Windham mourns loss of business leader, community champion Bartlett

By Ed Pierce

George H. Bartlett Jr. will be remembered as a kind individual who uplifted his community and a reliable friend who wanted little praise for his volunteer efforts on behalf of others.

Longtime Lakes Region resident and Busy
Bee Laundromat owner George Bartlett Jr.
has died at the age of 84. Through the years
Bartlett has been a fixture at charitable
events locally and was an active member
of the Sebago Lake Rotary Club and the
Sebago Lakes region Chamber of Commerce.
COURTESY PHOTO

Bartlett, 84, died Friday, July 21 after a short illness. He owned and operated the Busy Bee Laundromat in Windham for 38 years and was heavily involved in the activities of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce and the Sebago Lake Rotary Club.

Since the 1990s, he also served as an international ambassador for the Rotary Club, making numerous trips to Romania representing Maine and making treasured friendships with Romanians.

Other than his trips to Romania, Bartlett lived for most of his life in the Windham, Raymond, and Casco areas. His mother, Olive Sawyer Morrill of Westbrook married his father, George H. Bartlett Sr. in the 1930s and the couple moved to the Little Sebago Lake area of Windham where they started a family. George Jr. was born in 1939 and his father owned the Bartlett Radio Company.

Mechanics

While helping at his father’s business after school, young George developed an interest in mechanics, and he went on to become a mechanical engineer and have a business of his own launching Busy Bee Laundromat in 1985.

“My father was in business for many years, and he gave me some great advice,” Bartlett said during an interview in 2020. “He told me that a business goes through ups and downs and the best way to keep a business going is to serve the people,” Bartlett said. “That’s exactly what we do here.”

According to Robin Mullins, the President and CEO of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, Bartlett was well-liked by nearly everyone he met.

“One thing was his outgoing personality. He said hi and spoke to everyone he met,” she said. “He also had an infectious smile. You couldn't help but smile with him, even if you were having a bad day.”

Mullins said that Bartlett was a member and huge supporter of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce for years.

“The two things that stand out the most for me were first, he hosted many of the chamber’s After Hour events, or what we call Business Breaks,” she said. “During the Business Breaks we have 50/50 raffles for local charities. George would offer to squeeze himself into a dryer at the laundromat if folks gave extra dollars to the charities. We made lots of extra money for charity because of this. Second, George was a Rotarian who came to me and asked what I thought would be a great local charity to benefit from the Polar Dip, which was part of the Sebago Lake Rotary Club's Annual Ice Fishing Derby. I, of course, recommended the chamber's charitable trust, ‘Feed The Need.’ We started the Sebago Lakes Region Polar Dip for Feed the Need in 2021 and have raised over $22,000 for the 12 food pantries in the Sebago Lakes Region thanks to George.”

Huge loss

His loss will be huge to the chamber, Mullins said.

“George was my partner on the Polar Dip. I relied on him for so many things,” she said. “I have already asked myself, ‘Will I be able to do this without him?’ The answer is yes, but it will not be easy. I have to keep it going because that is what George would have wanted. The 2024 Sebago Lakes Region Polar Dip will be dedicated to my Polar Dip partner and my friend, George Bartlett.”

In years to come, Bartlett will be remembered fondly, Mullins said.

“George will be remembered for three things – his love and dedication for the Sebago Lake Rotary Club. He truly believed in the work of the Rotary and traveled to Romania several times to partner internationally. He will also be remembered for his never-ending supply of energy. George was a worker and he never stopped. I often referred to him as the ‘Energizer Bunny.’ And lastly, George will be remembered for his ability to give you a hard time and do it in a fun, jovial manner.”

Cyndy Bell of the Sebago Lake Rotary Club says Bartlett joined the club in 1985 and has been part of the fabric that has kept the club relevant and a constant in the community ever since.

“He just had a passion for the organization,” Bell said. “One event that brought him a great deal of joy and pride were his trips to Romania. In 1998 as part of a Rotary International project to meet medical needs for Romanian hospitals, the Sebago Lake Rotary Club collaborated with six other Rotary Clubs and began gathering medical equipment, collecting over $750,000 worth of equipment that included 12 refurbished dialysis machines from the Maine Dialysis Center. He traveled back to Romania to coordinate the distribution of the equipment and over the past 20 years he has returned 16 times, working with their schools, bringing books and supplies collected by Rotary clubs in Southern Maine including his local club and helping schools establish Interact Clubs, a high school version of the Rotary Club. While there, he stayed with his adopted Rotary family, making long-distance, long-term friendships.”

Outgoing personality

Bell said Bartlett’s outgoing personality was contagious and he was passionate about anything he was involved in.

“He always showed an interest in you and what you were doing or your business. And he always invited you to a Rotary meeting and encouraged you to join,” she said. “George was involved in everything that the Rotary Club was hosting. He especially was very involved in preparations for the Polar Dip held during the club's signature Ice Fishing Derby fundraiser every February. Even when things weren't going smoothly, he always had a positive attitude and made the event a success. George's presence will be missed in every event the club sponsors moving forward. He always had an ‘idea’ how to make events better.”

Funeral services are pending, and Bartlett is survived by his wife, Jane, three children and other family.

Mullins said she believes Bartlett’s legacy will be one of unselfish service to his community and a responsibility to help his friends and neighbors.

“George did what he did because that was just how he was wired,” she said. “It was who he was, a concerned community leader who wanted to make a difference. And, boy, did he ever.” <

Animal Control officer explores solution to stray pet problem

By Kaysa Jalbert

From surrendered dogs to stray cats, a small skunk in the yard or a large cow needing a new home, the animal control officer of Windham, Jackie Frye, dedicates every day to serving and protecting pets and wildlife in the area.

Jackie Frye has served as the Animal Control Officer for
Windham for more than five years and says that this year she
is busier than ever rounding up stray pets and animals
and taking them to the Animal Refuge League of Greater
Portland in Westbrook. SUBMITTED PHOTO   

“Oftentimes I am the busiest on the force with all the calls I get to relocate or find new homes for animals every day,” says Frye.

Whether it’s small pets or larger farm animals, Frye saves countless species of animals from dissimilar situations as shelters across the nation are experiencing larger numbers of animal admissions and fewer adoptions.

She contracts with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland out of Westbrook but has had to take matters into her own hands when it comes to giving many of these orphaned animals a new home due to lack of space in the shelters.

“People like Jackie really think outside of the box to try to find solutions and really work with people and see the good in people,” said John Florida from the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.

Many of the factors that impact animal welfare are financial, from overall financial instability within the market, to reduced housing options as well as breed and pet restrictions by landlords.

The Covid-19 pandemic also plays a large role in the increased need for animal shelter and rescue as many families adopted at the start of the pandemic, not knowing how long they’d be isolated at home. Once the Covid restrictions were lifted and people returned to work, the animals had to adjust and cope with not having a human around all day.

“Some animals weren’t able to cope, some humans weren’t able to cope,” says Florida.

In 2022, 136 animals from Windham families were admitted to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. There have been 61 animal admissions from Windham families in 2023 thus far.

As for strays, in 2022 the Animal Refuge League had 84 from Windham, 35 were brought in by the Windham Police Department. So far in 2023, Windham Police have brought in 50 strays. These numbers only include small animals such as cats, dogs, mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and hamsters.

“People are unable to afford their animals when it comes down to taking care of the animal or giving food to themselves or their kids,” Frye said.

Cats and other domestic animals can be placed into new homes but what’s most difficult is finding a new home for larger farm animals. During the fall season many owners find it difficult to relocate these animals and feed them, resulting in unfortunate situations of animals being starved.

“Hence why I have a large animal sanctuary called Open Arms Animal Rescue and Sanctuary,” said Frye, “I started it seven years ago for that reason.”

Open Arms Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, located in Bridgton, is the direct result of Jackie recognizing an issue, and taking action.

