Girls with guts

I had the great fortune of attending the Maine Cancer Foundation’s fourth annual Tri for a Cure held Sunday, July 31, where more than 1,000 incredible women swam, pedaled and ran under gorgeous sunny skies to help raise money to rid ourselves of this terrible disease. This event is just so moving that I wish everyone could see what I see and feel what I feel.

Tears were aplenty throughout the day but especially as the survivors entered the water to begin the event. I found myself constantly trying to swallow that huge lump in my throat and wipe away the tears as I cheered on these courageous women. I also eagerly followed the progress of my friends who embarked on this journey despite many roadblocks.

Last year, I wrote about Ellen Gagne, who at that time was a self-proclaimed non-athlete but had just completed her first triathlon, the Tri for a Cure. She was so moved by the entire experience that she instantly committed to not only doing this triathlon in 2011, but also the Pirate Triathlon, a fundraiser for Casco’s Camp Sunshine held in June. Her energy and enthusiasm were so contagious as she began training and readying herself for these events. Unfortunately, she suffered several setbacks including a knee injury resulting in several weeks of physical therapy and doctor’s orders to not run or bike, she witnessed her training pal and tough Raymond resident, Kathleen Tolman suffer a terrible bike crash, and then, one week before the big day, a huge piece of glass fell on her leg causing a blood-gushing cut that landed her in the emergency room with stitches and instructions to keep her leg elevated and no movement. She never wavered, she remained determined to finish this triathlon. We quipped that she was a girl with guts but this became her motto and obviously, the mantra of all these women.

As I watched them all complete this challenge, there is no doubt that they are girls with guts. I am so proud to report that Ellen did indeed complete the race, bumped up and bandaged, but with a smile on her face and faster than last year. I can’t wait to see what next year brings for her.

I also want to congratulate another friend, Lynne Dostie, who completed her first triathlon remarkably fast. Knowing how much I love these events, Lynne teased me over the past several weeks about how much she hated biking, hated swimming and hated running. Ironically, she had a smile on her face the entire day and has already committed to doing it again next year. “Hate” is an interesting word.

I think it is a good problem when there are just too many women to name. I apologize to any of you from Raymond whom I am forgetting but please join me in congratulating Ellen and Lynne, mother/daughter Sue and Phoebe Crockett, Carrie Boudreau, Melissa Coombs, and Tanya Grigsby, as well as Vicki Gordan and Brenda Stevenson who raced as a team.

The event raised nearly a million dollars for cancer research and patient assistant programs. Women of all shapes, sizes and ages participated with the youngest athlete only 16 years old and the oldest just a tad older at 73! If that isn’t enough to inspire you, the winner for the third consecutive year was Anne Wilkinson of Falmouth who completed the course in only 1:15 minutes and she, herself, is a cancer survivor. What a powerful way to spend the day with my kids; supporting our friends while teaching them that there really is nothing they cannot do. Not bad for a summery Sunday afternoon.

Seussical

If you and your family are looking for a fun evening of entertainment, you won’t want to miss Windham Center Stage Theater’s upcoming presentation of “Seussical.” The cast consists of local talent of all ages and they are sure to delight you with their rendition of this magical musical which brings to life all your favorite Dr. Seuss characters including Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, Lazy Mayzie and Jojo, a little boy with a big imagination as the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged yet emerge triumphant.

This production is directed by Rob Juergens with music direction by Patrick Martin and choreography by Ashley Christie. Performances will be held at WCST which is located in the Windham Town Hall on Aug. 12 and 13 at 7 p.m., Aug. 14 at 4 p.m. and again the following weekend, Aug. 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. and Aug 21 at 4 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door and are $7 each.

Drivers needed

Do you have a few hours you could spare to help our neighboring Camp Sunshine? They are currently searching for volunteers to help drive camp vehicles during sessions. As they continue to grow annually, the amount of families and volunteers who need transportation from the Portland Jetport and other area transportation terminals is growing, and they could use more drivers. What a wonderful and easy way to help Camp Sunshine with the extra bonus of meeting these special families from all over the country. In order to qualify as a driver, you must be 21 or older with a clean driving record and valid license. If interested, please contact Beth Packard at 655-3800 or [email protected]

Art museum

Whether you are a longtime resident or summer guest, the Raymond Village Library would like to invite you to use their free pass to the Portland Museum of Art. Living or vacationing in Raymond is the best because we can spend our sunny days experiencing the richness our lakes offer yet we live so close to Portland should we wish to spend time inside and seek the many cultural events offered in the city. The museum offers a wide variety of art and is currently featuring the works of John Marin, whose watercolors of islands, mountains, beaches and rocky shores will feel perfectly timed for a summer visit for you and your summer guests. This free pass is the result of the generosity of patrons who purchase an annual pass for the library. Please call 655-4283 or stop by the library, which is open on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., to reserve the pass in advance of your trip to the museum.

Golf tournament

The weather has made this an excellent season for golf so while your game is at its best, please save the date for an upcoming tournament. The Windham High School Class of 2012 Project Graduation will be holding a scramble/best ball golf tournament on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m. at the Naples Country Club. The entry fee of $100 includes 18 holes of golf, cart rental, dinner and generous prizes which will be awarded and raffled, and of course, the great feeling you get from playing the game while helping our upcoming seniors have a safe and fun graduation event.

Form a team of four people or enter alone and they will add you to a team. For more information, please contact Jon Cummings at 329-8729 or Jim Cummings at 310-8818.

Ellen Gagne and Lynne Dostie, of Raymond, are all smiles as they
are about to embark on the challenging course at the fourth annual
Tri for a Cure, held last weekend.
Linda Griffin, co-president of the Windham Historical Society,
was among several Society members manning a fundraising book sale
at the now-closed Two Brothers Bookstore on Route 302 in Raymond
last weekend. Griffin got permission from the owner of Two Brothers
to sell leftover stock for drastically reduced prices ranging from
25 cents to $1. In all the Society earned $219, all of which will
go toward the Society’s Village Green project situated on land
purchased last October in Windham Center. Griffin said the group is
trying to raise money to pay off the land and to transport
important old buildings to the site for preservation.