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Kelli Deveaux leaves behind big "heels" to fill - By Elizabeth Richards

Kelli Deveaux has been a part of the RSU14 school district for 14 years. Now the time has come to say goodbye as she moves from being assistant principal at Windham High School into the role of principal at Westbrook High School. While school administrators say they are glad she has this opportunity to move forward in her career, it’s clear that she will be missed.

“It’s bittersweet for us,” said Windham High School principal Chris Howell. “It’s a loss, but we are super happy for Kelli to be able to take the next step in her career.” 

Superintendent Sanford Prince echoed the same sentiment. “We will miss her, but this is a wonderful opportunity for her,” he said. “It’s such a natural step for her.” He added that he is proud that RSU14 develops strong leaders and educators, and allows them opportunities to move forward in their own professional development. “I think Westbrook is very fortunate to have Kelli, and she will do well there,” said Prince.

Deveaux said the decision to leave was a tough one. “Windham has been my home for 14 years,” she said “It’s become a second home and second community for me.” Deveaux, who lives in Gorham, said there are many opportunities in the move to Westbrook. The proximity to her own home is appealing, she said, as she balances raising three children of her own with her work life. She added that the diversity, sense of community and community supports that exist in Westbrook are quite unique. 

Deveaux is admired by the people she has worked with. Howell said he appreciates all that she has done to build family and community relationships. “It’s going to be difficult for whoever comes in to fill her ‘heels’,” he said, joking about the shoes she is infamous for wearing.

“I deeply respect Kelli as a person and as an educator,” said Prince. “I’ve really enjoyed working alongside her.” Qualities he has appreciated include Deveaux’s humor, energy, and drive to make things happen. Deveaux sees the common good, and is open to varying points of view, Prince said. He added that she has a strong sense of integrity and ethics, as well as good judgment.

Both Deveaux and RSU14 administration plan for continued collaboration between districts. Howell said that as part of the Sebago Educational Alliance, he anticipates continuing to work closely with Deveaux in finding ways to join the communities together. “We’ve always had a strong relationship with Westbrook,” he said, adding that now he looks forward to an even stronger connection.

Deveaux said she hopes to maintain some kind of presence in the RSU14 district. Often, she said, education doesn’t cross town lines, but she believes it should. “We’re all working for the common good of the youth, and our youth cross town lines all the time. They certainly do it virtually, so why don’t we, to meet the needs of our kids.”

The assistant principal position has been advertised, according to Howell, and a hiring committee will be formed soon. He said they are looking to have the position filled by the end of the month.

Prince said that some of the qualities the district is looking for in a candidate include someone with a history of strong ethics, an ability to build relationships, and an innovative approach. The ideal candidate will also have a strong sense of inquiry, and be able to reach out to the public and educators to problem solve with a collaborative approach. Strong principles are important, as are new ideas, Prince said. “We’re not looking for the status quo. We want somebody who is creative,” he said. He added that he is confident that the district will be able to find the right person for the job.

Deveaux said that the timeline for her leaving worked out well, in that she doesn’t have to go through events like graduation thinking that it’s her last one. “I hate goodbyes,” she said, adding that she knows this won’t be the last time she’ll see the students and staff to whom she has grown very close. “I’m so incredibly grateful for the kindness and the opportunities that the Windham and Raymond communities have afforded me and their support over the 14 years that I’ve been a part of these communities. They’ve supported me in growing who I am personally, and certainly in who I am professionally. I have had outstanding opportunities to work with great people and I’m truly going to miss Windham and Raymond,” Deveaux said.

Evergreen Credit Union looks to be the first LEED certified building in Windham - By MIchelle Libby

Last Thursday, Evergreen Credit Union held a ceremonial groundbreaking at their location on Route 302 in North Windham. The interim CEO as well as many of the members of the board of directors and the community participated. 
 

The new building, which will be done early next year, will be a LEED certified space, the first in Windham according to Town of Windham town manager Tony Plante and the credit union CEO. “LEED-certified buildings are resource efficient. They use less water and energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As an added bonus, they save money,” according to the US Green Building Council website. 

“It will continue our mission on sustainability. This is one more way to accomplish our mission,” said Evergreen Credit Union Interim CEO Tim Verrault. “The building is really outdated. We want top notch.” 

