Anglers celebrate memorable catches during 25th annual Sebago Lake Ice Fishing Derby

By Ed Pierce

For those devoted to ice fishing, Valentine’s Day Weekend this year was filled with love and joy to participate in their favorite sport once again.

Adam Hamilton won first place in the togue category during
the 25th annual Sebago Lake Ice Fishing Derby by catching
a 17.45-pound, 38.34-inch togue on Saturday, Feb. 14.
SUBMITTED PHOTO    

More than 700 ice fishing enthusiasts registered to compete in the 25th annual Sebago Lake Ice Fishing Derby hosted by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club on Saturday, Feb. 14 and Sunday, Feb. 15. Despite some pressure ridges reported on the lake where the ice expands and forces up a softer area, anglers stayed safe and enjoyed making some memorable catches.

According to Cyndy Bell of the Sebago Lake Rotary Club, the popular ice fishing contest once again proved to be more than just an excuse to get outside for time spent fishing. She said that proceeds from the Ice Fishing Derby benefit local charities and nonprofit organizations that the Rotary Club donates to, including “Feed the Need,” which assists with funding for 12 food pantries in the Lakes Region of Maine.

Bell said the event brings together people from all walks of life, helps forge new friendships among those fishing in the contest and produces great stories to share with their friends and families about their experiences out on the frozen lake.

Besides Sebago Lake, contest participants also fished in the 20-plus remaining lakes and ponds within the weighing area and unlike in recent years, they had adequate ice to ensure safety and found an abundance of perch, pickerel, pike, and togue fish ready to be caught.

“As in years past, participating fishermen continued to donate their catches which were delivered to Nova Seafood to be processed and delivered to assist in feeding the homeless and those facing food insecurity,” Bell said.

Tom Noonan, a Sebago Lake Rotary Club member, is credited with coming up with the concept for the original Rotary Ice Fishing Derby in 2001 in cooperation with the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department.

Since then, the event has grown quite a bit to become the Sebago Lake Rotary Club’s largest annual fundraising initiative and through the years has supported hundreds of charities over the past two decades, with more than $1 million donated to local causes since its inception.

“Under the leadership of Sebago Lake Rotarian Toby Pennels, the derby gained additional national notoriety as one of only four fishing derbies in the United States to be featured in a television program filmed for the National Geographic Channel that aired nationally in June 2014,” Bell said.

Here are the 25th annual Sebago Lake Ice Fishing Derby winners:

· The $5,000 Grand Prize recipient was Chris Hansen.

· Traves Rocket won a half-day guided tour offered by Sebago Sport Fishing.

· Frank Chepke won an Otter Ice Fishing Shelter offered by Sebago Bait.

· The 50/50 raffle winner was John Thomes, who received $1,890.

Adam Hamilton took home the first-place trophy for the Togue category. His togue weighed in at 17.45 pounds and measured 38.34 inches in length.

Second-place in the Ice Fishing derby’s Togue category went to Lance Sistare with a 12.98-pound togue that measured 34 inches in length.

Dave Sheldrick received third place in the derby’s Togue category with a 10.77-pound togue measuring 29.34 inches in length.

In the pickerel category, Brian Rocray won first place was a 3.44 pound, 24 1/8-inch catch.

Ben Carlin was second in the pickerel category with a 3.28 pound, 24-inch catch.

Third place in the pickerel category went to David Dunnells with a 2.95 pound, 23 3/8-inch catch.

Mike Canton took first place in the perch category with a 1.62 pound, 14.7/8-inch catch.

Dan Remmington was second in the perch category with a 1.44 pound, 13.5-inch catch.

Finishing third overall in the perch category with a 1.44 pound, 13.5-inch catch was Jared Terroni.

Among pike catches, Ben Carlin was first with eight, followed in second place by Joe Carlin with six.

Arthur Mullin was third overall in the pike category with five pike caught. <

Sebago Lake Rotary Ice Fishing Derby returning next month

By Ed Pierce

Mark this one on the calendar. The Sebago Lake Rotary Club is once again hosting one of Maine’s most anticipated and beloved winter traditions with the return of the annual Sebago Lake Rotary Ice Fishing Derby on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14 and Feb. 15.

