Sidewalk slated for Raymond's Main Street in 2016 - By Walter Lunt

Picture caption: Residents and town officials will decide which side of Main Street gets a sidewalk. Concept drawing above shows sidewalks on both sides to help aid in the decision.

Raymond town officials are putting safety and sense of community on the fast track for joggers and other pedestrians on Main Street. Plans for the installment of a sidewalk along Main Street from the stop light at the Route 302 intersection to Meadow Road (Route 121) have entered the engineering stage following state and town meeting approval and a public hearing on the project.

Project manager Danielle Loring unveiled an engineer’s proposal this week showing sidewalks on both sides of Main Street. She was quick to point out that public input and recommendations from the project’s engineer will help decide which side of the road the walk way will be built. Loring says “there are pros and cons with both sides.” Less personal property intrusion on the west (Sebago) side, fewer drainage issues on the east (upland) side.

Loring said there was no clear preference from testimony at a recent public hearing, so right now “it’s 50/50 (as to) which way we’ll go,” but adds one big advantage to construction on the east side is that the sidewalk will link up to existing sidewalks on Route 302. “Pedestrians won’t have to cross over,” she explained.

Laurie Brown, of 55 Main Street, says many vehicles turning from Meadow Road on to Main Street, especially during morning hours, ignore the stop sign and don’t slow down. She says it’s a dangerous area for pedestrians and that her neighbors don’t often let their children ride bicycles along the road way.

Sally Holt, director of Raymond Public Library on Meadow Road, said the proposed sidewalk “…makes sense. It’ll make it easier and safer” (for library patrons). Some residents at the public hearing were worried about encroachment on their property and, for some, the possible loss of front yard trees. Loring said the town is looking into replacing any mature trees claimed by the project. Asked about the rock retaining wall fronting 7 Main Street near Route 302, Loring said that, should the sidewalk be built on that side of the road, it would abut the wall and the wall would not have to be disturbed.

Funding for the project has been approved by the Maine Department of Transportation, which bears 80 percent of the approximately $159,700 cost. The Town’s portion, about $32,000, was approved at Raymond’s 2014 town meeting. The money is part of a federal Transportation Enhancement grant, administered by the Maine D.O.T.

Town Manager Don Willard said the addition of a sidewalk to the area promotes a sense of village center, a concept that’s been discussed for many years. And sidewalks, he added, can have a calming effect on traffic.

The addition of the sidewalk, which will be an asphalt top with concrete curbing, expands Raymond’s sidewalk from Sebago Water Sports/Chipman’s Farm Stand to Meadow Road. Future plans call for sidewalk extension from Meadow Road to the Raymond Fire Station. That portion of Main Street, however, is not under State jurisdiction and would have to be locally funded. Loring said it is not part of the current project.

Budget is not a dirty word in my household - By Elizabeth Richards

Ten years ago, I stumbled across a message board on Babycenter.com called Family Finances. I knew we had issues with how we managed our money, and I was looking for help. It was there that I first learned that simply having a list of bills and when they were due was not the most effective way of managing our money. A real budget is essential to meeting the goals we set.  
 

We have always paid our bills on time. We have great credit scores. From the outside, it probably looks like we have it all together. But despite the fact that I have a spreadsheet detailing a daily projected cash flow for the next month, this isn’t always the case. When I relax too much, have extra money coming in, and ignore the budget I have set, things begin to unravel. Suddenly, we’ll have eaten out six times in two weeks, and the cash in our checking account is dropping alarmingly fast. That’s when I know it’s time to reign in the spending, to revisit the budget, and to make my money work for me.

A complete budget is much more complex than just knowing when the bills are due and whether or not we have the money to pay them. A budget is a plan, a map of where we want to go. Having a complete budget allows us to avoid unpleasant “surprises” (which are never really surprises, just things we forgot to plan for). Following a budget frees me from the anxiety of wondering how the next bill will be paid.

My family is fortunate, and I am grateful for everything we have. We have never had to worry about a roof over our heads or food on our table. We have health insurance, and while it’s not great coverage, I know that a medical crisis won’t send us into bankruptcy. We have everything we need, and much of what we want. But when the budget falls by the wayside, we aren’t able to meet some of the bigger goals we have – like saving for retirement, saving for our children’s education, saving for the next great vacation.

