Windham Civil Rights Team a beacon of hope for champions of equality

By Ed Pierce

All students attending Windham High School
are welcome to join the Civil Rights Team,
an afterschool group that strives to ensure that
the school and the community are safe, inclusive
and supportive for all. COURTESY PHOTO

For students who stand up for the American principles of equality, are opposed to discrimination of all types, and believe in fair treatment for everyone, there has never been a more important time to be a member of Windham’s High School’s Civil Rights Team.

A fixture at the school for more than eight years, the goals of the Civil Right Team are to educate, advocate and to make visible identities and issues related to civil rights. Participants receive guidance and support from the Maine attorney General’s Office and the Maine Civil Rights Team Project.

According to Nicole Densmore, WHS faculty advisor for the group, all students are welcome to join the Civil Rights Team to help them ensure that the school and community are safe, inclusive, and supportive for all.

“We are ready and willing to teach or talk about race and skin color, national origin and ancestry, religion, disabilities, gender, including gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation with our teachers, classmates, and community,” she said.

As the group’s faculty advisor, Densmore said she’s dedicated to providing opportunities for students to build more equitable relationships and understandings of their communities.

“I feel privileged to serve my community by teaching and empowering others,” she said. “I truly admire and respect these students and care about the educational and emotional needs of each team member. They teach me as much as I teach them. Teaching them advocacy, networking, and effective civic engagement strategies when we can’t meet together physically is very difficult, but I am up for the challenge and know they will rise to it. I worry that their work to foster and support an inclusive, accepting, and diverse culture at Windham High School will be full of unique safety, legal, and resource obstacles in this unprecedented time.”

The skills in team and civic engagement skill-building that students gain by participating in the Civil Rights Team is unlike any other school-based learning experience, Densmore said.

“I believe that each member is empowered by being an active part of the school community,” Densmore said. “Through their advocacy work in CRT, these students apply their passion and knowledge to solving problems within the school and educating the greater community.”

Presently, the Civil Rights Team has about 30 members and meet remotely for about an hour twice a week after school.

Among projects the Civil Rights Team has worked on previously are a Day of Welcome for All, an awareness and advocacy campaign to make school safe for all students; composing an open letter to the Skowhegan School Board regarding their school mascot; collaborating with Windham High’s School Resource Officer and school administrators to reeducate and respond to community questions and concerns about the Black Lives Matter movement; creating lists of best practices, guides, and advisements for teachers to ensure their classrooms are safe and inclusive for all students and staff; and planning Civil Rights Movie Nights to invite the community to learn from guest speakers and panel
discussions in conjunction with the screening of a civil rights-focused film.

To succeed in their work, she said that students need the support of the community. 

“We are not politically affiliated. Though students may have diverse opinions and perspectives, no political agenda or perspective is privileged on our team,” Densmore said. “We are advocates for civil rights and do not promote or espouse any particular political values or policies. Many different systems of belief and perspectives are honored in our team.”

The pandemic has created a unique and challenging environment for Civil Right Team members, but Densmore said she is confident those barriers will be overcome.

“We are trying to address the inequities the pandemic has brought to the surface. It is difficult to address the inequities as we also experience them,” she said. “We will be accomplishing this work virtually in many cases as we are ever mindful of the CDC Guidelines and district regulations.”

Windham High Senior Maria Condon, 17, said she chose to join the Civil Rights Team because she likes the energy of the group.

“Using your voice is important. I’m not afraid to voice my opinion because I learn from others when I do,” Condon said. “I wasn’t sure about joining the team as a student. But my friend Tedi recommended I join her at a meeting because I’m energetic and passionate and like a good debate.”

Junior Telia Bowen, 16, said the Civil Rights Team can give valuable insight into the opinions of others.

“Even if you're neutral or don't really know a lot of the things that are going on in the country, it’s a good way to get informed and see other people's perspectives on everything,” Bowen said.

Junior Parduong Bol, 16, said she thinks the Civil Rights Team is a great opportunity to grow and learn.

“I personally think that the Civil Rights Team is something wonderful for WHS to participate in,” Bol said. “Not only does it create opportunities for all, but it helps educate people on topics that they are not fully educated on or topics that don't personally affect them.”

Bol said that social justice issues are relevant not only in school, but for the community as well and the Civil Rights Team can help students view the big picture from their vantage point at Windham High School.

“It helps people look at real-world problems by looking at them from multiple viewpoints,” she said. “Social justice helps us work toward celebrating diversity in our communities.”

Students are eager to begin work with the Civil Rights Team this school year but are aware of the challenges ahead.

“I think people have a hard time accepting differences of opinion. I hope we keep speaking out and learning it is ok to have different perspectives,” Condon said. “Also, connection issues and technology might make it hard to hear and understand each other when we meet remotely. Learning and working together when we can’t meet in person has lots of challenges.”

Bol said she thinks the biggest challenge facing Civil Rights Team members this year is going to be people who aren’t willing to work with them.

Densmore said her task is to keep the group on task and striving to make a difference at the school and in the community.

“We know the road is long and the work is hard. We know the obstacles are many and the resources may not be plentiful or in place,” she said. “Nonetheless, as the rest of the United States has shown in the past months, the need to highlight and correct inequities, educate, and bring together people with different perspectives and agendas to create safe spaces for all races, ethnicities, and cultures is a priority. Education is the key to understanding the needs of communities and making positive and lasting changes.”