“I can place cats and dogs, but it’s harder to try to find a place to hold a large animal. I have had quite a few animals come through: a cow named Lola, a donkey, a mini horse, three goats, five pigs, three dogs, three cats, a rabbit, some rescue chickens, and a couple roosters,” Frye said.

Those are all rescues that she took in from friends and people she knew who couldn’t take care of them anymore. Some of the animals were only supposed to stay in the sanctuary for a short period of time, but two years later, many are still there.

“People like Jackie, sanctuaries and rescues are really important to make sure everyone is getting help somewhere,” said Florida.

In addition, at home she cares for three dogs, three cats, a rabbit and “a pot belly pig that thinks she’s a dog and she goes in and out,” says Frye. “Her name is Babies.”

Frye has been the Animal Control Officer for Windham for five years as of June this year but has worked in the profession of Animal Control for a total of 10 years.

In the past, Frye covered seven towns at once, including Bridgton, Denmark, Sweden, Sebago, and Hiram. She says she is much busier in Windham than ever before.

“What I say to everyone struggling right now, just don’t give up hope. Keep hope,” says Frye.

She stressed the need for pet owners to be able to afford veterinarian care and the feed and that’s why its urgent to consider the long-term consequences for both you and your furry friend before adopting them into your home. <

Beekeeping builds buzz across Lakes Region

By R.D. Frum

Looking to embark on a buzzworthy adventure? Look no further than beekeeping: the sweetest form of multitasking. Not only does one get to produce liquid gold, but one also gets to become the ultimate wingperson for Mother Nature. Local beekeepers Isabel Kelley and Mark Cooper of Windham unveil the secrets behind the captivating world of nurturing bees.

Beekeeping is a year-round activity in the Lakes Region and
some beekeepers and farmers in Windham and Raymond
choose to sell or gift the honey that they collect from the hives
they tend. COURTESY PHOTO 

The only bees that get kept for honey production are honeybees, scientifically named Apis Mellifera. Honeybees are of Italian and Mediterranean origin, and they are the only type of bee that produce surplus amounts of honey.

Contrastingly, bumblebees are native pollinators, meaning they pollinate plants, and they may collect a small amount of nectar. But bumblebee colonies are not managed, they survive in the wild and their natural nests are typically very small with a maximum of 10 or 20 bees, or a large colony might be 100 bees. On the other hand, a honeybee hive at peak season can have 20,000 to 50,000 bees.

“You do mark the queen and if you buy a package of bees to install in a hive, the queen will usually come separated and marked with a dot on her abdomen,” Kelley says.

Honeybees are very docile and easy to work with and typically, to manage, Cooper says.

“Bumblebees are fun if you leave them alone but there’s no way to manage them,” he said. “They don’t live in hives and won’t live in manageable conditions.”

Cooper has around 100 hives on his farm Cooper Charolais Farm & Apiary in Windham.

Mites are the biggest challenger of honeybees because the bees have no way to defend themselves against the mites and the viruses and diseases they carry. Varroa mites are the most significant threat to honeybees. The immune systems of the bees are weakened as a result of the hemolymph, bee blood, that these parasitic mites feed on while attaching themselves to adult bees and their offspring. If left uncontrolled, varroa mites can spread illnesses and viruses and cause colony decline and loss.

The natural lifespan of an average honeybee is around six weeks from the time they emerge from a cell as a fully-grown adult bee. The colony can survive the chilly months thanks to the bees that start raising new baby bees known as winter bees. The winter bees emerge as autumn approaches and have a longer life span. They protect the hive and have different responsibilities and don’t forage every day, which helps to extend their life.

Bees don't hibernate throughout the winter; instead, they gather in a close-knit cluster to keep warm and gorge on honey reserves. They start brood rearing in the middle of winter to increase their population and get ready for the spring's honey and nectar flows. The hive, which is made of three-quarter-inch hardwood boards and frames, is subjected to a variety of protective methods to conserve warmth, from insulating wrapping to tar paper coverings, helping the colony's management of temperature and survival.

“I do wrap my bees up in the winter and I'll also put guards around all the entrances so that no mice can get in there,” Kelley says.

Insulating material is stapled on to lessen wind impact, while insulation sleeves and specially made plastic form a barrier around the hive to maintain temperature without obstructing bee movement. A further alternative for coping with severe weather is polystyrene insulation, which can be found in the shape of sleeves or attached panels. This enables bees to endure the elements more easily.

In the art of beekeeping, a smoker is used which suppresses the bees' natural pheromones, which are essential for communication inside the hive. The colony can continue working unhindered since this smoke calms the bees and stops the distribution of alarm pheromones. Beekeepers typically cover their faces with a mesh veil and handle frames and bees with gloves designed of thin leather specially made for beekeeping.

“Some people wear gloves all the time, some people will occasionally, and some beekeepers never wear them,” Cooper says.

“The bees go through the process of capping the honey frames, so you'll know when they're ready. They're quite heavy; they'll have a fresh coat of wax on them that's little whitish,” Kelley says. “I usually wait like many beekeepers till the end of summer, early fall to make sure that they have done as much as they can before things get too cold and they’re not out there harvesting as much.”

Beekeeping can be a costly pursuit. “For somebody starting out brand new, a complete hive we call a Langstroth hive, which is the most common commercially made hive set up in the world basically is roughly $250 for a basic setup,” Cooper says.

“The beekeeper also needs things like a smoker, hive tool and some kind of personal protective gear such as a veil, some gloves, just for protection and comfort while working with the bees,” Cooper says. “So reality is probably $500 to $1,000 expenditure for somebody getting started out is in the ballpark.”

Beekeepers decide whether they choose to sell or to gift their honey.

“We do sell honey,” Cooper says. “We sell it at the farm year-round. A typical one-pound jar of honey is around $10 and that’s probably a pretty common thing for local raw pure honey.”

Kelley said she sold the honey that she had in 2020 but that I hadn't sold it since.

“I was doing $20 for a pint mason jar and mostly it's just some neighbors that were buying it from me,” Kelley says. “But I don't typically sell it. I just kind of hang on to it and give it away as gifts for family or friends who are looking for some.” <

Windham Raymond Middle School plan advances following straw poll

By Ed Pierce

By an overwhelming majority, a plan to situate the new Windham Raymond Middle School at 61 Windham Center Road was approved by residents during a straw poll conducted by RSU 14 on June 29.

Preliminary sketches of the new Windham Raymond Middle
School, like this one shown, were unveiled to the public
during straw poll voting regarding the selection of property
at 61 Windham Center Road as the site to locate the new
school on June 29. The site was approved 41-3 by voters
and will be taken up by the State School Board later
this month. COURTESY PHOTO 

RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools Christopher Howell said the straw poll vote was 41 in favor of the site with 3 opposed. The plan was then presented to the Maine State School Board Construction Committee which unanimously approved moving forward with it and recommended the proposal to the full Maine State School Board which meets in mid-July. If the Maine State School Board approves the plan, it will confirm that the state will be paying a majority of the purchase price for the property.

In the fall of 2021, the RSU 14 Board of Directors entered into an option-to-purchase agreement with the owner of 61 Windham Center Road in Windham and the owner agreed to take the property off the market for a period of up to two years. The cost of that option was $110,000 in the first year and $100,000 of the payment would be applied toward the purchase price. The option to extend the second year of the agreement was $10,000 per month but none of the funds from the second year would be applied at closing.

According to Howell, the project calls for a new middle school for Grades 5 to 8 for both Windham and

Raymond students. Windham fifth graders currently at Manchester School would attend the new school, as would Jordan-Small Middle School students from Raymond.

“We are currently calling this project the new Windham Raymond Middle School,” Howell said. “The project is being designed for a capacity of 1,200 students.”

He said RSU 14 is still in the process of finalizing the conceptual drawings for the new building with the Maine Department of Education.

“The final concept will be brought back to the community for another straw poll vote in August,” Howell said. “After the vote, the concept will go to the full State School Board for final approval. Once approved, the project can go to referendum.”

Lavallee Brensinger Company of Portland is serving as architects for the construction project and Howell said that the school is being designed to accommodate teams of two to four staff members.

