Deadline nears to participate in WindowDressers community build

By Ed Pierce

Colder weather is nearing and for many, staying warm in winter is a priority. An economical and helpful way to do that is to participate in the WindowDressers program.

The second WindowDressers Community Build will be held
Dec. 1 to Dec. 6 at the South Windham Fire Station. The
program offers low-cost or free insulated window inserts
placed in windows to keep heat in homes during winter. A
deadline of  Nov. 1 is nearing to measure windows and 
anyone interested in participating should sign up now. 
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

WindowDressers provide insulated window inserts to help keep heat in for free or at a low cost. It is a grassroots volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that trains, supplies, and supports teams of volunteers hosting community builds with the goal to create insulating window inserts for local residents.

The program brings together community volunteers of all economic and social situations together to improve the warmth and comfort of interior spaces, lower heating costs, and reduce emissions by producing low-cost insulating window inserts that function as custom, interior-mounted storm windows.

Camille Beaulieu, an AmeriCorps volunteer serving with the Town of Windham, is organizing the second Window Dressers Community Build from Dec. 1 to Dec. 6 at the South Windham Fire Station.

Beaulieu said insulated window inserts help prevent heat loss in homes, much of which occurs through windows with about 30 percent of an average home’s heat loss occurring through windows and doors.

“Our custom-built window inserts significantly reduce this heat loss by creating two additional sealed air spaces: one between the insert and window and another between the two plastic layers,” she said. “This effectively doubles window insulation, making homes more energy efficient and comfortable throughout the winter. Our research shows that, in a typical house, and one medium sized insert (30 inches by 52 inches) can save an average of 8.5 gallons of heating oil every year.”

The price of the inserts varies upon the size and complexity of the required insert.

“Inserts are free for those who cannot afford to pay, and low cost for middle- and high-income households,” Beaulieu said. “WindowDressers keeps their insert prices exceptionally low at about 50 to 75 percent cheaper than commercial products through their non-profit model of cooperative insert-building. This means that customers contribute time at our local Community Build.”

Last year was the first year that Age Friendly Windham (AFW) participated in the WindowDressers community build event.

Age Friendly Windham Coordinator Erica Bell-Watkins said the program aligns with the organization’s action plan to help facilitate weatherization programs for the community. It also aligns with the Town of Windham’s energy plan 2023 to educate and assist residents with utilizing energy efficiency programs.

“It was a wonderful community building event that brought people from the region of all ages, backgrounds and life experiences together,” Bell-Watkins said. “Students from Saint Joseph’s College hopped in to help along with volunteers from several organizations and the window receipts. We shared meals and stories."

Residents of the Sebago Lakes Region, which includes Windham, Raymond and Standish, can sign up now for inserts which will be built and distributed in January.

The inserts are built of attractive pine frames and wrapped drum-tight with two layers of durable plastic film. These layers create an insulating air space while letting in all the light and views. Foam weather stripping around the outer edges stops drafts and ensures the insert’s snug fit.

All inserts are built at the community build event, where volunteers and customers come together to assemble them. Each insert is made in a few simple steps with the help of custom jigs, which guide every step of assembly so that anyone, regardless of experience, can easily and consistently build inserts. 

“Customers install the window inserts themselves once they bring them home,” Beaulieu said. “The inserts are lightweight and designed to slide easily into the inside of the window. Each insert has a small pull tab at the bottom for removal at the end of the heating season.”

The WindowDressers program is supported through a diverse range of funding sources, including individual donations and grants from foundations across New England.

According to Beaulieu, WindowDressers is still actively accepting insert requests and actively measuring windows. The measuring deadline is Nov. 1 so all orders must be in and measured before then.

