In the public eye: Building positive relationships leads to success for WMS health teacher

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

By Ed Pierce

Anne Fougere believes that developing and fostering positive relationships with students and leveraging that into better classroom results and an overall better classroom environment is crucial to her success as an educator at Windham Middle School.

Anne Fougere has worked for Windham
Middle School for the past eight years
and for the last seven years she has
been the school's health teacher. She
also serves as the WMS swimming
coach. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Fougere has taught at WMS for the past eight years and for the last seven years she’s served as the school’s health teacher. It’s a challenging role covering topics related to physical, mental, and social health including nutrition, physical activity, and substance abuse prevention, with a goal of empowering students to make informed decisions about their own health and well-being.

“As a middle school health teacher, I help students learn how to take care of themselves physically, emotionally, and socially,” Fougere said. “I spend a lot of time creating lessons and activities that get students to think about real-life situations and choices, like how to eat well, handle stress, and build healthy relationships. I strive to make my classroom a place where everyone feels comfortable asking questions and sharing ideas. One of my main priorities is to build trust with students, support them through challenges, and encourage healthy habits that will stick with them as they leave middle school.”

She says that the best thing about her job is building real connections with my students and watching them grow into more confident, thoughtful people.

“It is incredibly rewarding to create a space where all students feel seen, heard and supported no matter the context,” Fougere said. “Knowing that I can be someone they trust and can turn to makes the job meaningful to me.”

One of the more challenging parts of her job is knowing how to navigate the tough, real-life topics in a way that students feel safe, she said.

“Each student comes from a different background, and I try to honor their experiences while still giving them the honest and accurate information that they need,” Fougere said. “Sometimes it can also be emotionally tough when a student is clearly struggling and you want to help them, but I can be limited on what support I can provide. Moments like this stick with you but they are also a reminder of how much students need someone who cares and show up for them.”

Originally from New Hampshire, Fougere attended Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education, and she’s currently attending the University of Maine to obtain a master’s degree in instructional technology.

While she was at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, Fougere says that she spent a lot of time doing internships and at different placements throughout RSU 14.

“I met a lot of awesome teachers and some that I currently work closely with that I knew would be great coworkers,” she said. “I felt welcomed at each school I went to and knew that this would be a good fit for me. I started at Windham Middle School as an educational technician. During that time, my current position became available, and I decided this would be a great opportunity for me and I have been here ever since.”

She’s been coaching swimming at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine for eight years and has been the WMS head swim coach since 2022.

According to Fougere, people may think that being a health teacher means covering basics like nutrition, hygiene or puberty, but it’s so much deeper than that.

“Health class is a place where students can open up about real things like stress, relationships, identity and mental health to name a few,” she said. “It’s not just about teaching the facts; it’s about creating a space where they feel safe, heard and supported as they figure out who they are and how to take care of themselves. I feel that the public may not realize how much effort and care goes into creating my classroom climate and creating a space where students feel safe opening up. It becomes a place where they talk about things they are struggling with, possibly things that they may not share anywhere else.”

The most important thing she’s learned while working for Windham Middle School is simple.

“I have grown so much as a person and as a teacher over the years and I owe a good portion of it to my work family I have formed,” Fougere said. “There are a lot of great people that work at this school, and I know I wouldn’t be here without them. I’ve learned to trust my instincts and know that I am here for a reason and that I belong here.” <

Volunteers clean up Windham Veterans Center grounds during Rotary’s ‘EPIC Day of Service’

By Ed Pierce

Love for their community and a willingness to help prompted Sebago Lake Rotary Club volunteers to lend a hand May 17 in cleaning up the Windham Veterans Center grounds after a long winter.

Sebago Lake Rotary Club members Mark Morrison, left, and
Robin Mullins take a break from volunteering to help
clean up the Windham Veterans Center grounds during
Rotary's 'EPIC Day of Service' n Windham on May 17.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

The volunteers were inspired as part of Rotary International’s initiative of action, impact, and unity called the “EPIC Day of Service” which united more than 2,500 Rotary clubs and 75,000 Rotarians, community volunteers, and partners across the globe in a single day dedicated to making the world a better place. In all, 1,264 projects worldwide were completed during the “EPIC Day of Service.”

Sebago Lake Rotary Club President-Elect Robin Mullins said that the “EPIC Day of Service” is an unprecedented day for Rotary members to give back to the community because service is at the core of Rotary’s mission.

“We use our knowledge of local issues to identify areas of need, then apply our expertise and diverse perspectives to find a solution,” she said.

Mullins said that as part of the “EPIC Day of Service,” the Sebago Lake Rotary Club reached out to the Windham Veterans Center to see if they needed help.

“I worked with Dave Tanguay and Dave Langway on a list of outside items such as raking, leaf blowing, weeding, and more to help get the property ready for the landscapers, LJ Gagne Landscaping and Excavation, to come in and mow and mulch.”

The prep work was completed Saturday, May 17 as part of the “EPIC Day of Service in Windham.

“What's cool about it though was that the Sebago Lake Rotary Club partnered with the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce and the Lakes Region BNI chapter to do the work,” Mullins said. “We had a dozen people representing all three groups that came together that day to get the work done. It is often hard to find enough volunteers to get things done, so by teaming up we were able to get everything complete in three short hours on a Saturday. LJ Gagne was then able to mow and mulch there and the property was ready to host the Memorial Day activities for the Windham Veterans Center.”

Rotary International brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects millions of members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Its work impacts lives at both the local and the international levels.

The Rotary was created in February 1905 by a Chicago attorney named Paul Harris. He intended to create a space for professionals with diverse backgrounds to gather, creating meaningful and lifelong friendships and exchanging ideas. Now with more than 1.4 million members worldwide, it’s the biggest service organization in the world. Members are currently working on helping save mothers and children, supporting basic education for children, fighting diseases, promoting peace, providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. Rotary has no religious or national affiliation.

The Sebago Lake Rotary Club was originally chartered on March 15, 1983. In 2006, it officially changed its name to better reflect the club’s membership from throughout the Lakes Region of Maine. It has served the local community for decades by raising money for charitable causes, distributing college and career technical education scholarships, and participating in service projects such as the cleanup at the Windham Veterans Center.

“Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for both community service and friendship,” Mullins said.

She said that becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group of professionals who share your drive to give back.

“Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackle the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges,” Mullins said. “Rotary connects millions of members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels.”

The Sebago Lake Rotary Club meets on Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. at Pat's Pizza in Windham. For more details, call 207-577-6654 or visit www.sebaolakerotary.org. <

Windham student attends 2025 Student Craft Institute

Since 1983, the Student Craft Institute has brought high school juniors and seniors across the state of Maine to the Haystack campus in Deer Isle for an immersive three-day program. Students live on campus, share meals in the dining hall, and focus on one discipline for the duration of the weekend. In addition to long days in the studio, faculty lectures are presented each evening, providing insight into the professional and creative lives of working artists.

Maine students, from left, Moriah Doody of
Windham, Lee MacCorkle of Round Pond, 
Sofia Duncan of Kennebunk and Elliot
Larsen of Harpswell join instructor Sharon
Chandler Correnty of Groton, Massachusetts
in creating felted tapestries at a Fiber
workshop during the 2025 Student Craft
Institute at Deer Isle on May 18.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

This year, a total of 64 students from across Maine participated in the Student Craft Institute from Friday, May 16 to Sunday, May 18 and one of those students was Moriah Doody of Windham.

