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