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Showing posts with label Windham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Windham. Show all posts

Friday, September 27, 2024

Windham High School sophomore revs up fast start in auto racing career

By Ed Pierce

He may only be a sophomore at Windham High School, but Cole Robie of Windham is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in professional auto racing.

Cole Robie of Windham, 16, won the Nelcar Tour Race at
Star Speedway in New Hampshire on Sept. 14 and that was
after he won the Legends Feature Race there on Aug. 30.
He comes from a racing family and has won five 
championships in just three years, starting at age 13.
COURTESY PHOTO 
Robie, 16, started racing three years ago at the age of 13 and since then has built a resume of success on the racetrack including winning five different championships so far and counting. Competing in his Legends car, Robie took the checkered flag and the features victory for the Nelcar Tour race at Star Speedway on New Hampshire on Sept. 14, and that came on the heels of his Legends feature win at the same racetrack on Aug. 30.

Racing cars in Legends, Late Model and Super Late Model divisions, despite his youth, Robie continues to rack up wins and experience as he ultimately aims for a career in the racing industry when he finishes school. His chances of doing that are excellent as racing is a family tradition with his grandfather, father and uncles all having raced professionally. Cole’s uncle, Derek Kneeland of Windham, is currently a spotter for NASCAR’s Richard Childress Racing and has been involved in the sport as a driver since he was young.

“I have always wanted to race,” Robie said. “My Dad had a lot of interest in getting me into racing and was the one that made it happen. We started in 2021, and racing is just in my blood.”

His exceptional driving skills and will to win at such a young age show that Windham remains at the forefront in state for developing championship auto racers, a fact not lost on Robie.

“There are a lot of race families born and raised in Windham and I just happen to be part of one,” he said. “Racing has just gone from generation to generation in those families which is pretty cool.”

Almost every weekend Robie can be found at the racetrack, and he travels to warmer states during the winter months when racing is not possible in New England.

According to Robie, he enjoys auto racing for several reasons.

“I like the adrenaline rush, and the speed factor,” he said. “I also like that it's an independent sport.”

And he’s been able to hold his own against older and more experienced drivers as his racing legacy grows.

Last year he captured his first Legend Car national title, winning the 2023 INEX Young Lions Road Course National Championship. In July, he topped an 11-car field during a Group B race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and in May Robie led for every single lap while cruising to a NELCAR Legends win at the Lee USA Speedway in New Hampshire.

“I think my family loves it, they have all been in the racing industry for many years and it's exciting for them to see me following my dreams,” he said. “They are all my biggest fans and supporters.”

Up next for Robie will be a Legends race at Dominion Motor Speedway in Woodland, Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 5 and then he will turn around and compete in a Super Late Model race on Sunday, Oct. 6 at Lee Motor Speedway in New Hampshire.

“The most challenging track I’ve ever raced on was at Hallett, Oklahoma in my Legend,” he said. “I didn't have a gear gauge and raced without knowing what gear I was in.”

As far as prestige races go, Robie says the biggest race he’s competed in thus far was in Las Vegas, Nevada for the Oval World Finals in his Legend car.

His racing journey has taken him all over the country this year including events at Anderson Motor Speedway in Williamston, South Carolina; Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina; New London- Waterford Speedbowl in Waterford, Connecticut; Cordele Speedway in Cordele, Georgia; Claremont Motorsports Park in New Hampshire; Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tennessee; Southern National Motorsports Park in Lucama, North Carolina; Lee USA Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire; Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire; Caffeine and Octane’s Lanier Raceway in Braselton, Georgia; and the Citrus County Speedway in Inverness, Florida.

In 2024 alone, he’s won four times, finished in the Top Five nine times and in the Top 10 a total of 20 times with several months of racing left this year.

He attributes his success to his family, his race team and his friends.

“Everyone in the town that I know has been very supportive of my racing,” Robie said. “Some of my friends have even come along to some of the races and helped me out as part of my pit crew. My whole family and all of my friends are my biggest fans and supporters. I couldn't do any of this without all of them behind me.” <

Friday, September 20, 2024

Windham waterskier part of new Guinness World Record

By Masha Yurkevich

It is not often that the little state of Maine gets recognized for something on an international level, but Brian Eastman of Windham and his team of barefoot waterskiers have changed that by setting the world record for the most barefoot waterskiers towed behind a single boat.

Bran Eastman of Windham was part of a group of 42 barefoot
waterskiers towed behind a powerboat who established a new
Guinness World Record at Lake Dubay in Wisconsin on
Sept. 14. SUBMITTED PHOTO   
Brian Eastman was part of a barefoot waterskiing group that set a new world record of 42 barefoot waterskiers earlier this month. Eastman currently lives on Highland Lake and grew up in Windham. He has been waterskiing on Highland Lake for 50 years and has been a barefoot waterskier for 42 years.

Eastman is the youngest of five children and his older siblings were always involved in water sports and that helped foster Eastman’s interest in waterskiing. He learned to waterski when he was 8, has been a barefoot water-skier since he was 16, and has been in and out of the water ever since. As a teenager, Eastman belonged to a local waterski club that staged water skiing shows locally.

His passion for the sport made him want to pursue a career in that field. In 1985, he landed a job at SeaWorld in Orlando. Eastman currently works as a licensed master electrician.

“I think it was the excitement, the adrenaline, that made me want to start,” says Eastman. “The difference between regular waterskiing and barefoot waterskiing is essentially the fact that you are going without skis, but you are instead going on your two bare feet. And in order to go on two feet without skis, you need to go much faster. So, for example, if you are typically going 20 mph with waterskis, then you would be going 40 mph without skis. It is much faster, and you also need to have the correct body posture for it to work. Once you are going, you are on your bare feet skimming across the surface at a much higher speed that regular waterskiing.”

