Digital kiosks promoting Windham’s outdoor assets arriving soon

By Dina Mendros

Windham’s abundant parks, trails, lakes, and outdoor amenities continue to shape its identity as a destination for nature lovers. As part of the town’s ongoing effort to elevate its profile among outdoor recreation enthusiasts, new digital kiosks will soon be installed to highlight local fresh‑air activities and natural attractions.

New digital kiosks promoting Windham outdoor recreation
facilities and displaying community announcements,
weather-related trail updates, events and links to social media
will be installed soon at Windham Town Hall, Donnabeth
Lippman Park and Lowell Preserve. The project is funded 
through a Community Outdoor Recreation Assistance
Grant from the Maine Department of Economic and
Community Development. SUBMITTED PHOTO  

Final design work is underway for kiosks planned at Windham Town Hall, Donnabeth Lippman Park, and the Lowell Preserve. Delivery of the kiosks is expected within the next few weeks.

“Once the kiosks arrive and have been installed, we will be spreading the word so that people can check them out when they head to one of the three locations,” said Windham Parks and Recreation Director Linda Brooks.

The project is funded through a Community Outdoor Recreation Assistance Grant from the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. Windham received $163,750 to support this and other components of the Windham Outdoors initiative, with no local match required.

Windham Outdoors is jointly led by the Parks and Recreation Department, the Windham Economic Development Corporation, and Communications Director Roger Cropley. The mission of the Windham Outdoors initiative “is to connect residents and visitors with outdoor spaces that inspire healthy living, community engagement, and a deeper appreciation of our town’s resources,” he said.

According to Brooks, one side of each kiosk will feature a map of all outdoor recreation facilities in town, complete with QR codes linking visitors to the Windham Outdoors website. The opposite side will include four digital screens capable of displaying community announcements, weather‑related trail updates, event promotions, and links to social media.

Brooks said the digital format will allow the town to keep information current and relevant. “In addition to providing information specific to Windham residents – such as town council meetings or community updates – we can also share details that may interest visitors, like Food Truck Nights, the Summer Concert Series, the Farmers Market, or places to shop, dine, or play.”

She said that the new kiosks will replace traditional wooden kiosks, which are difficult to keep updated. Electronic displays will make it far easier to refresh messaging across the town’s parks and trailheads.

“The kiosks are a promotional tool designed to keep visitors informed about everything available to them,” Brooks said. “Many people using our parks and trails are from outside the region, and we want to take every opportunity to showcase what Windham has to offer. The Mountain Division Trail, East Windham Conservation Area, Lowell Preserve, Donnabeth Lippman Park, and Dundee Park are major draws and have helped put Windham on the map within Maine’s tourism industry.”

Before the kiosks, one of the first steps in building the Windham Outdoors brand was launching https://windhamoutdoors.com/ which features information on parks, trails, activities, events, restaurants, and lodging opportunities.

Windham aims to position itself as a regional hub for outdoor recreation, Cropley said, and the Windham Outdoors initiative is central to that vision. “

As we continue to build the Windham Outdoors brand, we want to enhance our outdoor facilities to improve the visitor experience and gather data that will guide future decisions,” he said.

Cropley says that attracting more outdoor enthusiasts will support the local economy. Outdoor recreation accounts for 3.7 percent of Maine’s economy, making it the sixth‑highest state in the nation for economic impact from outdoor activities. Visitors drawn to Windham’s natural assets often spend money at local restaurants, theaters, lodging, and at other businesses. These businesses can provide incentives via Windham Outdoors that may encourage people to stay longer and spend more.

Additional communication tools are also in development. Brooks said that the town is working on a free app that will help park and trail users access information about amenities, trail lengths, playgrounds, picnicking areas, fishing and boating options, and more.

Meanwhile, Cropley continues to develop new promotional materials to strengthen Windham’s reputation as an outdoor destination. <

Chalk the Trail event raises awareness, spreads happiness through creativity

By Kaysa Jalbert

On a day that provided a perfect balance of sun and shade, about 40 members of the community gathered on the Mountain Division Rail Trail at Gambo Fields in Windham for the Chalk the Trail event sponsored by the Cumberland County Conservation District, Windham Parks and Recreation, and Mountain Division Alliance.

Dave McNutt, Doug Smith and Andrew Walton of the
Mountain Division Alliance take part in the Chalk the Trail
event at the Mountain Division Rail Trail Gambo Field in
Windham July 20. The event was sponsored by the
Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District,
Windham Parks and Recreation and the Mountain Division
Alliance to raise awareness of local trails through creativity.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

Families, children, and members of the sponsoring committees attended what was the final Chalk the Trail event held this summer on Saturday, July 20. Trail users passing through stopped to chalk and talk with participants.

Owen Currier, a participant, walked the trail on this day with his mom. On other days, he enjoys using the trail with his siblings. He said he likes to “spread happiness through artwork.” The trail holds lots of memories for Owen. Playing soccer on nearby fields introduced him to the trail and to swimming in the nearby Penobscot River.

“The event brings people to the trail for a different reason than to bike or walk,” said Andrew Walton, Secretary of the Mountain Division Alliance. “The chalking beautifies the trail, and community members can socialize with trail enthusiasts.”

