Windham breast cancer survivor shares her experience - By Elizabeth Richards

As breast cancer awareness month comes to a close, Windham resident Heidi Hutchins has a story to share and a milestone to celebrate. Heidi is a breast cancer survivor, who has been cancer free for five years this month.     
    

Heidi’s journey started in late 2008, when she went for a regular physical. She had just turned 40, and her doctor recommended a baseline mammogram. The first showed some suspicious spots, so she had a second, and a biopsy. She was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer, which is an extremely early detection, and in the world of cancer, a good diagnosis. 

At the beginning of 2009, Hutchins had a double mastectomy. “I figured I might as well get it all over with and not have to worry about it,” she said. But a week later, she realized it had only begun. Her diagnosis was very different than the initial one. “Overnight everything changed. It was quite devastating,” said Hutchins.

She was told then that her cancer was actually stage one, which is still early stage, but it was a very aggressive cancer, call HER2 positive. In this form of cancer, protein attaches itself to the cells, and they multiply very quickly. “Everything changed that day and I was facing something very different than I initially thought,” said Hutchins. 

Her journey took her through four rounds of chemotherapy, 37 radiation treatments, and a year of infusions of a drug called Herceptin which targets the HER2+ cancers. “That whole year, 2009, I spent battling breast cancer,” says Hutchins. And the rest of her life didn’t just stop. She had started a new job in Sept 2008, just before receiving her diagnosis, and she had two young boys, one in kindergarten and one in third grade that year. 

“It’s really hard on everybody. They had a lot of questions,” she said, adding that it became scary to the boys when they saw her lose her hair. “That’s when it becomes real because they see the physical changes in you. It was really difficult,” she said. At the same time, she said she felt like her children kept her normal. “You still have to maintain somewhat of a normal life for them, so it’s not too scary for them,” she said. She learned through it all that it was vital to lean on friends and family. She had great support from her parents, friends, and a church in town that brought meals and helped in any way they could.

Hutchins had a long road ahead, even after the treatments were over. She elected to have reconstructive surgeries, and also had an ovariectomy because the medication she was on wasn’t stopping the production of estrogen. Her breast cancer was fed by estrogen, and she feared it would return. Hutchins also has some lingering side effects from the chemotherapy treatments, including a severe ringing in her ear, called tinnitus, and some neuropathy that includes tingling or aching in her hands and feet. Still, she feels fortunate to be so far out from treatment. “It’s a small price to pay for my life,” she said. 

The effects of breast cancer last far beyond the treatments. “I want people to know that breast cancer is not just about removing your breast, having some treatments and then getting on with your life like nothing ever happened,” said Hutchins. “It truly affects your whole body,” she added. She has been on a journey of holistic healing since the ovariectomy, she said.

Hutchins said people need to know that early detection is key, and she urged women never to ignore a lump or put off a mammogram. “It definitely saved my life, there’s no doubt in my mind,” she said. 

On the other side of her journey, Hutchins is committed to helping others with cancer. That is what she spent the month of October doing, and she said it’s been wonderful. She has shared her story many times, and helped several close friends diagnosed after she went through her treatments. “It feels so good to be there for them, even though sometimes it means it’s another emotional journey for me to go through,” she said. “I feel like it’s important to be there for them.” 

Third annual Octoberfest a tremendous success - By Elizabeth Richards

The Community Coin Challenge sponsored by the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce culminated with the third annual Octoberfest, held in the Buck’s Naked BBQ parking lot in Windham on Saturday, October 18^th. This year’s event was the biggest yet with more vendors, more attendees, and more donations to support ten food pantries in the Lakes Region. 

All festival events were free, with donations accepted, to ensure that anyone in the region would be able to attend. Attendance at Octoberfest grew this year by 15 to 20 percent, said organizer Sheri Huff. There were 16 additional things to do as well, she said. The ultimate goal each year, said Huff, is to have the amount of donations collected rise. As of Saturday, the donations had reached over $17,000, and that was before counting donations received at Octoberfest. A final amount of funds raised was not available before press time.

Octoberfest offered a great range of events, including a pumpkin carving contest, costume contest, cupcake eating contest, children’s games, a mini vehicles parade by the Kora Shrine Log Rollers, chair massages, pumpkin decorating, crafts, bobbing for apples and a very popular dunk tank. There was a wide variety of food to be found, from hot dogs and sausage sandwiches, pizza and subway sandwiches to sweet treats like whoopie pies, caramel apples, cookies and cotton candy. A horse drawn wagon circled the parking lot and a trail out in back, and helicopter rides were offered for $35 per person. 