Densmore said she understands that others might not be as comfortable or open to discussions about civil rights-related topics for fear of being divisive or misunderstood.

“We hope to foster acceptance and understanding by continuing to have tough conversations and do difficult, meaningful work and we invite Windham High School and beyond to join us.” <

The Katahdin Program seeks monetary donations for their ‘Food for Thought’ initiative

By Lorraine Glowczak

Almost 80 percent of the student population
at The Katahdin Program qualifies for free
or reduced lunch. This alternative high school,
which is part of RSU14 and includes therapeutic
and adventure-based education as its core
curriculum, seeks to meet the primary needs
of their students who face food insecurity by
offering a 'Food for Thought' program.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

According to the American Youth Policy Forum, about 50 million people across the nation are currently experiencing food insecurity and most of those individuals are families with children. The experience of reduced availability to healthy foods or the lack of food altogether does not escape many families right here in Windham and Raymond.

“Almost 80 percent of our student population qualifies and is on a free or reduced lunch program,” said Craig Haims, Director of The Katahdin Program. “Due to the recent health crisis, it has become more challenging for our students to have access to healthy foods. As a result, the staff here is working to fill that void with the ‘Katahdin Food for Thought’ program.”

The Katahdin Program is an alternative learning school that focuses on integrated, relevant learning and restorative practices as a part of its educational approach. Katahdin currently serves 22 students from grades 10 through 12 and, although the school is located at the Windham High School (WHS), The Katahdin Program is unique in its approach to meeting the needs of its student population.

“As an alternative school, it is important for Katahdin to do things differently to engage learners who have demonstrated less interest in traditional approaches,” Haims said. “To illustrate that point, Katahdin has its own unique schedule, separate from the WHS schedule, that provides for integrated learning blocks, service learning, and dedicated time for vocational and career exploration. The alternative schedule means that Katahdin, while on the WHS campus, has the spirit of an independent program.” 

This is one reason why Katahdin has developed its own supplemental food initiative.

“The Katahdin staff wants to make food accessibility as easy as possible to our students who already face significant challenges,” Haims said. “We want to be able to supply our student’s families with important staples such as bread, eggs, fresh produce and canned goods.”

It has long been known that students who grow up with food insecurity often lag behind their food-secure peers in terms of cognitive, emotional, and physical development. 

“We all have primary and secondary needs,” said Haims. “The primary need of being well fed will always exceed secondary needs of learning and cognitive growth. If we can provide the basic need of healthy food, then our educators can help students succeed academically and behaviorally.”

In his announcement last week asking the community for assistance, Haims stated students will self-select food items and take them home on a weekly basis and, in some instances, a social worker will select food for students to ensure everyone in need obtains the important nutrition they need.

“In order to make the ‘Katahdin Food for Thought’ program a reality, we seek monetary donations
sufficient to fund it for the current school year,” Haims wrote in the press release. “One hundred percent of the funds will go directly into providing weekly food staples for food insecure students who attend The Katahdin Program.”

Within 48 hours of publishing the press release on social media, Haims’ call for action was adhered.

“I am so very pleased at the quick response for my request,” Haims said. “I am grateful to this community that comes together to serve others.”

In addition to community individual, business, and nonprofit responses, the Windham Food Pantry is making significant weekly donations as well.

“I am very thankful for the Windham Food Pantry’s partnership with us,” Haims said. “Their assistance in providing weekly food staples to us is an incredible addition to what we are trying to do for our students. We couldn’t do this without them or the help of our community. The staff and I are so very thankful.”

To help The Katahdin Program continue with their ‘Food for Thought’ initiative, please make a monetary donation and send it to: RSU14, 228 Windham Center Road, Windham, ME 04062, Attn: Stacey Webster. Checks should be made out to RSU14 and write ‘Katahdin Food for Thought Program’ on the memo line.

For more information, contact Craig Haims at 207-899-8311.<

Windham Chamber Singers to present ‘An American Family Holiday’ concert online

By Elizabeth Richards

The Windham Chamber Singers holiday show, “An American Family Holiday,” is a much-anticipated community event. This year, the show will go on, virtually.

Dr. Rick Nickerson, Director of Choral Music at Windham High School said that his subject matter presents unique challenges this school year.

“Every teacher had to adapt the way we teach. In music, we were the only ones who had to adjust what we teach, which has been an enormous challenge,” he said.

Because of the pandemic, the popular Windham
Chamber Singers holiday show 'An American 
Family Holiday' will be presented virtually this
year and available on You Tube.
FILE PHOTO

The Chamber Singers have been especially challenging, Nickerson said, since it is an afterschool activity rather than a class. In classes, he said, students can do projects around theory, history, and techniques. They can also use a program called SmartMusic, which allows students to sing along with computerized singers and record their work.

Nickerson said that the Chamber Singers, however, are all about singing together, which is prohibited inside the school. Current guidelines allow for singing outdoors only, masked, spaced 14 feet apart. This year the Chamber Singers, who have traditionally met on Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m., have had virtual rehearsals and a couple of rehearsals on the baseball field where they can space out appropriately. The program is important to keep going, not only because of what it provides students musically, but also what it provides them socially, Nickerson said.

