What started as an idea to tell positive stories and solutions-based news for the communities of Windham and Raymond remains as viable today as it was 13 years ago and the preeminent source of local information.
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| The first edition of The Windham Eagle was published on March 1, 2013 and this year marks the 13th anniversary of the newspaper's founding by owners Kelly and Neils Mank. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE |
Thanks to continued readership and support from local advertisers, the newspaper’s popularity is evident and of benefit to residents.
During a Windham Community Survey conducted in 2024, The Windham Eagle was cited as the top source for community news for town residents with 62.39 percent of survey respondents citing the newspaper as the place they go for news, beating the Town of Windham’s website, Facebook, email and text notifications, Windham Town Hall, television, radio and Instagram.
Based in Windham at 585 Roosevelt Trail, the newspaper publishes 51 weekly editions every year along with a popular Summer Guide for the Sebago Lakes Region and serves as the host for the annual Eagle Choice Awards recognizing top local businesses every summer. It also publishes a popular annual calendar each year.
“When we launched the first edition of The Windham Eagle on March 1, 2013, we felt there was a need for a community publication here to tell positive stories about our local residents,” Kelly Mank said. “There are so many negative things about this community that are publicized elsewhere but we feel that having a newspaper that emphasizes positive achievements and solutions-based news is a must for this community and has led to its ongoing success.”
2025 was a record-breaking year as The Windham Eagle produced 105 more pages than it did in 2024 and advertising sales also established new records.
“Unlike most other publications, we are a very small staff. We do not have a large team of employees, but we manage to put out more pages on a weekly basis than any other single newspaper in the state of Maine, and I am proud of our work,” said Melissa Carter, Advertising Director and Designer for The Windham Eagle. “Readers may not realize that 100 percent of the newspaper’s revenue comes from supporting advertisers, which is why we ask all our readers to support the local businesses they see in the newspaper. I appreciate the relationships I have built over the years. My advertisers trust me, and that's a huge honor. ”
Carter is passionate about working with local businesses, new and old, to help them market and brand themselves so they can grow and succeed. As both the advertising director for the newspaper and its primary designer, she says that she can deliver a level of service and expertise not found with other publications.
“Being able to get creative and come up with ideas to contribute to their overall success is challenging and rewarding,” she said. “I am not your average ‘salesperson.’ I went to school for graphic design and that is where much of my passion lies.”
Carter said that The Windham Eagle is the only publication in the area that is direct mailed to every home and business in Windham and Raymond, making it an invaluable resource to the community.
"I have been working in the newspaper business for over 20 years and I believe in what I do because I have seen first-hand the results that consistent branding does for local businesses and for event advertising," Carter said.
Lisa DiBiase, a broker and the owner of Landing Real Estate in Windham, said having an outlet like The Windham Eagle has been invaluable for her company.
“This platform has served as a powerful channel through which we can reach our target audience and effectively communicate our brand message,” DiBiase said. “The Windham Eagle provides us with a local presence, allowing us to connect directly with members of our community. This localized approach is crucial for a real estate agency like ours, as building trust and rapport within the community is essential for attracting clients and closing deals.”
She said The Windham Eagle enhances Landing Real Estate’s credibility and visibility among potential clients.
“When individuals see our name and listings regularly in a reputable local publication, it reinforces the perception that we are a reliable and reputable real estate agency worthy of their consideration,” DiBiase said. “The Windham Eagle serves as a positive and reliable source of information for community events, news, and developments. By being present in such a publication, we not only promote our business but also demonstrate our commitment to staying informed and engaged with the local community. The Windham Eagle has provided us with a platform to effectively promote our business, showcase our listings and agents, and engage with the community. It has been instrumental in driving awareness, generating leads, and ultimately contributing to the success and growth of Landing Real Estate.”
Linda Manchester, the owner of The Good Life Market and Swift River Coffee Roasters in Raymond, says the newspaper has been a huge supporter of her businesses since they first opened, publishing feature stories about them to let the community know what and who we were, and consistently coming up with creative and beautiful content for their advertising.
“The personal connection we’ve had with the staff at the paper has been amazing, it feels like they are truly in our corner, wanting to see us succeed,” Manchester said. “It’s meaningful that The Windham Eagle gives back to the community by doing fundraising ads, and highlighting the achievements of local people, organizations, and businesses. The fact that the paper shows up in every mailbox gives readers an effortless connection to each other, to the community, and to a simpler time, and reminds us that we’re all still here for each other. I love working with your paper, because I know and love this region, and I truly believe The Windham Eagle does, too.”
The newspaper’s annual Eagle Choice Awards, where readers cast votes for their favorite and most trusted businesses in the region, remains as popular now as when it started in 2015. Last summer’s Eagle Choice Awards celebration held at Erik’s Church in Windham drew its largest crowd ever and votes cast online also set a new all-time record.
Kelly Mank said she’s pleased that residents like the newspaper and accept its positive and solutions-based focus.
“Many people were skeptical at first that such a newspaper could be sustainable,” she said. “They told us that newspapers across America are dying, and that positive news isn’t real news and couldn’t work. We wanted to create a publication that all ages could find something of interest in, and that would contain positive articles focused on the communities of Windham and Raymond.”
She said that the communities supporting The Windham Eagle newspaper through the years deserve credit for making it what it is today.
“It has proven to be a positive tool and resource for our towns, schools, families, non-profits, and businesses,” she said. <
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