“Anyone who wants to request inserts should do so now, so volunteers have enough time to measure all windows by Nov. 1,” Beaulieu said. “We are also asking folks to volunteer to build window inserts with us Dec. 1 to 6 at this link: https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/922215120126/false#/invitation. You can also sign up to provide food, if you're unable or not available for build shifts.” <

Raymond-Casco Historical Society selling honey after successful harvest

By Ed Pierce

It’s been more than a year in the making, but Sue Pride of the Raymond-Casco Historical Society says its “Honey Bee Project” is such a success that it is now able to offer an abundance of honey for sale to the public.

Beekeeper Ingo Hartig of Raymond has
helped establish a 'Honey Bee Project' for
the Raymond-Casco Historical Society and
it yielded more than 90 pounds of honey
this year. Honey is now for sale at the
Raymond-Cascp Historical Museum at
1 Shadow Road in Casco.
SUBMITTED PHOTO   

In the early spring of 2025, the society launched the project when beekeeper and member Ingo Hartig established two hives on the Raymond-Casco Historical Museum campus in Casco. Hartig also offered educational talks at the Casco Public Library and the Raymond Village Library about beekeeping.

The museum also hosted a lively Bee Celebration later in 2025, with the Queen Bee in attendance, bringing crafts, games, and all things honey to families and visitors on a weekend event. Since then, school groups and homeschoolers have made the bee talks a popular event, sparking curiosity and countless questions about beekeeping.

Pride said that although the original museum hives were lost this spring because of weather or as the result of other natural causes, strong educational interest inspired the historical society to continue the program with newly purchased bees.

“This year’s improved spring weather helped the new colony thrive,” Pride said.

In May, third graders from Raymond Elementary School visited the museum and engaged enthusiastically with a presentation about bees with Hartig, reaffirming the historical society’s decision to keep the program alive.

According to Pride, this season yielded a major success with a harvest of more than 90 pounds of honey.

“After uncapping the waxed cells, pouring out the golden liquid, and extracting it in a centrifuge, the honey has been bottled under the label “Ingo & Hugo’s Honey” honoring both the beekeeper and his helper,” Pride said.

There is always something of interest happening at the Raymond-Casco Historical Society Museum and with the addition of bee hives to the site, Pride says visitors have more to explore from regular weekend events to new collections, and the museum always tries to offer something to fit everyone’s interests.

She said that the museum campus has expanded significantly over the past several years with the addition of a blacksmith’s shop and an old schoolhouse on the museum grounds. Visitors can now take in exhibits showcasing actual items from the Raymond area, as well as the museum’s popular transportation barn.

“A lot is happening here at Raymond-Casco Historical Society,” she said. “We have new exhibits, a model farm, and new bee hives. The idea is to let people know how important honeybees are. Ingo especially likes working with children.”

For the early settlers of Raymond, honey gathered from bee hives was used instead of sugar, which was a highly taxed item by the British. The production of honey and beeswax became an important source of income for colonists, and used to make products such as candles, lipstick, shoe polish, and mead.

The honey collected from the 2026 harvest is now for sale at the Raymond-Casco Historical Museum, 1 Shadow Lane off Route 302 in Casco. The price is $15 per bottle.

The museum is open from noon to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays this fall.

Honey will also be available from 3 to 6 p.m. at Casco Fest on Saturday, Sept. 26 and Sunday, Sept. 27.

“The honey is selling quickly, and community members are encouraged to visit the museum soon to purchase a bottle and support this educational and environmental initiative,” Pride said.

To learn more about the Raymond-Casco Historical Society or the “Honey Bee Project,” visit www.raymondcascohistoricalsociety.org or follow the historical society on Facebook for updates, events, and historical programing. <

Windham Leaf and Brush Disposal Site preparing for seasonal opening

By Ed Pierce

It seems like summer just started but falling leaves tell a different story for Windham residents as their yards fill up with leaves and piles of unwanted brush that have accumulated on their property since spring. The big question is how to get rid of it.

The Windham Leaf and Brush Disposal Site will be open
from Saturday, Oct. 17 to Sunday, Nov. 8 at the end of
Enterprise Drive off Route 302 behind the self-storage
building in North Windham. COURTESY PHOTO

With that in mind, Windham’s Department of Public Works has announced the dates for dropping off leaves and brush for fall disposal and residential clean-ups in town.