The baseball field rehearsal was far from ideal, Nickerson said. Even the wind made it difficult for students to hear each other. But the students were excited to be together and wanted to continue rehearsing that way. For some students who were selected for the group after video auditions in the spring, these rehearsals were the first time they’d been with the whole group in person.

Nickerson acknowledged that the ability to meet outside will change as the weather turns colder. Already, the rehearsals are much shorter than usual so students can be home before it gets too cold. They’re taking things one step at a time, Nickerson said.

“I told them the other night if we keep meeting these challenges head on, eventually when this is over we’re going to be a stronger group, and we’ll realize just how much of everyday life we’ve taken for granted,” he said.

Currently, the group is focused on creating a virtual version of their annual An American Family Holiday concert. For this year only, the concert is being renamed A Maine Family Holiday, and will have a Maine theme, in celebration of the state’s bicentennial.

The 90-minute concert will premiere on the Windham Chamber Singers You Tube channel at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 5. The program will include virtual choirs and much more.

“Now that we’re moving exclusively to video, while it limits what we can do musically, it also opens up some other possibilities,” Nickerson said.

His original brainstorm for the An American Family Holiday concert was to model it after old-time variety shows. A virtual show lends itself well to that format. Guest stars can participate much more easily since no travel is involved, Nickerson said.

Nickerson said they aren’t releasing names of guest performers, since they want the premiere to be full of surprises. “Some of the exciting things that are going to happen the students don’t even know about,” he said.

With a virtual concert, many elements must be ready earlier than for a live concert, since the editing process takes time.

“With a traditional concert we were working towards a specific date. With this, because it’s a video project of this magnitude, we’re going to have lots of different dates we’re working towards,” Nickerson said.

They’ll take it one song at a time, and the editing process will begin in just a couple of weeks, he said.

This concert is typically the Chamber Singers biggest fundraiser. Donation pages will be available for those who wish to contribute to the group towards future needs.

“I don’t know what the spring is going to hold, but eventually down the road we will be back to normal, whatever that normal is,” Nickerson said. “For me, normal just means we can have all the choirs in the choir room singing.”

While this format is certainly not his preference, Nickerson said, “We’re trying to make the best out of a terrible situation.”

 He knows how important the concert is to the community, he added, and has already received phone calls asking if they were going to do something. Nickerson said he’s very excited about what they are putting together.

“It’s going to be great. It’s not only going to celebrate our town, we’re looking forward to celebrating this great state of Maine,” he said.<

Postal worker wraps up 35-year career in Windham

By Ed Pierce

For nearly 35 years Kerry Dyer has worn the uniform of the U.S. Postal Service and during that span he estimates that he’s handled more than a million pieces of mail.

Dyer, 65, has spent all but about one month of his postal career working for the Windham Post Office and is a familiar face behind the counter, checking in packages for delivery and selling books of stamps to longtime residents and customers, but he has decided to retire and his last day on the job was Wednesday.

Kerry Dyer has retired after working for
the U.S. Postal Service in Windham for
nearly 35 years. His final day on the job
was Wednesday and before his
retirement, many of his friends and
customers stopped by the Windham
Post Office to wish him a fond farewell.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

His first day as a postal worker was Jan. 2, 1986 and Dyer, a resident of Standish, said he remembers it like it was yesterday.

“I knew people who worked here at the time and they told me about an opening,” he said. “I applied and got the job.”

After several months of processing and sorting mail, Dyer started as a substitute rural carrier and that led to a permanent position as a rural carrier delivering mail to much of the outlying areas of Windham for more than 10 years.

But after sustaining an injury, he returned to work at the Windham Post Office and was assigned to the front counter, where he has greeted thousands of customers through the years.

“I certainly will miss the people, serving the customers and most of all, my co-workers,” Dyer said.

The only time he worked anywhere else for the U.S. Postal Service other than in Windham was a month-long stint at the New Gloucester Post Office about five years ago.  He graduated from Bonny Eagle High School and attended the University of Maine at Orono before choosing to pursue a career as a postman.  

Married to his wife, Denise, and the father of two grown sons, Dyer said he has definite plans on how to spend his retirement.

“I’m going to be doing a lot of gardening and some traveling,” he said. “I’m going to try and play some music like I used to and maybe even volunteer somewhere to stay busy and active.”

Throughout his final week as a postal service employee, friends and customers stopped by the front counter at the post office to wish him well and bid him a fond farewell.

“I’m truly saddened to see him retire,” said Windham resident Coco Wong. “He’s always so friendly, courteous and polite. It’s like losing a member of the family seeing him go.” <

Windham finds new life for repurposed town vehicles

By Ed Pierce

The typical knock on municipalities in Maine is that they’re not often frugal stewards of public spending, yet the town of Windham aims to alter that perception with a program that repurposes older serviceable town vehicles.

An example of that frugality are two low-mileage Ford Explorers, a 2017 and a 2016, that had been used by the Windham Police Department that have been transferred for use by the Windham Assessors Office.

Instead of soliciting bids to purchase new vehicles for the town’s Assessors Office, Windham retained the older police vehicles and reassigned them for use by the assessing office staff, saving the taxpayers the expense of buying a new vehicles for them. 

One of the low-mileage Ford Explorer vehicles
repurposed and wrapped to identify it as
representing the Windham Assessor's Office is
shown. The vehicle is one of two Ford Explorers
formerly used by the Windham Police
Department that have been transferred to the
Assessor's Office rather than purchasing new
vehicles and saving the town money.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

“We rotate vehicles through the departments as newer ones come on line,” said Barry A. Tibbetts, Windham Town Manager. “In the police department we usually rotate two new vehicles in per year and those coming off the front-line service 24/7 are repurposed to another department that may need a vehicle.”

