Former Cumberland County Deputy Sheriff working on app to locate missing children

By Masha Yurkevich

According to FBI.gov, there were 476,373 missing children (under 18 years of age) in 2012 in the U.S and Michael O’Neal with Keeping Kids Safe (KKS) is on a mission to lower that number.

Michael O'Neal of the Keeping Kids Safe Maine organization
is currently developing a new phone app that will give parents
and law enforcement a quick way to make a missing person
poster and spread information instantly.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

“We are a non-profit 501(c)3 agency,” says O’Neal. “Our mission is to bring together resources for parents, schools and child caregivers to help keep our children safe. In addition to providing valuable information, Keeping Kids Safe also offers educational, safety presentations including Internet Safety, Sexting, Cyber Anti-Bullying Awareness education, Child Sex Trafficking Awareness education, Personal Safety Training, and more.”

O’Neal has been in law enforcement for over 17 years and has served in the U.S. Army as a Military Police Officer, as well as having been a Patrol Deputy Sheriff. He also has a degree in criminology. O’Neal was also a Deputy Sheriff in Cumberland County for 14 years.

O’Neal is currently working on a new phone app that gives parents and law enforcement a quick way to make a missing person poster and spread that information instantly.

“The main function of the app is to have information of your missing child, teen, elderly, or loved one readily available on your phone,” says O’Neal.

While there are similar phone apps out there, O’Neal says that he is adding a few different features to make his app more family friendly and useful.

“When someone goes missing, you will put in all the information into the app and press send, the app will create a missing person poster, which is what the other side will receive from that person; the poster can also be shared to Facebook to widen the audience who sees the poster. Not just law enforcement can create a missing poster, but anybody with the app as well,” says O’Neal. “When you download the app, there will also be sections for training for internet safety, short educational videos, and other sources so that the app can be a one stop shop for parents to receive education, training, and keep track of their child anywhere in the world.”

There are some criteria that a child needs to meet before an Amber Alert goes out, which can sometimes take a while. This app will send out a missing person alert much faster, which is a great alternative.

The app will also have a feature just for law enforcement where all missing person posters can be found with a case number.

Currently, when a child or teen goes missing, an officer shows up, takes the report, and creates what is called a File 6, also known as a missing person report. Unfortunately a File 6 does not always include much detail about the missing person, such as how long they have been missing, a photo, or other personal information, O’Neal said. With the new app, dispatch will have another alternative. The way the algorithm of the app works is with a 100-mile radius; every hour that child is missing, the algorithm will go out another 100 miles, because it is possible to travel 100 miles in one hour, widening the radius every hour.

The app will not only have information about the missing person, but also, once more information is obtained about who the missing child is with, the app will also include details and information about the predator, including any photos.

“Recognition, especially facial recognition, is very important in law enforcement,” says O’Neal. O’Neal is working on the app with Mark McDonald, a former Thompson police officer who now has an IT company that he is working with as well as owner of Ligh Sheild Services LLC, and also Steve Thibeault, a Sagadahoc Deputy Sherriff.

“The three of us are discussing back and forth on what law enforcement really needs to make this very effective,” says O’Neal. “We are currently in the process of getting the ins and outs of the app created, and we are almost at the prototype, testing the app and also talking with law enforcement to see what we can do to make it easier for them.”

Being non-profit, finances are one of the biggest challenges that O’Neal and KKS have come across, but he hopes that the app will fund itself by having a small maintenance fee for law enforcement. Donations are always welcome and can be sent to Keeping Kids Safe at 66 Deering Run Portland, ME, 04103.

Apart from missing children and teens, the app will also be for missing elderly who may wander off, as well as for missing pets.

“It is up to us,” says O’Neal, “to keep our family safe.” <

WCA student earns Good Citizenship Award from American Legion

By Ed Pierce

Never let is be said that Nathan Getchell doesn’t feel love, devotion, and a sense of pride in the United States. His enthusiasm had led him to receive a Good Citizenship Award from American Legion Field-Allen Post 148.

Nathan Getchell, a junior at Windham Christian
Academy, is presented with the American
Legion's Good Citizenship Award by John
Facella, American Legion Field-Allen Post
148 Americanism Officer, as his parents
look on. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Getchell,17, is a junior at Windham Christian Academy, and one of his teachers at the school, Lucy Kindred, says that his favorite school subject is government.

The Legion’s Good Citizenship Award is presented to students who are about to attend the American Legion’s Dirigo State program. Dirigo State is a coed program where high school juniors get to participate for several days in a mock government exercise.

The program was originally only for boys and was launched in 1935 but has since become for both boys and girls. Dirigo State students learn leadership skills, teamwork, and how government works in America. Student participants propose legislation at the local and state levels to address problems and issues in Maine, lobby other “representatives” to get their bills passed, and along the way are able meet many different elected officials.

American Legion Post 148 Americanism Officer John Facella said this is the first year in recent memory that a student from the Windham Christian Academy will be attending Dirigo State.

At Windham Christian Academy, Getchell plays varsity basketball and is involved with the Model United Nations Club. He has a keen interest in aviation and is a member of the Civil Air Patrol. Getchell also participates in a ministry in Buxton called “Propelling the Gospel” that supports teenagers working on planes and helping area churches with specific needs.

Following graduation from high school next year, he plans to attend flight school and become a pilot eventually working for the military or a commercial airline.

Getchell’s parents attended the ceremony where he received the Good Citizenship Award. His father is a retired U.S. Army First Sergeant. <

'MS is BS Gala’ provides support for families in community

By Ed Pierce

When Skylar Welch’s husband Bryan was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis three years ago, she could have given up and become just another family member victimized by this tragic disease. But as many people know, Skylar Welch is no ordinary individual, and the former Windham resident helped her family create a gala to support MS families and raise awareness about MS in the community.

Skylar Welch, right, and her husband Bryan Welch, are
hosting the Second Annual 'MS is BS Gala' on Saturday,
June 14 at Moonlit Ride Estate in Otisfield to assist
those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and their
families. Bryan Welch, 42, was diagnosed with MS
three years ago. SUBMITTED PHOTO  

The Second Annual “MS is BS Gala” will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 14 at Moonlit Ride Estate in Otisfield with proceeds to benefit ‘MS is BS New England,” assisting those with MS with expenses not covered by insurance.

“I knew the first thing I had to do was to host a gala to raise money for the cause and to raise awareness about MS,” Welch said. “It affects so many people. In everyday conversations I have with others, I hear about cousins, aunts, nieces and hardships faced by those with MS. There are needs that insurance isn’t covering such as some people who can’t get their scooter into their car and need an attachment to do that.”

Through last year’s event at Moonlit Ride Estate, Welch and her family raised $68,000 for “MS is BS New England” at the 300-seat venue.

“We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support and are excited to build on that momentum this year” Welch said.

Multiple Sclerosis is a long-lasting (chronic) disease of the central nervous system and is thought to be an autoimmune disorder, a condition in which the body attacks itself by mistake. Physicians say that MS is an unpredictable disease that affects people differently. Some people with MS may have only mild symptoms while others may lose their ability to see clearly, write, speak, or walk when communication between the brain and other parts of the body becomes disrupted.

The Welch family lived in Windham for five years before moving to Falmouth and she said it was heartwarming to see so many of her former neighbors and friends attend last year’s MS Gala.

“It’s been honestly so amazing to see the support for this and to see so many businesses donating to help,” Welch said. “We know what people are going through. The newly diagnosed are looking for support but find that there aren’t a lot of resources out there.”

The Welchs and their three children ages 7, 10 and 13 are all actively involved in the fundraiser, including making “MS is BS” bracelets.

The formal-attire event features a live and a silent auction with more than 100 items, including a full weekend wedding and planning services and a gorgeous new wedding dress.