Registration is now open for the
25th Annual Sebago Lake Rotary
Ice Fishing Derby to be held on
Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14 and
Feb. 15. Shown is the 2025 derby's
togue winner Rob Stoodley with
his 9.29 pound, 32.18 inch fish.
Participants may register online at
www.icefishingderby.com
SUBMITTED PHOTO   

This will be the 25th year for the popular event that draws anglers and families from across southern Maine and beyond for a weekend of outdoor recreation, friendly competition, and community giving.

The ice fishing derby is open to participants of all ages and experience levels. The derby allows registered anglers to fish any legal ice fishing waters in Cumberland County, including Sebago Lake and surrounding ponds. In addition to species-based prizes, all registered participants are automatically entered into a $5,000 grand prize cash drawing, even if they do not fish during the weekend.

Tom Noonan, a Sebago Lake Rotary Club member, is credited with coming up with the concept for the Ice Fishing Derby in 2001 in cooperation with the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department.

Since then, the event has grown substantially to become the Sebago Lake Rotary Club’s largest annual fundraising initiative and has supported hundreds of charities over the past two decades, with more than $1 million donated to local causes since its inception.

Registration fees to participate are $25 for individual anglers and $35 for families, which includes up to two adults and four children. Early registration incentives are also offered, with select prizes awarded to those who sign up ahead of the event. Participants may register online through the derby’s official website or by submitting a mail-in registration form prior to the derby weekend.

Any or all of the fish caught during the Sebago Lake Rotary Ice Fishing Derby may be brought to designated weigh stations to be entered into prize drawings.

For 2026, the official weigh stations for 2026 include Raymond Beach, which serves as the primary headquarters station, the Standish Boat Ramp, and at the Jordan Store in Sebago. Fish must be brought into an official weight station during official weigh-in hours, and caught in accordance with all Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife regulations.

Prizes are awarded through the derby’s Fish Pool, which features a wide range of cash awards and gift cards. Categories include prizes for the largest togue (lake trout) by weight and length, most northern pike caught, and largest perch and pickerel. Each fish weighed earns an entry into prize drawings, giving anglers multiple chances to win throughout the weekend.

Beyond the fishing competition, the derby plays an important role in supporting the local Lakes Region of Maine community. Proceeds from the event benefit the Sebago Lake Rotary Club’s charitable initiatives, including Feed the Need, which provides financial assistance to a dozen local food pantries throughout the area.

Another benefit of the Sebago Lake Rotary Ice Fishing Derby is that it also supports fishery management efforts by encouraging the harvest of invasive togue and northern pike and helping maintain healthy fish populations in area lakes. Anglers who donate their catch also help others as it is delivered to Nova Seafood in Portland for processing and then donated for meals for the homeless.

The Sebago Lake Rotary Ice Fishing Derby has become a mainstay every winter in the Lakes Region and brings together families, outdoor enthusiasts, and community members for a shared cause. Whether participants are hoping to land a prize-winning fish or simply enjoy time on the ice, the annual derby continues to combine tradition, recreation, and local generosity. <

Late Windham resident's legacy lives on through Tia’s Prom Project

By Dina Mendros

Tatiana “Tia” Morrell of Windham is remembered by her friends and family as “uplifting,” “generous” and “a bright light” in the lives of others. Tia was taken too young. She died in a moped accident in 2024, and she was only 28 years old.

The late Tatiana 'Tia" Morrell of
Windham attended proms when
she was a student at Windham
High School and now her friends
and family are remembering her
by providing free prom dresses
to Cumberland County stduents
through an initiative called
'Tia's Prom Project.'
COURTESY PHOTO   
 

Those who loved her don’t want Tia to be forgotten and have decided to memorialize her through the creation of an initiative called Tia’s Prom Project. Starting this year, the project will provide dresses to high school and middle school students in Cumberland County for prom, homecoming, or any other formal or semi-formal school events at no cost to the student.

Friends and family say that they wanted to find a way to remember Tia in a meaningful and lasting way because of the type of person she was.

“She was a very big person with a very big personality,” Samantha Erickson said. “She was the type of person when she came into the room you knew she was there, and you would feel that she would radiate energy. Even when she left the room that energy just stuck with you and you just took it wherever you went for the remainder of the day.”

Others agree and are happy to help with the project.

“She was just such a bright light in all of our lives,” Devon Jones said. “She would always make sure that everyone felt included and felt like they belonged. She would make sure people felt like they had a purpose and like they mattered.”

Tia was “high spirited and very giving,” her mother, Shelly Worthing, said. “She was always a light in the room as a child and always happy with a smile on her face.”

