Windham Auto Show races into action this Sunday - By Michelle Libby

From old models that make one long for a time gone by to newer, tricked out models, they will all be at the Windham Auto Show on Sunday, September 13 behind Hannaford at the Windham Mall. There will be 29 categories of cars, trucks and special interest vehicles. 
 

Year after year, the Windham Raymond Athletic Boosters Club holds the show to raise money to support sports teams in the RSU. 

This year cars will register between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. with a donation of $5 per car. Judging begins at 11 a.m. and will be coordinated by Windham resident and mechanic Frank Jiminio, who has been judging since the beginning of the car show.  Awards will be presented around 1:30 p.m. Spectators are invited between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 per adult, $3 for students and seniors and children 5 and under are free. The event will take place rain or shine. 

“It’s nostalgic to see the old cars and see new cars, the souped up cars and trucks, and there will be some motorcycles,” said coordinator Dan McGowan, who will be running the show for the last time this year. People love to come see the unique cars and grab a bite to eat, said McGowan. Last year Don Rich brought over his antique oil truck and there was a Shelby, he said.  

This fundraiser in the past has helped to provide each team at the high school and middle schools with a $500 stipend for equipment or things like referees, coaches and training. The money has to be approved through the athletic director Rich Drummond. Booster money has also helped with purchasing wrestling mats, sheds for the golf team and ski trips for the ski team. The boosters also provide four scholarships to senior athletes. 

“The money pays for things that are not covered in the budget,” said McGowan. 

At some schools each sport has its own booster organization, but in Windham Raymond, the boosters support all teams. Money earned at booster events go into a general fund, said McGowan. “It’s all for one, and one for all,” he added. 

Last year the auto show raised $8,000. McGowan would love to see at least that much, if not more. The event is a labor of love with high school fall teams helping out to set up and tear down the event especially moving the entire concession stand to the mall from the high school and then moving it back before the home soccer game on Tuesday.  

McGowan would like to see the event expanded with more adult volunteers to help organize it for next year. The planning starts in January.

Backpack program helps reduce hunger in RSU14 - By Elizabeth Richards

A dedicated group of volunteers works with the School Nutrition and Wellness Coordinator, Samantha Cowens-Gasbarro, to be sure that elementary school children in RSU14 who may be experiencing food insecurity don’t go hungry when school is not in session.
 

The backpack program sends food home each weekend and before school vacation with children who have been identified by school staff as potentially needing assistance. The process is confidential from start to finish, with teachers placing the bags inside backpacks while students are out of the room. Families must give their approval to receive bags of food in the backpacks.

Although the program is run through the school, Marge Govoni, who coordinates the program, said it’s not a school endeavor. “It’s not funded by the school budget,” she said. 

When the backpack program began in 2011, it was a joint effort between Hannaford and school personnel, and was funded in part by Hannaford. Hannaford had been sponsoring several backpack programs, and a few years ago consolidated these and turned over the operations to Good Shepherd Food Bank. RSU14 received funding from Good Shepherd for a year, but lost that funding because the free/reduced lunch percentage is not quite high enough in the district.

The free/reduced percentage rate of approximately 37 percent in RSU14 means that funding is harder to come by, said Cowens-Gasbarro. Though the district doesn’t qualify for help from the government or many grant guidelines, there are still hungry kids, she said. “It’s the kids who just don’t make the cut off, it’s the families who just make enough money to get by but are still really struggling, that this program is so beneficial for,” she added.

When the program began, they served 50 children. Now, said Cowens-Gasbarro, they have a budget to provide 150 bags. The program runs on volunteer labor, from the coordinator to those who pack the food. The cost of sponsoring a child for a full school year is approximately $200.

The program receives funding from community donations, including their major donor, Windham Weaponry, who offers an employee donation program. Other organizations have found creative ways to help, like Birchwood Day Nursery who had children run a “marathon” and raise money for the program. 

“There are so many different ways that you can help, different ways to fundraise rather than money out of your own pocket if you don’t have it,” said Cowens-Gasbarro.

The program also recently received a generous grant of $15,000 from the John T. Gorman Foundation. The hope is that with those funds and community donations, the program will continue to build and become more sustainable.

The backpack program can only accept monetary donations, not donations of food. Govoni said there are a few reasons for this, including the need to provide the same items in each bag, the weight of the bag, and the ease of packing for volunteers.

A survey is sent home at least once a year to solicit feedback from the families served. “It’s really great insight for us, and it helps because we like to give feedback to our major contributors,” said Govoni. 

Cowens-Gasbarro added, “We get some really great feedback from parents about how it’s helping their family. It’s very touching. Sometimes when you are in it you lose sight of that so it’s really nice to hear from the parents.”  

Though the backpack program serves all three elementary schools in the district, the need doesn’t stop there. A snack program, also community funded, provides snacks to children who don’t have them. 

