Master Winner

Congratulations to Raymond resident Wendy Brum for taking first place in the Masters Figure 40-plus OCB Maine Event competition held in Biddeford Sept. 27. She also received a fourth place in the overall Novice division as well as a fourth place in the Open division.

Wendy first competed 22 years ago in the AAU Mr. and Mrs. Maine Competition held at USM Portland campus. She won the Mrs. Maine title in 1991 and 1992. After that accomplishment Wendy took time away from the significant training it requires until 2011 after a 30-pound weight gain. She started her new goals and weight loss journey with Zumba classes, which got her down 10 pounds and gave her the confidence to return to the gym. While training herself at Planet Fitness in Windham she also became a certified trainer and recently has been certified in kettlebells so that she can share her love of health and help others meet their fitness goals. In 2012 Wendy’s husband Chris had a relapse with adrenal cortical cancer so training herself became her outlet for stress management while caring for him.

Last April she attended the OCB tri-state competition as a spectator and was bitten by the competition bug. After 23 years at the age of 48 she decided to challenge herself and get ready for this year’s competition. It took her five and a half months of physical and mental preparation but she reached every goal she set for herself and had an amazing competition. Wendy is very grateful to her husband, Chris, and children, Whitney and Asa, for their support and love.

Maine Dance Theater Donates

Maine Dance Theatre performed “The Dream Duke and Suite” on Saturday, Oct. 4. Under the direction of Kate Smedal, the girls rehearsed more than 45 hours for the show which included classical ballet and pointe, student choreography, and unique ballet numbers to songs from the Beach Boys and Duke Ellington.

Students from CenterStage in grades 9 and up were given the chance to choreograph a group piece and present to a professional teacher from a neighboring studio. Five students submitted pieces and Brianna Warren, a freshman in high school, was chosen to present her piece in the fundraiser. The piece, “Fade,” was a combination of modern, ballet technique and contemporary and was performed by Brianna and nine other CenterStage Dancers, who are all part of Maine Dance Theatre. Brianna’s piece will be competed at two upcoming dance competitions in the student choreography division. Maine Dance Theatre and CenterStage are making a $1,000 donation to the Windham Performing Arts Center. This donation should finalize their $14,000 goal for new stage lighting.

Brewing in Vacationland

Maine author and beer blogger Josh Christie will share the history of brewing in the state, from post-Prohibition Maine to the unique and inventive beer culture that flourishes today. He’ll provide a variety of recommendations, including historically significant beer, his own personal favorites and local beers. Christie’s book will be available for purchase and signing and combines a history of early brewing in Maine and a guide to every brewery to open in the state since the resurgence of the Maine craft beer industry in the 1980s. Christie will bring a variety of beers for tasting. He will be at the Raymond Village Library, 3 Meadow Road, Route 121, Raymond, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 6:30 p.m. This is a free program and open to the public. Please pre-register by calling the Raymond Village Library at 655-4283.

JSMS 8th Grade Applebees Fundraiser

On Oct. 16, between the hours of 4-9 p.m., Applebees Windham will donate 15 percent of your meal bill to the class of 2015 at Jordan Small Middle School. You must bring in a coupon to provide to your server. This coupon will be given to each student at both the Raymond Elementary School and JSMS but can also be picked up at the office of the schools.

The class of 2015 is also looking for donations of pumpkins, apples, condiments, drinks, hot dogs, hamburgers, rolls and paper goods for their upcoming Octoberfest fun day which will be held Oct. 25 at the Raymond Village Community Church. If you would like to donate items please contact Brenda Caouette at 615-2379.

Maine Bluegrass

Maine’s own Erica Brown will be bringing her sensational fiddle playing, soulful voice, and wonderful band, the Bluegrass Connection, to the intimate 150-seat Raymond Village Community Church, 27 Main St., in Raymond Center, Saturday, Oct. 11, starting at 7 p.m. – the latest in an ongoing series of Raymond Village Community Concerts.

Bluegrass fans in Maine know Erica Brown and the Bluegrass Connection for their musicianship, tight harmonies, and broad bluegrass repertoire. Brown’s extraordinary fiddling – the outcome of both classical violin training and more than two decades of devotion to her French-Canadian musical heritage – provides a unique and powerful addition.

Noted for its excellent acoustics, unusual trompe l’oeil decoration, and intimate feeling, the Raymond Village Community Church is a great place to hear any music, especially music this good. It seems that most of the time, the better the music, the bigger the venue. But thanks to contributions from parishioners and the community, RVCC is able to bring first-class music to a setting where the majority of seats are closer to the performers than the first row in most venues.

Tickets for the concert are $12 and may be reserved by calling 939-7947. They also will be available at the door the day of the show. For further information about the concert, contact Frank Morrison by phone at 627-3351 or by email at [email protected].

Wendy Brum, pictured with her husband Chris, took first place at a bodybuilding competition held Sept. 27 in Biddeford.Courtesy photo