In the public eye: RSU 14’s Katahdin Program administrator remains essential to student success

Editor’s note: This is another in an ongoing series of Windham and Raymond town employee profiles.

By Ed Pierce

Rich Meserve says that he’s fortunate to work with a team of talented colleagues that help students find their way in school after having struggled in other settings.

Rich Meserve has ;led RSU 14's Katahdin Program
since 2016 and is now in his 16th year of working
for the school district. SUBMITTED PHOTO

As the Head of School of the Katahdin Program, RSU 14’s alternative high school program, Meserve says that seeing students embrace the opportunities and challenges that they are presented with at Katahdin is inspiring.

“In one way, shape or form, I am almost always thinking about the students I work with and how I can best support them,” Meserve said.

His duties as school administrator include supervising and evaluating all professional and support staff, helping to plan, organize and directly implement all school activities, assisting in the development, revision, and evaluation of the curriculum, and establishing and maintaining an effective learning climate in the school. He also prepares the Katahdin program’s budget, monitors expenditures, and coordinates school transportation and logistics.

The 2026-2027 school year is Meserve’s 16th year of working for RSU 14.

“I first started with RSU 14 in 2004 working as a teacher at the REAL School for a number of years,” Meserve said. “I then served as the assistant principal for REAL School until becoming the Katahdin Head of School in 2016. I served in that capacity for almost three years and then left to take a position as Director of School and Student Supports at the Maine Department of Education. I then returned for a year at Windham Middle School assisting with starting their Altitude Program and I am now back in my role as Head of School at Katahdin.

According to Meserve, the most challenging aspect of his job is breaking down the stigma of what an alternative program is.

“The Katahdin Program has the same graduation requirements as Windham High School, but we are small enough that we can tailor school to be a bit more individualized as well as having the flexibility in our schedule to incorporate experiential learning into the mix,” he said.

He was born in Augusta and graduated from Falmouth High School and has lived all his life in Maine except while attending college and eight years that he spent in the Pioneer Valley region of Massachusetts. I have graduate and undergraduate history degrees.

“I moved back to Maine over the summer of 2004 and had three jobs offered to me, from three different districts, on the same day,” Meserve said. “Weighing all three offers, I felt the most comfortable with the position at RSU 14. This initially had to do with the three people at my interview, Pender Makin, Lillie Hanlon and Rod Nadeau, and the way they painted a picture of what working with them would be like. Since that time, I have been incredibly impressed by the leadership of the district from the members of the superintendent’s team to the school board.”

Education is a second career for Meserve. 

“I first got involved working with students as a part-time tutor in Massachusetts in my early 30s. Shortly after that I went back to school at UMass Amherst and became an Ed Tech for two years and then a classroom teacher,” he said. “I have been a regular ed as well as a special education teacher/case manager. I have served as Assistant Principal, and Head of School, as well as in a director position at the Department of Education. I have volunteered for a number of education-related boards and committees and have been a member of the Teacher of the Year State Review Team for the last 12 years.”

His most memorable moments in his career with RSU 14 involve connecting with students a few years after they have graduated.

“They are so thankful for the opportunity that the Katahdin Program provided them to not only earn their high school diploma but also the many other skills and experiences they were afforded by being part of the program,” he said.

Meserve says the most important thing he has learned while working for RSU 14 is simple.

“Every human being has potential and supporting all students is paramount to giving everyone the best opportunity to live a happy and successful life,” he said. <

Geer wins House 86 seat while Bagshaw requests recount in House 106 election

By Ed Pierce

As the 2026 general election results become official and candidates are sworn in for municipal and legislative duties, several questions about the election remain.

Democrat Abigail Geer, left, defeated Republican incumbent
Rolf Olsen to win the Maine House District 86 seat. 
Republican incumbent Barbara Bagshaw, right, lost to
Democrat Bradley Youngs while seeking a third term
representing Maine Hpuse District 106 and has requested
an official recount. FILE PHOTOS 

In Windham, incumbent Republican Barbara Bagshaw has formally requested a recount of votes in the Maine House District 106 race.

Bagshaw has represented the district, which encompasses part of Windham, since she was first elected to the position in November 2022. She initially defeated Democrat Dana Reed by 23 votes in 2022 in a race that also featured a formal recount of ballots. In 2024, Bagshaw retained her legislative seat by defeating Democrat Doris Poland by 382 votes.

