The Windham Way

In early March, I reported on an incident that exemplifies The Windham Way – heartwarming actions that show the true meaning of community – when one needs help, there is someone there to help. Madeline Roberts, who runs the Windham Food Pantry, tells us that “at Christmas time the Food Pantry helped a family in need. A month ago they purchased 125 two-pound packages of ground beef, 300 pounds of potatoes and onions and cheese and donated it to the pantry. I received a call yesterday that they have now purchased sixty 8-10-pound hams and will donate them to the pantry. They wish their name not to be divulged. I also have a volunteer client who wanted to give back and donated a check for $500; folks do truly appreciate the Windham Food Pantry.”

Drug drop-off

On April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Windham Police Department and the Maine Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Don’t flush them down the toilet or just throw away. Bring your medications for disposal to the Windham Public Safety Building at 375 Gray Road, Windham. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. Windham Police will be assisted by members of PROP’s Communities Promoting Health Coalition.

Gambo mill tour

Windham Historical Society will present a free Power Point program on the Gambo Gunpowder Mill beginning at 9 a.m. April 30 at the Society on Windham Center Road. Coffee and refreshments will be available at 9, followed by the program at 9:30. A business meeting will be held after the program. At 1 p.m., all are welcome to meet at the bridge on Gambo Road for a guided tour of the mill site where one quarter of the gunpowder used in the Civil War was produced. Cost is $10, $8 for Historical Society members. The tour will be guided by Don Wescott, Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, who owns and manages the property and has created a site-identifying walking trail.

Therapy dog

At Windham Public Library, children can read to a dog for 20 minutes. Sign up with Mrs. Parker in the Children’s Room. Loki is a trained therapy pit bull who loves to be read to. Reading times will be between 10 a.m. and noon. Loki will have her trainer with her at all times. Sessions will be held monthly.

Cancer support

Join the Windham Cancer Support Group Monday, April 25 for their monthly meeting. This month Robert D. Beane, Reiki Practitioner and Certified Reiki Level II will speak as well as demonstrate Reiki. The meetings are open to anyone who has been touched by cancer in any way. The group meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Windham Public Library, 217 Windham Center Road. For directions or questions, please call 892-7750. The Windham Cancer Support Group has adopted as its mission to provide support and education for all cancer victims, cancer survivors, and caregivers of anyone dealing with cancer. They promise to provide a relaxed and enjoyable meeting atmosphere for anyone dealing with cancer in any of its forms. For more information, check out http://windhamcancersupport.webs.com.

Geocaching for parents

The Windham Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring a Geocaching Workshop for Parents on Thursday, April 28, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Windham Town Hall. Geocaching is a high-tech outdoor treasure-hunting game played throughout the world by families of all ages. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers outdoors called geocaches. At this workshop parents will learn the basics of geocaching and learn how to use the Delorme Earthmates PN-40 GPS units, which can be borrowed through the Windham Parks and Recreation Department. These units can be borrowed for a week or two for families to enjoy geocaching in the Windham area. There is no charge for the use of the GPS units. To register, contact the Windham Parks and Recreation Department at 892-1905. There is a $5 cost per person for the workshop to cover materials and can be paid the evening of the workshop. Register early to learn a great way to get started on an active and outdoor activity for the whole family to enjoy.

Congratulations, Mike!

Windham’s Mike Shaughnessy won the Best of Show Jurors Prize for the Portland Art Museum’s Biennial of Maine Art, for his piece called “Cascade, Current and Pond (for the Vanquished Falls of the Presumpscot River.) A wonderful article and photo appeared in the city paper recently.

Assistance ?for veterans

On Wednesday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to noon, Veterans Service Officer Phyllis D’Orsay will be available to assist veterans, widows of veterans and dependents with questions about benefits and other information at the Windham Veterans Center. She is on hand on the second and fourth Wednesdays each month. If you have questions of a military nature, stop in and get some answers. The Veterans Center is off Route 302, on Memorial Drive, between Evergreen Credit Union and Friendly’s. Follow Memorial Drive all the way to the Veterans Center – to the right of Home Depot – a dirt, town road. No appointment necessary.

Democrats meet

The Windham Democratic Party and the Bring Our War $ Home Coalition will hold a community meeting in the Windham Library Community Room on Tuesday, April 26, from 7-9 p.m. Panelists representing a broad cross section of Windham and surrounding communities will present their findings on federal budget cuts and there will be time for public discussion. For more information, contact Sally Breen at sallybreen@roadrunner.com.

Spring Fair

A Spring Fair will be held on Saturday, April 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 988 Roosevelt Trail. Tables are available, call Mary at 627-7007 or Marcia at 892-3769. Lunch will be available and many items will be offered including seedlings, books, baked goods, crafts, games, candles, homemade soaps and authentic windofriz demonstrations.

Roast beef dinner

Enjoy a traditional roast beef dinner on Saturday, April 30 from 5-6:30 p.m. at Windham Hill United Church of Christ, 140 Windham Center Road. $8 for adults and $5 for children under 12.

