Store owner reunites 1945 recording of young sailor with descendants - By Elizabeth Richards

Michael Esposito Sr. didn’t intend to cause a flurry of publicity when he sought out the Austin family on Facebook. He simply wanted to return a recording, made by a young man who had joined the Navy in 1945, to its rightful owners. But when he used the far-reaching capabilities of Facebook to find the family, the attention he garnered reached as far as the national media outlet USA Today.
 

Esposito, co-owner of the Windham Radio Shack, which has an extensive record department, purchased a collection of albums close to 15 years ago. As he flipped through that collection, he came across a unique item. Inside a mailing envelope addressed to Mr. & Mrs. William D. Austin at their home in Auburn was a recording made by their son, William Austin, who was at basic training in Texas. 

Esposito knew then that he wanted to get the record back where it belonged. He began cold calling people with the last name Austin in the Auburn area. Everyone he contacted listened to his story, but none had the connection he hoped for. Over the years, he occasionally tried. Hitting dead ends each time, he gave up in frustration. At the time, he had no idea if the young man had even made it back from World War II. If he hadn’t, Esposito realized, there might not be any family to find. 

In 2014, Esposito lost his father. Feeling nostalgic, something made him decide it was time to revisit the search. With his strong orientation towards family, he felt like he needed to get the recording back to the descendents of Austin somehow. “If it were mine, I’d want it back,” he said. 

This time, rather than calling, he spread the word on Facebook. On Saturday, January 3rd, he wrote a post asking – almost begging, he said – people to help him get the job done. “I hope this post will be shared by all of you so that this record will be reunited with his family,” he wrote. “I am determined to find this family and hopefully his children or grandchildren may hear his voice again! How cool would that be!”

And it was. By the next afternoon Esposito had in his hands an address and phone number for Barry Austin, Austin’s son. But before he could call the number, his phone rang. On the other end was Dorna Davis, Austin’s daughter. “I was a minute away from calling her brother’s number when she called me,” Esposito said. They arranged to meet at the store on Monday evening, so that she could hear the recording and take it home. 

Esposito posted a follow up message on Facebook, sharing the good news. And that’s when the media attention really began. By the end of that day, he’d received calls from several local news stations asking if they could be there for the exchange the following evening. 

At first Esposito, who said he didn’t want all this publicity, told them no. At his wife’s urging, he consulted with Davis and also with Dorothy Austin, Austin’s wife, to see how they felt about it. “I didn’t want them to feel ambushed by me,” said Esposito. “I just wanted to give it to them.” The family gave the go ahead, and so on Monday, January 5^th when six members of Austin’s family came together with five members of Esposito’s family to make the exchange, the cameras were rolling.

It was an emotional event, Esposito said. He had set up an antique record player and they played the recording together. Through scratches and pops, the family heard William’s voice as a young man, sharing bits of news with his family, and letting them know he missed them. “It was amazing. It really didn’t sound like him – he was only 19,” said Davis. “It was just nice to hear what he had to say, and that he was missing his family.” Hearing the recording was also special to her son, Davis said, who had never before heard his grandfather’s voice. 

Her family had no idea the recording even existed, Davis said. What she assumes happened is that his parents received the recording, listened to it, and tucked it away for safekeeping. When they died, it was sold in a batch of records and ended up with Esposito. 

The publicity the story has generated came as a shock to Esposito. “I thought I’d contact somebody, they’d come in and I’d give them the record. I had no idea,” he said. By the end of last week, the story had run in USA Today, and was reaching news outlets across the country.

Davis said the publicity hasn’t really affected the family. “It’s quite fun,” she said. But the best part is having the recording. “We had no idea it existed, but it’s nice to have,” she said. The family hopes to find somewhere that can convert the record to a CD and take the scratchiness out for better sound quality. Then, she said, they’d like to take it to Austin’s brother, who is living in an assisted living facility, so he can hear his brother’s voice again.