This year, however, vote tallies show Democrat Bradley Youngs, a former golf professional, restaurant manager, stay-at-home father, received 2,637 votes to Bagshaw’s 2,498, a margin of 139 votes.

In a statement on Facebook from Nov. 6, Bagshaw shared a letter she sent to the Maine Deputy Secretary of State and the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions to formally request a recount. She will be represented by attorneys Joshua Tardy and Kim Pettengill in the recount.

“Due to the outpouring of concern and support from my constituents, we are requesting a recount,” Bagshaw posted on Facebook.

According to Jana Spaulding, Maine Deputy Secretary of State for Communications, a candidate, including a write-in candidate, other than the declared winner in an election may apply to the municipal clerk in writing for a recount. Written recount requests must be received by the clerk within five business days after the day of the contested election.

She said that a recount is a public proceeding open to public attendance, subject to reasonable restrictions necessary to protect recount integrity or resulting from space limitations.

During the recount, the municipal clerk maintains control over the ballots and other recount materials. No recount personnel other than the clerk may have access to the areas where ballots are stored unless accompanied by the clerk or the clerk's designee.

The municipal clerk, in this instance Windham Town Clerk Anthony Blasi, will publicly explain the recount procedure at the start of the recount and shall supervise the sorting and hand counting of the votes in public with assistance from counters appointed by the clerk. A candidate may provide counters to conduct the recount under the supervision of the municipal clerk. If an insufficient number of counters is provided, the clerk shall supply counters. Municipal officers and candidates on that election ballot may not serve as counters.

Municipal clerks and counters shall follow all applicable laws and the rules for determining voter intent adopted by the Secretary of State. If any ballots are disputed as to voter intent, the candidates may resolve the dispute by consensus in accordance with rules for determining voter intent adopted by the Secretary of State. If a consensus cannot be reached, those disputed ballots must be set aside. If the number of disputed ballots potentially affects the outcome of the recount, the municipal clerk shall forward the disputed ballots to the clerk of the nearest Superior Court in the county in which the election was held.

Upon written request, the municipal clerk shall make the incoming voting list and absentee ballot materials, along with all records required by law to be kept in connection with the election, available for inspection, unless those materials have been requested as part of a state recount.

Following the recount, the municipal clerk shall reseal the package of ballots and incoming voting list and shall note on the package the fact that the recount was held and the date of the recount.

Within 24 hours after the results of the recount are determined, the municipal clerk shall prepare, sign and issue a final recount tabulation.

Spaulding said that all recounts take place at 45 Commerce Drive in Augusta, the same location as where Ranked Choice Voting tabulation is taking place for the U.S. House race between Paul LePage and Matt Dunlap.

The recount for Maine House District 106 will be held soon as new state legislators will be sworn in on Dec. 2 with the 133rd Maine Legislature convening in Augusta on Jan. 8, 2027.

In Raymond, Democrat Abigail Geer has been declared the winner of the Maine House District 86 race for the seat representing Raymond, Casco, Frye Island, and Poland. Geer defeated Republican incumbent Rolf Olsen receiving 2,572 votes to Olsen’s 2,512.

Olsen has served in the legislature since defeating Democrat Craig Messigner by 227 votes in November 2024.

Results from the Nov. 3 election were slow to be reported for this race with Geer clinging to a 34-vote lead, 2,540 to 2,506, with 99 percent of the votes counted. The final margin of victory for Geer was by a total of 60 votes.

Geer is a community organizer and first-time legislative candidate who had previously run for Raymond Select Board in 2021.

Olsen was seeking a second term as a state legislator and previously served 29 years on the Town of Raymond Budget/Finance committee including 15 years as chair and for nine years on the Town of Raymond Select Board with three years as Select Board chair. <

RSU 14 Board of Directors decline to name new school after Diamond

By Ed Pierce

By a vote of 7-2, the RSU 14 Board of Directors rejected a proposal to name the new middle school under construction for the late Windham legislator and children’s advocate Bill Diamond.

Members of the RSU 14 Board of Directors voted during
a meeting on  Nov. 4 to officially name the new middle
school as 'Windham Raymond Middle School' to best
represent both communities. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

Meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Windham High School, the board instead voted to name the school Windham Raymond Middle School to make the Raymond students, and the Raymond community feel that they are an equal part of the new school and to reflect both the communities of Windham and Raymond.