“The teaming structure will give students the feel of being in a smaller school within the larger school. Each team will have spaces that are dedicated to each of the core subject areas,” he said. “In addition, the building will be structured to allow for the integration of some of the applied arts within the team. The development of the team structure will serve to bring the best possible facilities to each team. In contrast, the original Windham Junior High School, now Windham Middle School was built as a departmentalized Junior High School.”

According to Howell, within the current teaming structure, only some classrooms have access to lab classrooms as part of science classes.

“At Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond, the building was originally designed as an elementary school. When the building was repurposed as a middle school, two science labs were created to serve students in four different grades,” he said. “The new building will also incorporate the newer state guidelines for room sizes. Many of the classrooms at WMS are significantly undersized when compared to current standards.”

The original Windham Middle School was built in 1977 and intended for a capacity of 483 students. That number has grown in the last year to 636 students, with sixth graders being housed for some classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, originally constructed in 1949.

RSU 14 first applied for the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program in 2016 for funding for construction and was ranked as the fifth-highest priority among 74 proposed school construction projects statewide each year before eventually gaining approval in March 2021.

Once a district applies for funding, Maine Department of Education reviews and rates the projects based upon need. The State Board of Education then funds as many projects from the list as available debt limit funds allow. Working with the State Board of Education, Maine DOE establishes both size and financial limits on projects.

“The program is highly competitive as a positive rating in the process can lead to significant financial savings for school districts,” Howell said. “A majority of construction costs for school projects selected through this program will be covered by the state.”

Local school districts may exceed these limits at local expense through municipal bonds, but the state bears the major financial burden of capital costs for approved school construction projects. As such, Maine DOE first looks at the possibility of renovations or renovations with additions and new school construction projects are only considered in instances in which renovation projects are not economically or educationally feasible.

More than 132 potential 35-plus acre sites were originally identified for review by the RSU 14 WMS Building Committee and then ranked according to transportation accessibility, utility availability, environmental impact, and a range of other factors.

Howell said the state is paying roughly 80 percent of the cost of the project.

“The Middle School Construction Committee is recommending additional items to the project that will result in additional local cost,” he said. “Some of the additions include additional parking, a 600-seat auditorium, additional bleacher seating, a larger gym, walking track, and outdoor classrooms. The estimated cost at this point in the project is $140 million in state subsidized construction and $38 million in local additional costs. Again, the costs are preliminary, and we continue to refine the budget. It is also important to note that Windham will be responsible for roughly 80 percent of the $38 million and Raymond will be responsible for roughly 20 percent. 

The new school is expected to be open by Fall 2027. <

Amazon Prime adds television series filmed in Lakes Region

By Ed Pierce

Justin Fortin’s dream of having his television drama filmed in Maine and using an all-New England cast to finally reach a much larger audience has come true. Amazon is currently airing the first season of “Hearts of New England” and will also add the second season of the series sometime this summer.

A television series filmed at locations in and around the
Lakes Region of Maine is now airing on Amazon Prime.
Shown in a scene from Season 1 of the 'Hearts of New
England' series are, from left, Caitlynn McCauley, Justin
Fortin and Kris Salvi. COURTESY PHOTO 

Fortin hopes that eventually Amazon will show all five planned seasons for the series that he created in 2018 and has been filmed at locations around Sebago Lake, including at beaches in both Windham and Raymond and scenes at various Lakes Region locations such as at the Windham Barber Shop on Roosevelt Trail and at other places in Maine.

“People across Maine have been very good at letting us film at their locations, especially at restaurants,” Fortin said. “We’ve been fortunate to be able to do that in the Lakes Region and in Auburn and Oxford.”

An actor, model, writer, and producer, Fortin owns Maine Event Films, and said that many of 70 to 80 cast members and production crew for the television series was found through local theater groups.

“Many of the actors are people who’ve done theater and community plays before,” he said. “But in filming year-round as we do for this series, a lot of people have jobs and it’s tough to get them during the week. We try to film whenever we can and accommodate their schedules.”

According to Fortin, the “Hearts of New England” series has been very popular with Maine viewers since its inception, originally airing on Great Falls TV, which can be found when subscribing to Maine Event Films on You Tube. But that audience will grow substantially as more viewers watch the series on Amazon Prime, which is nationwide.

Married and the father of five children, Fortin was born in Lewiston and attended high school in Poland. He started acting professionally in 2016 after auditioning and landing a role in the film “Paper City Burnout” and came up with the idea to create “Hearts of New England” several years later. He’s also had leading roles in several other films and has directed a vampire film called “My Co-Worker is a Vampire.”

He currently is employed as a benefits specialist at Unum and films “Hearts of New England” when he can fit it into his busy schedule.

Whatever he’s doing with the television series though is working and it has connected with audiences, picking up 119 IMDB awards so far and the production has been honored as a selection for film and television festivals in more than 50 different countries and in many different U.S. states.

“We plan on having the world premiere for the third season of ‘Hearts of New England’ next March in Windham at Smitty’s Cinema,” Fortin said. “They have hosted the premieres of the first and second seasons there previously and the reception we’ve received there has been great.”

So far, a total of four complete seasons of the series have been filmed, but only two have aired on You Tube. Episodes for Season Five of “Hearts of New England” are currently in the process of filming.

As far as being added to the Amazon Prime lineup goes, Fortin said that he’s thrilled to have the Maine series to be included among the shows that the network airs.

“It’s certainly a much larger audience for ‘Hearts of New England’ and something we’re very grateful for,” he said. “They’ve made it so viewers can watch the entire first season in one setting without commercials.”

By mid-July, the second season of the series is expected to air on Amazon Prime with subsequent seasons to be added eventually and available for viewers and subscribers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

“Hearts of New England” is about a military veteran, played by Fortin, who comes home to Maine trying to find peace from war but shortly after his arrival back home, he’s reminded that his father is connected to the mob. He’s also caught in a love triangle between characters played by Caitlynn McCauley and Kris Salvi, and it seems like his quest for peace in his life turns out to be a never-ending war. <

New monument to honor service of Windham Public Safety members

By Ed Pierce

Every day, the men and women of Windham’s public safety departments deliver assistance to the public when emergencies arise, extinguish dangerous fires, and provide residents with 24-hour protection. That commitment and dedication to the community is about to be recognized through a unique monument that will stand for years in the town.

Windham Fire/Rescue Chief Brent Libby, left, and Windham
Police Chief Kevin Schofield review a drawing of the new
Windham Public Safety Monument that be unveiled and 
dedicated at the Windham Public Safety Building on
Sept. 12. The monument recognizes the service,
dedication and commitment of fire, rescue, dispatchers and 
law enforcement personnel working in Windham over the
decades. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE   

The new Windham Public Safety Monument will be a lasting way to recognize the contributions that police officers and firefighters have made to the town through decades of service and will be unveiled and dedicated in a ceremony at Windham’s Public Safety Building on Gray Road on Sept. 12. It is intended as a lasting tribute to anyone who has served as a member of the Fire/Rescue, Police, Rescue Association, or as a dispatcher for the Town of Windham and will be surrounded by special brick pavers making up the courtyard around the monument.

The monument itself is black granite and will stand 6 feet in height with white lettering and containing the logos of the Windham Police and the Windham Fire/Rescue Departments. There will be space to memorialize the names of police officers or firefighters should they perish in the line of duty in the future but the main intention behind creation of the memorial is to honor those who work or have worked in public safety positions here.

Windham Police Chief Kevin Schofield said he’s proud of the efforts that have been made to bring this project to fruition.

“This is something we’ve worked hard at over the past few years,” Schofield said. “This recognizes service to the community, and it means a lot to me and to the members of the police department.”

Planning for the new monument began several years ago when construction of a $4.3 million expansion of the Windham Public Safety Building opened.