The credit union has tripled its membership since opening in Windham. Evergreen Credit Union has four locations with 23,000 members in Cumberland County. It has been in existence for 65 years dating back to SD Warren Credit Union, which existed for the paper mill in Westbrook. Membership now is based on those who work or live in Cumberland County or have immediate family members who are already members, said Verrault. 

The new building will be the first time Evergreen has done a redesign of a branch by creating a whole new building. Other branches have been renovated, but this is exciting for all involved.

“We only do financial institutions,” said TLA president and architect Jim Durgin. “This is the first LEED certified building we have done.”

The new branch will have “dialogue banking” where tellers are no longer behind a locked counter, but are accessible to the members. The “pod” concept makes the space very open and welcoming,” Verrault added. 

The physical space will increase as well from the existing 2,500 square feet to 4,000 square feet. Verrault expects the new space to be state of the art for its members and employees. 

Evergreen CU is doing this to “promote better service for all existing members,” said Howard Lowell, marketing director. “They’re not doing this to grow, but to provide state of the art services.” 

The existing building was purchased in 2001. “At the time we knew it was going to be a temporary branch,” said Verrault. The credit union plan to recycle as much of the materials as they can from the existing building. 

When the demolition begins on the building built more than 20 years ago, banking transactions will take place in a rental unit in the parking lot behind the bank. The special bank rental from Portland Safe will be open for business on July 25^th. There will be plenty of signage marking the temporary location, said Verrault. 

The temporary branch will have three teller stations plus the drive up window. There will still be traditional banking services, like night drops, walk in service, and drive up service all with the same hours. 

“The new structure provides the same security practices utilized in the original branch,” said Verrault. The nine employees will continue to do their jobs in the temporary location. 

The construction will be completed by Allied Cook and the interior design will be by TLA Architects.  The new building will fit in with the 21^st Century Plan for downtown Windham, according to Verrault. 

“When you think about what’s to come, it will be worth it,” said board of directors member Julie Lunt-Farley.

R to L

Robert Dodge – Board of directors

Julie Lunt-Farley – Board of directors

Jennifer Breton – Board of directors

Tim Verrault – Interim CEO

Chris Doe – Board chairman

Patty Ross – Branch manager

Tony Plante – Town Manager

John Holt – Board member

Dawn Dyer – Sebago Lakes Chamber of Commerce director

Jim Durgin – TLA Architect

Tom Greer – Pinkham & Greer Civil Engineers

Matt Cook – Allied Cook Industries

Construction underway for Dollar General - By Elizabeth Richards

Challenges arose during the proposal for development of a 9,100 square-foot building to house a Dollar General. Now, the project is moving forward, and projected to be completed in autumn of 2016.
 

An initial design for the building was rejected by the planning board early last summer due to concerns that the proposed design would spread North Windham style development south along the artery. Dollar General re-submitted a new design that featured a pitched roof and a set of “faux” windows that complied with the town’s building design standards requiring New England style architecture. This application was approved in a 3-2 vote in July of 2015.

Another potential glitch in the project arose when the Fire Department recommended an extension of the water main to the property for fire protection. This extension was cost prohibitive at $100 to $110 per foot, a final cost of between $160,000 to $180,000. As an alternative, the developer proposed use of a cistern, which would reduce the cost to approximately $20,000. Planning board minutes from July 27, 2015 reflect that Fire Chief Brent Libby stated in an email that a cistern was an acceptable option, as long as it was properly designed, maintained and certified.

Construction on the project at 367 Roosevelt Trail is currently underway. Heather McNally, Director of Code Enforcement and Zoning Regulations for the Town of Windham said that currently, all foundation inspections have been completed. The next phase and inspection will be the framing inspection. “We look forward to them opening, and they’re moving forward pretty quickly,” McNally said.

Nolan Miles, internal/external communications coordinator for Dollar General Corporation said that based on the current timeline, which could be altered by construction progress, a grand opening is anticipated in mid-fall of 2016.

Miles said that in choosing new locations, the company seeks places that offer customers an easy and convenient shopping choice. “We also take demographic trends, competitive factors, traffic patterns and community concerns into consideration. This was a great new location for Dollar General,” he said. “We look forward to offering Cumberland County residents a convenient location to purchase products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, housewares and seasonal items at low everyday prices.”

The store will have approximately 6 to 10 employees, he said, and he encouraged anyone interested in employment to apply online at www.dollargeneral.com/careers.

