A familiar face has taken over coordinating the Windham Parks and Recreation Department’s Adult and Senior Programs.
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| Katie Roy is coordinating Windham Parks and Recreation Department's Adult and Senior Programs. She formerly served as the department's Youth and Family Program Coordinator and joined the town in 2023 as an administrative and marketing assistant. COURTESY PHOTO |
“I figured parks and rec would be a good way to utilize my degree,” Roy said. “We do a bunch of events throughout the year, like our Trunk and Treat and the Holiday Lights Celebration, and we do a lot of activities with the kids, including planning the no school days…and helping with summer camp.”
Her experience with the town helped her move into the new role, as the seniors she now serves recognize her from her previous experience in the recreation program.
“It’s been a pretty easy transition,” she said. “The seniors have been great. It helps that they are pretty familiar with me already.”
Linda Brooks, the Director of the town’s Parks and Recreation Department, said the familiarity mixed with Roy’s personality made her a great fit for the open role.
“They [the seniors] like what they know. Because she’s been with us for a couple of years, they already knew Katie,” she said, adding that Roy “has a very bubbly personality and is extremely friendly.”
Having the connection with the community she serves is essential for the role, as the program’s offerings are based on what the seniors themselves want to do.
“They’re really good about giving me suggestions about trips they would like to do in the future, and they tell me of the trips they want to keep doing,” Roy said. “One favorite is the mystery lunches we do once a month. They sign up and they have no idea where they are going for lunch, so it’s a surprise every time for them.”
“All you have to do is listen. They’re going to tell you.” Brooks said. “And of course, they’re most appreciative when they realize what they suggested is being offered in the next round.”
Roy is currently planning the programs for the spring and early summer, saying she wished people knew how much planning goes into each.
“All the programs that are out now go up to March, so I am currently working on April, May and June programs, but also looking further ahead to things for over the summer,” she said. “I’m not just planning the week before. There’s a lot of far out planning to get everything scheduled and finalize everything.”
The upcoming schedule will include a number of favorite trips, in addition to the return of a previously loved destination.
“We’ve got a couple of regular favorites coming up. The group is a big fan of going to the Green Ladle for lunch in Lewiston, so we will definitely be having that. There is a trip coming to Oxford Casino, which is one that I keep getting asked about and one that we haven’t done in a few years.”
“The big one that everyone loves is Cabbage Island, so that will be happening again this summer,” she said. “And we have a couple of theatre trips we’ll be doing as they love the theatre trips.”
Brooks said that Roy’s eye for detail helps managing the intricacies of the many trips that can be local or be further afield to ensure the participants are taken care of along the way.
“That is an on-the-go type of program, and Katie has a lot of experience traveling, so she knows what goes into putting together good details,” she said. “People get on a bus and go someplace, whether it’s just for the afternoon or for an overnight or extended time, she has those little details in place.”
Roy also stressed the importance of the programs to help the seniors be able to connect with others socially, as some are isolated at home and unable to meet other seniors in their community.
“We are trying to make sure that we have those seniors that maybe live alone and don’t have as much interaction with people as they would like, so it gives them an opportunity to sign up for things and meet new people, make friends,” she said. “We even have had a couple of seniors who have actually gotten married after meeting through our trips.”
Another part of Roy’s responsibilities lies with the adult programs, including open gyms and basketball and pickleball leagues, which are all continuing to grow. Pickleball has seen a significant growth in popularity in recent years, and the program has needed to expand to a second site to accommodate it.
The weekly open gyms for basketball and volleyball attract 40 to 50 people to each session and the Winter/Spring 4-on-4 basketball league has 14 captains registered. The pickleball participation has outgrown what the gym can accommodate and has moved to Foreside Fit in Falmouth, allowing the program to expand the number of players it can accept than had been possible with only the town facilities.
“We were originally hosting it in our gym, which limits how much space we could have and wasn’t an actual court,” Roy said. “Our coach for pickleball offered to let us move over to Foreside Fit, so we’ve actually been able to take three times the number we were able to with our gym, which is super exciting.”
Brooks also said that residents who face financial hardships can apply for scholarships allowing all who want to participate to join in. Participants must register for the support through the town’s Social Service’s department and answer several questions to qualify.
“The town is very supportive,” she said. “We do not want a financial concern to be what prevents them from participating.” <
“They [the seniors] like what they know. Because she’s been with us for a couple of years, they already knew Katie,” she said, adding that Roy “has a very bubbly personality and is extremely friendly.”
Having the connection with the community she serves is essential for the role, as the program’s offerings are based on what the seniors themselves want to do.
“They’re really good about giving me suggestions about trips they would like to do in the future, and they tell me of the trips they want to keep doing,” Roy said. “One favorite is the mystery lunches we do once a month. They sign up and they have no idea where they are going for lunch, so it’s a surprise every time for them.”
“All you have to do is listen. They’re going to tell you.” Brooks said. “And of course, they’re most appreciative when they realize what they suggested is being offered in the next round.”
Roy is currently planning the programs for the spring and early summer, saying she wished people knew how much planning goes into each.
“All the programs that are out now go up to March, so I am currently working on April, May and June programs, but also looking further ahead to things for over the summer,” she said. “I’m not just planning the week before. There’s a lot of far out planning to get everything scheduled and finalize everything.”
The upcoming schedule will include a number of favorite trips, in addition to the return of a previously loved destination.
“We’ve got a couple of regular favorites coming up. The group is a big fan of going to the Green Ladle for lunch in Lewiston, so we will definitely be having that. There is a trip coming to Oxford Casino, which is one that I keep getting asked about and one that we haven’t done in a few years.”
“The big one that everyone loves is Cabbage Island, so that will be happening again this summer,” she said. “And we have a couple of theatre trips we’ll be doing as they love the theatre trips.”
Brooks said that Roy’s eye for detail helps managing the intricacies of the many trips that can be local or be further afield to ensure the participants are taken care of along the way.
“That is an on-the-go type of program, and Katie has a lot of experience traveling, so she knows what goes into putting together good details,” she said. “People get on a bus and go someplace, whether it’s just for the afternoon or for an overnight or extended time, she has those little details in place.”
Roy also stressed the importance of the programs to help the seniors be able to connect with others socially, as some are isolated at home and unable to meet other seniors in their community.
“We are trying to make sure that we have those seniors that maybe live alone and don’t have as much interaction with people as they would like, so it gives them an opportunity to sign up for things and meet new people, make friends,” she said. “We even have had a couple of seniors who have actually gotten married after meeting through our trips.”
Another part of Roy’s responsibilities lies with the adult programs, including open gyms and basketball and pickleball leagues, which are all continuing to grow. Pickleball has seen a significant growth in popularity in recent years, and the program has needed to expand to a second site to accommodate it.
The weekly open gyms for basketball and volleyball attract 40 to 50 people to each session and the Winter/Spring 4-on-4 basketball league has 14 captains registered. The pickleball participation has outgrown what the gym can accommodate and has moved to Foreside Fit in Falmouth, allowing the program to expand the number of players it can accept than had been possible with only the town facilities.
“We were originally hosting it in our gym, which limits how much space we could have and wasn’t an actual court,” Roy said. “Our coach for pickleball offered to let us move over to Foreside Fit, so we’ve actually been able to take three times the number we were able to with our gym, which is super exciting.”
Brooks also said that residents who face financial hardships can apply for scholarships allowing all who want to participate to join in. Participants must register for the support through the town’s Social Service’s department and answer several questions to qualify.
“The town is very supportive,” she said. “We do not want a financial concern to be what prevents them from participating.” <
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