The Windham Leaf and Brush Disposal Site will officially open for the fall season at 7 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 and will wrap up operations for the fall season at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8. The Leaf and Brush Disposal Site can be found at the very end of Enterprise Drive off Route 302 behind the self-storage building in North Windham.

According to Windham DPW officials, residents who are dropping off items for disposal at the Leaf and Brush Disposal Site need to separate leaves from brush and place them in the appropriate areas where the marked and the posted signs indicate at the disposal site.

For residents transporting leaves to the Leaf and Brush Disposal Site in paper or plastic bags, DPW requests that the leaves be removed from the bags and the bags taken back home for proper disposal there. They also ask that residents not bring any unwanted brush or branches larger than 12 inches in diameter to the site for disposal.

Grass clippings are allowed to be dumped at the Windham Leaf and Brush Disposal Site, but large heavy tree stumps are not permitted for disposal there. And, DPW says that residents are not allowed to dump garbage, metal, trash, rubble, old televisions or appliances at the facility.

For new residents who were wondering, the Town of Windham does not offer a collection for leaves at the curb, and bags of leaves should not be placed in weekly recycling bins for collection.

Each fall about 600 to 700 yards in cubic feet of leaves and unwanted brush are typically collected at the town’s Leaf and Brush Disposal Site.

Windham DPW officials say to use the service, load up your vehicle and take the bags for disposal to the Leaf and Brush Disposal Site which will be open around the clock, 24 hours a day to Windham residents.

While Windham's Public Works department once handled both spring and fall brush disposal services, the town is assisted in this bi-annual collection by R.J Grondin and Sons, a family-owned construction company.

Larry Grondin, vice president of Grondin and Sons, said that it was a "good fit" to offer the town assistance with brush disposal.

"After we helped with Public Works' new building, the initial plan was to just help out while construction was taking place,” he said. “Though we settled on us taking over with the brush disposal entirely since they no longer had the room for it. It's worked out so far for us both and we like working with them."

Grondin said that all materials gathered during the spring and fall brush seasons are given new life through the Grondin and Sons company. Instead of burning the leaves and brush like residents in the past once would, Grondin and Sons find new purposes for the materials.

The leaves are composted, and wood-based materials collected are used to create new heating materials.

Grondin said it’s great knowing that the leaves and brush gathered are repurposed rather than trashed at a waste facility. These disposed materials in Windham gain a new purpose, and it also provides residents with a local site place to self-dispose of leaves and brush free of charge.

To learn more about Windham’s Leaf and Brush Disposal Site, call the Windham Public Works Department at 207-892-1909 or visit www.windhammaine.us. <

Windham voters to decide outcome of two referendums in November

By Ed Pierce

Several significant issues will be decided by referendum in Windham on Nov. 3 and if passed will have lasting implications for town residents for years to come.

Windham voters will cast ballots on Nov. 3 on two town
referendums. The first changes the way the town budget
is approved and amends the town charter to move from
an Annual Town Meeting to public voting in June on the
budget. The second is to approve or reject issuing 
general obligation bonds of up to $19.5 million to
finance the costs of repurposing Windham Middle School
for use as a community center and moving town offices and
Windham Public Library there. This is an artist's depiction
of the completed project. COURTESY PHOTO 

The first referendum modifies the Windham Town Charter to scrap the annual town meeting on a Saturday in June where the municipal budget is discussed and voted on by residents and instead changes municipal budget approval to a public vote held on Maine Primary Day on the second Tuesday in June. This would coincide with the RSU 14 school budget vote for Windham voters.

Since the town charter was adopted and the town council form of government was put in place in 1975, public participation at the Windham Annual Town meeting has dwindled to around 150 residents out of more than 12,000 registered voters in town over the past two years.

