Mayer touches lives with art by Leah Hoenen

When Nancy Meyer arrives at a senior center, she unpacks watercolor paints, brushes and paper. Eager hands await the materials, ready to get to work adding color and personal flair to the watercolor paper.

Meyer has been visiting Southern Maine retirement and senior centers for more than 10 years, holding watercolor painting sessions using materials she’s designed herself. Line drawings of plants and animals on watercolor paper enable people of all abilities to paint pictures they’re proud of, she said.

Activities directors have been so pleased with the results, Meyer has launched a new business called Dandi-Lines, and now offers packaged painting projects for senior citizens for sale online.

Teaching and facilitating watercolor painting with seniors has had a great effect on Meyer, a New York native who now calls Baldwin home. “It’s so rewarding. They’re so proud of it,” said Meyer. 

She focuses on nature in her watercolor sessions, bringing pieces of the natural world inside especially for those who are unable to go out-of-doors. It may be apple blossoms, flowers or pumpkins. These special still-life subjects are sure to bring smiles, said Meyer.

The people attending Meyer’s sessions range from the very independent to those stricken with Alzheimer’s. Many forego drawing in favor of painting Meyer’s printed designs. “I always say, ‘Personalize it,’” she said. “One lady put a bottle of beer in the sand,” said Meyer, laughing and sitting in the sun on one of the first warm days of the Maine summer.

In a bright dress, eyes behind stylish sunglasses, she becomes pensive and tells of another participant who has lost her memory, and set down her painting when visitors arrived. “She walked back in to where I had the paintings and picked up hers – she has no memories anymore, and couldn’t remember her visitors, but that picture mesmerized her,” said Meyer.

“I learn from them,” she said, of her students. Some smile, paint and have a great time. Others are slowed down by the details. Others come simply to watch her paint.

“It’s like a therapy to watch someone paint. Activities directors say it’s a very therapeutic session. It’s very calming,” she said. The sessions offer an opportunity for Meyer to make personal connections.
She’s met fellow wild-bird admirers in her classes. Others love plants. There are always stories to go around.

Meyer appreciates the pride her students take in their work, and she enjoys the variety in the finished products. Despite the fact that most people paint off the same pre-printed design, no two end products are alike, she said.

Traveling around southern Maine, Meyer teaches two classes a day on average, and is working on Dandi-Lines, which she opened in May along with her business partner. Some people are unable to draw, said Meyer, while others are fabulous artists and still want to use the pattern. The printed designs enable both to express themselves in color.

“I’ve made so many people happy with painting,” she said. Meyer is a self-taught artist who got her start in craft shows when she was 18 years old. Her paintings have hung in some of New York’s prestigious galleries – she later began teaching watercolors and her business spread by word-of-mouth.

Meyer said it is a privilege for her to be able to get to know the senior citizens she works with. “They give me so much more than I give them. They have such a soul,” she said.

SummerFest: This Weekend by Michelle Libby

Starting and ending with a disco theme, is the way Summerfest coordinator Kelly Mank described the event that will take place this Saturday, despite much controversy in March when the Town of Windham cancelled Summerfest.

“It’s going to be an amazing event and what makes it even better is that we were able to pull the community together in a fraction of the time that it usually takes to organize Summerfest,” said Mank. “It shows that the community can come together.”

“We have a new fresh group of dedicated people,” said Ron Eby, who has coordinated in past years and this year is acting as a consultant and detail keeper. “The community support was always there. It just takes leaders to step up,” he said.

The day kicks off at 7:30 a.m. with registration for the 4th Annual Duane Clark Scholarship Car Show, featuring 20 classes of competition. At 9 a.m., join the Lion’s Club pancake breakfast and a 5K run and kids run which starts at the Windham High School track and then mosey across Windham Center Road where the Windham Historical Society begins its Artisan on the Green exhibit, featuring many crafters showing their skills and products.

At 10 a.m., take a helicopter ride, ride the carnival rides and the car show begins, followed by the food and game booths, which open at 11 a.m.

The parade, organized by Clarence Wisecup, which still taking additions to the parade at the time of press, starts at noon. “We were down about 20 entrants, but they’re still coming in,” he said. There will be two Shrine units and the Shaw Brothers are bringing the biggest piece of equipment in the world, and it’s less than one month old, Wisecup said.

“There’s a lot of local stuff,” he said. Of course, the Camp Sunshine monster fire truck will be showcased and a new addition, The Blue Star Ladies, who are mothers of active service members, will march with the veterans.

Kathy Varney organized the booths as she has done in past years. There will be 45 food, games and community booths ready to tempt those passing by. “There are a lot of new people joining this year than before,” said Varney. She attributes that to the visibility of the event with press coverage and an updated Facebook page.

“I’m really excited about the mix this year. It’s nice to see the new people, or the old people doing new things,” she said.

No two booths sell the same food item, she said.

“Our mission behind the food booths and games is to allow non-profit groups exposure to highlight their cause and an opportunity to raise money for their passion,” Varney said. Do to the lack of preparation time, some organizations couldn’t get their booth ready in time, she said. This mostly impacted the business expo, which was only expected to have five booths, but has 10 signed up.

“Economic times haven’t changed,” Varney said, explaining why some businesses couldn’t afford to have a booth. Adding to the fact that the Windham Economic Development Corporation, which usually gives out scholarships to businesses, was not able to do that this year, made the entry fee more than some could spend. Varney worked with Rick Sanborn on the business expo. The business expo gives companies the opportunity “to promote and showcase their businesses. We encourage each one to do a drawing, giveaways, games or something to interact with people,” Sanborn said.

Events start on the main stage at 1:30 p.m. Featuring singers, a K-9 demonstration by Sergeant Bill Andrew and Fourniers Karate demonstration. At 3:15 p.m. things really get hopping with the ever popular frog jumping contest.

From 4 p.m. until the spectacular fireworks around 9:15 p.m., the main stage rocks with Johnny the K, DeBreeze & Keys and headliner Motor Booty Affair. 

The fireworks, donated by Central Maine Pyrotechnics, will be set off by Chris Howell and his team at dusk for the grand finale to the day.

“When the fireworks goes off, you look around and see how many people start to congregate. Then you really know you’ve done what you set out to do,” said Eby. “When the first fireworks go off, there’s a collective sigh of relief (from the committee),” he said. 

 “The day of it’s a little overwhelming. I hope the community realizes how close they were to losing it,” Eby said. The sponsorships have been amazing and without them Summerfest wouldn’t have happened, Eby said. “This is all done for others. They can’t focus on personal gain – it’s for others.”

None of the events could be held if not for the fundraising that was done to help pay for entertainment, power, rentals, advertising and more. Robert York and Robin Mullins were tasked with the job of raising enough money to cover this year’s festivities and have $5,000 seed money left over for next year’s committee.

“Overall we’re meeting our goals,” said York. Fundraising efforts involved a bottle drive, donation drive, selling advertising in the Summerfest flyer, and in a little under two months the funds were raised.

“I got involved because of the lack of interest. It’s a lot of work and takes a lot of time when you’re busy at work, but it’s something my kids really enjoy,” York said.

“I’m pleased at how generous people have been,” said Mullins. “We want to thank the town for being extremely generous. To hit a goal that one time seemed impossible…”

The final fundraiser for this event is a silent auction at Summerfest. Tickets will be sold and people put them in a jar in front of the item they want. Since Summerfest has reached its goal, the money from the auction will be given to the Windham Primary School playground fund. Items will still accepted until the last minute and no item is too big or too small, said Mullins. To donate, call 310-8578 or email rjmullins1209@gmail.com. 
“In this age of electronics, computers, iPads, cellphone, getting people out in the fresh air to see people who live next door to them and interact face to face, that’s what’s important,” said Varney. “It’s people being with people and unplugging from technology.”