There will be live bands and live performers, dessert bars, cocktail stations, an aerialist stilt troupe and a 360-degree photo booth.

Tickets cost $100 and that includes a drink, a food ticket and shuttle service if needed. The Moonlit Ride Estate is 6 miles from Oxford Casino and onsite parking is available.

“It’s very fulfilling to see so many people to love and support us,” Welch said.

To purchase tickets, go to https://givebutter.com/Moonlitgivesback2 or to learn more about the “MS is BS Gala,” call 207-239-3741. <

VFW honors military service of veterans every day

By Ed Pierce

On this Memorial Day, residents of the Lakes Region are taking time to remember and pay tribute to those who gave their lives in defense of freedom.

But for members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10643 in Windham, they honor the military service of American veterans every single day.

Willie Goodman has served as the commander
of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10643 for
the past 11 years. COURTESY PHOTO 

VFW Post 10643’s Commander, Willie Goodman served in the U.S. Navy from 1963 to 1993 and retired as an E-9, Command Master Chief. He served on eight different ships during his Navy career including on three aircraft carriers and was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Stockton and Oakland, California; Brunswick, Maine and spent two tours of duty overseas including three years in Spain and for three years in the Philippines.

He says that the VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the Philippine Insurrection (1899 to 1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service with many veterans arriving home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans' pensions for them, and their families were forced to care for them.

Soon, some of these veterans joined together and formed organizations that eventually became what we know today as the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Membership grew to 5,000 by 1915 nationwide and then up to 200,000 by 1936.

The VFW Post 10643 in Windham is part of The Department of Maine VFW organization and continues to play a significant role in improving the lives of veterans locally.

“As Commander of the Windham Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10643 for the past 11 years, I have always been overwhelmed by the great support we receive from our community,” Goodman said. “We provide local veterans who may need assistance with their food, heating oil, installing ramps for easier access to their homes, provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, and assist homeless veterans with housing. We never know what needs will come before us but we’re always there to meet the challenge. The VFW slogan is, ‘No one does more for veterans,’ and our VFW certainly lives up to that motto.”

Nationally, the VFW was instrumental in establishing the Veterans Administration, creating a GI bill for the 20th century, developing the national cemetery system and leading the fight for compensation for Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome. In 2008, VFW championed the passing of a GI Bill for the 21st Century, giving expanded educational benefits to America's active-duty service members, and members of the National Guard and Reserves, who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The VFW also has fought for improving VA medical center services for women veterans and helped to commission the Vietnam, Korean War, World War II and Women in Military Service memorials. In 2005, the VFW became the first veterans' organization to contribute to building the new Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, which opened in November 2010.

Each year nearly 2 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliaries contribute more than 8.6 million hours of volunteerism in the communities across America, including participation in “Make A Difference Day” and “National Volunteer Week.”

From providing over $3 million in college scholarships and savings bonds to students every year through its popular Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy essay contests, to encouraging elevation of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the president's cabinet, the VFW is as relevant today as when it was founded.

According to Goodman, Post 10643, remembering veterans on Memorial Day means the community truly cares about those who have served.

“It’s heartwarming throughout the year to feel so many people in our area care about veterans and Memorial Day is a such an important time to reflect and remember,” he said. “On this Memorial Day, I would suggest if you know someone who had a family member or someone close to them who died while on active duty, such as a grandfather, father, husband, brother, sister, son, daughter or friend, reach out to them and tell them you’re thinking of them on this Memorial Day. Some choose not to discuss or relive that painful time while, for others, it may be a special time to share a story or memory of that loved one. The most important thing is to express that you care and remember what Memorial Day truly represents." <

Windham preparing for Memorial Day activities

By David Tanguay

Memorial Day conjures up interesting memories. For some reason I remember Dr Sidney Branson of South Windham, the school doctor, that gave us shots when we were growing up in Windham. A more recent, but still distant memory was of Dr. Branson in his World War II Army uniform as the Grand Marshall of the Memorial Day Parade in Windham.

American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 commander Tom
Theriault welcomes those attending last year's Memorial
Day observance at Windham High School. This year's
activities include a Memorial Day parade, an observance 
and a picnic lunch at the Windham Veterans Center.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE    

I was fresh out of retirement from the U.S. Navy and put on my uniform to join in the celebration. When meeting him again, he looked smaller, and frail. I recall other parades with Don Rogers and Wayne Rogers, and, after Wayne’s passing, Don as the Grand Marshall riding in Gary Plummer’s red 1965 Mustang convertible. Later still, South Windham’s Bob Miele, followed by World War II P-51 pilot Carroll McDonald as the Grand Marshall in the red Mustang. Oh, what memories.

For the 2025 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 26, the Grand Marshall will be Korean War veteran Don Swander, a longtime supporter of the veterans’ community in Windham and who served for many years as the president of the Windham Veterans Association.

The Memorial Day parade in the past was a town-sponsored celebration of our veterans with dozens of entries from the Windham High School marching band in full uniform to a bevy of antique tractors and other antique vehicles, floats honoring veterans, military vehicles, Shriners with their mini-cars, area team mascots, local and state politicians walking in unity, the town’s Public Works vehicles and Windham Fire Trucks all decorated in Red, White-and Blue banners and flags. Then there were the veterans, some still fitting in their uniforms, others in civilian garb, but all marching proud behind the American Legion colors and Old Glory.

The Memorial Day parade over the past few years has been more modest with maybe two dozen floats and entries. Many previous supporters now have entries in the Summerfest parade and other celebrations.

But the Memorial Day activities, although more modest, still recognize the sacrifice of our fallen Windham veterans with a parade, a ceremony and the placement of flags on the graves in local cemeteries of our departed. We still remember.

There are opportunities for the community to join the American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 and the Town of Windham to honor our lost comrades.

On Saturday, May 17 at Arlington Cemetery and Smith Cemetery, local veterans will start at 9 a.m. to place flags on the graves of our veterans. Community groups and the public are welcome to join in this simple remembrance.

Those wishing to join in the Windham Memorial Day parade as a walking unit or with a vehicle or float may do so by contacting the parade coordinator at 207-892-1306. The parade will depart at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 26 leaving from the Windham Town Hall, continuing down School Street, turning south onto Gray Road and ending at the Windham High School’s lower parking lot.

Following the parade there will be a Memorial Day Ceremony at the Flagpole and Town’s Veteran Memorial with this year’s guest speaker, Lee Humiston, the funder and curator to the Maine Military Museum in South Portland. During the ceremony there will be the traditional tolling of the bell for each of the Windham veterans who have passed this year followed by a ceremonial burning of the flags removed from the veteran’s graves and a wreath ceremony, rifle salute and taps.

At noon, at the Windham Veterans Center there will be a ceremony in the Memorial Garden to dedicate a granite bench in memory of our beloved Korean War veteran, Walter Braley, who passed last year. Following the dedication there will be the traditional wreath-laying ceremony and rifle salute. The community is welcome at an open house and picnic luncheon at the Windham Veterans Center, 35 Veterans Memorial Drive in Windham, sponsored by the Legion Family.

Please join the American Legion as we honor our town’s heroes at one or more of the scheduled Memorial Day events this year. <

Windham educator reflects on Costa Rica experience

By Lorraine Glowczak

"We are excited to share that you have been selected to participate in the Educator Invitational in Costa Rica in April 2025. Educate Maine and the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School are thrilled to host you for this program."

RSU 14's Lorraine Glowczak was one of 10
Maine educators selected for the 2025
Educator Invitational in Costa Rica,
hosted by Educate Maine and the Hurricane
Island Outward Bound School. Here she
joins a group taking a break from a hike
and enjoying the view from a hill.
COURTESY PHOTO 

This message popped into my inbox the morning of Jan. 16 like a golden ticket to a grand adventure. The email was from Jason Judd, the Executive Director of Educate Maine. I think that if it wasn’t for the computer screen to protect him, my squeal of excitement might’ve shattered his eardrums and my elated hug would’ve left him with a bruise or two.

