Ukrainian family fleeing invasion, war finds refuge with Windham couple

Former Windham High School foreign exchange student
Kyrylo Perederli from Ukraine returned to Windham on
July 14 with his mother, Olene Kriutchenko, and father, 
Andrli Perederli, to escape their war-torn city. They were
invited to stay and live with Kyrylo's host family, WHS 
teacher Pam Carter, and her husband, Bill Allen, until they
feel safe to return to Ukraine.
PHOTO BY LORRAINE GLOWCZAK 

By Lorraine Glowczak

When 16-year-old foreign exchange student Kyrylo Perederii arrived in Windham in 2018 to attend Windham High School, he never envisioned returning with his mother, Olena Kriutchenko, and father, Andrii Perederii due to life-altering circumstances.

But that is what happened to Kyrylo, now 20, and his parents, who lived in Melitopol, Ukraine, one of the first cities to be invaded by Russian armed forces earlier this year.

Fortunately, Krylylo and his parents kept in contact with his Windham host family, Pam Carter, a WHS teacher, and her husband, Bill Allen. The communication between the families continued in earnest during the early days of the war.

“When we decided it was time for us to leave Melitopol and we were trying to figure how we would do that, we asked Pam and Bill if Krylylo could stay with them while we were in transition and found a safe place until the war was over,” Olena said. “But Pam and Bill offered their home to all of us. We are very grateful for their kindness in allowing the three of us to stay together.”

However, the decision to leave their home bore relentless challenges.

Before the invasion, Kyrylo was attending Erasmus+ program, a university student exchange curriculum in Turkey. The program began in the fall of 2021 and ended in February. He arrived home on Feb. 12. However, just before his arrival, he started to receive alarming texts from friends in other countries. 

 

“My friends were asking me how I was doing, and I had no idea what they were talking about,” said Kyrylo, who has known Ukraine to be a sovereign nation since birth. “We had Ukrainian tanks passing through our streets in 2013 when the war started in the Eastern part of Ukraine. However, we saw no military activity near our city this time, so we didn’t think it was an actual menace.”

When one friend told him that she had heard men 18 years old and older would be called to serve the Ukrainian forces, Kyrylo and his parents became alarmed, and the uncertainty began.

The day after receiving these alarming texts, Russia started a full-scale invasion on Feb. 24.

“The next day, on Feb. 25, we were without electricity and running water and there weren’t cell phone connections for long periods at a time,” Olena said. “We didn’t know how our relatives were doing, they lived on the other side of the city. A lot of tanks were rolling through the city, bombing buildings. Going outside was unsafe, and we had no clue how long we’d have to stay inside our home.”

Olena said that looting became a problem, and food was becoming scarce.

“Luckily, Dad went shopping for food just before the invasion, so we had something to eat for a while,” Kyrylo said. “But when we ran out, we had to stand in long lines to purchase foods from the businesses that officially remained opened.”

Olena said that the Russians helped the shoplifters by ensuring that the “looting happened in an orderly fashion.”

During these early war-torn days, the uncertainty increased, and Kyrylo experienced an epiphany.

“Everything I was working toward, things that I thought were valuable, didn’t mean a thing anymore,” he said. “My plans to make my city a better place didn’t matter, no one will care about being proactive or volunteering now that everything is destroyed. When I made that realization, I just started to cry.”

Leaving family, friends, and their cat and dog added more heartbreak to this crisis, and it took extra strength knowing that the travels to the U.S. would be wrought with more challenges and intimidation. They prepared the best they could by deleting all calls, texts and social media posts that would raise suspicion. 

 

“To leave the city, we had to go through a lot of checkpoints,” Olena said. “You experience humiliation and interrogation by Russian officials, and often you never know if you will come out alive or what will happen next.”

Kyrylo and his parents described intimidating and degrading incidents Ukrainians experienced while crossing the checkpoints.

“There were no toilets and very few bushes to hide behind, so people went to the bathroom at the side of the road without getting too close to the land mines,” Olena said. “People had to wait in line for long periods in 100-degree weather, and Russian soldiers often took personal items that included money, laptops, cell phones, and jewelry without explanation.”

Repeatedly, Ukrainians were asked to remove their clothing so officers could inspect tattoos and hidden items that would favor Ukraine.

The family’s long and risky travel to safety, which began on June 7 and cost the family $1,000, eventually led them to Turkey on June 18 where they stayed with friends for three weeks while they waited for the proper paperwork to live temporarily in the U.S. and at the home of Carter and Allen.

Once the paperwork was filed and all was in order, Krylylo and his parents arrived in Windham on July 14, five weeks after leaving the city they love and call home. But gratitude is their focus.

“It was an amazing feeling to finally reach where we were trying to all this time and actually with people who have helped us so much,” Olena said.

Now that they are here, they are anxious to find work and be contributing members of the Carter and Allen household but must wait once again for the proper paperwork before they can begin working legally.

Krylylo continues to work on his college degree through online coursework while Olena and Andrii, a builder by trade, work to help the Carters with their house and camp projects.

“We always wanted to travel more after we retired, and visiting Maine was at the top of our list,” said Olena, a teacher. “But it was never in our plans to do it this way.”

They were very clear about their next steps and goals.

“To find a job, help people in our country, and return home as soon as the war is over,” Olena and Andrii said.

For others, like Carter and Allen, who may be interested in helping a family from war-torn Ukraine, you can do so if they legally reside in the United States. They can apply to sponsor Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members if they can prove they can financially support them for up to a two-year period. For more information, contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Department’s “Uniting for Ukraine” website: https://www.uscis.gov/ukraine.

Individuals may also contribute financial donations. Although there are many venues to choose from, one option to consider is United24, https://u24.gov.ua/, a website launched by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to support Ukraine. <

Windham’s Keddy Mill site to be cleaned up, demolished

By Ed Pierce 

A long awaited project to tear down the former Keddy Mill
industrial building at 7 Depot St. in South Windham along
with cleaning up the site and removing contaminants there
will be starting this fall. The site work will be funded by a
federal Superfund program administered by the EPA to
safeguard human health and the environment
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE.    

An agreement has been reached to clean up and demolish the old Keddy Mill site in South Windham under an initiative to protect human health and the environment.

Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and ITT LLC, the company responsible for the 6.93-acre site and structure off Depot Street in South Windham, say that the former industrial building on the site will be razed and contaminated materials there will be removed.

Testing has determined that the two-story concrete industrial structure on the property contains elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos, and other contaminants known to pose a risk to human health and the environment.

Located at 7 Depot St., the crumbling two-story concrete building at the site is thought to have been built in the early 20th century, although mill operations at that location date to the mid-1800s. Throughout the site’s history, several buildings have been constructed there and added to the mill complex.

Originally the mill was used as a grist and carding mill before being converted to a pulp mill, a box-board manufacturing facility and a steel mill. The site is in a mixed commercial/residential area in South Windham and is bounded by Depot Street to the north, a former Maine Central Railroad right-of-way to the east, and undeveloped property and the Presumpscot River to the south, and by Route 202/Main Street and an operational hydroelectric facility to the west. 

Use of the site for various industrial activities began in 1875, with its primary industrial use being for metal fabrication starting in 1945. The Keddy Mill Company began a metal manufacturing operation there in the 1960s which continued into the 1970s. Through the process of transforming scrap metal into products, electrical capacitors and transformers containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used there.

