Windham welcomes new fire-rescue chief - By Elizabeth Richards

Early next month Brent Libby will take the reins as the new fire-rescue chief for the Town of Windham.

Libby will replace long time fire-rescue Chief Charlie Hammond, who is retiring. Hammond has been the fire-rescue chief in Windham since 1985, serving on a part-time basis initially and becoming the town’s first full time chief in 1992. Hammond was recently named Maine Fire Chief of the Year by the Maine Fire Chiefs’ Association. It will be a big transition, Libby said. “Chief Hammond’s been here a long time,” he said. “It’s a tough act to follow.”  He’s confident that the transition will be smooth, and the two have met and will continue to meet in the weeks leading up to Libby starting full time. 

 

Some goals will carry over from Hammond and Libby said he plans to do a needs assessment as well, talking to members of the department to determine where to go next. Important information will be gained as Windham reviews their comprehensive plan and the community determines what they want the town to look like in the next ten to fifteen years, Libby said. 

Libby grew up in Gorham and is currently a resident of Standish. He said he would like to move to Windham in the future. “It’s important to live and work in the community, especially with that type of position,” he said. He’s already quite familiar with Windham, he said, since it’s where most Standish residents do their shopping.

 

Libby began his career as a junior firefighter in Gorham while in high school. After graduating from Gorham High School, he studied paramedicine at SMCC. He started his full time career in the town of Standish in 2004. For the past five years he has served as that town’s Director of Public Safety. 

The decision to leave Standish wasn’t easy according to Libby. “You make a lot of great friends, meet a lot of good people and you know a lot of people in the community,” he said. “I’ll miss that, but it will be good to rebuild those relationships in this town.”

The job in Windham appealed to Libby because it’s a larger town with more challenges, but still offers a tight knit community feel. “It felt right to come here,” he said. Jobs of this type aren’t available very often said Libby, and he didn’t have any interest in moving away or going to a very large department at this point in his career. “Windham is the best of both worlds. It’s the place where people come, but it’s still very much a big small town. You still have the community events, you’re out in the community,” he said. Because the Standish and Windham departments work together, he said he already knows a lot of people, and the move was a logical next step for his career.

The Windham Fire-Rescue Chief position has more narrow scope than his position in Standish, said Libby, which also appealed to him. As director of public safety, he handled everything except law enforcement, from animal control to harbormaster, health and emergency management to fire and EMS. In Windham, he will oversee fire, rescue and emergency management.

Libby said it will be important to talk with as many people as possible, do a lot of observation, and figure out what direction the department needs to move in to be an efficient service for the town. His position in Standish ends on January 2^nd, and he begins full time in Windham on January 5^th.

Libby said he spends a lot of time at work, but in his free time he enjoys doing anything outside. He’s currently finishing his bachelor’s degree in Fire Science through Kaplan University, and visits his twin sister and his brother in Boston frequently.

Pearson's Cafe, volunteers aim for and exceed goal for most pies

It’s been an annual tradition at Saint Joseph’s College for the past six years: A few days before Thanksgiving, the college community makes pies for Catherine’s Cupboard Food Pantry. The tradition continued this year, but with two slight changes. In addition to providing Thanksgiving pies for Catherine’s Cupboard, the reach would expand to area food pantries. Secondly, the college—with help from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and neighbors—would attempt to break a world record for the most pies made and lined up end to end.
 

On Monday, November 24, after more than eight hours of work in Pearson’s Café, the final tally of apple pies came in shortly after 9 p.m. A total of 1,548 apple pies had been assembled and lined up, covering 56 tables. Pending verification from Guinness World Records officials, this breaks the previous record of 1,477 pies, set in 2013 in Germany.

This goal, which Pearson’s Café general manager Stuart Leckie set in November 2013, represents a year of planning, collaboration and teamwork.

After the final pies had been counted, documented, and the achievement celebrated, the pies were placed into individual boxes, which were folded one at a time with the assistance of the college’s baseball team. On Tuesday, the pies were distributed to area food pantries just in time for Thanksgiving.

Assisted by Portland's Wayside Food Programs, the pies were distributed as follows:

400 to Catherine's Cupboard Food Pantry

300 to Westbrook Food Pantry

300 to The Root Cellar

50 to the Salvation Army

100 to Wayside Food Programs

100 to other area pantries

Remaining pies were split between Preble Street Resource Center and Sacred Heart Food Pantry.

