Second annual UCAN 5K a success in Raymond - By Elizabeth Richards

The weather was cloudy and unpredictable, but that didn’t prevent runners and walkers from turning out for the second annual UCAN 5K and kids’ fun run. The event was held Saturday, June 14^th, at the Sheri Gagnon Park in Raymond.

Friends, family and community members gathered in the park to honor the life of Candace Woolston, who passed away from cancer in December of 2012. She would have loved the event, said her husband, Jack Woolston, “But she wouldn’t like it being all about her,” he added. “She was more a giver than a taker.” 

The race wouldn’t happen without volunteers like organizers Brenda Dionne and Ed Gagne, Woolston said. “They’re the glue. They keep this together, and they make it easy for my boys and I to come.” Jack walked in the race, and Will and Tyler, his sons, both ran.

Dionne was busy the day of the event, tending to endless small details, and keeping people informed every step of the way with announcements on the loudspeaker. She said she thinks the event went well, and attributes that to the group of approximately 50 volunteers.

This year, though not as emotional as last year’s event which was just a few short months after Candace’s death, ran much more smoothly, said Dionne. “We didn’t know what the heck we were doing,” she said of the first event. This year she said, “Everybody just kind of pulled together.” She said a great committee and more volunteers than she could name helped make the event successful. 

The goal for the day is to provide a community atmosphere, she said, and the event certainly offered that. It was much like a block party, with music by Flamin’ Raymond and Sizzlin’ Susan, hula hooping, refreshments for sale, and plenty of cheering and encouragement for all race participants. There were a little over 300 participants this year, said Dionne, and in future years she would like to see it grow to 600 participants. 

The timing went more smoothly this year as well, since they were more prepared for the turnout they had. Last year, said Dionne, 150 people signed up at the last minute, and they ran out of bib numbers and had to improvise, making it difficult for the timers to accurately record numbers as they crossed the finish line.

The Raymond Elementary School chorus sang the National Anthem, and then the kids fun run began. Before the 5K, participants warmed up with Zumba, then lined up for the big start. The top finisher, with a time of 17:44, was Sheri Piers from Falmouth. Dionne stayed at the microphone, announcing names and encouraging participants until the last one crossed the finish line. 

One of the big sponsors of the event was Norway Savings Bank, where Candace’s sister works. She has been a big support in bringing everyone together and keeping the event going, said Dionne. Cabelas donated all of the prizes, including fishing poles for every child who entered the fun run, headlamps, hammocks, zero gravity chairs and gift certificates. With prizes donated, all the funds raised can be put towards the goal of getting a new playground structure for the Sheri Gagnon park. “It’s going to take some years, because we want something really nice and durable,” said Dionne. After this year’s event, total money raised will top $7,000, she said.

Race results can be found online at http://www.coolrunning.com/results/14/me/Jun14_UCAN5K_set1.shtml.

It's time for Windham Summerfest - By Michelle Libby

Summerfest - for the community, by the community

Summerfest is all about community. Community support. Community pride. Community togetherness.

This Saturday, Windham will put its best foot forward in a volunteer-run, town-sponsored, non-profit involved day of fun, food and entertainment. Starting at 7:30 a.m., there will be registration for the fifth annual Duane Clark Scholarship Car Show. At 9 a.m. at the school complex, 406 Gray Road, the Summerfest 5K begins. From the parade at noon to the fireworks at dusk, the day is packed with performances, games, live music and more. 

Last year Summerfest was cancelled due to a lack of volunteers. However a group of people stepped forward and pulled the event together. This year, many of the same volunteers are back including event coordinator Kelly Mank, Robert York (fundraising), Robin Mullins (parade and fundraising), Rick Sanborn (booths) and Neils Mank (booths).

The parade will begin at noon and travel from the rotary at Routes 202 and 302 to the Summerfest grounds. The parade is a wonderful example of community, said Mank. It showcases local businesses, organizations and groups including local daycares and singers. There will be a fleet of antique tractors and many classic cars. The Town of Windham also polishes up its line of public works vehicles. 

New recruit Blaine Davis has taken over coordinating the booths for non-profits and athletic teams.

“This should be able to be their huge fundraising event for the year,” said Mank. She pointed out events like the Yarmouth Clam Festival, where youth sporting raises the majority of their funds every year. “Youth programs struggle a lot with fundraising and this could be a great way for the community to support them,” Mank added. 

From church groups to Boy Scouts, boosters to political organizations, each group brings a unique item to sell. And, yes, the Boy Scouts from Troop 866 will serve their frozen hot chocolate again this year.

Windham Historical Society will hold an artisans fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 234 Windham Center Road. They will have horse-drawn wagon rides, and demostrations from blacksmithing to caning, granite splitting and rug braiding as well as more. There is a $5 suggested donation.  

Volunteers have put in hundreds of hours to get ready for this event. They began meeting early in the year every other week and have, in the last month, begun meeting weekly to tie up all the loose ends. 