When the new school opens in August 2027, students attending Windham Middle School and Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond are scheduled to go to the new school and each of the current middle schools will be closed. Fifth grade classes from Manchester School in Windham are also scheduled to attend the new school.

Prior to voting on the new school’s name, members of the community spoke about their preferences for the new school’s name and RSU 14 Board Chair Christina Small entered emails that the board received about the name into the meeting minutes.

John Cressey of Windham, a Windham High School graduate and local business owner organized an effort to have the school named for Diamond, who died Aug. 31, 2025 at the age of 80.

“Having the new school named for one of the most influential people in Windham and Raymond, who rose up to become Maine Secretary of State, all while still maintaining close ties to the community would be inspirational,” Cressey said. “He deeply cared about the community and for children and was at every sporting event until he passed away. He sponsored a softball team every season for 30 years in Windham Little League even after his daughters were out of school.”

Diamond had taught in both Windham and Raymond schools, was the original principal of Manchester School in Windham, and also served as principal of Windham Middle School, Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond and was Superintendent of Raymond schools. He also represented both Windham and Raymond as a Maine State Senator, Windham as a Maine State Representative, and was Maine’s Secretary of State from 1989 to 1997.

He also co-founded Windham Neighbors Helping Neighbors to provide heat assistance to those in need in Windham and Raymond, and the Walk A Mile In Their Shoes Foundation to end child homicide in the state of Maine. He was known statewide as a staunch advocate for children and led Maine Senate investigations into prominent deaths of abused children whose families were relegated to the state’s child welfare system.

Some critics opposed naming the new school for Diamond because of his association as superintendent and director of governmental relations for the troubled Elan School in Poland in the 1980s, which was permanently closed in 2011 following allegations of abuse there.

After voting to name the new school Windham Raymond Middle School, some board members suggested that Diamond could be remembered by creating a scholarship for graduates in his memory.

Despite the RSU 14 Board of Directors vote, supporters of the naming the new school after Diamond have created a community petition drive and hope to present it at a future board meeting and ask the board to reconsider the school’s name. Community members can also email comments about the school’s name to [email protected] <

PWD secures $8.1 million grant to protect Sebago Lake

Portland Water District (PWD) has been awarded an $8.1 million federal grant to lead a regional watershed protection initiative safeguarding Sebago Lake, the drinking water source for more than 200,000 people.

A federal grant of $8.1 million has been awarded to the 
Portland Water District to lead a regional watershed
protection initiative safeguarding Sebago Lake, the
drinking water source for  more than 200,000 people.
COURTESY PHOTO

Through the Sebago Clean Waters (SCW) collaborative, partners will advance stream restoration, forest conservation, and forest stewardship across the Sebago Lake watershed from Bethel to Standish.

The award, funded through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), will leverage an additional $10 million in partner contributions, enabling more than $18 million in critical watershed protection work.

This award builds on an initial $8 million RCPP award secured in 2020. That award resulted in the conservation of over 12,000 acres of priority forest, the reconnection of 42 miles of rivers and streams, and the sustainable management of over 5,000 acres of forest.

PWD’s responsibility to provide safe, reliable drinking water begins with protecting its source. Watershed conservation and stewardship complement the treatment and monitoring programs by safeguarding water quality before it reaches Sebago Lake.

“Conserving land is essential to protecting Sebago Lake. This investment strengthens that protection by improving forest health and reconnecting streams,” said Paul Hunt, Environmental Services Manager at PWD. “It is an $8.15 million commitment to the people who depend on Sebago Lake today and the generations who will depend on it tomorrow.”

Over the next five years, this Phase II initiative will focus on three key priorities:
Permanent Forest Conservation: 

** Working with interested landowners to purchase conservation easements on high-priority forests to safeguard natural water filtration and prevent development fragmentation.

** Forest Stewardship: Providing private landowners with technical assistance and funding for forest management planning, invasive plant and insect control, and habitat enhancement.

** Stream Restoration: Removing barriers and improving stream crossings to promote fish passage, restore natural river flows, and build flood resilience.

Anticipated outcomes of this Phase II project include 30 miles of improved stream habitat, over 6,000 acres of improved forest stewardship and 2,000 acres of permanent forest conservation.