The event provided a truly unique and memorable experience for students. Instructors included Sharon Chandler Correnty (Fiber), Funlola Coker (Metals), Aspen Golann (Wood), Angela Humes (Ceramics), Meghan Martin (Blacksmithing), Rangeley Morton (Fab Lab), and Pilar Nadal and Rachel Kobasa (Graphics).

Haystack’s Student Craft Institute was supported in part by Haystack’s Program Endowment with additional operational support from the Maine Arts Commission and The Windgate Foundation.

The Haystack Mountain School of Crafts connects people through crafts. Haystack provides the freedom to engage with materials and develop new ideas in a supportive and inclusive community. Serving an ever-changing group of makers and thinkers, it is dedicated to working and learning alongside one another, while exploring the intersections of craft, art, and design in broad and expansive ways.

Founded in 1950 as a research and studio program in the arts, Haystack is an international craft school located on the Atlantic Ocean in Deer Isle, Maine, offering one and two-week studio workshops to participants of all skill levels as well as the two-week Open Studio Residency program, tours, auctions, artist presentations, and shorter workshops for Maine residents and high school students. The award-winning campus was designed by noted American architect Edward Larrabee Barnes and opened in 1961 when the school relocated to Deer Isle from its original location in Montville, Maine.

To learn more about the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, visit haystack-mtn.org. <

Route 302 improvements meeting to be held June 18

By Dina Mendros

Improvements are being planned for a portion of Routes 302, 35 and 115 in North Windham and a public open house on Wednesday, June 18 at Windham Town Hall will provide an update for plans of the area.

A Maine Department of Transportation map shows 
improvements planned for a portion of Routes 302,
35, and 115 in North Windham. A public open house
to discuss this project hosted by MDOT will be held
on Wednesday, June 18 at Windham Town Hall.
COURTESY PHOTO  

The majority of the about $31.25 million road project will be paid for through a U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity or RAISE grant. In addition to the $25 million federal grant, the state and town of Windham will each pay half of the remaining $6.25 million.

The June meeting is basically an update of the North Windham Moves project, Maine Department of Transportation Senior Project Manager Ernie Martin said. An initial public hearing was held in June 2024.

The partnership between the town and the state regarding the project, Martin said, began in 2019 and it will be over a decade later when construction is completed. The two entities worked on a feasibility study in 2022 and applied for the RAISE grant the following year. The final preliminary project design report is due in January, with a final public hearing taking place in February.

The plan impact report will be completed by August 2026 with plans and a cost estimate for the project to be completed by June 2027. Construction is set to begin in October 2027, and the estimated completion date is June 2030.

According to Martin, the goals of the project which will affect 4.85 miles are manifold and are designed primarily to improve “a dangerous and inefficient U.S. highway bottleneck.”

Other specific goals include improving “safety and efficiency for motorists;” providing "more uniform accessibility to employment and retail as well as tourism and recreation;” implementing “modern design features that will improve pedestrian and vehicle flow;” meeting the “Americans with Disabilities Act and Maine Department of Transportation standards;” and creating “an efficient and modern supply chain path for goods and services throughout the region.”

The project involves redesigning about 9,000 feet of Route 302 from River Road to White’s Bridge Road in Windham and the creation of three connector routes – walkable back streets – behind the region’s commerce center to ease congestion on Route 302. This project will make improvements to Routes 35 and 115 and it will replace aging traffic signals on Route 302 with smart signals. In addition to making road improvements aimed at benefiting pedestrians and bicyclists, Martin said that this project will construct about 11,700 feet of new multi-use pathway.

Some other key project features include repaving existing roads and adding new roads, adding and upgrading sidewalks on Route 302, installing new curbs in some areas, roadway alignments to be modified, and adding median islands on Route 302.

The North Windham Moves, Regional Mobility, Local Access Transportation Planning and Feasibility Study was commissioned in 2021 as a joint venture between the Town of Windham and the Maine Department of Transportation, with the study conducted by Gorrill Palmer and North Star Planning. The study recommended transportation improvements along Route 302 in North Windham area through the phased creation of three connector roads, addressing access management along Route 302 such as limiting left turns through deployment of a center median, and making corridor and intersection improvements in the area. Heavy traffic during peak travel times remains a problem along Route 302 from the intersection of Route 115 to Franklin Road and causes congestion, motorist delays and a high accident rate for motorists.

Some of the challenges to the area began in the 1990s, Martin said, when Route 302 was expanded from two to five lanes in North Windham with few sidewalks in the area.

“Route 302 was never designed to serve as both a local street dotted with businesses and a through-route for travelers heading to Sebago Lake and other western destinations,” he said. “Routes 35 and 115 are facing similar challenges.”

Traffic has increased so much in recent years it has taken a toll on safety.

“The project area had seven high-crash locations in the three-year period from 2018 to 2020,” Martin said.

The MDOT project was announced in 2023 and when construction is completed, the area should be much safer, he said.

“The construction of the numerous safety elements on this project is expected to reduce vehicle crashes by 21 percent,” Martin said. The safety improvements to be implemented, he said, “will aid in reducing crashes and injuries in a commercial area that has grown rapidly around outdated safety features – or no safety features at all.”

The North Windham Moves road construction project’s open house will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. June 18 at Windham Town Hall at 8 School Road in the Town Hall Gymnasium. Questions can be directed to Maine Department of Transportation Senior Project Manager Ernie Martin at 207-592-0567 or ernest.martin@maine.gov. <

Memorial Day events remember sacrifices of fallen Windham veterans

By Ed Pierce

Once again, Windham residents were reminded that Memorial Day is about more than watching a parade or enjoying a picnic lunch, it serves to honor the men and women of the United States military who unselfishly gave their lives in service to the nation. It is not just a day off from work or the official start of summer. It is a solemn day to remember those who have perished in the defense of liberty.

American legion Post 148 Commander Tom Theriault, right,
reads the names of Windham veterans who have died in the
past year while VFW Post 10643 Commander Willie
Goodman tolls a bell for each name read during Windham's
Memorial day observance on Monday, May 26 at
Windham High School. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

During a Memorial Day observance at Windham High School on Monday morning, members of Windham American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 showed reverence and respect for their fellow veterans and recalled their sacrifices.

Post 148 Tom Theriault introduced Don Swander, who served as Grand Marshal of Windham’s annual Memorial Day Parade, and a Korean War veteran. Swander, who lives in Windham and formerly was the president of the Windham Veterans Association, helped to place a wreath at the Windham Veterans monument as part of the observance.

Lee Humiston, the founder, director, and curator of the Maine Military Museum & Learning Center in South Portland, was guest speaker at the observance. A retired U.S. Air Force colonel, Humiston created the museum with a desire to honor Maine’s men and women who have served the state and the nation for the last 300 years.

Theriault said that Humiston has amassed one of the largest collections of Prisoner of War artifacts and related items in the world. He said that he has extensive experience building exhibits and played a significant role in creating exhibits at the Nixon Library celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Homecoming, as well as two exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the museum in the Hindenburg hangar at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey.

Humiston discussed how the museum continues to grow and remains relevant for future generations of Mainers as they learn about American veterans and their wartime experiences.

“I built this museum not for me and not for you but for your kids,” he said.

During the observance, old unserviceable U.S. flags which were collected last week at gravesites at cemeteries across Windham were properly burned.

“The American Legion’s Ceremony for Disposal of Unserviceable Flags is a dignified tribute to the U.S. flag and to its symbolism.” Theriault said. “This ceremony is an effective instrument for promoting enhanced respect for the U.S. flag.”