RSU 14 chooses iPads for Grades 7 and 8 by Leah Hoenen

Students, staff, administrators and board members of RSU 14 gave the thumbs up to iPads for next year’s seventh and eighth grade classes.

The groups met with Apple and HP vendors in May, said board member Mike Duffy. “The overwhelmingly favored application was the iPad,” he told board members Wednesday, June 12. “Everyone in the room said the iPad is the way to go,” he said.

Duffy said the state was offering the choice of HP or Apple products.

Students will receive iPads and teachers will receive iBooks and Apple televisions for their classrooms, said Duffy.

District technology director Bob Hickey said middle schools strongly favored the intuitive interface of a tablet. He said the Apple iPad is a cheaper tablet and comes with the largest number of installed base applications for education.

“The local cost will be zero,” said Hickey. The computers are funded for four years, he said.
The high school has Dell netbook computers which are on lease for another year, said Hickey. He said that gives the district time to do research and consider what the best technology option is for the high school moving forward.

“It would be optimal to have teachers and students on the same platform,” he said.
The iPads will be in the hands of seventh and eighth graders at the start of the next school year, Hickey said.

Egyptian dongs come to Maine looking for forever homes by Michelle Libby

Dinsmore is a cute little puppy, full of energy and he romps and plays with his older doggy siblings, but 12-week-old Dinsmore is special.

Windham resident and father of five Jim Hoar loves his animals. He was told by his wife, Debbie, that he could not have any more dogs, so he volunteered as a rescue dog transporter. He picks up dogs and drives them sometimes 100 miles to the next volunteer as one leg of a journey that takes a dog to its forever home.

“I was surfing the Facebook sites and came across ‘Save Aurora!!!’ It showed cute little puppies. Tough guy, Mr. Macho started crying,” he said of himself. The puppies, who were only weeks old, had lost their mom and were looking for new homes, but that was only the beginning of the story.

The mom was a full-blooded German Shepard and when she got pregnant by an Egyptian street dog called a Baladi, her human parents kicked her out of the house to fend for herself. She had the puppies the garden at an older woman’s house. She called the Egyptian Society for Mercy to Animals. While waiting for placement at the ESMA, boys from the town tried to steal the puppies and when the mom growled at the boys, one of the boy’s fathers poisoned her. Seven little puppies were left orphaned.

 Phaedra Al-Masri, an Egyptian model and soap opera star, is also an animal activist and she started the Facebook page. It was Al-Masri that Hoar contacted about transporting three of the puppies from JFK airport in New York City to Maine to meet with two ladies from Canada who were adopting the puppies. That was on May 21. Al-Masri asked Hoar if he would like one of the puppies as a gift for helping. He declined.

“I thought I could foster one, I have two other dogs,” he said. But on the ride home in driving rain at midnight, Dinsmore snuggled up to him and said, “Yeah, I’ll adopt you. I’ll rescue you,” Hoar said.
“I have become an international foster failure,” Hoar laughed.

He thought this would be a onetime thing for him. He didn’t see himself driving to JFK more than once, but Dinsmore had more brothers who needed forever homes.

“Every dog deserves a chance to make a difference in a human’s life,” Hoar said and four more needed homes. These dogs have no chance of being adopted overseas, so they turn to the US.

Hoar has been in touch with the Seeds of Peace camp offering Dinsmore as a “canine ambassador”. “Animals thrive when people come together. Even from foreign countries wondrous things can happen,” Hoar said. Dinsmore is also being sponsored by the Gray-New Gloucester Animal Hospital for all of his shots and vaccinations, according to Hoar.

Never again, happened last Friday, when Hoar returned to JFK to pick up four more puppies. However, this trip didn’t go quite as smooth. On the way home at 11 p.m., Hoar tried to change lanes and realized too late that he was being passed on the right by a tractor trailer truck. He over corrected and went off the left side of the road, totaling his wife’s 2010 SUV. The dogs were in crates and they were fine, one crate opened, but the puppy was found under the passenger seat, by Tim Riley, from Haverhill, Mass. Fire Department, who was one of the first responders on scene. Only weeks before he had put his St. Bernard to sleep, and his co-workers seeing Riley hold two of the puppies told him, “You’re wife was going to get you a new dog for Father’s Day,” they said. “These two need homes.” So Riley, who was only responding to a call, walked away with two new puppies for his 7-year-old twins, said Hoar. “You couldn’t ask for a stranger, more coincidental thing. Rescued by this rescuer,” he said. The other two puppies went to homes in Lowell, Mass. and Canada.

The story should end there for Jim Hoar and his Egyptian puppies, but it doesn’t.

“With Phaedra and a German lady paying to send them over, this system is really going to work,” Hoar said. There are three more German Shepard puppies waiting to come to the US and there are more.

The puppies are free to good homes. Each dog is fully-vetted and has a vet certificate from Egypt. Hoar does home inspections and talks with the families, who sign a contract saying they will care for the dogs and love them. If a family is interested in one of the Egyptian puppies, email egyptrescuedogs@yahoo.com. 

There is no cost involved to adopt one of the dogs.

“It’s amazing how these things just work out,” Hoar said.

Relay for Life laces up for a sleepless night by Michelle Libby

Walking around the Windham High School track for 12 hours doesn’t sound like a good idea, until it’s walking around the track to raise money for the Relay for Life Sebago Lakes. The Relay for Life organization, which raises money for the American Cancer Society, plans walks nationwide and to date has raised over $4 billion toward finding a cure for cancer. This year’s Relay for Life in Windham takes place starting Saturday, June 29 and ends on Sunday, June 30, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. This year the walkers are celebrating the 100th year of the American Cancer Society.

“As a cancer survivor, the Relay for Life is an event that I look forward to every year. It feels great to be a part of such a great community event, and to know with the money raised we are making a difference,” said Windham resident and co-chair Janet Copp.

The relay began in 1985, when Dr. Gordy Klatt from Tacoma, Washington decided to walk to raise money. That night he raised $27,000. The thought behind the all-night walk is that cancer never sleeps.

Five years ago the relay came to Windham. It had been held in Falmouth before that, but they built a turf field and couldn’t hold it any longer.

“(Windham’s) a great site,” said Copp.

“Two out of three people are survivors and we need to make it three out of three,” said Copp. “The survivors…that’s why we walk.” Each year there is a survivor/caregiver reception at 4:30 p.m. An invitation goes out to all of the survivors in the area. This year’s reception is sponsored by Hope Lodge, which provides free lodging for people going through treatment and patient support.

“The survivor reception when all the survivors and caregivers get together is an awesome experience. When you participate in the survivor/caregiver lap and all the other participants line the track to cheer you on, the feeling is unbelievable and you know that you are not in this alone,” said Copp.

Most years the Sebago Lakes relay has between 500 and 600 participants. Not all walk, but they are at the track to sell items, cheer on their team or to help organize. The other co-chair is Becky Driscoll.
Throughout the night laps are themed, from a beach party to silly hats, each lap gives the participants something fun to do. Music blares all night and at 3 a.m. there is a Zumba class.

Another part of the night is the lighting of the luminaria, paper bags bought in memory of a loved one who has passed or who is fighting with cancer. Each bag is decorated in honor of one person. When they are lit, members from each team read a list of people the luminarias were made for.

