Windham council reviewing community survey results

By Kaysa Jalbert

Results from the Town of Windham Community Survey about services offered by the town and the range of other issues affecting Windham residents are now going under review by the Windham Town Council to discuss how the staff will use these results to improve deficiencies in the town.

Some members of the Windham Town Council discuss results
of the recent Community Survey during a council workshop
on Thursday, Jan. 23. From left are Councilor John Henry,
Councilor Mark Morrison, Council David Nadeau and
Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE    

The results revealed that when asked what was perceived to be Windham's challenges in the next five years, the response was in order; Pace of Community Growth and Expansion 73 percent, Town Services and Taxes 71 percent, and Affordable housing 50 percent. As these results conclude, there are the conflicting perceptions of too much growth too fast, and the need for affordable housing.

The final survey results were discussed at the Windham Town Council meeting on Jan. 14.

Windham Town Council Vice Chair William Reiner said going forward the council will be reviewing and discussing the results in a systematic way, department by department, topic by topic, to get the best understanding of residents’ thoughts and concerns.

The main services and issue topics in the survey were town services, departments, growth and development, public safety and fire, trash collection, communication and infrastructure. These included specific questions about traffic, housing, recreation, and the town library.

Windham Police Department and Windham Fire Department received some of the most consistent approval ratings. Trash collection while just getting underway with the new system also had high scores.

Town Councilor David Nadeau expressed that with many conflicting answers, the main question council members ask themselves when reviewing the results is, how can I value this? The results also revealed a challenge, he said.

“People don’t want rapid growth and change,” said Nadeau, “How do we stop change and growth?”

On Jan. 23, the Council held a meeting for a workshop to discuss growth. This is a multifaceted topic that pulled in the survey results, state law, downtown traffic evaluation, CPGOG housing data, as well as others. As you can see from the top three concerns, there is the conflicting perception of too much growth too fast and the need for affordable housing. Reiner says to determine how both can be managed will be an ongoing discussion.

At the Jan. 14 Town Council meeting, councilors discussed a general overview of the survey’s responses and the over-all success of the process. The data received will be sorted and ranked from highest to lowest level of satisfaction.

“While it is nice to see what we are doing ‘well’ as a town, and there is quite a bit that is, it is also paramount to see where larger dissatisfactions exist,” says Reiner. “Thus, the town can build on its successes and work to improve other areas in need.”

Another challenge revealed from the survey derives from the response of over 50 percent of Windham’s residents being unsatisfied with North Windham traffic and road access, while simultaneously the second greatest concern over the next five years is town services and taxes.

In addition, roughly 20 percent of residents are unsatisfied with the town halls operating hours, claiming the service should be open till 7 p.m. some days of the week.

Nadeau emphasized that building new roads and routes and paying town hall clerks requires tax money.

“It was all over the place. Many of the answers when you look at them, they contradict each other,” he said. “It’s a long discussion about how to value the wants verses the needs.”

The survey was available both online and by QC codes that were obtained at November’s election polling site and delivered a large amount of information on the town. Just about every service or department in town was addressed.

About a year ago, the Windham Town Council began to look at ways to better communicate between itself and the residents of Windham.

“To get a better understanding of what the Council and town staff were doing right, or could improve on, it was decided to develop this survey,” said Reiner. “The responses could then be correlated to see where we stood. Obviously, the council works for the people, and this was a tool to pick over 800 resident brains so to speak.”

In all, 877 residents responded to the survey. No one under the age of 20 took the survey, 323 respondents were under the age of 60, and 303 were over 60 years old. Another on-going discussion will include how to get more participation from Windham residents and how to increase communication between town staff and residents.

Discussions of the full survey will continue in upcoming council meetings. Highlights will be posted on Facebook and full survey results will be available to the public on the town website. <

In the public eye: WMS educator helps inspire future for community leaders of tomorrow

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

By Ed Pierce

Shelly Cook believes that effective teachers do more than provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to develop a career. She also thinks it’s important to inspire them and to impart values such as empathy and respect for others and integrity to her students.

Shelly Cook has taught at
Windham Middle School for
26 years and currently teaches
seventh grade mathematics.
Over the years she has served
as WMS Srudent Council
Advisor, Certification 
Chairperson, Building 
Achievement Council
Representative and a member
of the school's leadership team.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

Cook is currently serving as a seventh-grade math teacher at Windham Middle School and has taught there for 26 years. She started by teaching sixth grade, moved to eighth grade for eight years and has taught every subject including English and Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Math.

“My duties as a teacher extend far beyond teaching students math skills. I teach students about kindness, helping others, being a good human and encouraging them every step along the way,” Cook said. “I inspire students and help them to grow. I want to be their biggest cheerleader and to also be there to help them through the tough times. I have had to cover wounds with band-aids, mend broken hearts, wipe tears, package teeth in envelopes for the tooth fairy, and listen to students who needed a voice in their corner. Teaching and instructing students are a small part of a teacher's day.”

She says that the best thing about being a teacher is receiving students in the fall who are young, shy, and optimistic for a successful year and being able to watch them grow during the year, become independent thinkers, risk takers, and feel confident in their skills and themselves.

“The most challenging aspect of teaching is the demands of each day. Teachers no longer just teach academic skills,” Cook said. “We are helping students navigate their socio-emotional issues by offering support for students, strategies to help them through tough times, and being their biggest cheerleader. We are helping to bridge the gap between home and school to better support students. We are taking care of some of the basic needs that are needed for students to learn. The students that we receive in the fall aren't just students in our classrooms, they truly fill our hearts, and we think of them as family.”

After attending high school at Woodstock Academy in Woodstock, Connecticut, Cook went on to study Elementary Education at Saint Joseph’s College and graduated in 1995.

“Those four years had so many fond memories. I graduated with a diploma, but so much more; the friends that I made are still friends today. I met my husband and later started a family in Windham,” she said. “I have lived in Windham for almost 25 years and am proud to call it home. I love going places in town and recognizing previous students and catching up with them.”

According to Cook, she first applied to WMS for a sixth-grade teaching position, and she recalls receiving a call from the superintendent at the time.

“I was so happy that I would be teaching in the school that I student taught in, placed on the same team as my mentor teacher, and in the same classroom that I student taught in. It was truly my dream job,” she said. “The staff at WMS made me want to first apply. Everyone was a family, and supported one another, and I was always in awe at how they balanced their family and home life. The group of teachers that I was first paired with had my heart. They were my mentors, my confidants, and my friends.”

During her time at WMS, Cook has been a teacher for sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students, served as Student Council Advisor, Certification Chairperson, Building Achievement Council representative, and a member of the school’s leadership team.

Her family has always been supportive of her teaching career.

“They have supported me with fundraisers, with late nights of planning and grading, with lending an ear and helping to give me advice on how to handle a situation or help a struggling student and have been patient when I see students out and about and catch up with them,” she said. “They may get slightly frustrated when I see students in town and catch up, but inside they know it warms my heart.”

But the most important thing that Cook says she has learned about working at WMS is to hold on.

“Some days may be bumpy rides, and other days may be easy sailing, but it is always new and exciting and worth the ride,” she said. <

Healthy Pickins gardening program a resounding success for Raymond students

By Kendra Raymond

Students at Jordan-Small Middle School are fortunate to have a way to stay connected to gardening all year long. Thanks to the school’s greenhouse, community members, staff, and students all have access to freshly-grown vegetables right at their fingertips.