Small town family fun slated for Sat., Aug. 6 - By Elizabeth Richards

The Raymond Revitalization Committee is gearing up for the second annual Everybody Loves Raymond, ME festival, which will be held on Saturday, August 6^th in the Sheri Gagnon Memorial Park on Mill Street in Raymond.

Last year, the first festival was held on the Fourth of July, but it has been moved to the first weekend in August for this year. “We looked around to see what other towns were doing,” said committee chairperson Carrie Colby. “That was one day there weren’t a lot of other things going on.” 

The event kicks off at 10 a.m. with a parade that runs from Main Street to Mill Street. Events in the park kick off immediately following the parade and run until 2 p.m. The festival includes something for everyone, with local craftspeople and food vendors, a bouncy house and bouncy slide, dunk tank, face painting, and the 18-piece New England Jazz Band, which will set up on the park’s new basketball court and play from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The event was started by the Raymond Revitalization Committee last year as a family festival, something Colby said Raymond hadn’t had in a long time. The objective of the committee is “to promote the idea of Live, Work, Play and Stay through community and business participation.”

Last year’s turnout was amazing, Colby said, with 500 to 800 people participating in the festival. This year, they are anticipating an even bigger parade and festival.

Colby said the committee is trying to grow the festival exponentially. They aren’t trying to add too much in one year,  she said, but plan to build it up year by year. “It’s a very family oriented, small town gathering,” she said. 

Volunteers are essential to the success of the event, and sponsorships are available at a range of levels, from sponsoring a festival booth ($100) to the premier level sponsorship ($1,000). 

Descriptions of levels and sponsorship benefits are on the forms, which can be found on the event Facebook page Everybodyheartsraymondme. The parade registration form is also available on the page. For more information, contact Colby at 232-5497 or cmcolby@maine.rr.com.

Local WWII Veteran gains a special gift - By Michelle Libby

Don Rogers is well known in Windham. The World War II Veteran, who is a regular at parades and Veterans’ events, recently received an eagle head cane from the Maine Woodcarvers Association as a thank you for his service. 

While at breakfast at Danielle’s Diner last month, Don and Norma, his wife, were approached by a woman who noticed Don’s WWII Veteran hat. She thanked him for his service. A few minutes later Herb Blake, who was eating breakfast with the woman, approached Don and offered to make him an eagle head cane. The project would take a few weeks, he told him. 

“Don was pleased. He couldn’t wait to see him again,” said Norma. When they finally met up again, Don was thrilled. 

“It had his name on it. What a wonderful organization to present that,” she added. 

Herb Blake is the project manager for the eagle canes as a part of the Maine Woodcarvers Association, which provides eagle head canes for Maine Veterans with service related disabilities.

“We can’t keep up with demand,” said Blake. 

The personalized canes are made by 6 to 12 of the approximately 100 members of the organization. The canes, which are given at no cost to the veterans, cost about $20 in materials, but each craftsman put in between 20 to 30 hours to carve the eagle head depending on the amount of detail put into the cane, which is priceless. Each one is personalized by the artist. Donations pay for the materials, which include a rubber base, the cane stalk and the template for the eagle head. 

Personalization varies from flags to wood burning a unit number, medal or ribbons as well as the veteran’s name. Blake decoupages items onto the shaft of the cane for the ones he makes. 

When it comes to a WWII veteran, Blake doesn’t ask questions, he usually puts them at the top of the waiting list that sometimes contains 30 to 40 names. “He seemed healthy and active for his age, but still I put his name to the head of the list. It was the first time I’d seen him. He was wearing a vet cap and using a cane,” Blake said. 

Maine Woodcarvers Association makes and gives away close to 100 canes each year statewide.

“Quite a few do them for family or friends. Sometimes it doesn’t’ come through the project for me to take care of,” said Blake. “I do it to recognize the veterans and their service. We’re a non-profit and it’s our way of saying thank you.”  

Blake has seen Don since giving him the cane. The last time he watched Don shake the cane. “You don’t have one of these, do you?”

“It’s very rewarding to recognize someone and have them enjoy it that much,” Blake said. 

Blake works for Bath Iron Works and lives in New Gloucester. Woodworking is his hobby. Anyone who is interested in carving a cane and has carving skills or would like to donate to the program is encouraged to contact Blake. He will provide the materials and directions. Blake’s email is hblake12@maine.rr.com. 

Information about the program can be found at www.mainewoodcarvers.org.