“It’s so cool. All the lights are off and just the bags are lit. For me it’s the coolest part of the night,” said Copp.

“We are creating survivors and fighting against cancer,” said Copp. There is an open invitation to the community to come and check the event out. “Once you do, you’ll be back, she said.

The goal for the event is to raise $75,000.

To donate or walk with a team, visit www. Relayforlife.org/sebagolakesme or email rflsebago@gamil.com.

Oklahoma Connection by Michelle Libby

Sometimes one doesn’t have to be in the affected area to be affected by a tornado. Shelley and Chris Chappell recently moved to Gray from the area in Oklahoma devastated by a tornado in May. In under one hour, 38,000 people were displaced out of the 58,000 people in Moore, Oklahoma and damage totals more than $1.5 billion, according to Shelley.

“It’s a really sad situation,” she said.

In 2003, the Chappell’s lived in that area and helped rebuild when a tornado took virtually the same path through the town. They still own a house in Oklahoma City. Even though they now live in Maine, they still wanted to help their friends and family who live in Oklahoma.

Shelley created the foundation “Bears, Backpacks & Blessings” to collect and deliver donations for the children of Oklahoma who “desperately need all our help.”

“Within 90 minutes we were up and running and snowballing really fast,” Shelley said.
“We have family members, friends and deep roots of love and commitment to the State of Oklahoma,” Shelley said. “However, this is our home now,” she said. “It makes me proud to live here and help there.”

The goal of the foundation is to assemble and deliver 500 to 1,000 backpacks filled with new items for six- to 12-year-olds. She suggested stuffed animals, coloring books, sticker books, Leap Frog systems and games, $25 gift cards to Target, Staples and Walmart for clothing as well as hygiene supplies and other educational technology. She is hoping to raise $15,000 to buy bikes, electronics and necessities for the children in Moore.

They plan to deliver the filled backpacks on July 6. They have volunteers from Maine who will drive a snowmobile trailer filled with supplies to Moore. They are also receiving help from the American Legion in Windham. One hundred percent of all donations will be given to the children of Oklahoma affected by the May 2013 tornado.

Businesses are beginning to get involved with fundraising. UNO Chicago Grills in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire are fundraising until July 7, to support the “Bears, Backpacks & Blessings” mission. Customers need to have a ticket that says 20 percent of the meal is to be donated to “Bears, Backpacks & Blessings,” Shelley said. Bring the ticket found in The Windham Eagle June 14 edition with you. The nearest UNOs is next to the Maine Mall in South Portland. A woman from Connecticut shipped beanie babies to be given away. Paula Sparks is donating 500 hand-quilted pillowcases. MSAD 15 schools have agreed to help by putting boxes in each building to collect items.

West coast comedian Elijah Tindall is touring Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona and California with his Moore Laughs Comedy Benefit Tour, where all proceeds will go to “Bears, Backpacks & Blessings.”
“People have just called us from all over,” Shelley said.

Shelley intends to keep the foundation going even after the shipment is delivered. Her goal is to make this a State of Maine foundation that sends hope to children and even elderly people when there is tragedy and devastation in Maine first and then other areas affected by tornado devastation. Shelley feels that getting a backpack will help cheer people up and make them know that someone cares.

“We need more people in the State of Maine to get involved and get behind what we’re doing,” Shelley said.

To donate items or money, visit www.gofundme.com/Bears-Backpacks-Blessings. To date they have raised $1,700 toward the goal of $15,000. Gift cards can be dropped off at MSAD 15 offices and by contacting Shelley at shelleyisblessed@gmail.com.

“This shows the power of what one person can do,” she said. “We just had to do our part.”

Windham music teacher named as quarterfinalist for GRAMMY Foundation award by Elizabeth Richards

Dr. Richard Nickerson, Director of Choral Activities at Windham High School, has been named a quarterfinalist for the first Music Educator Award to be presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation. 

The award was created to recognize educators from K through college in public or private schools “who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education, and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools,” according to a news release from the Grammy Foundation.  The award, announced on the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, was open to all current US music teachers.  Nominated teachers were notified and invited to fill out an application.

There were 217 music teachers from 45 states selected as quarterfinalists, from over 30,000 nominations submitted.  The award recipient will be selected from 10 finalists, and the award will be presented for the first time at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony during Grammy Week 2014.  Semifinalists will be named in August.

Windham produced 'Skeeter Skidaddler keeps bugs at bay by Leah Hoenen

From Maine’s North Woods to the Amazon jungle, the planet’s most feared swarms of biting insects have met their match. What’s stopping them is ‘Skeeter Skidaddler, a pleasant-smelling blend of herbal extracts developed and made in Windham.

In 2007, Windham resident Allen Pollock, co-founded the Lakes Region Farmers Market, where he planned to sell organic produce. “When you do market gardening, it’s all the time. You’ve got to be out there,” said Pollock, who is allergic to insect bites.

Ready to grow produce for the market and wary of the bugs, he started looking for an effective insect repellant with a nice fragrance, but couldn’t find one he liked. He wanted to avoid DEET, and had questions about some commonly-used herbal oils. For example, rosemary oil is mildly toxic, Pollock said, and citronella is relatively ineffective.

So, Pollock did some research and started to create his own product, which he decided to sell at the market alongside his produce. “Some essential oils that seemed to be benign were not being used,” he said. One such oil was eucalyptus.

Pollock had recalled a bit of information his father, a veteran of the Second World War in Asia, shared with him years before when he was growing up in San Jose, California. “He knew I was allergic to bugs. He was a subtle man. At the time, I liked the smell of eucalyptus and would put it in my hair. He said to me, ‘You’ll notice there are not a lot of mosquitoes in a eucalyptus grove.’ I remembered that,” Pollock said.

The first year ‘Skeeter Skidaddler was offered for sale, he pasted photocopied labels on purchased bottles. “I sold 85 bottles the first year and realized people are coming back to buy this. It’s not just a one-time thing,” he said.

Pollock used the spray, and sent some to his brother who lives in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. “He said it was good stuff,” said Pollock.

Sales went up the second year ‘Skeeter Skidaddler was at the farmers’ market. Pollock describes himself as conservative when it comes to risk, so he developed his business slowly. In 2009, he sold 180 bottles at the market. “I’m making far more money selling this at the market than I am selling radishes or lettuce,” he said. At the end of that year, Pollock quit the market because he couldn’t produce and sell the bug spray and grow and sell vegetables.

Since then, he’s begun selling wholesale to retailers and has purchased some used processing equipment. Pollock built his own filler, and mixes the batches and labels the bottles by hand. It can make for a long day, since Pollock also works with computers at Maine Medical Center. Logging the hours necessary to build a business is what makes an entrepreneur successful, he said. Recently, he and his wife, Elaine, traveled to Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina promoting ‘Skeeter Skidaddler.

“It’s not just a product for northern species. I’ve had people use it in Haiti, the Amazon jungle, Bali, Vietnam, and it works just as well there as in northern area like Minnesota or Maine,” said Pollock.
‘Skeeter Skidaddler is made of essential oils mixed with organic sunflower oil. Pollock is careful to buy from suppliers that name the sources of their oils and buys nothing from China. “The Chinese have a culture of having absolutely no responsibility for what they’re selling. They think that’s your problem, not their problem,” said Pollock.

Oils in ‘Skeeter Skidaddler come from Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia. The cedarwood oil is sourced in the United States. “None are organic as in the sense of being labeled organic, but they’re steam distilled. There’s no hexane used,” said Pollock.