Spinach grown by students is about ready to
be harvested at the Jordan-Small Middle
School greenhouse in Raymond. The healthy
crop is part of the Healthy Pickins gardening
program offered at the school.
PHOTO BY RYAN RODERICK 

Created back in 2010, the JSMS greenhouse, along with the school’s adjacent garden are proof of a successful program that is still going strong. RSU 14 District Chef Ryan Roderick knows firsthand how beneficial fresh fruits and vegetables are for the school lunch program.

“Healthy Pickins Garden was built in 2010 and that along with the adjacent greenhouse has been active since then. It came about through a grant that Dennis Woodruff and John Keller had obtained that furnished the funding to build the greenhouse and furnish supply tools, bags of soil, fencing, and seed packets,” he said. “Lori Dibiase-Gagnon also played a key role in getting the first vegetable garden started and since 2010, thousands of pounds of vegetables have been grown for the school lunch program with lots of help from the JSMS students.”

Roderick said that the greenhouse is home to several crops including melons, assorted varieties of lettuce, and spinach. In addition, several herbs such as chives, lavender, rosemary and sage are cultivated.

The greenhouse and garden are primarily run by JSMS fifth grade science students. However, JSMS students in grades six to 8 also partake in the fun, helping out with various tasks during the school day and with an after-school Garden Club.

In addition to providing a wholesome educational experience, the greenhouse and garden yields harvests that help the school and benefit the Raymond community.

Roderick said that giving back to the community is important to the students.

“The greenhouse supplements the larger JSMS Healthy Pickins Garden. These fresh organic grown vegetables have provided hundreds of healthy and delicious meals to the students and staff at JSMS over the years,” he said. “When there has been a surplus of harvest, the vegetables have donated to the Raymond Community School and other schools in the district, as well as the Raymond Food Pantry.”

Roderick assists in recipe development, menus, and staff training as well as helping to ensure nutrition guidelines and food safety for RSU 14 are followed. He also occasionally works directly with students in cooking and nutrition education, and in sampling and taste testing.

“I don’t have much of a hand in its implementation outside of coordinating with our kitchen staff to receive and process the vegetables to be used in the school meals,” he said. “I have annual meetings with our garden team to discuss what crops to plant, which ones are favored by the students and which ones are reasonable for us to process. We also pay for the vegetables we receive from the school garden, the proceeds go directly back to the garden to buy seeds, soil amendments, and tools. But the bulk of the work is very much thanks to our gardeners, teachers, and volunteers.”

Originally spearheaded by community members Sheila Frappier and John Keller, the JSMS greenhouse and garden are the product of many years of dedication, effort, and lots of folks putting their heart and soul into the program’s success.

Frappier and Keller have recently retired from their roles, and new coordinators and members at the school have stepped up, including Lynne Latham, Manami Hammond, Santa Rodriguez-Lopez, Amanda Kamba, and Michelle Brann, to name a few. The program is in a transitional period integrating new coordinators who organize and lead the program including students, staff, and volunteers.

“It was wonderful working with the kids. I have run the program for the last 12 years,” said Frappier.

The gardening program brings immeasurable value to everyone at JSMS and the community.

“The School Nutrition Program and our students greatly benefit from the work and dedication of the gardening team. (It) teaches students about agriculture, nutrition, and life skills as they can learn how to grow vegetables for the rest of their lives. Also, school gardens just help promote healthy lifestyles,” said Roderick. <

Windham High School student shares her journey in writing a novel

By Jolene Bailey

Windham High School has a graduation requirement that seniors must complete a capstone project, an independent study in which students can delve into a variety of topics that interest them.

Windham High senior Ellie Curtis attended the Longfellow
Writing Camp at the UMaine Farmington campus last 
summer to gain knowledge about college classes 
focusing on writing. She's using what she learned for
her Capstone project at WHS. SUBMITTED PHOTO 

Students are completely in charge of this project and rules mandate that they must put in at least 30 hours of research. Capstone projects are an opportunity for students to independently design, implement, and exhibit their learning on a topic or subject that they are passionate about. It provides an opportunity for students to identify and tackle an issue in their local or global communities and the projects stress the importance of making a connection from local mentors while using learning experiences that occur outside of the four walls of Windham High School.

This year WHS senior Ellie Curtis has decided to do her Capstone project about her experience in writing a novel.

“Writing a novel has been a goal of mine since as early as elementary school when I joined my school’s creative writing club. Choosing my capstone project gave me the opportunity to embark on the journey of writing a novel since scheduling can often make it difficult to prioritize that,” said Curtis.

She was able to gain her research hours in the time she spent writing.

“With all the work involved in completing a capstone project such as the numerous hours of research and dedication, I wanted my topic to be something that I was passionate about, something that I would happily dedicate my time to,” Curtis said.

Other current students are devoting their projects to solving and advocating for varied issues such as beach pollution while others are using unforgettable historical moments like World War II to base their projects on or using their future career ideas to generate their theme and general questions their Capstone project upholds.

Curtis’ case strives for an emotional and circumstantial component that all projects can implement in a way. A novel comes with many ingredients to digest such as creating characters, setting, plot, conflict, themes, and other creative elements. She says her imagination and expressiveness coached her throughout the process.

“I will be focusing on one character then switching to focusing on another,” Curtis said. “During that transition, I have to remember the tone in which the character talks, how they carry themselves in situations, and how they interact with others. I have to go back and reread what I have already written to recapture their personality.”

One of Curtis’s goals for writing this novel is to make it something that readers relate to, but trial and error in her writing has occurred.

“I have struggled and made mistakes in my writing when exploring a character. From time to time, I have forgotten that they have their own voice in addition to flaws,” said Curtis.

She has always had a burning passion for writing since she was a little girl with a strong imagination.

“Though I intend to pursue a career in psychology, I plan on continuing writing. Ever since I began writing, I had no intention to stop,” Curtis said. “It was always a fun and creative outlet through which I could express myself.”

During the research hour process, students have found the time to move quickly. It includes a required element to volunteer, and students do not need to perform volunteering work for their capstone but rather to relate to their community.

Writing is a way that can lead to building community and lifelong friendships. Through the doors writing opens can call for new perspectives and influences throughout a writing piece. Curtis used her hours volunteering at the Meow Lounge in Portland.

“When I write, it’s important that I have a comfortable space where I can really get settled and lock in, but a change of scenery is always good from time to time. Wanting a change, I stumbled upon a cat cafe in Portland, The Meow Lounge. Despite the cold weather outside, it was a warm and cozy atmosphere with a hint of productivity in the air.” said Curtis

Over the summer before Curtis stumbled across the Meow Lounge, she found herself attending the Longfellow Writing Camp at the UMaine Farmington Campus. This had also helped her with her research hours and obtaining an inside glimpse of what a college experience could be like while exploring different types of workshops at the camp.

“I wanted to have a story that others could read with the same fascination that I had. I wanted to look at a bookshelf and smile at seeing something that I had written,” Curtis said. “There are plenty of ideas floating out there that don’t have a book or story to go with them. I wanted to give a story to those ideas.”

For details about WHS Capstone projects and requirements visit https://sites.google.com/rsu14.org/eloandcapstoneprojects/senior-capstone-project <

Local students earn distinction for academic performance

The following local students have received recognition for outstanding academic performance for the Fall Semester at the colleges and universities they attend:

Jonathan Grant of Raymond and Nikolaus Phillips of Windham have been named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence at the University of Maryland’s Global Campus.

Rachelle Cloutier of Windham has been named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence at the University of Connecticut.