The building itself at 7 Depot St. sits on a concrete/soil foundation and contains a full basement. The EPA reports that no wells or known private drinking water sources are situated close to the location.

Under the Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent reached between the EPA and the responsible party, the cleanup work will be done in compliance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly known as the "Superfund," and ensures that the cleanup will protect human health and the environment. Cleanup work is expected to be phased, initially consisting of pre-design investigation activities, beginning this year.

"EPA is very pleased that after years of assessment and discussion with the community, we are moving into a significant stage of recovery and reclamation of this site," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "The upcoming building demolition and removal of contaminated materials is an important step in the lengthy process of returning a Superfund site to productive use in a community."

The property was first listed on the National Priorities List of Superfund sites in 2014. The Superfund is the federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country to protect people's health and the environment.

Initial EPA actions there were launched in the 1980s. Data was collected during these investigations, as well a fuel oil spill, resulting in two previous cleanup actions performed at the site. In 1997, an action to remove nearly 11 tons of petroleum-impacted soil from the north-central portion of the property was conducted in accordance with Maine Department of Environmental Protection requirements. In 2010, a second cleanup action removed accessible PCB-contaminated fuel oils in piping and PCB-contaminated sludge, dirt, debris, and oil materials within the buildings on the site.

EPA completed a thorough site investigation in January 2013 and a Hazard Ranking System package in April 2013. Following that, the Keddy Mill site was placed on the NPL Superfund list in May 2014. A Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study was initiated there in 2015 to determine the nature and extent of contamination and the risks posed to human health and the environment and evaluate alternative cleanup measures if necessary.

An Action Memorandum for a Non-time Critical Removal Action was signed by EPA and ITC LLC in 2018. That required that contaminated building materials must be removed from the site and sent to an off-site licensed hazardous waste site facility. The primary building contaminants exceeding acceptable human health standards included polychorinated biphenals (PCBs) and asbestos.

Windham Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield said the cleanup announcement is welcome news for South Windham residents.

“Ever since I started in town government, I have been hearing about the Keddy Mill and the eventual cleanup that will happen,” Maxfield said. “This is the first of many steps to clean that site, redevelop it and open more opportunities for South Windham to become the vibrant, mixed-use community it once was and will be again.” <

State public administrators honor Tibbetts with 2022 Leadership Award

Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts, left, accepts the
Maine Town, City and County Management Association's
2022 Leadership Award from MTCMA President Jey Feyler
during the association's convention Aug. 10 at Sugarloaf.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

By Ed Pierce 

Windham’s Town Manager Barry Tibbetts was honored with the Maine Town, City and County Management Association’s 2022 Leadership Award during the association’s convention Aug. 10 at Sugarloaf.

The annual award is presented to recognize a Public Administrator in the state for a particularly bold and innovative project or for solving an unusually difficult problem. The recipient must have played a key role in developing the project as well as in implementing it. Over the past year, Tibbetts has played a substantial and pivotal role in Windham’s wastewater treatment solution for North Windham, development of a connector road system to alleviate traffic congestion in the Route 302 corridor and Windham’s approval of the East Windham Conservation Project where hundreds of acres were conserved by the town for recreational use.

In nominating Tibbetts for the prestigious award, Windham Town Council members and Bob Burns, Windham assistant town manager, representing Windham town staff, wrote that Tibbetts stepped up and led the way for Windham in getting these major projects off the ground in the last year.

“These achievements that needed Barry’s motivation, tutelage and leadership are wins for him and major wins for the Town of Windham and its residents,” Burns said. 

Jarrod Maxfield, Windham Town Council chair, agrees with that assessment.

“For too long Windham has been stagnant in terms of progress and development for success. We would often remark we are the ‘Town of Studies because we would study projects for years and then shelve them or not get the project over the finish line for one reason or another,” Maxfield said. “This pattern over the decades was not a positive thing for Windham and held us back from moving forward and creating opportunities. The day Barry showed up, that attitude and pattern ended, and we have not looked back as we move forward.”

Maxfield said Tibbetts’ wisdom and experience is exceptional in his role as Windham Town Manager.

“It is hard to think of how one man can move a boulder that has sat for so long but in Barry’s case it comes down to leadership, energy, out of the box thinking and a positivity that gets things done, not just talking about getting things done, but actually getting them done,” he said. “He helped foster a better environment for Windham employees after some years of turmoil and empowered them to finally get those things done. He gave them the foundation to know that if a roadblock occurred, as it will, they had his support, and he would help find a solution. He is a kind, positive and energetic person who makes those around him better and creates success by being there.”

In June, Windham voters attending the Annual Town Meeting approved a proposal for the town join a partnership with Presumpscot Regional Land Trust to purchase and conserve 661 acres near Little Duck Pond in East Windham in a project called the East Windham Conservation Project. It will acquire forested acreage for recreational opportunities in Windham while also adding 1,545 feet of undeveloped water frontage on Little Duck Pond, the 150-acre Deer Wintering Area for hunting, and the 580-foot Atherton Hill, the tallest hill in Windham. As part of the project, Lands for Maine’s Future awarded Windham $998,000 to help fund the initiative and voters approved a bond to match the LMF award with town open space impact fees so there will be no impact upon the mil rate for local homeowners.

Also in June, a town referendum for a proposed $40.4 million sewer and wastewater treatment project for North Windham was approved by 71 percent of voters after a different sewer proposal was rejected by Windham voters 10 years ago. The project will not raise taxes and all but $500,000 is covered to pay for the initiative through a combination of grant funding, a $38.9 million award by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and North Windham TIF funding supported by North Windham businesses. Under the project, a new wastewater treatment facility on the grounds of Manchester School will be built and addresses pressing environmental issues by removing thousands of pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus being dumped by septic systems into the aquifer and watershed. It also is intended to stimulate significant economic growth and development in the North Windham area from industry and businesses not willing to locate there previously because of septic system issues and associated costs.

As town manager, Tibbetts also is leading an effort to alleviate persistent traffic congestion in North Windham along Route 302 through creation of a system of new access roads and sophisticated high-tech traffic signals. In January the Windham Town Council adopted a study that puts forward a phased plan to build connector roads in the next few years. For years, heavy traffic during peak travel times remains a problem along Route 302 from the intersection of Route 115 to Franklin Road and causes congestion, motorist delays and a high accident rate for motorists in the town. The issue has been studied repeatedly for years, but now a potential solution is at hand.

Tibbetts has served as Windham’s Town Manager since November 2019, first on an interim basis and then was made the permanent town manager since March 2020. He has extensive municipal experience and experience in local government, administrative operations, budgeting, regulatory functions, and community relations and served as the Kennebunk Town Manager through 2017.

Upon his retirement with Kennebunk and coming to Windham, Tibbetts worked with a small energy start-up business and developed a consulting business in energy and governmental services. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Maine, and he also earned an MBA degree during his career in government. He also holds credentialed certifications from both the ICMA and MCTMA.

In learning he had won the award, Tibbetts said he was humbled and caught off guard.