He noted that there are no genetically-engineered sunflowers, and that the sunflower oil he uses is processed in Denmark from Romanian seeds. “One of the good things about E.U. is they generally have to play safe. I wouldn’t use anything from Ukraine because of the radioactivity. Concentrates can have much more toxicity per unit, because it’s concentrated. Why expose anybody to that?” said Pollock.

In the formulation of ‘Skeeter Skidaddler, Pollock has put his concern for safety first and foremost. “I didn’t want to assume it’s all good until somebody proves otherwise,” said Pollock. That’s why he avoided oils, such as rosemary, which are known to be toxic and to accumulate in fatty tissue.
And, because people like to spend time with their dogs outside, Pollock formulated a dog version of ‘Skeeter Skidaddler which does not include cedarwood oil which can irritate dogs’ skin. “I was concerned that people would use the human product on dogs and it would cause dermatitis,” he said.
‘Skeeter Skidaddler is available in its original formulation, in the pet-friendly version or without patchouli.

“It’s in a small bottle and it’s concentrated essential oils. There is no water and no propellant, so you get the maximum benefit of the oil,” said Pollock.

Look for the small silver bottles for sale in stores around the lakes region. Further information and a list of retailers may be found online at www.tremblingleaf.com.

Remodeled Raymond fire station rededication by Leah Hoenen

With the uncoupling of a pair of fire hoses, officers of the Raymond Fire Rescue Department officially reopened the District 2 station, which has just undergone an interior remodel.

The department held an open house on Wednesday, May 22, during Emergency Medical Services week, to give community members and those involved in the project a chance to see the final product, visit with department members and tour fire trucks and an ambulance.

The building was originally constructed in the late 1970s and remained largely unchanged since, said Cathy Gosselin, Deputy Chief of the Raymond Fire Rescue Department. “We completely remodeled the living quarters,” she said. While the station does not house live-in staff, the living apartment is available for storm coverage and other big events during which personnel may need to stay, she said.
A team of volunteers donated time and material to the project, said department Chief Bruce Tupper. Because of their contributions, the cost of the project remained low and the department was able to save some expenses.

“I think the project came out very well. We are thankful to the town and selectmen for their support,” said Tupper.

Gosselin said the walls and ceilings were all repainted and a former office is now a living area, while new heating was installed along with an exhaust system to clear fumes from the building when vehicles are started inside. With cream-colored walls and light wood cabinets, the area is bright and welcoming. Floor tiles and a range were donated to the project, she said.

Tupper said the project was very much the result of a community effort, and he thanked volunteers for hundreds of hours spent painting, cleaning, wiring and doing other work to move the project ahead while keeping costs to the town low. “Our folks did a lot of work,” he said, noting that the building was originally constructed by volunteers.

Standing before the Webbs Mills Road building and its new sign, the officers rededicated the building to the memory of department member Joel Bennett, who was 16 years old when he died driving fire apparatus in 1957.

Tupper said the department wants to collect the names of as many people who have been involved with the department as possible. The fire service sees periodic turnover in personnel, he said, and sometimes people’s work and contributions are forgotten. This summer, the department plans to solicit information from the community to help reverse that trend, said Tupper.

The Raymond Fire Rescue Department has 35 members in its on-call company along with four full-time paramedic/firefighter positions, said Gosselin. The department has a Fire Rescue Association which is open to all community members, not only firefighters.

Correctional Center opens showroom in Windham by Leah Hoenen

The Maine Correctional Showroom has opened a new retail store along Route 302 where handmade furniture, woodworks, gifts and more are for sale.


The center formerly sold goods made by inmates of the Maine Correctional Center in Windham at its outlet store on Mallison Road.

On a rainy Saturday morning, cars streamed into the store’s parking lot minutes after opening and soon Bob Walden, Industries Program Director, was speaking with a customer about the importance of meaningful work.

Customers milled around the showroom, inspecting novelties and gifts, birdhouses and wooden toys, and a variety of furniture pieces. The corrections department hopes the new facility will allow it to greatly expand offerings.

Industrial programs are common in correctional facilities across the country, but none are as diversified as this one, said Walden, standing before shelf after shelf of handmade products. Behind glossy turned wooden bowls sits a model of the U.S.S. Constitution, which he said took more than 300 hours to create.

The Correctional Center in Windham has had an industries program for about a decade, said Walden.
“There has been an industries program in all five adult facilities dating to 1824,” he said. The revenue from retail helps offset the cost of running the program, he said, and the corrections department tries to offer as many positions in the industries programs as possible. Currently, 220 inmates work in industries programs statewide, spending six to eight hours a day learning and improving their skills, said Walden.

To be eligible to participate, inmates must maintain a clean disciplinary record and follow their case plans, Walden said. Industrial programs include woodworking, textiles and machining.

The program offers industrial training and chances for advancement within the system, Walden said.
Inmates earn between 35 cents and $3 an hour depending on their skills and responsibilities, he said. They must save money and what they earn helps pay debts, such as crime restitution and child support, Walden said. “They have to make good on their financial responsibilities on the street first,” he said, noting that any additional money may be spent at the correctional center’s canteen.

“Woodworking has a very therapeutic aspect. A great deal of creativity can come with it once you have the basics. They can be very proud of what they are able to create, and we know there is no limit to what you can create with wood,” Walden said.

Maine has begun to track the recidivism rate of those who worked in industries, but won’t have data for some years to come, said Walden. National data, however, suggests recidivism drops in half for those who participated in industrial programs for two or more years, he said.

The new store is the contact point for anyone interested in having furniture refinished or reupholstered, as well as for those who are looking for custom pieces, said Walden.

Walden said the center is allowed to sell to the public, but strives to not create competition with private business. Instead, he said, the woodshop can enhance local businesses through wholesale or special work for other businesses.

For now, the store will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Eventually, it will be open 7 days a week.

Music with a Mission: Great music supports local causes by Elizabeth Richards

A concert series sponsored by the North Windham Union Church offers members of the community an opportunity to enjoy a variety of high quality musical performances by area talent, while also contributing to local charitable causes.

Jim McBride, chair of the Music with a Mission committee, said inspiration for the series came after the church hosted a concert by Ithacapella, a men’s a capella group from Ithaca College which includes Windham High School graduate Chris Frost. “They packed the place,” said McBride. “It was full of energy, hope and love for terrific music. “ McBride said this concert inspired an idea. If they could get that many people to attend a concert, why not do it every month? Thus, a concert series was born, to support both the church and the programs in the community.

The Music with a Mission committee works hard to promote the concerts through word of mouth, an email list, their website and a Facebook page. “By necessity we’ve been forced to try to keep the advertising low,” said McBride. They are, however, confident that word is getting out.

Though there is no formal benchmark or measuring stick, the series is going well, especially considering that it was put together in just about 30 days, said NWUC Minister of Music Dr. Richard Nickerson. “Our concerts have certainly been successful, especially that first one. We didn’t know what we were getting into, and we just hoped people would show up.” And they did, with close to 180 people attending the first show. The church can hold 300 people, and McBride hopes that some of the upcoming shows will have a full house.

There have been three concerts in the series to date. In addition to raising funds for the church, these three concerts have raised over $1,300 to support local charities. The entertainers for the evening select which local nonprofit will be the beneficiary.

