Deadline nears to participate in WindowDressers community build

By Ed Pierce

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Raymond-Casco Historical Society selling honey after successful harvest

By Ed Pierce

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Windham Leaf and Brush Disposal Site preparing for seasonal opening

By Ed Pierce

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Windham voters to decide outcome of two referendums in November

By Ed Pierce

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pat Moody Foundation to hold Second Annual Gala in October

By Matt Pascarella

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Ed Pierce

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Windham Middle School music program brings back mattress fundraiser

By Masha Yurkevich

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Candidate list complete for Nov. 3 election in Windham and Raymond

By Ed Pierce

With a little more than seven weeks remaining until Election Day on Nov. 3, the town clerks in Windham and Raymond have finalized the list of candidates who will be appearing on the ballot for municipal, legislative and school board races.

Four candidates are vying for two positions on the RSU 14
Board of Directors in the Nov. 3 General Election. From 
left are Megan Potter, Marge Govoni, Joe Kellner and
Adam Zajac. FILE PHOTOS 

Four candidates are vying for two positions and three-year terms serving on the RSU 14 Board of Directors representing Windham.

According to Windham Town Clerk Anthony Blasi, of the four candidates submitting paperwork to run in the RSU Board of Directors election, incumbents Marge Govoni and Joe Kellner are seeking re-election while candidates Megan Potter and Adam Zajac are seeking seats on the school board.

Govoni has served on the school board off and on since 2008 and is a retired manager from Textron Inc. Kellner is the Chief Executive Officer of LifeFlight of Maine and formerly served as Vice President of Finance for Northern Light Home Care and Hospice. Potter and Zajac also were candidates for school board seats in 2023. Potter is VA Team Lead at Jackson and MacNichol while Zajac is a business owner in Windham.

Barring a massive write-in campaign, two candidates will be elected to serve three-year terms on the Windham Town Council on Nov. 3. Incumbent Mark Morrison, who had been serving as an at-large town councilor, will vacate his at-large position but instead has submitted paperwork to run for the town council position representing Windham’s East district. Brett Jones had been serving as the East district councilor, but Blasi said that he did not file paperwork seeking re-election for another term. Mark Cobb has submitted paperwork to run for a three-year term for an at-large position on the council. Both Morrison and Cobb own businesses in Windham and are unopposed on the ballot in November.

The RSU 14 Board of Directors and Windham Town Council seats are non-partisan positions.

Following the primary elections held on June 9, the Maine Secretary of State has placed the following legislative candidates for positions representing Windham and Raymond on the Nov. 3 General election ballot:

For Maine State Senate District 26 representing Casco, Frye Island, Raymond, Windham and part of Westbrook, the candidates are incumbent Democrat Tim Nangle of Windham and Republican challenger Kenneth Cianchette of Windham. Nangle, a retired paramedic and former Windham Town Councilor, is seeking a third term as state senator while Cianchette, who owns and operates Erik’s Church country music bar and restaurant in Windham, is making his second run for the position.

For Maine House of Representatives District 86 representing Casco, Frye Island, part of Poland and Raymond, the candidates are incumbent Republican Rolf Olsen of Raymond and Democrat challenger Abigail Geer of Raymond. Olsen is a retired insurance agent and former member of the Raymond Select Board who is seeking a second term in the state legislature. His opponent Geer has worked as a private school administrator and is a previous candidate for the Raymond Select Board.

For Maine House of Representatives District 106 representing part of Windham, the candidates are incumbent Republican Barbara Bagshaw of Windham and Democrat challenger Bradley Youngs of Windham. Bagshaw, a retired art teacher, is seeking a third term in the state legislature. Youngs, a school volunteer, previously ran for a RSU 14 Board of Directors position.

For Maine House of Representatives District 107 representing part of Windham, the candidates are incumbent Republican Mark Cooper of Windham and Democrat challenger Joseph Campbell of Windham. Cooper owns a farm in Windham along with a family construction business called L C Cooper Co Inc. and is seeking a second term in the state legislature. Campbell is a long-term Substitute at Gray/New Gloucester High School and a graduate student at the University of Maine, and he previously was a candidate for the Windham Town Council.