Children in costume darted excitedly from booth to booth with adults in tow, enjoying the games and two bounce houses and dancing along to the musical entertainment provided by Montgomery Road and deBreeze and Keys.

Sara Yates, from Windham, was enjoying the festival with her three children Riley, Morgan and Devon. “We’re happy to support the Lakes Region,” she said. “They do such a great job with the community coin drive.”

Jen Berry from Naples learned about the festival from her mother. Berry brought her son and a friend after their morning soccer game, and said they were having a great time. “It’s a great way to raise money and have the community come together,” she said.

Christine Stanford, president of the Community Resource Council in Naples was manning the Naples Food Pantry booth. She said the event is all about exposure and educating the community as to what resources exist. “It’s really wonderful to have everyone here together,” she said. And every penny raised counts, she added, stating that 16 cents buys a pound of food at the Good Shepherd Food Bank. “You don’t realize how many people you are helping out when you do this,” she said.

 

Teresa Springer, a cotton candy vendor at the event, said that the sense of community at the event was great, and is what the event is all about. There is a sense of need in the region that is almost palpable, she said, which is why an event like Octoberfest is so important. “Here, it doesn’t matter what green is in your wallet. It’s about a sense of community and being together,” she said.

Huff said the growth of the event has been great, and the support from the community – both businesses and people coming out to participate, has also been wonderful. She wanted to thank the businesses involved for all the support they give, from the coin challenge to setting up booths with free events, for such a good cause. 

Donations in 2012 and 2013 combined totaled $38,039.28. With this year’s tally already over $15,000 without including Octoberfest donations, the chamber’s goal of creating a larger, more successful event each year has been soundly met.

Raymond Village Library offering a huge community service from a small place - By Michelle Libby

The Raymond Village Library, under the direction of librarian and library director Sally Holt, is busting at the seams with books for all ages, computers, study areas and even a telescope. 

“Books are very personal. They can teach you something,” said Holt. “The library is a place people love.” However, libraries are changing and with it librarians have to adapt to be librarians in the library, on the Internet and out of the library. Raymond Village Library (RVL) has increased membership, circulation and patron visits over the last year, Holt said. “In fact, everything is up.” Adult programs take place most Wednesday nights range from author chats to adult education programs. Last year there were 33 programs and attendance was at 599 people.

“This is a wonderful launching pad for new authors. The oral tradition talks about who we are and helps to build a closer relationship with the town,” said Holt. Children’s programs like story time happened 90 times with 2,395 children attending. 

The library has been in existence since the early 1900s but it looked a lot different. “Books were placed "in the parlors of Mrs. Atwood Tukey, Mrs. Lulu Burdge and Mrs. Andrew Leavitt, in Mrs. John Hayden's stable, Albert Plummer's front hall, and in one of the entries of the Village Church," according to the late Eleanor Plummer, one of the founding members of the Raymond Woman's Club, who organized the library. 

Today’s library on Route 121 was built in 1969 and was financed entirely by fundraisers the Woman’s Club held. In 1979, the children’s room was added and dedicated to Eleanor Plummer. 

In 1984 the name was changed to Raymond Woman's Library Club. In 1995 this was further changed to reflect the interest and assistance from the men of the community, and became the Raymond Library Club.

In 1996, the library voted again to change the organization's name, this time to the Raymond Village Library Club and hired their first library director.  Also in 2001, due to the remarkable success of the children's programs, we hired a second staff member, the youth services coordinator, said Holt.

In October 2003, more changes came to the library, changing its structure to an incorporated non-profit organization. The library is now overseen by a board of trustees, plus one selectperson from the Town of Raymond who serves as an ex-officio member. The board sets policy for the library and is responsible for maintaining funding for operations.

The library is open to everyone and Holt sees all types of people. “People looking for jobs, researching a paper about ice harvesting on Sebago Lake in the 1920s, people who come every year and new people who come into town,” she said. “Everybody and anybody. Every person who comes in here is a special person.” 