The first concert, An Evening of Bluegrass, benefitted Windham Neighbors Helping Neighbors. The second concert, featuring The Squid Jiggers, went to support the Natural Resource Council of Maine’s “Clean Air, Clean Energy,” project. The Bellamy Jazz Band played at the latest concert, held on Saturday, May 25th. The Lewiston Fire Relief Fund, which provides support to families displaced by the recent fires in Lewiston, was the recipient of the funds from this concert. The United Way of Androscoggin County was on hand to speak about the program, and also urged attendees to join their ongoing efforts to combat hunger in Maine, by donating food to local food pantries in their communities.

Though the performers choose the charity, Nickerson said that the goal is to keep these donations local. He added that the selected organization is also given an opportunity to come and share information about their program to those in attendance.

Both McBride and Nickerson are encouraged by the fact that when looking out at the audiences in attendance, there are plenty of people in attendance who are not from the church. “That’s what we want; to bring people in, give them a great evening of music, raise a little money, and expose them to the great work that’s going on in the church,” said McBride.

There are concerts scheduled through October, and the series will continue for as long as there’s energy around it, said McBride. “There’s no shortage of talent. We’ve got a long, long list of entertainers and performers that we would love to have come and showcase their stuff,” he said. “Windham has a community-wide passion for music,” he added. “The challenge for us, frankly, might be finding weekends that we’re not stomping on somebody else’s show.”

The next concert on the schedule is The Milltown Road Show on Friday, June 28. There are five concerts currently scheduled, with more to be added. The current concert schedule and ticket information can be found on the series’ website, www.mwamconcerts.com. The committee can be contacted at mwamconcerts@gmail.com.

Energetic teens produce one-acts in Black Box style by Elizabeth Richards

In June, the “Blackbox Teens” will take the stage in the Black Box theater at

the Schoolhouse Center for the Arts with two one-act plays. Director Francine Morrisette launched the program in April, which she described as a “teen-powered fundraising effort to benefit improvements to the formerly dilapidated Black Box theater.”

Morrisette said that in Black Box productions the floors, ceiling and walls are typically painted black, with no set. “The mood is created with lighting, and all the focus is on the actors and their acting,” Morrissette said. While they do use costumes and props, those are secondary, not the primary focus, she added. Black Box theater typically has seating for 100 or fewer people, and the chairs are always movable to create any configuration desired, creating a close, intimate, actor-to-audience relationship. In fact, as in one of their one-acts, the audience is sometimes brought into the performance, said Morrissette.

This style of theater is difficult for anyone to do, Morrissette said, because of the heavy reliance on every nuance of the actor, from facial expression to tone. “There’s no way you can distract the audience from their acting, so it puts a lot of pressure on the actor.” She said she wanted to try it with teenagers because they are often able to let loose more than adults. “They’re old enough to be comfortable with themselves, but young enough to still be uninhibited,” she said.

The teens involved are enjoying the challenge, and getting a lot out of the experience. Sandy Rush, a student at Bonny Eagle High School, said, it’s different from the plays they are used to being in, and the style has expanded their knowledge. “Since Black Box is such a different kind, we’ve learned a lot from it,” she said.
Johanna Stanley, a Windham High School student, added, “It’s challenging, because it really is all on us instead of some immaculate set.”

Aside from Morrissette and assistant director Josh Arris, there are no adults involved in the production. The teens are on stage, and they also make up the production committee. “They’ve got us doing everything,” said Will Wheaton, a Windham Middle School student.

Morrissette said an adult production committee usually handles things like costume design, hair and makeup, publicity and advertising, programs, props and concessions. “All the adult jobs that normally go to the board members have gone to the kids, and they’re doing them as well as the adults do,” she said.

Doing the behind the scenes work as well as being onstage brings a sense of accomplishment, the teens agreed. Meagan Jones, also a student at Windham High, said, “Overall, we’re becoming better actors, and having fun with it.”

“I love it,” said Wheaton. “I think it makes you feel more important instead of just showing up and having everything done for you. It gives you more emotional involvement with it.”

Stanley agreed. “It definitely gives us a sense of responsibility in the show that we don’t usually have.”
Windham High School student Kyah Morrissette said that her mom has done publicity for other shows. This time, that was one of her responsibilities. “I feel like I’ve got a solid handle on it now, which is cool,” she said.

Black Box has been a welcome challenge for the teen participants. “I think one of the most difficult things for me was, because it is such a different style than what we’re all used to, learning how to do it,” said Rush.
Stanley added, “A lot of it is learning how to be actually funny and not just stupid funny, because then that’s not really funny.”

Rush agreed. “It makes the humor real. It has to be real,” she said.

Francine added that actors must learn the lines so well that these words become what the person is actually saying, rather than lines in a play. “A lot of these guys have kind of grown up in theater. They’ve learned their entrances and exits, and their lines and line delivery. What they haven’t learned is to become the character. I see some of them have had a real challenge with that and they’ve really faced that challenge, and really overcome that challenge. Some of the lines they deliver now, you don’t hear them as lines.”

The Blackbox Teens currently has nine members from various schools throughout the region. They come from Windham Middle and High Schools, Bonny Eagle, Gorham High School, Gray/New Gloucester Middle School, and homeschooling in Falmouth. Members of the cast have been involved in theater for varying amounts of time, from a year to almost 11 years.

When the concept for the group was first beginning, Kyah spearheaded the campaign to generate interest, sending out a mass email to as many theater kids as she could think of, and reposting the event on Facebook regularly.

Francine said that everyone who showed up for auditions was given a part of some kind, onstage or technical. For their debut production, they chose two shows that had a vast number of parts, so that the shows could accommodate any size cast. Many of the students are playing multiple roles.

The group will open the show, which includes How to Succeed in High School without Really Trying; Check, Please; and a musical intermission, on June 7. The production will run from June 7th through the 9th, and June 14th and 15th. All shows start at 7 p.m. except for June 9, which is at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10. To purchase tickets, call 642-3743 or visit www.schoolhousearts.org.

The Blackbox Teens intend to put on three or four shows per year, in a wide variety of styles. Anyone aged 14-20 who would like to get involved can contact Francine at blackboxteens@gmail.com.

Hick Lickin' Good BBQ sauce by Michelle Libby

Hick Lickin’ Good BBQ sauce was all natural before it was popular. Ten years ago, Pete Kostopolous was on the front lines of Portland night life at the Free Street Tavern, which is where the recipe for his Apple Plum BBQ sauce was sampled and perfected.

“My friends remember when I walked in with a little piece of paper with the recipe scribbled on it,” said Kostopolous. They made 120 cases of sauce and put it in the back of his truck. “I told my wife I wouldn’t be back until I’d sold it all. I got to Cape Cod and had sold them all,” he said.

Kostopolous, his wife Jeni, his father and mother, who own the business, all have come a long way since that first trip, but then again, keeping it grounded in the roots of what Hick Lickin’ stands for is important to Kostopolous.

He believes that the sauces should be all natural. He likes each to have a fruit ingredient and all of the sauces are gluten free, except for the teriyaki. All of the sauces have their origins in the kitchen of Kostopolous’ 1700s farm house on Chute Road in Windham. The flavors to date are: Maine Maple Bourbon Grilling Sauce, Maine Apple Plum BBQ, Mango Chipotle BBQ, Peach Habanero with ghost peppers and Maine Apricot Ginger Teriyaki. 

The sauces are made by Lucas Foods in Biddeford. They produce massive amounts of sauce and ship the products nationwide. Their largest account is Hannaford, said Kostopolous. “We’re in the Nature’s Place in Hannaford because we’re all natural and gluten free,” he said.

