PowerServe lights the way for community engagement and service

The creator of the 302 Rotary light display is PowerServe,
a local community volunteer group that is dedicated to
serving the Windham community. Here the Rotary is
displayed in hues honoring the Ukrainian national colors.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

By Masha Yurkevich

Many may have noticed the lights honoring Ukraine that shine brightly around the rotary on Routes 202 and 302. There have been some inquiries on social media platforms wondering who the responsible party is for the illumination of Christmas lights that now display the national colors of Ukraine.

The initiator of this often talked about illumination is PowerServe, a local community volunteer group that gathers annually to help serve the Windham community. PowerServe started in 2016 when Shane Donnelly, a Windham High School (WHS) student, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 16. Windham resident Kristine Delano, Chair of YoungLife Sebago whose daughters attended WHS at the time, witnessed the sense of loss happening to the students and knew something needed to be done. 

“Seeing firsthand the amazing job that YoungLife leaders did in mentoring teens in the Sebago area, Delano wanted to build a legacy of service in our community to build encouragement and connectivity,” Sam Patton, Day Director and Sponsor Coordinator of PowerServe said. “She, her family and other YoungLife leaders recruited a small group of volunteers to organize a day that would help our community, be fun, and enable all generations to work together.” 

The organization provides services such as paint sheds, build trail bridges, pick up trash, restore historic graves, plant memorials and much more. 

WHS Juniors, Maddie Hancock and Grace Paiement are both volunteers for PowerServe and act as the school liaisons with the organization to continue the PowerServe tradition. Hancock first got involved with her family and then got reinvolved when the event was advertised through National Honors Society, which is when Paiement also got involved. From there, both Hancock and Paiement talked with Patton Day and got involved in the planning process.

Last year, due to COVID-19, PowerServe was not able to gather in its usual large numbers of volunteers. Fortunately, they still found a way to help the community by creating the light display to be enjoyed during the evening hours.  

This year, PowerServe will continue its kind acts.

“The committee has been meeting once a week to plan events for this Memorial Day,” Hancock. “We are planning to do around five projects for the community and about another five projects for someone in the community in need.” 

Their next community service project is planned for Memorial Day. Hancock said that their project coming up has a goal of getting 120 volunteers of which all will get a PowerServe t-shirt with a barbeque after the projects are completed.

The volunteers will be separated into smaller groups of six to ten volunteers who be assigned a specific project. Each project usually takes between two to four hours. Upon completion of the project, the Donnelly family honors their son’s life by providing the barbeque meal and offering an opportunity for volunteers to share their experiences about the day. 

“These memories last for years and we keep coming back for more,” said Patton. “This is a day where friends and family can serve and invest in the town together. They can help their neighbors together and meet others. Some connections are still going years later and have continued to support one another.”

Their next big event will be on Memorial Day, May 30th, 2022. To sign and volunteer, please visit their website at www.powerserve.me/home. 

If you know a person in the community who is in need, you can also nominate them through the same website.  

Briefly, YoungLife is a Christian organization whose focus is to make sure that middle and high school students have positive role models in their lives. As stated on their website, YoungLife leaders make sure people feel a sense of belonging and encourage teens as they navigate life as an adolescent. 

PowerServe is sponsored by a loyal set of businesses which include, but are not limited to, YoungLife Sebago, Gorham Savings Bank, Lowes, Shaw Earthworks, Windham Rental, Bob's Screen printing, Hannaford, Island Cove Builders, Benson Farms and more. If you would like to sponsor PowerServe, you may do so on their website, www.powerserve.me/home. <

Holiday lighting project seeks volunteers

PowerServe is seeking up to 60 volunteers for a project in
partnership with the Town of Windham next month to do prep 
work for lighting the trees in the 202/302 rotary in Windham
this Christmas. FILE PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

The calendar says September, but a local volunteer group is already making plans to lay the groundwork for lighting up the 202/302 rotary in Windham this Christmas.

In previous years, PowerServe, a youth volunteer event program, has partnered with businesses like Gorham Savings, Windham Rental, and many more, to help others in the town of Windham with outside projects and to be a light in the community.

“This year we have decided to focus on one project, the rotary on 202/302, and to partner with the town to help to bring more light to the trees there this Christmas and beyond,” said Samantha Patton of PowerServe.

