Raymond club crafts warm hats, mittens for local students

Members of the Raymond Community Knitting
and Crocheting Club made and donated 25 pairs
of mittens and hats to students at Raymond
Elementary School. SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

When the pandemic arrived in Maine last March, a devoted group of Raymond knitters and crocheters just weren’t ready to put down their needles and find another hobby. In fact, they saw the pandemic as an opportunity to continue doing what they love while helping others at the same time.

While practicing social distancing and wearing masks, the dozen or so members of the Raymond Community Knitting and Crocheting Club have kept on meeting twice a month at the Raymond Village Community Church, sharing camaraderie, cups of tea and a love for the craft of creating projects that keep others warm in the winter. The club started three years ago and not only is an outlet for creativity, but also to keep friends and neighbors busy and engaged in life.

“It’s really about getting to know other people person to person,” said Brenda Olsen, a member of the Raymond Community Knitting and Crocheting Club. “People come here as much for socialization as much as they do to knit and crochet.”

The club is open to anyone with an interest in knitting or crocheting in the Raymond and Windham communities and meets from 2 to 4 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month.

“I really like crocheting,” Olsen said. “It keeps my hands busy and I’m able to make small projects fast. All of the projects I make I then give away as gifts.”

According to Olsen, even though the Raymond Community Knitting and Crocheting Club meets at Raymond Village Community Church, it’s not a religious organization.

“Everyone is invited, regardless of skill,” she said. “It is nice to meet and get new ideas and help with projects.”

She said that some club members are experienced at knitting and crocheting while others are just learning.

“We can teach you how to do it if you would like to learn,” Olsen said.

After decades of decline, knitting and crocheting is enjoying a revival in popularity as the internet has made it easier to share patterns and connect with others worldwide who are passionate about making items by hand and crafts in general. Yarn and craft shops are rebounding as sources for material and interactive ideas for new projects.  

In case you were wondering, knitting and crocheting are vastly different activities. Knitting uses a pair of long needles to form loops, moving a set of loops back and forth from one needle to another while the stitches are held firm on the needle. Crocheting is a bit simpler, using a single hook to hook yarn loops together directly, making crocheting a great deal easier to perform than knitting.  

Olsen herself became interested in knitting and crocheting after attending a beginner’s class at Rosemary’s Yarn Shop in Windham a few years ago.

“Knitting and crocheting is sort of an underground activity, she said. “Many people first hear about it through word of mouth. I tried it and was hooked. It’s a great pursuit.”

Last year club members made several hats and gave them to the Seafarer’s Mission, which were then distributed to sailors from all over the world, who come to Portland or other ports along the coast of Maine.

“This year an idea was presented from a member of our group, Sarah Allen, who told us about her friend, a teacher in Norway, who said that children were coming to school last fall without hats and mittens.

“We realized that this probably happens a lot in our communities,” Olsen said. “We checked with the Raymond Elementary School and they were delighted to have us make hats and mittens for the young school children.”

Last week the club presented the school with 25 sets of hats and mittens for students with most made from donated yarn.

“On average it takes about an hour to make a hat,” Olsen said. “It runs about an hour to make a pair of mittens.” 

She said club members were happy to work on such a meaningful project and see their handiwork be used to keep children warm.

“Everyone who worked on these hats and mittens had fun doing it and we’re pleased they will be used by the children,” Olsen said.

Raymond Elementary School Principal Beth Peavey said that the school is appreciative of the donation.

It's heartwarming to have a thoughtful community organization such as the Raymond Community Knitting and Crocheting Club donate 25 handmade hats and mittens,” Peavey said. “Each student who has picked out a hat or mitten walks out of the office with a big smile and is ready to brave the winter air. We are so thankful and grateful for the generous donation.”        

For more information about the Raymond Community Knitting and Crocheting Club, call 207-655-7749 or send an email to office@rvcc.org. < 

Raymond man raises awareness about the importance of AEDs after surviving cardiac arrest at daughter’s wedding

L-R: Town Selectman and Church Trustee, Rolf Olsen; Raymond
Fire EMS Chief, Cathy Gosselin, Tom Wiley, Joe Bowie (son in law)
Mary Bowie (daughter) and Brenda Olsen, Raymond Arts
Alliance and Church Treasurer. 