According to Eastman, there is an organization that has been trying to set world waterskiing records since 2015 located in the Wisconsin area, which was initially called “Chain of Records,” and they set out to establish records of a large quantities of people doing different kinds of skiing behind a boat.

This year, it is being promoted as the “Big Pull 2024.”

“I came across their activities when they last did an event like this in 2021,” says Eastman. “I reached out to them saying that if they were ever to do an event like this again, I would be very interested in joining. They reached out to me in April of this year saying that they would try to beat their previous record of 38 barefoot waterskiers.”

At the event, there were 50 barefoot waterskiers chosen to participate from around the country in the lineup, and Eastman was one of those selected.

The event was held on Sept. 14 in Lake Dubay, Wisconsin and Eastman and his wife drove 20-plus hours one way just to get there.

“Last year, they were only able to have 38 people due to horsepower restrictions on the boat,” says Eastman. “They had the biggest boat possible and at the time, that was the most that they could do. The difference this year is that they had a bigger boat and more horsepower, and consequently, the idea was that we could beat that previous record.”

When the record was indeed broken, it was broken as a team, he said.

“It was not just the people on their bare feet who broke the record, it was the boat drivers, the safety personnel, and all the support staff,” says Eastman.

There were waterskiers participating in the “Big Pull 2024” representing five different states, with Eastman being the one who lived the furthest from Wisconsin.

“I am very fortunate to have been chosen,” says Eastman. “I was skiing with the best show skiers in the country, the best of the best.”

There was quite an age gap between the barefoot skiers, with the youngest being 14 years old and the oldest being 65.

“It was quite a spectrum of all age groups, and it was very nice to see that,” Eastman said. “I thought that when I went out there, I would be the oldest guy, but there were at least six other people who were older than myself.”

The “Big Pull” event itself was originally created in 1999 by the Badgerland Water Ski Show Team and Aqua Skiers Water Ski Show Team. It was intended to bring together members of the two teams to attempt the largest waterski pyramid ever with at the time, the only triple rigged waterski boat in existence. Over the years, the event has evolved into a semi-annual event gathering talented members of various waterski teams from across the country to attempt larger and larger records in various waterski disciplines.

Since its inception, a total of 11 different Guinness World Records for waterskiing have been established, including the one Eastman was part of this month. <

Cyclist overcomes disability to complete gravel bike race

By Kaysa Jalbert

Gabby Sinotte was born without her left hand, so when she wanted to learn how to ride a bike like her older brother, her father taped a Styrofoam cup to her bike handlebars where she could place her wrist to steer. She’s come a long way and this past August, Gabby Sinotte traveled from Windham to compete in her first gravel bike race in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, with her fiancée, Brian Duggan, and beat her own record time by 45 minutes.

Born without a left hand, Gabby Sinotte of Windham has 
overcome her disability and completed the 57-mile
SBT GRVL cycling race in Colorado in August.
COURTESY PHOTO  
Sinotte competed in the 57-mile SBT GRVL race, a world-class gravel cycling event held annually in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and was determined to complete the race in four and a half hours, but to her own amazement, she finished in three hours and 45 minutes.

“So much faster than I was anticipating,” said Sinotte. “I was crying before I think I even crossed the finish line because I was just like wow, I can't believe I did that.”

She completed the race, not with a cup taped to her handlebars, but with her own prothesis that she has been developing over the past few years. Sinotte is a prosthetist which allows her to make personalized prosthesis for bike riding.

“It’s been a progression over the course of three years,” Sinotte said. “I started with what kind of looked like a Lego hand that connects right onto the handlebar and it slowly built up my confidence riding. Now I have a kind of ball-and-socket joint that connects on my handlebar which allows me to stand and pedal which I've never done before. It gave me all the confidence to ride bikes at a higher level and I think once I got to that point, I was like ohh, the next step is doing a bike race.”

Sinotte started biking with her fiancée about five years ago following a situation that led to a silver lining. In 2019, when the couple was living in Northern California, they came home to find Duggan’s bike and skis had been stolen from their garage. The money they were able to use from renter’s insurance helped Sinotte purchase her own bike, and she has been riding with Duggan since.

“It was a horrible situation that turned really good,” said Duggan.

Sinotte found a group online that was advertising to build a team of athletes for the SBT GRVL Race. Sinotte says she thought to herself, “this looks fun,” so she signed up and didn’t think much more about it until one day in November, to her surprise, she got an email saying she had been selected on one of the teams.

Duggan also participated in the race.

“It’s an event that sells out and it's a lottery system. I was going either way, either being #1 fan or racing myself but yeah, I got to race,” said Duggan cheerfully.

For the next 10 months, the couple prepared and trained harder than ever before. When they arrived, they were provided with lodging at an adaptive ranch that was made for people with disabilities and has adaptive facilities.

The race took place from Aug. 15 to Aug. 18. The couple traveled the course to familiarize themselves with what was ahead, but also to be able to stop and take in some of the scenery along the route.

“The thing I love about bikes is it's a way to get outside and you can cover so much more ground than if you were walking but also go to way cooler places than if you were just in the car,” says Sinotte.

Gabby said she can get frustrated when biking with Brian because he is “always way faster than me,” but she reminds herself that he is built biologically differently than him, “and he has been cycling for 15 years. In the end, Duggan only beat Sinotte by two minutes.

