My School Color Run raises money for school supplies - By Jim Beers

On what was an absolute perfect Maine autumn day last Sunday, the Raymond Elementary School, (RES), held it's first "My School Color Run" to help benefit students and teachers with school supplies at RES. Along with a silent auction, as well as plenty of refreshments, the school's soccer field was a hive of activity before the start of the race. Approximately 240 walkers, joggers and runners of all abilities took to the starting line in hopes of making a difference for the school and its supply needs.

Event organizer and RES teacher Susan Cherner-Brackett was overwhelmed by the number of participants. "Just a perfect day today and to see so many of the community here to lend a helping hand is truly amazing! We are just so excited by the turnout," she said. It did seem that most of Raymond/Windham was there to either help with the event or be a part of it in some way. The Raymond PTO was there with a great refreshment table, and a host of local businesses donated items for the silent auction. 

The event kicked off sharply at 1 p.m., and it wasn't long before the first competitors navigated the 1-mile course and started to cross the finish line. The race was held on the school's property, starting on the soccer field, then moved to wooded trails before ending up back on the field. So many volunteers lined the course to help out with water, snacks, and of course--spraying the participants with color as they went through the "splash zones". With ages ranging from pre-school kids to grandparents, fun was had by all who were there to participate. 

Top three finishers were seventh grader Boden Sabasteanski, seventh grader Keegan Brooks, and third grader Carter Engelman. Top female finisher was seventh grader Molly Cochrane. Once all competitors completed the course, there were plenty of treats and well-wishers on hand to greet them at the finish line. 

After announcing the top finishers, Cherner-Brackett directed everyone to the middle of the soccer field to throw their color packet into the air. On the count of three, the area and everyone in it was immersed in a cloud of color. RES assistant principal Deb Hutchinson was overjoyed by the turnout.

"So wonderful to see the whole community come together for this event. The funds will go to materials for our classrooms and teachers,...just fills my heart, couldn't have been a better day," she said. 

The event raised $3,300.00. 

"Such a successful day, what a great community event. A big thank you goes out to all our volunteers from the Raymond/Windham community, as well as all the local businesses who donated for the silent auction, they truly made this event happen," added Cherner-Brackett. The hope is to do it bigger and better in the future.

Octoberfest changes locations to offer more parking and fun - By Jon Bolduc

Octoberfest will take place on October 17th, and will move from the Buck’s Naked BBQ parking lot off of Route 302 to Camp William Hinds in Raymond. 
 

Allen Faraday, event organizer and executive VP of Operations at Windham Weaponry said that the event has outgrown its previous space. 

“With the tremendous facilities at Camp Hinds, it will more than make up for the lack of high visibility on 302,” he said.  

The space at Camp Hinds will help to make the event more secure and safe, with room for parking and traffic-- two significant problems at when the event was hosted off of Route 302 in Windham.

“We just want it to be a very safe, comfortable event, and not have to worry about the traffic and the parking,” Faraday said. Faraday also said the facilities at Camp Hinds, situated on over 300 acres of land on Panther Pond-- offer exciting new opportunities for fun events. 

“We have beautiful waterfront property, we have a place where we can do a pancake breakfast...I have a secure place across the street where I can do the helicopter rides,” says Faraday. 

Many local businesses, and, most importantly, local food banks and food pantries, will be represented with booths and fun activities at the event.

“We probably have about 40 or so different businesses represented that are going to offer some type of activity, food or music,” said Aimee Senatore, executive director of the Sebago Lakes Chamber of Commerce. 

Faraday said some of the new activities include a climbing wall, food booths set up across the camp’s waterfront, zip-lining and a shooting range: The Boy Scouts are providing Range Safety Officers and are offering the ability to shoot five to 10 shots with .22 rifles at 25 yard targets for a donation, like all of the other activities. 

In addition, Camp Hinds will provide canoe and kayaking trips up the Tenny River, a climbing wall, nature walks and a huge fire pit for S’mores. 

To top off the fun, Matthew McFadden, owner of Naples Seaplane Adventure, will be offering ten minute rides off of Panther Pond, with a donation of $40.  

Octoberfest is for a good cause with proceeds help raise cash for Feed the Need, a fundraising initiative that aims to eliminate hunger and food insecurity in the 10 towns served by the Sebago Lakes Chamber of Commerce. 

“It’s just shocking what the need is. How so many of our neighbors are in need of extra food, or support,” said Faraday. 

Octoberfest, and other events hosted throughout the year by the initiative, like the Community Coin Challenge, raise significant funds for area food banks. 

“One dollar. Just one dollar from a food pantry’s perspective can feed a family of four for a day. If you look at the fact that we give most of our food pantries over a $1,000...it goes a long way,” Senatore said.

Windham house for sale: Some disassembly required - by Walter Lunt

Adrianna Gibson of Newfield saw the ad on Craig’s List. A vintage cape for sale at a very reasonable price in Windham; the catch, it had to be disassembled and removed from its lot by late fall. 
Intrigued, Gibson encouraged her partner, Clifford Plummer III, to join her in seeing the property. The former Week’s farm, a landmark, of sorts, at the corner of Highland Cliff and Alweber Roads, had been vacant for about 15 years and considered structurally unsound.
 