             

Our income is variable. I’m partially self employed, which means that some months we have a lot of money flowing through our account, and some months we don’t. Though my husband has a full time job, his salary alone will not cover all of our obligations. Creating a detailed household budget allows us to make it through my slow times, and keeps us on track in the times when we have more. 

A budget is slowly helping us dig our way out from under a mountain of consumer debt. We bought a house too soon, took vacations we couldn’t really afford, and sometimes spent far too much on entertainment. We didn’t delay gratification when we should have. It’s hard to say no to the kids when they want to experience something, and sometimes we used money we didn’t yet have to pay for those things. With the help of our detailed budget, we have learned to really examine whether or not we can afford something. Often, the answer is no.

On the flip side, a budget helps me see the light at the end of the tunnel. This plan, along with my projected cash flow, allows me to adjust as necessary. No one budgeting method works for every family, but I firmly believe every family needs to have a plan. 

And the whole family should be involved in this plan. Windham resident Chrystie Vachon, who runs a blog at www.moneysavingsisters.com and is a former TLC Extreme Couponer, said, “It's never too early to introduce children to money and sticking to a budget. Getting the children involved will not only give you a sense of accountability - you can't fail in front of your children - but also a great opportunity to show them responsibility.”  

            You should have a budget category for everything, and children should be aware of what is available to spend in each category that relates to them. “In our household, the children are well aware of our food and entertainment budget, so if they want to do an extra-curricular activity they know ahead of time whether it's in our budget or not,” said Vachon. “It helps them make smarter decisions about what they want to do with the designated 'fun' money.”

 
Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. Luckily, the internet offers a plethora of information, and a Google search for “household budget tips” brings up many resources to get you going.  On his website www.daveramsey.com, the well known financial guru Dave Ramsey says “you don’t have time not to make a budget!”  A budget shouldn’t be scary, or viewed as confining. A budget is just a plan, according to Ramsey, and a plan offers freedom.

Some of the top pointers on Ramsey’s site include giving a budget time to work – don’t give up too quickly; “spending” every penny on paper before your month begins; and, if you have a spouse or partner, working on the budget together.

There are some simple ways to begin. Sit down with records of where your money has been going – bank statements, credit card statements, receipts. Make a list of every expense you can anticipate in the coming month or year. Don’t forget quarterly payments, or expenses that you know will happen, even if you don’t know when (like car repairs or vet bills). Designate which items are most important until all available money is accounted for. 

Don’t ignore big expenses (saving for retirement or college) or little ones (those candy bars and sodas from the gas station add up). You may not be able to fund them all right now, but at least you will know what areas you need to work on. Put aside money whenever you can for these anticipated expenses. You can see clearly what you have to spend on needs (food, clothing, housing, transportation), and how much you have left over to spend on wants.

A budget won’t make up a money shortfall, but knowing ahead of time where you need to cut or bring in more income can offer peace of mind and take the stress out of dealing with your money.

A very special evening for local Raymond Couple - By Elizabeth Richards

Raymond businesses and community members rallied last week to help a daughter present her parents with a night to remember. Just minutes after Rae-Anne Nguyen put out her plea, a plan was in place to give her parents a night on the town, including a limo ride, dinner out and tickets to the Alan Jackson concert on Saturday, January 24^th.

Raymond resident Dale Southard, who owned and operated Tailfeathers Upland Store first in Windham, then in Raymond, was diagnosed with colon cancer in October of 2013. The family put their best efforts into keeping the business open and helping Southard get to treatments, but complications after a surgery in April of 2014 meant that he had to close the shop for good. “Through all that he’d made a lot of great friends,” said Nguyen. “The customers he had turned into good friends.”

Since Christmas week when Chipman Farms, where her mother worked, closed for the season Nguyen said her mother’s focus has been on taking care of her dad and making sure he’s getting to treatments and getting well. On January 11^th, Southard went back into the hospital and spent nine days there. When he came out, said Nguyen, “I wanted them to be able to do something fun together, because everything they do is always focused on the hard stuff right now.”  