Five years ago, they began selling sauce to The Meat House, a national company. “That brought us to levels…it’s incredible,” he said. This month alone, they have shipped 26,000 pounds of the maple bourbon marinade. This year, half a million pounds of beef have been marinated in Hick Lickin’ Good sauce, Kostopolous said. “That’s just one sauce out of five.”

The sauce is popular in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, New England states, New York and North Carolina. “We’re heading down the east coast hard,” he said.

Three years ago, Kostopolous had to give up his control in the company to his family due to a brain injury.
“It’s been really hard with the concussion stuff,” he said.

He’s a self-proclaimed athletic guy, having played lacrosse, football and then as an adult he played nose-tackle in a touch football league and he took up racing motorcross. “Those were the biggest hits I took,” he said. Concussions were not as talked about then as they are now and after being hit so many times, the injuries took their toll.

“I was doing endure racing at 52. Those oak trees don’t give very much when you hit them,” he said. Once he crashed so hard that he split his helmet in half. The final straw was when he slipped three steps at his house and knocked himself out.

“Most people don’t really understand brain injuries. It’s almost like a Civil War in your head. It’s a constant battle,” Kostopolous said.

He suffers from migraines regularly. Once a week he goes to Maine Medical Center for “brain work” to try to get him “more functional.” He also sees a bio feedback doctor. Two years ago he joined a support group for people with brain injuries and it helps him to know there are others like him out there. “You realize that we are in a whole different world.”

Kostopolous has six children ranging in age from 28 to 9 years old. He also has four grandchildren. He was one of the people to start football in Windham. “Now, I would never let (my children) play football,” he said.
On each bottle of sauce the label states that a part of the proceeds go to support brain injury survivors. The labels feature a local actor and musician, Kris Eckhardt, who is a friend of Kostopolous.

The business is taking off by leaps and bounds. The sauce is on the tasting palates of people at Previte’s Marketplace. When Hick Lickin’ Good gets the okay from them, they can be sold at Market Basket and Roche Brothers, according to Kostopolous.  

“It doesn’t pay all the bills. We’re not getting rich, but we’re getting by,” he said. The Pantry, Pat’s Meat Market, Whole Foods, Shaw’s and Hannaford are some of the local places that carry Hick Lickin’ Good sauce. It can also be ordered through www.kettlecovefoods.com. What’s the next flavor? It could be papaya chili-pepper.

Recreational competition starts on home turf by Michelle Libby

Sebago Sports is in its second year as a non-profit company that creates recreational activities through year-round league play. The creator of the program is Rob Donato, a 31-year-old graduate of Saint Joseph’s College with a degree in business management.

“The purpose is to create recreational activities and have fun. Have people enjoy each other, competing and meeting new people. There is a huge disconnection when it comes to being outdoors playing sports,” Donato said. “There is nothing for young adults leading into adulthood to enjoy like they used to.”

The Sebago Sports leagues welcome everyone from ages 18 to 70. Starting next week, Sebago Sports begins its co-ed slow-pitch softball games. Last year there were eight teams, this year there are 16. Each team must have three women on the field at all times. “It’s hard to find women who can make that commitment,” he said.

Donato’s goal in starting the program was to keep people in the lakes region to play rather than driving through Windham to play in Portland. He also wanted to run it with integrity, he said. He wanted the money to be used for fixing up the fields the league plays on. This year, Donato has been working with his “entourage” to fix the Manchester School field.

Last year, Donato put up a fence and had dirt brought in to the Manchester School field behind Windham United Church of Christ. This year he re-did the right field, re-cut the entire infield, putting down ball field mix, which is a combination of clay and loam, which is soft for sliding. He is also fixing the right field fence that was damaged over the winter.

The field is also used by Windham Little League and other community organizations. “It’s a big project. It’s significant landscaping,” Donato said.

Sebago Sports also uses fields at Windham Christian Academy, Johnson Field in Standish and Mill Street Field in Raymond. One hour games are played during the week starting at 6 p.m. The reigning 2012 Champs Pat’s Pizza is back looking to repeat, but Donato expects there to be competition from the Penny’s Lawncare team called silent assassins. There are 14 games in the season, not including play-offs, which should run until the first week in September, according to Donato.

There are six ASA certified umpires who will call the games, which can get pretty heated, he said. He is also looking into liability insurance. Teams pay $650 for the co-ed softball season and $700 for the all-men’s softball league.      

Sebago Sports plans to have a men’s softball league this summer with a shortened season, basketball this summer sponsored by Sebago Sports and Windham Recreation Department, flag football in the fall and basketball in the winter.

Donato knows that a league of this kind takes support from the whole community. He has worked with key people and businesses to get the season off to a strong start. They are RSU 14 athlete director Rich Drummond, Tom Gumble, who takes care of the Raymond school facilities, Windham Fire Department and Garvin “Chip” Jones, Paul Kittrick, Dave LeClaire, The Dore family, Bill Hansen, who manages facilities at the Windham schools, Ralph Vance, CR Tandberg and Shaw Brothers.

“I want to explode this,” Donato said. “If I could play sports and be outdoors and create different leagues to compete in, that’s my ultimate goal…to make people happy,” he said.

Donato was born and raised in Millinocket. He liked the small town feel there and would like to create some of that in this area. “It’s the small town support I like,” he said. “That’s how it was. We were always out playing all day until mom said ‘come in’ and then we still played,” he added.

Sebago Sports is planning a home run derby on Sunday, June 23 after Summerfest. The cost will be $10 to enter and the person who hits the most home runs, wins. Each person gets 10 outs and anything not a home run is an out. The winner will receive a trophy, their name listed in The Windham Eagle and they will get their money back. All proceeds from the derby will benefit the Class of 2014 project graduation. 

Camp Sunshine receives paddleboat donation by Leah Hoenen

Families seeking respite and relaxation at Camp Sunshine in Casco have a new way to enjoy Seb
ago Lake this summer. Longtime volunteer Ron Eby and The NASCAR Foundation have teamed up to donate a new paddle boat to the organization.

The boat was launched Friday, May 10, just ahead of the tenth annual NASCAR Day.

Years of volunteering, giving and fundraising for Camp Sunshine earned Eby widespread acclaim as one of four national finalists for The NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award last year. Because Eby was a finalist, the foundation gave Camp Sunshine a $25,000 gift. This year, The NASCAR Foundation offered another gift to the charity when it helped Eby purchase the boat.

Camp Sunshine Executive Director Matt Hoidal said NASCAR’s recognition of Eby’s contributions has brought more attention to Camp Sunshine and its work. “It invigorates our current community of volunteers and draws in new interest,” he said.

NASCAR is holding 10 days of giving this May in honor of the anniversary of NASCAR Day, said Lorene King, Executive Director of The NASCAR Foundation. In celebration, the foundation is making additional donations to organizations it has already worked with, she said.

Hoidal said, “We are among several organizations that are the focus of Days of Giving.” The racing organization wanted to give a gift that would make a difference, and asked for a wish list, he said.

“They liked the idea of providing a vehicle. It’s not a car, it’s not a racecar, but it’s a vehicle for families to get out and paddle on the lake and have some fun in,” said Hoidal.

Hoidal said Camp Sunshine exists through individuals like Eby who give of themselves, and organizations like The NASCAR Foundation which give financial support.

Eight years ago, Eby began raising money for Camp Sunshine as part of his work to organize Summerfest. He estimates he has raised $250,000 for the organization since.

“Camp Sunshine is a year-round retreat for children and families with life-threatening illnesses in Casco on Sebago Lake,” said Eby. “It’s important to support children with life-threatening illness, but to support the whole family as well.”

