Windham in the 50s: Arrival in a new town

By Max Millard
Special to The Windham Eagle

In February 1958, when my family relocated from Durham, New Hampshire to Windham, it was quite a different town than it is today. It had just one-quarter of its current population. No person of color attended the public schools, and there wasn't a single immigrant family.

Located at the corner of Routes 302 and 115 in Windham,
Boody's Store was considered to be the epicenter of
Windham in the 1950s. COURTESY PHOTO 

Except ours. My parents had grown up in England and arrived in the U.S. in 1949. My dad worked as a chemistry teacher at the University of New Hampshire, but with five children to raise and educate, he accepted a better-paying job in the research department of the S.D. Warren Paper Mill in Westbrook. For $20,000, he was able to purchase the Goold House, an ancient farmhouse in Windham Center that included a large barn and twenty acres of land. Just beyond our property was a graveyard dating back to the American Revolution, punctuated by the immense tomb of William Goold, who died in 1890.

The house had a long, narrow extension, the ell, ending in a tower. In the crawl space under the tower, we found a large pile of books left by the house's previous occupants. They were all the same book: William Goold's “Portland in the Past: with Historical Notes of Old Falmouth,” published in 1886. They were unbound, with the pages uncut, and tied up with string. They were probably stored there by Mr. Goold himself. I still have a copy but must confess that I never unpacked it. The book was reprinted as a paperback in 2019.

I enrolled in the 3rd grade at Arlington School in North Windham, and on one of my first days there, I proudly brought in my prized coin collection, which I safeguarded in an old handbag of my mother's. I can still recall the stinging laughter that greeted me when I took it outside at recess. It was a sharp lesson on the cultural climate of Windham compared to our former home, where our social circle was mainly university families.

My parents spoke with distinct British accents, which of course they imparted to their children. My Maine-accented schoolmates would scrunch up their faces and sputter, “You talk funny!” But soon we blended in and established strong friendships with three other college-minded families in town – the Aldriches, the Perrins and the Sanborns. Stan and Donna Aldrich were transplants from California who both taught in the Windham schools. All three families remained close to ours until my mother's passing in 2004, when they all sent representatives to her funeral.

On the route to school, the chief landmark was Boody's Store, which occupied the intersection of routes 302 and 115 – the epicenter of North Windham, It was the biggest commercial structure in the town – an all-purpose country store dating back to the late 1800s. It burned in 1930, was quickly rebuilt, and thrived until 1960, when it was sold and became Meserve's.

As a 9-year-old, I would ride there on my bike to purchase stacks of Superboy comics with the covers ripped off, which sold for 5 cents. Route 302 was then a relatively quiet highway where it was safe for kids to bike.

Meserve's thrived for just three years; a devastating fire in 1965 sealed the building's fate. To the delight of local teenagers, it was replaced by a Dairy Queen, who flocked there for summer jobs.

I was enthused to discover two ponds for ice skating within a quarter mile of our house. One was downhill from the Bennetts, who operated a nursing home just above it. Each winter, as soon as it froze, Eddie Bennett would flood it with a hose until the surface was as smooth as glass. He was a virtuoso skater and somewhat of a daredevil. His favorite stunt was to have us crouch down into a cannonball, and to remain immobile while he backed up, then barreled toward us, his skates flashing in the sunlight. At the last moment he launched himself into the air and vaulted over us. He never injured a child and never failed to land squarely on his skates.

The other pond, just down the hill from our house, was owned by the Hawkes clan, who maintained a cider mill nearby. It was smaller than the Bennetts', and was never flooded, but it had a small skate shack on the shore, with benches lining the interior. It was built by Alley Hawkes, the family patriarch and gentleman farmer. We would burn old tires inside, choosing the acrid smoke over the cold.

Like Boody's Store, Arlington School and the cider mill, the ponds have disappeared from the scene. One has dried up, and the other has shrunk to a puddle. The skate shack fell into ruin decades ago and no traces remain. The cider mill ceased operation in the early 1990s, when new laws required pasteurization and labeling, in lieu of the preservative-free, just-pressed product of the small farm. The cherished skating hangouts for neighborhood kids are part of local history. All things must pass.

Max Millard is a retired journalist and teacher in San Francisco, California. Email: sunreport@aol.com <

Becky Longacre: Four tips to prevent holiday weight gain

By Becky Longacre

The holidays are filled with laughter, fun and indulgences. A party here, and impromptu friend lunch there. If we were still making most of our living by homesteading and homemaking (as we used to) it would all even out over the calendar year. The intake of calories generally would even with the output on average. But this is no longer the case in the developed world where we tend to make our living with our computer prowess and or presentation skills and can buy anything we want at the fully stocked grocery store down the road.