Candidate interviews and their positions on the issues will appear in the Oct. 16 and Oct. 23 editions of The Windham Eagle prior to the election. <      

Annual charity golf tournament to benefit Pat Moody Foundation

By Masha Yurkevich

A local charity golf tournament will return this month with a goal of raising money for the Pat Moody Foundation, an organization created to support local youth sports in honor of a longtime Windham sports supporter and late resident. The fourth annual charity golf tournament, organized by Windham resident and restaurant owner Kenneth Cianchette, will take place Monday, Sept. 21 with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. at Point Sebago in Casco.

The Fourth Annual Charity Golf Tournament organized by
Kenneth Cianchette, will be held at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21
at Point Sebago in Casco and proceeds benefit The Pat
Moody Foundation. COURTESY PHOTO   

The event is a private tournament that Cianchette organizes each year, with the beneficiary rotating among local organizations. This year, proceeds will support The Pat Moody Foundation. The foundation was established about two years ago following the death of Moody, who Cianchette described as a highly respected, longtime Windham resident and avid supporter of local youth sports, particularly basketball.

The foundation was established in the name of Moody to support local high school and youth athletic programs, with an emphasis on basketball. Cianchette said the work of the Pat Moody organization directly benefits the community.

Moody was involved in Windham youth sports well beyond the basketball court. He spent more than 30 years involved with local community programs, including 15 years as director of the Windham Youth Basketball Association and time as chairman of the Windham Recreation Advisory Board and Windham Community Center Exploratory Committee. He also volunteered with XLP Basketball, a program that helps make AAU basketball more accessible to young athletes.

His commitment to providing local children with places to play was especially visible through his work on basketball facilities in Windham. Moody played a key role in getting the Windham outdoor basketball courts built, which were named the Patrick Moody Basketball Courts in his honor in 2024. He also built a half-court basketball facility on his own property, giving local players a place to practice during the Maine winters.

The foundation created in his memory has continued that work. In 2025, it awarded its first scholarship to a Windham High School student-athlete and has since continued supporting young athletes and youth programs in Windham and surrounding communities.

The golf tournament this year will feature a traditional charity golf format, with teams competing throughout the day and participating in various activities designed to make the event enjoyable while raising money for the foundation.

The tournament still has team spots and hole sponsorships available and tickets can be purchased online through Sept. 14. Direct donations can be made online through Sept. 21. The link to buy tickets or make a donation can be found at: EriksChurch.com or on eventbrite.

One hundred percent of the profits from the tournament will go directly to the foundation.

“We are hoping to raise anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000 for The Pat Moody Foundation, and to continue to spread awareness of the foundation, and the good work that it does,” Cianchette said.

The tournament is part of an annual effort by Cianchette to support different local causes. Each year, he selects an organization that he believes could benefit from additional financial support and fundraising assistance. The first tournament benefitted the Windham Veterans Center. The second supported the Walk a Mile in Their Shoes Foundation, while the third raised money for the RSU 14 Backpack Program. 

Cianchette said the goal is to create awareness for local organizations in addition to raising money.

“We do it every fall and try to figure out ways to give a little added revenue to a local organization, just to give them a little boost for their next year,” he said.

The beneficiary this year was a personal choice for Cianchette, who said Moody was a friend.

“Pat Moody was a friend, and his foundation has done amazing work, and it is directly contributing to the community,” he said. “I would say anybody that knew or supported Pat, and supports the foundation named in his honor, should consider playing or sponsoring an event.”

The golf tournament represents four years of an effort to bring the community together while supporting organizations that are serving local residents, and this year, Cianchette says he hopes that support will help continue Pat Moody’s legacy of giving back to the community through youth athletics. <

Goodwill launches new program to strengthen behavioral health services in New England

Goodwill Northern New England has launched Healthy Communities AmeriCorps (HCA), a new program designed to expand access to substance use recovery and youth mental health services in rural communities and communities experiencing concentrated poverty across Maine and New Hampshire.

Through the program, 40 AmeriCorps members will serve with public agencies and community-based organizations, helping increase access to evidence-based behavioral health interventions for underserved populations while strengthening the capacity of local organizations.

"Healthy Communities AmeriCorps is about strengthening communities today while building the behavioral health workforce of tomorrow," said Steve Niles, Director of AmeriCorps Programs at Goodwill Northern New England. "Our members will help expand access to substance use recovery and youth mental health services in communities that need them most while gaining hands-on experience that prepares them for careers in behavioral health.”