Fan favorites, helicopter rides, Flamin’ Raymond and Sizzlin’ Susan, a K9 demonstration by K9 Grinko and Sergeant Bill Andrews, and the frog jumping contest will all return this year. 

Evening entertainment is Veayo Twins, Montgomery Road and The Band Apollo, which will appear just before the fireworks. People are encouraged to get there early to enjoy the music and find a seat, although there really are no bad locations to see the fireworks on the school grounds. 

Attending Summerfest is as much about the citizens having a good time as it is about supporting local businesses, non-profits and area sports teams.

Windham High School graduates 228 - By Michelle Libby

Story about graduation follows photos. 

Last Sunday, 228 students from the class of 2014 graduated from Windham High School. The ceremony was held at the Cumberland County Civic Center for the first time since it was renovated and re-opened.

The guest speaker was Karen Petcher, a math teacher at WHS and one of the class advisors. Her daughter Alexandria was on stage as a graduate. 

The first graduate to speak was salutatorian Sarah Eastman, followed by Johanna Stanley, Laura McKenna, Lauren Doering and finally, class valedictorian Brad Meader. 

“Making yourself happy and making others happy is really what life is all about, not money, authority, or physical possessions,” he said. “Second of all, we all need to remember to chase what we want with everything we’ve got, holding nothing back. It’s better to take a huge risk and have it fall through than to keep your feeling of security and spend your life wondering about what could have been.” 

After those words, Meader took a self-proclaimed big risk and performed a song he wrote for his classmates. 

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The audience of over 1,000 people gave him a standing ovation for his original, stick-in-your-head song.

Diplomas were given to graduates by WHS principal Christopher Howell. RSU14 School Board chair Marge Govoni presented a diploma to her granddaughter Alexandra Farinella, and board member Dawn Perkins presented a diploma to her son Dillon Perkins.

Class marshals were graduates Brenna Ryder and Matt Scala. 

The class was made up of many individuals, who as class president Sam Frank said, came together over the last year to become the class of 2014.

Before the graduation ceremony, the class held an awards night where over $50,000 in scholarship money was given away and class day, where the graduates dressed up in costumes depicting what profession they wanted to be in when they were five.  

Many of the students concluded their high school experience with a Project Graduation trip to Adventure Bound for hiking and white water rafting.

Finding family has made all the difference for one graduate - By Elizabeth Richards

Mukesh Wassick, 18, graduated from Windham High School last Sunday, an event that is one of his proudest moments, he said. His life could have turned out much differently, but the support of a loving family brought him to where he is now.

Wassick, who was born with spina bifida, is paralyzed from the waist down. He had been in an orphanage in Calcutta, India since birth when the Wassick family adopted him in 2003. He was eight years old.

According to Wassick, the orphanage, which served children with a variety of physical and intellectual disabilities, did not anticipate that he would be adopted. “When I heard I was being adopted, I was excited, but kind of scared at the same time,” he said. The nervousness came from not knowing how life would be in a new place. It was a tremendous shift in culture, which took a lot of getting used to, said Wassick. 

Some of the big differences were related to no longer being in the poverty level conditions that existed where he was in India. Here, there was medical care that wasn’t available in India, and better sanitation. Going from being surrounded by many kids, all of whom had different disabilities, to having just a few siblings was also a big difference, said Wassick. “It was nice. There’s not a lot of people around you, but you still have a family that’s there for you, and siblings you can look up to,” he said.

While Wassick has not returned to India since his adoption, he said he would like to in the future.

Wassick had not had much schooling before coming to live in Windham. Because of that, they didn’t know which grade to place him in, so he began in the first grade. Finding that too easy, he skipped ahead to second grade. After third grade, he skipped once more and ended up in the fifth grade with kids his own age, including his sister Kelley Wassick, who also graduated last week. 

Some of the highlights of his high school years, said Wassick, included participating in theater, being on the swim team, and making the Windham Chamber Singers his senior year after auditioning each year.

Wassick said his physical limitations don’t really slow him down. “There are always some challenges, but it doesn’t stop me. I find a way to get around them, or get some help with it,” he said. He has a good group of friends, his family and a lot of support from the community, which helps him keep a positive focus. 

Wassick is humble and quiet, sometimes at a loss for words. He doesn’t see himself as different, but instead just an average kid who just graduated from high school and is looking to find his direction in life. Though people are interested in his story, Wassick said, “I’m just like everybody else.” When asked about specific challenges he faces, he couldn’t name any, and added, “Other people have challenges too.”

Wassick said he wants to go to college, but is still trying to figure out what his next steps are. “I haven’t really made plans set in stone yet,” he said. He wants to find a job first, and if he does head to college he will do so without declaring a major. “I have a bunch of different things I want to do. I haven’t really thought about it, so I thought maybe I’d just go as undecided,” he said.

His priority right now is to find a job so he can make some money and have something to do over the summer. He also plans to visit family in Vermont, spend time with friends, go to the beach, and just have fun.

Wassick said that what he likes about Windham is that it’s a small town where everybody knows everybody. “The best part of being here is I get to have a family and friends,” he said. “I have a connection with people.”