As a former participant in Educate Maine’s year-long program known as the Education Leadership Experience, I was invited for a chance at this Central American experience. I’m told about 100 Maine educators applied for the coveted 10 free spots. By some stroke of luck, I was selected to be one of those 10. (I will bow to the person who declined the offer, opening a space for me.)

But let me be clear: this wasn’t a relaxing Spring break with flip-flops, fruity pool-side drinks, or stays at seaside hotels. Instead, it was a week-long plunge into bold adventures with complete strangers, an experience that ignited both personal growth and a sense of wonder.

There were far too many unforgettable moments to capture in just a few lines – and honestly, I hardly know where to begin. Each day brought long, often steep treks through the lush rainforest, starting under sweltering, humid skies and ending with sheets of pouring rain. Along the way, we crossed roaring rivers – not by bridges, but in narrow cable cars that held just two or three of us at a time. I squealed with a mix of excitement and fear, thrilled by the adventure yet nervously hoping the fast-moving cable wouldn’t leave me with rope burns.

We spent our nights in “homestays” – the homes of welcoming farmers and shamans who offered us shelter, nourishment, and a glimpse into their way of life. Their houses, open to the rainforest with half walls, allowed the breeze to drift in as we ate or journaled. At night, the sounds of the jungle lulled us to sleep, only to be gently stirred awake by the sound of quiet rain.

Looking back, I remember the afternoon we wandered through the forest, being shown the medicinal plants directly beneath our feet, or spotting a toucan for the first time, or embarking on a nighttime frog hunt – carefully watching our step in hopes of avoiding snakes.

I fondly recall one evening as we were quietly preparing for our nighttime routine, the spontaneous eruption of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” was led by the more musically gifted among us, until the rest of us couldn’t help but join in. We were no longer strangers but friends for a lifetime.

There was also the breathtaking moment as I bathed under a pounding cool waterfall, and the joy of learning to make cheese, empanadas, and sugar cane treats.

Yes, I experienced all these things – and more. While this journey was an adventure, it was equally an educational experience on both a professional and personal level.

Here are a few lessons I took away.

LESSON 1

“The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.”
– Benjamin Franklin

If I had mentioned the phrase “retail therapy” or an addiction to cell phones and social media to any member of our host families, I’m certain they would question our culture’s approach to mental and spiritual well-being.

I witnessed the truth that very little is needed to make a happy life. In a language I could not understand, I heard them sharing laughter, stories, and warmth in their open-air kitchen while baking bread and our meal atop a wood-burning stove.

They had everything they needed: food from the land, fresh water from a nearby spring, wood for the fire, and a home with half walls, where the forest itself became their living artwork. They lived hours from the nearest city, yet what I witnessed was pure content.

Simplicity can be incredibly rich. This idea isn't new or groundbreaking—but at that moment, I didn’t just understand it. I felt it.

LESSON 2

"The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet."
– Aristotle

As educators, learning and growing is an innate part of who we are. We understand that the journey to knowledge looks different for everyone – and that each path, no matter how winding or unconventional, holds its own truth and value.

One powerful reminder of this came during a tour of a farmer’s land, where the farmer who taught us how to make cheese and sugar cane treats explained how he had diverted fresh spring water to supply his home.

One of our group members remarked, “You’re not only a farmer – you’re also a plumber, an architect, a builder, and an electrician.” They then asked, “How did you learn to do all of this?”

“A traves del fracaso,” the farmer answered.

Henry, our Outward Bound Costa Rican guide, translated it as: “Through failure.”

The farmer continued through Henry. “We don’t have enough money to go to college, so we must learn by doing. The Universe is our university.”

LESSON 3

“I don't have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness - it's right in front of me if I'm paying attention and practicing gratitude.”

– Brene Brown

After experiencing the Pura Vida of Costa Rica, I’ve begun questioning my own approach to living. Although the direct interpretation of Pura Vida is “Pure Life,” Costa Ricans live the phrase as a mindset – gratitude, simplicity, and presence.

As a result, I’ve become hyper-aware of my personal pura vida. I’ve noticed that when I chop vegetables for dinner, I do it more slowly, without rushing it or feeling like it is a burden because my to-do list never ends. When I go on my morning walks, I have noticed my pace has changed. Yes, it is also slower, but it feels like I’m more aware of the walk itself and my thoughts are less demanding and scattered.

Still, I’m beginning to feel the Costa Rican Pura Vida slowly drifting away into the folds of memories to be cherished. But I hold on to one enduring hope: that I will continue to notice the seemingly ordinary moments right in front of me – moments that, when fully appreciated, offer a truly pure life. And as I move forward, I hope to help my students discover their own Pura Vida – a life shaped by presence, simplicity, and authentic gratitude. <

Before the Memory Fades: Windham Historical Society offers students a look at town’s past

By Walter Lunt
Special to The Windham Eagle

Windham Historical Society’s Village Green opens its season of history tours to students who experience an old-fashioned school day, shop in a country store and dance around the long-forgotten Maypole.

Students visiting the Windham Historical
Society's Village Green revive the tradition
of a Maypole dance during their May 1
history tours. PHOTO BY SUE SIMONSON 

Maypoles and May baskets have gone the way of the typewriter, the encyclopedia and phone books. But not for the group of home-schooled students who visited Windham Historical Society’s Village Green site on May 1, May Day.

The eclectic assembly of about 20 elementary aged scholars hailed from several Cumberland County communities including Gorham, Poland, New Gloucester and South Portland. Their two-hour visit included tours of four museum buildings that place an emphasis on the history of Windham and the way people lived in the 19th century.

Dividing into small groups, the children and their chaperones toured each building and listened to volunteer docents who showcased the archives and told stories of the town’s past.

The Old Grocery Museum is presented as the Walmart of the 19th century. Patrons bought cooking ingredients like molasses and flour by the pound, and picked over fresh, locally sourced vegetables and fruits. Some produce, it was pointed out, was bartered. A farmer, for example, might bring in eggs to be traded for sugar or apples.

Tucked away in a back room or a corner of the building was the village cobbler who made and repaired boots and shoes, or the telephone switchboard where an operator flipped switches and plugged in patch cords while nasally inquiring “number please?”

Also featured in this building is a re-creation of an old farm kitchen. The centerpiece is a stately, antiquated woodstove with overhead warming ovens; beside the tea kettle are several irons that will be heated for pressing clothes. Hanging within easy reach are colorful quilted potholders. Mounted on a nearby counter is a hand pump that draws water into a metal sink. Also handy are flour sifters and hand grinders for processing meat; and various sizes of crocks to store liquids such as cooking oils and molasses. Some country stores even accommodated a post office – patrons would access their mail through a corner window.

A particular favorite building for the young visitors on the Village Green is the one-room schoolhouse. Schoolmarm Hawkes puts her scholars through their paces, lining them up in girl-boy lines, exchanging bows and curtsies. Upon entering she demands, in a respectful manner, tight discipline. One girl is wearing trousers, which is unacceptable. “Are you wearing your brother’s britches today, Mary? barks Miss Hawkes.

The 45-star American flag hangs next to a chalkboard at the front of the room; it is saluted with a pledge slightly different from the one we recite today. The scholars are reminded that wood for the school’s pot-bellied stove and the water in a large wooden bucket was supplied earlier by an older student. Each student has a personalized metal cup hanging near the water bucket.

Miss Hawkes is upset today. She eyes the scholars warily while announcing that someone has pilfered the ink used for handwriting lessons. She checks everyone’s fingers for telltale smudges.