Windham Fire/Rescue Chief Brent Libby pointed out that that back when the old Public Safety Building for the town was first built in 1988, none of the town’s firefighters were full-time staff members and Windham only had about 15 police officers on duty. He said that through the decades as Windham has grown, the town now employs four full-time firefighter-paramedics, 12 full-time firefighter EMTs, four full-time shift captains, two full-time deputy chiefs, 1 fulltime fire-rescue administrative coordinator, and a fulltime fire-rescue chief, along with per diem and call company members. And Windham’s police force has also doubled in size to 30 officers.

“Certainly, in terms of numbers, past members, volunteers, and call company members, hundreds of individuals have served with the Windham Fire Department,” Libby said. “The hope is we never have to put a name on the monument, but it acknowledges all of their service to this community.”

He said that the monument will serve as a permanent reminder of those who have worked through the years to keep the town safe.

Eight paver stones have been sold to this point and will be dedicated to past or current members of the Windham Police Department, Windham Fire Department, dispatchers, or other Windham public safety personnel.

A few more paver stones are available and may be purchased for the Public Safety Building courtyard for $120. Past members or their families can purchase a paver with the member’s name and years of service on the pavers. To purchase a paver stone or to offer a donation for the monument, call Nancy Graves at 207-892-1911.

The monument itself is being funded by the Town of Windham although any business or supporter offering a donation, regardless of amount, would be greatly appreciated, Libby and Schofield said.

Donations can be sent to Town of Windham Public Safety Memorial Fund, 375 Gray Road, Windham, ME 04062. Those making donations are reminded to make checks payable to Windham Fire/Rescue Department.

Schofield said that in addition to the monument several family members of former law enforcement officers here in the past have donated items including leather gear and a service revolver to the Windham Police Department dating from the time of their service in Windham. Those items will be enshrined in a special display on the second floor of the Public Safety Building along with a plaque dedicated to their service to the community. <

Taking checkered flag in first ACT race lands Windham racer in record books

By Ed Pierce

Windham’s Brandon Barker joined some prestigious auto racers when he entered the record book by winning his first race on the American Canadian Tour at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire on May 21. Barker, 26, is only one of three drivers to win in their first ACT start, with the late Dale Earnhardt and DJ Kennington being the only others to accomplish that feat.

Brandon Barker of Windham won his first 
race on the ACT Tour at Lee USA Speedway
in New Hampshire on May 21. He entered
the record books along with the late Dale
Earnhardt and Canadian driver DJ
Kennington as the only drivers to win
an ACT race in their only ACT start.
PHOTO BY ALAN WARD

Barker is currently in the middle of a busy 2023 racing schedule that includes 35 races running from March through November. He’s been racing mostly super late cars but chose to enter the ACT’s New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 race driving a late model car at Lee USA Speedway and defeated 24 other drivers to claim the checkered flag there.

He took the wheel of the Sullivan Construction 0NH car to the pole position in the ACT race with current top rookie Andrew Molleur to his outside after both earned prime racing positions in preliminary heats. Barker grabbed the early lead and then regained it late in the race. He traded first place back and forth with driver Jimmy Renfrew until lap 145 when Renfrew spun out. With just five laps remaining, Barker held off a challenge from driver Gabe Brown to earn his first American Canadian Tour victory in just his first and only start on the ACT Tour. In winning, Barker joined an elite list of ACT winners in their only start which includes Earnhardt’s victory at Cayuga Motor Speedway in Ontario in 1983 and longtime NASCAR Pinty’s Canadian Series standout Kennington who won at the Lee USA Speedway in 2004.

“What I love about racing is the competition part of it mostly,” Barker said. “But also having a good group of crew guys going to the races, they make it fun. The challenges I’ve found about racing professionally have got to be the money aspect of it. It’s so dang expensive. I’m extremely grateful I got a good group of sponsors and people backing me.”

His start in racing came when Barker was 5 just turning 6 in 2003 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway’s go-karting series. His grandfather obtained a couple of go-karts for Barker and his cousin to race there, and it prompted Barker to go on and pursue an auto racing career outside of his day job working for the Maine Turnpike Authority.

“Right now, I’m racing Super Late Models basically every weekend. And late model a few times,” he said. “I race on the Pro All Star series for Sam Snow, the Granite State Pro stock series, and the NASCAR weekly series Pro stocks at Lee USA Speedway for Archie St. Hilare, and a few American Canadian Tour Late Models for Chad Sullivan.”

He’s raced in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina and his sponsors include DLM Property Care, NLM Custom Homes, Keen Parts, Corvette Parts, Sam Snow Construction, CBS Lobster, R.N. Craft, DiRenzo Rentals, and Maietta Towing.

“What I hope to accomplish in my racing career before I am finished is I have yet to win a Pro All Star series race. I really want to do that, it’s the only series I have raced in where I haven’t won,” Barker said. “If it happens and not at Oxford, then winning the Oxford 250 would be one because that’s my favorite race and one of the biggest races in the country. The most challenging track I’ve raced on has got to be the Thompson Speedway in Thompson, Connecticut. I have no idea why I’m terrible there, it’s a high bank of 5/8 mile with long straightaways. It’s the second fastest track we go to. Speed doesn’t bother me but I’m just not very good there.”

According to Barker, Maine has many great drivers like Mike Rowe, Ben Rowe, and Joey Doiron because of the abundance of great racetracks in the state.

“Beech Ridge is closed now but I think that flat tracks are the toughest tracks to get a handle on and if you do, you go to places with banking,” he said. “It helps your car’s handling usually, so if your good at the flat tracks you can usually go anywhere and be competitive.”

He credits other auto racers from Windham for giving him confidence and offering sound advice about racing when needed.

“Support from others in Windham comes from friends like Brad Babb and Bobby Timmons,” Barker said. “They’re older than me so they were always a step ahead. I looked up to them and would ask their advice. Whether it was good advice or not, it seems to have worked out.”

Barker’s girlfriend, Sara Wear, has a brother and father who also race, so she is used to the competitive aspect of the sport and tries to attend as many of Barker’s races whenever possible.

His next race is scheduled for Saturday, June 3 at Riverside Speedway in Northumberland, New Hampshire for the Granite State pro stock series and then on Sunday, June 4, he’ll compete at Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine in the Pro All Star series.

But if he doesn’t win any further races this year, Barker will remember 2023 for his history making victory in the ACT New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150.

“First, you never forget your first win, that is the most satisfying feeling, winning your first one,” he said. “But winning your first touring race feels great because it proves you can do it and you belong to be out there.” <

Summerfest celebration draws closer in Windham

By Ed Pierce

Get ready to have fun as the 2023 Windham Summerfest celebration returns on Saturday, June 24 to the grounds of Windham High School.

Sandy Donnelly of Windham, left, who operated the Red
Sands Restaurant in town for many years, has been selected
as the Grand Marshal of the 2023 Windham Summerfest,
while retired Windham Police Captain Bill Andrew, right,
who served the community for more than three decades,
has been selected as the 2023 Modern Woodmen of
America Hometown Hero. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Windham Summerfest is an annual event that honors and celebrates the rich history and people of the Town of Windham and fosters a sense of community. It’s entirely free and features live music, interesting activities, craft vendors, food booths and much more. Summerfest’s theme for 2023 is “A Little Bit of Everything,” and a quick review of featured attractions and activities reveals that’s an accurate summary of what participants will experience at this year’s celebration.

Deb Matthews is the chair of Windham’s Summerfest Committee and said that she feels Summerfest is so popular in the community because the committee focuses on making it family friendly.

“I want you to come to Summerfest with your grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and kids of all ages,” she said. “I want you to have fun, be engaged by the activities we offer, and leave with a smile on your face. By making all activities free, a family can come together and enjoy themselves without the thought of cost.”

According to Matthews, the hardest part of putting Summerfest together each year for the committee is making sure that they are making it better than the last.

“I do not want to repeat year after year. I feel like adding new activities or demonstrations will keep it fresh for all of us,” she said.