For several weeks before Memorial Day, volunteers picked up old flags and replaced them on the graves of Windham veterans with new flags. Legion members also obtained new flags hung by the Windham Public Works Department on utility poles throughout the town. Those flags will fly all summer long through Labor Day in Windham.

The observance wrapped up with a reading of the names of military veterans from Windham who have died in the past year. Each time Theriault read one of their names, VFW Post 10643 and American Legion post member Willie Goodman of Windham rang a ceremonial bell paying tribute to their service to America. At the conclusion of the reading of those names, a contingent of Legion Post 148 members fired a 21-gun salute in their memory.

Attending the Memorial Day ceremony were State Senator Tim Nangle of Windham, State Rep. Mark Cooper of Windham, State Rep. Barbara Bagshaw of Windham, Cumberland County Commissioner Tom Tyler of Windham, Windham Town Councilor Mark Morrison and Windham Town Councilor David Nadeau.

Prior to the observance, dozens of vehicles and marchers paraded down Gray Road from Windham Town Hall to Windham High School to the delight of children and their families watching. The annual Memorial Day Parade featured members of the Windham Fire Department, Windham Police Department, a small marching band from Windham High, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys Scouts, old military vehicles, Windham Republicans, Honor Flight Maine, Miss Teen Windham, Windham High School’s state championship boys’ basketball team, and the Knights of Columbus. <     

Raymond officials dedicate new Tassel Top concessions building

By Ed Pierce

One of the best hidden gems of the Lakes Region is about to get even better. On Friday, May 16, Raymond Parks and Recreation welcomed guests to Tassel Top Park for a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially dedicating a new concessions building there.

Raymond's new concessions facility at Tassel Top Park was
dedicated during a ceremony on May 16. The new building 
contains a concessions shop, bathrooms, changing rooms 
and showers and is part of a years-long initiative to upgrade 
the park. From left are Tassel Top Facilities Maintenance
Manager Barry Alden, Tassel Top Operations Manager
Karen Alden and Raymond Town Manager Joe Crocker.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE      

It’s the realization of a longstanding dream to have a permanent concessions structure at Tassel Top Park which has significantly upgraded the facility over the past five years. The park itself spans 38 acres off Route 302 in Raymond and features a 900-foot beach, a safe and secure swimming area on Sebago Lake marked off by buoys, picnic tables, outdoor grills, a children’s Story Walk, a mile-long walking and hiking trail, and a convenient parking lot with 108 spaces, including six designated handicapped spaces.

There are renovated cabins available to rent and majestic pine trees towering overhead providing shade. Tassel Top Park is clean and it’s free of ATV and bike traffic, making it a wholesome family experience for all ages.

The upgrades are intended to lure more visitors to the park and this new building will replace the old town boathouse that was used as the park’s snack shack for years. But along with the new space for concessions, the building also includes public bathrooms, changing rooms and showers.

Construction for the new building was performed under the supervision of Michael Meyer of Island Cove Builders.

Tassel Top Operations Manager Karen Alden and her husband, Barry Alden, the park’s Facilities Maintenance Manager, live at Tassel Top year-round and said the new concessions building was the result of a team effort.

“We celebrate this milestone,” Karen Alden said. “Barry was always told it couldn’t be done but look at us today. It’s a game-changer for our patrons.”

Raymond Public Works Director Nathan White said he was amazed at how construction of the new building proceeded this spring.

“I have to thank the crews for doing what they said they would do and on time,” White said. “This was a great experience. It’s been a long time coming.”

Raymond Town Manager Joe Crocker, who also serves as the town’s Parks and Recreation Director, spearheaded the project and praised everyone involved for making it happen.

“Our partners and Raymond Public Works did a great job with this new building,” Crocker said.

Crocker and the Aldens thanked the contractor, members of the Raymond Select Board and all the town committees through the years which approved funding for the park upgrades and helped to obtain bonds and grants to finish the project.

In 1931, Dr. Earl and Margaret Hall purchased the Tassel Top property on Sebago Lake from Charles and Fred Crockett of Raymond for $6,000. Over the years the family cleared some of the property to build a small cabin with living space and sleeping quarters, sauna, boathouse and outhouse. The Hall’s son, James W. Hall, applied in 1989 to the Land of Maine’s Future Program for the state to purchase Tassel Top and lease the property to the Town of Raymond. The name Tassel Top was given to the property by Margaret Hall and refers to the pine trees in the park and the pine needles that look like “tassels.”

During a Raymond Town Meeting, residents voted to develop, manage and maintain Tassel Top as a state-owned municipal park. In 1993, after making some capital improvements, including converting the old town boathouse to serve as a snack bar, Tassel Top Park opened to the public.

For the past 32 years, the park has been able to operate from the revenue taken in each summer from park patrons. <

Select Board appoints Crocker to serve as permanent Raymond Town Manager

By Ed Pierce

Raymond’s search for a new town manager has come to an end and the individual selected to serve in that position is the same person who has been filling that role for the past few months as interim town manager.

Joseph Crocker

The Town of Raymond Select Board voted unanimously Monday evening to appoint Joseph Crocker, 37, as Raymond Town Manager and his official starting date was Wednesday, May 21.

Originally from Saco, Crocker attended high school at Thornton Academy and then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. He later earned an MBA in sports and recreation management from New England College. Prior to coming to work for the Town of Raymond, Crocker worked in parks and recreation for Saco, Auburn, Kennebunk and Lewiston.

In 2020, Crocker was hired to lead Raymond’s fledgling Parks and Recreation Department as director and he was appointed to serve as the Interim Raymond Town Manager in March of this year, replacing Sue Look, who resigned.

A press release issued by the town of Raymond says Crocker was selected after a competitive recruiting and hiring process conducted by HR Maine Consulting, LLC. All told, there was a total of 46 applicants for the town manager position.

Nine candidates participated in a rigorous essay and pre-screening process, with four candidates moving forward in the panel interview process, consisting of the Raymond Select Board Chair, Vice-Chair, a community member, department heads, a Town Manager in another community, and Betsy Oulton from HR Maine Consulting, according to information reported in the press release.

Raymond Select Board Chair Rolf Olsen brought Joe Crocker forward as the candidate for select board consideration on Monday evening.

“We are extremely happy to have Joe Crocker continue to serve our community,” Olsen said. “Joe has taken the Parks and Recreation Department to another level and has gained the support of the staff and the community in his endeavors. He has the demeanor, and resilience to lead our community toward the future.”

Crocker will serve on a three-year contract and will be paid an annual salary of $100,000. <

Memorial Day honors ultimate sacrifices for America

By Ed Pierce

Memorial Day Weekend marks more than the official launch of summer but the Memorial Day holiday itself is steeped in tradition and pays tribute to those who gave their lives for the cause of liberty.

Memorial Day will be observed in 
Windham on Monday, May 26 with
a parade running from Windham Town
Hall to Windham High School, 
followed by a special observance
 at Windham High and a picnic lunch
for the community at the Windham
Veterans Center.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE     

U.S. General John A. Logan, the commander of the Civil War veterans group known as “The Grand Army of the Republic,” is credited with the idea for a national commemoration day to honor American soldiers who lost their lives in battle. He called his idea “Decoration Day” and recommended that Americans everywhere take time to pause and reflect on May 30, 1868 about the courage and valor that these men demonstrated with gravesite flowers and prayer.

Newspaper accounts of the time reported that Logan selected May 30 as the date for “Decoration Day” because it was not a day that a Civil War battle had been fought, and it allowed for spring flowers to reach full bloom and be in plentiful supply to place on the graves of veterans.