Brooke Gerry and Riley Parker of Windham and Kelly Gleysteen of Frye Island have been named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence at the University of Rhode Island.

Ella Novak of Windham has been named to the University of Mississippi's Chancellor’s Honor Roll list for outstanding academic performance.

Thomas Casserly of Windham has been named to the President's List for academic achievement at Nichols College.

Maddox Arbour, Emma Chasse, Jadyn Kimball, Robert Ledbetter and Alexander Yeaton, all of Windham, and Sarah Madore of Raymond have been named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence at the University of New England.

Conor Daigle, Zachary Doyer, Cassia Flores Silva, Patrick Furey and Lucas Littlefield, all of Raymond have been named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence at Southern Maine Community College.

Kylee Armer, Samantha Bell, Brayden Cassidy, Heather Chase, Kendyl Cocco, Tyler Collins, Anna Crispin, Erika Darling, Chloe Fitts, Julia Gelston, Taysha Gillis, Evelyn Gross, Sarah Hamill, Lana Harding, Kaylee Hines, Amie Huijon, Beau Kennard, Raelyn Knowles, Evert Krikken, Samantha LeClair, Amos Manzi, Angela Mawe, Alexis Maxwell, Reagan McDougall, Connor Moreau, Karen Muhirwa, Gabe Ouellette, Emma Parsons, Abby Patenaude, Marshall Payne, Lake Peterson, Dylan Phillips, Sophia Popov, Alex Raccone, Aurora Raymond, Lauren Reynolds, Jessica Salazar, Carter Santos, Lilian Simon, Michelle Stinchfield, Payton Thorpe, David Wasun, Michael Wong, and Israel Yoko, all of Windham, have been named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence at Southern Maine Community College.

Nicholas Doughty of Raymond and Brady Reed of Windham have been named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence at Vermont State University.

Windham High School’s robotics team prepares for VEX V5RC competition

By Jolene Bailey

Windham High School's robotics team is currently in the process of preparing for an upcoming competition to take place on Feb. 1 at Scarborough High School.

Windham High Schoool senior Chessie
Lomonte serves as team captain for the 
WHS robotics team, which is currently
preparing for the VEX V5RC event to
be held at Scarborough High School on
Saturday, Feb. 1.
PHOTO BY JOLENE BAILEY 

The VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes is played on a 12-foot by 12-foot square field. The main objective of the competition is to attain a higher score than the opposing alliance. This is achieved by scoring rings to stakes, placing mobile goals, and climbing at the end of the match.

“It's a learning opportunity; students get ideas for how they might want to improve their robot, by building and/or programming based on how their robot performed compared to other teams,” said Michelle Lane, the WHS robotic team’s advisor. “Students gain confidence in parts of their robot that completes the task well and discuss what they can improve. The teams continue going through the engineering design process and improve their robot for the next competition.”

Team members are eagerly looking forward to the competition.

“We are hoping to win. While in the past many of our awards have come from capturing the spirit of the competition or our Engineering Design Notebooks. We would love to bring home a few more trophies that show just how good of a team we can be on the field,” said Chessie Lomonte, a senior at WHS and team captain.

The WHS robotics team has brought home 11 trophies in the last three years, one of them coming from an international competition.

“I have been a part of the WHS Robotics program for four years now and honestly it has blessed my life so much,” said Lomonte. “We have such a great community, and we're all able to just be silly together. Having an organization as small as ours, we often get looked over at competitions and seen as an easy win, but over the course of my time in the program, Windham has proved that we are a force to be reckoned with.”

Serving as the robotic team advisor comes naturally to Lane.

“As a child I always gravitated toward the STEM fields and working with my hands,” she said. “I enjoy the challenge that these areas offer. I enjoy coming up with solutions and thinking critically.”

Long before Lomonte’s freshman year in high school, she showed a commitment to being a part of a team and someone who truly enjoys robotics.

“I competed in the first Lego League in middle school, which is entirely different from VEX V5RC, which is what I compete in now,” Lomonte said. “They're about as similar as soccer and basketball. They use different operating systems, different materials, different rules, and different game structures, and different age groups, but my love for robotics has strengthened from this event.”

The VEX V5RC competition’s main goal is to address “the STEM problem.” Lane said this competition exists to solve the conversional idea that there will not be enough teaching of traditional methods when addressing science, technology, engineering, and math to adequately prepare students for the complexity in the world.

STEM topics many students find difficult to understand and be interested in and the VEX V5RC competition works toward finding certain skills and passions necessary to gain the proper education to better the productive and overall outcome for student’s lives.

This competition shows skills enhanced in a different manner than in a classroom such as teamwork, problem solving, and scientific discovery. The study of competitive robotics encompasses aspects of STEM through the engineering design and overall process.

“We've spent the time in between events working to fortify our robot, incorporate new elements to hopefully score some more points, as well as getting our subsystems more consistent in scoring points,” Lomonte said. “We are also going to try to up our game with our autonomous portions. For each V5RC match, there is a short time in the beginning where robots operate without the input of a human known as the autonomous period. In the past, our autonomous was put together at the last minute and it hasn't been particularly good, but now we have plans for a much more consistent and high scoring autonomous.”

Robotic competitions are often defined as electrifying and competitive.

“Being the robotics coach is a rewarding experience. It's amazing to watch the students apply concepts they learn in their classes and from going through the engineering design process to build their robot,” Lane said. “Seeing student growth over the four years that they are involved with the team, including social, intellectual, and technical makes it worth all the time that is takes to be a coach. It is also amazing to watch the students overcome various challenges from being able to modify their robot in 10 minutes if needed between matches to finding and fixing programming errors quickly.”

While this robotics competition is one of the last that WHS seniors will take on, that has not stopped Lomonte from furthering her passion for engineering.

“I have yet to pick a university for next year, but I plan on studying robotics engineering in higher education, and I would ideally like to have a career in robotics, but that is in the future,” she said. <

WMS Repurpose Advisory Committee to examine new uses for school

By Ed Pierce

Tasked to serve as an advisory group to the Windham Town Council to analyze potential uses for the Windham Middle School’s renovation design, construction and potential benefit as a Community Center, the WMS Repurpose Advisory Committee has held its first meeting.

Members of the Windham Middle School Repurpose
Advisory Committee will determine if the school 
building can accommodate identified space for town
facilities and agencies and become the town's 
Community Center once the school has been
vacated in 2027 with the construction of the new
Windham Raymond Middle School. 
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

Committee members met at Windham Town Hall for the first time on Tuesday evening to review the group’s mission and will gather again at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1 to take a tour of the school facility and to see first-hand what possibilities the building could hold for the community when construction of the new Windham Raymond Middle School is completed in 2027 and the building.

Last fall, Windham Town Councilors reconfigured the committee’s membership to include three members of the town council (Jarrod Maxfield, Nick Kalogerakis and Bill Reiner); Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts as a non-voting member; Assistant Windham Town Manager Bob Burns as a non-voting member; Windham Parks & Recreation Director Linda Brooks as a non-voting member, Deb Matthews as a Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee member; Windham Library Director Jen Alvino-Wood as a non-voting member; Catherine Miller as a Windham Public Library Board of Trustees member; Brian Morian, Windham Public Works Director as a non-voting member; and Rene Daniel, the Windham General Assistance Administrator as a non-voting member. Other committee members include Chuck Daigle, Windham’s Code Enforcement Deputy Director as a non-voting member; Erica Bell-Watkins as the Age Friendly Windham Coordinator as a non-voting member; Stan Rintz and Cathy Streifel as prior Community Center Ad Hoc Committee members; and up to five members of the public.