At the event itself, the Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District had a booth with the pavement in front of them chalked with the words “Please pick up after your dog.” They handed out dog treats and talked with trail users about the importance of picking up after their dogs and disposing of the waste properly.

Annually, the Soil & Water Conservation District conducts surveys to check how much dog waste is not disposed of properly along the Mountain Division Trail. According to the district, over a two-week period 47 deposits were found, that is equivalent to three daily dog walkers not picking up after their pets.

Chalk the Trails is a community event organized to bring awareness to the Mountain Division Trail and bring community members to the trail for a family friendly event. Chalk is provided and participants are encouraged to use their creativity on every inch of pavement. More opportunities to chalk the trails will come again next summer in the towns of Fryeburg and Windham.

Windham Parks and Recreation has had a long-time partnership with the Mountain Division Alliance, with Windham being one of the first sections of the trail to be developed.

“We love having an opportunity to bring more people to the trail,” says Linda Brooks, Windham Parks and Recreation Director. “The weather was great and there were just a lot of people using the trail already that day. It’s one of those events that we do encourage people to come back and check out every year.”

Walton says he came up with the Chalk the Trails idea from watching a kids television show that showed a “Chalk the Block.”

“I thought we could do the same on our rail trail,” Walton said. “The goal is to grow the event over time and bring awareness to our volunteer organization, the Mountain Division Alliance which is advocating for the completion of the rail trail from Fryeburg to Portland.”

To bring in more participants, the rail trail has hosted running races, and groups like churches and recreational departments use the trail for activities. “The trail has become an important asset to the community,” says Walton.

“You just never know who you’ll meet on the trail,” said Walton. The day of this event I met a gentlemen named Joey and he was bicycling from Seattle Washington to Bar Harbor Maine. It was great to see someone taking on that huge adventure and riding the Mountain Division Trail. He was very appreciative of the event and water. He mentioned he loves going on rail trails because he doesn’t have to worry about cars.” <

Ghouls and goblins awaiting annual ‘Trunk or Treat’ in Windham

By Lorraine Glowczak

Don’t be frightened if between the witching hours of 5:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, you encounter more than 400 spookily dressed youngsters as they ascend upon the back parking lot of the Windham Mall in their family vehicle.

More than 30 spooky creatively decorated
trunks await trick-or-treaters during this
year's 'Trunk or Treat' event behind 
Hannaford in North Windham from 
5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29.
Children must be registered to participate.
PHOTO BY LORRAINE GLOWCZAK  

They are not there to wreak havoc, rather to partake in the sixth annual Windham Parks and Recreation’s Trunk or Treat Halloween-themed celebration. Windham Parks and Recreation Department has been hosting this highly anticipated annual alternative trick-or-treating event since October 2016 and the ghostly festivities have increased in participation since then.

“In 2016, we had only seven residents, two community organizations, and one local business ‘open their trunks’ to the participants on the basketball court behind the Windham Middle School,” Parks and Recreation Director Linda Brooks said. “This was done as just a small part of our much larger Halloween Adventure, which included games, prizes, refreshments, and a haunted house, along with our costume contest.”

Since the event has grown exponentially over the years, the Trunk or Treat location has moved to the parking lot behind the Windham Mall. This Saturday, over 30 organizations, businesses, and individuals/families will open their trunks for the eager onslaught of young ghouls and goblins.

One organization that has offered its ‘trunk’ for many years is the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director Robin Mullins said they love all aspects of being a part of this annual community event.

“All of it’s amazing - the Halloween music playing in the background, having fun with the children all dressed up in cute costumes, and even seeing the parents when they dress up too. It’s a fun community event, and we feel honored to be a part of it. It’s great to see the businesses, the nonprofits, and the community all working together.”

Families have also gotten into offering their own ‘trunk’ to provide treats for the evening, including Mychelle Koutalakis and her family.

“We have participated in the Trunk or Treat event for the past two years as Trunk or Treaters and have thoroughly enjoyed decorating our vehicle and handing out candy,” Koutalakis said. “When our kids were younger, we would take them to Trunk or Treat so they would have a safe, alternative place to trick or treat. It’s perfect for those who live outside of the center of town and have nowhere to go door to door. The kids loved it so much that now they are older, they want to participate by offering our trunk and providing theme-based decorations. Last year we had a ‘Pet Semetary’ theme. This year we are going to go with ‘Stranger Things.’”

Brooks is very grateful for families like Koutalakis and organizations like the Chamber of Commerce stepping up to assist.

“We simply couldn’t do this big event without their help and contributions,” she said. “The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, the Windham Town Departments, and the Windham Mall have been fantastic partners in this as well as the families who offer their trunks every year.”

This increased involvement now requires pre-registration to allow for the safety and management of traffic flow. Although pre-registration for hosts for Saturday’s Halloween-themed trunk event has closed, registration for trick-or-treaters will remain open until 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28. There is also still time to participate in the Halloween Costume Contest, which closes at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4.

“Kids ages 18 and under are invited to join in the 2022 costume contest by submitting a photo of themselves for our judges,” Brooks said. “Our friends at the Windham Lions Club will act as judges, and the following criteria will be taken into consideration: Creativity, Effort, Originality, and Authenticity.”