The inspiration for remembering Tia through Tia’s Prom Project stems from an event that took place when she was just in eighth grade. A new girl started school in Windham and Tia, her mother said, wanted to help the girl by buying her a dress to attend a semi-formal dance cruise that eighth grade students were attending at the end of the school year.

According to Worthing, the girl had a rough childhood and would not likely be able to attend the event if Tia hadn’t helped out. Worthing said that her daughter was independent and determined and once she decided she wanted to help the student there was no stopping her.

Tia enlisted the assistance of her mother and together they bought a dress and on the day of the dance cruise, Worthing helped the new student with her hair and makeup.

“I remember (the student) having the night of her life at that dance,” Erickson said. After that, people started talking to the girl and being nice to her. “They saw her as a person finally. It was just a huge turning point.”

Worthing said that led to this new effort.

“Samantha (Erickson) was the one that remembered that story and that’s what kind of started our project,” Worthing said.

Worthing and Tia’s friends have big plans for Tia’s Prom Project. The initial plan was to have dresses donated and available for Cumberland County school proms in 2026. However, people have already started requesting dresses for homecoming dances which take place this month and in October.

While the dresses are limited, they are available for those who are interested. By next year’s prom season, organizers say they are hoping to have several hundred dresses available for students to choose from. Eventually, Worthing said, they hope to work with property owners who have vacancies where they can house the dresses and students can peruse them and try them on.

Erickson said she hopes that girls will take pictures of themselves in the dresses and/or write a note about their experience wearing the dress on their special night which can be shared with other girls who wear it at a later event. In addition to taking donated dresses, they want to be able to provide accessories, so they are accepting donations of shoes, jewelry, makeup and other items.

“The idea really only came to life in May,” Erickson said. “Even in the first year we just plan to get bigger and bigger with this. So yeah, you know, we’ve only just begun.”

To find out more about Tia’s Prom Project visit their Facebook page. To request dresses for homecoming, prom or other formal or semi-formal school events, send an email to [email protected] or call Samantha Erickson at 207-747-7308, Shelley Worthing at 207-232-1967 or Devon Jones at 207-310-8869.

Prom dresses to be donated can be dropped off at 8 Turning Leaf Drive in Windham; 585 Roosevelt Trail in Windham; 781 Edes Falls Road in Harrison; 780 Broadway St. in South Portland, or from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Causeway Commons, 978 Roosevelt Trail in Naples; or call or email to have them picked up. <

MSSPA launches campaign to build new intake barn

By Ed Pierce

The future is now for the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals in Windham and a new $1.5 million fundraising campaign will help the organization build a new intake barn for abused and neglected horses to heal and recover.

The Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals is
conducting 'A Safe Place to Land' fundraising campaign to
raise $1.5 million to build a new eight-stall intake barn
at their facility on River Road in Windham. The project
includes improved paddocks and better footing for healing
horses. Shown is an artist's depiction of the new barn.
SUBMITTED PHOTO     

Kathy Woodbrey, MSSPA’s Executive Director, said that plans for the “Safe Place to Land” intake barn have been carefully weighed and discussed for the past two years, and the fundraising campaign has already reached more than halfway toward its $1.5 million goal.

“This will such a huge upgrade for us,” Woodbrey said. “Our current facilities, while functional, no longer meet the needs of our mission. This new barn is so much more than a barn, it’s a promise. A promise to every horse that has a safe place to land, to recover and to start life anew. Everything about the new barn has been discussed, from how the stall doors open to how the fencing is to be configured.”

MSSPA Advancement Director Peg Keyser said that in the last five years, the number of horses arriving at MSSPA has surged with many coming from cases of severe neglect, abuse, or with significant medical challenges. As the complexity of these cases grows, so does the urgency for a dedicated space where incoming horses can receive the care they desperately need.

Keyser says that the “Safe Place to Land” Capital Campaign is an opportunity to create that space, an intake and quarantine barn designed to offer every horse a safe and supportive beginning to their journey of healing.

“This vital facility, along with secure paddocks and necessary footing improvements, will provide the foundation for every horse’s recovery,” she said. “By working together, we can ensure that incoming horses are cared for in an environment that protects their health and wellbeing from the moment they arrive.”

For 152 years, the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals (MSSPA) has been a sanctuary for Maine’s most vulnerable horses including those rescued from abuse, neglect, and heartbreaking circumstances. Its mission is to provide refuge, rehabilitation, and placement of seized equines. MSSPA does not charge for its shelter services and seeks no reimbursement from any public source. Horses cared for by the MSSPA come from Maine law enforcement officials and most of them have been abused or neglected.