Logan served with distinction during the Civil War, sustaining serious wounds at the Battle of Fort Donelson in Tennessee in 1862. After recovering from his wounds, Logan became a command officer and served under U.S. Generals William Tecumseh Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant.

He later served the state of Illinois as a member of the House of Representatives and then as a U.S. Senator and joined Maine’s James G. Blaine on the Republican ticket as vice presidential candidate in 1884, which was defeated by the Democratic ticket, led by Grover Cleveland. Upon his death in 1886, Logan became one of just 40 Americans who have laid in state in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.

For more than 100 years, Americans observed “Decoration Day” and used the holiday to honor the sacrifices made by all those who perished during America’s wars.

But in 1972, the federal government’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act approved by Congress moved “Decoration Day” from May 30 to the last Monday in May with the new designation as “Memorial Day.” The reason given for the change was to standardize the federal holiday to a Monday since May 30 could fall on any day of the week.

Memorial Day activities in Windham will be hosted once again by the American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 on Monday, May 26.

For the past several weeks, Legion members have placed American flags on the graves of veterans in town to commemorate their service to the nation. Flags have also been placed on utility poles throughout the town and will stay up through Labor Day in September.

A Memorial Day parade begins at 9 a.m. Monday from the Windham Town Hall and proceeds down School Street onto Route 202 south in the direction of Windham High School. The parade forms at 8:45 a.m. by the Windham Town Hall.

The parade terminates at the Town’s Veterans Memorial flagpole at Windham High School. About 10 minutes after the parade ends, Memorial Day ceremonies commence with guest speaker Lee Humisten, the curator of the Maine Military Museum.

Master of ceremonies at the event will be American Legion Post 148 Commander Tom Theriault, who will coordinate the ceremonial events including a ceremonial wreath laying, the bell tolling for lost veterans from the community this year, a ceremonial burning of flags removed from local veterans’ graves, and a traditional rifle salute and the playing of “Taps.” To add a name to the list of deceased veterans in the past year, call 207-892-1306.

At noon the American Legion will host an open house at the Windham Veterans Center, 35 Veterans Memorial Drive in Windham, with a brief memorial ceremony and the dedication of a granite bench in memory of the late Korean War veteran Walter Braley of Windham, including a wreath ceremony and rifle salute. A picnic style luncheon follows that is free and open to the public. <

Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club plans pig raffle fundraiser

By Masha Yurkevich

If you would like to support your local snowmobile community as well as have a chance to win local and fresh pork, you are strongly encouraged to participate in the pig raffle being hosted by the Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club. This is the first time the Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club is holding a pig raffle, and it is a wonderful opportunity for someone to have a great product at a very affordable price. The final raffle will be held this fall.

The winner of a pig raffle sponsored
by the Windham Drifters
Snowmobile Club gets to choose
whether they would like to keep
the pig as a pet or have it
processed and packaged for
their freezer with the cost of 
that covered by the club.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

The Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club has maintained a 40-mile trail system in Windham for snowmobiles since 1977.

“Windham has the highest number of registered snowmobiles of any town in the state of Maine,” says Barry Bernard, treasurer of the Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club. “There are almost a thousand registered sleds in the town of Windham.”

The Windham snowmobile trail has about 50 bridges to get over brooks, streams, and rivers that the Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club maintains.

“In a year, we are probably replacing or repairing six to ten of those bridges,” says Bernard. “We spend about $15,000 to $25,000 each year to keep our trails in the best shape."

He said that this includes equipment, insurance, and administrative work.

"The Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club relies on state grants, and we also get a little bit from the town, as well as membership money from club members,” Bernard said. “We also get donations and sponsorships from a few businesses in Windham.”

Still, there is a need for funds to keep local trails in tip-top shape.

Emily Buell, a member of the Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club and head of its events committee, works at Mineral Spring Farm in Windham where she also helps raise animals. She suggested the idea about raising a pig and holding a pig raffle to raise generate funds for the trail system.

“I have been raising pigs and offered the idea to the club,” says Buell. “I know that a lot of people like to have local fresh meat in their freezer.”

Buell offered to raise the pig free of charge and the club will cover any other costs for the raffle.

Apart from selling raffle tickets at Windham Summerfest, there will also be a chance to suggest a name for the piggy for a small fee, and then a name will be drawn at random.

Buell puts a lot of work into caring for the pig, from maintaining a clean pen to meticulously looking after the diet to make sure that it is nutritious.

“I know exactly what the pig eats, I know what has gone into it, I know how the pig has been treated, and it feels great to know where your food comes from,” says Buell. “It takes six months to raise a pig efficiently; you can keep a pig for longer than six months, but it will eventually begin to just put on fat.”

The pig is expected to grow around 300 pounds in six months, and the winner of the raffle gets to choose whether they want to keep the pig as a pet or have it made ready for their freezer.

“The processing date is in December, so the winner gets to choose whether they want to keep the pig alive or send it to the processor,” says Buell. “If they want to keep the pig as a pet, I will drop it off at their house and it will then become their responsibility.”

If the winner would like the pig to be prepared for their freezer, the club is willing to cover the cost of processing and packaging the pig, she said.

“There is a lot of personalization on the way the winner wants their meat cut and packaged,” says Buell.

The average cost to raise a pig is $800, from purchasing the piglet, all the feed, care, and processing and slaughtering fees. The cost of the meat itself, however, has a retail value between $1,100 to $1,200.

“This is a wonderful way to not only support Windham snowmobile trails but to also have a chance to win delicious fresh and local pork that has been humanely raised in a small farm environment. Both care and flavor are top notch, and the meat will feed you for a while,” says Buell.

Ticket costs are five tickets for $10 or 12 tickets for $20 and will be sold at the Windham Summerfest’s Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club booth as well as on the Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club website under the store tab. <

Grave of Civil War Medal of Honor recipient can be found in Raymond

By Kendra Raymond

Civil War hero Daniel Scammon Milliken is one of the least-recognized residents of Raymond, but his heroism endures to this very day.

The grave of Civil War hero and Medal of Honor
recipient Daniel Scammon Milliken of Raymond
can be found at Riverside Cemetery located at
168 Plains Road off Route 85 in Raymond.
COURTESY PHOTO 

Milliken was awarded the Medal of Honor on Aug. 30, 1870 and was presented to recognize his meritorious conduct during the U.S. Navy attacks on Fort Fisher, North Carolina in the Civil War. He served as the Quarterdeck gunner onboard the USS New Ironsides.

He received the Medal of Honor for his leadership and heroism specifically in the Jan. 15, 1865 Second Battle of Fort Fisher where he manned a cannon that laid fire to the fort. Unfortunately, for more than 100 years Milliken’s accomplishments remained wholly unrecognized, and a simple marble stone was placed on his gravesite following his death, notating only his birth and death date.

Milliken was born in Saco in 1838 and joined the U.S. Navy in New York City. Following his Civil War military service, Milliken married a Raymond resident, moved to the town, and went on to establish a local farm. He died in Raymond on May 3, 1899, at the age of 58.

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society website honors Milliken’s heroism in an excerpt from its “Stories of Sacrifice” section.

“The ship steamed in and took the lead in the ironclad division close inshore and immediately opened its starboard battery in a barrage of well-directed fire to cause several fires and explosions and dismount several guns during the first two days of fighting. Taken under fire as she steamed into position on 13 January, the New Ironsides fought all day and took on ammunition at night despite severe weather conditions. When the enemy came out of his bombproofs to defend the fort against the storming party, the ship's battery disabled nearly every gun on the fort facing the shore before the cease-fire orders were given by the flagship.”