Matthews said a partial list of entertainment and activities for Summerfest in 2023 includes Escape Rooms; a 24-foot Rock Wall for climbing; The Lost & Found Band; a Dance Demonstration by members of the Maine Dance Center; the Radio Revival Band; a Golf Ball Drop; the Stone Broke Band; the Cousin ITT Band; Roaming Magician Phil Smith; a Meet and Greet with the Princesses and Heroes; the annual Summerfest 3v3 basketball tournament; Juggler Jason Tardy; the
Party Palooga balloonists; and Mr. Drew and his Animals Too. The day of fun wraps up with a fireworks extravaganza after dark.

Matthews said she has a hard time selecting her personal favorite booth to visit every year.

“There are so many I look forward to visiting each year. I love the crafter/vendor booths for their creativity and talents,” Matthews said. “I anxiously wait to see what the business booths will do for an activity at their booth to engage me.”

She said the Summerfest food booths are always a surprise.

“I never know what to expect and the food is always delicious,” Matthews said. “The community booths share how they are working to improve our communities and make it fun at the same time. I have made many lifelong friends from the people that participated in previous events and wouldn't change a thing.”

As in years past, the annual Summerfest Parade will kick things off for the day, starting at about Lotts Drive and then running up Route 202 (Gray Road) and ending in the WHS parking lot. Awards will be given for Best Depiction of the 2023 Theme: “A Little Bit of Everything” with award recipients receiving gift cards.

During the Windham Town Council meeting on May 23, Matthews shared with those in attendance the names of this year’s Summerfest Grand Marshal and the Modern Woodmen of America Hometown Hero.

Matthews said that the Grand Marshal must be a Windham resident and must demonstrate how they bring unity to the community and likewise, the Modern Woodmen choose the Windham Hometown Hero annually based upon similar ideals. Nominations were submitted earlier this year and the response from those nominating individuals to be honored this year was overwhelming, Matthews told town councilors.

This year’s Modern Woodmen Hometown Hero is retired Windham Police Captain Bill Andrew, a lifelong Windham resident, who retired from the Windham Police Department last September after three decades of serving and protecting the residents of the town.

Andrew graduated from Windham High School in 1992 and while attending school he was a member of the Junior Firefighters. After graduation he worked as a dispatcher for the police department for three years before deciding to become a police officer. He was the driving force in starting the canine unit for WPD under Chief Rick Lewsen. Through the years, Andrew also put many dangerous criminals behind bars, helped find lost children and led the charge each year for fundraising for the Maine Special Olympics, helping to organize the Windham portion of the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics.

“I want to take a moment to reflect on what it means to not only be nominated as Windham’s Hometown Hero, but to have been chosen. This honor is truly humbling,” Andrew said. “When I embarked on my public safety journey, I wanted to give back to the community that I grew up in. As a Windham High School student, I started my path as a junior firefighter and EMT and I started to realize that giving to the community was rewarding and fulfilling. After high school, I continued to serve the community as a dispatcher and then a police officer. I was fortunate to have the opportunities, the trust and support of the Town of Windham throughout my 33 years serving the community, the businesses, the residents, and the visitors. I saw the town grow throughout that time and watch now from the sidelines as it continues to grow.”

Andrw said that he went through his career never thinking he was a hero, but just someone who was upholding their duty to serve and give back to the community.

“It is an honor to be chosen as the Hometown Hero because it is also honoring those who I have served with over my career. There are many heroes among us. The honor is not just receiving the award and recognition, but to have worked with and alongside the men and women that I had the honor and privilege to work with over those 33 years. I am truly humbled and honored. Thank you.”

Matthews said this year’s Summerfest Grand Marshal is Sandy Donnelly, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday. Along with her husband and three children, she ran a local restaurant in Windham for 22 years and was involved in the restaurant business in town for more than 50 years.

Donnelly is well-known for her oatmeal bread and lemon meringue pie, but even more so locally for her generosity and willingness to help others. She was a Girl Scout Leader, a Boy Scout Leader, was involved in the Windham Athletic Boosters raising money to create the first lighted soccer field in Windham, and active in the Windham Chamber of Commerce. She was honored as the chamber’s “Businessperson of the Year” in 1984.

According to Matthews, Donnelly would always be there to help if an organization needed to raise money, opening her family’s restaurant for a fundraising dinner or to offer to help cook for a fundraiser at one of the schools.

Her friend and former employee, Barb Maurais, said this honor for Donnelly is greatly deserved.

“The family has been a fixture in the Windham community for over 50 years. They employed and supported hundreds of local students at their restaurant,” Maurais said. “She is a giver, from Scout leader, Athletic Boosters, Chamber of Commerce director, to the hostess with the most-est at Rustler's Restaurant, She has always been a doer, an organizer, and Windham's ambassador sharing her kind heart, that twinkle in her eye, and joyous laugh with every new friend that she meets, And her baking, lemon meringue pie, tapioca pudding, that whipped cream, and who could forget the legendary Oatmeal Bread. She exemplifies bringing unity to the community with every interaction.”

When Donnelly’s family shared the news with her that she will be honored as this year’s Summerfest Grand Marshal, Matthews said that Donnelly was speechless, and later as it began to sink in, she started practicing her pageant wave for the parade.

Along with all the other Summerfest activities, one of the most popular events is returning once again this year.

The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Community Golf Ball Drop is back, with golf balls sold by the Sebago Lake Chamber of Commerce for $10 each, and a total of 1,000 golf balls available. The golf balls will be dropped from a Windham Fire Department Ladder Truck during Summerfest at 3 p.m. with the winner receiving 20 percent of the amount collected. If all golf balls are sold, the winner would receive $2,000 cash. Additional prizes will also be awarded. Proceeds from the golf ball drop will benefit the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Charitable Trust for Feed the Need, helping provide for 12 food pantries across the Lakes Region. Winners will be announced at Summerfest at 7 p.m. and golf balls may be purchased in advance by visiting https://www.sebagolakeschamber.com/cal-event/community-golf-ball-drop/ or by calling the chamber at 207-892-8265.

The Windham Summerfest Committee has been working on this year’s celebration since last June and its members include Deb Matthews (chair), Tommy Matthews (entertainment), Barb Maurais (vendors/crafters). Jacob Chouinard (3v3 basketball), and at-large members Tiffany Sinclair, Karen Rumo, Aaron Pieper, and Camille Swander. <

Windham EMT receives prestigious Red Cross honor

By Ed Pierce

Rob Parritt of Windham shares an undeniable bond with Windham Fire Rescue Emergency Medical Technician Dustin Andrews and because of it, Parritt is alive today.

The life of Windham resident Rob Parritt, left, was saved on
Jan. 24 by Windham Fire Rescue EMT Dustin Andrew, who
was off duty at the time. Andrew was presented with a 
Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action
at the Windham Town Council meeting on Tuesday night.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Back on Jan. 24 of this year, Andrews was off duty and traveling home near the Windham and Gorham town line when he observed a vehicle ahead of him driving erratically. Suddenly a bystander appeared in the middle of the road and waved Andrews down, telling him that the erratic driver had accelerated, left the roadway, and crashed into a snowbank.

Parritt says that he was on his way to work that night and remembers very little of that entire day. But what happened to him was he suffered cardiac arrest and passed out, crashing his vehicle.

When Andrews realized what had happened, he radioed for assistance and when approaching the crash scene, he discovered that Parritt was turning different colors inside the vehicle. He realized that Parritt was not breathing and required immediate medical attention. With the help of the bystander, Andrews broke out a window in the vehicle and the two of them pulled Parritt out. Andrews initiated CPR and continued it for about eight to 10 minutes before paramedics arrived at the site to take over and transport Parritt to the hospital.

Because of his training, bravery, ability to perform CPR and quick thinking, Parritt survived the incident and was taken to the hospital, where he spent about a week recovering from the harrowing ordeal. Hospital doctors implanted a defibrillator to monitor his heart rate and put a pacemaker in his chest to stabilize his heartbeat to keep it from beating too slowly and going again into cardiac arrest.