“I was totally surprised by the Windham team, they did a great job in keeping it undercover until it was announced,” Tibbetts said. “It was an honor to receive this statewide award from the MTCMA with the recognition of the Windham Town Council and town staff. Since beginning in Windham two years ago, the council and staff as a team has been working toward addressing critical infrastructure needs which have been accumulating over the past. The timing is right, and Windham has great staff and council to get the work done. It been a pleasure to serve the council, staff and residents. <

RSU 14 students preparing for return to school

Students in RSU 14 start back to school on Aug. 309 through
Sept. 6, depending upon their grade level.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

By Ed Pierce

Words that every parent in Windham and Raymond has come to appreciate are about to be spoken yet again as the final days of summer are ending for students with school back in session in just a matter of days now.

Classes in RSU 14 resume for Grades 1 to Grade 9 on Tuesday, Aug. 30 with Windham High School students in Grades 10 to Grade 12 returning to the classroom on Wednesday, Aug. 31. Depending upon notification from the school principal, students in Pre-K and Kindergarten have their first day of the 2022-2023 school year on Thursday, Sept. 1 or Tuesday, Sept. 6 with classes split in half on those days.

All students will be off on Friday, Sept. 2 and Monday, Sept. 5 for the Labor Day holiday.

Orientation for new staff members and teachers is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 24, and will be followed by two days of teacher in-service training on Thursday, Aug. 25 and Friday, Aug. 26.

All school principals in RSU 14 are returning this fall, with the exception being at Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond, where Michelle Brann has replaced Randy Crockett as principal. 

Ryan Caron is the principal of Windham High School, with Drew Patin returning as the principal at Windham Middle School. At Windham Primary School, Dr. Kyle Rhoads is the principal and Danielle Donnini leads Manchester School as principal. Beth Peavey is the principal of Raymond Elementary School.

Christopher Howell is the RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools and Christine Frost-Bertinet is the assistant superintendent. Kate Brix serves as chair of the RSU 14 Board of Directors.

Other key positions for the school district for the 2022-2023 school year include Director of School Nutrition Jeanne Reilly, Director of Facilities Bill Hansen, Adult Education Director Thomas Nash, Director of Transportation Mike Kelly, Director of Technology Robert Hickey, and Director of Curriculum Christine Hesler.

For parents of student-athletes participating in fall sports at Windham High School, a “Meet the Coaches” night will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31 in the high school auditorium.

Windham Middle School sign-ups for student-athletes will be conducted on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, with tryouts and practices for WMS fall sports scheduled to open Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Following the Labor Day holiday break, the next scheduled day off from instruction for students will be Monday, Oct. 10 to observe Indigenous People’s Day.

According to information contained in the latest RSU 14 newsletter, district schools will continue to be mask optional and will follow the CDC current recommendation of a five-day quarantine, followed by five days of masking for individuals who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Individuals must be fever free for at least 24 hours prior to their return to school. Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing practices as well as enhanced ventilation adopted during the pandemic will continue to be followed.

The district remains committed to supporting students and staff members who wish to continue to mask while at school and district events and a supply of high-quality masks are available at each school.

Heading into the new school year, numerous job opportunities are available for employment with the school district. For more information about vacancies, call RSU14 Human Resources at 207-892-1800, ext. 2009 or visit rsu14.org <

Windham resident turning 100 in September shares tales from her life

By Ed Pierce 

Else Brown of Windham turns 100 on Sept. 9 and
has survived war, starvation, refugee camps, 
extreme poverty, separation from her daughter and
the death of her husband during her lifetime. She
remains in good spirits and has devoted much of
her life to helping others. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

Life was never easy for Else Brown of Windham, but she made the most of it and next month, she will celebrate her 100th birthday.

Born in what was then Konigsberg (now called Kaliningrad) in Prussia on Sept. 9, 1922, Brown survived a Russian invasion of her city, World War II, extreme poverty, starvation, life in a crowded refugee camp, learning a new language, emigrating to America, separation from her daughter, and the death of her husband. Through it all, she has retained a unique sense of humor, an indomitable spirit, and a strong desire to help others who are in need.

She was the only child of parents who had moved from a farm to Konigsberg when her father had landed a job caring for horses. That was shortly before the outbreak of World War II and her life suddenly changed when Russian troops seized Konigsberg, the easternmost German city located between Poland and Lithuania. Her mother fled to live with her sister near Berlin and Else went to live out the war in a refugee resettlement camp in Germany.

Life in the refugee camp was harsh and both money and food were scarce. Refugees were so poor that they did what they had to do to survive, including stealing food when opportunities were presented rather than starve to death. She never forgot that feeling of poverty and to this day has a soft spot in her heart for those less fortunate than she is.

After the war ended in 1945, Brown went to work for a U.S. military family stationed in Germany, first as a babysitter and then as the maid in charge of caring for the household. It was while working that job, she met her husband, Lawrence Brown, a U.S. Army staff sergeant who was a friend of the family she worked for.

“I thought he was unusual but good looking,” Brown said. 

The couple married in 1955 and her husband adopted Else’s mentally challenged daughter. In 1957, her husband was transferred by the military back to the U.S. but wasn’t allowed to take Else’s daughter because of immigration rules. She was left behind in a facility for mentally challenged children and remains under care in Germany today at age 76. That enforced separation still hurts Brown years later.

Now living in America, Brown’s husband was discharged from the U.S. Army and then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Else slowly learned English and got a job working at the Base Exchange at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts. 

“I wanted to work but my English was not so good,” Else said. “I was assigned to work in the military uniform section. A major came in and asked for a muffler and I told him that we didn’t sell them and that he needed to go to the auto repair shop on base instead. A few minutes later he came back with the manager, and I was told it wasn’t the muffler for a car he was looking for. The manager said this time I really did it, the muffler that the major was looking for was a scarf. I told him, “Why don’t they just call it a scarf then?”

The Browns then moved to Maryland when Lawrence was transferred to a post in Washington, D.C. Else found work at Raleigh’s, a fashionable men’s and women’s clothing store in Washington. She spent 13 years handling the accounting books for Raleigh’s and says she loved her work there.

After 46 years of living in Maryland, the couple thought about moving to Florida after visiting there on vacation. In 2001, while preparing to move, Else’s husband, who was already in Florida looking for places for them, called her and asked if she would go to Windham to help his brother, who lived here and was very sick.

“It was a bad situation,” she said. “He had about 40 cats and his house was really a mess inside. There were cats and cat litter everywhere. It took me a while to get it all cleaned up.”

Then came another blow for Else when she received a phone call that her husband was in the hospital in Tampa and was dying of cancer. 

“I think now that he knew he was dying, and he sent me to Windham where his brother was,” she said. “Lawrence died and a year later I bought a trailer home and have lived here for 20 years.”

Else took up crocheting and started making blankets for friends and for veterans and firefighters when she had time. Once she crocheted 26 blankets for veterans in wheelchairs to use and drove away quickly from the Windham Veterans Center after they were brought inside by a worker there.

“I drove off because I didn’t want them to know who made them for them,” she said. “I didn’t do it for the glory, I did it because I wanted to.”

Over the years, she’s also crocheted quilts, snowmen, and other household items for her friends working at Windham Town Hall.

With her eyesight failing and her hearing not being very good, Else stopped driving just a year ago at age 98 and isn’t able to crochet anymore. She now has help and transportation thanks to her caregiver and friend, Rose Milliken of Windham.

According to Else, Milliken is kind and a throwback to days long ago.

