COVID-19 response and resources

The town has published a lot of information on their website to help handle the changes and information that is being provided regarding the COVID-19 response. The following information and more can be found directly on the town website at raymondmaine.org.

The following changes were effective March 25. Plans are subject to change.

• All town buildings are closed to the public until further notice. All internal and external meetings are cancelled or postponed until further notice. Online calendars will be updated to reflect meeting status.
• Current Town Office schedule: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Call 655-4742 ext. 124 with questions, for assistance with online transactions and for business communication.
• Assessing, code enforcement and planning services are unavailable until April 8.
• Property tax payments can be placed in the drop box located in the front of the Town Office or paid online, or if paying cash, can be made by calling 655-4742 ext. 124 for further instruction.
• Material will be disseminated to the public via the town’s website, Facebook page and electronic signage to help keep the public educated and informed.

School food resources

RSU 14 Windham & Raymond School Nutrition Program is committed to ensuring that all children in the communities have access to nutritious food during this time of closure. The plan to feed the children in the community is an extension of the already existing Backpack Food Program. The team assembles bags of easy-to-prepare foods, including cartons of milk, vegetables, fruit and individual containers of yogurt. Any family may pick up a bag twice per week during this closure. Planned pickup times are 2-4:30 p.m. at Windham Middle School’s main entrance lobby and 1:30-3 p.m. at Raymond Elementary School’s main entrance. Families unable to come to a pickup site may contact the school nutrition director at jreilly@rsu14.org or call 892-1800 ext. 2012. District volunteers are able to deliver as needed. Please follow social media for the most up-to-date information: Windham Raymond School Nutrition Program on Facebook, @Lunch4KidsRSU14 on Twitter and @lunch4kids_rsu14 on Instagram.

Library news and updates

The Raymond Village Library is closed for the health and safety of the patrons and staff, and in an effort to support the state and nationwide effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19. The Wi-Fi will remain available at the library parking area 24/7. There is no password required to access the Internet. Please return library materials through the book drop located on the side entrance of the library or hold onto library materials until the library reopens. The library does not charge overdue fines, so you can hold onto the library materials until the library is able to open again. In addition, all scheduled library classes and programs for both children and adults will be postponed and rescheduled at a later date when more information is known. During the closure, the library is going to be completely cleaned and sanitized to ensure a safe environment for the patrons when the library resumes all services. If you have any questions regarding the closure, please either email to rvldirector@gmail.com or leave a message at the library at 655-4743. Messages will be checked daily.

Town food resources

The Raymond Food Pantry at Lake Region Baptist Church, 1273 Roosevelt Trail, is open from 4-6 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday of the month. Come by if you need resources. If you can give resources, the pantry could currently use: juice and Kool-Aid, unsweetened cereal, soups, pasta and sauce, beans, potatoes, potatoes, fruit, Jell-O, coffee/tea/cocoa, powdered and canned milk, peanut butter and jelly, tuna fish, Spam, canned stew, baby formula and diapers, laundry and cleaning products, personal hygiene and menstruation products, and paper products. Donations may be dropped off at the church. Please call the church at 310-1419 for more information.

Alissa Messer can be contacted at alissamesser@gmail.com.

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