Tibbetts said that the latest rotation saw two former police cars rewrapped with a new design scheme and then moved to the Windham Assessing Department in the past few weeks for continued use.

“The wrap for the vehicle is much less expensive than a new paint application,” Tibbetts said.

According to Tibbetts, the repurposed vehicle is clearly identified as a Windham Assessing vehicle for home and site inspections.

“Prior to this we often had staff indicating residents thought it was a police vehicle coming to visit,” he said. “This wrap on the vehicle allows for much better identification of staff in the assessing office.”

The Windham Assessor's Office is responsible for the valuation of all taxable property in Windham, both real estate and personal property. It is also a center of information for property owners, title companies, real estate brokers and appraisers, attorneys, and other departments and agencies in the community.

The Assessors’ Office maintains historical information as well as current data about properties such as ownership, deeds, inventories of land and structures, property characteristics, and town maps. The office also administers any property tax exemption programs enacted by the Maine Legislature such as veterans, blind, and homestead exemptions.

The assessing staff continually updates assessments to reflect new construction, additions and demolitions and can put a lot of miles on town vehicles in making evaluations around Windham.

According to Windham Town Assessor Elisa Trepanier, the repurposed vehicles are an upgrade to several older model Ford Explorers her department had been using.

“We’ve never had new cars,” Trepanier said. “Before the Ford Explorers we were using, we had older Chevy Impalas. Those were difficult to get to some places as some roads were tough to navigate. The Explorers are more rugged and make it easier for us to do the job.”

Trepanier said the newly wrapped Explorers are also much more identifiable with a distinct vehicle wrap compared to the older plain blue vehicles and have fewer miles.

“They stand out much more and we’re grateful for the upgrades,” she said. < 

Saint Joseph’s Institute for Integrative Aging begins tele-social call program for older adults

By Lorraine Glowczak

Studies indicate that strong family and community connections lead to greater levels of health and

Heather DiYenno, Director of
Saint Joseph's College Institute for
Integrative Aging, of
 Add caption believes that
making a simple weekly phone call
to older adults who are homebound
can combat social isolation and
loneliness. The college is seeking
volunteers and recipients who may
be interested on participating in
their new tele-social call program.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

happiness. Social isolation, on the other hand, can produce detrimental effects on one’s mental and physical wellbeing. Depression, anxiety, heart disease, and strokes are a few consequences of loneliness.

What is just as alarming is that the experience of isolation is growing. In fact, social seclusion has become so prevalent on a global scale that many countries are taking an active role in its prevention, including Great Britain’s recently established Minister of Loneliness.

The age group most directly affected by this epidemic is among older adults who are aging in place and/or have physical disabilities that prevent easy social connections with others. This is especially prevalent in remote, rural areas like the greater Sebago Lakes Region area.

But there is good news on the horizon.

It is with this awareness that Saint Joseph’s College of Maine recently took action and officially launched the Institute for Integrative Aging (IIA) in May 2019 to help alleviate loneliness among area residents. Since its inception, IIA has been providing a series of creative, age-friendly, and intergenerational activities that provide opportunities for connection and fulfillment. A tele-social call program is their latest endeavor in these efforts and will be getting underway soon.

“We are in the very beginning stages of this program and are looking for both volunteers and recipients who would like to participate,” Heather DiYenno, IIA Director said. “Volunteers will be trained and paired with a recipient of whose interests and hobbies they have in common. The purpose of the calls is simply to have fun and light-hearted conversations at least once a week, and the amount of time spent on each call is determined by the parties involved.”

The tele-social concept was developed by the Motion Picture and Television Fund (MPTF), based out of Woodland Hills, CA. The idea was created by Dr. Scott Kaiser, MPTF’s Chief Innovation Officer and Director of Geriatric Cognitive Health at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute.

“I was introduced to the MPTF and their tele-social program while attending the Rural Aging Advisory Council in Washington D.C. last fall,” said DiYenno. “They opened my eyes on how effective making a simple weekly phone call was at combating loneliness and I wanted to implement a similar program at IIA.”

DiYenno has researched the platforms and mechanisms that are already in place at MPTF. IIA is collaborating their efforts with Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and volunteers can apply for IIA’s tele-social call program on the SMAA website at www.volunteer.unitedwaygp.org/need/detail/?need_id=535198.

In addition to the application, volunteers will also be asked to fill out background checks and confidentiality forms. For those who may be concerned about the circulation of their personal phone numbers, they have no reason to fear.

“It’s important to let volunteers and recipients know that their personal phone numbers will not be used as part of the tele-social call and conversation,” DiYenno said. “A mechanism is created so that volunteers call a central line which will require a pin number. This will connect the volunteer to the recipient’s own phone. No personal information needs to be exchanged.”

During a time when required social distancing can further intensify social isolation, particularly among
vulnerable homebound individuals, participation in the tele-social call program may be the most important thing one person can do for another.

“A friendly call can brighten someone’s day,” DiYenno said.

One may be surprised at how much a phone conversation with an individual experiencing loneliness might also help the volunteer themselves, brightening their own days from time to time.