“Where I was born, everybody knew everybody and helped each other,” she said. “People are so different now and they are more about themselves and what they can have rather than being about how they can help others.”

Brown says she isn’t dwelling much about her upcoming birthday and turning 100.

“I don’t really care about having a birthday cake or a birthday party,” she said. “Of course, I’m always looking for a man.” <

Editor's note: An effort is underway to send Else Brown 100 birthday cards for her 100th birthday on Sept. 9. The public can mail the cards to Else Brown c/o Rose Milliken, 45 Pope Road, Windham, Maine 04062.

New JSMS principal brings 20 years of experience to RSU 14

New Jordan-Small Middle School Principal Michelle Brann
is committed to providing each students with an excellent
education and many opportunities to learn and grow as
young adults. During her spare time, she enjoys fishing
and boating on Casco Bay with her family.
COURTESY PHOTO

By Lorraine Glowczak

Michelle Brann officially began her new post as the Jordon-Small Middle School principal on Wednesday, Aug. 3, when the RSU 14 Board of Directors formally accepted the hiring committee’s nomination of this experienced educational leader.

For the past 21 years, Brann, who replaces former JSMS Principal Randy Crockett, has been a classroom teacher in the Lake Region School and Wells-Ogunquit School Districts, with her most recent position being as assistant principal at Lake Region Middle School.

RSU 14 Superintendent Chris Howell had the opportunity to speak with her former colleagues at Lake Region Middle School, who spoke of Brann with high regard.

“Each individual described Michelle as an accomplished educational leader with a strong personal, moral/ethical compass,” Howell said. “In addition, they shared that she is a strong communicator who has consistently demonstrated an ability to build strong relationships with students, staff and the community.”

One of Brann’s visions for JSMS students is to provide the best educational opportunities available while at the same time acknowledging there is not a “one size fits all” instructive approach.

“I hope to prepare students by readying them for a successful high school experience,” Brann said. “Student success is recognizing that no two students are alike and meeting them where they are by building relationships. Once you build strong bonds with students, they feel supported in learning and growing authentically and in personally meaningful ways.”

 

Brann also said that encouraging students to explore their interests contributes to educational success.

“Middle school is that time in students’ lives to learn about themselves, knowing what feels comfortable in moving forward – not just academically but through extra-curricular opportunities as well.”

Along with embracing student success, Brann said that she also intends to spend her first year understanding the JSMS community’s tradition and culture. She will begin by being an active listener.

“Listening to all the voices in the community – staff, teachers and parents – and learning their needs and goals will be among my priorities as JSMS principal,” she said. “I have a very collaborative approach to leadership, and I believe it is important to have conversations to gather an understanding of all involved to move forward positively and cohesively.”

Brann said she envisions her role as the JSMS principal as a bridge between all community partners.

In addition to her teaching and leadership experiences, Brann has an impressive resume full of training and advanced degrees that she will bring to the position.

After graduating from the Extended Teacher Education Program at the University of Southern Maine, Brann began her teaching career in 2001 as a social studies teacher at Lake Region High School, transferring to Wells High School two years later, teaching there until 2017. 

 

“While there, I worked with students of varying needs and abilities,” she said. “I co-taught classes and was the social studies teacher for the alternative education program. I have been the Assistant Principal at Lake Region Middle School for the past five years. In May of 2021, my love of life-long learning led me to obtain my Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Maine. I continuously seek opportunities to learn and grow as a school leader and look forward to learning and leading JSMS.” 

 

When Brann, who lives in Falmouth, is not busy taking classes or working as a collaborative leader, she is engaged in fun adventuresome activities such as boating and fishing on Casco Bay with her husband, son and daughter. Her family is also busy with high school sports.

“I am very much a hockey mom,” Brann said, whose children both attend Falmouth High School. “My daughter is the athlete in the family, playing hockey and lacrosse. I am a member of both the Hockey Board and Boosters Board in Falmouth since we are so involved with sports and travel to so many games.”

Brann’s family shares their home with a Maine Coon mix cat and two dogs. “One of our dogs is 90 pounds. It’s like having a horse in the house so there is never a dull moment in our family,” she said.

Despite her busy schedule, Brann finds the time to exercise. She walks five miles daily with a supportive group of friends as often as possible and has run the Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth five times. “I am not going to run it this year but have plans to do so again in the future.”

Brann said she feels extremely fortunate to have been selected to become part of the RSU 14 community.

“In the short time that I have been here, I have been immensely impressed by the dedication, professionalism, and kindness that has been demonstrated by the administration, staff and the community,” she said. “I am excited to be here and am committed to providing each student with an excellent education and many opportunities to learn and grow as young adults.”

With this same excitement, the community and staff of Windham and Raymond look forward to the opportunities that Brann will provide for the district.

“It is without a doubt that Lake Region is sad to see Michelle leave their district, but we are delighted and fortunate to have her join RSU 14,” Howell said. <

Fuller Center cyclists pedal 3,900 miles to assist Windham resident with ALS

Fuller Center for Housing cyclists gather before a leg of their
3,900-mile coast-to-coast journey that took six weeks to
complete this summer. While in Windham, the riders helped
build a new porch for a resident who has ALS and assisted
in making other home improvements for local seniors as
volunteers for the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center
for Housing. COURTESY PHOTO       

By Ed Pierce

It’s said that when you give of yourself, that is when you truly give. For 21 cyclists completing a 3,900 mile ride from Seaside, Oregon to Maine on behalf of the Fuller Center for Housing last weekend, they gave everything they possibly could by finishing their journey.

Fuller Center cyclists rode from Fryeburg to St. Joseph’s College in Standish on Thursday, July 28 and then enjoyed a police escort as they made their way to an overnight stop at the North Windham Union Church. There they teamed up with a group of volunteers from the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing on Friday, July 29 for a building project to add a new front porch for John and Linda Gregoire of Windham and other projects.

John Gregoire is wheelchair bound and paralyzed and is unable to speak. He communicates through a laptop and has been suffering from ALS for the past 15 years. In creating the new porch for the family, Fuller Center cyclists and local volunteers updated the Gregoire home to make it safer and more accessible for John, who is now able to roll out onto the porch for fresh air when needed.

“Thank you to the Sebago Fuller Housing Foundation for helping those who can no longer care for their homes and just need an extra heart and hand to bring their home back to its glory,” said Linda Gregoire. “All with consideration of John’s needs, nothing has been overlooked to make this project safe and comfortable for him. This group has given us more than a porch with a second means of egress, they’ve given us a feeling of being cared for and loved. John and I are beyond grateful, humbled and in awe of the kindness showered on us.”

In all, the cyclists and Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center volunteers worked on eight different housing projects while in Windham before the remaining riders departed for Portland on the final leg of their six-week cross-country ride on Saturday, July 30.

In reaching the Atlantic Ocean, the cyclists wrapped up a coast-to-coast adventure that spanned 14 different northern-tier states and included visits to all of the Great Lakes and an array of locations such as Glacier National Park in Montana, Niagara Falls in New York and Lake Champlain in Vermont.

In Burlington, Vermont, Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center President Diane Dunton Bruni of Windham joined the group of cross-country cyclists and rode with them on the final trek over to Maine.

The Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure was founded in 2008 as a way to raise funds for The Fuller Center for Housing’s work of partnering with families in need to help them have simple, decent places to live through home repairs and new home construction – through dozens of Fuller Center covenant partners across the United States and in 20 different countries.

