Bringing home the gold

Most of us have been glued to the television watching the Winter Olympic games, inspired by the passion and dedication of all athletes, gold winners or not. On a more local note but also inspiring, congratulations are in order for Jordan Small Middle School student Andrew Tanguay for his outstanding performance at the Special Olympics Maine Winter Games held last week at Sugarloaf USA. Competing in two snowshoe events at Carrabassett Academy, Andrew held off a competitor in a very close finish capturing first place and bringing home a gold medal in the junior division of the 25-meter race. In the 50-meter race, Andrew ran a personal best time of 15.48 seconds finishing with a fourth-place ribbon.

Andrew joined over 500 athletes from 80 communities who braved sub-zero wind chills to compete in alpine and Nordic skiing events, skating competitions, and snowshoe races at the annual Winter Games. Said Andrew’s coach John Keller, “I was very impressed at Andrew’s marvelous performance and equally, if not more impressed, by his wonderful sportsmanship during the entire time at the Winter Games.” Coach Keller would also like to express his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Sue and Scott Crockett for providing housing for him and the Tanguays for the third year, making attending the games possible.

Help us help you

Have you recently painted your house or installed new siding and if so, did you remember to hang your house numbers after you were finished? Have the trees and shrubbery overgrown and hidden your once, well-marked home? None of us want to imagine being faced with a crisis and needing the help of Raymond Fire and Rescue; however, accidents do happen, fires start and emergencies are a part of life. We are so fortunate in Raymond to have a team of dedicated and trained people who are ready to serve when needed; however, they need to be able to find you in a time of crisis.

Unfortunately, many of the homes in Raymond are not properly marked. Fire Inspector Craig Messinger said “the lack of numbers on houses and the impact it has on fire, police and rescue is serious in this town.“ Raymond Fire and Rescue recently conducted a survey and discovered that more than 50 percent of the homes in the areas surveyed were not in compliance with the town ordinance. Missing addresses affect response times and if you have an emergency, help will be delayed.

Please take a moment to assure you are in compliance with the ordinance; a copy of which can be found on the town Web site at http://www.raymondmaine.org/government/ordinances/default.htm. It explains in detail the proper size, color, and location to display your house number. Aubuchon Hardware has graciously offered to donate numbers to those who cannot afford them, and Raymond Fire Rescue will install them for the elderly or anyone who cannot otherwise properly mark their home. To learn more about how you can help Raymond Fire Rescue help you, please call them at 655-7851.

Leading the way

During last week’s PTO meeting, I had the great privilege of listening to a heart-felt thank you from seventh-grade student Gavriella King. She attended the meeting to thank the PTO for their recent contribution to her trip to the National Young Leaders State Conference; a four-day event held in Boston. After receiving the prestigious nomination to attend the conference, Gavi joined students from all over New England to take the first steps in an important leadership journey. She spent her days and evenings attending seminars and performing group and individual work to learn more about herself and how to become a stronger leader. Gavi spoke eloquently and passionately about the experience, stating it was definitely life changing and one of the best experiences of her life. We all listened in awe as she told her stories with enthusiasm and expressed her appreciation for the PTO’s help in making this experience possible. Make no mistake Gavi; you are already a leader.

Play ball!

Spring is just around the corner and soon America’s favorite pastime will be in full swing. Those who run the Raymond Baseball and Softball program are busy making plans for the 2010 ball season and will hold registrations on Monday and Wednesday evenings, Feb. 22 and 24, from 5-8 p.m. at the Jordan Small Middle School. The program is open to boys and girls ages 5-15 playing all levels of ball from t-ball through the senior league. Registration can also be done online at www.raymondbaseballsoftball.com, so please be sure to register your child by March 13 so teams can be formed. For more information, please contact Kevin MacDonald at Kevin@raymondbaseballsoftball.com.

NAMI comes to Raymond

Do you or someone you love suffer from anxiety, depression, eating disorders or another disorder? Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income and are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health reports that one in four adults experience a mental health disorder in a given year. Fortunately, mental illnesses are treatable and some caring people from Raymond are here to help.

A new local family support group has been formed and will meet on the first Monday of every month. Lake Region NAMI will hold its first meeting on March 1 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Public Safety Building on Main Street. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) strives to offer hope, reform and health to the community through support, education, and advocacy efforts. For more information about this support group, please contact Eileen Stiles at 655-4193.

In need of a new home

There is no doubt about it – the loyal affection of a pet makes life more fulfilling. Those of us with pets refer to them as part of our family as did Steve and Jen Danzig who have loved their two miniature long-haired dachshunds since they were puppies. Unfortunately, their oldest child was recently diagnosed with asthma, and they have learned that one of the triggers for his asthma is an allergy to dogs. The family is heart-broken because the dogs have been cherished members of their family, but now they are forced to find a new home for the dogs. If you or anyone you know is looking for the loving companionship provided by pets, please contact Jen Danzig at jdanzig@maine.rr.com.