Becky Longacre

So, how can you enjoy your holiday season and still keep healthy? The answer, as with most things, is mindfulness.

Here are some pointers on keeping a healthy weight through the holidays:

1.) Allow yourself to indulge a bit. If you love your eggnog, for example, then drink your eggnog if it makes you happy. Just be mindful of the actual serving size you are drinking. And, perhaps have one slice of pie with the eggnog and not three!

2.) Keeping with healthy eating most of the time allows you to “afford” the indulgences. If you pay attention to what you are eating six out of seven days of the week and allow yourself a “cheat day” this goes a long way in sustaining a healthier lifestyle (instead of always being vigilant to the point where you set yourself up for binge eating due to extreme restrictions).

3.) Replace your meal with your indulgence. What did you just say, Becky? Yes, that is what I said! If you are at a holiday event and you know you want the chips and dip, the cake and eggnog, and the cocktail, then just accept that that will be your meal and let go of the idea that you “need to compensate by eating something healthy.” Many people believe that after they eat “junk” they need to eat a salad on top of that to “reverse the bad eating.” The problem with this way of doing business is it actually adds to your overall calorie count which increases weight gain. It does you no favors to eat more calories out of obligation to health. If you have indulged, enjoy every bite, every sip, every moment with friends and family. It is not one meal that will make or break your health. It is the overall eating pattern you have.

4.) Don’t put all of your healthy weight eggs into the exercise-only basket. Some of my clients start out with the belief that they don’t need to pay attention to their eating habits, and they can just chase all their calories with exercise to compensate. The problem with this is the math is usually wrong. How long does it take to walk off 1 piece of bread? About 20 minutes. That’s not including the butter or jelly you have put on the bread. How long does it take to walk off a piece of cake? About forty minutes. And that’s a standard serving size of a cake. Let’s remember the eggnog too! How long does it take to walk off a standard serving size of eggnog? Another 40 minutes. Hopefully you have just learned that it is not a solid plan to depend only on physical activity to lose or maintain weight. That’s the math of weight loss: calories in and calories out. Eighty percent (80%) of your weight loss or weight management will come from your eating patterns, not your exercise.

So, what’s the take home message? Enjoy your holiday season, allow yourself to indulge a bit, allow yourself to even replace some of you usual eating with “naughty” food instead of “nice” foods, and look at the big picture. In the end, it will be your trends of eating and overall commitment to your health that will help you succeed.

May you enjoy your holiday season and may you be happy and healthy.

Becky Longacre is a Nurse Coach for Health Transformers LLC. Send her questions at becky@healthtransformersmaine.com or call her at 207-400-7897. Visit her website at www.healthtransformersmaine.com" <Becky Longacre is a Nurse Coach for Health Transformers LLC. Send her questions at becky@healthtransformersmaine.com or call her at 207-400-7897. Visit her website at www.healthtransformersmaine.com" <

Fundraising begins to place solar panels on Windham Veterans Center

By Ed Pierce

If you’ve ever attended a Saturday evening bean supper, the annual Veteran’s Day observance, a Boy Scout meeting, donated blood during a blood drive, or a new citizen swearing-in ceremony at the Windham Veterans Center, you’re probably aware of the vital role that the facility plays in the community. It’s a gathering place for young and old alike, and the first place many think of when searching for a place to hold an event for large groups.

An initiative has been launched to raise money to install solar
panels on the roof of the Windham Veterans Center to help
save money by reducing the facility's monthly energy costs.
COURTESY PHOTO

The Windham Veterans Center relies solely on minimal rental fees and donations to pay bills so when the cost of power began to skyrocket, WVA’s electric bills began to rise substantially to the point that alternative ways to reduce expenses have been sought to keep the center’s expenses manageable.

The current utility bill for the Windham Veterans Center averages about $347 a month at a cost of $0.383 per kilowatt hour. Under a proposal from Cool Blue Solar to install solar panels on the center and harness them to defray utility costs, the average electric bill over 25 years would drop to $55 a month at a cost of $0.079 per kilowatt hour.

That would amount to an estimated 25-year savings overall of $197,939.

A fundraising committee including American Legion Field-Allen Post 148’s Tom Theriault and Craig Pride and retired RSU 14 teachers Donna Morton and Debora Luce have opened the campaign to collect an estimated $36,000 to pay for the panels and their installation.