To enter the contest, email a photo of your child in costume to parks&[email protected] with the subject line “Costume Contest Entry.” In addition, include the child’s name, age, and address (must be a Windham resident), along with the costume description.

Brooks said that Windham Parks and Rec is already preparing for Halloween 2023.

“We are already discussing plans for next year and will likely return to a more traditional event with participants walking through the route, however, pre-registration will likely still be required in order to manage the crowds and minimize long waiting times. We are so grateful for the support provided by the Chamber as well as Jay Wise, owner of the Windham Mall,” she said.

Be sure to check next week’s newspaper edition to see which organization, business, and family won the best “trunks” of the year! All trunk winners will receive multiple prizes. <

Summer Concert Series at Dundee Park returns in July

Portland-based band Time Pilots will perform during the 
Summer Concert Series at Dundee Park on July 6 hosted
by the Windham Parks and Recreation Department.
COURTESY PHOTO 

By Collette Hayes

Sounds of Bluegrass, Classic Rock, Dance Party and R&B music will float on the warm, summer night air with the return of the Wednesday evening Summer Concert Series at Dundee Park in Windham.

This year marks the 6th Annual Summer Concert Series at Dundee Park. The event was initiated in 2016 by the Windham Parks and Recreation Department in an attempt to provide free events that would bring the community closer together.

Beginning July 6, concerts will be held every Wednesday evening through the month of July and will feature popular Maine artists performing a variety of music worth listening to.

According to Linda Brooks, Director of the Windham Department of Parks and Recreation, each week the concerts will be hosted by different local community organizations including the Lions Club, American Legion and Boy Scout Troop 805. Host organizations will be highlighting their community involvement activities as well as selling prepackaged concession items at the Snack Shack located in the park.

“We will be giving different community organizations a chance to showcase what they do by having them host the concerts,” said Brooks. “The Department of Parks and Recreation will provide concession stand items and the host organizations will benefit from the sales they receive. Once again, this year, due to the ongoing challenges of Covid, the Department will be providing prepackaged food items such as popcorn and ice cream. Set among a beautiful landscape of sandy beach and towering pines, all performances will be held at the Beach Pavilion. There are picnic tables throughout the park for seating, but concert attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs for enjoying the concert on the beach with the band.

Paddling a canoe or kayak over to the beach from the boat launch above the park and enjoying the concert from a seat on the pond is an option as well.

Brooks said that the Summer Concert Series at Dundee Park is definitely a family friendly event that shouldn’t be missed. Barbeque grills and picnic tables can be found throughout the park to enjoy a leisurely family cookout during the concert. Basketball, volleyball and a playground are all readily available entertainment for kids during the concert. July temperatures can be sizzling hot so pack the kids’ swimsuits and take advantage of a dip in the pond while listening to the talented performers.

Time Pilots will kick off the Concert Series the evening of July 6. Time Pilots is a Portland-based band that performs everything from Frank Sinatra to Justin Timberlake. On July 13, Stolen Mojo takes the stage playing ultimate dance and party hits from the last five decades. 

Breakin’ Strings brings some of the finest musical talent in Maine to the stage with a hard-driving bluegrass sound that will bring people to their feet on July 20.

Featuring lead vocalist and guitarist Rob Babson and Darren Whitney on tenor and alto saxophone, The Delta Knights, Maine’s Rockin’ Blues Band, will conclude the Concert Series on July 27 by performing some of the finest R&B and Classic Rock.

For seniors in need of transportation to the event, the Windham Department of Parks and Recreation will be offering transportation by bus. The Dundee Park staff will be available as patrons enter the park and will help to facilitate vehicle parking.

Dundee Park is located on Presumpscot Road which is just off the River Road in Windham. After 5 p.m. admission to the park will be free and bands will perform from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Rain dates for any missed concerts will be Aug. 3 or Aug. 10.

For further questions about the event contact the Windham Parks and Recreation Department www.windhamrecreation.com or visit the Windham Parks and Recreation Department Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Windhammaine.us <

Holiday Light Parade prepares to dazzle Windham streets on Sunday

The annual Holiday Light Parade will be held on Sunday,
Nov. 28 in Windham starting at 4:30 p.m. The parade begins
at the Raymond Shopping Center and rolls down Route 302,
eventually ending at the East Windham Fire Station. Bring the
kids outside to wave to Santa and Mrs. Claus and see the 
dazzling array of lights. COURTESY PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

The magic is about to happen all over again. For the second consecutive year, the colorful nighttime celebration welcoming the Christmas season known as the Holiday Light Parade will roll through the streets of Windham.

The parade starts at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28 and is hosted by Windham Fire and Rescue, Windham Police Department, Windham Parks and Recreation Department and the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce and organizers say it was so well received the first time around, it’s back to bring more smile sand more joy to those of all ages locally. 

“We received so much positive feedback from everyone last year over the Holiday Light Parade,” said Linda Brooks, Windham Parks and Recreation director. “They expressed a great deal of appreciation for helping them celebrate the holidays in such a fashion.”

The parade replaced the traditional tree lighting event which was formerly held at the Public Safety Building on Gray Road since its inception in 2016.