Since its inception, the Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure has raised more than $3.8 million for the Fuller Center’s work through the years, including more than $500,000 raised in 2022. Riders also are instrumental in bringing attention and public awareness about the nonprofit’s work through speaking engagements, media coverage and simply by talking with people they meet along the way.

The Fuller Center for Housing was founded in 2005 by the late Millard Fuller, who also created the Habitat for Humanity International initiative. It seeks to end substandard housing and improve the lives of those who may never have owned a home. The group partners with local agencies and volunteers to build or repair homes with partner families who participate in the work and pay the costs forward on a no-profit, no-interest basis that they can afford.

During this year’s cross-country ride, the orange-clad cyclists participated in seven build days at stops they made at Fuller Center locations. In the U.S. alone, there are more than 80 Fuller Center sites, and the number continues to grow every year.

To learn more about project eligibility, to become an active volunteer or to make a charitable donation, visit the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing’s website at sebagofullerhousing.org, send an email to sebagofullerhousinginfo@gmail.com, or call 207-387-0855. <

Healthy Pickins Garden at JSMS provides not only vegetables, but life lessons for students

The Healthy Pickins Garden was created at Jordan-Small
Middle School in Raymond in 2010 as a way to foster
community involvement and provide students with a 
better understanding of gardening and the work that is
involved in growing produce. PHOTO BY JOHN  KELLER

By Andrew Wing 

Vegetable gardening is a rewarding activity that can provide fresh, flavorful produce and it also offers the benefits of exercise, fresh air, and learning more about how these important nutrients are grown. At Jordan-Small Middle School, that’s exactly what they have shown the students there for over a decade with its Healthy Pickins Garden.

Healthy Pickins Garden was built in 2010 and that along with the adjacent greenhouse has been active since then. It came about through a grant that Dennis Woodruff and John Keller had obtained that furnished the funding to build the greenhouse and furnish supply tools, bags of soil, fencing, and seed packets. Lori Dibiase-Gagnon also played a key role in getting the first vegetable garden started and since 2010, thousands of pounds of vegetables have been grown for the school lunch program with lots of help from the JSMS students.

Physicians say that fresh vegetables are a central and integral part of any healthy diet. Vegetables are loaded with essential nutrients that promote better health, including antioxidants and vitamins. And as many benefits as vegetables provide to one’s health, there are also benefits of growing the vegetables in a vegetable garden as having a vegetable garden can save hundreds of dollars on groceries.

Over the years, JSMS students and staff have grown many varieties of vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, beans, carrots, beets, onions, garlic, spinach, lettuce, eggplant, collard greens, potatoes, cabbage, kale, cucumbers, broccoli, melons, and a variety of herbs. These fresh organic grown vegetables have provided hundreds of healthy and delicious meals to the students and staff at JSMS over the years and when there has been a surplus of harvest, the vegetables have been donated to the Raymond Community School and other schools in the district, as well as the Raymond Food Pantry. 

The greenhouse at JSMS is active from September to November, and then again from March through May. Some of the cooler weather crops such as spinach and lettuce are grown in the greenhouse raised beds and are used in the JSMS lunch program salad bar. The greenhouse also has a cooling fan that was installed by former student, Al Potter, which is powered by a battery and solar panel which former JSMS applied tech students helped construct.

Keller, one of the men who helped start the garden, has been involved since its inception. He just retired following 26 years working in Special Education at JSMS. He was also the school’s cross-country coach for over 20 years, and despite his retirement, he will return this fall to co-coach alongside John Powers and plans to substitute teach when needed. Most importantly, Keller plans to still watch over the Healthy Pickins Garden as he plays such a key role performing the summer care for it until the students and staff return this fall.

All in all, Healthy Pickins Garden is a big deal at JSMS, and the students there play an integral role in it.

“The majority of the students that help with the vegetable garden are primarily 5th grade science students, but the sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students have helped as well during the school day and in the after-school garden club,” said Keller. “The students do the majority of the work preparing the garden in the spring and harvesting crops when they return to school in late August through the final harvest in late October.”

When Healthy Pickins Garden was created back in 2010, those at JSMS were hoping that it would provide food for not only the school, but the community as well, and more than that, they wanted the students to take something away from working in the garden, and Keller believes that they have done just that.

“There are so many benefits for these children at JSMS being involved in a gardening program,” said Keller. “Vegetable gardening teaches students about agriculture, nutrition, and life skills as they can learn how to grow vegetables for the rest of their lives. Also, school gardens just help promote healthy lifestyles.”

Now, 12 years after it began, there is no denying that Healthy Pickins Garden has been a success, and Keller says that he wants to thank everyone who has contributed to that success.

“The success of the school garden over the years has truly been a school and town community effort,” said Keller. “It would not be possible without the support of the fifth-grade teachers Lynne Latham and Kelly Crockett, kitchen staff Jamie Harmon, Scott Walsh, and Santa Rodriquez-Lopez, Chef Ryan Roderick, former Chef Samantha Cowens-Gasbaro, RSU 14 Director of School Nutrition Jeanne Reilly, special education staff Erika Greene, Moira Case, and Kim Hutchins, occupational therapist Lori Fletcher and her daughter Emma, JSMS head groundskeeper Tom Gumble, longterm and now former principal Randy Crockett, master gardener Sheila Frappier who has also led the after-school gardening program, Lyndsay Stretch of Petals Farm and Garden, school custodians, and community volunteers April Fey and Mary Thornton, but most importantly the students of JSMS.” <

Afthim brothers cherish time spent playing together on same team again

By Andrew Wing

Less than 10 percent of all high school athletes go on to play a sport in college. From the workouts and time management to coping with the pressure to succeed, the demands of these athletes are tremendous but the Afthim brothers from Windham are taking it all in stride.

Brady Afthim, left, and 
his brother, Bryce Afthim,
represented the North
division in the 2022
NECBL All-Star Game
on Sunday, July 24 at
Martha's Vineyard in
Massachusetts. 
PHOTO BY PHIL AFTHIM

Bryce and Brady Afthim are the sons of Phil and Shelly Afthim, and the family has called Windham home for the past 15 years. Both Bryce and​​ Brady graduated from Windham High School where they both played varsity baseball all four years.

Bryce, 21, is about to begin his senior year at the University of Southern Maine where he has a major in Business Analytics. He was recruited by a number of NCAA Division III programs, but he chose to continue his baseball career at USM under coach Ed Flaherty.

In his three years at USM, Bryce has been at the top of the rotation and some of the awards he’s garnered include being named to the NEIBA All-New England team, and this past season he was named a Second Team LEC Starting Pitcher.

Brady, 19, just completed his first year at the University of Connecticut where he appeared in 22 games out of the bullpen for the Huskies. He was the first baseball player from Maine to be recruited by UConn and coach Jim Penders, and he certainly showed why during his senior season at Windham High, which saw him garner awards such as Maine Gatorade Player of the Year and also the prestigious Winkin Award.

Although the two brothers haven’t shared the field since 2019, this summer they’ve had the chance to be back on the diamond together in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. They both played in the league last year on different teams, but this year they’ve been playing for the Sanford Mainers where they’ve both had incredibly successful seasons.