The Healthy Communities AmeriCorps program builds on the success of Goodwill NNE's Public Health AmeriCorps program and focuses specifically on improving behavioral health outcomes through partnerships with substance use recovery providers, youth-serving organizations, after-school programs, rural behavioral health providers, and other community organizations.

"Healthy Communities AmeriCorps represents an important investment in the health and well-being of our communities," Niles said. "By placing AmeriCorps members with organizations already doing vital work, we’re helping expand services for people who need them most while preparing the next generation of behavioral health professionals.”

Over the first year of the program, AmeriCorps members will implement evidence-based behavioral health interventions designed to improve substance use recovery and youth mental health outcomes. Members will serve with 15 partner organizations, helping those agencies increase their capacity to provide critical services and support to vulnerable populations.

In addition to direct service, Healthy Communities AmeriCorps members will recruit and engage 75 volunteers who will support the implementation of evidence-based behavioral health interventions across participating communities.

Members will gain valuable hands-on experience and training in behavioral health services throughout their terms of service, helping prepare them for careers in the behavioral health workforce upon completion of the program.

Healthy Communities AmeriCorps is supported by a federal AmeriCorps investment of $507,250, along with $15,218 in public funding and $60,873 in private funding to support program operations and community impact.

The program reflects Goodwill NNE's ongoing commitment to strengthening communities through service, workforce development, and partnerships that address critical local needs. By expanding the capacity of organizations working in substance use recovery and youth mental health, Healthy Communities AmeriCorps aims to improve long-term health outcomes in communities that often face barriers to accessing behavioral health services.

To learn more about Goodwill NNE AmeriCorps programs, visit goodwillnne.org/programs/americorps or visit linktr.ee/goodwillamericorps <

In the public eye: New WPS Assistant Principal strives to build strong relationships with students, families and staff

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

By Ed Pierce

Allison Hopkins loves what she does and despite having a lot on her plate, her top priority is to the students and families of Windham Primary School.

Allison Hopkins is the new Assistant Principal at
Windham Primary School and works with students,
teachers and families to support students 
academically, socially and behaviorally.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

Hopkins is the new assistant principal at WPS this fall and her duties involve a little bit of everything that school administrators typically encounter.

“I work with students, teachers, and families to help support students academically, socially, and behaviorally,” Hopkins said. I also help to solve problems when concerns come up, support teachers, communicate with families, and help make sure the school is a safe and positive place for students and staff. A big part of my job is also just being present in the building and getting to know our students and staff.”

According to Hopkins, the best part of her new job with WPS is building relationships with those she works with.

“I really enjoy working with teachers and families to help students feel successful and enjoy coming to school,” she said. “I also love getting to know students and being someone that they feel comfortable going to when they need help or just need a familiar face.”

The most challenging aspect of her work involves managing her time.

“There are a lot of different needs happening at the same time, and sometimes you wish you could be in five places at once,” Hopkins said. “It can be challenging to balance everything and make sure everyone feels supported. At the same time, that’s also what makes the job interesting and rewarding.”

Originally from Lewiston, Hopkins attended the University of Southern Maine where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in a self-designed, science-focused major. She later earned a master’s degree in teaching and learning.

The assistant principal position at Windham Primary became available earlier this summer when longtime assistant principal Diana Jordan was named by the RSU 14 Board of Directors to serve as the new principal at Raymond Elementary School.

Hopkins applied and started work in August at WPS.

“I was looking for a school community where people really worked together and where there was a strong focus on the success of students,” she said. “I wanted to be part of a team that values collaboration and supporting the whole child, and Windham felt like a great fit.”

She has plenty of experience in education, having served in quite a few different roles.

“I’ve been a middle school science teacher, a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher, an MTSS Coordinator, a Math Instructional Coach, an assistant principal, and a principal,” Hopkins said. “I think people sometimes think an assistant principal is mostly about discipline. That is certainly one part of the job, but there is so much more to it. A lot of my time is spent supporting teachers, working with families, problem-solving, and building relationships with students.”

She’s already making a difference at WPS.

“On the first day of school, I was able to help a second grader who was feeling nervous about coming into school,” Hopkins said. “It was a pretty small moment but I think it was the beginning of a relationship where that student knows there is a trusted adult in the building they can go to. Those are the moments that really stand out to me.”