During Windham Town Council meetings for several years, councilors discussed the legal aspects of making a charter change with the town attorney. They learned that to make a change to the charter, an amendment was needed and it is required under Maine law to propose an amendment through a formal process that includes public notice, public hearings, and ultimately a vote by town residents at a regular or special election.

Another alternative for the council would have been to form a charter commission of appointed or elected citizens who would research the existing charter, potentially comparing it to those of other municipalities, and drafting a proposed amendment.

After lengthy discussions, councilors chose to increase public participation voting on the municipal budget through an amendment that moves away from an in-person town meeting to a balloted referendum vote and also raising the threshold requiring voter approval for off‑budget spending from $25,000 to $500,000. Councilors say this would give the council flexibility in presenting either a single up‑or‑down budget vote or departmental line items.

In May, Windham Town Council Vice Chair Bill Reiner said he supports the charter amendment.

“While I love the tradition of the Town Meeting, its method has outlived its usefulness,” Reiner said. “Because of that I fully support the efforts being made by the council to enact the potential for change and the ability to bring this Charter Amendment before the people for their consideration and vote. Lastly, and equally important in my mind, is that this discussion and potential change was initiated by input from the public on how they want the town to operate.”

Reiner said that raising the threshold requiring voter approval for off‑budget spending will allow the council to approve purchases up to a $500,000 limit without going to a town-wide vote for approval.

“This falls in line with surrounding towns,” he said. “The current limit of $25,000 no longer provides for emergency operations or acquisitions in a meaningful way.

Councilors chose to put a ‘Charter Amendment’ method before voters which can be used when a specific existing section of the charter is desired to be changed and the change proposed will not drastically affect the charter in its entirety. 

At this year’s Annual Town meeting in June, Windham Town Council Chair Mark Morrison said that the low participation of voters at the town meeting shows why a charter amendment is needed to change the budget process to a public vote by secret ballot like the annual RSU 14 budget vote every spring to increase participation. 

Those who oppose the charter amendment say that voters are being asked to cast their ballot without full information or fully understanding complex or legal language contained in referendums about what they are voting on.

The other referendum issue that Windham voters will determine in November is whether the town should purchase Windham Middle School for $1 once it is vacant in the fall of 2027 and repurpose the facility into a Community Center and housing town offices and the Windham Public Library there for up to $19.5 million by issuing general obligation bonds for the project.

Repurposing the school for use as a community center, including the costs of design, engineering, professional services, site preparation, construction, renovation, operating costs, and other improvements and furnishings as may be required in connection with the project. The proposal includes appropriating up to $2 million of the town’s fund balance as the Windham Town Council deems reasonable and necessary to reduce the borrowing amount and directly pay for costs of the project.

The existing Windham Middle School building first opened in 1974 and was intended for a capacity of 483 students. That number has grown in the past 52 years to 650 students and some sixth graders being housed for classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, which was built in 1949.

In November 2023, a plurality of voters in the school district, which encompasses Windham and Raymond, approved a referendum to build the new Windham Raymond Middle School with about 77 percent of construction costs paid by the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program. The total project budget to construct the new school is estimated at about $171.5 million, with the state funding $131.7 million of that expense and residents of Windham and Raymond paying the remaining $39.8 million.

As part of the referendum in November 2023 to obtain $131.7 million in state funding for the new middle school, RSU 14 voters agreed that the existing Windham Middle School could not be used as a school again, since the state had already contributed funding for substantial repair costs over decades of the building’s use and the school does not have a fire suppression system.

A 20-member Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee looked at ways to best use the soon-to-be vacated school building and found that the basic structure of the school was sound and that it offered 80,000 square feet of available space, the committee looked at the existing town buildings with long-term replacement costs and short-term maintenance, parking improvements and repair costs and decided that a number of municipal services could be relocated to the site for a fraction of the cost of renovating or replacing current buildings.

Windham Town Manager Robert Burns says although the benefits of the Windham Middle School Repurposing Project come with a cost, in the long run it will be cost-effective for the town.