Patton said that PowerServe is a YoungLife Sebago organized one-day event where volunteers serve Windham area organizations and individuals who need assistance with various tasks from painting, yard work, repairs, and much more.

“The first PowerServe event in 2016, originally began as a one-time occurrence in the spring of 2016 to honor a Windham High School student, Shane Donnelly, who had passed away suddenly,” she said. “After the initial volunteer effort, there were many requests for the event to happen on an ongoing basis. Through hundreds of volunteers and the sponsorship of local businesses such as Gorham Savings Bank, Windham Rental, Shaw EarthWorks, Home Depot, Sherwin Williams, and many more, it has now become an annual event.”

In 2019, PowerServe had about 230 volunteers working on 30 projects. 

According to Patton, about 60 teen and adult volunteers are needed for this year’s project which is set for Sunday, Oct. 3 at the 202/302 rotary.
“We need your help. We will be doing the prep work to be able to light up the trees in the 202/302 Rotary in Windham,” she said. “We need 60 people to help dig, rake, glue, and assemble. If you are willing to help, we can find a job for you. Our goal is to lay the groundwork for licensed electricians to provide outlets for lighting up the trees. This project is a partnership with the Town of Windham.”

She said that two three-hour volunteer shifts are available between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Oct. 3.

The goal of the project is to have an outlet at each outer ring tree of 10 and three outlets in the center of the trees in the center of the rotary which can also possibly provide a beautiful site to view during other seasons of the year, Patton said.

“PowerServe volunteers will do the ground prep work then the town’s specialists will take over from there at a later time. With the health concerns in 2020, we were not able to meet so we wanted to make sure this year we stayed mindful of everyone's health; physical and mental, and decided to choose one project that will do just that,” she said. “With everything going on, we need light and hope surrounding our community. What better way to do that than partner with the Town of Windham to upgrade the long-term electricity to the rotary off 302 and light up the trees for all to see. This project includes digging the trenches, gluing, and laying conduit, and backfilling.” 

Young Life Sebago is a Christian-based outreach to teenagers that provides four basic things to kids.

First, they provide positive adult role models to go through life with young people. Second, they provide fun and positive ways to spend time through weekly programs and a summer camp, Patton said.

“Thirdly, they guide them through finding practical everyday tools and resources that they can use as they grow and become stronger in the community and in life,” she said. “Finally, YoungLife provides the basis of the Christian faith in a way that allows students of any background to hear about faith and then make their own decisions about what to do with that information.”

For more details about this year’s PowerServe project or to sign up to volunteer or become a sponsor, visit www.powerserve.me. <

PowerServe beautifies the community and comes together in the name of doing good by Lorraine Glowczak

Genevieve Delano center with friends Allie Kirby and Ben Breton

The committee of and volunteers for PowerServe successfully provided a morning of community service for families and organizations within the greater Windham/Raymond Communities on Saturday May 13. This is the second service event hosted by PowerServe, with the first occurring last spring.

Genevieve Delano, director of PowerServe and a junior at Windham High School, said that the event was initially planned as a one-time event as a way to honor a classmate, Shane Donnelly, who had passed away. It was also created to help those who knew and loved Donnelly. “My mom and I started this event last year in an effort to create a positive energy around the situation by celebrating his life instead of his death,” Delano explained. “He would have loved this. 

Although PowerServe initially was intended to be a one-time event, Delano stated that there were many requests to have it happen again this year. 

“One hundred percent of the people we got survey results from, wanted to do it again,” she stated in
the March 17, 2017 publication of The Windham Eagle’s ‘PowerServe will provide communities services once again’ by Elizabeth Richards.

And so, PowerServe heeded the call and met the requests that came from the community. Last year, most of the projects took place at the Windham High School campus working on landscape and minor maintenance and painting needs. However, it was their hope to reach further out into the community this year. 

Through outreach, they met their goal and expanded their services. Along with the Windham High School, the following individuals and organizations were the recipients of PowerServe:

Windham Library, Windham Historical Society, the Karsten family, the Dickinson family, the Boucher family, Village Green, Windham Police Station, the Gregoire family, the Levigne family, Manchester School, Black Brook Preserve and local cemeteries.

Linda and John Gregoire were very pleased with the assistance they received on Saturday from the volunteers of PowerServe. John Gregoire was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) almost 10 years ago, making any physical work impossible.