Windham Chamber Singers put everyone in the holiday mood - By Michelle Libby

The holidays do not start in Windham and Raymond until after the Windham Chamber Singers An American Family Holiday concert, which took place Saturday. With two sold out shows, the chamber singers and special guests Rachel York, Ashley Liberty and Daniel Strange entertained with holiday classics, fun numbers and a story read by Channel 13s Kim Block at both the afternoon and evening concerts. Block acted as the master of ceremony. The majority of the concert was based around music from classic holiday stories. 
 

“I think this show is better than the Magic of Christmas,” said Carolyn Hoppe of Gray. “I love how the kids are into it. Dr. Nickerson allows them to be uninhibited.” 

The singers put a lot of work into the show each year with early morning practices and new songs to learn each year. “We’re happy to give joy to the community, and the community gives it back to us,” said chamber singer Gardner Reed.  

Strange and Liberty, who now live in Florida with their 2-year-old son Harrison, return year after year to perform for their hometown crowd, having grown up in Windham and Gray. This year the pair performed two world premiere numbers, “It Takes Time” performed with the Windham Chamber Singers and “Beneath the Star at Midnight” featuring Liberty on electric violin in the vein of Mannheim Steamroller.

“I get into the zone,” said Strange about his fingers flying over the piano keys. “I’m feeling everything you guys are feeling, all the moments.”

The audience enjoyed the concert with frequent standing ovations. 

“This is my sixth concert. What’s not to like?” asked Bill Dreyer of Windham. “I like the whole thing from the beginning to the end.”

This was York’s first trip to Maine, she told the evening audience. “It’s like a picture postcard,” said the Broadway actress who has performed in 11 shows to date. 

York entertained the audience with her versatile and powerful version of “I Will Always Love You” written by Dolly Parton. She sang it in the voices of different “divas” showing her range and talent.

Carly, Jill and Nealie Morey were on the computer to get their tickets when they first went on sale in October, scoring second row center seats. The mother and daughters had never been to the concert before but were drawn by Rachel York’s reputation. “I’m enjoying Rachel York. She’s got a lot of spunk,” Jill said. 

 

Windham Chamber Singers director Rick Nickerson was elated when both concerts were over. “We are hoping to get through it. That’s why we surround ourselves with professionals. This concert epitomizes to me what this community is all about,” Nickerson said. 

American Family Holiday is a concert not to be missed. Year after year the talent in Windham raises the bar and puts on a show that rivals all other holiday concerts. 

“As Kim says, ‘It’s a great way to start off the holiday season’,” Herb Hoppe of Gray said. 

Community groups place wreaths on Veteran graves throughout Windham - By Michelle Libby

For the second year, Libby Sawyer coordinated local Scouts and Veterans from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion to gather on the first Saturday in December to place wreaths with red, white and blue bows on each Veteran’s grave. The program called Everlasting Gratitude is based on the Wreaths Across America program where wreaths are laid on graves at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Libby, who owns Studio Flora, makes sure that each of the 800 Veteran’s graves in town receives recognition. She teamed up again with Sebago Gardens and The Little Log Cabin Montessori School to raise money to pull off this feat.   

“I’m so thankful that people are willing to do this with us. It’s been amazing all around. There are two Boy Scout Troops and Girl Scout Troops and one troop helped make the bows,” said Sawyer. 

Saturday was a rainy, cold day, but that didn’t stop the boys from Troops 805 and 51 and the girls from Troop 193 from Windham and Troop 1741 of Raymond. 

“I heard it was going on and I wanted to do that. The veterans need recognition even after they’re gone,” said Sophey Potter, from Troop 1741. 

Several girls from the Raymond troop have relatives buried in Arlington Cemetery. “That was very personal for our girls,” said troop leaders Caj MacDonald and Jennifer Potter. 

For those who would like to donate to the cause, visit www.studioflora.me or drop off checks at Studio Flora, 889 Roosevelt Trail in Windham.

 

The girls from GS Troop 1741, Chelsea Welch, Lindsey MacDonald, Mya Bolk and Sophey Potter, whose  great, great Uncle was also buried in the cemetery, clean off the headstone of Barry Lombard, a Veteran who died a year ago.

Boy Scout Troop 805, Girl Scout Troop 1741 and organizers of the event pose after laying wreaths at Arlington Cemetery last Saturday.