 

Librarians are well trained professionals who know how to help the people who walk in the door, from a dad and daughter looking for monster books to children who are looking for chapter books. “I try to find what they want or something you know about that will enhance what they’re doing,” said Holt, who has a Master’s degree of library sciences from Clarion University and a BS in secondary education. 

Holt’s favorite genre is biographies, but she is also a fan of magazines, of which the library subscribes to 20 different ones. She also reads newspapers. “It helps me talk to people about many things and give me a broad range of what’s going on in many areas.” She calls this “incidental knowledge” where she can connect with patrons and be on level ground. It’s one way she provides great, caring customer service.  

Volunteers are the lifeblood of RVL. Although they cannot do the work of the paid staff, they help with shelving books and helping Holt in other library duties. “We have some excellent volunteers. Our publicity person has been helping for close to 20 years,” Holt said. 

The library was automated a year ago thanks to a grant. Most of Maine’s small libraries, almost one-third, are not automated. 

RVL has to earn through grants and fundraisers $50,000 to keep the doors open and the lights on each year. They have received money from businesses and groups like Gorham Savings Bank, Norway Savings Bank, Loon Echo Land Trust, PTO and Maine Romance Writers. 

Finding the money is an everyday struggle for Holt and on top of that she works to keep the library relevant to what her patrons want. She is planning a crochet and knitting needle library for people to check out the items they need for a project. She would also like to see a cake pan library. 

This past week, Legos arrived at RVL for a Lego club that has been started. With the addition of the new programs and the never ending demand for new books, publications and technology, RVL has run out of space. 

“We need a larger space, computer classes, teen activities and more activities for people to gather,” said Holt. “Where else in the country can go for no reason, stay the whole day and you don’t have to spend a penny.” The wi-fi is free and the volunteers are friendly.

“It’s a super library and a super community. They need to do what they can to hold onto this library,” said Holt. 

Local businesses and residents are asked to help with the annual appeal that is currently going to meet the budgetary needs of the library. RVL does receive small grants and local businesses have been generous, said Holt. She added that the library does get some support from the town. One of the fundraisers RVL does is a Raymond Garden Tour 2015, where residents open their gardens for viewing to the public. 

“If they have (a library) they need to hold on to it. It’s the first and last place people go for information,” said Holt. 

Libraries around the area work together to keep current. They use the resources of the Maine State Library, which is looking out for them, Holt said. 

RVL just joined the interlibrary loan van service, which usually costs $800, but Holt was able to get the service through the Maine State Library. This increased the collection of RVL exponentially.

“I don’t want people to leave feeling satisfied. I want them to leave feeling delighted,” she said.

The "under construction" picture on the right is from 1996. This addition nearly doubled the library's space and was funded primarily by a capital campaign. 

Raymond Village Library History

 

Chief Hammond awarded the Maine Fire Chiefs Association award - By Michelle Libby

Windham’s Fire Chief Charlie Hammond was awarded the Maine Fire Chiefs Association’s 2014 Fire Chief of the Year Award at a banquet this month. 

“To me it’s a recognition of a career’s worth of accomplishments. There are significant events I think back to that were great accomplishments,” said Hammond. “Most important are the citizens gaining something from it.” 

The important awards are “people who come up to me at Hannaford to say, ‘you came to my house.’ Those are the things that mean the most,” said Hammond. 

Hammond was nominated by Town Manager Tony Plante. “I felt that the chief should be recognized for his contributions to the fire-rescue service not just in Windham but in our region, and for his lifetime of public service,” he said. 

“I don’t consider myself a fire chief any different from one from a small community,” Hammond said. “He has the same challenges and adventures we have, but on a smaller scale. Those are his tests. With us, ours is a transitional state. We’re moving the ball forward. The town council allowed us to fund two people being in North Windham overnight.” This allows response times to be four minutes faster in some cases, providing medical care or fire suppression that much sooner. 

Chief Hammond has seen many changes since he started working in Windham as the fire chief, he said, especially the fire trucks, which are much more current now.

The award was presented in Augusta at the Fire Chief’s Annual meeting. In attendance were Stanlee Emerson from WFD, Plante, councilman Dave Nadeau, assistant town manager/HR director Phyllis Moss, library director Jen Alvino, Hammond’s son, Andy, who is a Portland firefighter and area chiefs. 

Hammond will retire mid-January. The search process is underway for a new chief. 

“They pay me to do a job and I hope I do it to their satisfaction,” said Hammond.