State park skiing

I love to ski and Mother Nature is certainly making it easy for me to spend endless hours on the trails. Although I enjoy skiing across the lakes or following some of the many snowmobile trails in town, I often find myself at touring centers such as Pineland where the trails are groomed to perfection.

However, I have recently discovered a hidden gem at Sebago Lake State Park, located off Route 302 on the Raymond/Casco town line. For years, I have skied and bicycled on the trails there but this year it is better than ever. They have purchased a grooming machine and have set tracks for perfect skiing. Offering around 10k in trails that meander beside the river, skirt along Sebago Lake and then duck back into the forest over undulating wooded terrain, these trails offer excellent skiing you won’t want to miss.

Fun with Falwell

As an avid reader and writer, I am always in awe when I meet a “real” author. I enjoy going to book readings where I can listen to authors read their stories and tell their tale of how the book developed from an idea to a real story.

I am excited, then, to invite all preschoolers, along with their parents, to the Raymond Village Library Monday, Feb. 9 at 11 a.m. to meet Cathryn Falwell, a children’s author and illustrator from Gorham. Falwell will be reading “Scoot!” and “Turtle Splash! Countdown at the Pond,” and she will follow her stories with a puppet craft. This is sure to be great fun for the children so you will not want to miss it. Please pre-register for this event by calling the library at 655-4283.

Newly elected

Congratulations to the newly elected members of the Raymond/Windham school board. The votes were counted at the polls Jan. 27, and Jeri Keane, Catriona Sangster, and Alizah Shriver were elected to our new school board. I personally wish to thank all the candidates for running and especially these three for embarking on the huge project that lies ahead as our two school districts join.

It seems like we have been heading to the polls a lot lately with last year’s town meetings, consolidation and school choice decisions, revised budgets to pass and of course, the recent presidential elections. Each time I walk into the gym to vote, I am always greeted by smiling faces from the many friendly volunteers who dedicate countless hours to run the polls. Open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., they put in a long day to ensure our elections run smoothly and are accurate. Thank you to all of you for your hard work.

Games and puzzles bring sunshine

Do you have any extra board games appropriate for 6-12 year olds that your kids have outgrown or no longer use? How about some puzzles for people of all ages?

A pipe recently burst in a closet at Camp Sunshine in Casco. The closet was used to hold puzzles and games, and they were all destroyed. There are two oncology camp sessions scheduled during school vacation in February where children and their families gather with other families. Due to the cold, some of the kids will not be able to go outside, so puzzles and games are needed. Should you wish to share some of yours, please contact camp volunteer Lisa Shadler at 655-2441, and she will happily pick up anything you would like to donate.

Life is ‘Good’ for PTO

The Good Life Market has kicked off a campaign to help the Raymond Parents and Teachers Organization. From now through March 26, The Good Life Market will donate a portion of sales to the PTO. Please ask for your receipts then send them into the school. The PTO will receive 2 percent of the total receipts submitted at the end of the program.

This is an excellent display of generosity from The Good Life, and I am impressed with their dedication to our children and the commitment to the PTO and the enrichment the group provides. Treat yourself to the fine products available at The Good Life Market while supporting our schools.

More to cheer about

Several weeks ago, I happily shared the news that Amanda Scripture was invited to try out for the USA Cheer Team. This was a huge honor, and I am so excited to inform you that she made it! Amanda just received notification that she is now officially a member of the USA Cheerleading All-Girl team. She will be part of a 30-member squad and will be compete in the World Competition in Orlando in April. The competition will host teams from 50 nations and is sure to be an exciting event.

The Scriptures would like to thank all those who have shown their support of this endeavor and those who donated bottles and money for Amanda’s trip to try-outs in Kentucky. This is certainly a huge achievement in her young life and I am so happy for her.

Students stocking the pantry

The students and staff of the Raymond Elementary School are supporting the Raymond Food Pantry as part of a national community service program. The coordinator of the food pantry visited the school last week during an assembly and all students were encouraged to bring a $1 donation or a canned or packaged food to support the efforts of the food pantry.

Donations were used to purchase necessary food items through the Good Shepherd Food Bank for the nearly 40 families who depend on the food pantry to make ends meet each month. Students also dressed in red, white and blue to honor Martin Luther King Jr., and the spirit and generosity of our community once again were in abundance.

Discussing Lincoln

The nonfiction/classics book group will be meeting Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. at the Raymond Village Library. In celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday, they have chosen to read any of the many available books or articles written about him or anything that President Lincoln wrote.

This discussion group is open to all interested readers. Please join and share your opinions on what should prove to be a very interesting discussion. Books are available upon request at the library. For more information call Flonny Morrison at 655-4548.

The newly groomed trails at Sebago Lake State Park are sure to please all cross country skiers.