Next is arithmetic. The students are not allowed to use their slates – this is a mental exercise. “If Arthur picks 3 bushels of apples and Molly picks 5 bushels, then they give away 2 bushels, how many bushels are left? The scholar who responds with the answer is instructed to repeat the problem while supplying the correct answer. A bell sounds, the school day is over, and Miss Hawkes dismisses the girls first.

The children are next escorted to the replica South Windham railroad depot where they wait on a platform for an imaginary passenger train to arrive. Inside the building is a scale model of Cumberland & Oxford Canal boat that once traversed lake, river, and canal waters between Long Lake and the Portland waterfront. That the canal was hand-dug astonishes the young visitors.

Windham’s first public lending library was located across from Corsetti’s store on Windham Center Road. The building was eventually moved to the Village Green and is now open as a museum and displays early book collections and the histories of past clubs, civic and fraternal organizations. The young visitors learned that the first library was in a closet in the home of a farm family. This was, of course, inconvenient for both the family and the borrower. A group of lady librarians raised the funds needed to buy the building at Windham Center where it served the community and the schools for many years.

Library docent Rebecca Delaware showed the group a set of encyclopedias. Most of the group knew how to find information online but had never heard of or seen an encyclopedia. One youngster wanted to know, “Does it tell about Minecraft?” The library also introduced the kids to a typewriter, a rotary phone (“How does this work?) and a telephone book.

Now their tour of Village Green was over, but since it was May Day (unfamiliar to most of the group), volunteer docent Paula Sparks decided to resurrect the tradition of the Maypole. With the help of her husband, David, the pole was put up next to the schoolhouse with brightly colored ribbons extending from the top. Students and chaperones each held a ribbon fully extended and on cue from a recording of bouncy Celtic music began to “go-round” the pole, keeping time with the tune. The movement soon turned into a dance, of sorts, with Sparks directing the participants to weave over and under until the pole was transformed into a colorful braid; an exercise that will be conducted only one day a year.

It was a day for history tours that concluded with an even more historical tradition. <

Riding To The Top participating in 2025 Seen Through Horses Campaign

Riding To The Top (RTT) in Windham will participate in Seen Through Horses 2025 – a nationwide public awareness and fundraising campaign promoting the mental health benefits of working with horses. See Through Horses is a peer-to-peer campaign that will run through the month of May and coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month, a time when conversations around mental health will be elevated around the country.

Riding To The Top in Windham will 
participate in Seen Through Horses
2025, a nationwide pubic awareness
and fundraising campaign promoting
the health benefits of working with
horses during the month of May.
SUBMITTED PHOTO    

Mental health does not discriminate, and statistics show that one in five people in the U.S. will be affected by mental illness, with depression being the number one cause of disability worldwide. Two-thirds of people with mental illness never seek help, and of those who do, only about 50 percent find traditional talk therapy successful, according to the National Alliance on Mental illness (NAMI).

What staff and volunteers at Riding To The Top we have seen, however, is that experiential work with horses can bring about profound changes in people who struggle with mental health issues. This can be through direct therapy services (Equine Assisted Psychotherapy), or can be through equine-assisted learning and therapeutic riding – services that are not direct mental health therapy, but can improve one’s overall health and wellness by making connections with these powerful, sentient beings.

“We are thrilled to be part of this campaign that will bring awareness and as well as important funds to organizations who seek to improve access to equine-assisted services. Riding To The Top is a PATH International Premier Accredited Center, and while we do not provide direct mental health services, we witness daily the changes that happen when people and horses work together, from physical well-being to social-emotional connections and improved self-confidence, to overall enhanced mental health and wellness,” said Sarah Bronson, RTT Executive Director. “Our volunteers also frequently comment on how much better they feel after working with our amazing equine partners. We are grateful to be part of the Seen Through Horses campaign.”

Riding To The Top’s mission is to enhance health and wellness through equine assisted services. As it joins the equine and mental health sectors around one message, shared together during the month of May, RTT encourages the public to help them spread awareness of our services.

You can support Riding To The Top leading up to and during the campaign, by visiting https://sth2025.raiselysite.com/riding-to-the-top-therapeutic-riding-center and making a donation.

The Riding To The Top Therapeutic Riding Center (RTT) was founded in 1993. Located in Windham, RTT is the state’s only PATH International Premier Accredited Center (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) solely dedicated to equine-assisted services.

More than 250 participants are impacted annually, assisted by certified instructors, a herd of 16 horses and 100-plus volunteers, all specially trained to assist with therapeutic riding, carriage driving, equine-assisted learning, and Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy services using equine movement. Riding To The Top is a community-based nonprofit, receives no federal or state funding and provides scholarships to more than 60 percent of its clients. For more information about RTT’s client services, volunteering, or making a gift, please visit www.ridingtothetop.org or call 207-892-2813.

Seen Through Horses is a peer-to-peer campaign composed of individuals, nonprofits, mental health professionals, influencers, and businesses to increase awareness, public engagement, and raise funds to improve access to programs incorporating horses for mental health and personal growth. Horses can make a much-needed difference for the mental health challenges so many in our world face. Seen Through Horses aims to convene a community, empower nonprofits, and share stories of transformation to illustrate the positive impacts of incorporating horses into mental health services and programs.

The Seen Through Horses Campaign is made possible by Title Sponsor, Zoetis, and is produced by Horses for Mental Health. In addition, premier partners supporting the campaign also include The American Horse Council, American Psychological Association’s Section on Human-Animal Interaction (APA/HAI), Arenas For Change (ARCH), Black in the Saddle, Equine Network, EQUUS Films & Arts, EQUUS Foundation, EQUUS Television Network, Horses & Humans Research Foundation​​, Institute for Human-Animal Connection, Natural Lifemanship, New Trails Learning Systems, PATH International, Polyvagal Equine Institute, Rescued Hearts, Rural Minds, Temple Grandin Equine Center (CSU), The HERD Institute, and US Equestrian. As the organization galvanizes the equine and mental health sectors around one message, espoused at the same time, donation to support Seen Through Horses will be accepted from May 1 to May 31, 2025 at horsesformentalhealth.org/campaign

Rewilding saves money and time while also increasing biodiversity

By Abby Wilson

As we look forward to the long days of summer, you might be thinking that your backyard needs restoration. But what if you don’t have the time or funds to address it? Or perhaps you’re interested in rewilding – a hands-off approach to increase biodiversity that creates habitat for native species like plants, pollinators, and birds.

Turning an 'ego-system' into an ecosystem happens by
reducing your lawn and expanding the space into a
biodiversity garden filled with native plants and
species all while requiring less maintenance.
PHOTO BY DEBORAH PERKINS  

Well, the good news is, you can do less work in your yard while doing more for the entire ecology of it.

“A pollinator garden is a bird garden is a biodiversity garden,” says Deborah Perkins, the owner of First Light Wildlife Habitats.

Perkins has provided recommendations, plans, and designs for over 14,000 acres of habitat since 2010. She is known as “The Personal Ecologist” because she works closely with her clients to co-create biodiversity, beauty, and thriving habitats – from gardens to forestlands.

Plants and insects are the foundation of an ecosystem. Many insects, plants, and wildlife species have been in the same place at the same time for so long that they co-evolved.

Monarch butterflies cannot reproduce without their host plant milkweed because the caterpillars evolve to consume their foliage and now rely on it to complete their life cycle.

Building healthy food webs starts with native plants. Native plants feed insects and then insects feed birds and other wildlife. Insects also need leaf litter, native perennials and shrubs for food and shelter.

Unfortunately, the typical yard is turfgrass.

“It’s just habitat for people” says Perkins.

Thousands of blades of one species of grass where there could be many species is a serious example of lack of biodiversity.

In fact, one of the first steps for turning your ‘ego-system’ into an ecosystem is to reduce your lawn.

“See what grows,” says Perkins. You might just find that a highbush blueberry was waiting to show itself.