Fortunately for residents and visitors to the Lakes Region, the national Medal of Honor organization contacted the American Legion Field Allen Post 148 in Windham to ask for assistance in honoring Milliken with an appropriate monument. Momentum built as Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10643, the Raymond Casco Historical Society, the Windham Historical Society, and the Town of Raymond all joined forces to raise funds to honor the distinguished veteran.

On July 4, 2015, local dignitaries joined with town officials and Third Maine, a Civil War reenactment group, in presenting a Medal of Honor Memorial Service in Raymond honoring Milliken and issued a proclamation recognizing his extraordinary contributions during the Civil War. Members from the American Legion Field Allen Post joined with the Town of Raymond to unveil a new gravestone for Milliken to commemorate his achievements.

Milliken’s grave can be found at the Riverside Cemetery, located at 168 Plains Road (off Route 85) in Raymond. His plot is in Section C, Row K, Lot 10 in the cemetery. Visitors are welcomed and reminded to observe all cemetery ordinances set forth by the town. <

Meeting informs Windham residents about sewer installation progress

By Dina Mendros

North Windham property and business owners learned more about how a new sewer system and wastewater facility will benefit and impact them. Windham town officials and representatives from the Portland Water District updated the group on the timeline and other matters affecting them at a public meeting on May 15 at the Windham Veterans Center.

Windham's new sewer system will serve the commercial area
surrounding Boody's Corner from Franklin Drive (Home Depot) on
Route 302 south to River Road. COURTESY PHOTO   

The $48 million project includes a new wastewater treatment plant, new sewer lines and connections to individual properties and businesses around Boody’s Corner as well as to some multi-family residential buildings and a few single-family homes in the area. The new Windham Raymond Middle School will connect to the treatment plant when the school opens.

A Clean Water State Revolving Fund subsidized loan, including $3.25 million in grant capacity will be used to pay for the project, according to PWD Engineering & Asset Management Services Manager Greg Pellerin. He said the project also received several million dollars in grants from Environmental Prevention Agency Congressional directed spending, as well as Cumberland County and town American Rescue Plan Act funding.

Windham Assistant Town Manager Bob Burns said U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King were very helpful in securing funding.

Residential property taxes will not be used to pay back the loan, Burns said. Instead, he said, it will be paid back using Tax Increment Finance District funds.

The reason for the project, Pellerin said, is that the town determined “the need for a centralized wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal system due to the limitations septic systems imposed on development, and the environmental concerns related to elevated levels of septic related nutrients measured in the town’s groundwater.”

The sewer collection system will serve the commercial area surrounding Boody’s Corner from Franklin Drive (Home Depot) on Route 302, south to River Road. The new wastewater treatment plant will be located on Sposedo Road south of Manchester School.

In 2020, the town and the PWD formalized an agreement to partner on the project and together with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection worked “to acquire a permit for treated effluent discharge at 154,000 gallons per day (gpd) average daily flow,” Pellerin said. “The WWTF will have an initial permitted capacity of 160,000 gpd average but was designed to be easily expanded in the future. It is configured as a state-of-the-art membrane bioreactor facility, which is designed to provide advanced removal of nitrogen and phosphorus as required by the MDEP permit.”

A request for proposals on who will construct the connections from the properties to the sewer line is currently being advertised and the Town Council will vote to award the contract in the next few weeks.

While properties in the new service area do not have to connect to the new sewer lines, they instead may continue to use their current septic system. However, there are incentives to connect, including having the town pay for the connection from the property to the new pipes, and many are taking advantage of that.

“Businesses have already stopped in to turn in paperwork for connections,” Burns said. He said that those who don’t connect now and decide to do so later will have to pay a substantial cost.

According to Burns, the project is significant not just for the town but also for the state.

“It’s a very big project for the state,” Burns said. “It is unique … in that we don’t see new investment in new treatment plants.” Most were built several decades ago with federal funds that are no longer available, he said.

“It’s a big win for the environment in Windham, for our groundwater resources,” Burns said, “and it will also help out our business community for future development.” <

Lighthouse Jubilees thankful for gospel music career

By Ed Pierce

A chance meeting at the Bangor Civic Center in 1996 has led to a longtime musical partnership between a local singing duo called the Lighthouse Jubilees.

Angie Guillette of Windham, left, and Pat
McLellan of Buxton make up the Lighthouse
Jubilees singing group and have been
performing gospel, oldies and Christmas
classics at events for more than 30 years.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

Angie Guillette of Windham and Pat McLellan of Westbrook teamed up to sing harmony driven Gaiter-style gospel music, along with Oldies tunes and Christmas classics, and it’s taken them to perform at concert halls in Tennessee, Washington, D.C., throughout New England and in Canada. During their heyday, the singers were performing between 30 to 32 shows a month and drawing rave reviews for their authenticity and beautifully arranged vocals.

Their first performance came on Aug. 3, 1996 at Gorham House retirement community, earning them $20 each, and since then, Guillette and McLellan made regular appearances for 20 years on Portland television’s Channel 5 and have become favorites at public events, conventions, and among residents at nursing homes in Maine.

Guillette is originally from East Hardwick, Vermont and came to Maine with her husband Roger when he landed a job working at Robert Hall in Portland. The couple had four daughters with six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Roger passed away in 2014.

McLellan met her future husband Dana in 1966 in Westbrook and her father worked with Dana’s father. They married and have two daughters, three granddaughters, and two great-grandchildren.

She has a three-octave voice but had never sung professionally before she met Angie at a TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) convention in Bangor. They quickly became fast friends and soon discovered that their voices blended perfectly, and they each were devout Christians and loved gospel music.

It led to them forming the “Lighthouse Jubilees” and embarking upon a career as a singing group.

“It’s really like a marriage,” Guillette said. “Weve found that it’s not my way or your way, it’s God’s way.”

Through the years, they have performed with musician James Rogers, who has opened many shows for Dolly Parton. The Lighthouse Jubilees have also recorded and released seven CDs including four featuring gospel song, two of “Golden Oldies” and one of Christmas music.

Both Guillette and McLellan say that their favorite song to perform as the “Lighthouse Jubilees” is “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” a tune first made popular in 1941 by the Andrews Sisters.

“We love that song and many of the other gospel songs we sing because these are songs that many people of our age know well and relate to,” Guillette said. “Many people in retirement communities and nursing homes of our age attended church growing up and because of our love of Christ, we want to share this music with them to enjoy.”

That popularity has fueled a lengthy career for the Lighthouse Jubilees.

“I think people just like the way that we do our songs,” McLellan said. “We are blessed to be able to do that.”

Because of her higher singing range, McLellan usually takes the lead on songs such as “Surrounded by Angels,” while Guillette’s two-octave range works well on “Climb Every Mountain” from “The Sound of Music.”

Each of their performances average around 21 songs per setlist, sometimes longer, depending upon the scheduled length of their concert.

For the first 25 years of their musical partnership, the Lighthouse Jubilees were in demand and traveling extensively to perform, but that slowed some when Guillette sustained a broken leg in 2019 and mobility issues persisted. The COVID-19 pandemic also curtailed some of their bookings for shows.

Now the duo typically sings at between eight and 10 shows a month and they usually are at locations in Maine closer to home. They recently performed at the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough and the Windham Veterans Center. This Tuesday they will sing during a show at the Chapman House in Auburn.

In what was a highlight of their career, the Lighthouse Jubilees were presented with a Portland Media Center gold record in 2024 that is inscribed “for excellence in music that makes people happy.” It’s a tribute both Guillette and McLellan appreciate greatly.

