RAYMOND – At 9 a.m. last Friday, despite the chilly fall morning, a happy crowd of children, teachers and parents lined up at the edge of the woods just outside Raymond Elementary School to celebrate the official opening of the newly constructed Frog Pond Trail.

“This is really cool,” said Kiana Webster, 9, a fourth-grade student at school. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

The idea of a trail started as a suggestion nearly two years ago and with the hard work and commitment of several dedicated employees in the school district the trail was completed Aug. 30.

“Originally we had a $1,500 grant for the project,” said Raymond Elementary Assistant Principal Deb Hutchinson. “Then Stephanie Joyce at central office was able to get us a grant from Lowe’s for $5,000. That really made a difference. And without the hard work of Tom (Gumble) the trail would not be complete.”

Joyce applied for the Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grant, a grant awarded for improvement projects such as playgrounds, gardens or trails that help strengthen the school’s place in their communities. Once the school got word that they had received the grant, Tom Gumble, maintenance engineer at the school, went to work designing kiosks, physical education stations and viewing areas.

“I knew I had the ability to build it, and I was more than pleased to help,” said Gumble. “I am happy to be recognized for helping with this, but I have to thank everyone that helped, especially John Keller, he was a big help to me. This project has made me feel really welcomed in the community.”

Gumble moved to the United States from England in 1997 settling in Rhode Island. In 2006, he and his wife moved to Raymond where he worked at the middle school and was then moved to the elementary school. Gumble said the love and acceptance he and his wife have had from the Raymond community have really made them feel at home.

“I have always felt welcome here,” said Gumble. “This community has supported us and that is part of the reason I wanted to do this project. For me being from another country and this community being behind me means a lot. It’s a little bit special. So I think of building this trail as taking care of my own backyard.”

Hutchinson said the community is grateful to have such a dedicated worker.

“Tom really worked hard,” said Hutchinson. “I am really proud of his dedication.”

The newly built trail located at the entrance of Raymond Elementary School features educational kiosks, a field with laminated storyboards, and physical fitness stations. The walking trails are almost half a mile long and hikers are treated to a sitting bench and standing platforms that overlook the trail’s namesake pond.

At the end of the trail in an open field hikers can find laminated book pages describing clouds and weather patterns. To continue the story viewers must move around the field from one page to the next. The school’s librarian, Sue Ellen Gendron, put the storyboards together while teacher Stephen Seymour prepared tree identifications for the multiple kiosks. The trail is now open to the public and pets are welcome.

“To actually have a whole community enjoy this together, I think that’s just incredible,” said Gumble of the trail.

Fourth-grade student Kaylee Lacasse agreed.

“I think this is going to be a lot of fun for everybody in Raymond,” she said.

Fourth-grade students, from left, Kiana Webster, 9, Molly Cochrane, 9, and Makenna Colby, 9, pose on the Frog Pond overlook at Frog Pond Trail on Friday.   
Students at Raymond Elementary School get ready to be the first hikers on the newly completed Frog Pond Trail. The trail measures .4 miles, and boasts a frog pond, physical activity stations and informational kiosks.   
Built by Raymond Elementary maintenance engineer Tom Gumble, a covered bench seat awaits a guest during the opening of Frog Pond Trail next to Raymond Elementary School.
Kaylee Lacasse, 9, shows off the T-shirt she designed for the opening of the Frog Pond Trail.