Brooks said that as the town faced a range of COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, the decision was made to try something new like the Holiday Light Parade, which proved to be popular with residents.  She said that the tree lighting ceremony had grown so much since it was first launched that it was reaching maximum capacity for an event of its kind and that this year, construction work underway at the Public Safety Building prevented it from being held there once more.

Planning for this year’s Holiday Light Parade began not long after last year’s event, Brooks said.

“It seems like we started receiving suggestions the day after last year’s parade,” Brooks said. “We did sit down to meet with the Fire Chief and a captain from the Windham Police Department about this year’s parade in October as we started the actual planning process for this year’s parade.”

The parade will feature brightly decorated fire department trucks and vehicles, along with Windham Police cars, a Windham Parks and Recreation vehicle and possibly a Windham Public Works vehicle, Brooks said.

“And depending upon the weather, Santa and Mrs. Claus, could be riding in the parade in a convertible driven by former State Representative Gary Plummer,” Brooks said. “The fire truck and emergency vehicles will have their sirens blaring and it will be hard to miss what’s going on.”

Each participating Windham vehicle in the Holiday Light Parade will be lit up with hundreds of brilliant electric Christmas bulbs and will include a wide variety of Christmas décor.  

The parade route has been refined from that of a year ago and a new map for the public that shows the specific route that the parade will take in 2021 has been posted on the Parks and Recreation website at https://www.windhamrecreation.com/

In addition, a special viewing location will be set up near Portland Pie on Route 302 manned by the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. At that location, chamber volunteers will hand out free hot chocolate to parade viewers and participants meet Mrs. Windham from the Mrs., America Pageant.

“We hope that you and your family can plan to enjoy the lighted vehicles and wave hello to our favorite North Pole residents,” Brooks said. “People have told us how much they enjoyed last year’s parade and this year’s parade we hope will be even better.”

Brooks said those driving in the parade last year said they appreciated seeing all the happy faces lining the parade route and welcoming the parade vehicles to their neighborhoods. 

For more information about the 2021 Windham Holiday Light Parade, visit Windhamrecreation.com or call 207-892-1905. < 

Creative 2021 Summerfest events encourage community participation for family fun

By Ed Pierce

As Windham residents slowly emerge from a year beset with the hardships and challenges of social isolation forced upon everyone by the global pandemic, the committee tasked with planning this year’s annual Summerfest celebration is hoping to be a launching point for the town to get back on track.

Summerfest kicks off in a modified version thanks to the uncertainty of the pandemic on Saturday, June 12 and runs through Saturday, June 19.

“The committee has been hard at work for a few months coming up with unique programming ideas that still promotes Windham’s community organizations and businesses while providing family friendly fun activities,” said Linda Brooks, Windham Parks and Recreation director.

Although 2021’s Summerfest may not be the extravaganza it’s displayed in past years, Brooks said the activities being planned are a perfect way for Windham residents to return some resemblance of normalcy while being mindful of their personal health and safety at the same time.

Things kick off Saturday with the start of the Scavenger Hunt and continue throughout the week with photo contests, the announcement of this year’s Summerfest Grand Marshal during a live televised Windham Town Council meeting on June 15, and an exciting Golf Ball Drop hosted by the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, the Sebago Lake Rotary Club and Modern Woodmen of the World on June 19.

To participate in the popular Scavenger Hunt is simple and easy, Brooks said, with clues being available throughout the town during the week.

“Families can download the Scavenger app on their own with a map that will be published,” she said.

The selection of this year’s Grand Marshal pays tribute to a local resident who has made a significant contribution to unity in the Windham community. The announcement will be televised live on WCCG Channel 7 at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 15.

The photo contest is multi-faceted with weekly categories ranging from “Best depiction of “Summertime in the Lakes Region;” to “Best depiction of the Summerfest theme;” to “Bringing Unity to the Community;” to “Most creative” presentation; “Most entertaining presentation;” and “Best youth entry for children 15 and younger.” Submissions are made on Facebook and will be displayed prominently online.

Lastly, the Golf Ball Drop promises to be a spectacular new way this year to draw Summerfest to an end.

During this special event, marked golf balls will be dropped by firefighters from the Windham Fire Department using a ladder truck.

The owners of the golf ball that falls closest to a designated pin will win a cash prize. Participants have until June 18 to purchase a golf ball for $10 each for the contest and the more people who participate, the larger the contest prize money will be.

“We will continue to promote the opportunity to purchase a golf ball for $10 a ball, and golf balls can be purchased right up until 5 p.m. June 18 so we have more time to get these sold,” Brooks said.

The 2021 Summerfest Committee is led by Deb Matthews and includes Tom Matthews, Barb Maurais, Liza Libby, Aaron Pieper, Kelsey Crowe and Linda Brooks.

For more information about Summerfest activities, call Deb Matthews at 207-756-9805 or Windham Parks & Recreation at 207-892-1905 or go to https://www.facebook.com/WindhamSummerfest or at the website https://windhamsummerfest.com/<

Drive-Thru Trunk or Treat’ a bloodcurdling sensation in Windham

The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce,
which co-hosted Saturday's 'Drive-Thru Trunk or
Treat' event with Windham Parks and Recreation,
crafted an equally unique and spooky trunk.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

In a year unlike any other, children unable to go trick or treating during the pandemic found their Halloween spirit and a bit of ghastly fright during Windham’s “Drive-Thru Trunk or Treat” held Oct. 24 at the Windham Mall behind the North Windham Hannaford.