“I grew up in Windham and at Manchester School we did the Veterans Stars Project having each fourth grader honor a veteran by putting up and decorating stars and pictures,” Morton said. “We always had an assembly with Windham Veterans who talked with the students. I am long-time friends with my neighbor Craig Pride and know so many members of the Windham Veteran’s Center. Debora and I taught together and did the Veterans Stars together and her son is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, so she offered to help too.”

Morton says donations to the project will directly fund a sustainable energy solution to decrease the electric bills while reducing the WVA’s carbon footprint.

“This will ensure long-term savings that will be invested back into our community and veterans’ programs,” she said.

According to Theriault, the Windham Veterans Center provides an essential place for all veterans and community members to gather and support each other.

He said the WVC offers these services:

• Providing care, social, emotional and recreational activities and aid disabled and needy Veterans, members of the U. S. Armed Forces, and their dependents through assistance with applying for VA benefits and helping by donating oil, wood, rides to appointments and even cars.

• Youth Programs such as Boy Scouts, American Legion Baseball, and Windham Little League

• Educational Programs

• Providing and retiring Flags, and Honor Guards at Memorial Services to perpetuate the memory of deceased Veterans

• Hosting Veterans Day activities and Memorial Day Parades

• Rental space for the community

• Free dinners and weekly coffees

• Food Pantry Collections

• Blood Drives

• Memorial Garden for reflection

To donate today to the Windham Veterans Center Solar Project, send a check to WVA P.O. Box 1776, Windham, Maine, 04062, reference WVA SOLAR.

For tax purposes, WVA is a 509C3 organization.

Theriault says that a special plaque will be created to recognize those who donate $1,000 or more. These “Grand Donors” will also be entitled to two hall rentals with a 20 percent discount for the next year.

“Your generosity fuels our progress and ensures we can continue to serve those who have bravely served us,” Luce said. “Together, we can build a brighter, more secure future for our WVA community.”

For further details about the Windham Veterans Center Solar Project, call Tom Theriault at 207-405-8218 or send an email to tommyt93@maine.rr.com or Craig Pride at 207-615-4751 or by email at par80@hotmail.com <

Insurance Bureau advises consumers to prepare for Medicare Advantage Plan changes

AUGUSTA – The Maine Bureau of Insurance advises Mainers enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans to prepare for changes in 2026.

Several health insurers are reducing the number of Medicare Advantage plans they offer in Maine or exiting certain areas of the state.

Insurance companies will notify members about changes, and affected members that receive a notice of termination should keep the document for their records.

Members enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan that will not be offered in 2026 will remain covered under their plan through Dec. 31, 2025. While members of discontinued Medicare Advantage plans have 90 days from the date their plan exits the market to choose a new Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement plan, these members should enroll in another plan during the Annual Open Enrollment period, which runs through Dec. 7, to have coverage take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

The Bureau of Insurance strongly encourages members of discontinued plans to select a new Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement plan by December 2025, since a plan selected in January 2026 will not begin coverage until February 2026, and a plan selected in February 2026 will not begin coverage until March 2026.

Before selecting a new Medicare Advantage plan, carefully review the details of the plan. Members must make sure their doctors, other health care providers, and hospital are in the health plan’s network, and check to make sure their prescription drugs are covered. Not all Medicare Advantage plans have the same networks of health care providers, and not all plans cover the same prescription drugs. Once that is complete, members should call 1-800-MEDICARE to sign up for the new plan.

Medicare Advantage plan members whose plans are not being terminated, but who wish to change plans, can choose another Medicare Advantage plan during the Annual Enrollment Period.

Members of discontinued plans may also select Medicare Supplement plans, which have no network restrictions and are accepted everywhere Medicare is accepted.

Those members enrolled in a discontinued Medicare Advantage plan have 90 days from the date their coverage ends to choose a Medicare Supplement plan without medical underwriting. If coverage ends Dec. 31, 2025, the affected member has until March 31, 2026 to select a Medicare Supplement plan without a medical history review.

If members decide to leave the Medicare Advantage market and return to Original Medicare with Medicare Supplement for 2026, members should also enroll in Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. The Bureau strongly advises members to choose a Medicare Supplement plan and a prescription drug plan during the Annual Enrollment Period.

Whether enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan or Medicare Supplement plan, members are reminded to share information on their new health insurance plan with all of their health care providers.

Need help?

