The Daytime Players present second weekend of performances - By Elizabeth Richards

This weekend brings an opportunity to see the Daytime Players in action at the Schoolhouse Center for the Arts. The group presents their second weekend of “The Days Are As Grass,” a collection of eight short dramatic comedies about time, aging, forgiveness, sex and the human spirit. 
 

The Daytime Players began at the Schoolhouse Center in 2003, with four original members, including this show’s director, Jerry Walker. Originally, he said, the group performed short plays and excerpts from larger works in nursing homes, senior centers, and for church and other groups. The Daytime Players had grown to include more than 20 people before disbanding a few years ago.  

With multiple directors and performers, Walker said “There were sometimes two or three shows going on at the same time, or rehearsing at the same time. We met during the daytime, and it was a lot of fun.”

The group came back together last winter, performing “The Days Are As Grass” at the Magic Lantern in Bridgton. They decided to reprise the performance at the Schoolhouse Center for the Arts with many of the same cast members, as well as a few new additions. Walker said that since that first performance, with performers spending more time with the pieces, the cast have grown in their roles. “It’s a delightful show,” he said.

Rehearsals for the show, which has several short pieces that involve only one or two performers, have been primarily independent. 

“This is what’s great about the Daytime players,” said Walker. “You don’t have to set up an eight week schedule and go five nights a week. We depend upon the actors to come prepared and it really works out quite well for all of us.”

This show has revived interest in restarting the Daytime Players on an ongoing basis at the Schoolhouse Center for the Arts. There will be an organizational meeting on October 21^st from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The group is looking for new members to be involved in all aspects of theater, including performing, technical crew, lights, and more. The only requirements for getting involved are to have an interest and time available during the day. “If you have no experience, you’ll have experience by the time you’re finished with us because we have a great group of people to instruct and help people get started,” Walker said. All ages are welcome.

“The Days Are As Grass” will be performed at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 17^th and Sunday, October 18^th. Tickets, available at the door or by calling 642-3743, and are $10.

Lions Club hosts fourth annual craft/vendor fair - By Michelle Libby

The Windham Lions Club is raising money to help with their programs which include purchasing glasses and hearing aids for kids, eye screenings for all incoming kindergarteners and participating in the “Speak-Out” student presentations. For the fourth year they will hold a craft/vendor fair at the North Windham Union Church, 723 Roosevelt Trail. There will be crocheted items, repurposed kitchen items, bird houses, tote bags, dog treats, Avon, Halloween treats, jewelry, Scentsy, quilts, handmade cards and more, a total of 14 vendors. 
 

In addition to the craft items, the Windham High School Leo Club will have a table of items to raise money for the Madsen family, whose 4-year-old daughter is in treatment for a rare form of leukemia.

“We do eye screenings for incoming kindergarten students, close to 250 of them. We take pictures of their eyes and a doctor looks at it,” said Eileen Frost, the coordinator of the craft fair. 

There will also be a raffle for many items and gift certificates from the community and the winners don’t have to be present to win. There will also be a 50/50 raffle for that day.  

Admission is free, but donations of non-perishable food items are appreciated. 

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will also be a hamburger and hot dog luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

The Lions Club has 22 members and is always willing to accept new members. Their future fundraisers and community events are the breakfast with Santa at the Windham Veterans Center on December 12^th and Stuff the Bus at Windham Hannaford on December 5^th. 

For more on any of the events or to join the Lions, call Eileen Frost at 892-7530 or visit them on Facebook.

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.