Hosted by Windham Parks and Recreation and the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, the spooktacular “Drive-Thru Trunk or Treat” event drew about 80 pre-registered families and 160 children in eighth grade and below. As each family slowly drove past 18 different and ghoulish trunk hosts, the children received pre-packaged candy and goodies.

According to Sarah Davenport, Windham Parks and Recreation’s Youth and Family Programs Coordinator, the event remained popular in spite social distancing and families having to remain their vehicles because of CDC pandemic restrictions.

“We did have to turn away a few families, as we had already maximized our capacity in order to allow as many families as possible to pre-register,” Davenport said. “We also received very positive feedback from the public, particularly from folks who appreciated the attention to details in planning and observing the CDC precautions in order to host such an event. We look forward to next year with the hope that we will be able to welcome more families and expand on a great Halloween tradition.”

Davenport said all of the trunks were terrific and eerily decorated, but the first-place winners as chosen by volunteer judges were a Haunted House trunk complete with actual haunters, a Haunted Summer Camp with a detailed activity schedule, and Mainely Ticks with a wide variety of Halloween decorations. She said that other favorites included an “It” themed trunk with Pennywise the clown, a carnival trunk, dancing inflatable unicorns and giraffes, and an “RIP sports season” trunk.

“We were very thankful to be able to partner with the Windham Mall in order to host this event and
from our perspective this was an ideal location,” Davenport said. “The trunks had adequate space to decorate and maintain appropriate distance, and the flow of traffic worked very well in this setting. The Windham Mall was a terrific host, offering us plenty of support to make this event successful.”

Linda J. Brooks, Windham Parks and Recreation Department director, said that Windham has hosted “Trunk or Treat” every year since 2017.

“We initiated it as a way to handle the growing number of people that were attending our Halloween party each year,” Brooks said. “Additionally, we recognized that since Windham has its rural areas, there are some families who wanted the benefit of seeing the kids in their costumes, but don’t traditionally get trick-or-treaters at their homes.”

In past years Brooks said that “Trunk or Treat” was just one part of our larger themed “Halloween Adventure” that included costume contests, games, refreshments and “haunted happenings.” But by 2019, the town decided to focus on the “Trunk or Treat” event alone, since it has turned out to be the best way to effectively manage so many participants.

But dealing with COVID-19 concerns and having to limit the size of what has previous been one of the town’s largest community events posed significant challenges.

“We appreciate the way that families followed the requirement to pre-register and attend at a designated time, as well as complied with the need to wear masks and remain at a safe distance,” Davenport said. “Beyond that, the trunk hosts were very creative in distributing candy while trying to keep some distance from the vehicles, which was another change due to the pandemic. The bottom line is that we were able to address these challenges because everyone involved was willing to adapt and follow the necessary precautions, which made all the difference.”

Event co-host the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce was humbled to be a part of this year’s “Drive-Thru Trunk or Treat” and the chamber’s Executive Director, Robin Mullins, said participants loved what they experienced.

“The feedback I heard as one of the participating trunks was that people were appreciative that we had the event,” Mullins said. “With so many events getting cancelled due to COVID-19, people were happy to have something safe and fun for them to do with their kids.”

Mullins said she was impressed by how much support there was in the community for this event.

“For me the biggest take away was how the community came together to be there for one another,” she said. “Trunks were assembled by businesses, nonprofits, Windham Fire and Rescue and families in the community. It was so great to see the participation from the trunks and the appreciation from the community members who attended.”

Mullins said she wanted to thank Brooks and her team at Windham Parks and Recreation for allowing the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber to partner with them for the event.

“Even though we didn’t win a prize for best trunk and watch out, next year we’ll be bigger and better, we still had a fantastic time and look forward to Trunk or Treat 2021,” Mullins said.

Davenport said that one thing she’ll take away from this experience is that even in challenging and unusual times, the town of Windham is able together to create special memories and celebrations.

“We are very fortunate to have a supportive community, and it was just very clear throughout this process that people are willing to be flexible and understanding,” she said. “I always knew that Windham was a great community, but it was just underscored during all of the planning and preparation as well as during the actual Trunk or Treat itself.”

She thanked Mullins and the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce for co-hosting and helping Windham Parks and Recreation to reimagine Trunk or Treat in the time of COVID-19.

“We would also like to thank the businesses who donated prizes for trunk hosts: Applebee’s in North Windham, Smitty’s in North Windham, and Spare Time in Portland,” Davenport said. “And we would like to thank all of the volunteers, local businesses, community organizations, and families who hosted trunks, as we couldn’t have Trunk or Treat without them.”

Submissions for the Windham Halloween Costume Contest will be judged by members of the Lions Club on Friday, and Davenport said Windham Parks and Recreation will be posting the winners on its website and social media.