“I'm blown away by how much she's been able to do on a bike in not very long,” said Duggan. “She's blowing people out of the water.”

Sinotte and Duggan train on their bikes year-round and say their favorite ride in Windham is Swett Road, a dirt road that the two always try to go very fast on. Sinotte plans to continue training and has thoughts of possibly competing in the 2028 Paralympics. <

Friday, September 13, 2024

Windham resident becomes living organ donor

By Andrea Elder-Bruns
Special to The Windham Eagle


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

Billie LaVallee of Windham became a living
organ donor when she voluntarily gave part
of her liver to a stranger during a transplant
operation at Lahey Medical Center in
Massachusetts. She was inspired to become
a donor by her husband, Dan, a cancer
survivor. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE   
Most people are familiar with posthumous organ donation, where organs are harvested from a deceased person and transplanted into a recipient. But many are less familiar with the notion of donating an organ while the donor is alive. Billie agreed to share her story and her experience in hopes of raising awareness about this life-saving endeavor.

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

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

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

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

INSPIRATION

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

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

She was also inspired by her husband.

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

Billie does not take her good health for granted.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SURGERY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The experience was what she expected.

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

HUMBLING EXPERIENCE

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

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

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

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

She says be prepared for lots of needles.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Friday, August 30, 2024

Windham student captures Maine Academic Scholarship Pageant crown

By Ed Pierce

A Windham student has been honored as the winner of the 2025 Maine Academic Scholarship Pageant and will compete in Orlando, Florida next July in the USA Ambassador National Pageant.

Rosie Haibon of Windham, 21, won the title during the Crossroads’ Maine Academic Scholarship Pageant in South Portland in July. During her reign, she will volunteer throughout New England to promote the Crossroads platform Crown CARES program, creating a respectful environment in schools and society.

Rosie Haibon of Windham has been
crowned as the winner of the 2025
Crossroads' Maine Academic
Scholarship Pageant and will
compete in the USA Ambassador
National Pageant in Orlando,
Florida next July. PHOTO BY
MARY MCQUEEN PHOTOGRAPHY  
The Crown CARES (Creating A Respectful Environment in Schools/Society) program was established in 2010. It is specifically designed for volunteers from pageant systems and peer ambassadors who wish to promote awareness as a platform on the epidemic of bullying in schools, social awareness, inclusiveness, and social bias, to cultivate a safe environment and most importantly teach skills to develop social responsibility in school-age children, youth, teens and adults.

Haibon is a junior attending the University of Southern Maine and is studying history education and minoring in dance. She also earned the Silver Presidential Award during this year’s competition, and shared the “Mom and Me” competition award with her mother. She previously held the MASP Teen title and the YAWOS International Teen title and has competed in pageants for 10 years.

Her platform involves Autism Education and Awareness, and she said that she believes mental health is an essential topic of conversation because of how strongly it affects our society and being transparent about her own struggles helps bring the community together.

“What I love most about our system, the Maine Academic Scholarship Pageant, is that we prioritize sisterhood and uplifting other women,” Haibon said. “So often in the media pageants are portrayed as shallow competitions designed to bring other women down, but our system is the opposite of that. I know I can always rely on my fellow sisters for support, no matter what. I like to think I’m so successful because of all the effort I put into myself, and the work put into prepping for my competitions. But I also work to carry a mindset of self-love and that I should be proud of myself no matter the results.”

She graduated from Windham High School in 2021 and was first diagnosed with autism at age 12 as she was getting ready to go into sixth grade. Rather than dwell or despair about her autism diagnosis, Haibon says that she learned to adapt and excel, competing in pageants helping raise money to assist others in the community coping with autism.

Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disability that generally appears in childhood and impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills and cognitive function.

“Knowing that I can personally relate to my cause and who I'm doing it for, it makes me feel good knowing I'm doing something they will love, and it makes me feel happy,” Haibon said.

She attributes her ability to overcome her diagnosis to her participation in pageants.

“I love competing because of the skills it has given me. I feel very lucky to have the skills I do and I wouldn’t be who I am without pageants,” Haibon said. “They’ve given me skills such as public speaking, self-confidence, and other many wonderful qualities I believe that every young adult should be equipped with before stepping into the adult world.”

It is her belief that that anyone can participate in pageants, no matter what your physical or mental state may be.

“Everyone can do well in pageants, and I think it should be something you do once in your life,” Haibon said. “It’s such a blast to do and it gives you a family of sisters like no other. I was crowned as someone with autism. If you had told me when I was little that I would be an international titleholder, I never would have believed you. But here I am today.”

Her advice to young people interested in pageants is simple.

“If anyone is interested in competing, you should do it,” Haibon said. “The biggest piece of advice I can give is to research the pageant systems. There are so many in our state, so finding one that really connects with your values is crucial to finding a system that works for you. The MASP system really aligns with what I want to represent, which is why I’ve stayed with it for so long.”

When she is not preparing for competition, Haibon says she enjoys her classes on the USM campus, dancing with her friends, reading, and spending time with her family. She is the daughter of Mary and Edward Haibon of Windham.

For more information about the Crossroads Youth Center, the local pageants, or other youth programming, visit www.CYCSaco.org <

Friday, August 23, 2024

Daughters of the American Revolution pay tribute to first WHS valedictorian

By Ed Pierce

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

Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution gather
at Smith Cemetery to honor the life and legacy of Windham's
Edith Pride Elliot on Sunday, Aug. 18. She was the
valedictorian of the first graduating class of Windham High
School and went on to found the DAR's Joshua Stevens
Chapter in St. Cloud, Florida, PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 
Elliot, who died at the age of 100 in 1977, was honored with a special engraved DAR designation on her headstone at the cemetery, a bouquet of flowers and graveside remarks by the regent of a DAR chapter in St. Cloud, Florida that she helped to found. DAR members from Maine, Vermont, and Florida attended the remembrance event.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Friday, August 2, 2024

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.” <

Friday, July 19, 2024

Local musicians visit home following Nashville success

By Lorraine Glowczak

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

With concerts scheduled in Naples,
Rumford and on Channel 6's '207 Show,'
David Young and the Interstate Kings 
are eager to perform a homecoming
show at Lenny's in Westbrook on 
July 31 as it is where they first honed
their performance skills. At left is 
David Young, top is Seth Martin and 
right is Deven Young, all of Windham.
COURTESY PHOTO  
The trio, David Young and the Interstate Kings is now a Nashville-based band that "serves up vintage American music with a modern indie focus." They have recently embarked on their first “Vintage American Tour” which includes a stop in their home state of Maine.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nickerson also spoke about their incredible talent.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Umbel echoed that sentiment.

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

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

Friday, July 5, 2024

Racing remains at forefront for Windham’s Derek Kneeland

By Ed Pierce

For Windham auto racer Derek Kneeland, the only way to define your limits is by going beyond them.

Kneeland, 38, continues to be a busy man in auto racing this year, trying to find time to race his own car at local tracks, driving part-time for Mike Bryant Racing in super late model select events, and serving as a spotter for Kyle Busch, Austin Hill xfinity, Nick Sanchez trucks in NASCAR events.

Derek Kneeland of Windham has been racing since he was
8 and now works for Richard Childress Racing as a 
spotter in NASCAR events. He also finds time to compete
on local tracks in his super modified racecar, finishing fifth
in a race at Lee USA Speedway in New Hampshire
on June 22. COURTESY PHOTO   
Racing runs in Kneeland’s blood as his father Jeff competed in the 1970s and his grandfather was the general manager of Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough at one time. Derek started racing go-karts when he was 8 years old, and it ignited a dream of one day taking the checkered flag at a NASCAR race.

As costs to compete in NASCAR rose sharply, Kneeland found another avenue to become involved at that level and he took on the job as a spotter during a race in Pennsylvania 16 years ago. Those spotter duties grew over time and Kneeland now has served as a spotter for drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series.

“Bristol is my favorite race as a spotter,” Kneeland said. “It’s busy, there’s a lot going on, a lot of information, it’s loud and an exciting environment. Keeping up with the differences in divisions I spot is the hardest thing, different drivers, different vehicles, the job itself is still the same, give info, and try to describe the things I see the best way I can to be a valuable asset to my drivers and teams.”

He is currently working for Richard Childress Racing as a spotter and typically is out on the road for 38 weeks every year. That can be an exhausting schedule and doesn’t leave much time, but he is planning on racing his own car this summer at Lee Speedway in New Hampshire on July 26, Oxford Speedway in Maine on Aug. 4, Berlin Raceway in Michigan on Aug. 7, and possibly the Oxford 250 on Aug. 25 and the Snowflake 100 at Five Flags Speedway in Florida.

As a NASCAR spotter, Kneeland relays information to the driver of the team he works for, keeping them alert of what is occurring on the track. To get a complete look at the racetrack, he is usually positioned on top of one of the grandstands or support buildings.

“For me I think the hardest part is I don’t get to race weekly like most do because of traveling around the country working my NASCAR duties, so there are a few things I need to clean up to figure out such as how to go faster and be better as a driver. And money obviously, it takes a lot of money to race these cars and be competitive.”

He said racing his own car is more of a hobby than something he calls his career.

“I love it, done it since I was 8 years old,” Kneeland said. “I’m just fortunate to be able to do it a handful of times a year with my busy schedule.”

According to Kneeland, his greatest fans are his family, including his wife, Carley, his two stepsons Kolby and Logan, his parents Jeff and Kelly Kneeland, and his sister, Tasha.

He said all his family and friends have been supportive of his life in racing.

“My dad and my cousin Rusty Poland and my good buddy, Nick Brown, we all work together on my car and Rusty’s,” Kneeland said. “It’s definitely a family sport. My parents and my wife every weekend tune into the NASCAR app to listen to me spot for my drivers as well. They love it all whether it’s getting to watch me behind the wheel or listen to me do my job on a weekly basis.”

His proudest moments in racing include his first Cup win at Michigan with Kyle Larson, being a part of an Xfinity championship with Tyler Reddick and a Superspeedway win with Kyle Busch.

His career as spotter has taken him to NASCAR tracks all over the nation and as a driver, Kneeland has raced in Maine, New Hampshire, Michigan, North Carolina, and Florida. He says the biggest race he’s competed in is the Oxford 250 because he raced against NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski in that event.

“I still have a couple things left to check off my list,” Kneeland said. “And they are tough ones. A cup championship and a Daytona 500 win.” <

Friday, June 28, 2024

Windham veterinarian creates Tooth Fairy Fund for police K-9s

By Ed Pierce

A vital member of the law enforcement community in Maine will soon be feeling better thanks to the determined efforts of Windham’s Mainely Veterinary Dentistry practice.

Dr. Jennifer Keaten of Mainely Veterinary Dentistry in
Windham, left, meets with South Portland Police 
Department's Patrol Sergeant Shane Stephenson to
discuss treatment for Ziva, a police dog who fractured
a tooth in the line of duty. Costs for the surgery are being
paid for through the Tooth Fairy Fund, created by Keaten.
COURTESY PHOTO 
Ziva, a 7-year-old female Belgian Malinois, is the partner of South Portland Police Patrol Sergeant Shane Stephenson and has been diagnosed with a fractured tooth.

According to Dr. Jennifer Keaten of Mainely Veterinary Dentistry, she contacted local police departments around the state with K-9s on Canine Veterans Day in March to advocate for oral health for working canines. It was then she was informed that Ziva had sustained a fractured tooth while on duty.

Several weeks ago, Keaten and a Mainely Veterinary Dentistry technician met with Ziva and Stephenson for an examination to determine treatment options for Ziva and her availability for dental surgery.

“Ziva uses her mouth for her work. It is not uncommon for working dogs to break a tooth or wear down their teeth in the process of doing their bite work,” Keaten said. “The prognosis will depend on what dental x-rays tell us. Ziva should be able to return to full work and do so more comfortably after her treatment.”

To help police departments around the state in need of treatment afford complex veterinary surgeries, Keaten recently created what she calls the Tooth Fairy Fund.

“The tooth fairy fund was created to help service dogs maintain good oral health to do their jobs as well as to help community dogs that are experiencing severe oral pain with owners that cannot afford treatment,” Keaten said. “It is designed to help cover as much of the costs as possible, depending on the need.”

The Tooth Fairy Fund will be derived from donations and from sales of pet toys and oral health care products at Mainely Veterinary Dentistry.

Ziva will be the first patient to have the cost paid for through the new fund. All associated costs including surgery and medicines will be covered by the Tooth fairy Fund.

“We will perform a COHAT, a complete oral health assessment and treatment plan on Ziva,” Keaten said. “She will be placed under anesthesia to have dental x-rays taken of all of her teeth and have a full oral exam. Based on the oral exam and x-rays, we will make a treatment plan to improve her oral health. Ziva will have her teeth cleaned above and below the gumline to prevent and treat dental disease. The fractured tooth will either be bonded, or we will perform a root canal depending on the severity of the fracture.”

She said she will not know specifically what the treatment will be until Ziva is under anesthesia and dental x-rays taken, so they will have to be prepared for different treatments depending on what is found during the surgical procedure, which will be scheduled in the next few weeks.

“Ziva should be able to return to duty the next day,” Keaten said. “We are trying to advocate for regular preventive dentistry for dogs to prevent dental disease. This is especially important for these working dogs since we rely on them to use their mouths in the work. If we wait until they are in pain or cannot do their job it is often too late to save a tooth. Good oral health is the gateway to overall health for both people and animals. We recommend a full cleaning and assessment of your pet's teeth at least annually.”

Stephenson said Keaten’s offer to treat Ziva for free through the Tooth Fairy Fund will allow Ziva to best serve the South Portland Police Department while also vital to the police dog’s health.

Under a technicality in Maine state law, funding for K-9 medical expenses cannot be included in police department budgeting.

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to the Tooth Fairy Fund visit www.mainelyvetdental.donation.mybaltofoundation.org or simply go to www.mainelyvetdentistry.com and click on the link on the homepage. <

Friday, June 21, 2024

Community mourns loss of beloved Korean War veteran Walter Braley Jr.

By Ed Pierce

One of the humblest military heroes you’ll ever meet and a genuine friend to everyone who knew him has died at the age of 92.

U.S. Marine Corps and Korean War veteran Walter
Braley Jr. waves to parade vehicles driving by his
home in the Cornerbrook subdivision in Windham
on his 90th birthday on Oct. 10, 2021. Braley
died on Father's Day, June 16, at the age of 92.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  
Korean War veteran Walter Braley Jr. of Windham passed away peacefully at his home in the Cornerbrook subdivision on Father’s Day, June 16.

Born in Somesville, a village on Mount Desert Island in Maine, as the only child of Walter Sr. and Eva Braley, his family moved to Scarborough when he was 10 so that his parents could work in a shipyard there. He attended schools in Scarborough until he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1947 at the age of 17. Braley completed basic training at Camp Lejune in North Carolina and then was sworn in for active military duty by the late Maine U.S. Senator Margaret Chase Smith.

He rose to the rank of Sergeant in the Marines and was stationed at bases in Cuba and California and then was sent to South Korea during the Korean War. While in Korea, one of his duties was to patrol the DMZ, the no man’s land separating South Korea from its hostile North Korea neighbor.

“I walked across the DMZ before Donald Trump ever did a few years ago when he did so with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un,” Braley said. “I did it first.”

While stationed at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California, Braley was asked to transport up a fellow Marine to the base, and it turned out to be future county music superstar George Jones, who was just about to launch his recording career.

Braley said they became good friends, and he would accompany Jones when he would go out with his friends on weekend leave and perform songs in exchange for drinks.

Years later when Jones was in Maine to perform a concert, he introduced the audience to Braley and asked him where he had been since he last saw him in the 1950s.

“Right here,” Braley is said to have told him.

Because of an injury he sustained in Korea, Braley was discharged from the Marines at the rank of Sergeant and returned home to Maine. He found work with the Delaware Feed Grain Store, as a truck driver for Maine Egg, a dog groomer for Dutton Animal Hospital in Saco and then at the Animal Refuge League in Westbrook, a position from which he retired after 35 years of service. Braley was a longtime pet owner and served as a Maine State Humane Agent and an advocate for suffering animals.

