Raymond tree lighting ushers in Christmas cheer - By Jim Beers

Last Sunday Raymond residents gathered at the Raymond Village Library for the annual Christmas tree lighting. Braving the chilly temps, about 150 people came out to revel in holiday cheer. The Raymond Elementary School chorus was all present and leading the large crowd in several Christmas carols, with hopes of seeing Santa by night's end.

The evening got started with a Christmas-themed story time inside the library, before moving outside for the tree lighting festivities. Raymond Village Library Director Sally Holt, in her third year, was overjoyed at the outpouring of "community" the evening displayed. "It's such a great way for the residents to gather, and the library is the perfect place fo

The Lions Club played a big role in helping the library put this night together. "We couldn't have done it without the Lions Club. They donated $200 to help us with the extra electricity the tree will use, and for large print books for the library. They also provided the refreshments for the evening, they are very special to us and we appreciate them a lot. I hope this tradition goes on forever," added Holt.

Raymond resident and Windham High School student-athlete Ryan Plummer, a junior, was on hand with his family and enjoying the night's events. "It's an awesome way to start the Christmas season. I was here singing just like them when I was in the elementary school chorus. Every year more and more of the community comes out for this, and to be here with my little brothers and family is real special," said Plummer.

After the singing of a few popular carols, the scene shifted to mingling and getting some refreshments. The cold was not a factor as the crowd's Christmas cheer provided the warmth for all. And as anticipation mounted, Santa made his appearance and the kids went wild at the sight of the jolly man in the bright red suit. Sitting down with each of them, he listened intently as they all gave their lists of wished-for presents. Of course they all had to answer if they had been naughty or nice as well. A very successful evening is just what the town was looking for and it couldn't have gone any better, prompting residents Mio Pichardo and Daryl Gurney to both exclaim, "great night for Raymond!". Let the Christmas season begin!

 

Windham's newest police officer - By Michelle Libby

Rookie officer Paul Dubay is just finishing the field training portion of his employment at the Windham Police Department. However, he is no rookie having been involved in police work for many years. Dubay is on his second career, as he called it, after retiring from the Air Force where he served 29 years. For the last eight of those years he held the position chief of military police. 
 

“This was the plan,” Dubay said about his civilian police work. He was employed at Gorham Police Department for three and a half years before taking the position of animal control officer before being hired as a police officer. His employment was considered a lateral move. 

“I was looking for a little bit more busyness. I have heard great things about the Windham Police Department,” he said. He was looking for a “military-like” structured department. Windham was that place because of how it’s structured and organized. The officers are supervised much like they are in the military, but they are still allowed to make decisions. 

Dubay grew up in Little Falls in Gorham and volunteered as a junior firefighter at the South Windham Fire Department. “It’s almost like old home days,” he said. It was at the fire department that he first announced he was going into the Air Force. Not only was he police chief, he also acted as the flying crew chief on a B-52 during his tenure. 

“I want to do my job. I have a lot to learn here,” he said of Windham. “My short term goal is to become an expert in patrol duties, and get involved with the community.” 

Community policing is something Dubay learned about while in the Air Force and would like to see that implemented here. Other agencies have started their own community policing teams. 

“Interacting with the community, everybody is human and everyone makes mistakes. I like approaching things from a human level. I like to be fair, but firm,” he said. He looks to establish a rapport with people, whether they are suspects or victims. He said that some officers are aggressive and that’s their approach. Having both his philosophy and others on a shift is a good mix. 

“Windham has grown immensely since I left. As the animal control officer I was shocked by the volume of traffic in the North Windham area,” Dubay said. During the summer, Dubay found it challenging to deal with people from out of state the same way he deals with residents. He found the people from “away” tend to think the officers are treating them differently, he said. Nevertheless, he works to gain their trust for a positive outcome. 

Dubay enjoys the calls that involve fact finding, interviewing and investigative evidence gathering. “It challenges the mind and is a great way of gathering information for future calls,” he said. 

In the future, Dubay would like to channel his love of motorcycles into a position with Sergeant David Bonneau on the motorcycle patrol. “I’ve been riding motorcycles all my adult life and have taken the Experienced Rider Course. 

Dubay has two sons, 22 and 18. His interests range from riding his Harley and scuba diving to downhill skiing and other outdoor pursuits. 

Dubay is finding his footing in the community and has plans for how he can serve Windham and the police department in the future.

Local Windham woman chosen as Diveas SnowGear Ambassador - By Elizabeth Richards

Snowmobile enthusiast Tonnya Sayah has plenty to talk about on the trails this season. As one of 37 brand ambassadors for Divas SnowGear (DSG), Sayah will be decked out in the bright pink Lace collection and talking up the brand as she rides. 
 

Sayah, a Windham resident, was selected out of 1,500 applicants from around the US and Canada to represent the brand during the 2014-15 season. This is the first year the company has sponsored the volunteer ambassador program, intended to spread the word about this brand which offers gear made specifically for women. In addition to raising brand awareness, the program is intended to also get more women involved in the sport. 

The application included questions about how long she has been riding, how active she is in the local club, and her thoughts on the sport. Sayah said that when she found out she had been chosen, she jumped out of her chair and screamed with joy. “I was ecstatic about it,” she said. “It’s an amazing group of women that got chosen.” She said she thinks her passion for the sport and the fact that she loves to talk with people played a role in her selection. 

As a brand ambassador, Sayah will represent DSG at trade shows and events, as well as testing riding gear and providing feedback to the company. The ambassadors will spread the word on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the DSG blog. 

