me want to place a marker at Mrs. Elliot’s grave,” Tennison said. “It touched my heart that Edith Pride Elliot would have been involved with placing these markers as she continued her visits to St. Cloud until she was 88 in 1964.”

She said Elliot valued the members of the Joshua Stevens Chapter and she worked alongside them on projects focusing on patriotism, historic preservation and education such as presenting Good Citizen Awards and National Defense Awards to students and residents of the St. Cloud area.

“Now we have come full circle as we have the privilege to honor her in this same way,” Tennison said. “I will be forever grateful for all her contributions and endeavor that Joshua Stevens Chapter will carry on her legacy now and in the future.” <

Roadside stands ‘honor system’ prevalent in Raymond

By Kendra Raymond

For residents of many communities and small towns, the availability of small independent roadside stands is common. Though we may take these convenient “Mom and Pop” operations for granted, they provide quality products at fair prices.

Tomatoes up for sale to passing motorists and
neighbors are displayed at 'Tomato King' Dan
Pandora's roadside vegetable stand in Raymond.
PHOTO BY KENDRA RAYMOND

Who hasn’t bought a bundle of “camp wood” from a makeshift hut at the end of someone’s driveway? Or how about a handful of veggies from a homeowner’s over-productive garden? What about farm fresh eggs or even cut flowers?

These goods are often placed with great care, either on a small stand, lawn chair, or on a wooden crate. Some of these business owners even offer complimentary bags or boxes to transport your loot.

Dan Pandora, “The Tomato King” of Raymond, is well-known in his neighborhood for sharing various crops throughout the growing season. Starting with rhubarb in early summer, Pandora segways into tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, and rounds out the season with pumpkins.

“It’s funny, rhubarb is one of the best sellers,” said Pandora. “I just run the stand for entertainment. I price the produce to sell,” he said. With a large garden and plenty of spare vegetables, Pandora said it makes sense to share the produce.

Pandora has one caveat, however, “I’m trying to keep a low profile,” he said.Like most, Pandora’s stand runs on the honor system. That consists of a small receptacle for customers to deposit their cash.

“I find all kinds of interesting things in my Chock Full O’Nuts can,” said Pandora, referring to fun notes and little prizes left by customers. “I really don’t worry about theft. I keep it ‘ghetto’ on purpose,” he said. Pandora’s stand consists of a folding camping chair, a crate tipped up on its side filled with the produce, and an old coffee can used to collect the proceeds.

Similar stands can be found throughout area towns. In Casco and several locations in Raymond, and many locations along Route 302 in Windham, bundles of firewood are readily available. Fresh flower bouquets are often for sale on the Egypt Road in Raymond. Farm fresh egg stands are plentiful along the roadways along Route 302 in Casco and Windham and on Main Street in Raymond, to name a few.

A Raymond egg seller who has 18 laying hens and 22 babies said that she has one loyal customer who buys three to five dozen eggs a week, as well as other random buyers. Most of her sales are arranged through word of mouth or on social media. She likes to keep her business quaint, claiming that she is not really a farmer.

One Raymond resident who recently stopped to make a purchase from Pandora is a loyal supporter of roadside stands, more specifically those that sell fresh vegetables. He is always on the lookout for veggie stands and hopes to locate more through word of mouth.

He is skeptical of the younger generation, however, saying that a recent incident where all the vegetables and the contents of the money jar disappeared was shocking. He blames modern parenting and recalls a day when kids were brought up to be trustworthy and work hard and said that he would never steal vegetables.

All things considered, a visit to a roadside stand in the Lakes Region usually promises to be a positive experience. If you keep your expectations realistic and practice good consumerism, things should go swimmingly.

For those a little more ambitious, maybe you’d like to consider setting up a roadside stand of your own. The Team Flower Blog website offers some solid advice: Put up a sign ahead of your stand, provide bags, consider operating on donations, and plan for customers not having exact change. The website says, “What a blessing when you have put your heart into what you do to share with others! They appreciate it and want to make sure they are helping you continue offering beauty to your part of the world.”

The Team Flower website offers some great information if you’re interested in starting your own roadside stand. Despite the focus on selling flowers, much of the information applies to many products that can be sold. Learn more at: https://education.teamflower.org <

Year-round adventures abundant for Raymond's Boy Scout Troop 800

By Kendra Raymond

For Scouts in Raymond BSA Troop 800, involvement and activities are always part of the equation. Area boys ages 10 to 18 can participate in community service and enriching experiences, all while developing strong character, leadership skills, and a commitment to service.

Miles Moreau, a Scout with Troop 800 in
Raymond, shows off a fish he caught during
a Scouting camping activity earlier
this summer. COURTESY PHOTO 

The Scout Motto, “Be Prepared,” plays an integral part in the participation of members of the Raymond-area troop. Scoutmaster Jason Moreau said that this summer, Troop 800 has already completed two camping events, Rangely Lake State Park and hiking Tumbledown Mountain in Weld. Another trip is planned in August where the troop will start planning the upcoming year.