"This award demonstrates what strong regional collaboration can accomplish," said Karen Young, Partnership Director for Sebago Clean Waters. "By bringing together partners with shared interest in conserving the watershed, we are multiplying the impact of every dollar invested. This funding allows us to expand our reach, work with more landowners and build resilience into our regional ecosystem."

Half of the on-the-ground project funding is directed for aquatic habitat restoration along local streams. Over decades, outdated culverts and stream crossings have fragmented and degraded water habitat. SCW partners will upgrade crossings to restore natural stream connections, allow fish and other aquatic organisms to pass freely, and reduce local flood risks during heavy storms.

SCW partners the Lakes Environmental Association and the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership will work closely with Trout Unlimited to identify and repair important stream crossings in the Crooked River and other river networks in the watershed.

"Our lakes and streams don't exist in isolation, they depend on healthy tributaries and well-managed forests surrounding them," said Colin Holme, Executive Director of the Lakes Environmental Association. "This investment enables us to tackle critical stream crossings, open up miles of habitat for native aquatic species, and work directly with landowners and towns to keep our ecosystems thriving while improving road and drainage infrastructure at the same time."

The project is in support of a national NRCS priority to safeguard critical public drinking water sources.

About participants 

Portland Water District protects public health and the environment by delivering clean drinking water to more than 200,000 Mainers and providing essential wastewater services. From safeguarding Sebago Lake to treating wastewater, PWD combines science, skilled professionals, and responsible investment to keep communities healthy and thriving.

Sebago Clean Waters works collaboratively to sustain and enhance clean water and healthy forests in the Sebago Lake watershed to support thriving human and ecological communities.

The SCW collaborative members are Loon Echo, Western Foothills, Mahoosuc, and Presumpscot Regional Land Trusts, Lakes Environmental Association, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Portland Water District, Open Space Institute, and The Nature Conservancy.

Trout Unlimited brings people together across the country to be champions for their rivers and help make our water cleaner, our communities healthier and our fisheries stronger. <

Many incumbents fall in general election races

By Ed Pierce

It was not politics as usual in the 2026 general election as incumbents were ousted in Windham and Raymond and referendums proposed by the Windham Town Council were defeated.

Republican State Rep. Barbara Bagshaw, who had served in the Maine House for two terms, lost by 139 votes to Democrat Bradley Youngs for the right to represent part of Windham in the House District 106 race. Youngs, a former golf professional, restaurant manager, stay-at-home father, received 2,637 votes to Bagshaw’s 2,498.

Democrat Joseph Campbell also won the Maine House District 107 seat representing part of Windham by defeating incumbent Republican Mark Cooper. Campbell, a substitute teacher, received 2,631 votes to Cooper’s 2,318.

In Raymond, Democrat Abigail Geer leads incumbent Republican Rolf Olsen by 30 votes with 98.2 percent of voting reported for the House District 86 seat, representing Raymond, Casco, Frye Island, and Poland. Geer, a community organizer, received 2,536 votes to Olsen’s 2,506. If that margin holds, Olsen could request a formal recount.

For State Senate District 26, representing Windham, Raymond, Casco, Frye Island and part of Westbrook, incumbent Democrat Tim Nangle won a third term defeating Republican challenger Kenneth Cianchette. Nangle, an IT Help Desk lead, received 11,307 votes to Cianchette’s 7,876.

In a statement to the press, Nangle said he was ready to get back to work in Augusta on behalf of his constituents.

“I’m honored that the people of Senate District 26 are once again trusting me to fight for them in Augusta,” Nangle said. “I’m ready to get back to work to lower costs for Maine’s working families and seniors, defend our rights and freedoms and build a strong future for the state we all love.”

State legislators will be sworn in on Dec. 2 with the 133rd Maine Legislature convening in Augusta on Jan. 8, 2027.

The top two recipients receiving the most votes out of four candidates were elected to RSU 14 Board of Director positions representing Windham for three-year terms. Winning re-election to the RSU 14 Board was incumbent Marge Govoni, who received 3,769 votes. Also winning a RSU 14 Board position was Megan Potter, a Case Manager Lead, who received 3,617 votes. Incumbent Joseph Kellner was third with 3,266 votes and Adam Zajac was fourth with 3,223 votes.