By Elizabeth Richards

           

Mary Bowie could have lost her father on one of the happiest days of her life. On Memorial Day 2019, at Bowie’s wedding reception, Tom Wiley collapsed on the dance floor. Fortunately, the right help was available, and he survived the ordeal.

“Without the aid of trained people who know CPR and an AED at the reception, I may not be here now” said Wiley. While three men at the wedding who had CPR training (the bride’s uncle Danny; her new father-in-law Chris; and one of the groomsmen, Tyler) sprang into action, that alone may not have been enough to save Wiley. Fortunately, the reception site, Camp Ketcha in Scarborough, had an automatic external defibrillator (AED) on site. The men were able to revive Wiley before EMS arrived.

Wiley didn’t have any symptoms of heart trouble like chest pain, headache, nausea or vomiting that day.  “I was dancing, and then I wasn’t. I don’t remember anything from beginning to dance to being outside going in the ambulance,” he said.

Since then, he has learned a lot about the heart, he said.  He has a defibrillator, does a rehab program, and will meet with a genetics cardiologist soon. He said he’s had a good support system with family, church members, and co-workers. “I’m very lucky, and I want to spread the news,” he said.

Before his experience, Wiley said, he didn’t understand the importance of the AED. He works for the city of South Portland and when they purchased some AEDs a few years ago, he wondered why they were necessary, especially since there was a fire station right next door. 

There is also a fire station right across from Camp Ketcha, he said, but the ambulance sent for him came from somewhere else. “I was told that I was the third cardiac arrest that day in Scarborough, and I was the only one that survived,” Wiley said.  Later, when he was in the hospital, Wiley received a visit from the Scarborough EMS chief who told him, “I don’t usually get to talk to survivors.”

Spreading information about why AEDs are valuable is part of his healing process, Wiley said. His efforts to raise awareness are already paying off in the community. His story was the focus of a segment on Newscenter’s 207 last July.  He recently ran into someone who told him that as a result of the news story, his workplace had installed two AEDs.

After the episode of 207 aired, Wiley said, he started thinking about what might have happened if his cardiac arrest had occurred at Raymond Village Community Church, where he is a member. “I am always there for meetings, dinners, etc.” Wiley said.  “I have even slept in the church vestry as a scout leader.” 

The church is also used by the community for a variety of functions: scout meetings and events, concerts sponsored by the Raymond Arts Alliance, community dinners and much more.

With everything that happens in the space, he said, he realized how lucky they’ve been that they haven’t had this issue at the church. Securing a donation of an AED for the church seemed very important, Wiley said.

He began to look for organizations that donated AEDs in New England.  During his research, he came across a website for an organization called In a Heartbeat. When he visited the site, he found a link to his own story. 

He applied for a donation for the church, noticing that although most of their donations had been to youth organizations, they had also made a previous donation to a church. In his application, Wiley noted the number of events that happen for people of all ages at the church. “I even stated that I knew the importance of preventing sudden cardiac arrest as I was the dad in the story on their newsfeed,” he said. 

After a few months of not hearing anything, Wiley called the organization. The founder, Mike Papale, who had experienced cardiac arrest on a basketball court at the age of 17, called back to say they would likely be able to help, but they needed to wait a couple of months until after they held a golf tournament fundraiser.

A few more months passed, and he hadn’t heard back. Then he wrote an article for the church newsletter centered around the question “Why bother?”  This got him thinking about the donation again, and he decided he would bother, and called once more.  That persistence paid off, and the donation was confirmed. It arrived in late January and was installed at the church on February 1^st, 2020.

 Wiley said he took a shot in the dark in asking the In a Heartbeat foundation for a donation, since they hadn’t previously made any donations beyond Massachusetts. The group has donated 124 AEDs to date, Wiley said. Although he hopes the AED at the church never gets used, he said “I’m grateful for the organization and the donation. I hope that people would consider making a donation to that group themselves.” 

To learn more about In a Heartbeat, visit www.inaheartbeat.org.