During a Windham Town Council meeting on Jan. 14, councilors voted to increase the Windham Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee’s number of community member participants from two to five, add a code enforcement officer member and correct a position title for an existing staff member. Councilors appointed Matthew Irving, Anne Daigle, Marge Govoni, Peter Small and Lorraine Glowczak to the committee as community members.

Committee members will review the community center engagement results from August 2019 which identified multigenerational flexible spaces for a range of activities. Members will determine if the middle school building can accommodate those identified spaces within the current structure and/or future spaces around the facility. They will also further determine any new spaces not in the current building and the phasing opportunities and costs.

The committee will determine if the municipal services for can be accommodated within the middle school building, including the Windham Public Library, the Windham Parks & Recreation Department, the Windham Social Services and Food Pantry and the Windham Medical Loan Closet and any other uses for the facility.

Eventually, committee members will determine in what areas municipal departments will use space and the renovation costs or new costs for such space. They will perform a complete review of the building’s condition, strengths and weaknesses of existing current town facilities and how they relate to current and future town needs.

The existing Windham Middle School building opened in 1974. Committee members will use community engagement results from a study conducted in August 2019 which identified the need to create a multi-generational facility for all Windham residents that enhances the quality of life for Windham, provides flexible spaces for a range of activities, and is a self-sustaining site that fosters fun for residents.

Town councilors consider this a vital working committee became members will recommend and prioritize improvements to the current building structure as appropriate for initial use and possible phased uses and provide an operational budget for the facility including manpower estimates with anticipated revenues and expenses. The committee is charged with formulating the tax impact calculation of debt and manpower needs which would be determined on the initial building occupation and adding phased additions.

It will report as appropriate to the Windham Town Council on progress made and at a minimum issuing a quarterly report. <

Collins receives U.S. Army’s highest public service medal

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine has been awarded the Army Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest public service recognition awarded by the U.S. Army.

U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine was awarded the
Army Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest
public service recognition awarded by the U.S. Army,
in the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. on
Thursday, Jan. 16. U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Paul 
Chamberlain presented the award to Collins for her
leadership on the U.S. Senate Appropriations
Committee and the Defense Appropriations
Subcommittee. SUBMITTED PHOTO  

Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth conferred the honor in recognition of Senator Collins’ support for the Army through her leadership on the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.

Lieutenant General Paul Chamberlain, Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller, presented Senator Collins with the award on Capitol Hill last week.

“Receiving this award from the U.S. Army is a tremendous honor, and I am grateful to Secretary Wormuth and the leadership of the Army for this recognition,” said Senator Collins. “Throughout my Senate service, maintaining a strong national defense has been one of my highest priorities. This commitment not only enhances our national security at a time when we face the most dangerous global security environment in 50 years, but it also supports good-paying jobs at Bath Iron Works, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Pratt & Whitney, and elsewhere across the State of Maine.”

The Army Distinguished Public Service Medal is awarded by the Secretary of the Army to individuals whose distinguished service makes a substantial contribution to the Army’s mission.

Collins graduated Phi Beta Kappa from St. Lawrence University in 1975 and began working for Maine U.S. Rep. William Cohen. She remained a member of his staff when he was elected to the U.S. Senate three years later, where she was promoted to staff director of the Oversight of Government Management Subcommittee of the Committee on Governmental Affairs.

In 1987, she was appointed by Maine Gov. John McKernan as the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. In 1992, she was appointed as Director of the Small Business Administration’s Regional Office by President George H.W. Bush. She continued her work to champion small businesses when she was named the founding Executive Director of the Center for Family Business at Husson College (now Husson University) in 1994.

In 1996, Collins was elected to the U.S. Senate, succeeding Cohen. She was subsequently re-elected in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. In 2020, Collins made history by becoming the first-ever Republican woman to win a fifth term in the U.S. Senate. <

Initial plans drawn up to extend Mountain Division Trail from Windham to Westbrook

By Ed Pierce

Using a $450,000 grant for engineering and design work, plans for a proposed 5-mile multi-use trail between Windham and Westbrook have been finalized and submitted to the Maine Department of Transportation.

An artist's conceptual drawing shows what the Mountain
Division Trail will eventually look like once fully completed
and stretching from Fryeburg to Westbrook running through
Windham. COURTESY IMAGE  

Back in 2012, a preliminary design and draft report for the Mountain Division Trail using old railroad beds and tracks was developed and submitted to the MDOT, the City of Westbrook, and Town of Windham for review but the project was put on hold for insufficient funding. The project sat dormant for a decade until in 2022 the Town of Windham applied to the MDOT’s Quality Community Program, seeking funding for the design and construction of the multi-use trail.

The purpose of the project is to extend the Mountain Division Trail from its current end point at Route 202 in Windham and extend it about 5.02 miles south to Bridge Street in Westbrook. Doing this will create a continuous near 10-mile off-road bicycle and pedestrian transportation route running from Standish to Westbrook.

Once funded by MDOT, work on the project will include new pavement, gravel, curbing, drainage, signing and striping, retaining walls, fencing, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons located at the trail crossings on Bridge Street in Westbrook, Depot Street in Windham), and Main Street (Route 202) in Windham.

New plan proposals include installing a prefabricated steel pedestrian bridge over Mallison Falls Road with a structural subconsultant hired to complete the design of the bridge. MDOT will hire a bridge firm to evaluate the Inkhorn Brook and Colley Wright Brook stone arch culverts and impacts to the project will be further evaluated as trail work progresses.

The final plan version was submitted to MDOT in July 2024 and recommends bicycle trail design speeds between 12 to 30 mph, with a speed of 18-mph being generally accepted in relatively flat areas. Because of the adjacent near rail of the railroad track, plans call for the near edge of the trail to be set back a minimum of 15 feet from the near rail.

Plans also propose introducing vertical curves to minimize drainage and property impacts, as well as to improve the trail construction. It prefers that the trail width be 10 feet although reduced to 8 feet minimum for short distances where a physical barrier or right of way does not allow for the full width of the trail. The proposed shoulder widths in the plan are 3 to 5 feet.

According to plan specifics, the subgrade and surface of the trail will be graded to drain away from the rail line unless adequate drainage is provided by the trail developer to prevent trail runoff and providing that there are no impediments to normal rail line maintenance.

Equestrian use will be allowed on the proposed trail and snowmobile passage may be accommodated by removing the middle bollard of the trail during winter months.

The proposal includes sidewalk reconstruction along Main Street (Route 202), Bridge Street, Depot Street, Pierce Street, and Stillwater Drive and rectangular rapid flashing beacons to be installed at the mid-block crossing located for Main Street (Route 202) in Windham, Depot Street in Windham and Bridge Street in Westbrook.

In November, voters approved the $30 million Maine Trails Bond with more than 55 percent of the vote, and funding for the new multi-use trail could be derived from that. Starting this year, the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands will administer $30 million over a four-year period or about $7.5 million per year in competitive grant funding to towns, organizations, and clubs to support the design, maintenance, and construction of trails, prioritizing accessibility and sustainable design standards. It provides equal access for all types of trail projects, including for motorized trail use, non-motorized uses, and multi-use trails; and to help leverage other sources of public and private funding to support trail projects in Maine. <  

Detour coming as Varney’s Bridge replacement project nears

By Masha Yurkevich

Motorists can expect a detour on William Knight Road across the Pleasant River in Windham sometime this summer as work to replace Varney’s Bridge is expected to begin.