“God has been with us the whole way,” Guillette said. “We would also like to thank so many people who have helped us reach this point in our career.”

But neither Guillette nor McLellan want to give up singing.

“We may not do as many shows as in years past, but we’re always looking for places and venues to perform,” McLellan said. “It is our privilege to entertain and it’s what God wants us to do.” To learn more about the Lighthouse Jubilees, find them on Facebook. <

Four candidates vie for two seats on Raymond Board of Selectmen

By Dina Mendros

Raymond residents will choose two new Board of Selectmen on June 10. Those on the June ballot for the three-year terms include Mark Meister, Christopher Hanson, Kaela Gonzalez and Frederick Miller.

Two candidates for Raymond Board of
Selectmen will be elected to three-year
terms on June 10. Candidates are,
clockwise from top left, Mark Meister,
Christopher Hanson, Kaela Gonzalez
and Frederick Miller.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS 

Candidates share their thoughts on whether the town needs a new Public Works building; what they think about building solar farms; whether the in-person style of town meeting should be brought back; and what they think are other important issues to the town.

Mark Meister, 40, is married with two young children. He is a consulting executive at IBM Consulting. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration from The Ohio State University. He has also served on nonprofit and community boards.

Meister said he believes whether to build a new Public Works building “should be based on clear need and long-term value … with community input and fiscal responsibility guiding every step.”

Solar farm proposals, Meister said, should be evaluated on “a case-by-case basis, balancing zoning rules, environmental impact, community benefit, and landowner rights.”

Meister said he “respects the tradition of in-person town meetings but believes Raymond should explore modern options that allow more residents to participate.”

He said he “supports continued investment in education” and responsible development. He also said “protecting Raymond’s lakes, ponds, and rivers” is important, as is government efficiency and increased engagement between residents and government.

Christopher Hanson, 69, is married with two children. Hanson is the code enforcement officer for the town. He graduated from the University of Maine Orono. He is a member of the town’s Budget-Finance Committee.

“I believe the town needs a new Public Works building and would support it after the Public Works Garage Oversight Committee reports back to the Board of Selectmen,” Hanson said.

“I think solar farms are beneficial … in certain areas of town,” he said.

Hanson said he favors in-person town meetings that “bring the community together and build community spirit.”

Some of Hanson’s other concerns about what the town should be focusing on concern “climate change and working on resiliency” along with “protecting our lakes and environment.” “Creating more commercial businesses and empowering the tax base” were other concerns, as well as “providing the citizens with the best services while keeping taxes under control.”

Gonzalez, 42, is married with three young children. She is a program coordinator with the city of Portland and has a degree in Health Science. She has served on various town committees including the town’s most recent Comprehensive Plan Committee.

“I look forward to seeing the work that comes out of the Public Works Garage Oversight Committee,” Gonzalez said regarding a new Public Works building, noting residents voted against a proposal last year.

She said she considered the matter of solar farms “settled with an ordinance amendment in August 2024.”

Gonzalez said she thinks the current way of voting and providing two public hearings before the June vote, allows people to ask questions but having more time to vote “increases accessibility.”

Important issues she sees facing Raymond include short-term rentals, a housing shortage, building community, offering programming for all ages, and “increasing services while keeping an eye on the tax rate.”

Miller, 67, is married, with two adult children. He is the owner of Miller Flooring LLC and went to trade school after high school. He is on the town Zoning Board of Appeals.

About a new Public Works building, Miller said “if it is needed, and the town has a location and if the budget makes sense, then my answer is yes.”

Regarding solar farms, he said, “I would want to make sure that they would not affect our water/wetland areas,” whether there would be storage power issues and what would be cost or the return value to the Raymond residents.”

Miller said residents should be asked about whether to revive in-person town meetings.

Regarding other issues he thinks are important to the town, Miller said, committees should “work together as a team,” there should be a better process “for residents to make suggestions,” and “town employees need to communicate and work together as a team.”

In-person voting is to take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 10 at the Jordan-Small Middle School gym at 423 Webbs Mill Road in Raymond.

Absentee ballots are available now at the town office. <

Two on Raymond ballot for RSU 14 board seat

By Dina Mendros

Susan Accardi and Diana Froisland, both of Raymond, will face off for the RSU 14 Board of Directors vacancy on June 10.

Susan Accardi, left, and Diana Froisland will be on the
ballot for the RSU 14 seat representing Raymond on
June 10. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

The position is a three-year term. Candidates told The Windham Eagle what they think about student test scores, Title lX, and their thoughts on other important issues facing the school district.

Susan Accardi, 76, is divorced and has two adult children. She is a retired BSN registered nurse and served as a school nurse with RSU 14. She has served on the Raymond Budget-Finance Committee for two terms, on various short-term town committees, as a ballot clerk and sits on the board of the Friends of the Raymond Village Library.

Regarding student test scores, Accardi said, “Tests are one of many indicators of student progress. Indicators for poor performance are many, some not within the power of schools to address. Chronic absenteeism is one of the best-known indicators of school performance. Schools need resourced staff for early identification followed by intervention and an appropriate learning environment to fully support these children.”

RSU 14 follows all federal and state laws regarding Title lX and has school policies addressing those laws, Accardi said.

One of the most important issues facing the district, she said, is keeping politics out of schools.

In addition, she said, “we need to remind ourselves how lucky we are to be here. Our Grade 5 to 8 students in both communities will be attending a new school in a couple of years. We all want our students to get the high-quality education they need and deserve in a safe, respectful environment. That is my commitment.”

Diana Froisland, 60, is married and has two grown children. She attended Gordon College and graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a double major in Economics and Business Administration. She and her husband co-own Northeast Property Management. She has volunteered with the Raymond Recreation Department as a ski instructor, and is a regular election worker, serving two terms on the RSU 14 Board of Directors from 2012 to 2018.

To improve test scores, Froisland said, “we need to take an honest assessment of current curriculum to determine which programs provide the best outcomes and seek alternative approaches that would help improve student achievement.”

“Title IX was established to provide equal opportunities for girls in public education,” she said. “We need to implement the law as written and passed by the Federal government.”

“It is alarming that Maine schools are continually increasing costs while simultaneously providing declining results,” Froisland said about what she thinks needs to be addressed. “Students and taxpayers deserve better since over 70 percent of our property tax bill funds public education. I will focus on improving academic outcomes and fiscal responsibility and returning the focus back to providing opportunities for our students to be competent and productive citizens.”

In-person voting is to take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 10 at the Jordan-Small Middle School gym at 423 Webbs Mill Road in Raymond.

Absentee ballots are available now at the town office. <

Southpaw Meat Market employee cherishes award from Raymond Fire and Rescue

By Kendra Raymond

Southpaw Meat Market and Packing Company in Raymond knows a thing or two about community involvement. Owner Nichole Sargent was the recipient of the Caring about Lives in Maine Award in 2024 presented by the National Alliance on Mental Illness for her work around suicide awareness and prevention. Now it’s her daughter Devon Sargent’s turn.

Raymond Fire and Rescue presents the 2025 Chief
Reginald Brown Community Service Award to
Devon Sargent for her kindness and dedication to
community outreach. From left are Raymond Deputy
Fire Chief Lee O'Connor, Devon Sargent, and Raymond
Firefighter/EMT Dustin Carroll. SUBMITTED PHOTO    

Southpaw Meat Market is once again in the spotlight, receiving the 2025 Chief Reginald Brown Community Service Award from the Raymond Fire and Rescue Department. The remarkable 24-year-old received the accolade for her generosity and kindness, and deep dedication to community outreach.