For more information on becoming a volunteer or to refer someone experiencing social isolation, contact Heather DiYenno at IIA@SjCME.EDU or at 207-893-7641.<

New Code Enforcement Officer continues to provide professional service to town of Raymond

By Lorraine Glowczak

Alex Sirois is the new Code
Enforcement Officer for the town 
of Raymond.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Alex Sirois recently joined the town of Raymond as the new Code Enforcement Officer, replacing Scott Dvorak who accepted a similar position with the town of Gray.

A code enforcement officer is responsible for evaluating, educating, and enforcing local codes as well as providing other administrative services that fit within code enforcement guidelines.

It is a respected and important civic position, but how often has an adult heard a child say, “I want to grow up to be a code enforcement officer”? As a result, there are not a lot of people who seek to be a CEO, therefore the supply of qualified individuals is limited.

“The position of Code Enforcement Officer can be a difficult one to fill, but Raymond has been fortunate to have always had dedicated and talented professionals join our staff,” said Raymond Town Manager Don Willard.

Sirois, a 2006 Poland High School graduate, comes with a lot of experience and educational background that contributes to the professional service he can offer the residents of Raymond. He is a graduate of the New England School of Communications out of Husson College, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Communication.

“It may be a surprise to most people, but I use my degree all day long in my position as a Code Enforcement Officer,” Sirois said. “Communicating effectively and proactive listening are both imperative to the success of this position and my educational background has prepared me well.”

Sirois has gained much experience in a variety of Civil Service and Town positions as well, that included working for the Cable TV Department for the Town of Poland which opened the doors to a
CEO administrative position.

“While I worked in Poland in the Code Enforcement Office, I went through code enforcement training and gained my certifications.”

After a few years at Poland, Sirois applied and was selected by the Town of Casco to be their Code Enforcement Officer. 

“I was ready to make the jump from an administrative position to a manager’s position within the field of code enforcement, and I was happy to be selected and loved working for the Town of Casco,” Sirois said.

Sirois spent four years with Casco and was ready for a new challenge when Dvorak’s position became available.

“I’m finding that the people in Raymond are great to work with,” Sirois said. “People are very understanding of the state and local rules and requirements. There is a very good citizen base here.”

Upon his arrival, Sirios quickly went to work to increase code enforcement efficiency by updating a permit software system. This new system allows town residents to quickly fill out required forms, creating a more easy and user-friendly method to obtaining information and building permits.

“It is true that the COVID 19 pandemic has created some challenges, but we are working hard to move forward into a successful 2021,” Sirios said.

Fee scheduling has also been reviewed since Sirois’ arrival.

“Fee scheduling is revised periodically every couple of years after surveying other towns that are comparable in size and location to our own,” said Sirois. “Since the review, the fees have not changed or increased dramatically. This periodic review is important so that we are in alignment with other communities and to offset the increase of expenses in order to provide improved services.”

Many within the Town of Raymond are pleased with their new Code Enforcement Officer, including Willard himself.

“I think Alex will prove to be a good fit and will improve the function of this service for our town,” Willard said.<

Faith Lutheran Church to host second annual ‘Blessing of the Animals’ event at Hartwell Farm

Jo Hartwell stands beside Koby,
her family's German Shepherd as he
receives a blessing from Rev. Jane
Field. This year all COVID
precautions and Maine mandates 
for outdoor events will be adhered
to during a 'Blessing of the Animals'
event at l Farm on Oct. 3. PHOTO
BY LORRAINE GLOWCZAK

In honor of Saint Francis of Assisi whose feast day is in early October, Faith Lutheran Church is holding their second annual traditional Blessing of the Animals ceremony at the Hartwell Farm at 443 Sebago Lake Road in Gorham.

This special event will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 (rain date is Oct. 4 at 11:30 a.m.).

St. Francis of Assisi was a 13^th century Christian friar, deacon and preacher who was known for his love of animals and nature. He wrote a “Canticle of the Creatures,” an ode that includes the line, “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.”

He believed that human beings have a duty to protect and enjoy nature as both the stewards of creation and as creatures themselves. 

Churches around the world hold Blessing of the Animals ceremonies in honor of St. Francis. One of the most well-known and famous services has been held inside the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City where elephants, camels and other animals from the Bronx Zoo proceed up the aisle to receive a blessing, along with farm livestock like horses and sheep, and the pets of parishioners. 

“Faith Lutheran is proud to participate in this tradition and offer it to the Lakes Region community,” said Faith Lutheran’s pastor, Rev. Jane Field. “We wish to recognize and protect all species and the glory of the Creator that they reveal.”

The Oct. 3 event at Hartwell Farm is open to the public and pet owners are invited to bring their creatures, great and small, to receive a special, personal blessing.

Dogs must be on a leash, cats in carriers, and smaller pets in cages or aquariums. For those who do not want to bring their pets but still wish to have them blessed, pictures of the animal will be welcomed too. Those wishing to trailer in larger animals are asked to send an email to faithlutheranwindham@icloud.com in advance to ensure adequate parking.

Rev. Petra Smyth from Raymond Village Community Church will be co-officiating the event.