Gibson remembers their first visit in July. She was standing on the second floor; “You know how some old houses can feel really creepy inside? This one was different. I was leaning on a ceiling beam, just looking around. Right then, I fell in love with the place.” She told Plummer, “This is the one. This has got to be our house.”

After exploring the inside further, Plummer told her he could see the “possibilities,” that is, incorporating many of the historic features into a new build. But Gibson, a builder from northern Maine and self-described purist disagreed, strongly favoring a piece-by-piece take-down and rebuild on their 8-acre property in Newfield. 

And the delicate demolition began. The couple rented a mobile storage container. Sections of the disassembled building were photographed, labeled, bundled and stored in the container beside the house. Slowly, the antique cape shed its unique features as Gibson and Plummer labored several hours a day, seven days a week, even while Plummer maintained his full-time job as a warehouse foreman in Westbrook.

On one work day, Gibson stood in the entryway admiring the beaded tongue and groove panels partially adorned with faded Victorian wallpaper. “It’s amazing the way they built…without power tools,” she observed. The 200 plus year old post and beam structure was a solid build; built to last. Time had only weakened it; Gibson knew that minimal structural repairs during the rebuild would restore it for a third century of life. Meanwhile, Plummer had come around to Adrianna’s desire to restore the house with its historical integrity intact. He said he used the house number in various combinations when playing the state’s Pick-3 lottery game. “I won,” he proclaimed, “And that’s when I knew this was a lucky house.”

Many residents in the neighborhood believe the antique cape, which once had an unattached barn, to be one of oldest homes in Windham. But the house is hard to date. Town tax records show the time of build to be 1800. County deeds reveal that Thomas Trott willed the farm to his daughter, Abigail, in 1809. Some members of the Weeks family and Windham Historical Society president Linda Griffin have speculated the house could date back to the mid-to-late 1700s. One society member recalls that oral tradition suggests the house had been moved to Highland Cliff Road from another location, a practice common in earlier times. There exists, however, no record of relocation.

The last occupant of the house, around the late 90s, was Gladys Weeks, then in her nineties. It is said that Grammy Weeks often complained about “spongy” floorboards as she moved about the house in a wheelchair. Visitors who frequented the deconstruction project shared memories of the house going back several decades, reminiscing about May baskets hanging in the yard, Easter egg rolls and political party meetings.

Much of the building’s history is revealed as Gibson and Plummer remove generations of renovation. In one parlor, sheetrock gave way to old paneling which in turn revealed two separate applications of lathe with horse-hair plaster; one of each side of the wall studs. Griffin said the inner and outer layers added strength to the construction and provided a dead-air pocket, an early form of insulation. She also observed the plaster formulas were different; the exterior application, probably the earliest, appeared yellowed and sandy while the inner coating was white, thinner and utilized pig or horse hair.

More historic revelations came to light as the new owners peeled back to the house’s earliest time. Pine roof boards, some more than 30 inches wide bore the tell-tale signs of rough circular saw markings, typical of early sawmill lumber.

Gibson also pointed to hand hewn beams, square nails and the 2 over 2 Victorian windows which probably replaced original 9 over 6 panes from the early 1800s. Griffin said the house displays a floor plan typical of late colonial houses: Two front parlors and kitchen and birthing/storage rooms in the rear.

Perhaps the most prominent feature to be exposed during the trim down is the chimney. Roof board removal revealed a double chimney in the shape of an inverted V – two single flues rising from the first floor and joining just above the second story. Disassembly in the center of the building revealed the remains of three fireplaces. Griffin believes the double flues serviced two stoves that replaced the fireplaces in the mid-1800s. The unconventional brick formation attracted much attention from passers-by, many stopping to take photographs. Gibson said countless people stopped by to chat, many multiple times just to observe the progress of the take-down.

One indignant observer rarely left the site. A tiny chipmunk scampered about the property, ducking in and out of the house remains, chattering noisily as if protesting the activity. Plummer said the pesky little fellow succeeded in achieving a triumphant moment. While removing clapboards, Plummer had set his ladder and started climbing. However, one leg of the ladder sunk into a small hole in the ground sending him crashing onto the lawn. As he regained composure, he observed the chipmunk chattering, seemingly joyously, as it disappeared into the offending hole. Plummer nursed a sore shoulder the rest of the day while Gibson, barely controlling laughter, shared the story with every visitor for the next two days.

One prodigious construction feature gave Gibson and Plummer a moment of wonder and surprise. Upon removing the boards from a parlor floor, they stared in awe; the floor joists consisted of small tree trunks with the bark still clinging, except for a portion of the circumference which was flattened to meet the floor boards. Limb knots and a few square nails protruded here and there. 

Joan and Ray Weeks, who are members of the family whose generations occupied the house for over 100 years, said they have mixed feelings as they watch the house come down from their home a few hundred yards away. “We are so, so sad to see it go,” said Joan, “but glad it’s being repurposed rather than bull dozed or burned.”