Knowing that people in the community had been extremely supportive, and kept asking if there was anything they could do to help, Nguyen came up with the idea to put something together so her parents could get to the Alan Jackson concert. “They love country music, and they had never seen Alan Jackson in person,” she said.

In the early afternoon on Tuesday, January 20^th, she sent a message to family members, old friends, and other people they have met along their journey, asking if anyone wanted to chip in and help her make this night happen. The response was immediate and positive. Within minutes, she said, someone told her they were ordering floor tickets to the concert. Then came a gift certificate to Café Sebago and monetary donations so that her parents could ride to and from the show in a limousine. “Everyone was just so excited and happy, and glad to be a part of something like that for my parents,” said Nguyen.

The night was amazing for her parents, she said. It was a chance for them to have an evening where everything was arranged for them, and they knew how much love and support they had in the community.

Nguyen said that there were many local business owners who helped make the night special. Pam Hartig, owner of Ultimate Tanning and Hair Salon in Raymond; Jessica Fay, owner of Raymond Village Florist; and Bill and Kim Hines, owners of Café Sebago all played a large role in donating towards the event. Many other individuals also donated money, even after the fact, purchasing additional gift certificates to Café Sebago, where Nguyen’s parents like to eat. 

When someone is in need, members of the Raymond community band together. “That’s what’s incredible about this community,” said Hartig. 

Nguyen said she could see that every day when the shop was open and people came in to lend their support. Even after the closing of the business, she said, they receive many messages and phone calls from people offering help. But seeing it first hand was special. “I think it’s great for my parents to realize that they’re not alone, they’re not forgotten because Dad’s business isn’t there anymore. The support is still there and people are still really pushing for him to get well,” she said.

Hiking and adventure follow Windham resident - By Michelle Libby

Christi “Deva” Holmes doesn’t stay put for long. Since graduating high school in Machias in 2006, she has been on the move, volunteering, doing internships and hiking. A lot of hiking. She graduated from the University of Maine at Orono with a BS in civil engineering before traveling through Central America with only a backpack and then thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. 
 

Since the AT she has waitressed in the Virgin Islands and visited Europe and North Africa, hiking all the way. 

Last Wednesday, Holmes shared her adventures on the Appalachian Trail at a presentation hosted by the Windham Public Library. 

She had never backpacked hiked before and she wasn’t sure what to bring. So she did what any good Mainer would do and went to LL Bean with a credit card looking for advice. Of the things she purchased that day, she had none of it when she ended her hike on August 4, 2011. 

Thru-hikers are what people are called when they hike the AT from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mt. Kathadin in Maine in one season. Some hike north, others south, but of those 4,000 who start each year, approximately only 400 finish, she said. Most don’t finish for psychological reasons. “It’s called ‘the green tunnel’ for a reason,” Holmes said. There are only a few minutes of vistas as hikers travel the AT. Most of the time they are just walking in the woods, head down, one foot in front of the other. 

She was given the name Deva, pronounced diva, because of the make of her backpack. She hiked with others like Cropduster, Sherpa, Breeze, South Butt and Mr. Black. Most of her early hiking companions were sent home early with Lyme Disease, something that sends a huge percentage of hikers home. Holmes carried 20 percent DEET with her and put it on before going through fields and places where ticks might lurk. 

Each day Holmes woke up at 5:30 a.m. and would hike until 6 p.m. She only stopped to sign shelter log books, to take pictures or filter water. “It wasn’t exciting every day. There was a lot of time to think,” she said. 

One of the things she enjoyed was the “trail magic”, which is where people leave treats for the hikers. Those “trail angels” might leave Little Debbie treats in a storage container or set up a barbeque for those who happen by. There are more incidences of trail magic on the southern half of the trail, she said.

Carrying everything from a tooth brush to somewhere to sleep, gear remains the most talked about topic for hikers.

“I love talking about gear,” she said. The one piece of gear she was required to carry was a GPS locator that her father said she had to carry so he’d know where she was on the trial. After the first few days, Holmes realized that the equipment she had was too heavy and most of it was stuff she could get by without. She learned of Hyperlitemountaingear.com out of Biddeford, Maine, that created very light, Cuben fiber hiking paraphernalia. She invested in a backpack and ECHO tent. 

