Looking for an activity to put you into the holiday spirit, while also supporting a good cause? There’s one coming up this weekend in Windham.
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| Petals Farm and Garden Design, 11 Brick Hill Road in Windham, is hosting a wreath-making class at 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 15 to help the RSU 14 Travel Club raise money for an educational trip to Spain for students at Jordan-Small Middle School and Windham Middle School next spring. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
“I think it is very important that when we do community events that we support one another,” Messer said. “This wreath-making class is a great way to celebrate the season, spend family time together, and support a local business at the same time; it’s a win, win, win. Lyndsay Stretch was super gracious to quickly say ‘yes’ and supportive for this event.”
The wreath-making class will be led by Lyndsay Stretch, owner and operator of Petals Farm and Garden Design, whose child also attends RSU 14. Stretch is an expert in everything floral and is also a designer for landscaping. She is very involved with RSU 14 and field hockey.
The wreath-making class will be held inside of a greenhouse where Stretch will walk participants through how to make their own wreaths and show them how different supplements can be added to the wreath. Stretch is very artsy and creative and says participants will not leave this class with a generic, box-stamped wreath, but with something that is unique, different, and special, along with the memories of making it.
She said that the wreaths can then be used to hang on the door, entryway, or give as a beautiful gift.
This planned trip to Spain will be a first for students attending Windham Middle School and Jordan-Small Middle School.
“Last spring, I partnered with EF Tours to be able to offer tours for middle schoolers,” says Mandy Lavallee, a Windham Middle School eighth-grade Language Arts teacher and EF Tours group leader. “We chose Spain because it was specifically designed for middle schoolers, and we also wanted to make sure that it was equitable not just for students who were studying Spanish. We are taking seventh and eighth graders from both Jordan-Small Middle School and also Windham Middle School. We wanted the kids to be able to experience something different.”
Even though each student has their own fundraising page with a specific link, they have been working on other ways to raise funds. Students have gone to local businesses looking for donations and most recently the group participated in the district’s Athletic Booster's craft fair.
Still, teachers and parents sought a way to help alleviate costs. They did not just want the students to have the trip paid for them, but for the kids to also get involved and see the process. They just finished up in November with the craft fair where many talented and artistic students made things such as cards, woodworking projects, and other works of art and they were able to raise more than $700 for the trip through the craft fair.
“We also have a Clynk account and will be having a car wash in April along with some other fundraisers,” says Lavallee.
The Spain trip is scheduled to take place during April vacation for students.
“The eight days include airfare, a 24/7 tour guide, breakfast, lunch and all excursions,” says Lavallee. “Traveling to Spain is a great opportunity for our students to experience other cultures and ways of life. They will learn new skills such as tile making, olive oil farming and Flamenco dancing in Seville. Zip lining in Toledo is just the icing on the cake.”
If anyone would like to donate to the group, they may do so by writing a check out to EF Educational Tours. Please send to Windham Middle School, Attention Mandy Lavallee, 408 Gray Road, Windham, Maine 04062.
The wreath-making class costs $60 to participate and while the event will be held inside a greenhouse, organizers advise participants to dress seasonally. <
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