Two unopposed candidates were elected for three-year terms to serve on the Windham Town Council. Mark Cobb, a business owner, and incumbent Mark Morrison, a financial advisor, will be sworn in by Windham Town Clerk Anthony Blasi. Morrison received 7,068 votes to represent Windham’s East District on the council. Cobb received 7,629 votes to serve in an at-large position on the council.

Both Windham Town Council and RSU 14 Board of Directors positions are non-partisan.

In Cumberland County races, incumbent sheriff Kevin Joyce was unopposed for re-election as was Probate Judge Paul Aranson and both will continue to serve in those roles following the election.

With about 89.2 percent of precincts reporting, incumbent Cumberland County District Attorney Jacqueline Sartoris was leading Stephanie Anderson by more than 36,000 votes and appears to have won re-election for a second term.

In Windham, three referendum measures were rejected by voters.

The first referendum would have modified the Windham Town Charter to scrap the annual town meeting held every June on a Saturday where the municipal budget is discussed and voted on by residents. It would have changed municipal budget approval to a public vote held on Maine Primary Day on the second Tuesday in June coinciding with the annual RSU 14 school budget voting. Voters defeated the proposal with 5,637 voting no and 3,821 voting yes. 

The second referendum would have raised the threshold requiring voter approval for off‑budget spending from $25,000 to $500,000. Windham Town Councilors said this measure would give the council flexibility in presenting either a single up‑or‑down budget vote or departmental line items. They said raising the threshold requiring voter approval for off‑budget spending would have allowed the council to approve purchases up to a $500,000 limit without going to a town-wide vote for approval. Councilors said this measure is currently being used by surrounding towns and the current limit of $25,000 no longer provides for emergency operations or acquisitions in a meaningful way. Voters defeated this proposal with 5,310 voting no and 3,943 voting yes.

The third referendum asked if the town should purchase Windham Middle School for $1 from RSU 14 once it becomes vacant in the fall of 2027 and then repurpose the building into a Community Center and housing for town offices and the Windham Public Library. The cost would be estimated at $19.5 million by issuing general obligation bonds for the project and includes design work, engineering, professional services, site preparation, construction, renovation, operating expenses, and other improvements and furnishings as may be required in connection with the project. The proposal included leveraging up to $2 million of the town fund balance as the Windham Town Council deems reasonable and necessary to reduce the borrowing amount and directly pay costs of the project. Voters defeated this proposal with 5,267 residents voting no and 4,548 voting yes.

Despite the Community Center referendum failing, the Town of Windham does retain the right of first refusal for the purchase of the Windham Middle School building once it is vacant. <

Cub Scout Pack 805 organizes food drive

By Ed Pierce

The father of scouting, Robert Baden-Powell once wrote that a scout's duty is to be useful and to help others. With that in mind, Windham Cub Scout Pack 805 will be conducting a food drive at the Shaw’s Supermarket in Windham to assist those in need.

Members of Windham Cub Scouts Pack 805 will conduct a
food drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 at
Shaw's Supermarket, 770 Roosevelt Trail, in Windham.
Known as 'Scouting for Food,' the initiative will benefit
the Windham Food Pantry and St. Ann's Episcopal Church
Essentials Pantry. This year's theme is "Fill the Boat,' with
a boat on hand to hold all donations before delivery.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, Cub Scouts Pack 805 will be leading a food drive at Shaws, located at 770 Roosevelt Trail in Windham. The initiative is known as "Scouting for Food" and every item collected will benefit the Windham Food Pantry and the St. Ann's Episcopal Church Essentials Pantry.

This year's Scouting for Food theme is "Fill the Boat," with a boat on hand to hold all donations prior to delivery.

Josh Smeltzer of Cub Scouts Pack 805 says participating in the food drive instills character, citizenship, personal fitness and leadership in young scouts.

"One way Pack 805 does this is through teaching kids how to not only respect and safely enjoy the outdoors but also respect and give back to their country and their community through projects like Scouting for Food,” Smeltzer said. “The aims of Cub Scouts Pack 805 are character, citizenship, personal fitness, and leadership. One way Pack 805 does this is through teaching kids how to not only respect and safely enjoy the outdoors but also respect and give back to their country and their community through projects like Scouting for Food.”

He said that joining the Cub Scouts is the first step in a journey to become a responsible citizen who cares about their neighbors and the community.