He said this proposal would move Town Hall offices there, along with Windham’s Social Services Office, which houses the Windham Food Pantry, the Windham Public Library, Windham’s Medical Loan Closet, and create a Community Center.

“This building represents an opportunity for us to move forward,” Burns said. <

Pat Moody Foundation to hold Second Annual Gala in October

By Matt Pascarella

Last year the Pat Moody Foundation held its first gala to fundraise for youth sports, student athletes and the community. It was such a success that the members of the foundation decided it should be an annual event and the Second annual Pat Moody Foundation Gala will be held in Portland from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Keeley’s Banquet Center.

Members of the Pat Moody Foundation gather during the first
annual gala held at Keeley's Banquet Center in Portland on
Sept. 6, 2025. Shown are Sherma Moody, left, Chad
Pulkkinen, Tyler Graves, George McCrillis, Jedidiah Merrill,
Geoff Grigsby, Tracey Lydon and Todd Hamilton, in the
middle is Jeff Duquette. This October the Pat Moody
Foundation will hold its second annual gala to raise money
to help fund scholarships, youth sports and community
needs. SUBMITTED PHOTO 

“The goal of the gala is to bring awareness to really anyone and everyone that the Foundation exists, what the values of the foundation are, and of course to raise money so it can continue giving back the way it does,” said Volunteer Organizer Ashley Merrill. “The response from everyone afterward was incredible, and that’s when I knew this couldn’t just be a one-time event. Every ticket, sponsorship, auction bid and donation gets us closer – and ultimately allows the foundation to say yes to more people who need it. It’s really just one night that helps make possible the work the foundation and its board are doing throughout the entire year.”

The money raised goes right back into the community. The Pat Moody Foundation awards thousands of dollars in scholarships each year, finds ways to support athletes such as helping with equipment or participation costs. The foundation also steps in when a family is facing a loss or hardship or simply needs someone in their corner.

Something very important to members of the Pat Moody Foundation is that community doesn’t end at Windham’s town lines. They want to be able to reach beyond the immediate community. They want other communities to be involved, both in supporting the foundation, but also to know that the foundation is there to support them.

During last year’s gala, Merrill set a goal of raising $25,000, and that goal was surpassed, as they raised nearly $30,000. They’ve upped the goal and are hoping to raise $35,000 during the Second Pat Moody Foundation Gala.

This year the theme is “After Hours Masquerade – For the Love of the Game.” While there is a lot of meaning behind the night, they also want it to be fun. Dress up. Bring a mask or make one when you get there. Bring your friends. Bid on something you’d absolutely love to have. Laugh. Stay late. Enjoy yourself.

The gala is not just a fundraising opportunity, but a chance to bring people together and to show them what they are actually supporting.

The money raised during last year’s gala was able to help with entry costs into basketball programs, clothing and uniforms for athletes, and the Pat Moody Foundation was able to provide almost $15,000 in scholarships to area seniors who had shown up for their community while excelling in school academics and sports.

“The gala provides an opportunity where the community can gather to have a great evening while supporting the youth and that is something that Pat would have enjoyed,” said Pat Moody Foundation board member Tracey Lydon. “It also gives us all the opportunity to share our individual stories of Pat. We are so excited to see this event coming back for a second year after the support we received last year, and we can’t thank Pat’s friends and the community as a whole enough for all the support.”

Every sponsorship, every auction donation, every ticket sold, every person who bids and even every person who simply shares one of their posts contributes to something much bigger, Lydon said.

“Pat was the type of person who showed up for people,” said Merrill. “This is our opportunity to keep showing up for people in his name. Our sponsors aren’t just putting their logo on a sign. They’re helping fund scholarships, create opportunities and allowing the Foundation to respond when someone needs help. We want our sponsors to feel like partners in what we’re doing, not simply donors.”

