Stocking the Pantry
Once again, families in Raymond have proven to be generous by taking care of our own. Jordan-Small Middle School held a Fall Fest Food Drive last week in which students competed against one another to see which homeroom could contribute the most food. The week-long competition involved students bringing in non-perishable food items to benefit three area food pantries, Raymond, Gray and Casco. The totals were announced at the annual Fall Festival opening ceremony and applause erupted when everyone learned that more than a thousand food items had been donated. The classroom winning first place earned an ice cream party, and second and third place winners were given popsicles but all classrooms were rewarded with the feeling of knowing they had helped others.
Students were involved in all phases of the drive from posting flyers around school, bringing in donations, picking up the food, sorting and boxing the food for each pantry, and delivering the food to the local pantries. The students and teachers enjoyed the fun competition of the drive yet realized that it was not about who would win but everyone working together to help the many families in need.
With the big success of the school’s drive in mind, as well as the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, there is another opportunity to help families in need. The Windham High School BusSim class has been given two $370 fuel oil gift certificates and is holding a raffle for these through Nov. 15. Each ticket costs only $5 and the money will go to the Windham and Raymond food pantries to help supply Thanksgiving dinners to our friends and neighbors. Why not take a chance to win some free oil for the upcoming cold winter months while helping to stock the pantries. To purchase your tickets: please contact Diane Leavitt at dleavitt@rsu14.org or 776-0113 or Tasha Scott at tasha_scott_92@yahoo.com or 409-3979. Non-perishable items may also be dropped off at the school any time.
Field Hockey
Something new and exciting came to Raymond this fall and you could witness the action on the school fields every Sunday afternoon. With a “if you build it, they will come” philosophy, a new field hockey program was hatched thanks to Julie Wilson and Sara Childs who took the idea of introducing field hockey to girls in grades 3-6 and made it a reality. The program attracted 28 girls to the fields, which is a large number in our small town and indicative of the interest in the sport. There were also eight women volunteering each week; some whom didn’t even have girls playing. They focused on teaching the fundamentals of the sport and they also connected with other youth teams at Bonny Eagle, Lake Region and Poland to organize scrimmages at home and away. This was the beginning of something that had not yet taken place with youth field hockey teams, but because Raymond reached out, the reaction was positive and everyone had great fun.
This was not a school event nor did it fall under the Raymond Recreation umbrella, but instead was its own entity, the newly created Raymond Youth Field Hockey. In addition to playing each week, several of the girls and families went to watch and support Windham High School field hockey players as they had a hugely successful season this year. The plan is to continue offering this program in the future, to connect the girls to various clinics and camps, and to continue to spread the word about field hockey.
Swimming in Citrus
The Raymond Recreation Association is holding its 18h annual citrus fruit sale and what better way to stay healthy than stocking up on Vitamin C. Small and large cases of delicious oranges, grapefruit and a combination of both are available at prices from $19 to $28.
All the proceeds from this sale will go to “Every Child a Swimmer!,” a program that teaches our kids to swim each summer. Help support this program by treating yourself to some delicious fresh fruit or purchase a case to donate to the holiday food basket programs that benefit many of our local families. Please call Pat Smith at 655-4657 or 329-3614 to place an order. Sales from neighboring communities are also welcomed and delivery will be arranged. The fruit will be available for pick up on Dec. 10.
Pajama Story time
With the shorter days and colder temperatures, the comfort provided by a favorite pair of pajamas is unmatched. And how often do you get to wear your most comfortable pajamas out in public, sit back and be entertained? It is time for the Raymond Village Library’s annual Pajama Story time, and you are invited. Once again, Jody Fein, storyteller extraordinaire, will entertain us with her exciting and intriguing method of tale-telling. Come to the library on Monday, Nov. 14, at 6:30 p.m.; and remember, pajamas are the accepted dress code for kids and adults alike. This popular program is free and made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Raymond PTO.
Namaste
The holidays are upon us and along with the joy and festivities; this can also mean a lot of stress for many of us. There may be little we can do about all the hustle and bustle, but we can take time to nurture our well beings, and yoga is the perfect solution to finding balance in an otherwise busy week. Perfectly timed, a new seven-week session of weekly yoga classes is just beginning and I highly recommend it.
Debbie Goldstein teaches a fabulous yoga class on Monday mornings from 8:30-9:30 at Center Stage Performing Arts and new and experienced students are welcomed. Come take time to begin or deepen your yoga practice and learn to feel great every day. Classes are small, teaching is clear and modifications are many. Shed stress, pounds and nagging aches and pains and soar through the holidays with ease. For more information, call Debbie at 693-5247.
Wizard of Oz
After months of rehearsing, learning dances, building sets, creating costumes, perfecting the music, and many other details that go into producing the excellent fall musicals for which Windham High School is famous, it is finally here. Curtains open tonight for the first showing of the Wizard of Oz at the Performing Arts Center at Windham High School.
The cast is stacked with very talented kids from Raymond and Windham and you won’t want to miss them in action. Show dates are Nov. 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20 with Friday and Saturday shows at 7 p.m. and Sunday shows at 4 p.m. Ticket prices are $11 for adults and $7 for children, students, and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the door or pre-ordered by emailing fallmusical@gmail.com or calling 893-1742. Come out and treat yourself to a memorable night of entertainment while supporting our local talent.
Charity Adams and Seth Richard, two students at Jordan-Small
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