Following his retirement, Braley spent time volunteering for the Bruce Roberts Fund and Meals on Wheels. As a veteran, he became active in Windham Post 10643 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 in Windham.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Westbrook, holding various board positions and serving on other church committees.

On his 90th birthday in October 2021, a parade was held outside his home to commemorate his birthday and at that event Braley was presented with a Quilt of Honor by Cindy Beaulieu of the Quilts of Honor group.

“First we honor you for your service,” Beaulieu told Braley. “Second, freedom is not free, and we thank you for your service. We hope this quilt brings comfort to you as you are forever in our thoughts and in our hearts.”

Braley said receiving the quilt and having a parade in his honor was one of the most moving experiences of his lifetime.

““I just want to say thanks to everyone for coming out here today and recognizing me in this way,” Braley said. “You’ve made me feel appreciated and you can’t ask for more than that in this life. I’m deeply grateful and to all my fellow Marines, I say Semper Fi.”

Known affectionately to his family as “Junie,” Braley loved to hunt, fish, and spend time with his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren at their camp on Thomas Pond.

Surviving Braley are his wife Nina, four daughters, one son, seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 22 at the First Baptist Church of Westbrook, 733 Main St. in Westbrook. A graveside ceremony with full military honors will be conducted for Braley at the South Gorham Cemetery on Burnham Road in Gorham. <

Friday, May 17, 2024

WHS senior places third in Maine App Challenge

By Kaysa Jalbert

Creativity was on full display in this year’s Maine App Challenge as a Windham High School senior, Alex Pooler, placed third among participants, winning a $1,000 scholarship from Tyler Technologies.

Matt Jones, software engineering manager for Tyler
Technologies, left, and Chris Webster, president of
Tyler Technologies' ERP & Civic Division, right, 
congratulate Alex Pooler of Windham High School
for placing third in the annual Maine App Challenge
for students. Pooler earned a check for $1,000 for his
app called Good Morning Class, an interactive
check-in app for elementary teachers and students.
PHOTO BY WHITNEY J. FOX PHOTOGRAPHY 
Pooler designed an app that makes it quick and easy for educators to assess a student’s well-being. He created the app called Good Morning Class, an interactive check-in app for elementary school teachers and students.

He says that he started working on his app idea in fall of 2022. One day at the start of his junior year, he was talking with a primary school teacher, Mrs. Farrin, who thought it would be a good idea to design an app to make it easier for teachers to check-in on their students.

"Last year I developed Good Morning Class using MIT App Inventor, a block-based coding program,” said Pooler. He first developed a prototype for the app and then tested it with the help of Mrs. Farrin. After testing, he revised the app to better fit her classes.

“This year, I developed version two in Python, a coding language, and Kivy, a graphical framework. This was a major improvement and difficulty, as I was still learning both languages,” says Pooler.

Mrs. Farrin would use a Google survey to check in with her students. Although it is a survey program, its design is not specific to an elementary classroom, leaving room for user error and confusion.

Pooler said that he wanted to make life a little easier for teachers and students through his creation and thought it would be a nice project for his high school Capstone.

Jennifer Pooler, Alex’s mother said her son has always been creative.

“Alex has been making games since he was very young, board games, card games, which eventually led to his interest in making video games,” she said. “I don't think Alex thought too much about developing apps until Mrs. Farrin suggested he explore that for his Capstone project, but it aligned well with his interests.”

Prior to working on his Good Morning Class app, Pooler says he had never developed an app before.

“In my sophomore year I took a computer science class, but most of what I learned was on the fly,” said Pooler. “In between last year’s submission and this year’s, I took an online computer science class.”

After high school, Pooler will be studying Game Design and Development at Rochester Institute of Technology.

“I can't wait to hear about and hopefully see the projects Alex works on at RIT and after,” Jennifer Pooler said. “My hope is that he'll build a solid foundation at college to be successful in developing video games or apps or whatever he decides to create.”

In addition to the scholarships, the top 10 finalists of the Maine App Challenge also received Beats Headphones and are granted a guaranteed internship interview at Tyler Technologies.

“I was very excited for Alex to win third place in the Maine App Challenge,” Jennifer Pooler said. “I was already so proud of him for putting in months of work to see it through, but I have to say it was really special to see him recognized by Tyler Technologies for all of the effort.”

The Maine App Challenge is a contest hosted annually by Tyler Technologies Inc., a Plano, Texas-based provider of software and technology services with around 1,200 employees in Maine. Each year, students develop their own mobile software programs that introduce them to science, technology, engineering, and math, also known by the acronym STEM.

Prior to the contest, Tyler Technologies collaborates with the Foster Center for Innovation at the University of Maine to host a series of free workshops for students to help with brainstorming, prototyping, and testing their applications. According to its website, Tyler Technologies also partners with the University of Maine on a Fundamentals of Innovation course available online to high school students as an early college course that allows them to earn college credits while designing an app submission for the Maine App Challenge.

Since its inception, the Maine App Challenge has gifted more than $100,000 in 529 college savings plans to students in Maine. <

Memorial Day activities in Windham taking shape

By Ed Pierce

Since 1971, the last Monday in May is designated as Memorial Day in the United States and it’s a holiday where all Americans can pause to reflect on and remember those who have been lost in military service to our nation. This year Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 27 and to mark the occasion, members of Windham’s American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 have planned a full slate of activities that the public can attend and participate in.