Step two is to identify and replace invasive species with native plants. Invasive species reduce biodiversity because they out-compete with the native ones. Those co-evolved native insects will not be able to use them as food or shelter.

Burning bush foliage turns a bright pinkish red which is strikingly beautiful. Once popular horticultural shrub, it is now illegal to sell. It is invasive and outcompetes the native species. Native wildlife does not derive the appropriate nutrition needed from its berries.

Replace your burning bushes with something equally as beautiful yet much more beneficial for birds and insects. Native Red chokeberry is a great substitute with its bright fall foliage.

“It will also be part of the food web,” says Perkins.

Another efficient way to grow biodiversity in your backyard is to stop using chemicals and pesticides.

While mosquitos and ticks are a nuisance to humans, the chemicals that remove them from our yards are detrimental to many other insects too.

“Getting rid of mosquitos and ticks require substances and most of those are broad spectrum,” says Perkins. “They are not killing just mosquitoes and ticks, but everything else, too.”

Lastly, Perkins suggests planting a native tree. You don’t have to buy a tree. You can simply let an acorn germinate in your lawn or yard.

Trees capture carbon, reducing CO2 in the atmosphere but also provide shelter for wildlife. Tree roots store water to reduce runoff and erosion. The benefits are endless.

“It does not have to be expensive,” says Perkins.

Increasing biodiversity can reduce your landscaping budget. Save by cutting back on gas for the grass cutter, line for your weed whacker, or chemicals for insect treatment.

You’re also saving time by allowing nature to rewild your yard. The major theme of rewilding is doing less and letting nature regenerate.

“Having a lighter touch … leaving trees to die and fall,” says Perkins.

Woodpeckers nest in standing dead trees and mammals live in fallen logs. Insects nourish themselves in the detritus allowing for balanced soil through the nitrogen cycle.

“We are part of nature. We’ve been removed from it for a long time, but we are part of nature,” says Perkins. “Our conventional cookie-cutter lawns are based on a very old standard that goes back to Victorian times when only the rich had lawns and opens spaces. Today we can use our open spaces for good.”

Of course, we might still care about public image and opinion. If you’re looking to rewild your property but don’t want others to think you’re cutting back on expenses or be viewed as a lazy landowner, there are ways to make rewilding look intentional.

You can place a bench or add small paths of turf grass along your wildflowers and growing areas. You can include “Do not mow” or “Pollinator habitat” signage to edges of your property so that neighbors can acknowledge what you’re doing.

Reach out to neighbors directly or contact your neighborhood association. Educate others on the beauty and benefits of rewilding. It can cost less – for you and the environment. But it’s all voluntary. You must educate yourself before beginning the process.

“The first step is connecting to nature. If you don’t have an emotional relationship to something, you won’t reap the full rewards, like seeing Monarch butterflies, fireflies, and flocks of birds using your landscape,” says Perkins.

Perkins offers many educational opportunities as “The Personal Ecologist”, from generational walks on family farms to consulting services and presentations.

You can access Perkins’ blog with information on rewilding your property at: www.firstlighthabitats.com. <

Earth Day activities show concern for environment

By Elle Curtis

With Earth Day approaching on April 22, it’s a day when the community comes together through engaging activities to raise awareness and demonstrate support for the environment.

To help preserve the natural environment, ensure safe passage for outdoor enthusiasts, and help maintain the overall quality of the ecosystem, the newly founded JAR Co. Eco team will be doing their first clean-up on Earth Day at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 22 and again at 2 p.m. that same day. Participants will be cleaning the side of Route 302 and the trail that leads up to Storm Drive.

“Clean-ups provide a tangible way for residents to come together and work toward a common objective,” said JAR Co store manager Maci Libby. “Seeing the positive impact of a clean-up brings pride and develops a sense of belonging.”

Through its clean-up activity, JAR Co. strives to lead by example by prioritizing environmental sustainability and making small changes with hopes of leaving a lasting impact.

“We hope to foster social bonds, encourage participation, promote environmental awareness, and increase a sense of pride in our community,” said Libby.

Community engagement supports both short and long-term efforts to protect the environment in addition to providing an opportunity for individuals with a passion for the outdoors to come together and get younger members of the community excited about Earth Day.

This year Windham Primary School had a team of First Grade classes reach out to EcoMaine and coordinated a visit from them to the school to talk about the importance of caring for our planet and discuss with students the differences between recyclables and trash. Later this spring, WPS First Grade teacher Crystal Turner plans to take her students on a nature walk on the trails behind the school to enjoy the beautiful nature that surrounds us.

Engaging in new and unique activities assists in growing the interest to learn. After a previous clean-up around Windham Primary last year, students were eager to take part in the project again this year.

Through reading stories like “If Polar Bears Disappeared” and “Give Bees a Chance,” WPS Second Grade teacher Evanthia Daukopulos said that she strives to encourage and foster the love of all living and breathing things. In her classroom, plants and animals are talked about, prompting discussions about activities students can complete in the community and best practices at home to reduce, reuse, and recycle. On Earth Day, students will talk about what it means to make compost, how greenhouse gases warm the planet and how this affects our ecosystems.

“We have discussions around the idea "it only takes one person,” said Daukopulos. “The idea here is it takes one person to spread the message, practice the steps, and prolong our communities. Then that one person gives another person the knowledge and resources to combat climate change, then soon, many ‘one’ of us, becomes a whole community.”

She said there is much positivity to be seen in how students want to learn and want to help protect this extraordinary planet we call home as they explore the effects of just one location or population, and how that then in turn affects other populations from around the world.

Earth Day is a day to raise global awareness on environmental issues while bringing the community together to make changes through opportunities to learn about and appreciate our planet, Daukopulos said. <

In Ye Olden Times: The Steamer Fawn

By Mike Davis
Special to The Windham Eagle

Howdy Neighbor!

My name is Mike Davis, the history columnist for the Bridgton News, and today I’m so pleased the Editor of The Windham Eagle has given me room as a guest this week to tell you all about the Steamer Fawn, the first steamboat ever to run on Sebago Lake, built at North Bridgton in 1847.

That spring the Fawn was built by the Sebago and Long Pond Steam Navigation Company. Since the 1830s there had been efforts considered to launch an inland steamer upon the Sebago Lakes Route, running from Bridgton down Long Lake, Brandy Pond and the Songo River to Sebago Lake, but it was not until 1846 that a company of Bridgton and Harrison men organized and began selling stock to residents up and down the lakes as far as Standish.

The S&LPSN Co. sold some $10,000 in stock at $25 a share, raising funds sufficient enough to lay the keel in late March of 1847. They had hired the New York boatbuilding firm Lawrence & Sneden to build for them a sidewheel steamboat, 25 feet wide and 90 long – just narrow enough to pass within the 26-foot wide Songo Lock, and theoretically short enough to negotiate the Songo’s many meandering gooseneck turns; twenty-seven turns in only six miles!

She was launched on June 5, 1847, captained by C.C.W Sampson of Harrison, and ran a thrice-weekly route, which became daily by 1849, from her terminus at Harrison Village down the lakes to Standish, stopping at North Bridgton, Plummers Landing, and Naples along the way.

At Standish she docked at the wharf opposite Chadbourne’s Lake House, which stood almost exactly at the terminus of what are now Routes 35 and 237 on Standish Neck, where the Portland Water District pumping station now stands. Here passengers were served by a line of stagecoaches running south to Portland, the southern half of the Portland to Waterford stage line which, from Harrison, took travelers off the boat up to Waterford and beyond.

The company had invested in this stage line, and it also bought out another running from Bridgton through Fryeburg to the White Mountains. This was the key to the Fawn’s financial success, for in those days before railroads any tourist up from Boston looking to access the White Mountains, landing at the wharf in Portland, had to take a bumpy, uncomfortable stagecoach ride over several days all the way to Conway New Hampshire.