Esposito said he feels like his extended family has been expanded. “You make family with not just blood relatives sometimes. These kinds of things push you into that relationship. We’ll keep in touch with each other forever.”Bottom of Form

Windham-Raymond groups align to fight drug and alcohol abuse - By Walter Lunt

Concerned groups of citizens from Windham and Raymond are joining forces to significantly reduce or eliminate drug abuse in the lakes region. The coalition, known as Be The Influence-Drug Free Communities, came together recently to begin the preliminary work of preparing a federal grant application for $125,000 over five years.

The diverse collaborative, made up of community, school, youth, law enforcement and business groups are targeting chiefly tobacco, alcohol and marijuana abuse, and encourage more participation from most of the sectors.

The group plans to gather data, write specific goals and develop an action plan to identify factors that contribute and lead to poor decisions surrounding the use of drugs and alcohol.

Windham school officials say interested students will address these issues at a “student summit” later this month. Windham High School student Alec Wurfel created a Be The Influence logo that will be used throughout the educational campaign.

 

At their recent meeting as a coalition, some expressed concern that relaxed attitudes and numerous proposals to reduce penalties for marijuana possession in other communities send mixed messages to youth. One participant stated flatly, “Kids (just) don’t know the reasons why they shouldn’t use.”

Should the grant application be successful, the coalition hopes to conduct an expansive educational campaign that will show all facets of the community, young and old, how to Be The Influence against substance abuse.

The Drug Free Community effort is being coordinated by Opportunity Alliance of South Portland. Similar programs have reported success in at least 13 other Maine communities.

More information can be obtained by consulting the Windham-Raymond RSU14 website or www.betheinfluencewrw.org.

Annie Jr. arrives on stage this weekend - By Michelle Llibby

With a week left until the curtain goes up, actors from Windham Middle School are blocking, singing, emoting and getting ready to perform Annie Jr. under the direction of Mary Wassick. Wassick has been directing Windham Middle School plays for seven years and she is just as proud of her actors this year as she has been every year she directs. 

“All of them are stars,” she said. “Watching students perform is kind of magical. Are they perfect and polished perfectly? Nope, but they are proud and excited to be a part of something, especially when the curtain goes up. When the curtain goes up everyone knows they are a star. No one comes to a curtain call sad.” 

The play is a condensed version of the smash hit “Annie” that is well known. In this play the songs are shorter and the show is shorter, Wassick said. There’s no shortness of actors, however. There are 70 students on stage and another five or six doing tech work behind the scenes. 

Wassick is helped by assistant director Anthony DeRice, choreographer Nikki Taiani and producer Angela Cyr. 

The actors chose the show they wanted to perform, Wassick said. “It’s timeless and classic and they know all the songs. It’s also female heavy, so it’s a great fit for us.”

The cast held auditions in October and started rehearsals in November. The cast had the Christmas break free from rehearsals and have been hit by a few snow days that have hindered their practice times. “It’s an awful lot of work. We’ve become accustomed to it,” said Wassick. The play will only have three performances, Friday night, January 23 at 7 p.m., Saturday, January 24 at 2 p.m. and again at 7 p.m.    

We wouldn’t be able to do this without parents, at least 30 of them this year, helping backstage with costuming, sets and food, said Wassick. 

The principle actors are: Sixth grader Denali Dieumegard plays Annie and her voice is amazing for one so young. 

“I cry every time she opens her mouth,” said Wassick. 

Miss Hannigan is played by Makayla Malloy. In the movie Miss Hannigan has a drinking problem, but in this play she’s not a drinker. “She’s mean, haggy and ugly and doesn’t know how to use makeup,” said Wassick.

Other principle actors are Davin Farinella as “Daddy” Oliver Warbucks. Annie Stevens as Grace, Austin Norcia as Rooster and Cordelia Inman as Lily St. Regis. 

Studies have shown that fortune 500 companies like to hire theater kids because they “perform under pressure, make quick decisions and act on them and speak well in front of people,” said Wassick. For all of those reasons, being in a production is important to the growth of students. This also includes the backstage crew. They are all working as part of a team, said Wassick. 

Tickets are on sale at the door. Adults are $10, seniors, students and WMS staff with school ID are only $5. The show is at the Windham High School Performing Arts Center, 406 Gray Road.