If you’d like to support the Foundation, but can’t attend the gala, the Pat Moody Foundation is looking for silent auction and raffle items. Reach out to Merrill or Lydon on the Pat Moody Foundation’s Facebook page.

Tickets are $110 each and can be purchased directly through Merrill or any Pat Moody Foundation board member. They accept cash, check and Venmo. Tickets can be mailed or picked up in person.

Please send Merill an email with any questions about the gala at [email protected] or reach out through the Pat Moody Foundation’s Facebook page. <

In the public eye: RSU 14 Director of Community Connections prepares future community leaders

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

By Ed Pierce

Helping students to reach their full potential and pursue their dreams beyond high school, nobody does it better than Lorraine Glowczak.

Lorraine Glowczak is in her sixth 
year as the Director of Community
Connections for RSU 14. She serves
as the Senior Capstone Project
Coordinator and Extended
Learning Opportunity Coordinator
for Windham High School and is
available for other tasks across the
school district. 
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

Now in her sixth year as the Director of Community Connections for RSU 14, Glowczak leads Windham High School’s Senior Capstone Project Coordinator and is the Extended Learning Opportunity Coordinator at Windham High School and other projects across the district.

“I was told once by a fellow colleague that I am a dream maker. And I would have to say that assisting students through the Extended Learning Opportunities to explore and discover their dream jobs is by far the best thing about my job,” Glowczak said. “That, and I love to connect with people from all walks of life, and it's been fun connecting with new people, businesses, and entrepreneurs in this and other surrounding communities.”

In her position, Glowczak engages community members and local businesses in the schools to support student needs by providing opportunities to be involved with the school district in multiple ways. She collaborates with multiple stakeholder groups in productive ways, including administration, teachers, and PTA/PTOs, and she participates in local community networking organizations and community events.

Glowczak also uses print, social media and other communication tools to engage the community with the school system, develops and maintains ongoing relationships with area businesses and nonprofits willing to host students for volunteering, job shadowing, and internships, meets with students and assists them in the process of completing Capstone Project and ELO requirements. As an ELO coordinator, she’s a point-of-contact for ELO students, teachers, and community mentors, internships, and job placements, including follow-up with supervisors and hour documentation. To go with that, she develops curriculum for students receiving elective credit as approved by ELO Team of certified teachers or principals and finds business partners to act as mentors for students for job shadows, internships, and volunteer opportunities.

“The most challenging thing at this point is trying to balance my work between the high school while also meeting the needs of the whole school district,” she said. “The biggest misconception is that I work only for the high school.”

Glowczak grew up in Nortonville, Kansas with a population of about 700 located in the Northeast Corner between Atchison and Topeka in Kansas. She graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a Bachelor of Science degree in Leadership and Organizational Studies and has worked as a substitute teacher, and at several preschools.

“I worked for a STEM Enrichment organization as a workshop, after school program, summer camp, and preschool workshop instructor. I was also an Outreach Coordinator for RSU 14,” she said.

She has a passion for writing and storytelling and that eventually led to her working as the Managing Editor of The Windham Eagle newspaper before she took a position with Be The Influence, a community coalition seeking to eliminate drug misuse in the community.

“My previous job was a work from home job, and I realized that I really enjoyed being with people more,” Glowczak said. “As I was looking for a good fit for me, a friend suggested that I look for jobs as a community connector since she thought I did a good job doing that. So, when this job was announced I applied and was offered the job.”

It turned out to be an excellent fit for her as Glowczak’s congenial disposition and outgoing personality relate well with students and the local businesses she lines up to give students a taste of working in different professions. He businesses are grateful to be able to help and work with her.

“My husband is proud of my position here with the school district and what he loves most about my job is meeting my students at school events,” she said.

According to Glowczak, many people aren’t aware that RSU 14 offers extended Learning Opportunities for students. 

“The public may not know that my position exists and, as a result, they do not know that they can reach out to me for volunteer needs and for job opportunity requests,” she said.