But with the steamer Fawn running upon the lakes, they could instead ride inland as far as Standish, zip up the picturesque lakes route to Bridgton in less than four hours, and then go by stage as far as Fryeburg border by nightfall, to stay at the Pleasant Mountain House. From there they could strike off the next morning by stage and reach Conway faster, in far greater comfort and having enjoyed far better scenery, than anything the old stage line up the Saco River Valley could provide.

With the opportunities clearly shown, the eager tourist public of antebellum America responded. The Fawn ran for almost a decade, until 1856, and in that time, she attracted the patronage of some of the most famous tourists to come to Maine in this era. Among her many noteworthy passengers in this time we may count John Jacob Astor, the first American multi-millionaire; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who surely needs no introduction here, and famed Transcendentalist Mary Emerson, aunt and tutor of Ralph Waldo Emerson. So many are the humorous and fascinating stories of this time, so many the difficulties whose solutions proved novel or exciting, that I could well serialize the Fawn’s history across ten dozen newspaper columns – but in this I will spare you, for it will make a better book, and I do intend to properly publish this story sometime soon.

Initially the Fawn was a success, but ultimately the same driving forces that led to her creation, those of technological innovation and the eager tourist market, are the same which led to her collapse. Eventually steam-power was turned to locomotion, and the coming of the railroads at once robbed the Fawn of her twin advantages of speed and comfort.

While still just as beautiful, the prospect of reaching the White Mountains in a matter of hours by rail from Portland cut out nearly all her tourist traffic by 1853 – struggling on until 1854, she was put up for auction in 1855 and eventually sold to George Pierce of Otisfield. He kept her going a few years more in a highly diminished capacity until 1856, but in 1857 she was torn to pieces at North Bridgton, her boiler and engine works sold to steamboat builders in Greenville, Maine, and her wooden hull left to rot on the shore of the lake.

There are no photographs of the Fawn, there are no known engravings, and while it appears she was once painted, I have yet to find any copy of the portrait. I’m told she was once pictured on the china plates of the Lake House hotel on Standish Neck, which continued to exist until the early 1900s, but that hotel burned long ago and no one now living can tell me if even a single plate survived. If any Readers out there have seen any pictures of her, please write in and contact me via oldentimesmike@gmail.com.

Thanks, and until next time! <

Library displays Windham model maker's tiny trucks

By Kaysa Jalbert

Some hobbies keep us busy in the present, some prepare us for a challenge in the future, others are like creating a time machine to bring us into the past. Since 1988, Raymond Philpot of Windham has been restoring miniature metal trucks as a collector’s item, and from now until the end of April, four of Philpot’s model trucks are on display at the Windham Public Library.

Miniature trucks created by Raymond Philpot of Windham
reflecting Windham's past and history are on display on the
second floor of the Windham Public Library through the 
end of April. COURTESY PHOTO

What makes this display especially interesting for locals is that each of the items exhibited are replicas of vehicles that would have been seen in Windham's past. There’s a red snowplow from ML Rogers circa 1950s to 1980s, a vintage blue snowplow circa 1930s, a mustard-yellow Jim Rogers septic tank truck, and a blue George Emerson & Sons Enviropac trash truck from the 1980s.

“It has been great to hear from locals who recognize the vehicles, kids who love the bright shiny trucks, and adults who recognize the amount of work that went into the miniatures,” said Sally Bannon from the Windham Public Library. “I was thrilled when Mr. Philpot agreed to exhibit this collection. Library staff and patrons have always enjoyed his past displays, so I knew this one would be another winner.”

Philpot built each vehicle from scraps and pieces of metal toys such as Tonka and Buddy L and many of the pieces he finds are either on their way to the dump, available at a valid price at an antique shop or on eBay or given to him.

“I’m not really a collector, so I don’t buy things, but I collect them because I don’t want mother nature to take care of it,” says Philpot.

What he has come to find over the years is many of the trucks have already been collected, and what’s left are parts and pieces of “what looks like junk, broken old toys” that can be salvaged, he said.

What led Philpot to picking up on this hobby is his experience both as an auto mechanic and a Windham historian. From 1975 to about 2000, Philpot operated J & R auto body shop in Windham. Many of his regular customers were the ones to give him miniature parts. Additionally, Philpot has been part of the Windham Historical Society for much of his life.

“I’ve been involved with race cars, trucks, body repair and paint jobs. Always been automotive oriented since Day 1,” Philpot said, but in a way, he meant it.

Since his high school days in the 1960s, Philpot’s been involved with this type of work.

It was also in school, eighth grade to be exact, that Philpot became immersed in history and not global or U.S. history.

“I hated history, it was the worst thing that could have happened to me, that is, until I took a class on Windham history and that was it, I was hooked,” he said.

Philpot has been searching Windham History ever since. He’s had displays at the library in the past and at the Windham Historical Society. Additionally, his collection of old fire trucks has been put on display at the Windham Fire Department during the Fire Apparatus Day there.

Back around 1990, there was a Windham High School teacher who tried to start a hobby collectors show at Windham High School and Philpot had his trucks displayed there for the school year, but the show did not last as an annual event.

He says that he was inspired to start this hobby back in the late 1980s from a friend that was fixing up miniature automobiles that represented old trucks from across the U.S. and selling them at truck shows. The friend was copying the names of vehicles he’d seen back in the day instead of turning them into modern ones, so Philpot caught onto that and decided to restore them to look like cars from New England.

“I make them, I collect them, and occasionally I give them away to someone it has a meaning to,” he said.

Some of his miniatures have been given to the family of a late friend, and he said they are always greatly appreciated.

In total, Philpot has about 75 to 100 miniature trucks and gets to work on a new one maybe once or twice a year.

“The parts are scarce now, a lot of people are collecting them and selling them on eBay,” he said. “Some people think they are like gold and set a high price, but I’m not a collector, I just want to keep them from being put into the earth.”

Philpot’s model trucks are now on display on the second floor of the Windham Public Library through April 30. <

Maine Maple Weekend has arrived at last

By Kendra Raymond

With the recent warm temperatures, longer days, and some seasonal businesses seeking summer help, there is a glimmer of hope that spring may be soon to arrive. Associated with early spring is the arrival of Maine Maple Sunday, which always lands on the fourth Sunday in March all around the state.

Maple sap boils in an evaporator at Balsam Ridge Farm
in Raymond. Maine Maple Weekend is this Saturday and 
Sunday at locations across the Lakes Region. FILE PHOTO

Many local sugar houses even make an event of it by offering activities and celebrations during the entire weekend.

Sugar shacks in the Lakes Region are gearing up for the 42nd annual Maine Maple Sunday Weekend running March 22 and 23. The beloved tradition is popular with families, but anyone can partake in the early spring demonstrations and enjoy camaraderie while enjoying some yummy maple snacks.

So what can visitors to a participating sugar house do? The list is varied and vast and can include tours of the maple trees, watching boiling demonstrations, taking hayrides, and listening to musicians. Of course, who can leave out sampling the delicious maple goods such as candy, donuts, and ice cream?

The Maine Maple Producers Association website recently announced the upcoming weekend, “Spring is a great time to get out and enjoy the great State of Maine and everything that it has to offer, including Maine Maple Syrup.”

Most sugarhouses offer maple syrup samples and demonstrations about how pure Maine maple syrup is made. Many farms offer games, activities, treats, sugarbush tours, music, and so much more.

The MMPA website posts its mission as, “The Maine Maple Producers Association is interested in education, technology and friendship as well as the promotion of maple in today’s maple industry. The scope of the Maine Maple Producer’s Association is to promote the maple industry within the state of Maine, nationally and internationally. At MMPA we are committed to providing our members with a variety of different ways to help produce and market pure Maine maple syrup.”