There will be a detour for about a month on
Varney's Bridge on William Knight Road in
Windham this summer as bridge replacement
work will be performed. Motorists are
advised to use Falmouth Road or Route 302
to get around the bridge construction.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

An inspection of the bridge by the Maine Department of Transportation determined that it has weakened over time and is not safe for passage by larger vehicles such as garbage trucks, construction vehicles, and plow trucks.

Mark Arienti, Windham Town Engineer, said that the bridge was originally built around 1950 and has not seen much work since.

“The DOT does periodic inspections on bridges that are over 20 feet long,” says Arienti. “During one of their inspections about five or six years ago, they found some issues with the bridge, particularly the concrete abutments, and reduced the allowable load to three tons.”

This makes it not possible for construction trucks, dump trucks, garbage trucks, and other large vehicles to cross the bridge because of the weight limitation.

“For example, when the town plows, it has to stop at the bridge, turn around, and then go the other way,” Arienti said.

Right now, there are concrete abutments that support the current bridge, which is a steel structure, and Arienti said that scouring from the river has caused erosion where the concrete makes contact with the water. There has also been rusting on the steel supports which need to be replaced. The bridge has lasted quite a long time but has aged due to the erosion and corrosion of the concrete foundation and abutments and needs to be replaced.

Around three years ago, MDOT asked if the town would like to replace the bridge or do any other work that is necessary to help the bridge support larger loads so that heavier vehicles can use it. According to Arienti, Varney’s Bridge is classified as a redundant bridge, meaning that you can take alternate routes, such as Route 302 or Falmouth Road, and not experience a significant detour to avoid the bridge.

The town has had the option to close the bridge, but Arienti says that would make it inconvenient for the people who live on the road and use the bridge daily.

“We worked out an agreement with the state where the state pays for half and the town pays for half. This agreement is called a locally administered project, an LAP,” says Arienti. “The town is administering the replacements with contribution from the state with 50 percent of the cost, which is estimated at about $1.7 million.”

With the total cost for the bridge around $1.7 million, the town will pay about $900,000, and MDOT will cover the rest.

“What we have been working over the last year designing a new replacement bridge,” Arienti said. “We hired an outside firm to do some of the technical work and we have now completed a final design of a new bridge, which will be fairly similar to the existing bridge, but it will be a bit longer because we wanted to make the drop down to the bridge a little gentler.”

The design has been approved by MDOT, which leaves Arienti with one final task ahead of the bridge replacement.

“The last thing that I am trying to hire now is for right-of-way impacts; we have some slopes around the abutments, where the bridge is supported on either side, where some of that earthwork needs to go onto the private land next to the road right of way,” says Arienti. “In order to do that, we need to get a permit, easement, or purchase the small sliver of land from the landowners. There is one corner of the project where we are ironing out some of the details, and we hope that we can put the project out to bid this winter.”

Work is scheduled to start on the bridge this summer, around May or June, unless there are any issues. The project is predicted to be finished later in 2025.

“There will be a detour for probably a month at some point during the summer where people will need to go through Falmouth Road or Route 302 to get around the bridge,” says Arienti. <

In the public eye: Bridges/Life Skills teacher makes a difference at Windham Middle School

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

By Ed Pierce

It’s said that children with special needs, just like all other kids, require love, guidance, encouragement, positive influences, and an exceptional life teacher to help them reach their potential. Windham Middle School is fortunate to such a teacher, and her name is Margaret “Margie” Dionne.

Margaret 'Margie' Dionne serves as the
Bridges/Life Skills teacher at Windham
Middle School and works with special
needs students to teach self-advocacy, social
and emotional skills and help students
improve their communication skills.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

She serves as the Bridges/Life Skills teacher at WMS and makes a difference every single day in the lives of her students. Through her work, Dionne provides a supportive learning environment for special needs students that promotes personal growth and independence and gets them ready for high school experiences.

In her job, Dionne teaches self-advocacy, social and emotional skills and helps students to improve their communication skills. The program provides opportunities for community involvement for special needs students and Dionne teaches skills they need for independence in life such as grocery shopping, cooking, self-care and necessary tasks that can be used in employment situations like shredding, laminating and mail delivery to name a few.

“Our program does a lot of our activities and outings with the Windham High School Bridges program which helps to make an easier transition from middle school,” Dionne said.

She says that the best aspect of her work is watching her students grow in their independence and self-confidence.

“Since I have my students all three years of middle school, I get to see first-hand the changes that they make from that first day of sixth grade up until the last day of eighth grade,” Dionne said.

Now in her 11th year of her career at Windham Middle School, she worked as an Educational Technician at the school for eight years before becoming the Bridges/Life Skills teacher three years ago.

“My family agrees that my job is difficult but rewarding and like the fact that I love my job,” Dionne said.

As the Bridges/Life skills teacher at WMS, Dionne is responsible for the creation and implementation of student’s Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). This means that Dionne provides her students with specially designed instructions to meet their academic and functional goals. She is responsible for coordinating with all members of a student’s teams including parents, other teachers, and related service providers, such as speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and social work, to ensure that her students have successful school experiences and are prepared for success in life beyond middle school.

Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dionne attended college at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island and earned a bachelor's degree in education.

“I started my time in education when my husband and two sons and I lived in New Hampshire,” she said. “I was an educational technician in the elementary school in my town for 10 years. I turned volunteering into a job, then that job into a career. When we moved to Maine, I wanted to continue with a position like I had in New Hampshire and was lucky enough that a position was open at Windham Middle School.”

According to Dionne, the biggest misconception about her work is that teaching is about academics only.

“Teachable moments can be made out of any situation,” she said. “Yes, we may play games during class time, but the students are learning skills like waiting your turn, and how to communicate with each other. You can also add reading and math with board games and card games. Playing a game isn't just play.”

Her most memorable moment of serving as the Bridges/Life Skills teacher at WMS so far has been her first trip to a Special Olympics event, she said.

“It was amazing to be part of such a fantastic event,” Dionne said. “To see the relationships that have developed between the athletes, coaches and families throughout the state is very moving.”

And she says that the most important thing she has learned from her time at WMS is that when she needs support, all she needs to do is ask.

“Administration and fellow teachers are supportive of my students, even those who don't know them,” Dionne said. “An example are the send-offs with signs made by the students and the cheering us on as we leave for Special Olympic events.” <

Therapy Bunny sparks academic and social engagement for RES students

By Lorraine Glowczak

A fluffy new classmate is hopping into the hearts and minds of Susan Brackett’s fourth grade class at Raymond Elementary School. Since October, Peaches, a 15-month-old Red Flemish Giant rabbit, eagerly greets the students each morning, spending time with them during quiet classroom moments and at the end of each day. The students, in turn, welcome the bunny with even greater enthusiasm.

Taelynn Smith reads to Peaches, the therapy bunny, during
a class at Raymond Elementary School. The rabbit helps
students enhance social skills while alleviating stress
and anxiety. PHOTO BY SUSAN BRACKETTT

The fawn-colored rabbit is Brackett’s personal pet, and she shared the inspiration behind this unique addition to the classroom.

“I noticed that children these days face many stressors that they have not had to worry about in the past,” she said. “As a result, students are dealing with more stress, anxiety and depression than ever before, and attendance rates are dropping. These are some of the reasons why teachers are seeing a lot more disruptive behaviors in the classroom.”