Walking by the Weeks’ house with a pet calf on a leash, Andrea (Elder) Stultz paused. “What they’re doing is amazing and heartwarming,” referring to Gibson’s and Plummer’s act of preservation over demolition. Dozens of others stopped with similar sentiments. Marnie Childress of South Portland, who was picking up her granddaughter from a nearby school bus stop, commented, “I absolutely love that it’s going to have a new life.”

The new life, observed Gibson, will be its third century of existence – same building, same construction techniques, just a new family and a new location.

Gibson and Plummer plan to have an open house after the reassembly in Newfield, probably in the fall of 2016. All the Weeks family, the neighborhood and the curious onlookers will be invited.

Little girl and family affected by chronic illness and staying strong - By Elizabeth Richards

On Sunday, September 27^th friends and family of 4-year-old Kathryn (Kate) Woodside came together in Windham to participate in the “Virtual Walk for a Better Life” to benefit the Alagille Syndrome Alliance. 
 

When Kate was born, there were no signs of the genetic disease that affects her life daily. But when she was just a few weeks old, her coloring began to change and she spiked a fever. A trip to Express Care led to the emergency room, and eventually a stay at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, where multiple tests were performed to determine why Kate’s liver wasn’t functioning properly.

After the most severe disease possibilities were ruled out Kate’s parents, Chandra Turner and Ryan Woodside, were sent home with their daughter, still not knowing what was wrong. 

“We were excited to be going home, but it was scary,” said Turner. “Suddenly you’re home and things are still bad and you don’t know why, and you just have to wait. That was hard.” 

The genetic testing that followed could have dragged on for years without answers. Luckily, Turner and Woodside’s insurance paid for the expensive jaundice chip test, which tests for all disease possibilities at once, rather than just a few at a time. 

What it revealed was that Kate has Alagille Syndrome, a genetic disease that can have many effects, including liver, kidney and heart disease, as well as changes in the eyes and bones. Kate has progressive liver disease, and may need a liver transplant at some point. “Not today, and probably not tomorrow, and we don’t look any farther than that,” said Turner. “We just take it day by day with her liver.”  

Kate has no kidney issues, and though there is narrowing of the arteries in her heart, it isn’t causing any difficulties for her at this time. Her eye pressure has remained normal so far, and her bones are doing well. But still, she’s on seven regular medications to help treat the symptoms of her disease, and her spleen is enlarged due to the liver disease.

One of the worst symptoms, said Turner, is itching. Much of the medication that Kate takes is to try to manage the itch, said Turner, and they seek other solutions that provide her with some relief without digging her skin, such as using surgical scrub brushes or tingly lotions. Not being able to help with the itching is one of the hardest things, Turner said. “You look at your little child and there’s not a thing you can do about it, and it’s really frustrating.”

The Alagille Syndrome Alliance, which is based in Oregon, has been an important resource for the family. Through the organization, they have been able to connect with other families dealing with the same rare disease.

Every fall the Alagille Syndrome Alliance does the Virtual Walk for a Better Life. “That’s really what we’re focused on with Alagille Syndrome. We know a cure is really far off and unlikely – when you have a disease that is as small as this, it’s hard to get researchers and companies to dedicate the time to work on it,” said Turner. 

The virtual walk allows people all over the country to plan their own events. Participating is a way to give back to the Alagille Syndrome Alliance, says Turner. “They’ve been such a great resource that we wanted to be able to give back,” she said. It’s also a good excuse to get friends and family together, honor Kate and be thankful for the blessings they have, Turner added. 

Despite all her challenges, Kate is doing well at this time. “There are no promises and there are no guarantees, but by all intents and purposes she should be able to live a long and healthy life,” said Turner. 

Kate doesn’t have many limitations on what she is able to do although she needs to be careful about blows the abdomen because of her enlarged spleen. And though she’s still quite sick, Turner said they try not to play that up. “She’s really sick and she’s got a ton of challenges that most kids can’t even imagine, but she doesn’t know the difference. She smiles and laughs and plays harder than most kids do.”  

Turner would like to build sensitivity and awareness around the challenges of chronic illness. “It’s important for folks to have a little awareness that chronic illness is hard,” she said. There is a whole additional layer of things to manage, such as going to the pharmacy several times a week or spending hours on the phone with the insurance company, that make stopping by to say hello to someone or doing things out in the community more difficult. 

A rare disease can be isolating because people don’t understand and don’t always feel like it’s okay to ask questions, said Turner. Finding small ways to support families dealing with chronic illness can go a long way, she said.  

Donating to the Alagille Syndrome Alliance, or to another organization dealing with rare diseases, is one way people can help. “Those national organizations are absolutely lifelines for families like ours. We wouldn’t be able to talk to any other families. We would be completely isolated in what we’re going through if not for that organization,” she said. 

Donations can be made online at www.alagillevirtualwalk by searching for Kate’s Krew, or mailed to PO Box 276 in Raymond, c/o The Turners. For more about Kate and her story, visit their Facebook page Kate’s Krew or Turner’s blog at www.kateandellysmom.wordpress.com.