“I got to meet Dustin about two weeks later,” Parritt said. “I know how lucky I am to be here and how thankful I am that Dustin was there that night.”

Parritt is married with three children and eight grandchildren and attended the Windham Town Council meeting on Tuesday night where Andrews was presented with a Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action for his lifesaving efforts by Steve Thomas, Executive Director of the Red Cross of Southern Maine.

Thomas pointed out that a medical emergency can happen at any time and that quick action by a bystander can be the difference sometimes between life and death. He said that performing CPR during the first few minutes of cardiac arrest can double or even triple someone’s likelihood of survival.

In typical situations like this, Thomas said that any one of us could find ourselves as a victim, and any one of us could find ourselves as a bystander.

“Thanks to his training and fortitude, Dustin was able to be the bystander we all hope comes to our aid, and the bystander we should all aspire to be,” Thomas said. “Dustin succeeded in fulfilling the mission of the American Red Cross, to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies. He saved a life, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and his neighbor. May we all possess Dustin’s strength, courage, and lifesaving skills if ever they are needed.”

According to Thomas, it was his great privilege to present Andrews with a lifesaving award.

“His courage, bravery and training are something that we all can aspire to,” Thomas said. “You never know when you may also need to save a life. Dustin’s quick thinking, his bravery and his CPR skills are the reason Rob is with us at this ceremony tonight.”

Four months later, Parritt said he is feeling much better now and that he just can’t say enough good things about Andrews and all the Windham Fire and Rescue paramedics and public safety personnel who came to his rescue that night.

“These are simple outstanding young people,” he said. “And in Dustin’s case, I cannot ever thank him enough. “Not everybody would have stopped to help that night. He did.”

Andrews said that he was humbled to receive the award from the Red Cross and that it was presented with many of Parritt’s family in attendance at the council meeting.

“I’m happy he’s here and happy he made it,” Andrews said. “When you get right down to it, lifesaving is the reason why we do this.” <

In the public eye: Wescott to leave legacy of positivity at Windham Middle School

Editor’s note: This is another in an ongoing series of Windham and Raymond town employee profiles.

By Ed Pierce

Somewhere early in his teaching career, Bill Wescott learned that by being positive and helping his students to succeed, he too could succeed. It’s a philosophy that’s worked for Wescott for 46 years in his career, one that draws to a close with his retirement on June 16.

Bill Wescott will retire from teaching at Windham Middle
School after 46 years on June 16. During his long career as
an educator, Wescott has taught between 4,000 and 5,000
students by his estimation. He is the son of the late former
Arlington School Principal Robert Wescott and his wife,
Jean, who was also a teacher. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

He began his teaching career as a substitute with a long-term assignment filling in from November 1976 to June 1977 at Field-Allen School and then landed a permanent job at the newly built Windham Middle School when it first opened that fall. Wescott has been there ever since, teaching History and Social Studies to eighth grade students, although this year shifting over to teaching seventh graders Language Arts and History. By his own estimate, he’s now taught between 4,000 and 5,000 students in his classroom and says that he’s had the best job in the world.

As the son of two teachers, Jean and Robert Wescott, he grew up in Windham and graduated from Windham High School in 1972. He returned to town after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maine at Orono and credits Gary Moore, his first principal at WMS, as seeing something in him and offering him a job that has now lasted nearly five decades. During his long teaching career, Wescott has worked for five principals at WMS, including Moore, who was an English teacher when he attended Windham High and then later served as the Windham Schools Superintendent.

“To me, this is the best job in the world,” Wescott said. “No two days are alike. There’s a lot of energy in this place and the students really haven’t changed a lot. Some of the technology we use to teach them has changed and made it much more kid friendly.”

From 1977 to 1998, Wescott also served as a coach for three different sports, coaching girls’ JV soccer, middle school girls’ basketball and JV softball, with one season spent as the Windham High varsity softball coach. In the classroom, he’s helped students explore the history of America up through the War between the States era, although now he just covers from about the French Indian War in the 1700s up to the Civil War.

What makes him an exceptional classroom teacher is his innate skill of relating to his students.

“I have the ability to connect with the shy and quiet kids and bring them out of their shells,” he said. “Patience is so important for a teacher, especially since so many kids fell behind during COVID.”

Many of his former students have gone on to become teachers themselves, including more than a dozen alone at WMS this year.

According to Wescott, the thing he will miss the most about teaching is interacting with the kids.

“You have to expend a lot of energy to keep up with them,” Wescott said. “And it’s not easy trying to keep them energized. We’re teaching them what they need to know but also what they want to know.”

Of his siblings growing up, Wescott said that he is the only one of three boys and a girl in his family to follow in his parents’ footsteps and become a teacher.

“For some reason they didn’t want to do that,” he said. “In fact, most people don’t want to be a teacher.”

Through the years Wescott has had generations of students, who easily recognize him at the grocery store or while out shopping in Windham.

“One time a mother and a student walked by me, and the mother got this look on her face that she instantly remembered me,” he said. “Later that student told me his mother said she couldn’t believe that I was still teaching. She told him ‘Mr. Wescott was old when I had him.’”

His plans for retirement are to work as a substitute if needed in the fall. His mother is now 90 and he expects he’ll spend some time helping her too.

“I’ll figure it out,” Wescott said. “I always said I’ll know when it’s time to retire and it’s time. I have a cat and I’d like to travel and work on some hobbies.”

His advice for those wanting to follow his career path as an educator is simple.

“Students don’t remember what you taught them but how you made them feel,” Wescott said. “Be positive, make them feel good about what they can do and give them confidence.” <

Windham triathlete to represent U.S. at world finals in Spain

By Ed Pierce

Known as one of the most grueling athletic competitions ever conceived, those who compete in the Ironman Triathlon are tested by a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a marathon 26.22-mile run completed in that order for a total of 140.6 miles. Many of the top Ironman competitors internationally will gather for the 2023 World Triathlon Olympic finals in Pontevedra, Spain in September and among those elite athletes will be Dr. Denise Allen of Windham.

Dr. Denise Allen of Windham will compete in the 2023
World Triathlon Olympic finals in Pontevedra, Spain in
September as a first-time member of Team USA. She picked
up the sport after being involved in an accident 10 years ago.
COURTESY PHOTO   

Allen qualified as a participant for Team USA at the USAT Nationals in Milwaukee Wisconsin in August 2022 and it will be her first time competing as a member of Team USA.

How she came to be involved in Ironman and Triathlon competitions in the first place is an unusual story though.

“In 2013, I was hit by an SUV in Windham while out on a long training ride. The crash left me with a fractured sacrum, multiple soft tissue injuries and a mild traumatic brain injury,” Allen said. “After weeks in the hospital, months of brain rehab, surgery, and years of physical therapy, I was ready to race competitively again in 2020. The pandemic pushed pause on that plan but provided an opportunity to amplify joy in sport. In 2022, I launched an aggressive race season, resulting in the title of Ironman All World Athlete, qualifying for and racing in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in St. George, Utah, as well as qualifying for Team USA.”

Born in Portland, Allen grew up on her family’s farm in West Cumberland, learning the core values of working hard, doing what you love and being of service to others at a young age. Her extended family still maintains the original Allen Farm off Swett Road in Windham. U.S. Marine Corp Sgt., Jim Allen, the first Windham resident killed in action during World War II and for whom the Field-Allen School was named, is a distant relative.

CAREER

She’s lived in Windham for the past 14 years. Previously, Allen graduated from Greely High School in Cumberland in 1989 and attended Columbia University in New York City, where she earned a Doctorate degree in Health Education specializing in health behavior and positive psychology. Allen has spent 25 years active duty as a call company and paid per diem national registry paramedic, and a ProBoard certified firefighter for the Towns of Windham, Naples, Cumberland, Falmouth. She’s wrapping up her 29th year as a National Board-Certified Health and Science Educator for students in grades 7 to 12 with 25 of those years teaching at Greely High School and four years as an American College of Sports Medicine Personal Trainer and Wellcoach.