All COVID precautions and Maine CDC mandates for outdoor events will be adhered and all participants are asked to wear masks. <

Project Graduation 2021 fundraising efforts greatly affected by COVID-19

By Ed Pierce

Parents and volunteers for Windham High School's
Project Graduation 2021 are exploring new ways
to fundraise as a result of event cancellations
because of the pandemic. To support the effort,
send a check made out to WHSPH2021 to
2 Whispering Pines Road, Windham, Maine
04062 or they have a VENMO account at
windhamprojectgrad2021.
COURTESY PHOTO

For more than four decades, Project Graduation has captured the imagination of graduating high school seniors and that includes making a significant and positive impact on the lives of graduates from right here at Windham High School.  

Each year, the Project Graduation program provides graduating seniors with a safe, drug and alcohol-free event to celebrate their academic accomplishments. Plans for next spring’s event are already underway by the Windham High School Class of 2021 Project Graduation Committee, a dedicated group of volunteers and parents of senior students.   

However, like many other community activities, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created a challenge for the Project Graduation committee to fundraise for the annual event, although organizers say that they are committed to continuing this long standing tradition even in the face of a global pandemic. 

“These unprecedented times have impacted all our lives. It has impacted Project Graduation fundraising plans and events, most of which were either cancelled or postponed,” said Kathy Pepin, president of the Windham High School Class of 2021 Project Graduation Committee. “The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted our students as they enter their Senior year. There has never been an incoming class of high school seniors who have faced such uncertainty, and unimaginable challenges. Students gain many life skills during their senior year as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives.”

Pepin said that Project Graduation does not receive public funds, it relies solely on fundraising, and kind and generous donations from the Windham and Raymond residents and business community.

“As we began our fundraising efforts in April of this year, the pandemic cancelled the Windham Youth Soccer (WYSA) recreation program, and therefore cancelled Project Grad’s proceeds from running the concession stand,”  Pepin said. “The WYSA fall season is in swing however the decline in registrations and the reconfiguration of games due to the pandemic has meant a decline in concession sales.”

According to Pepin, last fall the Class of 2020 raised more than $1,300 dollars from WYSA concession sales, but so far the Class of 2021 is only on track to make less than half of that amount.

“We also lost fundraising events such as Summerfest, Windham High School Football 50/50 raffle, the homecoming dance, the craft fair pie sales and cash raffles, and most likely the Windham High School Basketball 50/50 raffle,” she said. “We are usually able to have several restaurants and businesses host a night-out event with a percentage of the sales being donated to Project Graduation, yet due to the pandemic affecting so many business, they are not financially able to help as in years past.”

The group also has seen significantly less sponsorships and donations for the Annual Project Graduation Golf Tournament that will be conducted at Spring Meadows on Nov. 1.

“While it has been a huge struggle to find creative ways to raise money, we are doing our best to rise to the task,” Pepin said. “Gale Savard and I have been making face masks since May and have raised close to $4,000 for Project Graduation. “We have also donated masks to Windham Primary School, Manchester School, Windham Middle School and Windham High School at the start of the year to assist our community.”

She said that the group just had a very successful mum sale with the assistance of Skillins Greenhouse in Falmouth where they sold more than 1,200 mums. And last weekend they hosted a small fundraising gathering for Scrapbookers at North Union Church in North Windham and was able to socially distance and provide a safe environment to craft.

“We hope to do another scrapbooking event next March,” Pepin said. “For upcoming fundraisers, we will continue our face mask sales, we are selling Windham Eagle Pride Stainless Steel 32-ounce tumblers for hot and cold drinks, a Silent Auction will be held Oct. 5 through Oct. 12, we are hosting a Paint Night on Sunday, Sept. 27 at the North Union Church, and the Annual Golf Tournament on Nov.
1.”

For more information regarding these events please visit WHS-Project-Grad.com; its Facebook page WHS Project Graduation 2021; send an email to WHSprojectgrad2021@gmail.com.

“The Class of 2021 has faced and will continue to encounter many challenges due to the pandemic,” Pepin said. “However, with the support of the Windham/Raymond community, the Class of 2021 will make it through and be a strong, resilient, shining beacon of future business owners, civic leaders, healthcare workers, first responders, members of our Armed Forces, and most of all caring citizens who will someday say they grew up during a pandemic. The caring and generosity of their community will leave a lasting mark on their lives.”  

Pepin and members of the Windham High School 2021 Project Graduation Committee are asking the public to please consider contributing to Project Graduation 2021, and no amount is too small.

“We do have a Venmo account, windhamprojectgrad2021, or checks can be made out to WHSPG2021 and mailed to Dana McKenna at 2 Whispering Pines Road, Windham, ME 04062,” Pepin said. <

Delivery made of 2019-2020 Windham Middle School yearbooks after production delay

By Ed Pierce

The cover of Windham Middle
School's 2019-2020 yearbook was
designed by Sasha Funk, who is
now a freshman at Windham High
School. The cover of the middle
school yearbook is always designed
by an eighth-grader at the 
school each year.
 SUBMITTED PHOTO

Student yearbooks are supposed to be a treasured remembrance of time that students spend in school and are filled with pages and photographs of club activities, sports teams and happy occasions in and out of the classroom. But the 2019-2020 yearbook for Windham Middle School may be remembered for being a memento that almost wasn't.

Across America, yearbook production was slowed in the spring because of the pandemic and that not only affected collection of materials for the Windham Middle School yearbook, but also its eventual delivery. Students finally received their 2019-2020 school yearbooks late last week following a delay of almost three months.

