Chasing the Moon

Were you fortunate enough to see the moon last week? I found myself distracted as it peeked up over the horizon each day, huge and orange. My family spent one early evening having a dinner picnic on the shore of Sebago Lake after visiting Camp Sunshine’s record-setting sandcastle. Looking out on the lake and enjoying the sunset, the moon first became visible and took my breath away! I found myself chasing the moon each night throughout the rest of the week, on our way to and from soccer practices, dance lessons, evening meetings…wherever I was going, I couldn’t help but pause on Raymond’s best moon viewing roads for a quick peek.

Known as the Harvest Moon, the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox rises earlier, appears bigger and more colorful and provides more light for longer days of harvesting. Many blame the moon on mood swings and restless sleep. Hundreds of books have been written about the effects the full moon has upon us. Although I’m certain they are quite insightful, I prefer the romantic songs and pictures that have been painted depicting its aura and mystery. I cannot resist going out to enjoy each full moon. I like kayaking, cross country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing…you name it. When it is full, I will find some way to go out to play in the light of the moon and revel in its mystery.

Mentoring Partnership takes Farm Trip

The Raymond Mentoring Partnership kicked off its new year with a trip to Serendipity Farm, a local horse farm owned and operated by Raymond’s Jan Lamontagne. The kids and their mentors spent the afternoon together learning about horses and experiencing the thrill of life on a farm and on the back of a horse.

The Raymond Mentoring Partnership began pairing Raymond’s young people, especially those with limited resources and support systems, with caring adults in 2001. Currently in its seventh year, the program, similar to the Big Brother/Big Sister program, has continued to grow in Raymond. Mentoring pairs spend time together weekly building friendships while performing activities together such as hiking, snowshoeing, kite flying, cooking, doing art projects and reading. Program-wide activities that emphasize team building are scheduled as well and include rock climbing, swimming, bowling, canoeing and horseback riding.

The organization not only provides a service to the children involved in the program, but also offers a benefit to the entire community by bringing speakers and programs to the Raymond schools regarding healthy living, self esteem, social skills and substance abuse prevention. The partnership is also participating in preventing substance abuse in our youth by becoming more involved in a Lakes Region coalition so towns can be more cohesive in addressing these issues. In addition, Raymond Mentoring Partnership is currently working with People’s Regional Opportunity Program (PROP) to bring Healthy Maine Partnership programming to Raymond. This will include nutrition, physical activity, healthy living and substance abuse prevention.

This is a fantastic program and highly beneficial for the youth served, the overall school population as well as the entire community. The organization is funded by the Maine Office of Substance Abuse, through the Healthy Maine Fund, as a preventive initiative. The partnership is a huge success in Raymond and is always seeking mentors, particularly male mentors. If you have some time you would be willing to give, you could have a huge impact on the lives of our young people. By offering your positive, supportive friendship, you can help increase a child’s self-esteem, confidence, decision making ability, social competence, academic success and knowledge of our community and world. Please contact Raymond Elementary School at 655-8672, ext. 107 or mentor@raymondmaine.org for further information.

A Night of Laughs

The Raymond Fire and Rescue Association is currently conducting a fundraiser to raise money for various charitable causes. By contributing to this fundraiser, you will receive tickets to their upcoming, “A Night of Laughs,” comedy show, which will be held at the Jordan Small Middle School on Friday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m.

Proceeds from the event will go toward scholarships, safety equipment for the recently acquired Lakes Region Public Safety Boat and their annual popular Halloween haunted house. There is no ticket price for this event. Simply make a donation to help the Raymond Fire and Rescue Association and as a show of appreciation, you’ll get complimentary tickets. The comedy show will feature three hilarious stand-up comics from the Boston area. Please support our local firefighters and EMS by donating today. Please note, this show is not recommended for children under the age of 13.

Local Church Helping Honduras

Please join me on Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Raymond Village Community Church for a Bean Supper featuring hot dogs, baked beans, salad, biscuits, dessert, beverages and, most importantly, great people! The Bean Supper will take place from 4:30-6 p.m. and costs $6 for adults and $4 for children. Not only will you enjoy a delicious, inexpensively priced meal while chatting with friends, but you will be helping the church as it continues to raise money for a mission trip to Honduras.

In August 2008, 15 people from the church will be undertaking a construction project in Honduras. The group includes men, women and teens and is part of a mission partnership that exists between the Maine United Church of Christ and The Evangelical and Reformed Church of Honduras. Approximately 25 mission trips are undertaken over a two-year planning cycle and the Raymond Village Community Church is excited about its first trip. Needless to say, it is costly to go and the church needs to raise $15,000 to support the trip.

The partnership also includes 15 Honduran students coming to Maine each summer and being hosted by local churches. This past summer, the Raymond church hosted one of the students for a week. She was welcomed with a special cookout, took part in the worship service, and had a chance to make some new friends in Maine and learn more about the United States. In addition, local Maine churches also support students at the CEVER School in Honduras, a vocational school designed to help elevate young adults out of the circular poverty cycle experienced in many parts of the country.

The Bean Supper is just one of many fundraising activities that the Mission Team is conducting to raise money. It has already had a special collection at the summer flea market, and there is a jug called Change for Change in which people are urged to drop their spare change each week at church. Members are collecting bottles and cans through the Hannaford Clynk program. (Pre-labeled bags will be available at the Bean Supper). With the belief that small steps make a big difference, the Mission Team is working very hard to chip away slowly at a very big fundraising goal. Please support this wonderful cause!