Rev. Nancy Foran, Pastor at Raymond Village Community Church set to retire in April

Rev. Nancy Foran

By Lorraine Glowczak

“I walked through the backdoor of ministry quite by accident,” joked Rev. Nancy Foran of Raymond Village Community Church. “The last thing I ever wanted was to get a master’s degree and speak in front of people.”

Although she never intended to enter the ecclesiastic field, it is where she inadvertently found her calling. After approximately 40 years as a clergywoman, with a little over 14 years of service at the Raymond Village Community Church United Church of Christ, she has recently decided to step down and enter the next phase of her life. Rev. Foran’s last day at the pulpit will be Easter Sunday, April 12th.  She will be the longest serving pastor in the history of that church.

Originally from New Jersey, Rev. Foran received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies from Carleton College in 1971, but as she puts it, “the religion store wasn’t hiring that year.” As a recent college graduate with no job and very little skills, she attended secretarial school. “It was a program for people just like me – we were all graduates who had degrees in sociology, religion, etc.”

After gaining a secretarial certification, she worked as a secretary in the music department at Montclair State College and as a Howard Johnson waitress on weekends. But after a year, she realized the office life was not for her.

One weekend, she visited a friend who was a student at Yale Divinity School. “I went there as a visitor and returned home as an optimistic future student.” Rev. Foran applied, was accepted and received her Master of Divinity degree three years later

“It was an exciting time to be at Yale,” she said. “When I entered the program in 1972, only a handful of the student population were female,” Rev. Foran said. “Three years later, women clergy students had increased to approximately 50 percent.”

After moving to and living in Washington D.C. for a couple of years, she and her husband, Joe, moved to Maine when he was offered a position with the Natural Resource Council. Making Hallowell their home base at the time and later Cumberland, Rev. Foran acted as an interim pastor for various churches, while raising a daughter and two sons. She eventually became the Elder Chaplain at First Congregational Church United Church of Christ South Portland.

She accepted the call to be the part-time Pastor of Raymond Village Community Church fourteen years ago. She and Joe moved to and still make their home in Naples.

The highlight of her career was the unanticipated delight she experienced in her role as an Elder Chaplain. “I had always envisioned myself working with the youth, but I realized how much I truly enjoyed the amazing lives, stories and wisdom the elderly have shared with me,” began Rev. Foran. 

“By the time they reach their 80s and 90s, they have experienced so many illnesses, death and great disappointments – but yet – they all say their lives have been a blessing despite the tragedies and hardships. Working with the elderly was and continues to be an unexpected joy.”

Rev. Foran also shares her fond memories in her latest position at Raymond Village Community Church. “I am amazed how much we, as a congregation, did together.”

She recalled the many activities, community gatherings and journeys in which the church has participated as opening their doors to Raymond community events, collaborating with other organizations to provide more inclusiveness and support among the citizens of the town.

“One of the things I think we have enjoyed the most about Rev. Nancy is her approach to her sermons,” began church member Caryl Gilman. “She has been here over 14 years and the sermons evolved over the years to include television, photographs, music, various community activities and mission trips – whether they were to Honduras or to Cherryfield, Maine. Whatever approach she took, she inspired and spiritually stimulated us.”

Gilman, herself, admitted that she will greatly miss Rev. Foran’s quiet, thoughtful perspective that always came with a touch of humor.

Church member, Nancy Yates also shared her view on the pastor’s retirement. “I think the congregation will miss the sense of genuine caring that Rev. Nancy has demonstrated as our pastor, not just for the members of the congregation, but for how they relate to each other and to people in the community. She has reminded us of our duty as Christians to help those less fortunate, not just those who have less money, but those being abused by others having some sort of power over them. She has been instrumental in gaining support for Mission Trips, and has gone personally on many of them, whether to Appalachian Tennessee or Downeast Maine.  Her creativity in decorating the sanctuary and in how she put together special services, such as the Maundy Thursday evening service, will be missed as well.  Her passion for social justice will long be remembered by me and, I would expect, others.” 