“What we do is highly driven by the scouts themselves; the adult leadership works to help them implement the program,” said Moreau.

Assistant Scoutmaster Matt Engelman agrees.

“To me, one of the greatest things about Scouting is the focus on troops being youth-led. Our meetings as well as our camping trips and other outings are planned by the youth in Troop 800,” he said. “The what-when-and how of our outings are all worked out by the Scouts, right down to preparing the menu, shopping for the food, and preparing the meals. The adults are there to provide support, logistical help, and guidance where needed. I believe Scouts is unique among youth organizations in that regard,” said Engleman.

This summer, the troop attends Camp William Hinds in Raymond. The local spot provides a great resource for the Scouts to attend events such as the Fall and Spring Camporees, and the winter Klondike Derby. Patrols within troops across the state gather to compete in various seasonal outdoor activities that require skill and teamwork.

“Camp Hinds is special in a lot of ways. Having the camp in our ‘backyard’ makes it special to our Troop but it’s also played an important part of the Scouting experience for youth across the state and beyond,” said Moreau. “Camp Hinds has been in operation for nearly 100 years! Many of today’s leaders attended the camp when they were scouts (me included),” he said.

Troop 800 members also visit other camps occasionally. This year, they attended the Spring Camporee at Camp Bomazeen in Belgrade. They have also traveled to other camps in and outside of Maine.

Merit badges are an essential and enriching component of the BSA experience. “Our Scouts just completed many merit badges at Camp Hinds this summer including Archery, First Aid, Lifesaving, Chess, Fly Fishing, Fingerprinting, Rifle Shooting, Bird Study and others,” said Moreau, “We also have merit badge counselors within and outside the Troop who assist the Scouts in earning badges in areas of their expertise. Part of our yearly planning this summer will be to identify merit badges our scouts have interest in or need to achieve the Eagle rank,” he said.

Aside from all the fun, Scouts in Raymond keep true to the Scout slogan, “Do a Good Turn Daily,” by spearheading several community service projects throughout the year.

“Annually, we have a service day to assist our chartering organization, the Raymond Village Community Church. We look for various service opportunities throughout the year. This Earth Day we walked a section of Main Street in Raymond and cleaned up roadside trash,” said Moreau.

Scouts in Troop 800 are fortunate to have a deep bench of support from dedicated and skilled adult leaders. Moreau will be taking the helm as Scoutmaster this fall. He is supported by Assistant Scoutmaster Matt Engelman who has been involved in scouting for a long time and is the parent of one of the oldest Scouts in the Troop. Committee member Mike Case is transitioning into an Assistant Scoutmaster role. Operations are overseen by Unit Commissioner Bill Diffenderfer.

Troop 800 currently has nine Scouts registered. Moreau says that there are three older Scouts working toward their Eagle rank.

“We're always open to new boys to join and try out Scouting,” said Moreau.

The Troop holds regular weekly meetings during the school year at Raymond Village Community Church. While on hiatus from meetings, Scouts plan and participate in assorted events. According to Engelman and Case, the group has hiked Gulf Hagas, climbed Mount Katahdin, and canoed sections of the Allagash.

Looking ahead, Scouts and leaders of Troop 800 are in the early planning phases to attend the 2026 National Jamboree at Summit Bechtel in West Virginia. This exciting opportunity allows Scouts to participate in hands-on activities and adventures along with thousands of Scouts from across the United States and all over the world.

“Scouts BSA provides youth with great outdoor experiences and opportunities to learn and practice life skills. Troop 800 has a long history of providing these opportunities to youth in Raymond and other towns in the area,” said Moreau.

Although he earned his Eagle Scout rank in another Troop before moving to Raymond, 20-year-old Auburn University sophomore Nolan Raymond echoed Moreau’s comment.

“I wouldn’t be who I am now if it weren’t for Scouting. I am much more confident, well-spoken, and harder working than I would have ever been had it not been for Scouts. It has given me a drive to push for the best I can get in all regards,” Raymond said. “I continue to step outside my comfort zone, strive for excellence in all I do, and take safe risks. I have become a big thinker. I learned the importance of facing challenges, giving back, receiving mentorship, teamwork, and trusting myself as a leader.”

Engleman agrees.

“It is incredibly rewarding to witness moments when new Scouts realize they and their peers get to be the decision makers,” he said.

If families are interested in learning more about Troop 800, they can just reach out by email to troop800me@gmail.com

There is presently no BSA girl troop in Raymond, however there are others in the region. Young ladies who are interested can reach out to Troop 800 for more resources.