“We have some great entries, and we can’t wait to share them with everyone,” Davenport said. “We want to thank Dairy Queen in North Windham for donating the costume contest prizes.” <

 

Be the Influence and Windham Parks and Recreation create banner for skate park

Be The Influence and Windham Parks and
Recreation worked with student campers
this summer to  create a banner for the
Windham Skate Park. Displaying the banner
from left are camper Molly Nelson, camp
counselor Archie Medina and camper Cynthia
Flaherty. SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Elizabeth Richards

As the pandemic limits socialization among youth, the Be the Influence coalition continues to work towards its mission “to promote community collaboration and positive choices in reducing youth substance use.”

Providing healthy alternatives for youth is a key strategy, and coalition community partners play a big role in helping create opportunities for youth engagement.  This summer, campers at Windham Parks and Recreation helped finish a banner designed for the skate park.

BTI Executive Director Laura Morris said that the project was started with the goal of displaying it at the grand opening of the skate park.  The Parks and Recreation department had put together a skate park task force because they knew it was a good place for youth to be outside and making healthy decisions, Morris said.

"Even law enforcement had noticed that without the skate park, youth didn’t have an outlet, and so they were engaging in more risky behaviors than before,” Morris said. Be the Influence was helping with the skate park efforts and Morris said one thing they wanted was to get youth involved by creating a banner that would hang at the park. 

The idea came from a previous project, where BTI took a large banner to schools throughout Windham and Raymond and encouraged all youth to be part of it through health and art classes as well as after school. “When we did that, we saw a lot of youth come out of the woodwork that wouldn’t regularly engage in anything, but everyone could color” Morris said.

The skate park was a good reason to get kids engaged again, Morris said, but when COVID hit, the banner hadn’t been completed.  She contacted Parks and Recreation to see if their campers could finish it, which they agreed to do. “We all thought it would be a great way to engage youth,” Morris said.

Parks and Recreation Director Linda Brooks said that although the grand opening event where the banner was supposed to be displayed couldn’t happen as planned in the spring, the skate park has been open since June and is quite popular. The skate park efforts in the past couple of years were to provide something for youth who like to take risks and challenge themselves, Brooks said. “That is a healthier risk than some of the alternatives,” she said.  

Brooks has been involved with the coalition since she began with the department in 2015.  “We’ve tried to put a focus on keeping youth active in this community,” she said.

Their summer camp program, for instance, has a place for youth of all ages.  While some departments won’t hire high schoolers, she said, that is not a philosophy they share.  They offer a senior camper program for 14-year-olds, a CIT program for 15-year-olds, and hire students part time once they are sixteen and up.  This allows them to remain a part of that community all the way through, Brooks said.

Keeping kids involved and healthy this summer required a lot of creative thinking said Kaleigh Warner, the middle school camp director for Windham Parks and Recreation.  “Similar to previous years of summer camp, we pushed our campers to get outdoors as often as possible, but with a twist due to COVID restrictions to keep all our campers, staff, and families healthy and safe,” she said. 

“This summer we encouraged campers to connect with nature and to give back to the community,” Warner said.  Some of the ways this was accomplished was through exploring the cross-country trails and building forts; partnering with Toby Jacobs of the Black Brook Reserve in Windham to help clean up trails; and weekly scavenger hunts that required kids to collaborate and exercise their brains through puzzle/riddle solving, word scrambles, and hunting for clues both indoors and out, Warner said.

As a result of the pandemic and the lack of socialization, Morris said there has been a spike in both youth substance use and stress.  BTI had intended to offer programs in the schools around resiliency, refusal skills, and education about all substances in health classes, but that’s been put on hold.  Instead, Morris said, they hope to do a community event outdoors, with movies, activities around resilience, community building games and COVID safe physical activities, in conjunction with a resource fair to showcase resources available in the community.  “That’s what we’re thinking right now for the community, but we’re dying to get back into the schools,” Morris said.  “We know it’s a tough time for youth.” 

Be the Influence offers resources on their website, www.betheinfluencewrw.org,  for addressing stress and anxiety regarding COVID-19. <

Virtual Summerfest celebrates Windham community and its heroes

By Elizabeth Richards

When it became clear that Summerfest couldn’t be held in the traditional way in Windham this year, the Summerfest committee got to work, converting it to a virtual event intended to unite the community.

“I want to thank those committee members who have stepped forward to manage all of the pieces of this virtual event – in many ways, doing it this way is more challenging, and I greatly appreciate the efforts made to still pull this off,” said Linda Brooks, director of Windham Parks and Recreation. “Saying it was canceled for 2020 was certainly an option that people would have understood, but this committee couldn’t accept that as their answer.”

Dave Bulger, a school bus driver for RSU14, has been honored
with the Modern Woodmen of America's Hometown Hero Award
for this year's Windham Summerfest celebration.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

A virtual event is not without challenges when everything must be managed remotely.

“Even the committee has been meeting via Zoom, and we miss the opportunity for face-to-face collaboration,” Brooks said, acknowledging that it’s a challenge to find “something for everyone” with a virtual event.

Another challenge is getting the word out to everyone in Windham, said Robin Mullins, co-chair of the committee.

“Not everyone has online access and there may be people that might just miss it.”  

The event can be found at https://www.facebook.com/WindhamSummerfest/.

The main goal for this year was to send a message that Summerfest is not gone, it just has a different look this year, Brooks said.

“The committee was still dedicated to the notion of bringing unity to the community at a time when people have not been able to get together in their usual ways,” she said.