According to Keyser, the MSSPA’s goal for each horse is rehabilitation and a new home, but if no suitable adoption is found, horses may live out their natural lives at the organization’s farm.

The “Safe Place to Land” campaign has already a matching gift of $500,000 from the McCulloch Family of Southern Maine who will be extended the opportunity to name the new barn. MSSPA also has been fortunate to receive donated thousands of feet of fencing and run-in sheds from the Dyke Horse Farm site in Windham, and RSU 14 now that the school district is building the new Windham Raymond Middle School at the Dyke farm site.

The site for the new intake barn sits on 7 acres of MSSPA’s 124-acre property on River Road in Windham. Plans call for the intake barn to be open-air with eight wooden stalls. The contractor for the intake barn project will be J.M. Brown and sitework will be completed by Shaw Brothers Construction.

Keyser said that the 3,000-square-foot barn will be built on the other side of the MSSPA property from where other horses being cared for are kept. The new barn will feature space for equipment and the project also will include the installation of an electronic security gate at the property.

The new barn will feature dedicated stalls for each equine arrival, reducing potential disease transmission and offering a dry, warm space for horses to heal. Its secure paddock areas and improved footing will allow horses to slowly acclimate to their new surroundings and room for veterinarians to perform health assessments. Because of its location away from the MSSPA herd, the new barn also will have separate grain and medication stations to prevent cross-contamination of food and medicine and streamlines operations for MSSPA staff.

Woodbrey said there is tremendous interest in this project and MSSPA’s engaged donor base consists of horse lovers willing to help.

“We welcome people to make a donation of any size,” she said. “We’re happy to give donors a tour and we really want to make it easy to support this project. The tens of thousands of dollars and donations we’ve received so far represents the best of this community and we could not be more grateful.”

To make a donation online, visit msspa.org/asafeplace or in person at MSSPA, 279 River Road in Windham.

Donations may also be made using the QR code:

 

RSU 14 vehicle donations promote community service

By Lorraine Glowczak

Promoting a culture of community engagement, the RSU 14 school district works to demonstrate by example the impact that educational institutions can have beyond the four walls of the classroom.

RSU 14's recent donations of a van and school bus to
the Windham Food Pantry and the Raymond Parks and
Recreation Department are intended to strengthen the
district's partnership with the local community.
 SUBMITTED PHOTO

Acknowledging the transportation requirements of the Windham Food Pantry for delivering food to elderly individuals and shut-ins, as well as facilitating ongoing educational opportunities through recreational activities, the district has donated a school van to the food pantry and a school bus to Raymond Parks and Recreation.

The district's dedication to academic excellence includes in its mission to instill values of compassion, service, and social responsibility among its students and staff.

“Community service has always been a focus and academic commitment of the school board,” RSU 14 Superintendent Christopher Howell said. “It’s the reason why it has been incorporated as a graduation requirement through the Capstone Project which integrates a service-learning component.”

Howell said that hands-on engagement in community initiatives not only fosters well-rounded graduates but also nurtures a sense of civic responsibility and empathy among its student body.

“We have always been supportive of student initiatives like PowerServe and clubs like the National Honor Society and Key Club of which community service is the focus,” he said. “Alongside endorsing service learning, the district aims to set an example through its actions.”

Typically, retired school vehicles are auctioned off. However, upon recognizing opportunities to serve the broader community with these vehicles, the district opted for donations instead of auctioning them off.

In 2022, Raymond Parks and Recreation received a donated RSU 14 school bus, supporting resources of this relatively new department within the Town of Raymond. Committed to serving its community, the department offers diverse learning activities, and the addition of the bus alleviates financial burdens by eliminating extra costs to town members.

“The bus has been a tremendous resource because it cuts down the cost we must charge our participants,” said Raymond Parks and Recreation Director Joe Crocker. “It allows us to take the transportation cost completely out of our program fees.”

The donated school bus primarily supports the department’s summer camp and winter ski programs.

The idea to donate a van to the food pantry emerged from a collaborative community meeting that addresses issues of homelessness and food insecurity within the school district. This RSU 14 Community Wellness Committee involves representatives from the school district, town officials, and businesses, who collectively brainstormed solutions to tackle these pressing challenges.