The MMPA represents more than 250 of the 450 producers licensed to sell maple products in Maine. Producers range from small artisan producers to bulk syrup providers that serve major grocery store chains, foodservice distributors, retailers and international markets.

Many producers have products for sale direct to consumers throughout the year.

The state makes more than 575,000 gallons of syrup annually during a normal season, generating more than $55.6 million for the Maine economy and supporting more than 833 full-time and part-time jobs that generate more than $26.9 million in wages,” according to the MMPA website.

Sharon Lloy of Balsam Ridge Farm in Raymond is excited to promote maple syrup and products at the upcoming Maine Maple weekend events.

“We are getting ready for Maine Maple weekend. We will have tours where people can observe the process of maple syrup being made,” she said. “We always offer a pancake breakfast. And new this year we will have empanadas.”

Lloy said that there will be luncheons offered both Saturday and Sunday.

“You’ll be able to have hotdogs boiled in sap, baked beans, as well as all kinds of maple treats.,” she said. With the recent warm temperatures, Lloy says that the sap is really pouring in this week, so they are busy.

In addition to all the maple treats, Lloy says there will be entertainment on Sunday, March 23rd and blacksmith demonstrations all day.

The area is home to several other sugar houses such as Grandpa Joe’s Sugar House in East Baldwin, Jo’s Sugar House/Hartwell Farm in Gorham, Nash Valley Farm in Windham, Hilltop Boilers in Newfield, Cooper’s Maple Products in Windham, Merrifield Farm in Gorham, Sweet William’s in Casco, and Hilltop Boilers in Newfield – to name a few.

During a radio broadcast in 2024, Maine Gov. Janet Mills explained the importance of the maple syrup industry to the State of Maine.

“Our state is the third largest producer of maple syrup in the country. Somerset County alone actually produces more maple syrup than any other county in the United States,” she said. “That’s also where the Passamaquoddy have 40,000 acres of land in Somerset and Franklin County, where they run 14,000 taps and have a very vigorous and robust maple syrup industry.”

Mills recognizes the importance of maple syrup reminding residents that “since 2015, maple syrup has been Maine’s official state sweetener. Whether you use your Maine maple syrup on pancakes or waffles, on carrots or brussel sprouts, or on traditional maple snow candy – Maine maple syrup always makes life a little bit sweeter,” she said in her radio broadcast.

For in interactive map of participating sugar houses visit the MMPA website: https://mainemapleproducers.com/events/maine-maple-weekend/#!directory/map <

Faith Lutheran Church to host Luau Mystery Dinner

By Kaysa Jalbert

If you’re a sleuther, a mystery solver and you like a tasty dinner, then you may enjoy a night of entertainment and fun at a Luau Mystery Dinner hosted by Faith Lutheran Church next month.

Faith Lutheran Church in Windham will host several 'Luau
Mystery Dinners' on April 12 to benefit local charitable
causes. FILE PHOTO  

The “Who Dunnit” dinner is themed Heist in Hawaii written by Betty McIntyre and will take place on Saturday, April 12. There will be two shows: the first at noon to benefit Maine Needs and the second at 5 p.m. to benefit Sebago Lake Fuller Center.

The cost of the dinner and entertainment is $25. For tickets, call Melinda at 207-749-9503 or email Beth Shirk at ewynnshirk2@gmailcom. No tickets will be sold at the door; they must be purchased in advance before the deadline.

The last day to purchase tickets will be April 1. This deadline allows the organizers to know how many people to cook for.

The Heist in Hawaii story begins when Magnum Matters invites his friends to his estate to show off the Aloha Crown Jewels, on loan from the National Museum of Hawaii. However, during the evening’s entertainment of ukulele music and jokes, the museum representative discovers that the jewels are “missing, stolen, gone.” The guests are asked to solve the mystery.

Guests are invited to wear their favorite Hawaiian shirts or grass skirts and Leis will be provided. To add to the fun, a Photo Booth will also be on site. The sanctuary will be decorated in a tropical theme and have posters available with the mission of each charity.

Dinner includes hors d’oeuvres, Hawaiian pineapple coleslaw, Hawaiian chicken served over rice, and a vegetable, followed by a dessert buffet. A vegetarian option will be available to those who request it when purchasing their ticket. There will be a cash Mocktail Tiki bar to benefit the Essentials Pantry.

The three nonprofits chosen to receive contributions from this event are Maine Needs, Sebago Lake Fuller Center for Housing, and the Windham Essentials Pantry.

Maine Needs is a statewide nonprofit that provides essentials to individuals in need whether it’s time and energy through volunteering, material goods, money, skills, or support.

The Sebago Lake Fuller Center for Housing is a local organization and its mission is to help seniors and veterans age safely in place by providing home repairs. Information can be found at https://sebagofullerhousing.org/.

Profits from the Mocktail Tiki bar will go to the Windham Essentials Pantry, a ministry of Christian hospitality and service to the community, started by Wendy and Dick Rozene, to provide personal and household items not covered by EBT cards. The pantry is open the last Saturday of every month from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

The church has held other Mystery Dinners in the past and they host an abundance of fundraisers for local nonprofits. Last year’s “Who Dunnit” Dinner was titled "Travel to France" for a Parisian theme. French Cuisine was served, and participants wore old French Fashion. The event last year had a great outcome of attendees, as seen in the videos on the Faith Lutheran Church Facebook Page.

Betty McIntyre serves Faith Lutheran Church as a pianist, choir director and music director. Additionally, she has taught chorus in South Dakota and Maine on and off for over 40 years. While in Maine, McIntyre was the band director at Windham High School for over 30 years and has been working with church choirs for about 25 years.

Faith Lutheran Church is located at 988 Roosevelt Trail, Windham and partners with St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing, and Wayside food programs. For more details, visit the website at www.flcwindham.com. <

Windham creates welcome packet for new residents

By Kaysa Jalbert

Moving into a new town can be stressful due to having to file paperwork and scout for resources. You may create a checklist of all the things you have to do with the little information you have gathered in the first few days in a new town.

Now when moving to Windham you will be greeted with a newly designed New Resident Guide welcome packet that includes this new resident to-do list and numbers and addresses for the local necessary resources so you can save time searching and focus on unpacking.

The New Resident Guide has been re-designed to be more congruent with the color pallet and logos of Windham as part of the towns recent efforts to redesign wayfinding signs, logos on websites and signs, color pallets on sites and signs, and overall working to create a more uniform look of the town.

Currently, the welcome packet is handed out to new residents at the town hall when one goes to submit a change of address, register a car, or whatever it may be that flags you as a new member of the town.

“It’s nice to have some information when you first move into a town, like who to contact and social services, knowing how to participate in parks and rec, and just overall having good access to the first things you want to know when you move into a town,” says Roger Cropley, Communication Director for the Town of Windham. “It makes life a little easier.”

According to Cropley, the guide has been around for several decades, but it has remained a simple packet of some photocopied papers with a general checklist. He has worked on updating the guide for a couple months now and is working on its final touches.

The front page of the packet includes a paragraph that welcomes new residents to the community and a short summary of the contents of the packet. Additionally, every page includes the address, phone number and website for the Town of Windham on the right-hand side.

The new resident checklist includes what to do in the first 10 days that includes registering children for school, filing a change of address, licenses any dogs and pick up trash and recycle carts at Windham Public Works.

This list is followed by another list of what to do in the first 30 days. This includes registering to vote, changing driver’s license addresses, updating car registration, and visiting the Windham Public Library.

Under each task is an address of where to go and a short explanation of what to bring. Further in the packet, there is also a full phone directory that includes the service, the phone number, and a short list of how that service can help you.

For example, by calling the Tax Collection number, you can sort through tax payments, make auto registrations, or call about passports. In short, it’s made simple to know who to call about what.

