Community organizations collaborate to keep Lake Region residents warm: Applications being accepted for free custom window inserts

By Lorraine Glowczak

It’s happening again this year! The Raymond Village Library, Raymond Village Community Church, Age Friendly Raymond and the AmeriCorps volunteer based at Saint Joseph’s College will be combining efforts and organizing a Window Dressers event to help individuals who live in the greater Sebago Lakes region to stay warm this winter and save on energy costs. Eligible families are being provided with free custom window inserts.

“We are currently accepting applications from everyone who meets the income status for up to 10 free window inserts per 20 households in the lakes region area,” stated Elissa Kane, AmeriCorp Organizer from Saint Joseph’s College. “We are already measuring windows for individuals from Westbrook to Standish, Raymond and Windham. We will continue to measure windows until Tuesday, December 10^th.”

Briefly, the above local organizations will work in collaboration with the WindowDressers.org organization. The mission of that organization brings volunteers together to improve the warmth and comfort of homes, lower heating costs, and reduce CO2 emissions by producing low-cost insulating window inserts that function as interior-mounted storm windows. Staff supplies, trains, and supports teams of community volunteers as they build affordable, insulating window inserts at local workshops.

State Representative Jessica Fay said in a previous interview, "Helping people save money on their heating bills, especially as we head into another cold winter, makes sense. We need to make sure that older people and everyone in our community stays warm.

“We all knew that our neighbors could use a helping hand staying warm and decided we could do something about it together” said Reverend Nancy Foran of the Raymond Village Community Church, United Church of Christ. “When the library and AmeriCorps approached us to partner on this project in previous years, we were excited to participate.” 

The group will build approximately 200 window inserts from Monday, January 27^th to Friday, January 31^st at the Raymond Village Community Church. “The inserts act like interior storm windows and save a gallon of heating oil for every square foot of insert. The Town of Raymond helped us spread the word and the Raymond Lions Club made sure that every family that came into our food pantry heard about the program” said Sheila Bourque. the coordinator of the event and President of the Raymond Village Library.

The effort needs volunteers to work in shifts to complete the window inserts and also has a need for volunteers to feed those working on the windows. Shifts are for three hours and all materials and training will be provided.

Kane also mentioned that individuals who would like window inserts, but don’t meet the qualifications to get them for free, the possibility to purchase is available. “We will also provide the inserts to paying customers who don't qualify for the free inserts,” explained Kane. “They are extremely low cost due to the nature of the program.”

To sign up as a volunteer, as an individual in need or to purchase window inserts you can contact Kane by emailing her at ekane@sjcme.edu or reaching her by phone at 207-893-7783.

For more information on Window Dressers visit www./windowdressers.org/