Memorial Day activities include a parade,
a ceremony at Windham High School
and a picnic lunch and gathering at the
Windham Veterans Center. The public
is welcome to attend and participate in
these activities. COURTESY PHOTO

For several weeks now, Legion members have been assisting in cemetery cleanups across the town. They also have been placing more than 100 American flags on utility poles on major highways in Windham as a reminder that Memorial Day is more than the annual kickoff of summer and the holiday honors those who have died defending America’s freedom and liberty. The flags will fly through Labor Day in town.

“This year the American Legion Field-Allen Post has its own set of memories as it celebrates 86 years of service to our veterans and the Windham community,” said Post 148 Adjutant David Tanguay. “The Post remembers it founders, World War I veterans, leaders in the community, who established it in 1938 to honor one of their own, Lt. Charlies W.W. Field of Windham who was killed in action while leading a charge against an enemy machine gun emplacement.”

Tanguay said that following World War II, the name Allen was added to its name remembering the ultimate sacrifice made by U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. James Allen of Windham, who was killed in the Pacific Island campaign leading a patrol against the enemy forces.

“Both are local heroes, and both now are the namesakes of the American Legion Field-Allen Post 148-Windham,” Tanguay said.

According to Tanguay, the American Legion plans and conducts the traditional Memorial Day events and is looking for public involvement in staging this year’s Memorial Day Parade in Windham.

“The Post is asking the community to increase their involvement with floats or decorated vehicles to replace some of the more traditional entries that may not be available,” Tanguay said. “At one time in the past the Memorial Day parade was the largest parade in town. Let’s make the 2024 parade an event to remember.”

He said that teams of veterans will cover the 22 smaller cemeteries in the town to place new flags on the graves of all local veterans.

“On Saturday, May 18, weather permitting, teams of veterans and community members will meet at 9 a.m. at Arlington Cemetery in North Windham adjacent to the Fire Station to place the final 350-plus flags on the veteran’s graves,” Tanguay said. “For any families or groups interested in helping, this is a great opportunity for the community to have a teaching moment and share in the flag program.”

At Smith Cemetery in Windham, ROTC cadets from Windham High School will place flags on veterans’ graves there and will also put more than 200 flags along the Route 302 Rotary.

On Memorial Day itself, Windham’s Memorial Day Parade starts at 9 a.m. and runs from the Windham Town Hall on School Road and proceeds onto Route 202 in the direction of Windham High School.

“The best vantage point for viewing is from the area around the intersection of Windham Center Road and Route 202,” Tanguay said. “This year the Legion is asking for business and community support to make the parade truly memorable by marching or walking in the parade, entering a float or decorated vehicle, or offering a ride to a vet who may not be able to walk the distance. To sign up, call 207-892-1306.”

Tanguay said there is a need for open vehicles with convertibles preferred to provide rides for some of the post’s less ambulatory senior veterans.

At 10 a.m. in front of Windham’s Veterans Memorial Flagpole at Windham High School, a formal Memorial Day Ceremony will be conducted with the guest speaker being American Legion Past National Commander Vincent James Troiola, who now resides in Windham.

Master of ceremony for the event is Post 148 Commander Tom Theriault. Ceremonial events will include patriotic selections performed by the Windham High School Band, a wreath laying, bell tolling for Windham veterans who died in the past year and the ceremonial burning of tattered flags removed from veterans’ graves, followed by the traditional rifle salute and the playing of Taps. To wrap up activities that day, American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 will host an open house at noon at the Windham Veterans Center, 35 Veterans Memorial Drive in Windham, with a picnic-style luncheon open to the public. There will also be a brief wreath ceremony prior to the picnic in the Windham Veterans Center Memorial Garden. <

Friday, May 10, 2024

Mini horses making large impact at Riding To The Top

By Nicole Levine

Riding to the Top, Windham’s local non-profit therapeutic horse riding center, has welcomed two new mini horses, AppleJax and Apollo, to their farm.

AppleJax is a 9-year-old mini horse who joined
Riding To The Top Therapeutic Riding Center
in Windham last fall. He has carriage driving
experience and is expected to become part of
RTT's carriage and unmounted therapy sessions
along with RTT's school-based programs, field
trips, and summer camps. SUBMITTED PHOTO 
Riding to the Top (RTT) has been serving the Windham community for 31 years and offers services such as therapeutic riding, therapeutic carriage driving, equine assisted learning, and hippotherapy for individuals ranging in age from 3 to 90-plus. They assist with a wide range of disabilities.

Despite their size, mini horses are classified as horses and not ponies. They have a significantly longer lifespan than larger horse breeds, and can live into their 30s. Because of their size and calm nature, they are known to make fantastic therapy animals, providing individuals with comfort and companionship.

RTT has been home to mini horses for many years, however when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, much of the farm’s normal operation was up in the air.

During this time, a friend and donor of the farm was looking to find some companions for her own horse. The minis that were living at RTT in 2020 were then relocated and integrated into her herd. This became the mini’s new home, and it was later decided that it was in their best interest to stay where they were, and not relocate them back to RTT again.

The organization had continued to work with their generous friend, and began providing mobile field trips during COVID, where they would take the minis on the road.

“This proved to be very popular and we realized that the minis were easier to transport and less intimidating for people of all ages,” said Sarah Bronson, RTT’s executive director. “In 2023, we started looking to have minis at the farm again.”

Currently, RTT has two mini horse residents. AppleJax, who, following an assessment in Western Massachusetts was donated to the farm last fall, and Apollo, who is a new addition just this spring.

Both of the mini horses work with unmounted therapy sessions, and are planned to be an active part of RTT’s school-based programs, field trips, and summer camps.

AppleJax also has carriage driving experience and is planned to join the program for that at RTT in the near future.