And while the two have been playing together their whole lives, both of them know at this stage in their baseball careers just how special it is to be back on the same team.

“It’s very special, it isn’t seen very often, and our teammates have enjoyed it just as much as us because of how rare it is,” said Bryce. “This summer’s been even more enjoyable because of how dominant we’ve been and it’s nice watching both of us succeed against high-level competition.”

“I think I got used to it growing up and I think it’s just something I took for granted at the time,” said Brady. “When he graduated high school, I thought that would be the last time we were teammates, so it’s cool to be able to play with him now not only on the same team but playing the same position too.”

There’s no denying that to be a successful athlete you must be extremely competitive and there’s also no denying that siblings can be highly competitive with one another, and that’s just the case for Bryce and Brady.

“I’d say growing up we were competing against each other in almost anything and everything,” said

Bryce. “But since we’ve both gone to college, it’s turning into more of a desire to watch the other succeed against other competition, rather than against each other.”

“We are both competitive, but the competitor in me thinks that I’m more competitive than he is,” said Brady. “I like to give him a hard time because my stats are a little bit better than his are this summer.”

Despite the two being highly competitive with one another, they are still both proud of the other’s success.

“I am very proud of Brady’s success,” said Bryce. “He set goals for himself in high school that a select few knew of and he worked harder than most to get there.”

His brother echoed that sentiment.

“I am proud of the progress he has made and his willingness to compete and battle on the mound,” said 

Brady. “I’m always going to push him and keep the compliments to a minimum, but if we had a must-win game tomorrow and I was the coach, he’d be starting that game.”

As of right now, the brothers are still in the midst of their season with the Sanford Mainers, and after that, they will turn their focus to their college teams, but both brothers definitely hope to be playing long after college.

“My main goal this past year was to get into better shape and I did that by losing 35 pounds, so my main goal for this upcoming year is to build more muscle and get my velocity higher,” said Bryce. “If I can do that, I might be able to keep playing after college which is my current long-term goal.”

Brady has a goal too.

“I try to stay in the present and not look too far into the future,” said Brady. “For now, though, I just want to keep getting better, have success at UConn, and hopefully be fortunate enough to make this game a job one day.” <

Recovering resident shares story of hope for those experiencing substance use disorder

After many years of substance misuse,
Brittany Reichmann realized that sobriety is
a lifetime choice for her. She works to raise
awareness that a life in recovery is possible
and that by telling her story, she hopes to
decrease the stigma about substance use
disorder among people of all ages..
PHOTO BY SUSIE LEE PHOTOGRAPHY 

By Lorraine Glowczak

Brittany [Fearon] Reichmann of Windham grew up in a loving home and was raised by two adoring parents and had a fun-loving brother. She was an avid soccer player who was very involved in extracurricular activities as a youth. She graduated from Windham High School in 2007 with honors and an above 4.0-grade point average. She had a perfect life – until a prescribed medication led to illegal substance misuse that robbed her passion for living the life of her dreams.

“I really had a wonderful life before I was introduced to a variety of mind-altering substances,” Reichmann said. “I started drinking around the age of 14 – when I was a freshman. It was a casual thing to do with friends on the weekends. It was here that it all began.”

During her sophomore year, however, Reichmann had her wisdom teeth removed. To relieve the pain, she was prescribed a small dose of the prescription opioid, Vicodin. This substance changed the trajectory of her life.

“The second I began taking that prescription, I really loved the way it made me feel,” Reichmann admitted.

Soon, her prescription ran out, and she longed for the ‘fix’ that Vicodin provided. A close friend mentioned that there were opioids easily accessible in medicine cabinets of various family and friends. They found and began helping themselves to this “medicine cabinet” substance.

“As soon as he told me how accessible opioids were, we found some and took them that day,” Reichmann said. “For him, it was just for fun, and the use didn’t have detrimental effects. But for me, that fun became a habit.”

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), this habit was not a choice for Reichmann. NIDA maintains that substance use disorder is a genetic makeup that the individual cannot control. “As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a medical disorder that affects the brain and changes behavior.”

While Reichmann’s friend could easily experiment with opioids without harmfully changing his behavior, Reichmann’s brain reacted differently.

“We still do not fully understand why some people develop an addiction to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug use,” NIDA website confirmed.

Reichmann continued providing a successful persona to her family and friends during the rest of her high school years. Every college she applied to, accepted her. Finally, she decided on the University of New Hampshire.

“When I was attending college, everyone was partying, drinking and taking drugs – while at the same time also doing what they were supposed to be doing - going to class and studying,” Reichmann said. “During my freshman year, I was already incapable of doing those things without the use of substances. If I did not have access to opioids, I didn’t go to class. If I couldn’t find that substance, I would rely on alcohol. It was not uncommon for me to show up on a Tuesday morning class, already drunk at 11 a.m. in order to take an exam.”

It wasn’t until her second semester of college that things worsened. Three weeks into the spring semester, she experienced a mental breakdown.

“I called my family and told them that I couldn’t do this anymore - that college was not the right place for me,” she said. “Everyone understood that I was undergoing a sort of depression and were there to support me, but the thing is, no one knew I had a substance use disorder.”

She returned home to live with her family and enrolled in a local college. Unfortunately, being around a supportive family did not change her substance misuse, and she began buying opioids from dealers and thus surrounding herself with new ‘friends’.

“Things continued to get worse and worse – eventually, my parents noticed my substance misuse,” Reichmann said. “They would give me stipulations. ‘Get a job’, ‘Go to school’, they pleaded.”

After ten years of trying, and failing, to become sober, she experienced an epiphany.

I remember sitting on the porch at my parents’ house and asking myself, ‘How did I get here?’, she said. “This reflection brought me to my knees – it was the turning point after years of failed sobriety. I realized that this is a lifetime thing for me. I can never drink or take any form of substance, ever. My body and mind are different than others and will not be able to respond to substances in a healthy way.”

But by this time, family and friends asked her to hold herself accountable. They had had enough of helping her after multiple ‘failures.”. So, Reichmann took a chance and requested help from her employer.

“I asked them to loan me money so I could finally become sober,” Reichmann said. “I promised to pay them back, and they agreed. I got help, went to a sober living facility, and rebuilt my life. I’ve repaid the loan my employer gave me, and now I’m living a healthy and happy life of sobriety.”

Reichmann is now five years sober. She is a homeowner, a wife, and a mother of a 1-year-old son. She works as the Program Manager for Maine Association of Recovery Residences, assisting others in the life of recovery.

“I’m currently living my greatest passion, helping others to live a life of active recovery while also decreasing the stigma surrounding substance misuse,” she said. “But perhaps more importantly, by sharing my personal story, I am raising awareness that a life of recovery is possible. I am living proof that change is doable despite it all – believe me. I’ve been through a lot. I promise – there is not a challenge that a person cannot come back from. There is hope. Never give up.”

Resources are available for those who are experiencing substance use disorder and desperately want to make a change.

They include the following:

* Lakes Region Recovery Center in Bridgton, 25 Hospital Drive, Suite E, 207-803-8707.

* Portland Recovery Center in Portland, 102 Bishop St., Portland, 207-553-2575.

* National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI-Maine) in Hallowell, 52 Water St., 800-464-5767.

* Brittany Reichmann, bmfearon89@gmail.com.