Members can get free, unbiased help from the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) at the Area Agencies on Aging at 1-877-353-3771 or TTY: 711, between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Members can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services, part of the Federal Government) or TTY: 1-877-486-2048 for 24 hours per day, 7 days per week – once the Federal shutdown is over. You can also look online at https://www.medicare.gov/, using the “Find Plans Now” link. <

 

Becky Longacre: Holiday Stress? Here’s What to Do.

By Becky Longacre 

For many of us, the Holidays are wonderful: filled with family/ friend gatherings, goodwill, and gift giving.  For some of us, the crazy schedule, family/ friend expectations, and social appointments may be taxing (introverts and parents: raise your hands!).  So, how do you ENJOY the Holiday season WITHOUT stressing over it? Here are some tips:

1.)    Act with intention. Remember the REASON for your holiday task.  If it’s spending time with family/ friends, remember the special connection you have with these people.  Remember what they add to your life.  You are connecting to them because you love and care about them, right?  Operate from that place instead of “duty”.

2.)    Let go of tasks that serve no purpose.  I ask my coaching clients this often: “Is this task moving you toward your goal?” Around the holidays, when our schedules are jam-packed with more social events, think about how you are spending your day.  Is it benefitting your health/ wellness/ work/ family life?  Or, is it a waste of your time?  A great example of a wasteful time suck is scrolling on social media for hours on end. Ask yourself “What benefit does this task have?” and either let it go or keep it depending on your answer.

3.)    Remember the self care. During the Holidays, people can get so caught up in doing, doing, doing that they stress their bodies and minds right out.  Then, they don’t know why they are anxious, irritable, or even resentful! My challenge to you EVERY SINGLE DAY is to do something healthy and happy for yourself. Do 10 minutes of yoga, take that bubble bath with soft candlelight and healing music, eat your veggies, and talk nicely to yourself. Selfcare may mean hanging out with the guys or the ladies one night per week.  Selfcare may mean reading quietly before bed.  Selfcare may mean going for a walk out in nature.  Identify what you need for selfcare personally and honor that in some way, form, or fashion every day.

4.)    Don’t sweat the small stuff.  If something/ someone/ some situation is driving you crazy, ask yourself: Is this going to have any impact on my life in 1 year? 5 years?  Does this  REALLY matter? Is this a necessary evil (such as tax preparation?) or is this a petty irritation (example: they don’t have the right tint of red decorations for my Holiday party). Keeping things in perspective goes a long way with stress management.

 In the end, act out of self-love and respect. None of us are perfect!  Do the best you can during this holiday season, enjoy your people, and take a breath.  You’re probably doing better than you think you are.  May you be well and happy.

 Columnist Becky Longacre is a Nurse Coach for Health Transformers LLC. Send her questions at becky@healthtransformersmaine.com or call her at 207-400-7897. Visit her website at www.healthtransformersmaine.com <

Holiday concerts set by Lake Region Community Chorus

The Lake Region Community Chorus
will perform two free holiday concerts for
the public at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 and 3 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 7 at the Lake Region High
School auditorium in Naples.
COURTESY PHOTO

By Ed Pierce  

Some of the most beloved music makers in the Lakes Region of Maine are returning to the stage to perform in a concert of traditional holiday favorites.

Members of the Lake Region Community Chorus are preparing to appear during a joyous celebration of song that expresses the promise, hope and meaning of the season at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 at the Lake Region High School auditorium in Naples.

Singing will be enhanced with instrumental accompaniments by Rusty Wiljer (percussion), Rick Gordon (flute), Jacob Kuvaja (electric bass), Adam Quincy (trumpet), Pam Ward and Brian Sprunger (guitar), Glen Jukkola (violin and six bell chime ringers). The concert will conclude with the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus with audience participation.

The chorus is directed by Jan Jukkola and Susan Stockwell and accompanied by Patrick Speckamp. This enthusiastic singing group is made up of 60 members from 12 surrounding towns who will present a varied program made up of traditional Classical pieces, folk songs, show tunes, medleys of hits by The Beatles and John Denver and lots more.

The chorus is a vibrant and dynamic non-profit organization providing choral programs for the Lakes Region of Maine community. Its history is short because it’s a relatively new organization.

The chorus had its first meeting in February 2013 to discuss the possibility of forming a choral group in the Lakes Region. Then it was amazing at how quickly everything seemed to come together, and with Laurie Turley as its original conductor, chorus members performed their first public concert in June 2013.

Since that time, the original Lake Region Community Chorus group of around 36 singers has grown with each passing season, and now features some 60 members from 12 different communities, including singers from Windham and Raymond.