In addition, the guide ends with an explanation on curbside trash and recycling container placement, with general do’s, don’ts, such as don’t leave them lying down on the ground, and information on what to do with carts in the winter.

This also has a recycling guide with images and descriptions on what can be recycled and what cannot.

Also included in the guide is information on all the parks in Windham with descriptions of what activities can be done, and in-depth information on the East Windham Conservation Area.

Cropley says the town is currently working on redesigning the town’s website and once that’s done, they will make the New Resident Guide accessible online. <

Forum to discuss proposed Long-Term Care Insurance Rate hikes

AUGUSTA – The Maine Bureau of Insurance will hold a Public Forum March 3 to discuss proposed Genworth Long-Term Care Insurance Rate increases.

More than 3,000 Mainers are expected to be impacted by proposed increases ranging from 1.8 to 233 percent.

Maine Superintendent of Insurance Bob Carey has announced that the Bureau of Insurance will hold a public forum at 10 a.m. Monday, March 3 to discuss proposed rate increases sought by Genworth Life Insurance Company.

The forum is intended to provide affected Genworth policyholders with information on the long-term care insurance market, the rate approval process, and the reasons Genworth is seeking these increases.

Those who wish to attend the forum virtually or in person must preregister through a form on the Bureau's website at https://www.maine.gov/pfr/insurance/news-public-notices/public-event-notices.

Participants may offer comments and ask questions about the proposed increases. Representatives from both Genworth and the Maine Bureau of Insurance will provide information and answer questions about the rate review process. Written comments as well as questions about registration should be directed to insurance.pfr@maine.gov.

The proposed rate increases range from 1.8 to 233 percent and affect 3,057 Maine policyholders across seven blocks of long-term care insurance. The largest block has 1,274 Maine policyholders and has a proposed increase of 233 percent.

Genworth's filings have been under review since early November 2024. Following the forum, the Bureau will complete its review and determine whether and how much of an increase is actuarially justified. In addition to Genworth's rate filing request, the Bureau will consider policyholders comments made at the forum and submitted in writing. If a rate increase is approved by the Bureau, policyholders will receive another notice from the company explaining the increase and any options available to policyholders to mitigate the increase.

Companies must give 90-days notice before the increase takes effect and may specify a timeframe in which reduced benefit options need to be selected.

"The Bureau will only approve rate increases that are actuarially justified," said Carey. We strive to maintain a competitive insurance market with solvent insurers that can pay claims, while also making sure premiums are affordable. At times it can be a difficult balancing act."

"Though some of these proposed rate increases are quite high, the Bureau generally requires insurers to provide policyholders with benefit change options, which may lessen the amount of the premium increase. Policyholders should keep in mind that they will receive an additional notice from the insurer with specific information about the approved rate change as well as the date it takes effect," Carey added.

To learn more about potential plan options that may assist with affording long-term care insurance, please consult the Bureaus Long-Term Care Rate Increases FAQs web page at https://www.maine.gov/pfr/insurance/node/977.

For a general overview of long-term care insurance, please visit the Bureaus Long-Term Care Insurance web page at https://www.maine.gov/pfr/insurance/consumers/long-term-care-insurance.

Consumers with questions about insurance matters can obtain information and assistance from the Maine Bureau of Insurance by visiting www.maine.gov/insurance, calling 800-300-5000 (TTY call Maine Relay 711), or by e-mailing Insurance.PFR@maine.gov. <

Now is the time to get your Valentine’s houseplant

By Kendra Raymond

Just as in many things, the availably of certain plants can be seasonal, temporary, or just plain difficult. Of course, everyone knows that you can’t buy bedding annuals in December, nor can you find many Norfolk pine during the summer. This is just how the greenhouse industry works – and consumers seem satisfied with this model.

A variegated Hoya Kerii, also known as the 
heart hoya or Valentine plant, takes in the
morning sun on a Raymond windowsill.
PHOTO BY KENDRA RAYMOND

The heart hoya, officially known as Hoya Kerrii is one of those plants. When you see one, you can’t miss it – the waxy leaves are notably heart-shaped – a perfect gift for someone special during the Valentine’s season.

If you are lucky enough to encounter a heart hoya, it will likely be offered as a single heart-shaped leaf cutting planted in a pot. While this is perfectly viable, this is all that you will likely ever see.

A better choice might be the vine form of the plant, rooted as a stem cutting. This means that there is more than one leaf present, the plant is starting to vine, and there are the infamous “nodes.” If you want to have the plant grow and vine, you must have the nodes. Furthermore, the presence of the nodes allows you to take cuttings from your heart hoya to root and create new plants and Voila – Valentine’s gifts for all your family and friends.

Native to southeast Asia, the Hoya Kerrii is a succulent plant, so it thrives on neglect, especially infrequent watering. Let’s look at the culture of this easy-to-grow plant.

Light

The hoya thrives in bright direct sunlight for several hours a day in a south or west facing window. If you don’t have that kind of lighting available, perhaps consider purchasing a grow light.

Soil and Water

Your hoya will be happiest in a custom mixed soil that is light and fluffy. A mixture of potting soil, a bit of sand, and even some wood chips or vermiculite will help lighten up the growing medium. The plant will do best if it is allowed to dry out between waterings. In fact, it is best to wait for the leaves to appear less plump and even wrinkly. High humidity is favorable for your hoya, so placing the plant near a humidifier or spritzing it occasionally can be beneficial.

Propagation

The spruce.com website offers the following steps to grow additional plants:

Hoya Kerrii can be propagated using stem cuttings. You can either propagate Hoya Kerrii in water or in sphagnum moss. Both methods can be successful, but some people have more success with one medium over another.

Here is how you can propagate your Hoya Kerrii using water or sphagnum moss.

Take a stem cutting from a mature hoya kerrii using a pair of sharp pruning shears or scissors. Each cutting should have at least three nodes along the stem. The nodes are where the leaves and roots will grow from.

Remove the bottom one to two leaves from each cutting, so those nodes are left exposed. Ensure that each cutting has at least one leaf left at the top of the stem.

If you are using water, fill a small container with water and place the bottom of the cutting in the water, ensuring that the leaves on the stem remain above the surface. If you are using sphagnum moss, soak the moss in water for 10 minutes and then squeeze out the excess water. Add the moss into a container and gently pack it around the base of the cutting, ensuring the moss covers the nodes, but the leaves remain uncovered.

Place the cutting(s) in a location that receives bright, indirect light.

If you are using water, the water should be refreshed once a week. If you are using sphagnum moss, ensure that the moss remains moist and does not dry out

After a couple of weeks, small roots should begin to form. Wait until the roots are at least 1 to 2 inches long before planting the cuttings.

Pot the rooted cuttings in a well-draining potting mixture and water well. Keep the soil moist for the first couple of weeks to help the new roots acclimate to the soil. Return the potted cuttings to their previous location. They can be moved into a brighter spot to encourage more vigorous growth now that they are established but do so gradually to avoid burning the leaves.

Where can I get one?

Acquiring a Hoya Kerrii may be your greatest challenge. As a horticulturist myself, I am always on the lookout for this precious cargo. Oftentimes, single-leaf cuttings can be found at the local grocery or big box stores. This is probably not the best option, unless they happen to have one with a stem and multiple leaves.

Your best bet can be a local greenhouse that is open during the winter. Just make sure to call ahead to see if they are available. You may be to do some calling around to find one with the leaves and vine.

Another option is online shopping. There are several options available but keep an eye on whether you are buying a leaf or vine, reviews, and shipping costs.

Whichever way you choose to go, keep in mind that a healthy heart hoya vine will be a bit of an investment, with the average price ranging from $20 to $30 dollars. The investment though is well worth it considering the numerous plants you can eventually grow to sell or share with others. <