“The Community Wellness Committee meets three or four times a year,” Howell said. “It was during one of these meetings that we realized the challenges the food pantry faces when transporting food to shut-ins or to get food from the area stores and food banks. Because they have always supported our students, we thought it was imperative to also support them and their needs.”

Windham’s General Assistance Administrator Rene Daniel said that the Windham Food Pantry has been delivering food to shut-ins that had no means of coming to the pantry, but the donated van will allow the pantry to elevate itself to the next level.

“It will allow us to pick up generous donations from in and out of Windham,” Daniel said. “Also, we can now institute and implement visiting our senior housing communities by using the van, bringing the Windham Food Pantry to them where they reside.”

Daniel expressed his gratitude to the many individuals and organizations that assist the Windham Food Pantry as it works to eliminate food insecurity.

“It is our sincere appreciation to the Windham School Committee, the Windham Superintendent, and Windham Public Works for their dedication to our community,” Daniel said. “And to Marge Govoni for her continued 100 percent support of the Windham Food Pantry/Clothes Closet since its inception. Words are not enough to express our thanks.”

Howell said that the school district hopes that the recent vehicle donation initiative will inspire students with their service-learning ideas as well as nurture an ongoing sense of community partnership, strengthening the bonds between educational institutions and local communities. <

Apparel Impact bins aim to recycle textile waste from Windham

By Ed Pierce

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American consumer throws away more than 81.5 pounds of unwanted clothing every year resulting an estimated 17 million tons of textile waste entering U.S. landfills every year. It’s an environmental nightmare that does have a solution and Joe Whitten’s for-profit company, Apparel Impact, has arrived in Windham and is addressing the problem one town at a time.

Apparel Impact, which diverted 10 million pounds of
textiles from landfills in New England last year, is 
expanding into Windham and aims to help resolve
textile waste problems through recycling and giving
away to nonprofit organizations in the community.
COURTESY PHOTO

Last year alone Apparel Impact diverted 10 million pounds of textiles from landfills in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York for recycling and Whitten continues to expand his business to help resolve the textile waste problem.

“I was in software business development for many years but searching for an industry that I felt made both an environmental and community impact,” Whitten said. “When I was told about textile recycling, I did research on the industry and learned that in many ways it could improve. I felt that it was a perfect industry to enter and make a difference. “It can take up to three generations for a non-biodegradable T-shirt to decompose in a landfill. That means any clothing made of polyester, rayon, spandex, or nylon.”

Whitten said that nearly 80 percent of all clothing, shoes, and accessories across the U.S. are thrown out and enter the waste stream. Apparel Impact provides people the opportunity to recycle their clothing instead of throwing it out.

“We provide easily accessible recycling bins across New England and New York that give people the opportunity to see their clothing, reused, upcycled, or downcycled,” he said. “Aside from our primary mission of being a clothing reuse and clothing recycler, we also have an entire division dedicated to providing free clothing to those most in need within the communities we provide service to. In 2023, we provided clothing, shoes, and other resources to over 4,000 people and families.”

Apparel Impact is known for providing more clothing than any other for-profit or non-profit in New England, Whitten said.

“All of the schools that host Apparel Impact bins have access to an outreach link where they can request needed items for students,” he said. “As we grow in Windham, we hope to expand our reach within Windham schools and the surrounding towns. “We are launching the first-ever educational comic-book, Team Impact! It's an entertaining comic-book that involves educating kids on textile waste while also providing great stories of Team Impact superheroes. It comes with a Lesson Plan and Teachers guide as well.”

The expansion into Windham includes partners in Apparel Impact’s efforts to divert textile waste and provide community support.

Current partners have recycling bins at Shaw's Plaza, 770 Roosevelt Trail in Windham; Rustler’s Steakhouse, 61 Tandberg Trail in Windham; Maine’s Auto Connection, 653 Roosevelt Trail in Windham; and at Windham Community Park, 363 Gray Road in Windham.

“We service all of our sites a minimum of once weekly, but the majority of the sites in and around Windham are serviced two to five times weekly,” Whitten said. “We view any business, non-profit, school, government entity or municipality that hosts Apparel Impact bins as our partner. We have nearly 1,200 partners and will approach 1,500 by the end of 2024. These partners are essential to divert as many textiles as possible because they provide the space to locate an Apparel Impact recycling bin, which offers people the opportunity to use it.”

The company accepts all clothing, shoes, accessories, and household linens and has an Acceptable Items List available on its website at www.apparelimpact.com that is always updated and available.