Windham Middle School Yearbook Advisor Jason Lanoie said students paid $25 for the yearbook, which was published by Lifetouch, a printing company based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. But with students and teachers having to use remote learning starting in March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, gathering materials and creating the yearbook was a struggle.  

“Last year the deadline was mid-April, as with most schools many advisors were scrambling to fill pages and was told by Lifetouch, the company we use for our students portraits and the yearbook that we could have until the end of April,” Lanoie said. 

 

According to Lanoie, Windham Middle School’s yearbook typically has 68 pages and they have no problems filling the pages.

“But with many events being canceled, I knew I would not be able to fill all of those pages,” he said. “Lifetouch eliminated eight pages for us which took off some of the stress.”

Lanoie, a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics teacher, has served as the advisor for Windham Middle School’s yearbook for 10 years and said the pandemic threw a monkey wrench into the entire process for producing and delivering the yearbook and is also hampering efforts for this school year too.

“I think the one downfall of the COVID shutdown is that the yearbook club wasn’t able to work on the book,” Lanoie said. “We build the yearbook online and I usually have a team of students who would stay after school and put the candid photos in the book. They didn’t get to do that this year, with after school activities not happening at the moment, we might not have a team this year which puts a lot of pressure on me.”

 

For the 2019-2020 yearbook, the school was contracted to sell 376 copies, so no matter how many yearbooks they pre-sold, they had to order 376. Windham Middle School actually sold 298.

 

“I received many emails asking to be put on the waitlist for those who wanted to buy one but missed

out on the presales,” he said. “I also sell a bunch once they come in. I think that this year the extras won’t sell as well because we don’t have the end of the year thrill of the yearbooks arriving. Plus all of the former eighth-graders, now freshman at Windham High School are not in the building.”

 

As the 2019-2020 school year wrapped up in June and students were still out of the building, those who ordered yearbooks were told they would receive them as soon as they arrived. In August, Lifetouch sent out an email to schools that they were working to clear the backlog and delays.

 

“As you may know, our yearbook production facilities are located in some of the states that are being hardest hit by the pandemic. We have prioritized the safety of our employees and we are following all state and local health guidelines to create a safe working environment. Social distancing requirements mean that there are fewer people available to work at any given time,” the Lifetouch email read. “These changes have impacted our production schedule and significantly slowed our production. We realize you, our yearbook adviser, and your families, are eager to receive this year’s yearbook and it has been frustrating to not have an estimated shipping date. Please know that teams are doing everything possible to get you your finished yearbook. Shipping is monitored, and as soon as your yearbook ships, you will receive tracking information so you can arrange to distribute the yearbooks to the students and families in the manner that is best suited for everyone's safety.”

 

Windham Middle School received the 18th and final box of its 2019-2020 yearbook shipment on Sept. 10 and distribution began immediately.

 

“Last Wednesday and Thursday I hand-delivered all of the yearbooks to the students. It actually went very smoothly and with only half the students in the building at a time I only had half to do,” Lanoie said. “The freshman yearbooks were delivered to the high school and handed out in their advisory. Any students who are remote can come to the middle school and pick their yearbook up in the office.”

 

With not every yearbook sold, Lanoie said there are plenty of extra copies available.

 

“If there is any middle school or freshman families that would still like one they can reach out to me directly jlanoie@rsu14.org and we can set one aside for you,” he said. < 

Sticky Bud Farms makes generous donation to Windham Food Pantry

By Ed Pierce

There was a time when David Whitten, the owner of Windham’s Sticky Bud Farms, needed to rely on a food pantry to survive and years later he’s shown his gratitude and generosity with a large donation to the Windham Food Pantry.

On Sept. 14, Whitten and three Sticky Bud employees dropped off more than $2,000 worth of food and non-perishables in dozens of boxes for the food pantry. The money to purchase the food came from a donation jar set up near the Sticky Bud cash register which was then doubled when matched by Whitten.

Sticky Bud Farms employees and owner David
Whitten dropped off more than $2,000 worth
of food and non-perishables in a generous 
donation for the Windham Food Pantry on
Sept. 14.  COURTESY PHOTO    
caption

“At one time in my life when I broke my neck, I had to rely on the food pantry,” Whitten said. “I’ve been there, and I know how hard it can be sometimes.”

Operating a successful business in Windham, Whitten said he wanted to repay the kindness that residents of the town have shown to him.

“Personally, I feel that giving back to the community is important,” he said. “And right now, more than ever because of the pandemic, there is certainly a growing need for the food pantry and an increasing number of our friends and neighbors in need of help.”

Rather than use the cash register jar for tips, the six employees of Sticky Bud Farms chose to use what they collected to purchase food items that the Windham Food Pantry was sorely in need of.

“The staff gave up their tips because they felt it was important and we wanted to include them in our spirit of giving,” Whitten said. “We feel that we’re an integral part of this community working with as many cancer patients as we do and this donation shows that our staff is committed to the health and well-bring of everyone in Windham.”

The Windham Food Pantry is open to any Windham resident with proof of residency and residents are provided with food on an every month basis.

Food and non-food donations are accepted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Monetary donations are accepted from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at the Windham Town Manager’s Office at the Windham Town Hall.

The donation from Sticky Bud Farms followed the official wish list of the Windham Food Pantry but went above and beyond, Whitten said.