In announcing the award recently in a social media post, Southpaw Meat Market said, “We are thrilled to share with you that thanks to Devon’s remarkable compassion, Southpaw received a Community Service Award from Raymond Fire and Rescue. She and Ruckus (the dog) bring treats, cinnamon rolls, and meals to nourish them. I’m sure she offers sarcasm and laughter too! We are beyond proud of Devon!”

Devon Sargent said that her blue heeler Ruckus goes everywhere with her and often accompanies her on the deliveries.

“He is kind of a mascot, especially at our plaza in Raymond,” she said.

The Chief Reginald Brown Community Service Award was established around 2005. It is given to someone who goes above and beyond to contribute to the Fire and Rescue Department. Chief Brown served the department and donated the land on which the current fire department building is located.

Raymond Deputy Fire Chief Lee O’Connor is proud of the program.

“Every year Raymond Fire Department recognizes a citizen who helps out in the littlest or biggest way,” he said. O’Connor says he appreciates Sargent’s sense of using the butchering products for greater good.

“Devon has taken the initiative to help out our EMS training program by donating bone marrow and organs,” he said. “(Our trainees) can develop their respiratory training, learning how to intubate the lungs and just how little air it actually takes,” said O’Connor.

Aside from the practical usage of the donated products, Sargent doesn’t forget the other members of the Raymond Fire and Rescue Department, delivering delicious baked goods, pasta salad, meals, and stews to firefighters.

“She really takes care of us bringing food and checking in on everyone,” said O’Connor. “She is always asking if there is anything we need.”

Members of the department are also loyal customers at Southpaw, which is celebrating its grand reopening this week following some extensive renovations.

“They are always coming into the market looking for marinated meats, special cuts, or whatever they are planning. We always make sure to take care of them,” said Devon Sargent.

She was honored at a banquet recently where she received a plaque and challenge coin for going above and beyond to serve her community.

“I never expect to get anything out of all things I do,” she said. I was really surprised. Just making sure everyone is OK is one of the best honors there are.”

Wise beyond her years, Devon Sargent gives credit to her mom for instilling a deep sense of giving back to the community.

“It feels good to be recognized for doing good,” she said. “I wish more people did caring things in today’s world. This is a community and if we can feed or take care of others, that’s I what I want to do.”

Sargent’s empathy, sense of giving, and wisdom are qualities that will serve her well in her personal and professional life.

“Food connects everyone. A full belly goes a long way,” she said. “People that serve the town make the town go around.”

Firefighters agree.

“We love hearing from our community and giving back when there is a great opportunity. There are so many good folks in our community. We would love to recognize them all, but this one really stood out,” said O’Connor. “It is awesome to see a young person so dedicated to giving back to their community. Devon really shows up – it’s impressive.” <

Windham Public Library purchases study pod using grant funds

By Kira Pilot

A new study pod purchased with grant money awarded to the Windham Public Library by the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) has been installed and is available for community members who need space to conduct a private call or hold a meeting.

Windham Public Library has purchased a
new study pod available for community
members who need space to conduct a
private call or gold a meeting, thanks
to a grant from the Cumberland County
Digital Equity Stipend Award.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

The Cumberland County Digital Equity Stipend Award aims to provide funding to libraries, tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations in Cumberland County for programs that increase digital literacy, provide access to devices, and promote online safety.

Library Director Jennifer Alvino Wood says of the council’s mission, “We’ve been thinking of ways we can promote the use of technology to help people in their everyday lives and make sure we’re getting that access out to all different types of groups – veterans, older adults, new English language learners, students - whoever in our community needs digital access.”

The $5,000 grant was used in its entirety for the purchase of the new pod, Alvino-Wood said.

The remainder of the funding needed was generously donated by the family of Barbara Kelley, a former Reference and Technology Librarian who worked at the library prior to her passing in February of last year. Her husband, Bill Barton, brought in a gifted check to the library and was present the day the pod was delivered in March. The pod will be named in honor of Kelley.

Alvino-Wood describes Kelley as someone who “loved to promote digital access, was such a great teacher, had so much patience, and a lovely attitude when helping our patrons learn to use the computer.”

The library already has two designated study rooms that can accommodate groups of up to four people at a time. The rooms are equipped with a computer and whiteboard and can be reserved for up to two hours by calling or emailing the library. It is the policy of the library to make available its meeting rooms and study pod to citizens and groups throughout the community for non-commercial purposes free of charge.

If anything comes up at the last minute, a person may also simply stop by the library and check for availability. The rooms see frequent use and Alvino-Wood said that the library is excited to additionally provide the new pod.

By contrast, the new study pod is portable and can accommodate one person having a private conversation. It features both a light and a table for a device. Once the door is closed, the pod is completely soundproof.

According to Alvino-Wood, the study pod can be reserved and booked in the same way as the library’s study rooms, by calling or emailing, or simply stopping by and inquiring about its availability.

Both the meeting rooms and the study pod may be reserved free of charge and are available for use during scheduled library hours. Guidelines for usage can be viewed on the Windham Public Library’s website at https://www.windham.lib.me.us/meeting-room. For further details, Ray Marcotte, the Reference Librarian responsible for booking these resources, can be reached 207-892-1908, ext. 5. <

Raymond resident to receive ‘Maine Citizen Planner of Year’ award

By Ed Pierce

Hours of volunteer work and attention to detail have paid off for Kaela Gonzalez of Raymond as she is about to honored as “Maine Citizen Planner of the Year.”

Kaela Gonzalez of Raymond will be
honored by the Maine Association
of Planners as 'Maine Citizen
Planner of the Year' in Lewiston
on May 16 for her efforts in helping
to formulate Raymond's new 
Comprehensive Plan.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Gonzalez served as Co-Chair of the town’s Comprehensive Plan Committee and as someone who lives in Raymond and used to work for the town, she played a key role in bridging the gap in building the committee’s outreach with residents and boosting local engagement in developing a new plan for Raymond’s future. She will receive the award during a ceremony at the Lewiston Public Library on May 16.

The “Maine Citizen Planner of the Year” Award is presented annually by the Maine Association of Planners and is given to a citizen who has made a distinguished contribution to planning such as members of planning boards/commissions, zoning boards of adjustment/ appeals, economic development boards/commissions, or other elected or appointed officials.

Gonzalez said her nomination and selection for this honor came as a total surprise.

“Raymond is very fortunate to have a slate of dedicated and hard-working volunteers and committee members across all of the various committees and organizations,” she said. “I am really just one of many that deserve recognition. Our Comp Plan committee was engaging, and everyone had valuable input, and I believe the end result would not have been possible without the whole team. We are all MVPs in my book.”

According to Gonzalez, Raymond Comprehensive Plan Committee members received fantastic support with North Star Planning, who kept them on task. She also praised the work of her committee Co-Chair Peter Leavitt.

“Peter Leavitt is wonderful to work with and comes to every meeting well prepared and with receipts,” she said. “I am very grateful for his leadership on the committee.”

Originally from Owls Head in the mid-coast region of Maine, Gonzalez spent time in the service and hospitality industry as a waitress and then earned a degree in health sciences at the University of Southern Maine. Moving to Raymond and starting a family, she had an epiphany that led to a career change and a desire to go to work for the town.

“Each time they had an opening, I applied for it,” Gonzalez said. “We had started a family and wanted to root here. I kept on applying and I told them at the time that I would continue to apply for openings until they hired me, and it must have worked because they did.”