“Being veteran-owned and partnering with and supporting veterans' organizations is essential to Apparel Impact's mission,” Whitten said. “We are partners with Windham Veterans Center and are currently looking to partner with the American Legion in Windham as well. Our mission is simple. We exist to divert textiles from landfills, support those in need and to continue our efforts in spreading the word on who we are and what we do.”

He says the majority of local, county, and state officials are excited about Apparel Impact's services within Maine.

“Textiles are the fastest-growing waste stream in America, and the need to divert the waste and instead focus on reuse and recycling is at an all-time high,” Whitten said. “We've saved Maine taxpayers over $300,000 in 2023 alone, diverted nearly 4 million pounds of textiles from Maine, and provided hundreds of people with much-needed clothing.”

Some clothing, shoes and other textiles collected by Apparel Impact are given to U.S. non-profit organizations, clothing graders or clothing recyclers that are looking to use these items as a way to fund their causes and to help their communities. Some materials are sent to foreign marketplaces where families can buy, sell and trade to support their families. We also provide our own local outreaches to support local families and people in need.

“We're a family owned, veteran-owned, local business, so word of mouth and personal connections are essential,” Whitten said. “The public can assist in two ways; they can use the Apparel Impact bins to help divert waste and provide community outreach and they can contact us if they know of a public location that may be suitable to host an Apparel Impact bin.”

To learn more about Apparel Impact and the difference it is making across New England and beyond, visit www.apparelimpact.com <

Backpack program tackles food insecurity in community

By Ed Pierce

The lyrics of an old Christian hymn proclaim simply “we rise by lifting others” and that’s precisely what the Windham/Raymond Backpack Program strives to do.

Volunteers gathered in the Windham Middle School 
cafeteria on Tuesday, Dec. 12 after packing student 
backpacks with food for them over the Christmas
break from school. The program is seeking donations
to help RSU 14 children overcome food insecurity
and go on to success in their lives.
PHOTO BY BRUCE SMALL 

The initiative was launched during the 2011-2012 school year to assist school children in RSU 14 to overcome food insecurity so they can grow up healthy, do their best work in school, and become successful adults. With Maine passing the “School Meals For All” legislation in 2021, all students across the state are given access to school meals, but some struggling families in the community still face the daunting challenge of feeding children on weekends and over vacations when school is not in session.

This is where the Windham/Raymond Backpack Program comes in. It provides food to supplement children in need over weekends and school breaks during the school year. Each “Backpack” contains breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, as well as snacks. The backpacks are discreetly distributed to the students by teachers or staff at each RSU 14 school and are packed every Tuesday by a team of volunteers at Windham Middle School.

Volunteer Marge Govoni of Windham says that research indicates that children who grow up in food insecure households sometimes trail their peers in terms of cognitive, emotional, and physical development and this program is designed to help those students succeed.

“When the program began 12 years ago, it provided meals for approximately 50 students. It has since increased in number to 120 students from both Windham and Raymond schools being served,” Govoni said. “The increase in participation paired with rising food cost has made it more important than ever that we keep this program open and available to as many children as we can.”

In data collected in 2022 by the National Health Interview Study, a direct correlation was shown between household food insecurity and significantly worse general health in American children, including some acute and chronic health problems, and heightened emergency room hospital visits.

The Windham/Raymond Backpack Program only accepts monetary donations to ensure the nutritional items and menu are similarly based and meet the needs of the child.

“In order to continue to serve up to 120 children each weekend during the school year, we need more members of the community to support our program,” Govoni said. “We are reaching out to local businesses asking for additional sponsors to this program. Our biggest and most consistent contributor over the past several years has been Windham Weaponry and their generous staff, who unfortunately recently announced they will be closing down.”

If you are considering donating, Govoni said that donation benchmarks are one bag for one child at $10, and one child for the school year at $300.

“Of course, any amount is helpful, and 100 percent of the donations go toward buying food and supplies with no administrative cost or fees applied,” she said. “Using this program to give students food for the weekend ensures that come Monday morning when they return to school, they will not be hungry and ready to learn. I am passionate about this program and making sure that students have access to food over the weekend and it is run totally on donations and the work of some wonderful and caring volunteers.”

RSU 14 Chef Ryan Roderick said that the Backpack Program is so valuable because it helps to fill the gaps.