There are a lot of little things that happen throughout the school day that Hopkins says people probably don’t realize are part of her job as assistant principal.

“Some days I’m helping a student, working with a teacher, talking with a parent, greeting kids at the door, or trying to solve something behind the scenes,” she said. “A lot of the job is just being available and helping wherever you’re needed.”

Hopkins is grateful for her family, who she says have always been supportive of her work as an educator.

“They know how much I enjoy working with kids and being part of a school community,” she said. “I think they like knowing that I’m doing something that I really care about.”

Even though Hopkins is new to Windham, she says that she’s already been reminded how important relationships are.

“Kids need to know that the adults in their school know them, care about them, and are there for them,” she said. “I think that’s true for adults, too. When people feel like they’re part of a team and that they’re supported, good things happen.” <

Bagshaw seeks re-election to Maine House District 106 seat

Incumbent State Representative Barbara Bagshaw, R-Windham, a retired art teacher, will seek re-election to Maine House District 106 representing part of Windham.

State Rep. Barbara Bagshaw

“What I hear every day when I’m visiting my constituents is that the cost of living is out of control. One bag of groceries can be north of $100,” Bagshaw said. “Property taxes continue to rise despite the fact that Windham is growing very quickly with new developments every year. Gasoline, heating oil, and electric bills are outrageous. My first question when considering legislation in Augusta is simple: Will this bill cost the people of Windham more money? If the answer is ‘Yes,’ then I can’t support that policy.”

Bagshaw won re-election to the Maine House of Representatives in 2024 by 382 votes (53 percent to 47 percent), in defeating a former Windham school bus driver.

In a video recently posted to Bagshaw’s Facebook page, local business owner Beth Hall cited Bagshaw’s hard work for the people of Windham as a key reason to send the State Representative back to Augusta for two more years.

“I’ve been honored to represent you in the State House for the last four years. I enjoy the work and I love to hear from the people of Windham," Bagshaw said. "We’ve got a great community here with local businesses, hardworking people, and the crown jewel of the Lakes Region, Sebago Lake. I’d be humbled to earn your vote to represent Windham for another two years.”

Bagshaw was first elected to represent Windham in the Maine House of Representatives in 2022.

“We need to get spending in Augusta under control, so we don’t tax people out of their homes,” Bagshaw said. “The government is the vehicle and the people are the drivers. That is something that has been forgotten. As the Declaration of Independence asserts: The government’s power comes from the consent of the governed. Do they have our consent?” <

Newspaper establishes guidelines for election coverage

By Ed Pierce

With under two months now left until the Nov. 3 general election in Maine, The Windham Eagle newspaper stands ready to provide objective coverage of the candidates and races in the Windham and Raymond communities.

To be fair to everyone concerned, here are the rules the newspaper is establishing for election coverage this fall:

Letters to the Editor endorsing candidates will be accepted up to seven days prior to Election Day and ending on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The letters should be sent by email to [email protected] and be no more than 150 words in length. The deadline for submitting letters is noon on Tuesdays for that week’s newspaper edition.

The newspaper will print no more than two letters endorsing a candidate per edition. Readers may only submit one letter supporting a candidate during an election cycle. The letters will be published in the order that they are received by the newspaper and any candidate endorsement letters remaining will be published on Oct. 30.

Candidate endorsement letters must focus on reasons why the writer supports the candidate they are endorsing and are not to be used to attack opposing candidates or imply opponent shortfalls or else they will be rejected for publication.

Organized letter-writing campaigns are not allowed by the newspaper and letters deemed to be part of an organized campaign will not be published.

Because of space limitations in the print editions of the newspaper, letters will only be published from residents living in Windham or Raymond, and endorsing candidates in districts that they reside in.

The Windham Eagle newspaper does not endorse candidates. All Letters to the Editor will be reviewed before publication to verify information and edited for conformity to the newspaper rules and to correct spelling and grammar issues.

Election candidates and supporters are encouraged to advertise in the newspaper to reach their local voters. The circulation of the newspaper is 13,000 weekly copies with about 10,600 direct mailed to homes and businesses in Windham and Raymond. Newsstand copies are available in Windham and Raymond. To inquire about placing a paid political ad, call Melissa Carter at 207-329-3239 or by email at [email protected]

A questionnaire will be sent to election candidates by email after Labor Day and candidates are asked to complete it in a timely manner and send it back to the newspaper editor to compile into a comprehensive candidate preview for publication. 