As with all careers, there have been some difficulties and Rev. Foran shares one that continues to concern her. “The biggest challenge I have faced is how to make the church relevant in today’s secular culture,” she said. “It’s a challenge for many small churches as we strive to be inclusive, radically welcoming of all and being supportive of economic justice.”

Turning 70 this past year, Rev. Foran states that her retirement will not include watching soap operas and eating bon-bons. “I have so much I want to do. I plan to keep busy.”

She will start by finishing a book about the film industry beginning with the 1930s and 40s (that include the window card era – a form of postcard/advertisement of the time). It is a book she started in collaboration with her father before he passed away about a year ago.

“I have also been told that I should publish my sermons, so I will be busy with that, too.”

Rev. Foran will continue to volunteer in a variety of organizations including her fundraising efforts with Susan G. Komen Foundation and their 60-mile, three day walk-a-thon to fight breast cancer. She also plans to do some travelling that will include visiting their adult children; Heather who lives in Portland, a son Padraic and his wife of East Boston and their son Tim and his wife of San Francisco.

But what she is looking forward to the most is the arrival of her first grandchild. “Padraic and Megan are expecting in May and I can’t wait to wrap my arms around my granddaughter.”

Here’s to the next chapter of your life, Rev. Foran. May it be filled with unexpected joys and adventures.

A small church with a big heart is big on bringing community together

Young and old, alike, enjoyed the free community meal

By Lorraine Glowczak

Approximately 50 people, young and old alike, enjoyed a free meal consisting of roasted turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables, a salad, beverages and dessert. The meal was hosted and made by members of the Raymond Village Community Church – a United Church of Christ congregation (RVCC), on Wednesday, February 6 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Although the initial impetus of offering the free meal was the result of concern surrounding furloughed employees who had gone 34 days without pay, the desire to extend the invitation to include others developed with a greater purpose in mind. “We wanted to reach out to the broader community and include them too, no matter the age or circumstance,” explained Rev. Nancy Foran of RVCC. “The focus shifted, and the free meal became a way to enhance and build a sense of community spirit. The Raymond area is very large and spread out in terms of geography, with no real city center. As a result, it is difficult to get to know your next-door neighbor, let alone others in the area.”

If a room full of people who are engaged in constant chatter is any indication that people were getting to know one another, then the RVCC’s mission may have been right on target. “What surprised me the most was that people stayed and had conversations with each other after they ate, roaming from table to table,” stated Rev. Foran. “It was not an ‘eat and run’ type of evening. People were actually taking time to connect with one another.”

Raymond Town Manager, Don Willard, and his wife Megan were among several other Raymond residents at the gathering. Willard has always been a strong proponent of the concept of local community building and his support of last Wednesday’s meal was evident in a statement about the mix of community residents who were in attendance. “This is a perfect example of the power of
personal connectiveness and the unique opportunities possible in a small town to both promote and build community,” he said. “Normally separate groups getting together like this is a great way to move the town forward, bringing young and older citizens together – enjoying and getting to know one another. Having the church, the library, Raymond Arts Alliance and the age-friendly community all collaborate together, creating activities for everyone - is very impressive and contributes to our vitality and success as a community.” 

Linda Eldridge, who has been a Raymond resident since 1979, stated she saw people in the room she had never seen before. “It’s good to see people come out and enjoy a meal together,” she said while eating with her daughter and two grandchildren. “There are people here I do not know. This is definitely something that the church should consider doing again.”

Rev. Foran stated that it is in the plans to offer a free community meal on a regular basis, but they are still ironing out the details. She and the church are open to collaborating with the other organizations mentioned by Willard. “In the past, each organization was doing their own thing, but we all had the same vision in mind – creating community and offering a space for people to gather,” she stated.

Recognizing that they all had the same mission, the groups have banned together in the past year, offering activities such as music events, poetry nights, writing workshops and exercise programs such as Qigong.

Now that the groups in the Raymond area are joining forces, Rev. Foran said that there is more strength in numbers. She wishes to continue the collaboration, which has been very successful thus far - and is building community in the truest sense, which is that of breaking through perceived barriers and differences and the coming together to enjoy and support one another.