Her most memorable moment of working for RSU 14 so far is difficult for her to pinpoint.

“There are too many moments to share but all those memories pour in each year when the seniors graduate,” Glowczak said. “I've learned so many things but one of the most important things I've learned is that most GEN Z students are more aware, knowledgeable, resilient, and enthusiastic about life than they are given credit for. Each generation offers some important contribution to society, and this generation is no different.” <

Windham Middle School music program brings back mattress fundraiser

By Masha Yurkevich

The music program at the Windham Middle School (WMS) is once again turning an everyday household purchase into an opportunity for students to perform, learn, and compete at an annual music festival. The school band and orchestra program will hold its annual Mattress Fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18 in the Windham Middle School gym.

Windham Middle School's band and orchestra program will
hold its annual Mattress Fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
on Sunday, Oct. 18 in the school gym to help send WMS
student musicians to attend the Trills and Thrills Music
Festival in New Hampshire next spring.
COURTESY IMAGE   

The one-day fundraiser helps raise money to send WMS musicians to the Trills and Thrills Music Festival in Salem, New Hampshire, on the first Thursday in June at no cost to participating students.

Morgan Riley, band and orchestra teacher at Windham Middle School, started the fundraiser four years ago after the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly affected the music program at the school.

“We were recovering from the pandemic decimating our music program,” Riley said.

Once the program had enough students to attend a music festival again, Riley was approached by Custom Fundraising Solutions Maine about holding a mattress fundraiser. With the trip costing approximately $120 to $140 per student, Riley wanted to find a way to avoid placing another financial burden on families.

“For that reason, I agreed to try the Mattress Fundraiser,” Riley said.

Since then, the fundraiser has become a consistent source of financial support for the music program.

According to Riley, it has earned more than $5,000 for the music trip each year and has helped students attend the Trills and Thrills Music Festival for free in recent years. Riley said the fundraiser works well because it is held in a single day and provides a product that eventually needs to be replaced by nearly every household.

“Everyone sleeps on a mattress, and every year a different set of community members need to replace their mattresses,” Riley said.

The WMS gym will be transformed into a full mattress showroom during the fundraiser. Shoppers will be able to try different makes, models and sizes, including name brands such as Purple, Helix, Therapedic, and Beautyrest. After a purchase is made, the mattress can be delivered directly to the home of the customer. Customers can also request to have their old mattress removed.

At the festival, WMS seventh and eighth grade band and orchestra students perform for judges, who are often college music professors or retired band and orchestra teachers. Students receive specific feedback on their performances and receive a rating of “Good,” “Excellent” or “Superior.” Windham students have earned the highest rating, “Superior,” in two of the past three years.

The festival also gives students the chance to watch other student groups perform before spending the remainder of the day at Canobie Lake Park. Riley said the experience gives students an opportunity to prepare and perform for professionals while receiving feedback they can use to improve their musical skills.

The Trills and Thrills festival also provides a team-building experience for the students, Riley said.

The program is already preparing for its next festival. Students are currently working on musical fundamentals and have begun preparing pieces for their winter program. In January, they will begin working on pieces for the festival and spring concerts.

This year, the Windham High School band and orchestra will also attend the festival for the first time, expanding the experience beyond the middle school program. 

Students and their parents also help promote the fundraiser through word of mouth, texts, emails and social media. Students participate on the day of the sale as well, helping to attract attention to the event from the street. Riley encourages community members to support the fundraiser even if they do not have a child in the music program.

“Supporting the music program takes our full community and we are so thankful,” Riley said.

For Riley, the value of the festival extends beyond the ratings students receive. During the festival last year, both the band and orchestra received 'Excellent' ratings. Although students were disappointed after earning 'Superior' ratings during the previous two years, Riley said the experience provided an opportunity to listen to the judge’s comments, learn from them and use that feedback to improve.

More information about the Mattress Fundraiser is available through the Windham High School/Middle School Music Mattress Sale Fundraiser event on Facebook. <