The middle and high schools both have a “Village Fund” intended to help kids purchase lunch if they need it. At the middle school, this has been fully funded by Windham Weaponry. For the high school fund, donations are also needed. These programs are important because giving backpacks to kids that age just doesn’t work, said Cowens-Gasbarro.

Govoni said she can’t stress enough how important the backpack program is in the district. “It’s a very worthwhile program, and it’s a 100 percent totally appreciated program,” she said.

Cowens-Gasbarro said the program helps kids stay focused and learn better. “In some cases they rely on school meals. That’s what they eat. They don’t have any food at home.” This is why programs like the backpack program and summer meal sites are crucial. “We work on all that, trying to feed kids every which way we can,” she said. 

Individuals or organizations who want to donate to the backpack program, the snack program or the Village Fund can contact Samantha Cowens-Gasbarro at scowens-gasbarro@rsu14.org.

Lowe's Heroes Program helps local Veterans - By Michelle Libby

Every year Lowe’s donates a project to a local organization as part of its Lowes Heroes Program. This year Lowe’s employee Ben Woodman approached the Windham Veterans Association about doing a project for them. 

“We had plans from 10 years ago and they accomplished everything, except for a fence,” said Dave Tanguay. “This was a total surprise.” 

Lowe’s worked to make what the Veterans are now calling BBQ Park with the addition of four horseshoe pits, 12’ x 16’ patio, garden accents, two fire pits and cleaned up the bean hole pit. The volunteers also painted an existing shed, added soffits and vents, and painted an arbor. 

“It’s beautiful. Just what we envisioned back in 2005,” said Veteran Don Swander. 

Every year Lowe’s does a hero’s project, said store manager Michael Ball. “We go into the community with a small budget of funds. This was a perfect fit for it based on the list they had.”

The Lowe’s team of 15 has worked two and a half days to complete the project. They also had vendor support from Old Castle stone vendor and Olympic paint vendor.

“It means a lot and it does not take a lot of time to do,” said Ball. “It’s good to get out in the community. [The employees] work here. They live here. For them it’s good to give back. These are local folks who work there. This is a great cause.”

The Veteran center has been undergoing a makeover over the last year. “It’s been a banner year,” said Tanguay. With inside painting, a new security system and heating system, a fundraiser to pave the driveway, which will be done later this month, and now the addition of usable outdoor space, the Veterans hope all of this work will help with hall rentals. This fall they also hope to renovate the kitchen.    

The rentals help to keep the center open and provide programs for Veterans in Windham and all over the state. “They took a look at our wish list and did 90 percent of it,” said Tanguay. 

Lowe’s also donated an aluminum ladder to replace an old wooden one the Veterans were using to access the attic as well as ceiling tiles for the kitchen project. 

“It’s been a win win,” said Ball.

Back L to R: David Tanguay, Michael Ball, Matt Berthiaume, Dick Small, Nikki Calden, Sarah Hodgkin, Chuck Whynot, Leon Davies, Casey Taylor, Clarence Cummings.

Front L to R: Ben Woodman, Jenna Kilburn, Joshua Beane, Todd Armstrong.

Missing: Jim Wadsworth, Holly Rowe, Paul Cheeseborough, Dan from Valspar

Young Life hosts gathering to pray for school year - By Michelle Libby

On Saturday a small group of people gathered at the Windham High School flag play to pray for a successful school year. The event was hosted by the Young Life organization, which is open to all students. Last year was the first year Young Life was a club at Windham High School.
 

“I really wanted to do this,” said organizer Nicole Foster. The event was small this year, but Foster has hope that year after year it can become bigger. In southern states, she said, they have breakfast with the prayers. 

This year Linda Babbitt from Windham and a committee member for Young Life lead the prayer.

The prayer was for all children before they start school. “Make them know who you are. Who they are in you,” she prayed. She asked that students get their identity from Jesus, not from drugs and other harmful substances. They also prayed for teachers and administrators and everyone in the school. 

“We will be praying for you this whole year,” said Foster. 

Foster put a prayer for her children in their backpacks every year. Last year, when there was a lockdown in Windham, she said she felt comforted because of that prayer. 

The club meets at the Robie Gym in Gorham just over the Windham line on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. The meetings haven’t started for this year yet. 

Cole Milazzo from Saint Joseph’s College is returning as a leader for the club. He went through a 6-week training by a local area leader. 

According to the Young Life website, “Young Life's mission is to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and to help them grow in their faith. This happens when caring adults build genuine friendships and earn the right to be heard with their young friends.”

 “They’re here,” said Foster. The group was present to help after a death affected the school last year, she added. The group is slowing gaining momentum. Members meet at Dunkin’ Donuts before school to pray and center themselves for the day. 

“If they are discouraged reach out to let people know. We don’t want to lose any more children,” said Tammy Bennitt. 

This summer nine girls attended a Young Life summer camp. The Young Life Sebago group hopes to send 20 girls and 10 guys from Windham next year with money it raises throughout the school year.

There will be a Noon Day event that will help support international women at risk and will also raise funds for Young Life to help sponsor the campership fund.