The importance of the support of places like Camp Sunshine hit home for Eby years ago when his own daughter became severely ill during a trip from Maine to California. “It reminds me how important it is to have that support when you have a child with a life-threatening illness,” he said.

With a small staff supported by 2,000 volunteers, Eby said the camp hopes to host 800 families this year at no cost to the visitors.

King said, “Ron Eby is a very special individual. He has the true heart of a volunteer.” She said he displays and epitomizes the values the foundation looks for in volunteers who are working to improve children’s lives and give them the opportunity to live, learn and play.

NASCAR Day is a way for The NASCAR Foundation to highlight the work it does in support of children’s charities and to encourage and inspire people to take part in those efforts, said Eby.

He said he wants to encourage others to nominate outstanding volunteers for the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award.

“With the humanitarian of the year nomination, that was a pretty big honor. Given the scope of the process and seeing this year how people are nominated, it is very clear to me how difficult it was and how special it was to get to that level,” said Eby.

Hoidal said it’s been amazing to see Eby’s contributions to the organization blossom. “Here’s somebody who came to us looking to sponsor a few families and to see his level of support grow year after year, it’s amazing,” said Hoidal.

For more information, find Camp Sunshine online at www.campsunshine.org or call 655-3800. Follow The NASCAR Foundation online at www.nascar.com/foundation, on Facebook or Twitter.

Saint Joseph's Graduates 516 by Michelle Libby

On May 11, Saint Joseph’s College honored the achievements of 179 on-campus students
and 337 students from the online division. The College conferred 12 associate, 297 baccalaureate and 208 graduate degrees. The graduates come from 43 states, the Philippines, Canada and South Korea.

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, the president and CEP of Goodwill Industries of Northern New England and the granddaughter of former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters and was the honored speaker at the Saturday’s event.

In a press release from the college, Roosevelt said, echoing the voice of her grandfather, “My charge to you this morning is the same charge my grandfather put forth when he addressed the Class of 1932 at Oglethorpe University, in the grip of The Great Depression: ‘We need enthusiasm, imagination and the ability to face facts, even unpleasant ones, bravely…We need the courage of the young. Yours is not the task of making your way in the world, but the task of remaking the world, which you will find before you. May every one of us be grated the courage, the faith and the vision to give the best that is in us to that remaking.’”

Two others were given honorary Doctorates of Public Service, Jim Killoran, a 1980 history and sociology graduate of St. Joe’s and is the current director for Habitat for Humanity of Westchester in New York, and Kevin McCarthy, the president and CEO of Unum and chief operating officer of Unum Group.   

Chipman Farm to open new stand in Raymond By Leah Hoenen

One of Maine’s longest-established farming families is set to open a new stand in Raymond, selling local produce, baked goods and preserved products.

Chipman Farm’s new building, on Route 302 just over the Raymond line, is expected to open by Memorial Day, said Elaine Chipman.

She said the 1,500 square-foot building in Raymond was designed by her husband, Doug, and includes a courtyard for hanging baskets and perennials and a bakery.

“Years ago, we had a bakery. So this is new for us again,” said Chipman. “We’ve hired a baker who bakes from scratch and will use a lot of our fruit and vegetables in the products,” she said. Baked goods will include pies, cookies, whoopie pies and strawberry shortcakes; the stand will also offer baked beans on the weekends and soups in the fall, she said.

Shoppers can expect to find a full line of fruit and vegetable crops through the fall, as well as a variety of Maine products, including wine, beer, cheese, milk and other local items.

The farm already has stands in Poland Spring and Gray and has had a presence in Raymond before the construction of the new stand, said Chipman.

“We’ve been in the area before. (It’s) a really busy route and we’ve been looking for a while to build something on 302,” said Chipman. David Greep allowed the Chipmans to take a long-term lease on the property, where they have erected the building, she said. “We plan on being over there for many years to come,” she said.

Chipman Farm is a family affair. The Chipmans’ daughters Tomi and Alana are the eighth generation to work the family’s farm, established in 1781, said Chipman.

“Both of them have decided to come back to the farm,” she said, noting that it is one of Maine’s oldest working farms.

“We work very hard, but we work as a family and feel like at the end of the day we’ve accomplished something,” said Chipman.

As the growing season progresses, Chipman said, the farm will employ a picking crew of 20 and a staff of 12 for the stands. “It’s nice to be able to buy fresh produce that people know was picked on our farm that morning. I can tell you the time it was picked and who picked it,” said Chipman.

Keep up with Chipman Farm on Facebook and online at www.chipmanfarm.net.

RTP to launch Portland-to-Naples Bus Service by Elizabeth Richards

Public Transportation will soon be available from Naples to Portland.  In July, Regional Transportation Program (RTP) plans to launch a new passenger bus service between the two communities, with stops in Raymond and Windham. 

This isn’t the first time there has been service along this route, but the past service, in the 1980s, did not have the ridership required to keep it going, says Daniel Goodman, customer and community relations coordinator for RTP.  Although that service failed, there have been studies conducted for at least the past decade on the need for service to the Lakes Region, Goodman said.  Some of these studies have been used to develop proposed stops and schedules.  RTP also wants to also have community feedback on these issues to find the best stops, said Goodman.  

In order to assess the needs of the community, a survey is being conducted to solicit feedback from area residents.  Zoe Miller, coalition director for the Lakes Region HMP, a program of the Opportunity Alliance, has been working with RTP, as well as Cumberland County government, to collect information.  “We are trying to figure out how can we get as much citizen input as possible so that RTP can go into it hearing from the community,” she said. 

Miller said the goal is to have the service be as accessible as possible from the beginning.  The survey could also show who is most likely to use the service, which will assist in promoting the bus, Miller said.  For instance, if it shows that people will use it to attempt to save money on gas, they can reach out more to employers and commuter networks.

State Representative Jane Pringle from Windham took the survey, and is encouraging as many Windham residents as possible to also do so.  “The good thing about the survey is it gives people an opportunity to share if there is something outside what they see in that option.”

The survey also offers a little insight into the tentative plans, she said, including the times of runs, which look as though they could be convenient for commuters.  “If I were a commuter and I didn’t want to have to drive and park, and I had pretty regular work hours, it looks as though it would be a great way to take some of the traffic off 302,” she said. 

Goodman said the goal of the service is to meet the needs of all residents of the Lakes Region, from those who don’t have cars to multiple car families, who want improved access to all of the towns on 302.  “Our hope is we’ll get people who choose to ride.”  The bus will have space for bicycles and luggage, as well as wireless internet access. 

Miller adds, “There’s an opportunity here for helping the local economy and boosting tourism.”  This includes reaching out to folks from the Portland end who might grab their bike and head to Sebago Lake State Park, she said. 

Miller is excited because she thinks that transportation options are important, and play a big role in cutting down on pollution and encouraging people to get more active, thus improving community health.  “A lot of people think rural living means relying on their car,” she said.  However, she adds, there are many examples around the country where public transit is really working, both helping people to save money and be healthier.

The new service is different from other services that RTP offers.  It will operate on a regular schedule, and is open to the general public. The operations side is federally funded through funds from the FTA. There are no income guidelines in order to use the service.  “It’s important for people to know that it’s open for everyone,” said Goodman.  The service will begin early in the morning and have late evening runs as well.  Goodman adds that the stops will be at private locations, and “This wouldn’t be happening without the support of a lot of local businesses.”

The details of the scheduling, stops and fares are not yet finalized, but RTP’s goal is to launch the service on July 1, said Goodman.  The survey is available online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/302BUS .  Anyone who responds can opt to be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to Hannaford Supermarkets. The survey closes Sunday, May 12 at midnight. 