Mullins said that even though Windham residents cannot physically be together, they can still have fun together and celebrate the wonderful community we are all so fortunate to be a part of.

“We also want to celebrate the fact that this year represents Maine's Bicentennial,” she said.

The online celebration includes a weekly photo contest, an opportunity to post photos of past Summerfest celebrations, presentation of the Modern Woodmen of America Hometown Hero Award, and a virtual 5K.

The Modern Woodmen of America’s Hometown Hero Award is presented each year to someone in the community that dedicates himself or herself to serving others. This year’s recipient, announced at the June 9 Windham Town Council meeting, is Dave Bulger, a bus driver for RSU14 who “goes above and beyond for his kids,” said Deb Matthews, co-chair of the Summerfest committee.

Bulger said he learned that he’d been named the recipient when a friend tagged him on Facebook saying thank you.  When he asked why, someone else commented that he’d been selected.

“I didn’t even know such a thing existed,” Bulger said. “I was really taken aback,” Bulger said.  “I didn’t really think I did anything special.”

Bulger began driving a van for the REAL school in 2013, where he really connected with the students.  After that program ended, he said, he wanted to stay with the district, so he got his bus driver’s license and took a job driving for RSU14. 

He took a short break a few years ago but missed his co-workers and the kids so returned to the job, “and I haven’t looked back since,” he said.

Bulger said he tries to meet kids where they are.  He also tries to make the bus ride fun, especially for the younger children.  Often, he said, he’ll use his “DJ Dave” voice to act like a tour guide as they travel on Route 302.

Bulger designs silly cards for the students for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and at the end of the school year. For the past couple of years, he said, he has included a card for a free ice cream at the Ice Cream Dugout, which allows him to give the kids a trea,t but also to be sure families have control over the sugar consumption.

“I try to make it special.  This year, I’m really saddened that I can’t do that because I’m not going to see them,” Bulger said.

The response and support from the community around the photo contest has been fun to see, said Barb Maurais, who has coordinated that aspect of Summerfest.

“Some of the themes have lent themselves to more participation, but we definitely are receiving photo entries each week,” she said.

“We are meeting our goal of reaching out to our community ~ our friends, family, and neighbors and we are adding anticipation, excitement, and, of course, weekly prizes,” Maurais said.

Photo Contest winners are determined by which photo receives the most “likes” on the Facebook Page.  The theme for June 13 to June 19 event is Celebrating Maine’s Bicentennial, and from June 18 to June 24 all Summerfest participants – organizations, nonprofits, businesses, community groups, vendors, crafters, parade participants, bands and performers – are invited to share their profile, website, information and services on the Summerfest Facebook Page.

The Virtual Windham Summerfest 5K will round out the celebration and raise money for the Windham Parks & Recreation Department. Rather than gathering in a group for the race, participants will register and then choose their own 5K route and run whenever they like over the weekend of June 20 and June 21.

Rather than a set registration fee, there are suggested donation amounts of $10 per individual or $30 for a family of four.  All are welcome to register, regardless of whether they are able to make a donation, and any donation amount is acceptable.

The first 75 participants to register will receive a T-shirt.  Donations will help the Parks & Recreation Department provide meals for senior citizens, craft kits to include in RSU14 Food4Kids backpacks, virtual family trivia nights, community-wide trail scavenger hunts, and grocery and food pantry delivery to senior citizens. Registration is at www.windhamrecreation.com.

Although fireworks are planned for a later date, it is dependent on the governor’s reopening plan, Mullins said, so no date has been selected. 

“As we wait for guidance from the CDC along with decisions about when these types of large group gatherings will be approved, we have been unable to solidify any plans regarding the fireworks,” Brooks said.

Sponsors for 2020 Summerfest are Hannaford Supermarkets, Landing Real Estate, Legal Leaf LLC, Shaw Brothers, and Walmart.  Summerfest committee members are: Robin Mullins and Deb Matthews (co-chairs). Tom Matthews, Barb Maurais, Liza Libby. Aaron Pieper, Karen Rumo, and Katie Varney. <

Chamber and town collaborate with restaurants to provide free food for Windham seniors

By Lorraine Glowczak

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Windham Parks and Recreation Department, Windham Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce have joined forces with local restaurants to offer free meals to-go for senior residents ages 65 and above in the Windham community.

The prepared meals will begin this Friday, May 8 with curb-side pick up from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Windham Town Hall, 8 School Road, and will continue every Friday at the same time until further notice. Individuals who are interested in the free meals are requested to provide an RSVP to the Parks and Recreation Department by calling 892-1905 or email at parks&[email protected]. The RSVP must be submitted by noon on Thursdays.

“The intention of the free senior meal to-go program is to give our seniors citizens in need a healthy food option while at the same time, help Windham restaurants keep working and stay busy,” stated Linda Brooks, Director of the Windham Parks and Recreation Department. She further explained the town has scholarship money set aside for senior programming. Following the lead from the Saco Parks and Recreation Department, who has started a similar free food plan, Brooks thought offering something similar in Windham would be a great option for the community.

“When I approached Tom Bartell, Director of the WEDC and Robin Mullins, Director of the Chamber about this idea, they both thought it was a perfect way to use the scholarships funds to assist both seniors and area businesses,” Brooks said.