In an extreme mental health crisis, turn to the new crisis hotline to receive immediate expert care by dialing 988. <

Windham dedicates Public Safety Building for local first responders

Windham Police Chief Kevin Schofield and Windham Fire
Chief Brent Libby cut the ribbon officially opening the 
renovated and expanded Windham Public Safety Building
during a dedication event on July 13. The project took a
year to complete and the facility now houses both Windham
police officers and firefighters. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE      

By Ed Pierce

When any facility is renovated or expanded and all the work has been wrapped up, the question then is whether the building can stand the test of time and become a functional part of the world. In Windham, the construction of the town’s new Public Safety Building on Gray Road has reached an end and the structure is now in regular use with its occupants saving lives and protecting the community around the clock.

During a special dedication ceremony on July 13, Windham town officials, construction crews and residents heard about what went into the decision to renovate and expand the building and celebrated its completion.

The construction work for the $4.3 million expansion and building renovation was performed by Great Falls Construction of Gorham and began with groundbreaking in July 2021. It added a 15,247-square foot renovation to the existing 17,000-square-foot Public Safety building which houses space for first responders for both the Windham Fire Department and the Windham Police Department.

During the project, workers finished a two-story 5,840-square-foot addition that houses five apparatus bays, a new public safety decontamination space, bunk rooms, kitchen, and offices for the Windham Fire Department, created a new 1,305-square-foot standalone three-bay space for vehicle and evidence storage for the Windham Police Department, and installed a second elevator for the building. 

Remodeling work was also performed throughout the entire building as workers installed HVAC and lighting upgrades to increase building efficiency and updated other areas during the project, including a revised locker room space; created an additional 10 new public parking spaces and addition of a new 1,305-square-foot, single-story secured evidence locker for police; additional employee parking; an outdoor patio space; a new dumpster area; and installation of a new generator for the reconfigured facility.

Back in 2020, Windham residents approved up to $4.9 million in bonds during the Annual Town Meeting for capital improvement projects, and that included funding the expansion for the town’s Public Safety Building. The additional funding for the building’s renovation was derived from town impact fees for new town residential developments and new commercial buildings.

“The need for this was obvious,” said Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts during the dedication event. “This building needed to be worked on. We chose not to tear it down, but to remodel it and make it work for the future.”

Windham’s Public Safety Building at 375 Gray Road in Windham was originally built in 1988 at a time when none of the town’s firefighters were full-time staff members and Windham only had about 15 or so police officers on duty. Through the decades as Windham has grown, the town now employs 20 professional firefighters while the town’s police force has doubled in size to 30 officers.

Tibbetts said he was impressed with how the project turned out and how police and firefighters adapted to the challenges of the ongoing construction over the past year.

“I’m exceptionally proud of the team,” he said. “They put up with a lot to pull this off.”

To accommodate the renovation project, Windham firefighters were temporarily moved out of the building during the upstairs construction work, while the Windham Police Department continued to use the facility as the construction progressed.

According to Tibbetts, three good outcomes were derived from the construction.

“First, the project was on time. Second it was within budget. Third, it looks good inside. This is a great example of Windham investing in itself for its employees for the future.”

Windham Town Councilor David Nadeau told those attending the dedication event that the completed building highlights the spirit of cooperation between police and firefighters in the town.

“What this really shows me is the camaraderie between these two departments,” Nadeau said. “Hopefully we do get the time we need to get out of this building. We’re grateful to Fire Chief Brent Libby and Police Chief Kevin Schofield for bringing these two departments together.”

Jarrod Maxfield, Windham Town Council Chair, said when he was first trying to decide if he wanted to run for a town council seat six years ago, he took a drive with Nadeau and stopped outside the old Public Safety Building at this very same location.

“He talked about what the Public Safety Building was and what it could be,” Maxfield said. “It’s exciting to see what it turned out to be. This building will be a part of making all our lives better.”

Windham Fire Chief Brent Libby shared a timeline of the history of the Public Safety Building and talked about how a 2014 facilities study launched a discussion in the town about what to do with the aging Public Safety Building.

“We are now at the finish line,” Libby said.

Windham’s Police Chief, Kevin Schofield, said that Windham Police officers first started using the existing Windham Public Safety Building in April 1990, more than 32 years ago.

“This is a very exciting prospect for me personally,” Schofield said. “I now work on the second floor with a window in my office. This community has come a long way in the last 30-plus years. The new building is a greatly enhanced public safety facility to serve the town for years to come.”

Jonathan Smith, Great Falls Construction president, said that the company was grateful to the town for the opportunity to work on the project. He introduced construction managers and sub-contractors who worked on the building and recognized others who were instrumental in advancing the project, such as architect Mike Hays and project consultant Owens McCullough of Sebago Technics.

Also attending the dedication event were Windham Town Councilors Mark Morrison and William Reiner, Windham Assistant Town Manager Bob Burns, Windham Public Works Director Doug Fortier, Windham Economic Development Corportation Executive Director Tom Bartell, State Representative Mark Bryant and Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Robin Mullins.

Rev. Tim Higgins of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Windham offered a blessing for the facility before the ribbon was cut officially dedicating the building. <

Food pantries playing larger role as local economy tightens

Rising inflation and soaring gasoline prices have resulted in
an increasing number of individuals and families seeking
help from the Raymond Food Pantry and the Windham Food
Pantry. The need is compounded by RSU 14 not being able
to provide a summer lunch program this year. Food pantry
donations are being welcomed and more volunteers are 
sought to staff the facilities. COURTESY PHOTO  

By Andrew Wing

Over the last few years, there is no denying that we as a country have faced some incredible economic challenges. And in 2022, we are faced with another hardship, catapulted inflation resulting from soaring gas and food prices that are unlike anything our country has seen in decades. Many families in the towns of Windham and Raymond are experiencing trouble just putting food on the table for their children.

For the past couple of years, the RSU 14 Summer Food Service Program has been an outlet for many parents in alleviating some of the hunger children face because they did not have enough food when school was out for the school year. This was a great program that made a huge difference in our community, but unfortunately this summer there has been no RSU 14 Summer Food Service program.

According to Jeanne Reilly, RSU 14 Director of School Nutrition, there are a lot of reasons for this ranging from COVID-19 waivers that were set to expire to not having enough time to put a plan in place for summer meals, but she said a key reason was one that almost every business has been experiencing as of late, and that was not having enough staff to operate a summer meals program.

Despite not having the RSU 14 Summer Food Service program, Reilly said she is hopeful that the program will be back next year to deliver food to the hungry children in need in Windham and Raymond.

There are still a number of resources available to area families in need, the biggest one being town food pantries in both Windham and Raymond.

The Windham Food Pantry’s hours of operation are by appointment from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, while Raymond’s Food Pantry is open from 4 to 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of every month.

As for donations to the pantries, this year has already been an incredible year following the “Feed the Need” initiative which raised more than $25,000 for distribution to the 11 food pantries in eight Lakes Region towns including Casco, Gray, Naples, New Gloucester, Sebago, Standish, Raymond and Windham.

One of the big players in the “Feed the Need” initiative is Robin Mullins, the Executive Director of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. Mullins has served as the chamber’s executive director for over two years now, and she works closely with our town’s food pantries.

She said that she believes that this summer’s rampant inflation and high gas prices are making the need for food larger than in past years.

"Starting with the pandemic, the need for food has been there,” said Mullins. “But now with inflation and high gas prices, I believe the need is greater than ever.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food prices across America are now 10 percent higher than in 2021 and that rapid increase is driving many who are food-insecure to visit food banks for help.

Another person who has witnessed a growing rise in food insecurity first-hand is Gary Bibeau of the Raymond Food Pantry.

Bibeau, the volunteer director of the Raymond Food Pantry, was honored with the 2021 Spirit of America award for his above-and- beyond dedication to the food pantry.He has been in charge of the facility since February 2021 and he says he’s has definitely noticed an uptick in the need for food this year because of rising inflation and higher gasoline prices.

“Yes, the rising inflation and soaring gas prices have had an impact,” said Bibeau. “I see more and more new people coming into the food pantry by the day.”

Bibeau suggests that any families in need of food for themselves and their children should simply come to the Raymond Food Pantry to get food provided they are Raymond residents and meet the state’s income levels.

He said that the biggest necessity at the food pantry currently is the need for additional volunteers to help, so if you or anyone you know is interested in volunteering, do not hesitate to reach out and call the Raymond Food Pantry at 207-655-4334.

The Windham Food Pantry, managed by Collette Gagnon, is also eager to receive more donations and volunteers, so if you interested in either, call them at 207-892-1931. <

Artist spreads hope through unique Maine sign campaign

Artist Charlie Hewitt has been spreading his 'Hopeful'
message to people in Maine and a few other states since
2019. His 'Hopeful' artwork is now displayed on Route 302
in Windham with his intention being to affect as many people
as possible in a positive way. COURTESY PHOTO  

By Masha Yurkevich

Hope – aspiration, desire, wish, dream – call it what you want it, but it is what gets us through life. Nearly every old proverb, popular saying or quote roots off hope. It is a part of our everyday lives that is often overlooked; hope is so important and so essential. Having hope is affected a lot by what you think and who you are surrounded by. What happens when we lose hope? Charlie Hewitt won’t let that happen and especially in Windham.

It all started on a dark December night in 2019 when artist and director of Speedwell projects in Portland, Jocelyn Lee, asked Hewitt if he would consider making a work of art for the roof of the Speedwell building in Portland. Hewitt agreed and instantly knew that this piece needed to be about light.

“Maine is a dark place in the winter, and I felt compelled to illuminate that corner of our world,” said Hewitt. “Just then I didn’t know how or what with.”

With some time and thought, creativity began to spark. Hewitt had been working with neon and enjoyed light and color, but he knew that to get something like that on the top of the Speedwell building would be a challenge. After yet some more thinking, he found the bright lights and marquee lights with which he would portray the message.

But how, a bigger question lay before him: what would the message be? 

After weeks of thinking through all the possibilities, Hewitt had an epiphany while in a discussion with his art dealer and friend, Jim Kempner.

“The word “hopeful” popped up somewhere in our conversation and right there and then I knew that would be the message,” said Hewitt.

The font that Hewitt chose with the help of David Wolfe fit perfectly with the message. It’s a retro automobile design and brought Hewitt back to a time when the highway was the frontier and when the car and road signs danced in harmony in a country excited by possibilities.

He says that it reminded him of a bright future illuminated by marquee road signs and littered highways, extolling the prospects of great meals, fine nights and adventures.

Hewitt was born in 1946 in Lewiston, and is a painter, printmaker and public artist. His works are part of the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum, New York Public Library, Library of Congress and more.

From what started as bright billboards, “Hopeful” can be seen on paintings, bumper stickers and pins worn on lapels. Hewitt is now trying to expand the “Hopeful” message to other states and to a digital campaign across the country.

To date, the “Hopeful” message has been spread across seven states at many different sites, both public and private. It even included an appearance at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration.

Since his first “Hopeful” project on top of the Speedwell building in Portland, Hewitt has completed more than 28 Hopeful installations. His work is not just limited to the state of Maine but has also appeared in other states like Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New York and ranges from sculptures to billboards and to paintings.

Several of these “Hopeful” signs can now be seen in Windham on Route 302 when driving between Westbrook and Windham. The “Hopeful” images have been as large as 30 feet with light bulbs and electronic billboards as large as 20 by 60 feet.

There are also “Hopeful” messages in private homes and in public libraries such as The Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick. There are also bumper stickers and flags.

“Hopeful is presented in many mediums in the public and private domain,” said Hewitt. “I'm proud of all formats. It's not the medium that's important to me, it's the message.”

Hewitt’s public art focuses on the approach and creation of large-scale graphic art pieces that merge into existing public spaces to provoke community interaction, inspiration and discourse.

The Hopeful Project has also given Hewitt the opportunity to expand the platform to show support and raise funds for Ukraine.

Hewitt said every time people drive by or see the message, the word “Hopeful” serves as a reminder for people to strive for the best.

“Hopeful is not a passive work – it’s a challenge and a responsibility,” said Hewitt. “It’s a silent prayer, it’s a leap of faith you take that it’s going to be better. To be hopeful requires action, it requires commitment, it requires opening your eyes, it requires being part of something. It requires being passionately in love with your country, passionately in love with your family, and passionately in love with everyone in your community. That passion and that love I want back. I want a resurgence in my soul for that kind of life.” <

Windham Middle School potential construction sites narrow

A site at 61 Windham Center Road will be surveyed by SW
Cole engineers as a potential location for construction of the
new Windham Middle School. The school is expected to be
built and completed by the start of the 2026 school year.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

By Ed Pierce 

An intensive geotechnical survey of a proposed site at 61 Windham Center Road conducted by SW Cole Engineering will begin in the next few weeks and it will determine if the location is suitable for construction of the new Windham Middle School.

The RSU 14 WMS Building Committee awarded the contract for the survey to SW Cole and because the survey is so in-depth and costly, committee members narrowed the field of potential sites for the new school to this one at 61 Windham Center Road.

RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools Christopher Howell said that the SW Cole engineers plan to be on site soon to begin their work.

“The survey will include multiple bore holes being done on site. The purpose of the boring is to determine soil types and to determine the location of any ledge on site,” Howell said. “This information will be extremely helpful as potential building locations and foundation plans are determined for the location.”

Along with the geotechnical survey work, the school district’s civil engineering company has launched conversations with the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department as well as the Maine Forestry Service about the 61 Windham Center Road site. Howell said that opening lines of communication with these two agencies is intended to help with the identification of any possible rare botanical or animal species that may inhabit the location. 

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

Lavallee Brensinger Company of Portland is serving as architects for the project and Howell said 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.

“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 a 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.

“Once we have all of the geotechnical data and reports on the property at 61 Windham Center Road, the committee will make the final recommendation on a possible site for the new school,” Howell said. “The recommendation will be accompanied by a public forum and a straw poll vote on the site. I am anticipating that the straw poll will take place later this fall.”

Howell said that the referendum for the new school project won’t take place until next spring at the earliest.

“The referendum will be the final approval that ultimately determines how much will be spent on the project as well as the approval for the purchase of property for the new site,” he said. “Thanks to the guidance from our architectural firm and the Maine Department of Education School Construction team, there have not been many surprises in the process. Both entities have done an outstanding job of leading our local team through the steps required in the school construction process. The process provides opportunities for due diligence for each and every step that we take.” <