Walk for Habitat

This is the 25th Anniversary for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland Springtime Walks. Windham’s 5-mile walk will take place Saturday, April 30. Registration begins at 8:30 am at Windham Hill United Church of Christ, 140 Windham Center Road. The walk begins at 9 a.m. Register online at www.firstgiving.com/habitatme. Visit info@habitatme.org for more information about Habitat for Humanity. Local contacts for the Windham Walk are Manuel at 893-1926 or Terri, 892-5049.

Babysitting course

Windham Parks and Recreation will hold an American Red Cross Babysitting course on Saturday, April 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Windham Public Library. This is for ages 11 to 14, and cost is $60 for a resident, $70 for non-resident. Participants will learn how to act in an emergency, play with children of different ages, supervise children, learn how to diaper and feed babies, and more. A manual will be provided. An ARC babysitter’s training and first aid certification will be awarded on successful completion. Sign up now. Payment deadline is April 26. Class size is limited to 14. For more information, call 892-1905. First paid, first served.

Looking for ?a few good…

The Windham Summerfest committee is looking for a few good residents to join the Summerfest parade committee. Summerfest is on Saturday, June 18, on Windham High School grounds. The parade starts this year at 11 a.m. at Lott’s Drive and continues down Route 202 to the high school. This year organizers are looking for more assistance on the parade committee to help plan and organize the parade. They want to keep this parade a successful part of Summerfest, but need more help to make it happen. If you are interested please contact Brian Ross at Windham Parks and Recreation Department at 892-1905 or Clarence Wisecup the chair of parade committee at 892-0299 or at cwisecup@aol.com. We also need lots of help on the day of the parade to assist with traffic control and parade set-up. So please contact them even if you can only help on the morning of June 18 for the parade.

Thrift Shop

Savings galore at North Windham Union Church Thrift Shop, Wednesday and Thursday, 1-3 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon. Bargains for you on a variety of items. Check it out!

Alumni Banquet

The 100th annual Windham High School Alumni Banquet will be held on Saturday, May 13 at Windham Middle School cafeteria. Announcements and reservation forms have been mailed and e-mailed. If you are an alumnus and need more information or would like a reservation, contact Sam Simonson at 878-3417 or ssimons3@maine.rr.com. Cost is $10 per person. Deadline for reservations is May 6. Many events are planned including announcement of the 2011 Alumni award and the Pleasant River Grange scholarship. T-shirts for alumni will be available as well as many raffles to help fund activities of the Association. A chicken dinner will be served. Donation of items for the popular raffle table are welcome. Call Norma at 892-5608 for information.

Poker on May 14

Nearly 50 players regularly participate in Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament sponsored by Windham Veterans Association and held at the Veterans Center monthly. The next tournament is Saturday, May 14. Registration begins at noon, play begins at 1 p.m. $50 buy in plus $2 chair fee. Players limited to first 100 to register. Pot consists of 75 percent of total buy-in registration All players making the final eight table will share in the pot. Food, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks available, reasonably priced. 50/50 tickets available throughout the game ($5 each or five for $20. Proceeds support Windham Veterans Center.

Supper’s free

Food & Fellowship, Inc., began in 1999 with a mission to provide hot meals to people living in Windham and surrounding communities in the Lakes Region. On Monday nights, free “Monday Meals” are served to anyone who would like a hot, nutritious meal. On the first and second Mondays, the site is Windham Assembly of God Church, 1051 Roosevelt Trail (Route 302); on the third and fourth Mondays, meals are served at Windham Hill United Church of Christ, 140 Windham Center Road and on the occasional fifth Monday, the table is set at Standish Congregational Church, 25 Oak Hill Road in Standish.

Help needed

On Memorial Day, the American Legion would like to recognize all the veterans that passed away this past year and read their names at the Memorial Day observance at the High School. It would be a great help if readers of this column who know of a late veteran with a Windham connection, or who is buried in Windham, from June 1, 2010 forward, would contact David Tanguay at 892-1306 or via email at dtanguay46@aol.com.

Wall of Honor

As one of its many ongoing projects, Windham Historical Society continues the Wall of Honor, a display of photos of those who have served in the military at any time in our history. If readers would like to honor a relative or friend, the Society will arrange to copy the photo “while you wait” if preferred. E-mail Kay Soldier, kso48@aol.com or Dave Tanguay, dtanguay46@aol.com for more information or stop by the Society when you see the open sign, usually on Thursday mornings.

Barn tour

A barn tour is one of the many events planned by Windham Historical Society for this season. The guided tour of some Windham barns will take place on Saturday, June 11 (rain date, June 12) beginning at 1 p.m. Reservations are required by calling Linda at 650-7484. Featured barns cover a wide array of time periods and styles from early English-influenced, hand-hewn timber frames to modern 20th century structures. Don Perkins, an expert on barns will provide information. Those attending will meet at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, at the Windham Historical Society, 234 Windham Center Road. Donation is $10 for non-Society members, $8 for members. The Society is a non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible.