Hello Windham Family!
November is National Gratitude month. Gratitude is an active process of acknowledging goodness and recognizing its source. There is so much to be grateful for in Windham! Gratitude enhances our moods, decreases stress and drastically improves our overall level of health and well-being. November is truly a time of giving thanks, and in the spirit of the Thanksgiving season, we want to reflect on the gratitude we can express toward those involved in our lives. Here are five meaningful ways to give thanks and gratitude in November around Bomber Country:
- Handwritten letters and notes are simple and meaningful ways to give thanks to the people in your life. These small gestures can mean the world to someone and give you an opportunity to express gratitude toward the people you love. Tip: If you get stuck while writing — try to think of something specific that you are grateful for. This can be anything that you appreciate about that person. A small, thoughtful note can have a huge impact on someone’s day.
- You can always donate your time by volunteering. Volunteering is selfless and a wonderful way to express gratitude toward the organizations and people working to help others. There are many churches in Windham and organizations such as the Lions Club, Salvation Army and the Renaissance Family Center that have volunteering opportunities. We have amazing youth sports programs that are always in need of volunteers, too, such as Windham Youth Baseball & Softball Organization and Windham Bomber Youth Football and Cheerleading.
- A gratitude journal is a diary of things for which one is grateful. One of the best ways to show thankfulness on a daily basis is by keeping a gratitude journal. Keeping a gratitude journal is easy, it involves making a note of the things that you are grateful for that day. You can decide how long your list is each day, and how much detail you want to go into. Start a collection of little grateful moments, and literally watch all the good in your life pile up.
- Donate your items. Even though you don’t want your old clothes anymore, it’s guaranteed that someone else could wear them. There are many people in need of usable clothing. There are disaster victims, impoverished families, homeless individuals, and children in need of clothing. Your donations can help. When you throw away your clothes, they have no chance of reaching people who need them the most. If you’re wondering where to donate items like clothing or household items, The Salvation Army and RFC are always taking donations.
- Support a cause that matters. If there’s a problem in the Windham community that you feel passionately about — research organizations who are doing something about it. During a time of reflecting on all of the blessings that we have, it is equally as important to remember that others – sometimes our own neighbor or the person we work with every day – may not be as fortunate. Give to organizations who support causes that you care about. Make a difference in our Windham community.
Congratulations to the 2024 Windham Bomber Football Team on being the first 10-win team in Windham history. They made it to round two in the state playoff bracket. In the words of famous Windham historian George Belden, “I have no hesitation in saying it is the finest Bomber team of this century. They may even be the equal of any champion fielded by such legendary Windham coaches as Deane Eberwine, Leo Kot, Stan Parrish, Jim Burner, and Joe Baum. When I think of them in the future, I will remember them one way: they were a team that made Windham proud.”
The annual Windham Parade of Lights will be Sunday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. Line-up will begin at 5:30 p.m. across from the Dollar Store on North Main Street (old dollar store/old hardware parking lots). The parade will start there and end at the Community Center on East Center Street. Meet Santa following the parade at the Community Center for photos, hot dogs, hot chocolate, cookies and a kid’s craft.
Windham Village and Township residences are invited to enter a home decorating contest. First place prize is $75, second place prize is $50 and third place prize is $25. If interested in participating, contact: Sherri Pennington at 330-646-9361 or Danny Burns at 330-984-3016. Deadline for entry is Dec. 1.
The Windam Lions Club delivered 22 turkeys to the Salvation Army at Renaissance Family Center of Windham on Oct. 29. They are very thankful to be in this community and to have the support of you all. It’s because of your patronage that they are able to do what they do. Many thanks to shoppers extraordinaire David and Patti Gauch and to Lion John Gourley for helping load the turkeys.
Serving second- and third-graders, Girls Scouts can be a great way to make friends, learn new skills and have fun. If you need help with information about joining or activities, feel free to ask. Upcoming meeting dates: Nov. 26 5 to 6:30 p.m. and Dec. 10 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Center of Windham. For more information go to www.gsneo.org.
The Windham School cafeteria is happy to announce that we can now take online payments for your child’s lunch account. These are good for things like extras, ice cream and other treats. You don’t have to worry about your child losing the envelope of money they need to take to the cafeteria to have it put on their account anymore. Contact Tom Hickman at [email protected] for students information to register an account at www.payschoolscentral.com.
Windham Youth Baseball & Softball Organization: You’re invited to attend our first meeting to plan the Spring 2025 baseball and softball season. High School cafeteria, Sunday, Nov. 17 at 11 a.m. We have an exciting future ahead for our program.
The Windham Fire Department Association is hosting its annual Turkey Raffle on Nov. 25 at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Thank you for supporting the Firefighters Association.
Hope on Wheels Auto Clinic opens Nov. 18. They are a private auto clinic, which means they will accept customers who fit our staffing and scheduling ability. They will be scheduling appointments between the regular business hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Call 330-326-6032 to schedule your appointment
Services include: Full automotive detailing, oil changes, brake services, tire rotations & balancing, suspension work, air conditioning servicing, and basic engine maintenance.
Have questions outside of business hours? No problem. Visit hopetownohio.org and inquire with the AI chatbot for assistance anytime. Gift certificates available, also. Call or stop in to purchase. They can’t wait to serve you and keep your vehicles running smoothly.
The Village of Windham meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 26. All public meetings are held in Council Chambers at 9083 N. Main St, Windham. Office closed Nov. 28 and 29 for Thanksgiving.
I look forward to keeping the Windham community up to date with all the information I receive. Please contact me with anything you may like featured. The Around Windham column runs on the third Friday of each month and I will need all the information the week prior. You may contact me via text/call at 330-283-2711 or via email at [email protected].