The WEDC and Chamber then approached Windham restaurants to see who might be interested in participating.

“When I received a call from Tom about this free meal to go program, I was on board immediately,” stated Nick Kalogerakis, owner of the Elbow Room Bistro. Kalogerakis had already begun a similar free senior meal program on his own at his restaurant when the COVID-19 social distancing measures began.

“I wanted to make sure there were no seniors going hungry, “he stated. “We are an older state and I am concerned about those who do not have siblings or children to look in after them. So, I was very happy that they called me to be a part of this collaboration.”

Frank Merced, owner of Franco’s Bistro, is also participating with the town on this endeavor. “I received a call from Robin Mullins at the Chamber, and I thought it was a fabulous idea,” Merced began. “We are all struggling – including myself – and I want to be a part of the solution in this struggle and help in any way I can.”

Each week, a participating restaurant will be selected to make the meals. The Elbow Room Bistro will be the first to offer toward the food-to-go program and the initial menu item to be offered will be Shephard’s Pie with gravy. Next Friday’s meal, offered by Franco’s Bistro, will include either lasagna or fettuccine with meatballs.

Brooks noted that the free curb-side meal to go for seniors will follow social distancing recommendations. Individuals will be able to easily pick up meal’s curbside in the town’s parking lot.

If you would like to sponsor this program, please notify Mark Morrison, [email protected]. If you would like to be a participating restaurant, please notify Robin Mullins, [email protected].

It has been incredible to witness the community banding together. Thank you for continuing to support Windham Seniors and local restaurants.

Windham Community Center begins to take shape at third and final forum

Monday evening's survey included the choice of a
pool concept design.Submitted photo

By Matt Pascarella

The third and final scheduled public forum to discuss the planning and development of a Windham Community Center was held on Monday, March 25 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Town Hall community gym. Approximately 15-20 people were in attendance. The forum was also made available remotely via Facebook Live.

In the first forum, Linda Brooks, Director of Windham Parks and Recreation, stated that a survey was sent to Windham citizens in 2016 and 2017. The results indicated the want for a community center with intentions and purposes of giving Windham a sense of place that accommodates the needs and activities of all demographics.

The proposed location is the Morrell property located near the rotary and Smith Cemetery at the intersection of Routes 302 and 202. This property is town owned and is currently being evaluated.

In the second forum, the design firm, Harriman (previously known as Harriman Association), proposed three concept designs: 1) a 20,000 square foot building with two floors that would include all the critical items such as a 2-court gym and indoor track, two locker rooms, pool, lobby and adult fitness area. 2) a “phase” approach which would entail constructing the center in phases. Still 20,000 square feet, it would contain a 2-court gym and indoor track, two locker rooms, a lobby, a 365 square foot kitchen, two multi-purpose rooms, a teen room, a senior room and administrative offices. 3) an all-purpose building: a roughly 60,000 square foot building that would include a three-court gym and indoor track, large pool, small pool, two locker rooms and a 625 square foot kitchen.

All designs would include outdoor space for an athletic field, playground and parking spaces.

In the third forum, Mark Lee and Emily Innes, both of Harriman, revealed Windham residents selected the third concept design, the all-purpose building by a vast majority. Concept design number three would include: a three-court gym and indoor track, 2 pools, locker rooms, kitchen, youth and adult wellness studio, childcare room and administrative office. While the original square footage estimate was 60,000; given the contents of the building and its surroundings, a new square footage estimate of roughly 70,000-84,000 was given.

Harriman presented Monday night’s attendees with three pool designs. A competition style pool, with six lanes, ideal for swim meets and practices; a family pool, which has more of a wide-open swim area with a ramp for entry; and a hybrid pool which has a competition section on one side and a wide-open swim area on the other.

Attendees were given ballots and broke into groups to discuss which pool they thought was best. For those who were watching via Facebook Live, there is a similar ballot available on the Windham Parks and Recreation website. When the ballots were counted from the meeting, the hybrid pool came in first, then the competition pool followed by the family pool. A final pool concept design will be decided next month.

At this point in the process, Harriman’s responsibility is to take the input from the final forum and present it to the building committee, deciding if the program elements desired by the community have been captured in concept design number three. If so, Harriman will do a final concept design to get a more concrete sense of the area of the building and what the construction budget will be. A study will be written based on the concept design and that study will be given to the building committee and eventually presented to the town council.

“I think there’s a tremendous amount of excitement towards this project,” added Pat Moody, Chair of the Windham Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. “The data is clear. There is overwhelming support for concept number three. I think the next phase is figuring out what the cost will be, the revenue generating opportunities, how we can fund it and make it a reality.”

Council member, Jarod Maxfield is behind the community center effort. “I think it’s a great idea to explore and I’m definitely behind it,” he stated. “I need to know more about the revenue and costs and how we’re going to make money, but to be good for the town and the residents and especially with our aging population and all the families moving to town, it’s a needed resource.”

Lee projected the rough cost of this facility would be between $36.2 million and $39.8 million, with a projected timeline of 3-5 years from concept to construction.

For more information about each concept design and to vote on the pool concept design of your choice, contact the Windham Parks and Recreation Department at (207) 892-1905 or [email protected]. or visit www.windhamrecreation.com.