For more information about RVCC, contact Rev. Foran be email at nancy1@maine.rr.com or by phone at 207-655-7749. Information about Raymond Village Library, Raymond Age Friendly Community and the Raymond Arts Alliance can all be found on the library’s website at www.raymondvillagelibrary.org/

Lakes Region girls make history with midnight celebration at Camp Hinds

Isabella Messer takes the ceremonial crossing 

By Lorraine Glowczak

At 12:01 a.m. on Friday, there were a group of girls from Windham, Raymond and Naples who were bringing down the house at Camp Hinds in Raymond. In a non-traditional ritual that made history, the girls ceremonially crossed over from Cub Scouts into Scouts BSA. The newly formed Raymond troop 851 is the first group to make this crossover.

“This is monumental as it's the first time in the history of Boy Scouts of America that girls can join the program formerly known as “Boy Scouts,” stated Alissa Messer, wife of Scoutmaster, Jeff Messer.

Scouts in Raymond’s Troop 851 will now begin their journey towards earning merit badges and the rank of Eagle Scout. And, as their websites states will be among the many former Scouts who “sit on the boards of global corporations, walk the halls of the White House and have been known to occasionally go hiking on the moon.”

Jeff Messer explained that the girls, ages 10 to 18, started out as a co-ed group before the crossover into Scouts BSA took place, but now the troops will remain separated among boys and girls. “Scouts BSA is not a co-ed group,” Jeff explained further. “There must be an all-female and an all-male troop.”

Jeff also shared how the newly-formed Troop 851 named their group. “The new troop is linked to troop 800, thus the number 8. They were also once a part of Pack 51 and the girls wanted to pay homage to that, and thus the Raymond Troop 851 number was assigned.”

The Raymond Village Community Church agreed to be the troop’s sponsor and will be the location where they will hold their weekly meetings.

Briefly, the Council was organized in 1919 and was known as the Portland Council. In 1933, the councils in southern and central Maine merged to formally become the Pine Tree Council with York county joining the organization in 1937. The Scouts BSA mission is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

And for the first time in its 100+ year history, the Boy Scouts of America is open to both young men and young women. Scouts BSA is a year-round program for boys and girls in fifth grade through high school that provides fun, adventure, learning, challenge, and responsibility to help them become the best version of themselves.

Newly formed Raymond Troop 851

A traditional ceremony of Raymond Troop 851’s crossover was held on Sunday, February 3 in Raymond, at Camp William Hinds.

To learn more about this troop or to become a member of the Pine Tree Council, go to their website at www.pinetreebsa.org or call 797-5252.

Raymond Village Community Church to offer free meal for furloughed employees

Even though the most recent government shutdown has ended, affected federal employees will be feeling its effects for some time to come. With an estimated 78% of full-time workers living paycheck to paycheck, having a month’s pay delayed would be a big problem for almost anyone.

As a way to support and thank furloughed federal workers for their commitment and sacrifice, and to encourage a greater sense of community in Raymond and the surrounding area, Raymond Village Community Church (UCC) at 27 Main Street in Raymond will offer a free Friendship Meal for federal employee families and also all area residents Wednesday, February 6 from 5 pm to 6:30 pm in the vestry of the Church. 

“By our estimate, over 2500 of the 15,000 federal employees in Maine are furloughed.  Most of these people have continued to work in spite of not being paid since December 22,” said RVCC Pastor Rev. Nancy Foran.  “Their sacrifice and sense of duty should inspire us all.  Our congregation feels that whether or not the furlough ends soon, we want to do something to help them and to show that we care.” she said. 

In addition, RVCC is working to reach out to the broader community to include them in this meal as one of many planned actions to help enhance community spirit in Raymond and the surrounding area. 

“This is an “all-ages/all circumstances” meal. Our fondest wish is that young and old, individuals, friends, and families of every income level will all feel welcome here.” said Rev. Foran.

The meal will include roast turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables, a salad, beverages, and a delicious dessert. The dinner is absolutely free for anyone who attends, and there are no strings attached.

For further information, contact Rev. Foran at nancy1@maine.rr.com or at 207-655-7749.