Originally a marathon runner who competed in multiple Boston Marathons, Allen transitioned to triathlons in 2010 and that’s how she came to be involved in Ironman competitions.

“I compete in all triathlon distances, but prefer long course triathlon,” Allen said. “I have completed three full Ironmans, 15 half-Ironmans, and numerous sprint and Olympic- distance races. I am currently focusing on the 70.3 (half-Ironman) triathlon distance of 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 run. The 70.3 distance allows for work-life balance, and I can be competitive.”

She said that triathlon training is her keystone habit because it sets in motion a series of other health enhancing behaviors such as nutrition, sleep, and time spent outside.

“Training promotes the release of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. These neurotransmitters create the biology of joy that enables me to show up as my best self in work and with friends and family,” Allen said. “The most challenging aspect is time management. I often say work gets in the way of my workouts. Time training for a triathlon is the equivalent of a part-time job. Sometimes it's hard to find a balance. On those days I have to give myself the grace to say, ‘training may not be what I want today, but it's ‘good enough.’ I’ve learned to embrace the 80/20 rule when life gets busy and to complete 80 percent of the training goals for the week. The key to getting results is consistency and commitment to the small stuff and these two behaviors are not mutually exclusive. It is generally the attention to this small stuff, such as strength, physical therapy exercises, nutrition, and ice baths that help to keep me consistent in my training.’”

According to Allen, before her bike accident, she would have said that running was her favorite and her top strength of the three disciplines, but post-accident, ironically, biking has become her genuine strength as she is an average swimmer.

“80 percent of my training is completed on a treadmill, in a pool, and on a bike trainer,” she said. “It’s safer inside. Training inside means that I can focus on the workout, the metrics, and nutrition without the worry of getting hit by a distracted or agitated driver.”

WORKOUTS

Now in training for the 2023 World Triathlon Olympic finals in Spain, Allen starts each day at 3:30 a.m. completing her morning workouts in her basement before work.

“After work there may be a second workout,” she said. “I complete mobility exercises every day with strength and conditioning two to three times a week. Weekends are for long workouts and double or ‘brick’ workouts. I try to get outside on my bike before everyone gets on the roads. Windham roads are very busy, and many do not have bike or pedestrian-designated lanes. Fortunately, my peak training occurs during summer vacation, giving me the flexibility to train with others and in different locations.”

The seed of her passion for an athletic lifestyle was planted in Allen at a young age, growing up on the family farm.

“Farm life gave me a strong sense of why functional health and fitness are so important and an abundant appreciation for nature. I was my absolute happiest running around barefoot in nature. This passion fueled my participation in cross-country running in middle and high school,” she said. “Later, this same passion inspired me to explore studies in natural sciences, health education, health behavior and positive psychology. These studies put into context what I had inherently known since childhood: an active, natural-life style is medicine that heals, facilitates joy, and promotes longevity.”

She says she’s excited to travel to Spain representing the U.S. in the 2023 World Triathlon Olympic finals. The athletes who will represent the U.S. in Spain have to pay their own expenses, and so Allen is now actively raising funds for travel, lodging, bike transport, uniforms, nutrition, insurance, and the Team USA and World Triathlon fees. Anyone wishing to help can contact Allen at drdeniseallen@gmail. com for a link about how to contribute, as a gofundme has been set up. Search Team USA - Triathlete to find the link. People can also follow her journey to Spain on Instagram at drdeniseallen.

But most of all, Allen says she’s grateful to have the opportunity to compete.

The triathlon community is full of high frequency humans that inspire me. It works because we share a similar training and sleep schedule, early to bed, early to rise,” she said. “Racing is an opportunity to meet people from all over the world and make new friends. I have met so many amazing people during my travels. I am inspired by all of them. I also love exploring and racing in the variety of natural landscapes.” <

Rescue dog melts hearts of foster family while waiting for permanent home

By Ed Pierce

A Windham resident who fosters dogs through a Maine-based rescue group is hoping that a pooch saved from euthanasia in Florida last fall can find a permanent home soon.

Sissy, a 3-year-old bulldog mix, arrived in Windham last
September for what was expected to be a short stay with
foster parents while awaiting adoption. She still is
available and seeking a permanent home through the 
Maine-based Fetching Hope Rescue organization.
PHOTO BY LIA BENSLEY

Since 2020, Robyn Sullivan has been fostering rescue dogs with Fetching Hope Rescue, which focuses on bringing adoptable dogs up from the south to find loving homes in New England. In three years, Sullivan has fostered 16 different dogs, all of which have been placed in loving homes, until Sissy, a 3-year-old bulldog mix with some pointer traits, arrived last September.

“We can only bring up as many dogs as we have fosters available and most dogs are adopted in the first 30 days,” Sullivan said. “Our usual methods of finding adopters don't seem to be working for this girl.”

According to Sullivan, Sissy, also known as Sassy, is a sweet, gentle girl who is content to hang out while you work or snuggle on the couch watching television. She also enjoys walks, playing and a good rope chew.

“We think she's being overlooked because she's older at age 3, but we see her age as a positive,” Sullivan said. “She's house trained, crate trained and has a decent handle on the basics such as sit, come, bed, wait, leave it. She is a bit shy at first, especially with men, but she does come around if you work with her. We have also been working with her on her reactivity with other dogs and small animals. Some dogs she clicks with right away. She would do best in a quieter home with older children or would be a great companion to someone who works from home or is retired. She's the right fit for someone, she just needs some additional exposure to find them.”

Prior to fostering Sissy, the longest dog that Sullivan had to foster was for about a month. She averages about a two-week stay for fosters which makes Sissy’s plight so unusual.

“When Sissy first arrived, she was nervous and shy. It can take her a bit to warm up to people, but once she's comfortable she's a love bug who isn't afraid to let you know what she wants,” Sullivan said. “We didn't like calling her Sissy because of her nervousness but didn't want to completely change her name so we started calling her Sassy. She sometimes lives up to that nickname. Toward the end of work one day, I was on a call and she was ready to go out and play. I told her she had to wait, and she barked back at me. The other person on the call noted that it sounded like she was sassing me. I told him that her nickname is Sassy and he agreed it fit.”

Sissy’s days are spent lounging in her office taking a nap or chewing on a toy while she works, Sullivan said.

“We get out a couple times a day to play or chase a treat in the yard. Evenings she spends snuggled up on the couch,” she said. “As soon as I get her bedtime cookie, she heads straight to her crate and is quiet all night. Sissy is generally a quiet girl, though she will let you know with a paw when she wants attention or needs something.”

Using the extra time Sissy has spent in foster care, Sullivan has been working with her on building on the commands she's familiar with and working with her on new skills.

“She has a good handle on 'sit' and is making progress with 'come' and 'leave it.' She is food motivated which helps with her training,” she said. “We met with a trainer in March to get some tips on her reactivity training. She isn't a fan of smaller animals such as cats, and small dogs. She gets along best with male dogs her size or larger. In her first foster home, she was close with one of the male dogs and she's had a couple play dates with a German Shepherd and lab/pit mix that went well. She would definitely need to meet any potential siblings.”

Sullivan lost her own dog last year and she currently doesn't have any other pets at home.

“That was how Sissy came to stay with us. Her first foster home was very active and had other dogs and she was having trouble settling,” she said. “She came to stay with us to help her relax and she's really come a long way.”

The best part of being a foster volunteer is couch snuggles and puppy playtime, Sullivan said.

“I've always liked dogs, and this is a great opportunity to get to play and hang out with a bunch of different dogs and work on my training skills without long term commitment or vet bills,” she said. “I've also met a lot of great people, volunteers and adopters.”

The hardest part of being a foster volunteer for Sullivan is the first few days where the dog is decompressing after transport and getting used to the house.

“Transport can be stressful and then they come into a new environment, with new people and sometimes new animals,” Sullivan said. “Everyone in the house, people and animals, have a heightened sense of awareness. Once they settle, it gets easier.”

Sissy was nearly adopted about a month ago, but that fell through, and Sullivan continues to care for her until a new adopter steps forward.