 “They trimmed back a couple of years’ overgrowth in the back yard and disposed of the brush they cut back” Linda Walker said. “It is work I don't have the equipment or time to do and it was appreciated very much. They cut down some small trees with the chain saw, which is something I can't do, I don't own a chainsaw, and even if I did I wouldn't dare use it.” Linda Gregoire joked.

There is hope that this may become a yearly occurrence. “We would love to continue putting on this wonderful event annually,” Delano said. “However, I am leaving for college after next year so I do not know what will happen after that. I would love to leave this in the hands of someone I trust, but that has not yet been put together.”

Members of the Windham Historical Society would like to see the return of PowerServe. 

Approximately 10 volunteers were available to paint, rake the grounds and transfer artifacts as well as weed and plant in the gardens. "All were serious, purposeful, hard-working and fun to be around.” member of the historical society, Walter Lunt said. “They were truly an inspiration.” 

PowerServe, and its initial intention is, in fact, an inspiration in and of itself. “This event is indicative of how great this community is,” Shane’s brother, Bobby Donnelly said. “We want the community to know how much they are appreciated.”

“It [PowerServe] came out of a great love and compassion for our son, Shane,” stated Kim Donnelly, Shane’s mother. “It has turned into this amazing event, helping so many in our surrounding communities, providing fellowship and a way for people from all ages and walks of life to come together to do good.”

It seems PowerServe does more than provide the much needed repair and maintenance where it is required, but it also repairs grieving hearts by spreading joy and light into the world.

Lunt stated it best. “If these young people are any indication of our future, I'd say we're in good hands."

PowerServe will provide community services once again in memory of those who have passed by Elizabeth Richards

Students from last year's event

PowerServe Saturday - a morning of community service organized by Young Life Sebago, will be held on Saturday, May 13^th.  This is the second year for the community-wide event.

Genevieve Delano, director of PowerServe and a junior at Windham High School, said that the event was initially planned as a one-time thing, but there were many requests that it happen again after last year’s event. “One hundred percent of the people we got survey results from, wanted to do it again,” she said.

That was exciting for the committee of organizers, who started planning for this year’s event at the beginning of the school year. PowerServe has a main sponsor, Gorham Savings Bank, and the committee is currently reaching out to other potential sponsors. “We’re really excited to do it again,” Delano said.

Last year, PowerServe was dedicated to Shane Donnelly, a classmate who passed away. This year, Delano said, the event is dedicated to the overall community and making that community better - but also acknowledge both Shane and another classmate, Kelly, who passed away when she was in fifth grade and would have been graduating with the senior class this year. “The senior class is doing a lot, with graduation especially, as a tribute to Shane and Kelly,” Delano said. The PowerServe committee wanted to do something similar in support of their families, moving negative energy and sadness into positive energy that can be used towards making the community better, she said. 

Participation last year was over and above what the committee expected, with close to 300 participants and 18 different projects completed.  “We had a great turnout and everybody loved it,” Delano said.  

Last year, most projects took place on the school campus and included: Planting, gardening, building bridges on the cross country trail, and painting dugouts.  This year, similar projects are planned, but the group also hopes to expand projects, to have a wider impact in the communities of Windham, Raymond and Gorham, Delano said.  One new project for this year is to partner with the police department in Windham to fix up the outside of the station, and do some planting in the K9 memorial garden, Delano said. 

Anyone with a project idea can contact the committee at: powerserve@yahoo.com. Projects might include yardwork for veterans or people who may need assistance, park clean up, and “Anything that people can tap into that we might have missed,” Delano said. 

The committee encourages people to register in advance if they plan to attend, so that teams can be organized, and people can be placed on a project that coincides with their skills and interests.

Registration is free, and can be done online at: www.sebago.younglife.org. The first 250 registrants will receive a free t-shirt. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. and a complimentary lunch will be served at noon.

Delano emphasized that PowerServe is a community service event, not a fundraiser. Sponsors support the event, but there is not an effort to raise funds, beyond what is needed to successfully complete the planned projects, provide t-shirts, and provide lunch. The flyer promoting the event succinctly described the overall goal with this statement: “Serving our community and each other is a powerful way to connect with others and find significance and joy in our own lives. By coming together as a community from all walks of life with many different skills and voices, we can make a difference.

This May, we invite you to PowerServe as we remember those no longer with us.”