You can learn more about Scouting at: https://www.scouting.org <

Local musicians visit home following Nashville success

By Lorraine Glowczak

What began as three Windham High School friends jamming together for fun has grown into a thriving musical career. David Young (Class of 2017), his younger brother, Deven Young (Class of 2019), and their friend Seth Martin (Class of 2017) have turned their shared passion for music into a professional success story.

With concerts scheduled in Naples,
Rumford and on Channel 6's '207 Show,'
David Young and the Interstate Kings 
are eager to perform a homecoming
show at Lenny's in Westbrook on 
July 31 as it is where they first honed
their performance skills. At left is 
David Young, top is Seth Martin and 
right is Deven Young, all of Windham.
COURTESY PHOTO  

The trio, David Young and the Interstate Kings is now a Nashville-based band that "serves up vintage American music with a modern indie focus." They have recently embarked on their first “Vintage American Tour” which includes a stop in their home state of Maine.

The folk/rock group are performing songs on the tour from their latest album recorded in Nashville entitled “Vintage American.” Upcoming tour dates will see the Interstate Kings play in cities throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, Upstate New York, Illinois, and Kentucky, including a stop in Kansas City, renowned for its blues legacy. However, the stop they are most looking forward to is their “homecoming performances.”

“We are pumped to be coming home to play for all of our friends and family again – all those who loved our music and believed in us,” said David Young, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist.

With concerts scheduled in Naples, Rumford, and on Channel 6’s 207 show, they are eager to perform their homecoming show at Lenny’s in Westbrook on July 31; the venue where the band perfected their performance skills.

“We are especially excited to do the show at Lenny’s,” Deven Young, the drummer, said. “We played there several times over the years, and it was there where we honed our sound as a band.”

Bill Umbel, the owner of Lenny’s, said he is looking forward to their return.

“It means a lot for everybody to have them back,” Umbel said. “The first time they performed for us was over five years ago, they were young high school kids. Our booking manager, Bucky Mitchell, booked them to play a gig for us and I wasn’t sure what to expect. When they began playing, I turned to Bucky and said, ‘Wow! These kids are pretty good.’ Not only were they talented, but they were professional musicians by interacting with the audience, which is paramount in the business of music. I knew these kids were going to go far.”

It was the Interstate King’s biggest fans, Charlie and Peggy Applin, who played a pivotal role in their early success by encouraging Umbel and Mitchell to book the musicians.

“Charlie and I followed David and The Interstate Kings whenever they played in the greater Portland area,” Peggy Applin said. “We often frequented Lenny’s to listen to the music and told Bill he should hire the band to play there. We promised he wouldn’t regret it. And here they are, over five years later and The Interstate Kings are coming home as professionals from Nashville to play at this popular venue again.”

Applin and many other Interstate Kings’ fans say they are looking forward to the band’s homecoming, including Dr. Richard Nickerson, the trio’s former music teacher at WHS.

“All three were in my music theory class,” Nickerson said. “Seth and the brothers had already started their band then, and I got to witness their professionalism and talent at an early age. I saw that they had good chemistry and respected one another. They knew how to have fun, but they also knew how to work hard. It’s very common for youth to start a band while in high school, but very rare to see the same lineup occurring professionally years later. I think their chemistry, hard work, and respect for one another may have something to do with that.”

Nickerson also spoke about their incredible talent.

“David also took my Guitar for Beginners class, but he was already at an advanced level,” Nickerson said. “I wasn’t sure what I could offer him, so we focused on the musical aspects of the guitar instead.”

Nickerson said that David Young’s advanced musical level comes with no ego. “As talented as he is, he is humble,” Nickerson said. “His creativity is genuine.”

Nickerson and other fans of the Interstate Kings agree that Deven Young and Seth Martin also have a creative depth that contributes to the band’s success. Deven’s contribution as a drummer is more about feeling than words.

“I approach our music by asking, ‘How is this song going to feel,’” Deven Young said. “There is a certain feeling the drum gives and I translate that feeling into rhythm.”

Seth Martin’s creativity doesn’t stop at the bass guitar. He is also the band’s marketing master.

“I design our advertisement, posters, etc. that convey our band’s sound,” Martin said. “It’s about visual branding, and since we write and perform old-school sounds of blues, rock, and folk, I work to capture that in vintage-looking posters and images.”

Martin said that music is their passion and dream, but to be successful, they also must be serious about music as a business.

Nickerson said that he is proud of his former students’ professionalism, hard work, and success.

“As a teacher, you always want your students to do well, and to watch these three work hard and flourish in the music industry is the best.”

Umbel echoed that sentiment.

“I look forward to seeing them perform again at Lenny’s.” he said. “And it is quite possible, the next time I see them, they will be bigwigs performing on the big stage.”

To learn more about David Young and the Interstate Kings on their Vintage American Tour, visit www.davidyoungtunes.com <