She said that she felt more needed to be done to engage students that were struggling the most, so she started researching some alternative ways to help support the kids.

Brackett discovered that engaging with therapy animals can enhance social skills, while alleviating stress and anxiety.

“Their presence also helps children feel more focused and confident during learning activities,” she said. “For children developing their reading skills, therapy animals can ease shyness and build their self-assurance.

Students have experienced these benefits first-hand.

“When I’m sad or don’t want to be at school, Peaches makes me feel better,” said Sebastian Shamaoun.

Another student, Ella Moreau, said she must get up extra early because her mother is a teacher.

“When I feel tired and don’t want to go to school so early, I think of Peaches and then I get a boost of energy,” she said.

For one student, she gets more than a little energy boost from the classroom rabbit.

“Peaches is a great addition to our class,” she said. “I’ll be super honest; I forget everything and I hate it. I feel super stressed and I cry and become a mess. And then I look at Peaches and I forget everything [about what upsets me] and get calm and get back to my work.”

Beyond emotional support, Peaches motivates academic engagement.

“I noticed that kids who sometimes might be upset or angry, it will typically ruin their whole day,” Brackett said. “When they sit with Peaches, it turns the day around. I’ve seen a huge benefit in that way. When kids are doing work around the edge of the pen, they are less distracted and can get their assignments completed. It gives them an incentive and something to look forward to.”

One student admits that Peaches helps him to focus.

“It makes working on homework fun,” Shamaoun said. “It’s a privilege to get to sit with the rabbit while we work and if we don’t work, we have to go back to our desk.”

There are other ways Peaches makes a positive impact on the students and the classroom environment by being incorporated through weekly activities such as the “Wednesdays Lunch in the Classroom.” On those days, the students get the opportunity to share small parcels of food.

“We discovered that fruits and vegetables are her favorite snacks,” student Malia Borrayo said. “We hide little bits of food under little cups, and she sniffs to find out if there is food under there and if she likes it, she flips the cup over and eats it.”

Peaches also provides good humor and levity.

“We have a lot of favorite moments when Peaches makes us laugh,” Borrayo said. “One day, she grabbed her blanket with her mouth and pulled it into her cage. That made us laugh, but she was telling us that she needed some alone time.”

The rabbit has become such an integral part of the classroom that her absence leaves a noticeable void.

“When she stayed home sick the other day, the classroom felt empty,” said student Willow Bolstridge. “It was lonely without her.”

Loved by both students and parents and approved by the school board, Peaches isn’t going anywhere soon.

“As long as there are no bunny allergies, Peaches will always be my co-teacher and my students’ furry friend who sparks the love of learning,” Brackett said. <

MSSPA gallops into 2025 with optimism for mission

By Marianne Moran

The Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals (MSSPA) on River Road in Windham is an equine rescue organization that has been in existence for 152 years and enters 2025 poised to continue its mission of caring for horses and other equines in desperate need of assistance.

The Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals in
Windham is an equine rescue organization that has been
in existence for 152 years and cares for horses and other
equines in desperate need of assistance.
PHOTO BY MOLLY MCMAHON

Situated on 125 acres, MSSPA helps equines seized by law enforcement, whether the animal control officer, or the District Agent for the Humane Society of Maine. The owners of some of these animals had warnings to improve their condition and caretaking, and when that is not complied with, they are seized through court order. As these animals are still in the title of ownership of the owner until the court case is completed, they are not the property of the MSSPA, and are quarantined from the other animals, to protect the other horses there in case of contagious conditions.

Peg Keyser, MSSPA advancement director, says quarantined animals are cared for in the front left pasture of the MSSPA building. Other than through seizure, horses also come to the MSSPA after being surrendered due to them not being able to care for the horses any longer or their spouse has passed, or they are getting along in life, and are no longer as youthful. These horses are accepted on a case-by-case-basis.

Keyser said that during an intake exam a horse is meticulously quarantined immediately, and the veterinarian then assesses the health and needs of the horse to restore the horse to a healthy and thriving state.

“During the exam, blood is taken, shots are given, as well as care of teeth and hoof care, oftentimes routine care that had been neglected,” Keyser said.

A refeeding program is started immediately by incrementally increasing the amounts to reintroduce food, which is often a primary issue when a horse is rescued. Additionally, supplements are introduced, and a plan of care is formulated for each horse. During daily feeding times, each horse has a separate bin with specific supplements that particular horse was prescribed by the veterinarian.

“After 28 days, and once the horse is current and up on their shots, they are slowly integrated into the quarantined, resident herd,” Keyser said. “Once surrendered, or upon title of ownership has been finalized through the courts, with 99 out of 100 percent finalized, a retraining process begins for the preparation of the adoption process.”

In the entryway to the MSSPA building, there are before-and-after photos of each equine and their names. The whole picture of care, detailed, dedicated nurturing each animal receives at MSSPA is a testament to their good work and the horse’s rescue for life., Keyser said.

Whether it is adopted or not, the horses will live out their lives on this property being cared for by one or more of the 180 volunteers that are currently giving of their time to MSSPA.

Those horses who successfully are paired with owners for adoption are also looked out for life, with yearly inspections and forms to be completed. Once rescued, the MSSPA never lets the horse fall through the cracks, Keyser said. They want that horse to be cared for, comfortable, and to be loved for the rest of their lives.

Keyser said the first step to adoption for a MSSPA horse is the actual adoption application. What happens next is the process of being a good match.

She said that you would want a more advanced rider with a more advanced horse, and a beginner rider with a more beginner horse.

Some horses are not meant for riding at all, so these horses would be matched to be companions to the adopter’s horse. Perhaps their other horse dies and their remaining horse needs company. Keyser called these “pasture pets.”

After the matching process is complete, a meet-and-greet is conducted with the potential adopters and the horse that has been picked as a good potential match. Then a MSSPA staff member goes to the owner’s property in order to inspect the conditions that the horse will be kept in to ensure a safe environment, with proper fencing and shelter.

Just as in the beginning when the MSSPA was formed in 1872 to protect horses who pulled the streetcars and fire engines, the MSSPA continues to protect and devote its resources to the preservation and protection of horses.

Visitors will find it to be a true pleasure to see the horses happy in their stalls eating their dinners, seeing the volunteers working hard, and to hear about the future MSSPA barn and plans for the future.

You can visit on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays by reserving a one hour time so that you can have a tour at the MSSPA facility at 279 River Road in Windham. To arrange a time to visit, call 207-892-3040.

To donate to help MSSPA continue to care for seized or neglected equines, send a check to MSSPA, P.O. Box 10, Windham, ME 04063.

For further information about MSSPA, visit them online at https://www.msspa.org/ <

Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner celebrates achievements

By Kaysa Jalbert

The 2025 Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner will foster the theme Seeds of Growth, implying a focus on fostering development, progress, and the nurturing of new ideas, initiatives, and relationships within the organization and community, says SLRCC President and CEO Amber Rankine.

The meeting will host special guest speaker Diane Dunton Bruni, Board Chair and President of the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing.

“The theme "Seeds of Growth" implies a focus on fostering development, both personally and collectively, with a forward-looking approach that values continuous improvement and sustainable progress,” Rankine said. “The metaphor of seeds emphasizes the importance of planting the right foundations and cultivating an environment where growth can take root and flourish over time.”

The chamber’s annual meeting and awards dinner will be held from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16 at Camp Sunshine, 35 Acadia Road in Casco. It will begin with a social hour and a welcome, followed by a meal and a guest speaker and then the presentation of awards for 2024.