She served as Raymond’s Communications Director until 2021 when she went to work for the City of Portland in the Housing and Economic Development Department, as ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Program Coordinator.

“I was approached by a neighbor asking if I had an interest in being part of the Comprehensive Plan Committee in 2022, and it was an easy choice,” Gonzalez said. “Even though I was no longer a town employee, I still wanted to keep a connection to the town and be involved. It may be worth noting that I am running for Raymond Select Board this year.”

North Star Planners were just one of a group of individuals who nominated Gonzalez for the award.

“When we encountered early concerns that it was difficult to reach the Raymond community, Kaela took on leadership of the public outreach process,” they wrote in their nomination. “She created a Facebook page and made social media content throughout the process to keep residents informed. She worked with her neighbors, town staff, and key stakeholders. She also led the committee to organize pop-up events on election days at the town office, with fun activities, like voting on different topics with pom-poms, that increased community knowledge of the comp plan process.”

They said that Gonzalez consistently brought positive reinforcement to meetings and asked insightful questions throughout the planning process to ensure the effort stayed on track.

Raymond Code Enforcement Officer Christopher Hanson, Interim Raymond Town Manager Joseph Crocker and Comprehensive Plan Committee members John Clark, Greg Foster, Peter Leavitt, Frank McDermott, Shawn McKillop, Danelle Milone, John Rand, and Jacqueline Sawyer also nominated her for the honor.

“The work was not challenging, especially since we were receiving excellent guidance from North Star Planning. However, community engagement is the part that everyone tends to struggle with,” Gonzalez said. “The goal is to engage as many citizens as possible.”

Raymond’s new Comprehensive Plan is nearing the final stages and Gonzalez says the Select Board should accept the final version in the near future.

“The plan will then be brought to the voters for acceptance, likely at a Special Town Meeting,” she said. “There will still be a great need for involvement for implementation of the plan though.” <

In the public eye: Retiring teacher inspires generations of RES students

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

By Ed Pierce

Imagine working one job in one place for the past 41 years and you’ll realize that Patti Gordan is an exceptional and dedicated individual and an outstanding teacher who students will miss terribly when she retires next month.

Patti Gordan teaches a weekly General
Music class for all students attending 
Raymond Elementary School from
PreK through Grade Four. She is 
retiring at the end of the school year
after working at the school since
1984. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Gordan had completed her first year of teaching in another school district but did not reapply for her position when school started back up in the fall of 1983. She didn’t apply for any others and was leaning toward quitting the profession permanently when something miraculous happened.

“I was a cantor at my church, where Frank McDermott, the Superintending Principal of Jordan-Small School, was a member. One day after a service he came up to me and asked me if I would be interested in applying for a seven hour a week, long term substitute position teaching band,” Gordan said. “The current teacher was going on maternity leave. I started on Jan. 4, 1984. Then, right before February vacation, he came to me again. The band teacher had decided not to come back, and the current General Music/Chorus teacher had resigned. He asked if I would be interested in the entire music position. So, I guess I put in my toe and then jumped into the deep end. Forty-plus years later, here I am.”

Growing up in Scarborough, she played saxophone for the school band and sang with the school chorus. She was also a member of a select show choir and a participant in District and All State honors music festivals. During her senior year of high school, she was awarded the John Philip Sousa Award for band. At the University of New Hampshire, Patti majored in voice and singing and appeared with the UNH Concert Choir and Women's Choir. She also participated in the UNH Wildcat Marching Band as a member of the color guard and for a brief time she was the lead singer in a rock band called "Round Trip." She earned a degree in music education from UNH and was hired as a music teacher out of college for another school, but she wasn’t happy in that job.

“I didn’t think I wanted to be a music teacher,” she said. “My mother advised me to try it one more year in a different place. I was hired by the Raymond School Department in January 1984 and have been here since.”

RES Principal Beth Peavey says the school will not be the same without Gordan.

“After 42 incredible years of inspiring students through the power of music, Patti Gordan, our beloved elementary school music teacher, is retiring,” she said. “For more than four decades, she has filled our halls with song, sparked creativity in young minds, and helped generations of children find their voice – literally and figuratively. As we celebrate her well-earned retirement, we thank Mrs. Gordan for the passion, dedication, and heart she brought to every single note.”

Gordan credits three people for being instrumental in her teaching career.

“Nancy Cash-Cobb was an important mentor. I learned to teach General Music classes by attending workshops that she organized and workshops that she presented herself,” Gordan said. “She has been, and still is, a dear friend. Norma Richard was the principal of Raymond Elementary School for the first decade of its existence. She truly believed that music education was just as important as any other subject. She supported me and encouraged me to reach for the stars and create a music program that was more than typical for most Maine elementary music programs. And Jani Cummings was a dear friend and mentor. She taught in Raymond for over 40 years, mostly first grade. She supported me in every kind of way. When I came to Raymond, I was still a beginning teacher. My skills were, shall we say, survival level. She taught me the art of teaching.”

She currently teaches all students at Raymond Elementary from PreK through Grade 4 in a weekly General Music class.

“Kindergarten has music class twice a week. We have a music curriculum which aligns with the Maine Learning Results. I plan and teach lessons, assess the students’ knowledge and skills, give them feedback and help them plan their next learning steps,” she said. “They learn singing skills, beat/rhythm skills, music artistry/listening skills, musicianship, and general musical knowledge such as musical terms, styles, instrument identification, music history and the science of music. Second through Fourth grade students also learn basic music literacy. I also teach Third and Fourth grade chorus. We rehearse once a week during the school day and present two concerts a year.”

According to Gordan, whatever songs, activities, or games she teaches to the students, she tries to be sure that they can perform them without me.

“I went to a workshop once where the presenter said that when you give someone a gift, you don’t hold on to the other end,” she said. “You let it go. I will have done no good if my students cannot make music without me.”

Married for 44 years and the mother of two grown sons who live in the area, Gordan has young grandchildren and wants to spend more time with them.

“Also, I want to go on vacation in the fall, when all the kids are back at school,” she said. “Fewer crowds, fewer lines, less expensive, and it will distract me, so I won’t think about how weird it is to not be coming back to school. If I were home, I’d probably wander around in little circles.”

She says that the best thing about being a music teacher is when her students work hard at learning a song or music game and then have a deep sense of pride that they have created something amazing and can perform it independently.

“I love listening to them sing, especially my chorus. Their angelic sound sometimes makes me tear up,” Gordan said. “I love the children’s enthusiastic expressions of affection. When they see me in the grocery store, you’d think I was some kind of star. I love the hugs and little notes, covered with hearts and music notes, that they leave in my mailbox. I always hope that I am ‘that teacher,’ the one that made a difference.”

For Gordan, her own most influential teachers include her fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Murray, who enriched lessons with hands-on experiences and her seventh-grade English teacher, Mr. McIntyre, who used a book called “30 Days To A Better Vocabulary” and showed students that big words could be fun.

“The most influential music teacher to help me did not come into my life during childhood but in the mid-1990s,” Gordan said. “Dr. John Feierabend of Hart School of Music developed a music education method for early childhood and a music literacy education method for elementary students. I attended several of his workshops and took a week-long summer course with him. To say that it changed my professional life would be an understatement. In retirement I plan to get certified as a trainer.”

She says that her most enduring memory that she’ll take away from working at Raymond Elementary School is that it’s a warm, caring, place to work.

“I have taught generations of Raymond students,” Gordan said. “In fact, many of my current students are children of former students. It feels like a large family.” <