The candidate previews will appear in the Oct. 16 and Oct. 23 editions of The Windham Eagle. Should a candidate not return the questionnaire by the established deadline, their space in the candidate preview will indicate that they did not respond to questions posed by the newspaper.

Candidate previews will include races for Maine State Senate, Maine House of Representatives, Windham Town Council, and RSU 14 Board of Directors. An article will also be published prior to the election with information about town referendums.

Statewide referendum and local referendums items will also be detailed for readers in an upcoming edition of The Windham Eagle newspaper prior to the election on Nov. 3. <

Gonzalez earns Employee of Month honors in Portland

By Ed Pierce

Kaela Gonzalez of Raymond has been honored as the City of Portland’s July Employee of the Month.

Kaela Gonzalez of Raymond, a Program
Coordinator in Portland's Housing &
Economic Development Department, has
been honored as the City of Portland's
July Ermployee of the Month.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

, She works as a Program Coordinator in Portland’s Housing & Economic Development Department and was recognized for her exceptional work ethic, her meticulous attention to detail, always going above and beyond, and her unwavering positivity.

Gozalez initially joined the city in the Finance Department where she consistently demonstrated a willingness to step up in times of need in her role coordinating ARPA funding, during a critical time amidst the pandemic. She has continually expanded her role since transitioning to the Housing and Economic Development Department, taking on complex responsibilities and challenges with remarkable initiative and grace.

When a staff member went on leave, Gonzalez didn’t hesitate. She was commended for her exceptional leadership and project management for expertly stepping in to manage and staff the Portland Fish Pier Authority Board of Directors, including two new subcommittees, and seamlessly coordinating with the Chair, Corporation Counsel, and department staff to ensure critical workflows continued smoothly.

She also has played an instrumental role in the CAD Cell/Dredge Project in facilitating complex agreements with over 25 waterfront pier owners to have their individual piers dredged. Her meticulous attention to detail and her initiative in arranging personalized meetings with owners, city staff, and consultants to ensure everyone understood the project’s logistics and their specific roles, helped to facilitate this massive public/private project moving forward, an impressive accomplishment.

Beyond Kaela’s work achievements, she is recognized by her colleagues and outside consultants alike for her positivity, reliability, attention to detail, and timeliness. She is extremely responsive, fun to work with, and builds phenomenal relationships with internal teams and external stakeholders.

Administrators believe she is an asset to the Housing & Economic Development Department and to the City of Portland.

Gonzalez previously served as assistant to Raymond’s town manager, assistant to the town assessor and assistant to the town public works director, and the Town of Raymond’s communications director.

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.

In 2025, Gonzalez was given the “Maine Citizen Planner of the Year” by the Maine Association of Planners for her service as co-chair of the Town of Raymond’s Comprehensive Plan Committee. The award is presented annually 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. 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.

She currently serves as a Raymond Select Board member. <

Bridge replacement project back on schedule in Windham

By Ed Pierce

Work on a bridge replacement project in Windham delayed by sharp reductions in federal transportation funding will begin in 2027 after state funding for the project was obtained.

MaineDOT has put the Loveitt Bridge replacement on River
Road in Windham on its 2027 schedule of projects. The $4.220 
million project will replace the bridge and widen the bridge's
travel lanes. COURTESY PHOTO  

Last month, Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced that $136 million to support Maine’s transportation program had been secured addressing anticipated shortfalls in Maine Department of Transportation’s capital program. As a result of this infusion of new funding, MaineDOT has restarted projects that were considered for temporary delay while it evaluated the impacts of the projected funding gap and has placed the Loveitt Bridge replacement on the 2027 schedule.

Located 0.13 of a mile north of Laskey Road on River Road in Windham, the $4.220 million project will replace the Loveitt Bridge over the Pleasant River. The bridge was originally built in 1947 and is 88 feet wide and made of concrete and steel.

Maine DOT inspectors say the bridge is structurally deficient with advanced deck deterioration, minor section loss to the superstructure, minor substructure deterioration and major damage to the river’s bank there.

The goal of the bridge replacement project is to address the condition of the existing concrete deck and increase the bridge’s width while minimizing impacts to the public.