Rankine said that the 2024 Businessperson of the Year Award will go to Hayley Moon. This award recognizes an individual or business operating in our region that has set an example in leadership, innovation and quality, and/or has provided noteworthy economic opportunity to the people of the Sebago Lakes Region.

The Community Leadership Awards will be presented to two recipients. Timothy Graham of Modern Woodman and a posthumous award to Lyle Merrifield of Merrifield Farm. This award recognizes a civic-minded individual or group that has made a significant contribution to the quality of life in the Sebago Lakes Region. Rankine said that nominees for Community Leadership Awards should be passionate about a cause, work tirelessly for the greater good and inspire others to become involved in their community, and are not required to be a chamber member.

Lastly, the Frank Koenig Chamber Hall of Fame will be presented to Sandy Donnelly posthumously. This highly distinguished honor is presented to an individual whose commitment of time, resources and talent have made the Sebago Lakes Region a better place to pursue one’s livelihood and dreams.

Rankine said that Frank Koenig was passionate about the Chamber and worked tirelessly for the betterment of our region and his local Chamber of Commerce. Like Frank, she said Donnelly was passionate and an active contributor to the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce and made an impact on the Chamber and the local community while maintaining the highest integrity.

This year, the Chamber will install four new Board Members and a new Treasurer during the annual meeting.

New Board Members include Tom Nash of Windham Adult Education to replace Michael Paradise, Denise Clavate of the Town of Gray to replace Laurie Noel, John Daniel of Edwards Jones to replace Pete Neelon and Lindsay Drumm of Saint Joseph’s College to replace Shelli Pride. The terms of Paradise, Noel, Neelon and Pride have expired. The new Treasurer will be Sara Thomas of Androscoggin Bank, replacing Maxwell Bangs. Also retiring from the chamber board this year are Joe Mclean and Maureen Lasalle.

“The annual meeting for the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce serves as a gathering for local business owners, community leaders, and stakeholders,” said Rankine. “It's an opportunity to network, discuss key issues, and look back on the achievements of this past year while planning for the future.”

Rankin says the Chamber plans to enhance community engagement, support local businesses, and strengthen the organization’s presence and influence in 2025.

This year’s annual meeting and awards dinner sponsors include Sabre Yachts as the Happy Hour Sponsor, CCFCU as the Music Sponsor, Saint Joseph’s College as the Award Plaques Sponsor, and this year’s Signature Sponsor is Maine Community Bank.

Rankine has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce since Oct. 1, succeeding Robin Mullins in the leadership position for the Chamber.

“So far it has been an amazing community, I have already made such amazing connections, and I am looking forward to the growth of those connections and continuing to build those new relationships in 2025,” says Rankine.

Rankine previously served as the Executive Director at the Greater Fort Kent Area Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce was launched 60 years ago by a group of innovative business owners and was called the North Windham Business Association. It is now made up of 14 Board Directors and seven officers whose mission is to foster economic growth and prosperity throughout the region. <

Local cyclists gear up for 2025 rides to support Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center

By Masha Yurkevich

Winter isn’t usually a time that Maine cyclists love to be out riding, but for two Windham residents it’s a perfect time to begin preparations for lengthy charity rides they will undertake this year.

Local cyclists Bill Turner, left, and Diane Dunton Bruni are
preparing for another year of riding to raise money for the
Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing, a nonprofit
organization of local volunteers who help elderly residents
and veterans with repairs and special projects so they can stay
in their homes. COURTESY PHOTOS 

For Diane Dunton Bruni and Bill Turner, taking pledges to ride and support the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing which is dedicated to helping families of older residents in the Lakes Region to stay in their homes.

As Board Chair and President of the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center, Dunton Bruni says community support is crucial for what the organization does and the families it serves through home repairs and individual projects throughout the year.

In leading by example in taking pledges for each mile that she rides this winter, Dunton Bruni says she’s helping to spread the word about the Fuller Center’s mission and engaging with volunteers.

“We are an all-volunteer organization," she said. “The biggest challenge is keeping volunteers engaged in-between projects, finding contractors when special expertise is needed, donors and continuing to spread our mission. We continue to grow and cannot get to every project as quickly as we would like.”

Having community support is critical to success in helping the families the Fuller Center serves.

“In 2024, we helped 20 families with 1,150 volunteer hours repairing roofs, building ramps, adding handrails, and various other projects,” Dunton Bruni said. “Since we started doing projects in 2020 during COVID, we have completed 63 projects for 78 families and 4,436 volunteer hours.”

This year, Dunton Bruni is cycling with the Home Team as part of the Fuller Center Bike Adventure.

“For the past few years, I have ridden in different parts along the East coast,” she says. “This year, I will cycle, hike or walk 800 miles locally to raise $3,000 for materials for home repairs.”

Despite setting her goal, Dunton Bruni said she would be delighted if she could raise that number to $5,000.

“All of my funds I raise stay local,” she says. “People have two basic needs: food and shelter. The families we serve are the motivation to keep me going. When I learn about a senior, veteran or a person who is disabled and in need of repairs for their home, basic shelter, for safety reasons, I am humbled. Being able to help a family is a privilege for me.”

Bill Turner is also gearing up to help raise money for the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing later this year. Many years ago, Turner used to participate in the Trek across Maine with his bike and his children.

“At some point in 2017, I decided to see if I could bike across the country,” Turner says. “I began to look for trips and came across the Fuller Center Bike Adventure, and so I signed up for a trip from San Francisco to Santa Fe to see how my body would react.”

Along the way, bikers are asked to participate in projects for the national Fuller Center.

“I am not used to asking people for money, but for such as good cause as the Fuller Center Bike Adventure, it seemed like the right thing to do,” Turner said.

In 2018, he decided to ride across the country with the Bike Adventure, and signed up for a ride from Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine. He managed to ride the entire distance.

Turner has had a lot going on since then. Two years ago, he learned that he had cancer. After getting it removed, he has tested cancer-free ever since. He also had his shoulder replaced a year and a half ago, from which he has recovered and is doing well, and recently had another shoulder surgery just three weeks ago.

Still, Turner was able to ride 1,000 miles in three weeks in 2024 from Seattle, Washington, to Salt Lake City, Utah.

This year Turner has decided that he will be undertaking an epic bicycle ride at home to give his body a bit of a rest. He plans to ride and hike on his own in 2025, often accompanied by his rescue dog Tucker, with a personal goal of raising $10,000 this year and riding 1,000 miles.

According to Turner, he currently hikes about two miles a day, as his shoulder is still recovering. He will soon switch out his fat bike with studded tires to his road bicycle and will also begin doing 5-mile hikes.

“The community has always helped our local riders accomplish their goals and help others throughout our country,” Turner said.

To assist Dunton and Turner reach their 2025 fundraising goals, send a check donation payable to “The Fuller Center for Housing” with the rider’s name in the memo line and mail them to Attn: Bike Adventure, The Fuller Center for Housing, PO Box 523, Americus, GA 31709. <

Gorham Savings Bank and Maine Community Bank merge

Gorham Savings Bank and Maine Community Bank have announced the completion of their merger of equals, forming the largest mutual savings bank operating exclusively in Maine.

Maine Community Bank CEO Steve deCastro meets with
Bank President Jeanne Hulit at the bank's India Street
headquarters in Portland following a merger between
Gorham Savings Bank and Maine Community Bank.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

This significant milestone creates a new major player in community banking, with nearly $3 billion in assets and 21 branches throughout Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York counties. The combined entity will offer businesses and consumers enhanced financial capabilities and an even greater commitment to serving the communities of southern and central Maine.

The merger closed on Jan. 1, 2025. The combined institution will operate under the name Maine Community Bank, uniting the strengths and traditions of both legacy banks.

Customers of both Gorham Savings Bank and Maine Community Bank can expect their accounts, services, and banking relationships to remain uninterrupted and secure. All branches will continue to operate as usual with the same familiar staff. Customers will retain access to their existing online banking platforms and mobile apps, with no changes to account numbers, routing numbers, or debit and credit cards at this time.

Gorham Savings Bank will undergo a rebranding process to transition building signage, online banking, and mobile apps to the Maine Community Bank name and logo over the next several weeks. The newly combined Maine Community Bank website can be accessed at a new URL: maine.bank <https://maine.bank/> .

Following systems integration in late 2025, Maine Community Bank will offer customers greater convenience and accessibility through the largest branch network spanning Androscoggin, York, and Cumberland counties, along with a wider array of financial services, combining the strengths of both legacy banks.

Customers will benefit from enhanced products and services, including wealth management and expanded cash management services. There will also be increased lending capacity allowing for more substantial support of personal and business financial needs. Significant investments will be made in improved technology providing the community with a more efficient and user-friendly banking experience.

Maine Community Bank is all in on Maine and will reaffirm its deep commitment to southern and central Maine, continuing to invest in local initiatives and partnerships that foster financial literacy, economic growth, and support entrepreneurship. The merger strengthens the bank’s capacity to support community development projects and nonprofits, enhancing its role as a vital community partner.

Steve deCastro, President and CEO of Gorham Savings Bank, becomes the new CEO of Maine Community Bank, leading the unified organization with the support of a skilled board of directors and an experienced executive team drawn from both banks. Jeanne Hulit, the former President and CEO of Maine Community Bank, will serve as President of the combined institution through 2025 and oversee the integration.

“Our merger of Gorham Savings Bank and Maine Community Bank marks a significant milestone in banking in this region, as we become the largest mutual savings bank serving Maine exclusively,” said Steve deCastro. “I’m very proud of our teams, who have integrated seamlessly over the past year, and while there’s still work to be done, our focus remains on ensuring a smooth transition for all customers. This merger represents a true partnership of equals, driven by shared goals, common interests, and a deep dedication to building a better bank for our customers and Maine communities.”

“I am so very pleased with the entire newly combined Maine Community Bank team and how they have come together in the past year,” added Jeanne Hulit. “I’m also thrilled that our combined bank will be led by CEO Steve deCastro and board chair Jeff Worthing. They each possess considerable skills and abilities that will ensure Maine Community Bank continues to lead the way throughout the communities we serve.”

Work to integrate the core operating systems of the two banks into a single platform is already underway. Customers will receive advance notice of any changes and personal support to ensure a smooth transition, with core integration expected in late 2025.

About the newly combined Maine Community Bank Headquartered in Portland, Maine Community Bank is the largest mutual savings bank operating exclusively in the state, with nearly $3 billion in assets and 21 branches across Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York counties. Formed from the merger of Gorham Savings Bank and Maine Community Bank—two of Maine's longest-standing community banks with rich 150+ year heritages—the bank combines the strengths of both institutions to create an even stronger, more capable, and more convenient institution for Maine families, businesses, and communities.

As the only bank headquartered in Cumberland County, Maine Community Bank is a depositor-owned institution committed to local decision-making and offering a comprehensive suite of both personal and business financial services, as well as wealth management.

Committed to the well-being of its communities, Maine Community Bank annually contributes thousands of volunteer hours and financial resources to community-based initiatives. By investing in local partnerships that promote financial literacy, stimulate economic growth, and foster entrepreneurship, the bank strengthens the fabric of the communities it serves.

Maine Community Bank is a member of the FDIC.

To learn more, visit maine.bank <https://www.maine.bank/. <

In the public eye: Exceptional WMS STEM teacher inspires young minds

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

By Ed Pierce

English theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking got it right when he said that behind every exceptional person there is an exceptional teacher. Windham Middle School’s Jason Lanoie is a great example of what Hawking was talking about.

Jason Lanoie teaches Seventh Grade Science, Engineering,
Technology and Math (STEM) on the Sebago Team at
WMS and is now in his 19th year of working at 
the school. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Lanoie teaches Seventh Grade Science, Engineering, Technology and Math (STEM) classes on the Sebago Team at WMS and is now in his 19th year of working at the school.

“Many times, when I tell people I teach STEM, they always ask, ‘What is that?’ and I always start off by telling them it’s technology,” Lanoie said. “I also tell them we do 3D printing, we make solar cars, we do laser engraving and so much more, but I always include woodworking. It’s still an important part of STEM, and in the earlier days of technology education in school, it was called Shop.”

He sees his students every day for about 50 minutes but at the beginning of the new semester, Lanoie will switch to the other seventh grade team, O’Hana.

“I get to see a different side of students, those who may not love school and struggle with classes like math or English and Language Arts, but love the hands-on projects in STEM,” Lanoie said. “I get to see the creative side of my students. I’m able to incorporate math and science skills in an alternative form.”

Growing up in Gorham, Lanoie graduated from Gorham High School in 1999. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Technology Education from the University of Southern Maine and then obtained a master’s degree in educational technology from Southern New Hampshire University.

“In late December of 2004 I got a phone call from Randy Perkins who at the time was the other STEM teacher at Windham Middle School,” Lanoie said. “He knew I was about to graduate from USM, and they were looking for a long-term substitute. I started in January 2005 and have been here ever since.”

Besides teaching, Lanoie currently serves as part of the WMS leadership team that is working on getting ready for the new middle school. He also has numerous positions, including vice president of the teacher’s association and is the head coach of the WMS Girls’ Indoor and Outdoor track teams.

According to Lanoie, his most memorable moment at the school is when he wrote his first grant with the Perloff foundation.

“Dave and Sandy Perloff purchased my first 3D printer back in 2012. Since then, I have received thousands of dollars in equipment from their foundation and it has changed the way I am able to teach,” Lanoie said. “We have 10 3D printers and laser engravers and Lego kits all from the Perloffs. We are able to do things I never thought possible when I first started teaching here almost 20 years ago. Another memorable moment was when I started the Guitar builders club last year. In the first year of the club, I had six students build a working guitar that they get to keep. This year the club has grown to 12 students and has been funded with a grant from the town council.”

Following in his father’s footsteps as a teacher, Lanoie says he truly feels his family is proud of the work he is doing.

“My father taught Industrial Technology and computers in Cape Elizabeth,” he said. “My wife Ashley is my biggest support. She also is a teacher, and we often help each other with our struggles, and if we just need another set of professional eyes for curriculum or lesson plans. I also like to try out some of the projects like my Rube Goldberg machines with my son and daughter.”

Lanoie said the people he works with at WMS are like a second family.

“We are all here to support each other. I remember when I was new to the building, and I needed the support from the veteran staff,” Lanoie said. “Teachers like Lee Allen and Charlie Haddock helped make me the educator I am today. Now that I have been at Windham Middle School for a number of years, I get to be that support for the next generation of teachers. We try to show new staff that at this school we will do whatever we can to support you. By showing new educators that we have their backs, we hope that it will continue long after the current teachers retire. It is really what keeps all of us at WMS going some days.” <