A night out

The Windham Chamber Singers consists of 40 talented singers. Several of them are from Raymond. They are embarking on a tour in May that includes a performance in New York City and are holding a series of fundraisers to raise the $25,000 to pay the trip.

On Saturday, April 26 from 5-8 p.m., the Singers will host Kids Night Out. This will be a fun evening for children in kindergarten through fifth-grade. Several activities have been planned including face painting, improv, a scavenger hunt, broom ball, board games, and a sing-a-long. The event will be at the North Windham Union Church and costs $10 per child. Parents can enjoy a night out of their own while their children sing and play with the Singers. For more information, call 892-6391.

Troop serves supper

The Boy Scouts of Troop 800 are holding their third annual Italian dinner Saturday, May 3 from 4:30-6 p.m. at the Raymond Village Community Church. The dinner will feature lasagna, baked ziti, meatballs, salad, bread, beverages, and a dessert.

This dinner is special because the boys in the troop work with parents, troop committee members and leaders, preparing the vegetables for the veggie lasagna, making the meatballs, and washing dishes at the end of dinner. This event is not only seen as a fundraiser but as another opportunity for scouts to work with one another as well as adults in a small, focused setting while enjoying the fellowship and culmination of their efforts. It is always a fun event and the food is delicious. The cost is $6.50 per person or $23 for a family of four.

On stage again

As witnessed at their recently performed “Seussical, Jr.,” the Jordan Small Middle School Drama Club is famous for staging outstanding productions. The drama club is a hard-working and passionate group and most of the performers continue their drama careers once entering high school. In fact, a third of the cast of the drama club at Windham High School is from Raymond.

Please come enjoy our young actors and actresses as they perform “Almost, Maine.” Performances will be held at the Windham High School Auditorium May 1 at 7 p.m., May 2 at 2 and 7 p.m. and May 4 at 4 p.m. Tickets are available at the door and cost $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.

The story is based on a remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine, and takes place on a cold, clear, moonless night in the middle of winter. Almost’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised, hearts are broken and all is almost repaired in this delightful midwinter night’s dream.

Thank you

The last week in April is National Volunteer Week. The staff of the Raymond Village Library, as well as the board of directors, would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who donate their time, skill and expertise to make your library a vital meeting place and asset to the community. Without the dedication of these generous people, the library would not be able to offer the services to meet the needs of the community.

Help for Ben

If you have been spring cleaning and looking for a perfect way to find new homes for your unwanted things, the Jordan Small Community Service Team has the perfect solution for you. On Saturday, May 10, they will be hosting a yard sale at the Jordan Small Middle School from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Simply rent a table for $10 and you keep all the proceeds.

The purpose of this sale is to raise money for a student who needs our help. Seventh-grader Ben Olmstead was recently diagnosed with a degenerative hip disease. He must spend the remainder of the year in bed with his legs propped up. He is no longer able to attend school and must rely on a tutor and home health nurse.

To make his long days in bed a bit easier, his friends from the school Community Service Team are attempting to raise enough money to purchase a laptop for him. The laptop will help with his school work as well as provide entertainment.

The Community Service Team is led by the school district’s social worker, Barbara Loux. Service learning is being added to the Maine Learning Results and Loux is guiding Raymond students in the learning by finding opportunities for them to help their community. Community Service is offered as an elective to seventh- and eighth-graders with 80 students currently participating. The students who participate quickly learn that by doing good things for others, they themselves also feel better and their self-esteem increases.

In addition to the yard sale, the middle school cross country team will be hosting a fun run on the same day, details will follow. Olmstead was a member of the team last fall and it is the hope of his coaches and teammates, that hosting a run in his name will boost his spirits and remind him he is part of a much bigger team.