“It is not uncommon to think that because school meals are free that these kids should already have everything they need. The unfortunate truth is that even though breakfasts and lunches are available to all students, there are still hundreds of children who leave school on Friday afternoon and have no certainty that they will be fed a complete meal until Monday morning when they return to school,” Roderick said. “If that is the case, you can bet those students are going to be the ones struggling to stay focused, stay awake and to be the best version of themselves when they are in attendance. The backpack program helps those children sustain over the weekend, to feel a sense of comfort and normalcy and to be confident knowing they will not have to feel hungry, tired, or irritable by the time they get back to school. Every child deserves to feel happy and energized and to be given the best possible chance to succeed and the Backpack Program is our way to ensure that chance is given.”

Govoni said that making a donation can help transform the lives of the RSU 14 students whose lives can be made a little easier with a nutritional meal that is not always available to them.

“We cannot make this program work without the help of our very generous businesses, organizations and residents of Windham and Raymond,” she said. “We are very grateful and cannot thank those who have contributed monetary donations or volunteer their time to help make this program successful.”

To make a donation helping ensure that the food insecure children of the Windham and Raymond communities are nourished and well fed, mail a check or money order to: School Nutrition Program, Attn: Ryan Roderick, 228 Windham Center Road Windham, ME 04062 Note: Backpack Program.

Online donations can also be made at https://rsu14.androgov.com/ - Select “all other student activities,” fill in your information, for a specific school, select “School Nutrition.” For *Payment Description* write “Backpack Program.”

For more details about the Windham/Raymond Backpack Program, call 207-892-1800, Ext. 2012 or send an email to [email protected] or [email protected] <

Organizers grateful for public support of Cinderella Project event

Compassion Cloud Collective partners, from left, Brooke 
Likens of Stone Donut Design, Halie Landry of Ritual Maine,
Robyn Weyeneth of Cosmic Complexions, Kristy Verdel of
Moon Lady Plants, Hannah McFarland of The Compassion
Cloud Collective, and Kasandra Thach of K Sweeets gather
at the Oscars Watch Party fundraiser at Smitty's Cinema in
Windham on March 27. The event collected more than four
gowns and prom attire for Windham students to wear to 
prom this year if needed. SUBMITTED PHOTO 

By Ed Pierce

Hannah McFarland believes that through her actions, she can be an agent of change leading to a better community. And if the first event hosted by her new nonprofit organization is any indication of how much of an impact it is making in Windham, she’s on the right track.

McFarland, a 2016 Windham High School graduate, has created the Compassion Cloud Collective, a nonprofit which conceived and staged a special fundraiser “Oscars Viewing Party” at Smitty’s Cinema on March 27 in Windham to assist The Cinderella Project of Maine in collecting new and gently used prom attire for teens to make sure every student will have an opportunity to attend their high school prom without the added stress of cost. In all more than four dozen gowns, four suits and a tuxedo along with several shoe and jewelry donations were donated to Windham High as a result of the event.

The Compassion Cloud Collective is a multi-mission, nonprofit organization owned and operated by female business owners who seek to find the silver lining in all of life's storms by using the strengths of each of their partners. 

“I think this event went amazing considering it was our first event as a group and we kind of found our footing of what we liked and what we want to do better as we continue,” McFarland said. “The number of dresses, suits, jewelry and even tuxedos that we were able to pass on to Windham High School makes me emotional just thinking about and I am proud of the work my team did for this event.”

Businesses who helped the Compassion Cloud Collective at the event were Modern Woodmen of America, Cosmic Complexions, Ritual Maine, Moon Lady Plants, Stone Donut Design, K Sweets, Macs By Seyya, and Smitty's Cinema Windham.

Kristy Verdel, the owner of Moon Lady Plants said that the event shows inclusivity.

“A sense of community is extremely important to every Compassion Cloud Collective member,” she said.

Brooke Likens, the owner of Stone Donut Design said she was pleased to participate for such a worthy cause.

“It was nice to be able to take the time and talk to those we did meet,” she said. “I feel like it gave us the opportunity to present ourselves fully and create rapport with the community.”

Likens said awareness about income-privilege should be the big take-away from events like this.

“Prom is such a large event in the high school experience, and costs are out of control and not all families can afford the big-ticket items,” she said. “I love that this event made the necessities available for those who weren’t able to do this on their own. Teens shouldn’t be made to feel less by missing out on something so big in their childhood and the heart behind this type of event is huge.”

Verdel agrees.