Smeltzer said 2026 marks the 41st anniversary of the national Scouting for Food program. It was launched in 1981 as an Eagle Scout Project by Christopher DuBois of Boy Scout Troop 643 in St. Ann, Missouri, and the program was officially implemented as a council-wide project of the Boy Scouts of America, Great Saint Louis Area Council, in 1985.

In 1988, Boy Scouts of America (now Scouting America) adopted the program, rolling it out nationwide, Smeltzer said.

Both the Windham Food Pantry and St. Ann's are in need of canned vegetables and meats, fresh fruit and vegetables, pancake, cookie and muffin mixes, pasta and rice, prepared meals like Hamburger Helper, cold and hot cereal, peanut butter, jelly, and bottled water and juices, he said.

“Thank you for your help this giving season,” Smeltzer said.

Cash donations and gift cards will also be accepted during the Nov. 14 food drive at Shaws.

For more information about Windham Cub Scout Pack 805, send an email to [email protected] or visit www.beascout.org. <

Windham resident to compete in ‘Million Dollar Affordability Showdown’

By Ed Pierce

Kaullen Winter of Windham is one of just 12 nationwide finalists set to compete in the “Million Dollar Affordability Showdown” in Georgia and a chance to walk away with a $1 million prize.

Kaullen Winter of Windham, right, is one of
12 nationwide finalists competing in Atlanta,
Georgia in the 'Million Dollar Affordability
Showdown' and hopes to win a $1 million
prize for his wife, Kassaundra, and their
family.  SUBMITTED PHOTO

Winter, 32, works for Cintas in Westbrook as a maintenance technician and has worked as a maintenance technician for the past 13 years. He first heard about the contest while online.

“I found the program via an ad on Instagram I believe,” he said. “There was a commercial or reel that was talking about the affordability crisis and if we thought we knew why everything is so expensive. All I had to do was take a quiz and I would be entered in a sweepstakes drawing to compete in Atlanta for the grand prize of $1 million.”

The “Million Dollar Affordability Showdown” is held in Atlanta, Georgia and is the culmination of “The Million Dollar Question,” a national initiative that challenged Americans on their knowledge of economics, affordability and the issues affecting everyday life.

As just one contestant out of hundreds of thousands of participants from across the country, Winter made it to the final 12 contestants and will be flown to Atlanta to compete in the live competition. This summer, he answered questions at the “Million Dollar Question Official Site” covering a range of affordability topics like housing, wages, healthcare, groceries, childcare, and government spending.

The “Million Dollar Affordability Showdown” contest is sponsored by The Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) which launched a national campaign asking Americans a question they're already asking themselves: "What's Behind the Affordability Crisis?"

The questions that were posed in the online quiz this summer were designed to enable respondents to understand the economic forces causing America's affordability problems such as inflation, tariffs, indebtedness and soaring interest rates.

National finalists were randomly selected by The Foundation for Economic Education to compete in the "Affordability Showdown" game show taped finale in Atlanta hosted by comedian and political satirist Andrew Heaton.

"Affordability problems are often bottleneck problems," said Diogo Costa, FEE's President. "If we do not build enough homes, train enough doctors, produce enough energy, or make it easier for businesses to serve people, the result shows up as higher prices and tighter family budgets. The ‘Million Dollar Question’ asks Americans to look at the bottlenecks behind the bills."

For FEE, the contest is a bridge to teach Americans about the real economics behind rising costs of living, Costa said.

Founded in 1946, FEE has been helping Americans understand the real economics behind what they're living through. FEE’s mission is to inspire, educate, and connect future leaders with the economic, ethical, and legal principles of a free society. These principles include: individual liberty, free-market economics, entrepreneurship, private property, high moral character, and limited government.

"Affordability isn't abstract," Heaton said. "It's rent, groceries, childcare – stuff people deal with every day. This quiz turns that daily pressure into a national conversation and, for 12 people, into a shot at the Affordability Showdown finale in Atlanta with a $1 million prize."

Winter says he has no expectations for the national finals but welcomes the opportunity to travel to Atlanta. 

“I hope to win it all more than anything, but enjoying the free vacation is also part of the experience,” he said.

As the father of five young girls, Winter spends a lot of time when he’s not working playing with his children, playing video games, working on equipment, and enjoying whatever life has to offer.

He says he’s looking forward to competing in the “Million Dollar Affordability Showdown.” Taping of the national finals will take place later this month.

“New experiences are always a bonus,” Winter said. <