“There were so many boxes, it was just amazing to see it all,” he said. “There were soups, beans, cookies, crackers, chili and much, much more and the four of us that went over before work to drop it off came away impressed with how organized they are at the food pantry. We were all so humbled by that experience that we’re going to do it again soon.”

 Whitten said Sticky Bud Farms has ordered 100 food boxes from Hannaford which will be donated to the Windham Food Pantry for those in need for Thanksgiving.

“And we’re going to be collecting toys at Christmastime again this year for Toys for Tots,” he said. <

Pandemic impairs Athletic Boosters fundraising

By Ed Pierce

Members of the Windham Raymond Athletic
Boosters meet up during a prep football game
at Windham High School last fall. From left are
Sarah Elliott, Laurie Palow, Barb Maurais,
and Allision Talon. COVID-19 has
hampered fundraising efforts this year for the
boosters, who are appealing to the public for
financial support to help pay for programs and
initiatives that benefit WHS student-athletes.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

An organization that has championed student-athletes at Windham High School is feeling the crushing downturn of the pandemic and is appealing to the community for assistance.

The Windham Raymond Athletic Boosters, made up of parent volunteers, has worked closely with the Windham High School Athletic Department for years in recognizing student-athletes and Windham teams, paying for items not included in the school budget through an array of popular fundraising projects and events. But the lingering effects of COVID-19 are hurting those efforts significantly.

“This is going to be a tough year for us,” said Shelly Afthim, Windham Raymond Athletic Boosters president. “We’re going to have to find new ways to fundraise. If not, this will hurt our program for years to come.”

Typically, the boosters staff a booth at Summerfest, sell concessions at summer track meets, offer a booster club card to the public for discounted Windham High School football game admissions and host a Holiday Craft Fair among fundraising projects, but all of those initiatives have come up short this year, thanks to the pandemic. The craft fair will still be held this year, but it will only be virtual.

“Every opportunity we have to make money this year has not worked out and we need the community to rally around us more than ever before,” Afthim said.  

Some of the programs that the boosters have paid for recently include enrichments for every team every season every year; paying for special guest speakers to talk to student-athletes; renting space at the University of Southern Maine for training; buying new cheering mats; purchasing new girls’ soccer uniforms, new baseball uniforms and girls’ field hockey uniforms; turf rental at Saint Joseph’s College for cross country and lacrosse teams, creating new dugouts for softball; and purchasing a new scoreboard for baseball.

Afthim said boosters also have bought flowers for graduating senior athletes, purchased deck jackets for teams and created a new shelter for the school’s track team. They also award four $500 college scholarships every year to Windham High graduates, with two for boys and two for girls.

“The boosters are vital to the student-athlete’s experience at Windham High School. In any given season the boosters play a vital role in our program’s success and continued growth,” said Rich Drummond, Windham High School athletic director. “The boosters provide necessities over and beyond the school athletic budget that help enhance the athletic experience. These are items that are needs and

not wants and the ability to lean on them is a huge piece of mind.”

Drummond said he has served as an athletic director for more than 20 years in Southern Maine at three large schools and what the Windham/Raymond Boosters do to support the athletes in this district is unmatched. 

“They make sound decisions that benefit all kids and all teams and always have the best interest for all involved at the forefront of every decision,” Drummond said.

Afthim said she originally wanted to join the boosters when one of her children started to attend Windham High School and play on a school sports team.

“I wanted to make a difference because there are so many positives in sports,” she said. “Student-athletes learn social skills, leadership, establish friendships and must do well academically to stay eligible to compete in sports. We feel it’s an honor to play for Windham High School.” 

Former football standout Anthony Gugliuzza graduated from Windham High School in June and is now attending Endicott College in Massachusetts. He says he will always be grateful to the Windham Raymond Athletic Boosters for what they did for student-athletes like him.

“The Windham Boosters program did a lot over the course of my four years at Windham High School to positively impact the experience of my teammates and I,” Gugliuzza said. “Whether it was providing us with a coach bus to away games in Bangor, throwing pizza parties for teams that made the playoffs, or giving us seniors a cording ceremony in the midst of a pandemic, the Windham Booster Program has never failed to show how much they truly care about their athletes.”

He said he’s actually had the amazing opportunity to connect with some of the people in charge of the boosters program and said they are absolutely phenomenal.

“Everyone involved with Windham athletics is so thoughtful and down to earth that it would be a mistake not to look back at my time in Windham with anything but fondness and love,” Gugliuzza said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for the booster program, because at the end of the day they played an influential role in four unbelievable years of high school sports that I will never forget.”

Afthim said to try and salvage fundraising efforts, the boosters have launched a Go Fund Me Page and

is asking anyone who can do so to donate to this worthwhile cause. The Windham Raymond Athletic Boosters are certified as a 501©3 organization and all donations are tax-deductible.

The Windham Raymond Athletic Boosters Go Fund Me link is at gofundme.com/f/2020WHSBoosters

“And if anyone would prefer to pay by check, they can mail it to WRAB PO Box 617 Windham, ME 04062,” Afthim said. “No amount is too small and we are grateful for any amount donated.”

To help the Windham Raymond Boosters continue their efforts this school year, The Windham Eagle newspaper is donating $330 raised from this week’s newspaper advertising sales to this worthy organization, said Melissa Carter, Windham Eagle Sales Manager.

Carter said she encourages everyone to support advertisers who contributed to this initiative. <