“She has been around people ages 5 and up. Young kid energy can be too much for her, but she is content to hang out somewhere quiet while they visit,” Sullivan said. “We think she would thrive in a home with older children. She’s adapted well to our 13-year-old and many of his friends or adults. Maybe someone who works from home or retirees. She likes to have her people around. I think a lot of people are wary of adopting an older dog, especially if there has been unknown trauma. It's really rewarding to work with a dog to overcome those issues and I know there are people who are willing to do that work. We just need to find the right one for Sissy.”

Potential adopters for Sissy would need submit an application on the website www.fetchinghope.com. Once received, a representative reaches out to set up reference checks, a virtual home visit and an interview.

“Sissy is a sweet girl and great companion who just wants to be loved,” Sullivan said. “In spite of her issues, she is the easiest foster we've had. She doesn't chew things she's not supposed to, doesn't get into the trash, and will leave you alone if you're snacking on the couch, unless you share, and loves to snuggle.” <

Windham Police Captain Ray Williams retires after decades of service to town

By Ed Pierce

It was tough for Windham Police Department’s Captain Ray Williams to not put on his uniform and report for duty on Tuesday morning, but after more than 37 years of service to the community, Williams officially retired on Monday, May 1.

Captain Ray Williams has officially retired
after spending 37 years as a member of the
Windham Police Department. Hundreds of 
well-wishers and friends turned out to say
thanks and goodbye to Williams during a
special tribute to him on Monday afternoon
at Windham High School. FILE PHOTO     

He grew up in Cumberland and after graduating from Greely High School, Williams attended Southern Maine Community College and earned an Associate of Science degree in law enforcement technology. His first assignment in law enforcement came as a reserve officer for the Windham Police Department and he was hooked. Williams applied for an opening as a full-time police officer in Windham and was hired. His first official day on the job was Sept. 4, 1986.

In March 1987, Williams completed his studies and graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, and he then went on to successfully complete the Drug Recognition Expert School in 1991. At the time of his retirement, Williams is the last active member of the state’s first DRE School in 1991 that was still serving with his police department.

As the years rolled by, Williams logged more than 20 years of service as a member of WPD’s Patrol Division, including 13 years as a motorcycle officer. In that role, Williams stepped up and helped train hundreds of police officers from across Maine in developing expertise in the detection and processing of alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers.

His diligence at protecting Maine motorists and his keen ability to recognize impaired drivers before they could cause harm to others has not been overlooked. Williams was recognized in 2021 by the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety and the Maine Criminal Justice Academy for his lifetime contribution as a Drug Recognition Expert and his devotion to keeping Maine highways safe.

“Ray has taught in most all the DRE schools since 2003 and has taken on a mentorship role helping new DREs as they learn new skills,” said James A. Lyman, Coordinator of Impaired Driving Programs for the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. “For his years of dedicated service and overall contributions in removing impaired drivers from Maine roadways, in addition to his leadership and support for the Maine Drug Recognition Expert program, he was presented with this DRE Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Williams has continued to serve as a certified instructor for the Academy, traveling to Vassalboro when needed to teach officers and academy cadets. He’s led classes in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, drug recognition, operation of the Intoxilyzer 5000ES detection system, and active firearms and urban rifle instruction. Since 2006, Williams has also run the Windham Police Department’s firearms program and has served as the department’s weapons armorer since 1993.

In 1998, Williams helped launch the Windham Police Department’s first motorcycle unit using forfeited assets he helped seize during a traffic stop. The money was taken from a drug courier transporting drugs from Connecticut to Maine. Enough money was seized to fund the department’s motorcycle unit, K-9 program and to purchase other equipment not covered in WPD’s budget.

He accepted an interim detective’s assignment to WPD’s Criminal Investigations Division in 2010 and was awarded the position permanently a year later in 2011. Williams worked on criminal investigations for the department until 2014, when he was promoted to Sergeant and reassigned to the Patrol Division once more as one of two of the department’s Evening Shift Commanders.

He was promoted to the position of Patrol Captain in 2020 and was instrumental in assisting the Windham Police Department’s transition in the construction and expansion of the Windham Public Safety Building on Gray Road last summer.

When it was announced that he would officially be retiring on May 1, hundreds of grateful citizens turned out to thank Williams for his service to the town at a special goodbye ceremony at Windham High School.

Windham Police Chief Kevin Schofield said Williams will be sorely missed.

“Thanks to Captain Williams for your dedicated service to this community, our department and to the law enforcement profession,” he said. “Congratulations Ray on a remarkable career.” <

Windham Odyssey of the Mind team earns a spot in world finals

By Jolene Bailey

Coming in first place in their division, Windham Primary School and Manchester’s combined Odyssey of the Mind team participated in the Nor’easter Tournament at Sanford High School on March 25, landing them invitations to the World Finals.

Windham's combined Odyssey of the Mind team made up
of students from Windham Primary School and Manchester
School won their division in the state competition at
Sanford High School and qualified to compete in the 
World Finals in Michigan in May. From left are Colin
Miller, Ava Rhoads, Cora Miller, Omer the Odyssey Mascot,
Marin Miele, Bryn Johnson, Fynnleigh Mayo, and Celia
Johnson. SUBMITTED PHOTO    

Odyssey of the Mind’s purpose is to educate all students how to use and develop their pure creativity to solve problems of any kind without fear or high confusion. When competing, the team’s goal is to fit all the required pieces into an eight-minute performance skit. From making props, to coming up with lines, teams do it all by themselves.

During practice, students learn and work on their teamwork and being a quick thinker. The strategy of being fast helps them in the long run with verbal and hands-on spontaneous problem solving.

Windham Primary School’s third graders and Manchester School’s fourth and fifth grades had formed a team of seven members to compete in the Odyssey of the Mind competition. The seven student members range in age from 8 to 11.

During these competitions, students can gain a sense of self confidence while grasping an emphasis on public speaking, teamwork, and time management, all of which are important skills, despite their age.

“They performed in the gym in front of a table of judges and audience. Once they completed their performance, we watched some other teams compete that had the same problem as them as well as some other problems. These kids always like seeing what other teams come up with,” said Windham coach Rebecca Miller, who runs this Odyssey of the Mind engaged team and guided their success in their division at the state competition.

Miller said that coaching the team was an enjoyable experience.

“I personally am really connected to this team, other than the fact that two of my kids are on it, I've coached most of them since first grade. So, they've been together and grown quite a bit as a team,” said Miller.

This is Miller’s sixth year coaching in Odyssey of the Mind. Before her, three Windham teams in the past qualified for the world finals. This year’s team will be the fourth.

“The best part of coaching is supporting them through problem solving and watching the super creative solutions they come up with. I can't offer any outside assistance, so what they come up with is all on their own,” said Miller.

With an experienced coach to lead them, this team has shown progress from as early as last year.

“The kids had high hopes as they got third place last year. This year, they were really anxious,” Miller said. “When they called third place, then second place, our stomachs were definitely in knots. When they announced we got first place, I was definitely crying tears of pride - they earned it.”

We all face decision-making every day and sometimes without even realizing it. Solving problems is a skill that anyone at any age has to conquer. For this team to be fully able to attend and participate in the world finals, $14,000 has to be raised for travel expenses, transportation, and registration for the team itself and chaperones.

Windham Primary School has supplied members with registration, t-shirts, and family participation. To raise money, the team has hosted a movie night and a community raffle to help reach their goal. Moving forward, they’re planning to host another movie night and more raffles and a color dash.

“These are ultimately community events that we look forward to having regularly to engage families in school all while raising some money to continue to support Odyssey of the Mind,” said Miller.

Since meetings back in November, this team has formed many bonds and memories in hopes to make it where they are today. Located at Michigan State University, the 2023 World Championships for Odyssey of the Mind will be May 24 to May 27.

To help the team through a donation, checks can be sent to Windham Primary School, Educational Way, Windham, ME 04062, or by sending an email to rmiller@rsu14.org <