Toby Pennels' dream - By Michelle Libby

Last September, Windham and many all over the country grieved the loss of Stuart “Toby” Pennels. From being an RSU14 school board member to his work with the Sebago Lake Rotary Club, Pennels gave his all to the community, especially to the Veterans in Windham as the president of the Windham Veterans Association. Monday, the Windham Veterans Association held a press conference to announce the beginning of “Toby’s Dream”, a plan to raise $50,000 to have the driveway and parking lot at the center paved. The campaign will last for five months, concluding on Memorial Day 2015. 

Two weeks before Toby’s motorcycle accident that led to his death, he and Don Swander, the coordinator of the “Toby’s Dream” project and a veteran himself, stood at the start of the Veterans Memorial Drive discussing the paving plan. 

Don Swander

“We need to pave right here,” Toby told Swander. “If we pave it they will come,” Toby said.

Cyndy Bell sings "God Bless the USA"

“While president of the Windham Veterans Association from June of 2012 until his death in September 2014, “Toby’s Dream” plan was to pave the Windham Veteran Center parking lot and access road to connect with the parking lot pavement behind the Windham Mall as a way to move the Windham Veterans Center ‘into a better position’,” said Swander. 

Paving the road and parking lot would help the Veterans’ Hall be self-sustaining. At present, the Veteran’s hall is supported by hall rentals and by generous donations from veterans throughout the year, said Swander. Pennels and Swander agree that the hall rentals must pay the bills. In order to get the rentals, they parking lot needs to be paved. Having wedding receptions and showers at the hall is no fun when it’s raining and the parking lot is muddy. Former state senator Gary Plummer just got married at the Veterans’ Center and reiterated how much this project is needed. 

Ken Murch

Taylor Pennels spoke first after telling her mother, Brenda, that she would not be speaking. “Thanks for being here. Every time I’m in this building, I feel my dad,” she said, encouraging people to donate to the project. And, they did. Brenda Pennels started the donations off with a $1,000 check, followed by Deb Pennels, Toby’s mother. 

“It’s overwhelming,” Deb said about the outpouring of support for her son, who she described as a shy child. 

The event raised $6,620 from private citizens, businesses and veteran organizations. 

“Toby talked about this all the time,” Brenda said. “I can’t get enough of Toby’s projects.” 

John from Shelterman donated $500 and challenged any other business owners in Windham to match or do what they can to support the project. Ron Perrault challenged his brothers and sisters in the Vet Association to contribute at least $50. 

“Help us to prove that Toby’s plan was right,” Swander said. 

When the project is completed, the road will be renamed Toby Pennels Veterans Memorial Drive in his honor. 

 “We miss Toby in a huge way,” said Swander. Donations can be sent to WVA PO Box 1776, Windham, Maine, 04062, made out to WVA PAVING and in the notation line write “Toby’s Dream”. Anyone donating $1,000 or more will be given a 20 percent discount on all future rentals of the hall for the next 20 years.

The press conference held Monday was planned for the entrance to Veterans Memorial Drive, but was moved inside thanks to the blustering wind and cold.

Windham's first new fire chief in decades is sworn in - By Michelle Libby

Monday morning, new Fire Chief Brent Libby was sworn in at the Windham Town Hall. 
 

“It’s a fresh start. We’re moving forward, it’s out first new chief in 30 years,” said Captain Ken Thorpe. “There are guys who have only known one chief.” 

The firefighters in attendance agree that it’s a good opportunity for the department and for the town.

Town manager Tony Plante told the small audience that it’s been a long time more than just a decade since swearing in a new chief. “Take a moment to think about the department and a new chapter,” said Plante, who also thanked the search committee. 

Town clerk Linda Morrell swore in Libby, officially making him Windham’s chief. 

“I’m ready to get going,” he said. “It’s a good adventure.” He plans to do a lot of listening at first. “There’s a lot of tradition and history,” he added. “People are looking forward to some change.”

With the town’s growth over the last three decades, one of the department’s challenges is to keep up, giving top level service all the time when someone calls, said Libby. He knows he has big shoes to fill, those of Charlie Hammond, who just retired, but he’s looking forward to it, he said.