Current estimates show about 8,100 vehicles use the bridge daily, with about 3 percent of that traffic being heavy trucks. During the past three years a total of 23 crashes have been reported in that area.

Mills says that while this newly resourced funding addresses MaineDOT’s immediate needs, it does not resolve the long-term structural challenges facing Maine’s transportation program. She said that inflation, increasing construction costs, aging infrastructure, and transportation revenues that have not kept pace with those costs continue to create significant funding pressures.

“The $1.4 billion added to the highway fund over the past eight years demonstrates the scale of Maine’s transportation funding needs and the lack of a sustainable, long-term funding solution,” she said. “Maintaining Maine’s integrated transportation network in a safe and serviceable condition requires substantial ongoing investment.”

Just to preserve current highway and bridge conditions in the state and make only limited improvements, MaineDOT administrators estimate that an additional $195 million in state resources are needed in State Fiscal Year 2029 beginning July 1, 2028 with that funding gap expected to continue growing as inflation and federal funding reductions drive project costs even higher.

According to MaineDOT Commissioner Dale F. Doughty, the department will work with Mills, the incoming 133rd Maine Legislature, transportation stakeholders, local communities, industry partners, and the public to develop sustainable, long-term transportation funding solutions that preserves Maine’s ability to maintain and improve the infrastructure residents, visitors, and businesses depend on every day. 

“We recognize that our transportation system touches every household and every business, every day,” Doughty said. “We plan carefully, adjust when necessary, and keep our focus where it belongs, on delivering a transportation network that serves Maine.”

The Loveitt Bridge replacement project was originally listed on Maine DOT’s Three-Year Plan of statewide transportation projects in 2022 and had been scheduled to be take place in 2025 before being delayed. The original project in 2022 was listed as a bridge deck replacement only at a cost of $1 million.

The bridge is named after Jonathan Loveitt, who was part of a pioneering family with deep roots in the Windham and Gorham areas. Jonathan Loveitt established early local mills, a store, and a homestead near Gambo Falls along the Presumpscot River. At one time, Babb’s Bridge connecting Windham and Gorham over the Presumpscot River was also known as Loveitt’s Bridge but was subsequently renamed. <

Students and families receive a sweet welcome back at WPS

By Erin Rose

Students were welcomed back to Windham Primary School with the annual “Popsicles with the Principals” event, held at the school from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27.

For the 19th consecutive year, students and families have been
welcomed back to Windham Primary School with the annual
'Popsicles with the Principals' event held at the school on
Thursday, Aug. 27. COURTESY PHOTO 

“It gives us a way to celebrate school starting in a festive way and gives an opportunity for families to get together,” said Dr. Kyle Rhoads, the school’s principal. “They may or may not have seen friends over the summer, so it’s a chance for them to reconnect both with families and our staff as well. It’s always well attended, and weather permitting, is a good time for everyone.”

A variety of classic popsicles, the type where the top of the plastic sleeve is snipped to allow access to the icy treat, were available, including classic flavors like grape and cherry.

The “Popsicles with the Principals” event, held for the past 19 years, gives both students and families the chance to enjoy popsicles, the school’s playground and also to meet with teachers both and old. This year’s gathering allowed the students and families to meet new WPS Assistant Principal Allison Hopkins, who is joining the school this year.

“This year, it’s ‘Popsicles with the Principals’, plural, since we have an assistant principal who is new to us this year, so it was a chance for families to first meet her,” Rhoads said. “I think we’ve got a great staff coming back that is ready for the kids and families to return.”

Prior to the popsicles, some teachers provided the chance for families to explore their classrooms before the students return, allowing parents a glimpse into the learning spaces and time to connect with teachers.

“Many of our teachers, before the popsicle event, hold an open house so the parents can come in and see the room before their child shows up the following week,” Rhoads said. “We also give tours of the school for any families who might be new to the community.”

The event also allows past students to come back and grab a sweet treat while also connecting with the educators who helped them learn.

“Even some kiddos who are no longer primary school age, they may be at the middle school or the high school, they show up too,” Rhoads said. “They don’t mind getting a popsicle and they get to reconnect.”

While mostly fun, it also provides a chance for parents to handle administrative tasks before the new year begins. Required paperwork was distributed, along with information about programs available for the students.