“I couldn’t be more excited to have this amazing group of women as part of our team this season” said Wendy Gavinski, president of Divas SnowGear, in a press release.   

         

According to Sayah, Gavinski started the company four years ago out of frustration, because there was no gear developed just for women on the market. “There was men’s gear shrunk down to fit us with a little bit of pink thrown on it, but it’s not the same,” Sayah said. “She [Gavinski] was looking for something with form, function and fit.” 

The company offers several different lines that cater to different types of riders. They offer gear from extra small to 5XL, designed to fit all women in styles that are fashionable yet functional, said Sayah.

Sayah saw the call for applications to the brand ambassador program on Facebook, and decided to go for it. Sayah is an avid rider who is heavily involved in the Windham Drifters snowmobile club, serving as the club treasurer. “It’s definitely a passion for me,” she says.

Participation in the ambassador program is volunteer work, and Sayah said her responsibilities won’t take away from her riding opportunities. Attending trade shows is something she would have done anyway, she said, and she can fulfill much of her duty on the trails by talking with women at stops. “It doesn’t take away from snowmobiling at all. If anything it enhances it,” she said. 

She’ll be talking to women about what they want from their gear, what works and doesn’t work, and some of the special features DSG gear offers. Building friendships is easy on the trail, Sayah said, and the feedback she collects will be taken back to the company to improve the gear. “We can bring feedback back to our company to make our products better,” said Sayah.

Sayah has been actively involved in snowmobiling for ten years, though she has memories of snowmobiling with her dad when she was a child as well. Her whole family is involved in the sport too. When her children were younger, they rode on the back until they were old enough to get their own sleds. The Sayahs can ride right from their house, but also enjoy day trips to ride. Sayah says she’ll travel up to three hours one way to find good snow.

Sayah is married with two boys, ages 16 and 18. She works as a claims manager for an insurance company, and volunteers for the snowmobile club as well as participating in craft fairs. In December and January, she rides mainly on Sundays since her younger son wrestles for Windham High School. When wrestling is done, she said, both weekend days are devoted to snowmobiling.

 

She said that making sure women are warm and have the right gear is essential to getting them involved in the sport. “Once you get bundled up in the right gear it’s not cold,” she said. “Are we a little crazy if it’s 20 below and we’re still out there? Maybe, but we’re having fun doing it – that’s what it’s all about,” she added.

Lighting up Windham for the holidays - By Michelle Libby

This year Windham has that holiday spirit. TIF money was set aside by the town council to decorate with lights located at major intersections and highly visible properties all over town. From the rotary circle at Route 202 and Route 302 to the lawn at Norway Savings Bank and the trees at Cross Insurance, the town is bubbling with excitement over the lights.  
 

“We hope to attract holiday shoppers into the mood. They are drawn to other places that get decorated through the holiday,” said town councilor Donna Chapman, who brought the proposal forward. “It’s so dark through North Windham this time of year.”

The Town and Economic Development director Tom Bartell contracted with Lucas Tree to string the lights and his department purchased the grapevine balls to wrap lights around. Two large signs, one that says “Season’s Greetings” and the other “Peace on Earth” are being delivered this week. 

“People have been thrilled (with the lights),” Bartell said. “All the comments from that one night at the rotary, they were very pleased. They say that we care.” Councilor Tommy Gleason said that he had gotten many calls to complement the lights and decorations. 

 

“Many of us wanted to be able to do something to bridge holiday spirit,” Bartell said. 

Bartell enlisted the help of Windham Town Clerk Linda Morrell to decide where to put many of the decorations and lights. Morrell, a decorating guru, according to those at the town hall, helped with colors at the rotary and convinced the public works to add a tree and a few lighted orbs to the space at the town hall. She has been the one coordinating the decorating at the town hall for years. “It’s exciting. I love Christmas,” she said. “It looks so magical,” she said of the lights in town.  

Lucas also decorated the local fire stations with wreaths and lights, replacing the red outline of lights from past years. 

The town purchased the lights, but the businesses on Route 302 are the one supplying the electricity to run them. The businesses helping are Seacoast Fun Park, Norway Savings Bank, Key Bank, Windham Shopping Plaza and Cross Insurance. The first company to step up to volunteer was People’s United Bank, however due to electrical difficulties, they were not able to participate, Bartell said. 

The decorating and decorations cost the town $34,000. Many of the items will be reused year after year. The grapevine orbs cost up to $500 for the large one and the signs are $5,000 each. 

The season’s greetings flags are also going up this week. Chapman hopes that the town can add onto the decorations a little more each year. 

“Next year it won’t cost as much,” Bartell said. “We want this to become part of our regular tradition.”

“We have a thriving small business community in the area,” Chapman said. She wants to see the town do everything it can to bring customers to the area. 

The lights are scheduled to go full power on Wednesday and will be up through New Year’s. On Saturday night an alleged drunk driver drove into the rotary, crashed into a tree totaling his car and setting one of the trees with lights on fire. He destroyed one of the balls and damaged another. 

“He wasn’t the brightest bulb at the rotary,” Chapman said. “We can fix the decorations. We want him to make good on restitutions. I’m thankful that no one was hurt.” 

Bartell asked that any businesses or property owners want to join in and add to the festivities and the mood to do it. “That would be wonderful,” Bartell said. “We care enough. It’s more about spirit. People felt like we were losing that community spirit. People really enjoy seeing and being a part of the community.”