Currently age 9, AppleJax has been doing very well on the farm. Bronson describes him as having a curious and adventurous personality.

“AJ's been working on his ‘office skills’ and is pretty comfortable visiting all of our staff in their offices,” she said.

Apollo is 17 years old and is continuing to adjust to his new environment, after arriving only a few weeks ago. He is a “free lease” horse, meaning he has an owner, but resides on the farm where RTT takes care of his needs.

Following protocol, Apollo was in two weeks of quarantine to ensure the safety and health of the rest of the herd on the farm. He's been doing well, and is slowly being introduced and spending more time with his new mini buddy, AppleJax.

Apollo is currently located in the mini paddock also known as RTT’s ambassador area. Although visitors do not have access inside the gated area, people visiting the farm can easily see the minis and can pet them through the fence.

RTT volunteers say that the minis are much less intimidating due to their size, which could serve as a great introduction to equine riding and therapy for those new to horses. Although less intimidating, they still need as much care and leadership to guide them, just as the other horses require, especially in any new circumstances.

The minis, like the rest of the horses, eat hay and grain, but in significantly smaller amounts. Their veterinary and farrier costs are roughly the same as the rest of the ponies and horses, which is estimated to cost around $5,000 per year.

RTT’s minis also require the same grooming and farrier care as the other horses at the farm.

However, due to their size, they require more flexibility from their groomers while picking their hooves and trimming their feet. By utilizing a pedestal, this process is made easier and more comfortable for AppleJax and Apollo. It is still one of the challenges that come along with grooming the minis.

RTT is excited to welcome back mini horses to their farm and programs. They make a wonderful addition to the diverse group of horses at the farm.<

“We believe that the minis will be a great fit to have at RTT again and are looking forward to being able to have them active in all sorts of programming.” explained Bronson. “Training is an ongoing process and involves lots of people handling them, working them in a variety of environments at the farm and then expanding their horizons to off-farm activities.”<

Friday, May 3, 2024

Windham women’s football player tackles new opportunity with Maine Mayhem

By Ed Pierce

Every time that Kendra Cummings of Windham walks onto the practice field behind Deering High School in Portland, she’s making history as part of a movement striving for women’s equality in sports.

Windham nurse and mother of six Kendra
Cummings is now in her second season of
competition as a defensive end and tight end
for the Maine Mayhem women's tackle football
team in the World Football Alliance.
COURTESY PHOTO
Cummings is now in her second season of playing tight end and defensive end positions for the Maine Mayhem, a women’s tackle football team that competes in the Women’s Football Alliance. The Mayhem provides opportunities for women ages 18 and over to play full-contact football, a sport traditionally dominated by male athletes and it’s something that Cummings welcomes.

“I became interested in playing after watching my daughter, Niyah, play youth tackle football in Windham,” she said. “The Maine Mayhem is the only women’s tackle football team in the state. We practice at Memorial Field at Deering High School and at the Portland Sports Complex during the snowy months. We practice twice a week for a total of five hours.”

A registered nurse at Maine Medical Center and the mother of six children, Cummings had never played football before suiting up last season with the Mayhem. The team is coached by former Bonny Eagle High School head football coach Bryant Oja.

Despite never having played previously, she caught on fast, racking up nine solo tackles and assisting on five others and recovering a fumble in a game against the North Connecticut Nightmare and running it in from 38 yards out for a touchdown. She also caught one pass for 29 yards during a Mayhem game at tight end.

While the mission of the Maine Mayhem is to give women the opportunity to both learn and play tackle football in an encouraging environment that focuses on the fundamentals and techniques necessary for a positive experience in football and life, it also offers a chance to win and excel on the playing field.

In 2023, the Mayhem team finished the year 5-3 overall and captured the Division III Northeast Regional championship, while advancing to the second round of the national playoffs. Even more is expected of Cummings and her teammates in 2024.

“I love football because it’s challenging and competitive. I enjoy being taken out of my comfort zone and it’s a nice stress reliever being allowed to hit people,” Cummings said.

According to Cummings, playing tackle football last season was stressful, nerve-wracking, and exciting because it was her first year playing and I didn’t know quite what to expect.

“This season, I’m hoping that we can make it all the way to the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio and win the Division III championship,” Cummings said. “Personally, I’m just looking to improve my game and contribute to the team’s overall success.”

Standing 5-foot-8 and weighing 178 pounds, Cummings says she’s learning more about the intricacies of football with each game she plays.

“The most difficult aspect about playing football is that there is so much to learn,” she said. “However, my coaches and teammates are so helpful and are good teachers.”

She says that her favorite professional football player is Rob Gronkowski, who played 11 seasons in the National Football League for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“He’s the reason that I wear Number 87,” Cummings said. “Gronk was a big and strong player that could do anything. He was a great blocker and had great hands.”

In its first game of the 2024 season, the Mayhem fell to the New York Knockout, 24-6, last Saturday evening at Lasalle Institute in Troy, New York. The Mayhem will look to rebound with a win in its first home game of the year at 6 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Portland against the Connecticut Ambush.

“I think the team had some first game jitters, but we are ready to knock the rust off and make the changes necessary for success moving forward,” Cummings said.

Cummings says although her choice to play tackle football is a bit unusual, she’s sticking with it.

“Football has taught me that you’re never too old to try something new. Football has given me tremendous confidence and cemented my belief that if you work hard, anything is achievable,” she said. “My family, friends, and coworkers are very proud of me, and they also think that I’m a little nuts. I don’t disagree. However, I feel very lucky to have so much support.” <