The LRCC is a community of voices joined together in song. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for individuals with an interest in singing to share their love of choral music through regularly scheduled rehearsals that will culminate in community and outreach performances. It also strives to enhance each member’s ability to sing by teaching vocal exercises and techniques and to enrich their choral experience by providing a wide variety of musical selections that will increase their knowledge and appreciation of choral literature.

Lakes Region Community Chorus performs two concerts each year. The first one falls in early December and features holiday-themed music. The other is a springtime concert generally falling in mid-May.

With the generous support of Bridgton Academy, concerts are performed in the Twitchell Chapel on the Bridgton Academy campus in North Bridgton. Rehearsals are held on Monday nights at Twitchell Chapel. For the December concert, rehearsals start around Labor Day, and for the Spring concert, they start around the end of January.

Chorus members would like to thank Saphrona Stetson and Greg Watkins for all of their help and support and assistance at Lake Region High School. The chorus also would like to thank their enthusiastic audiences and local sponsors for their support. Donations to help cover music and operating costs will be most appreciated.

Each concert is free but donations to help cover the expense of music and operating costs will be gratefully accepted.

If interested, come and join the Lake Region Community Chorus as they lift their voices in beautiful music and song for the public. This year’s holiday concert is sure to kindle the Christmas spirit in everyone who attends.

Please visit the Lake Region Community Chorus website for more details or call 207-647-2584. <

Another record year in the books for the Windham-Raymond Athletic Boosters Annual Holiday Fair

Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus are one of the
many highly-anticipated events that happen at
the annual Windham-Raymond Athletic Boosters
Holiday Fair which occured on Nov. 15 and 16 at WHS.
COURTESY PHOTO

By Melissa Carter 

The Windham-Raymond Athletic Boosters celebrated another successful year as their 33rd Annual Holiday Fair filled Windham High School on Nov. 15 and 16 with festive energy, strong community spirit, and record participation. Hundreds of visitors from across Southern Maine and beyond crowded into the high school gymnasium and hallways over the two-day event, browsing the work of more than 140 crafters, local makers, and student-run groups.

This year’s event featured over ten student clubs and athletic teams, including the Classes of 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029, the National Honor Society, Student Council, the Alpine Ski Team, and the Track Team. While final tallies are still being collected, each group took advantage of the weekend’s steady crowds to raise funds through a variety of handmade goods, treats, and creative items.

Santa and Mrs. Claus made their annual appearance at 10 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday, drawing steady lines of excited children. Approximately 90 photos with Santa were taken this year, and families can find the images posted on sgirardphotography.com.

Inside the gym, aisles were shoulder-to-shoulder for much of Saturday, especially between the peak hours of 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Vendors reported strong sales throughout the weekend, while Sunday brought its typical slightly slower but still steady midday rush.

Concessions Alley once again lived up to its reputation as one of the fair’s most popular stops. Families of student athletes donated homemade crockpot meals, desserts, and snacks, nearly all of which sold out before 1 p.m. both days. The fair also featured a vendor raffle with 64 donated items and a busy 50/50 table.

Altogether, the Holiday Fair generates nearly $25,000 annually for the Boosters, making it the organization’s largest fundraiser. Proceeds come from space rentals, raffle ticket sales, concessions, and vendor contributions. The Windham Raymond Athletic Boosters is a nonprofit organization that is independent from the RSU 14 Athletic Department. The proceeds help support the athletic programs helping to cover things like team equipment bags, warm-ups, equipment like nets, goals, mats and more.

The event relies heavily on volunteer support. The Boosters Board, which includes 12 members and two craft fair co-chairs, is involved in year-round planning, but as many as 20 additional volunteers assist on both Saturday and Sunday of the fair. “As early as 2 p.m. Friday, we have people mapping the gym floor while others unload tables and chairs from the delivery truck,” said co-chair Ernesta Kennedy. Volunteers help crafters unload, serve as “table watchers” so vendors can take short breaks, staff concessions, sell 50/50 tickets, and oversee the raffle area. This year’s setup and cleanup numbers were the strongest ever, thanks especially to student participation.

Interest from crafters remains incredibly high. The fair fills quickly every year and maintains a waitlist of nearly 50 vendors. Once a crafter secures a booth, they seldom give it up, making the rotation limited. Kennedy noted that the team is exploring options for expanding in future years to accommodate the growing demand.

Planning for next year begins almost immediately. For those hoping to get involved next year, whether as a volunteer, planner, or vendor, the Boosters encourage reaching out. The best point of contact for the holiday fair is windhamboosters@yahoo.com. For other Booster related inquiries please email athleticboosters@rsu14.org