“Families can pick up their dismissal card, which is an essential part of the dismissal process,” Rhoads explained. “There’s also some information about some of our programming, such as the Cub Scouts.”

“It’s an opportunity to learn more about the school and what’s available and get some of those logistical things taken care of,” he added.

In the new year, one thing Rhoads is looking forward to welcoming new faces to the school, as he seeks to expand the volunteers that help the school support students.

“One of the things we are going to try to do this year is really increase how we use our volunteers and increase how many volunteers we have,” he said. “We’re always looking for volunteers in many shapes and forms. It doesn’t just have to be a parent either. It can be a grandparent, an uncle, a friendly neighbor. If you want to be a part of the school and be involved, we can help find out what those ways are.”

Rhoads says he is looking forward to the return of students, as the school has been quiet over the summer months.

“The school has got a real buzz to it,” Rhoads said. “It’s welcome noise and soon there’ll be smiling faces to accompany it. We’re ready to come back.”

For more details about volunteering at WPS, visit the school’s website at https://wps.rsu14.org/. <

Nangle receives Maine Audubon Wildlife Champion Award

AUGUSTA – State Senator Tim Nangle, D-Windham, received a Wildlife Champion Award from Maine Audubon at the organization’s inaugural Wildlife Champion Awards & Celebration at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center on Aug. 20 in Falmouth.

Maine Audubon President Judy Camuso, left, presents
State Senator Tim Nangle of Windham with a Wildlife
Champion Award alongside Maine Audubon Director
of Advocacy Francesca 'Ches' Gundrum at Gisland
Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth on Thursday, Aug. 20.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Senator Nangle was recognized for his leadership on laws that strengthen shoreland zoning enforcement and help municipalities protect Maine’s waters, wildlife habitat and local property taxpayers.

“Clean water, healthy wildlife habitat and strong communities go hand in hand, especially in the Lakes Region,” Nangle said. “When a town has to spend more than half a million dollars just to enforce the law, that is unfair to the community and to every property taxpayer who does play by the rules. I’m proud we turned the town of Raymond’s experience into practical, state-wide protections, and I’m grateful to Maine Audubon for this honor, and for being a strong partner in that work. Giving towns both the authority and the resources to protect their waters is a win for wildlife, taxpayers, and communities across Maine.”

Maine Audubon said Nangle champions their environmental advocacy cause.

“We are thrilled to honor Senator Nangle tonight for sponsoring LD 1904, an initiative that builds on his work from previous sessions to help towns defend the shoreland zone by establishing the Municipal Shoreline Protection Legal Fund, which acts as a revolving loan fund to assist municipalities — especially small ones — in paying legal costs incurred in pursuing egregious shoreland zoning violations,” said Francesca “Ches” Gundrum, Director of Advocacy for Maine Audubon, while presenting Sen. Nangle with the award. “Senator, thank you for your leadership protecting our inland waters.”

Nangle’s work grew out of a high-profile shoreland zoning enforcement case in Raymond. The town spent more than half a million dollars in legal fees over three years pursuing violations involving two properties along Sebago Lake. The case showed how a prolonged legal battle can strain a town’s budget and make it harder to safeguard an important public water resource.

In 2024, Gov. Janet Mills signed Senator Nangle’s LD 2101, “An Act to Strengthen Shoreland Zoning Enforcement,” into law. The measure gives municipalities stronger enforcement tools, including the authority to deny, suspend or revoke locally issued permits when a property owner violates shoreland zoning ordinances. It also helps municipalities recover unpaid penalties and court-awarded enforcement costs and requires sellers to disclose known shoreland zoning violations to prospective buyers.

This year, Senator Nangle followed up that legislation with LD 1904, “An Act to Establish the Municipal Shoreline Protection Legal Fund.” It was signed into law by Gov. Mills in April, the measure establishes a dedicated revolving fund within the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to help municipalities cover substantial legal expenses associated with enforcing shoreland zoning laws. A portion of penalties collected under the Natural Resources Protection Act will support the fund, helping ensure communities can pursue serious violations regardless of a town’s size or budget.

State Senator Nangle represents Senate District 26, which includes Casco, Frye Island, Raymond, Windham and part of Westbrook. He also serves as Senate chair of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee and as a member of the Health and Human Services Committee. <