Local woman takes an eye-opening trip to Haiti by Michelle Libby

The Reverend Wendy Rozene, Deacon at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Windham, and her husband Dick went to Port-au-Prince, Haiti at the beginning of April for a conference for all of the priests in the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and many from the US and Canada. Their plan was to discuss the church’s connection with Haitian churches. They were accompanied by John Arison, the chair of the partnership program for the Diocese of Maine and Sarah Danser, the chair of the Haiti commission. There were 265 partners and approximately 90 Haitian priests in attendance, according to Rozene. It was their first trip to the island nation, but it won’t be their last.

“You realize that our poorest in the US is nothing compared to the people of Haiti,” she said. They took group tours through the cities devastated by an earthquake in 2010. The cities have not finished rebuilding from the disaster.

“I was pleased to see all of the rubble has been cleared away,” said Rozene. She said they are still knocking down unsafe buildings and clearing that debris away. Many men from the area take the cement blocks from the demolition and bring it back to their homes to rebuild those.

“It was very hot, 96 degrees and 100 percent humidity all the time,” she said. “The poorest of the poor are still living in tent cities.” The tent cities, however, have been moved out of the major areas, some people were paid to move their tents into the mountains out of view of the public, said Rozene. Fifty-thousand people still live in tent cities.
Those who have houses live with walls cinderblocks high with no roof. The fortunate ones have a tarp over the top of the structure, she said.
“It’s been two and a half years and there are still electrical wires hanging down. A lot of people have lights and electricity, but it comes and goes,” Rozene said. There is no running water, no mail and everyone uses cellphones to communicate.

“It was the poorest country in the western hemisphere before this happened,” she said.

St. Ann’s along with other Episcopal Churches in Maine donate time and money to raise funds for their sister parishes in Haiti. St. Ann’s is partnered with St. Barnabas in Treille, Haiti. The village sits in the northern mountains and has 8,000 people, roughly the size of Cumberland, said Rozene.

The keynote speaker at the conference was the minister of foreign affairs in Haiti. He spoke about what the Episcopal Church of Haiti is doing to drill wells and start up businesses in Haiti. They are also rebuilding schools and houses. The donations from churches in America have been immensely helpful to the Haitian government, said Rozene.

Without running water, the people use watering stations and cisterns that are used to collect rain water. On the city tour, Rozene saw a man in his twenties or thirties stripped down to his “tighty-whities” taking a sponge bath.

Treille has a new well that encapsulates a spring head and has a cistern that collects the water. The villagers are now in the process of running PVC pipe down to the church where they will have their first watering station. This mountain village is only accessible by a footpath, a two mile hike up the mountain. Before the well, the women were carrying five gallon buckets on their heads up the mountain.

There is also no electricity in the village. “When you look at Google Earth, you don’t see many buildings at all,” said Rozene. The houses that are there are hidden under trees to protect the people from the sun.
Schools are now being reopened after having been leveled to rubble during the earthquake. The school buildings today consist of a sheet of plywood two feet off the ground and with four feet on top open for air circulation, and they might have a corrugated roof. Public schools are free, but Catholic and Episcopal schools cost $100 per child to attend the one in the mountain village and between $800 and $1,000 per year at Holy Trinity School in Port-au-Prince.

Despite the adversities, the people of Haiti are of wonderful spirit, very hopeful, faithful people, said Rozene. “They are more thrilled that we pray for them and they pray for us,” she said.

“The poor here in the US have so much more than the people of Haiti, yet so little faith,” said Rozene.
The place that touched Rozene the most was a visit to St. Vincent’s School for the Handicapped. Children. The children are deaf, blind or without limbs, through birth or the earthquake. She was able to use American Sign Language to communicate with some of the children.

Pere Jonas, the priest in St. Barnabas, is in charge of eight congregations, four schools and three clinics. It is unlike what we have in Maine, where one priest has one parish. Children in St. Barnabas can go to school up to fifth grade. If they want to attend the high school they have to make the two hour climb down the mountain, then take a two hour drive into town. Students who do this find residential placements.
Rozene and her husband hope to return to Haiti next February when it will be a little cooler to hike into the mountains to visit St. Barnabas.

Konbit Sante will host its 4th Annual Maine Walks with Haiti and 4-Mile Run on May 11 starting at 9:30 a.m. The run cost $20 to register on that day.  The walk is $15.  Proceeds from the event go to support programs in Cap-Haitien.  Gather at Back Cove Park on Preble Street across from Hannaford. Kids under twelve are free, 13- to 21-year-olds are $10, and adults are $15.

Children collect book donations for Rwanda library by Elizabeth Richards

Children in the church school classes at the Windham Hill United Church of Christ are learning about the wider world through a mission project that has them asking for book donations to send to a library in Rwanda.  The library was started by Windham High School graduate Nathan Petersen, who is teaching English for the Peace Corps in a small village in Rwanda. 

The Christian education committee at the church got the ball rolling on the project, said Nathan’s grandmother, Paula Smithson.  She and her husband, along with Nathan’s mother, are members of the Windham Hill church. 

Petersen graduated from WHS in 2004 and the University of Maine at Farmington in 2008.  Smithson said that after seeing the movie Hotel Rwanda, Nathan become fascinated with Africa, and Rwanda in particular.  He applied for the Peace Corps and left in September of 2011.   The Peace Corps asks their members to reach out to the community they live in with a project of some kind, so he decided on a library.  Initially, he met with some resistance Smithson said.  However, once it was approved there was a big celebration in April, and the project has become very successful.

One challenge that Petersen has encountered, according to Smithson, is that the idea of a library, or even having books, was unfamiliar in the village.  “He had to teach them about borrowing books, and getting interested in reading them,” Smithson said.  Recently, she said, he has noticed people in common places in the village looking at the books, but he has to go and retrieve them because they don’t understand the concept of returning books to the library.  Petersen will return to the US in November of 2013.

“Every year we try to do a project with the church school children that reaches them beyond the immediate church group,” said Carolyn Clark, the church school coordinator.   Having books and learning to read were familiar concepts for the children in the church. “We chose this book project because it’s something the children can relate to,” said Clark. 

The children asked the congregation for donations of new and gently used paperback books, as well as setting up an Amazon wish list to help with the project.  Church member Laurel Parker, who is the children’s librarian at the Windham Public Library, offered her personal expertise to help select appropriate books for the wish list.  That wish list can be found by searching for Parker’s name on Amazon, and selecting her public list WHUCC for Nate in Rwanda.  Clark said they are focusing on books for early readers and readers new to English, up to a third grade reading level.     

Because they knew that shipping would be expensive, Clark said, they asked for paperback books only.  The children held a pancake breakfast on Palm Sunday, and the proceeds of that breakfast, along with some donations from the congregation, will be used to ship the books.

Each age group in the church school program has had a different job to complete, said Clark.  The younger children decorated the box used for collecting the books.  The middle group is designing stickers to put inside the donated books, and the oldest class is responsible for publicity.  Publicity has included a bulletin board, and tallying results to report progress to the congregation. 

Book donations will be accepted until May 19, and then they will be dedicated at a church service.  Following the dedication, the group will work on shipping the books.  While they don’t know exactly what it will cost, they know they will need a substantial amount of money to ship all the books collected.  Clark said they may need to break the shipment into a couple of loads, and may also need to do some more fundraising.  Although the children didn’t have a specific goal ahead of time, the book drive has been well received. As of Sunday, May 5, the children had collected 292 books.