“I want people to take away that every voice matters,” Verdel said. “It’s so cliché but it’s true that each individual makes a difference. We all come from different areas and different backgrounds, yet we all have the same heart.”

According to McFarland, the Compassion Cloud Collective is deeply grateful to everyone who helped make the event successful.

“We’re incredibly thankful for who helped me make this happen for Windham. Each of my partners of the CCC and for all those that came and donated extremely sentimental and treasured dresses for our cause, thank you,” she said. “Lastly, I’m so thankful for my longtime precious employer, Smitty’s Cinema, for being so incredibly accommodating to me and my partners. Smitty’s bent over backwards to help in every way they could and even donated to our cause. Smitty’s Cinema is where I first was a part of a prom dress drive featuring the Oscar’s, back in 2017 as the assistant director of marketing and sales, so to have their support now means everything.”

She says it was necessary for the Compassion Cloud Collective’s first fundraiser to be in Windham.

“It was important to me for the first event of my own nonprofit be in the town that watched me grow into the person I am today,” McFarland said. “What I want people to take away from this event is that community is everything and the impact you can have on it is so much stronger as a collective. That’s what the CCC is all about. Though we have our own unique lives, schedules and focus, we find time to come together to better the things we have in common.”

The intention of the event was to help Windham High School students attend prom by providing them free and fabulous prom gowns while at the same time promoting positive self-esteem and community volunteerism among the teens and McFarland said that was what was achieved through the “Oscars Watch Party” event.

“My hope is that it starts a wave that people will follow in their own communities and that the CCC can lead by example and possibly collaborate with other non-profits and businesses, in the future,” she said. <

Windham resident striving to make a difference in our communities

Windham resident Chelsie Potter is a team
captain for the Out of the Darkness Greater Portland
Area Walk to promote suicide awareness on Sept.
19 in Portland. She's also heading up a bottle
drive to raise money for the American
Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

By Collette Hayes

Windham resident Chelsie Potter has been participating in charity work for most of her life. She has participated in bottle drives, food pantries, soup kitchens, a number of charity walks, fundraisers and local events to support local and national non-profit organizations and currently she is a team captain for the Out of the Darkness Greater Portland Area Walk to promote suicide awareness.

The event will be held Sept. 19 in the Fort Allen Park, Eastern Promenade in Portland. The walk is in support of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s bold goal of reducing suicide by 20 percent by 2025.

Potter is collecting donations for the event as well as sponsoring a glass bottle donation fundraiser. The deadline for making a donation to her initiative is Sept. 16 and she says that 100 percent of the money received will be donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

She’s continually looking for ways to personally improve herself so she can make a positive contribution to the lives of others. A few years ago, Potter completed training to become a Personal Support Specialist, allowing her to provide in home care and companionship to a number of senior citizens.

In addition, she has participated in training and has completed several walks and fundraisers for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Foundation as well as the Alzheimer’s Foundation and the Red Cross. Recently, Potter completed suicide prevention training from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and decided to collect donations for the foundation.

The Maine Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention focuses on innovative prevention programs, educating the public about risk factors and warning signs, raising funds for suicide research and programs and reaching out to those who have lost someone to suicide.

According to Potter, a goal of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is to teach individuals how to start a needed conversation that might be difficult.

“If you feel someone might be struggling in some way, it is important not to be afraid to ask how they are doing beyond how are you,” Potter said. “Normalizing difficult conversations provides hope to those struggling. We have to dig deeper and connect with people on a more emotional level. Being willing to be vulnerable and to have those needed conversations might save a life.”

Many times, suicide is the result of the response to a traumatic event, Potter said.

“Often times individuals have no idea how to handle a situation when something goes horribly wrong like losing a loved one, experiencing a tragic accident or when one is being left behind,” she said. “During those challenging life events, individuals need resources for coping and a strong external support system available to them.”

Everyday events such as returning to school for students this fall during the Covid-19 pandemic, can increase fear, stress and worry for many parents and students, Potter said.

Teachers can help children with the transition from home to school by promoting social and emotional learning in the classroom. With the right educational support system including well-established and consistent daily procedures and routines that support expectations, students can become part of a strong classroom community where they feel safe to learn new things and thrive.

Potter said that she is sponsoring a glass bottle donation as well as collecting donations for The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. If you are interested in donating to this cause, text her  at 207-699-6339.

To learn more about the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, call Shamera Simpson at 603-318-6517. Maine provides a Crisis Hotline for those needing immediate help, 1-888-568-1112. <