When she started her hike her load was 40 pounds with food and water. When she unloaded some of her gear, okay most of her gear, her pack weighed 17 pounds, giving her the ability to cover between 15 and 25 miles each day. 

“There’s nothing else to do. You get up and walk,” she told the group. She chose to wear sneakers for most of the hike instead of boots. 

Her stove was made out of a soda can and used denatured alcohol as the fuel. It weighed ounces.

Holmes carried a debit card for laundry, hostels and food. She said she was not very good at tracking her expenses, but she tried to save where ever she could. “I’d split a motel with other hikers,” she said. The average expense to hike the AT is $4 per mile. 

She rarely veered off the AT, she did climb the Dragon’s Tooth, visited the Guillotine and hitchhiked into town. At one ski resort, she took the gondola to the bottom and ate a cheeseburger before hopping back on the trail. At Harper’s Ferry, what is considered the half-way point, she logged in as the 212^th northbound hiker this season. She only had 1,165 miles to go. 

Holmes said she was never nervous about being alone, mostly because she never spent the night alone and on the weekend, there were always people hiking. 

“I loved walking up and it being so quiet, and watching the world wake up,” she told the group. Maine was her favorite part of the hike and not just because it was home. There are so many lakes, that hikers can camp next to one almost every night getting in a swim. “By New Hampshire I was so done with this,” she said, but being so close, she couldn’t stop.  

“The hike has given me more confidence. Psychologically if you can do this, you could put your mind into everything,” she said. “Everyone was so nice, it restores your faith in humanity.”

-         At the halfway point it is customary to eat a whole half gallon of ice cream.

-         New Jersey has the highest density of bears.

-         Holmes went through three pairs of sneakers.

-         On Summer Solstice hikers hike naked.

-         On Mount Washington, it’s tradition for thru-hikers to moon the Cog Railway.

-         Crossing the Kennebec River is done by canoe marked with the white trail blaze meaning it’s official.

-         The Hunt Trail is the official way up Mt. Kathadin.

-         In 2011, the trail was 2,178.3 miles long.

-         In Millinocket at the AT Café, hikers who conquered the AT eat a Summit Sundae, which includes 13 scoops of ice cream, one for each state on the trail.

-         Holmes used a Katadyn Hiker Pro as a water filter.

-         Duct tape was important for everything.

Faded history sought from early grave sites - By Walter Lunt

Local historians want to uncover the genealogy and information lost in forgotten family cemeteries

The deer hunter told Linda Griffin that he knew of several unrecorded small cemeteries in remote wooded areas of Windham. For Griffin, who is president of the Windham Historical Society, the news confirmed her long held suspicion that there must be numerous out-of-the–way private burial grounds in the town that are long forgotten, remote plots blanketed with groundcover, shrubs, even trees. Griffin pictures fallen or leaning headstones, darkened by time and lined with moss, but maintaining a tranquil dignity after decades of neglect.

The hunter passed away unexpectedly shortly after their conversation, so Griffin has put out a plea to property owners with old graveyards to come forward so that historians can fill in some missing history, particularly genealogical records. 

Early burial grounds were once an intimate part of a family’s property. Many were gated and landscaped, according to Griffin. Family members would conduct solemn visits on the hallowed ground, speaking to their deceased loved ones, sharing news and making vows to carrying on family legacies. Over time the old homes would fall away, be moved or sold. In some cases the graveyards would fall to neglect by succeeding owners.

Griffin said her own family was able to fill in key genealogical information recently during a chance discovery at an old burial ground off Nash Road in Windham. The inscription on a leaning one hundred plus year old tombstone revealed the names of her husband’s fourth great grandparents.

Griffin and other researchers at the Windham Historical Society are convinced there are reams of faded history and genealogical information inscribed on aging headstones, just waiting to fill in the blank pages of local archival records.

Property owners with old family burial grounds can contact the historical society by calling 650-7484 or visiting www.windhamhistorical.org.