Holiday Helpers

Lori Wood and Sandy Stiles have worked tirelessly to help Raymond families this holiday season. Sponsored by the Raymond Rattlers Snowmobile Club, Holiday Helpers is a group of dedicated individuals who have gathered together for long days and nights assembling baskets full of food, clothing and gifts to give to 46 families in Raymond. Also largely sponsored by UNUM, this effort will surely improve the feeling of Christmas for many adults and children and create long-lasting memories as well.

Holiday Helpers has been spreading joy for many years and both Lori and Sandy have led the drive for the past four years. The effort begins long before Thanksgiving when they receive a list of families in need. They initially identify the number of adults and children in a home, their gender, sizes and items needed. The first priority is to provide each family member with a coat, hat, mittens and boots. Donated presents are then sorted and matched according to ages and wishes.

Each family not only receives a turkey but also a huge box of other food items donated by the Hannaford Recovery Center. Overwhelming support comes from many local business, churches and individuals. Turkeys, food, toys, clothing and cash are donated by several businesses and families in town. Once receiving the many donations, the Holiday Helpers hand-sort through the boxes of goodies ensuring each family gets exactly what it needs and wants. They spend countless hours at the recreation hall at Kokatosi Campground, a space donated for this purpose, dividing up the donated goods accordingly.

For Lori and Sandy, this is more than a small gesture of kindness. This is an endeavor that requires many hours of their time, missed days from their jobs and time away from their own families. They do it because they want to, because they enjoy the feeling they get knowing that they have made a difference in the lives of others. They experience highs and lows throughout the season as they forge through this remarkable task.

This year, Lori was exposed to the thrill and fear of driving a 26-foot U-Haul truck from Portland to Raymond. The truck was completely filled with toys donated by UNUM and needed to be driven to Kokatosi, unloaded and returned to Portland. Lori completed this task easily and without incident.

Looking at the piles of goods, I was amazed at how much each family would be receiving. I am proud to be living in a community where people go out of their way to take care of one another, and I am sure the recipients of such incredible generosity will remember those who helped them for a long time.

More Helping Hands

Members of the Raymond Elementary I CARE CATs, a group of fourth-grade students who are committed to modeling the “I Care Rules” which reinforce positive attitudes and behaviors, spent their lunch time this week decorating sugar cookies baked in the shape of a hand.

Under the direction of guidance counselor Deb Hutchinson, the I CARE CATs help make the school a safe, friendly place by enforcing good behavior and by rewarding younger students who display that same type of positive behavior. This week, all kindergarten and first-grade students were given a sweetly decorated Helping Hand to remind them that hands are for helping, not hurting. Hutchinson baked the cookies and her CATs decorated them with enthusiasm.

The CATS then went from classroom to classroom giving a hand to the students. This is another thoughtful and creative way the school is working to provide a safe, friendly environment in which to learn.

Speedy Stop Mini Mart is Open

We all watched with curious anticipation as the former Speedy Stop gas station was closed and demolished. Over the course of the following several weeks, a new store was slowly built; gas tanks positioned, parking lots paved, signs erected and finally, the store was stocked.

The new Speedy Stop Mini Mart has finally opened with pay-at-the-pump gas tanks and a store filled with small grocery items, sandwiches, pizza by the slice, an ATM, and a Dunkin’ Donuts, my personal favorite. It is sure to be a popular spot in Raymond.

Personally, I will need to dig deep and find that self-discipline I know I have to avoid consuming as much coffee as I do gasoline. However, I hold little hope for myself as just the smell of the coffee brewing weakens me, and I am sure I will find plenty of reasons to justify the need to fill my personal tank as often as the one in my car.

Time to Hit the Slopes

Saturday marked the annual Family Fun Day at Shawnee Peak in Bridgton. As a way for Shawnee Peak to express its gratitude to volunteers, this is an opportunity for all of the program directors, chaperones, bus, lodge and equipment volunteers, as well as their families, to ski for free.

This year’s event was unlike those in prior years because we have more snow than usual at this time of year. In fact, there is so much snow that most trails were open and all but one chair lift was running. Trail conditions were excellent although with temperatures peaking at only 14 degrees with a biting wind. I was reacquainted with the definition of being cold.

My children all enjoy skiing and look forward to their days on Pleasant Mountain. My middle child especially loves it, and he knows and skis every inch of the mountain, walks up and down it in the summer months and looks at it with awe as we drive by Moose Pond. He does not seem to notice the below-freezing temperatures, and he is eagerly waiting the first week of January when the Raymond Recreation afternoon ski program begins.

Providing amazing views of the White Mountains, Pleasant Mountain is a gift sitting literally in our backyard. I look forward to the upcoming weeks of riding noisy buses filled with excited children, fastening several pairs of boots and taking endless runs down Happiness Is. Not many towns can boast about providing skiing as an after-school activity, and I am grateful that my children are fortunate to have the opportunity to ski with their friends in an environment that is safe.

Loaded with dedicated volunteers and under the incredible leadership of Beth Clark, Brenda Olsen and Peter Walgreen, the ski season is ready to begin. May it be a safe and enjoyable endeavor for all who participate.

Closed for the Holidays

The town office will also be closed on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 24 and 25 due to the holiday. The Raymond Village Library will be closing at 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 24. Story times will not be held on Monday, Dec. 24 or Wednesday, Dec. 26 but the library will be open on the Wednesday, Dec. 26.