Community News: October 3rd

Old Orchard Beach school leaders will rededicate Freedom Fields on September 11th. Contributed / RSU 23

Freedom Fields repurposed to OOB

On Sept. 11, the athletic fields at Loranger Memorial School in Old Orchard Beach, which serve grades 3 through 8, were rededicated. The fields were first named “Freedom Fields” on September 11, 2002, a year after the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City, during a ceremony involving students and community members.

School board member Donna Moutsatsos, who spoke at the original ceremony in 2002 when she was a faculty member at Old Orchard Beach, told Superintendent John Suttie last spring that the naming of the fields was never marked by a nameplate.

A plan was then hatched to hold a ceremony on September 11 this year and unveil a sign identifying the playgrounds. Superintendent Suttie began with an introduction describing what happened on September 11th. Old Orchard Beach High School students then performed the national anthem while a flag was flown at half-staff in honor of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack. High school students then played TAPS, which was followed by a moment of silence.

Sitting at the microphone, Moutsatsos welcomed the first ceremony and said: “Remember that these fields are called Freedom Fields, and this space will be the place where we show our appreciation for those who have died and for everyone who died Risking their lives every day to assure us that we wake up safe and free every morning. Always appreciate the freedom we have and the reason for naming these areas.”

The principal accompanied Moutsatsos in unveiling the new sign to applause from students and those in attendance.

Representatives of the Thornton Academy Best Buddies team are (from left): Sami Woodcock, Brooke Helgesen (President), Chapter Advisor Sarah Helgesen, Best Buddies Founder Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Jillian Kurkul (Secretary), Stella Foy and Kiley Willette (Vice President). ). Post / Thornton Academy

Thornton Best Buddies program honored

According to a press release from TA, Thornton Academy was recognized as an outstanding chapter by the Best Buddies program at the organization's annual leadership conference in Bloomington, Indiana.

Best Buddies is dedicated to creating a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for personal friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, inclusive living and family support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the release said.

“We are so proud of the students who participate in your school’s Best Buddies programs and are extremely impressed by their commitment to our mission,” said David Quilleon, senior vice president at Best Buddies. “The award winners were selected based on the quality of personal friendships, group outings, local group involvement, community awareness and local communication. The Thornton Academy chapter went above and beyond in each of these areas and truly lived out the mission of Best Buddies.”

The first chapter of Best Buddies was founded in 1987 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver. Since then, the programs have expanded to over 3,500 elementary, middle school, high school and college groups around the world.

These chapters form the basis for friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.

I Heart Biddeford 5K returns on October 26th

Heart of Biddeford invites the public to participate in the I Heart Biddeford 5K Run on Saturday, October 26th. This family-friendly event begins at 8 a.m. in the parking lot of Biddeford Primary School, 320 Hill St., and serves as an important fundraiser for Heart of Biddeford's downtown revitalization efforts and helps create a vibrant, thriving community.

This event is perfect for all ages and fitness levels. Heart of Biddeford says runners, walkers and teams are welcome. Costumes are encouraged and there will be prizes for the best dressed.

In addition to the 5K main event, there will be a free “Spooky Sprint” for children ages 2-12. The Dash promises a fun and exciting way for children to take part in the Halloween festivities. The Spooky Sprint begins at 9:15 a.m. and participants are also encouraged to dress in costume.

All proceeds from the I Heart Biddeford 5K go toward supporting Heart of Biddeford's mission to revitalize the downtown area and create an inclusive and welcoming space for residents, businesses and visitors alike. Your participation helps sustain important programs, events and beautification projects that make downtown Biddeford a great place to live and work.

Registration costs $30 and is open to individuals and teams. To register, visit runsignup.com/Race/ME/Biddeford/ILoveBiddeford5K.

Volunteers wanted

Meals on Wheels of York County is in urgent need of volunteer drivers. It's just a commitment to spend an hour or two once a week. Drivers will be reimbursed for gas. It's a great way to serve your community,

If interested, please contact Southern Maine Agency on Agency at 207-396-6500.

UNE professor receives NIH grant for epilepsy research

Russ Ferland, Ph.D., accepted a position as professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of New England in 2019 after studying epilepsy for 25 years. Now Ferland will return to his epilepsy research after receiving a $568,000 National Institutes of Health biomedical grant this summer. He will focus on the mechanisms of how epilepsy develops and why sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) occurs.

This fall, Ferland plans to recruit UNE medical students and some graduate assistants to help with the four-year study that will examine how seizures change over time, leading to an increased risk of SUDEP. In particular, Ferland wants to study the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) to understand its role in the progression of epilepsy and its possible involvement in SUDEP.

“Scientists are studying the mechanisms of SUDEP in the brainstem, particularly in the brain centers through which abnormal seizure discharge is not supposed to spread, such as the respiratory centers and the cardiac centers. However, it is not known how this spasmodic discharge gets to these areas and causes a problem, but perhaps it is due to the VMH. So we have to look there, because that's where our data points us,” said Ferland, who has been studying epilepsy since 1994.

In previous work, Ferland has found that the VMH appears to serve as a sort of gateway to the brainstem during seizures, spreading the type of tonic seizures that can increase the risk of SUDEP.

Preliminary data, which Ferland has not published, suggests that deleting a gene in the VMH could prevent this brainstem attack. The grant will finance the continuation of this work.

Seven BHS field hockey players were named to the 2024 NFHCA Watch List

The seven Biddeford High Schools field hockey players named to the prestigious 2024 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Watch List are, from left: Ayla Lagasse (Sr. Captain), Mia Mariello (Fr.), Corinne Ramunno (Jr.) , Cordelia Kane (So.), Eliza Doyon (Sr. Captain), Kayla Magnant (Jr.), Hannah Sonne-Loranger (Sr. Captain). Post / Biddeford High School

Seven Biddeford High School field hockey players have been named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) prestigious 2024 Watch List. With this recognition, they are among 456 student-athletes from 171 high schools across the country identified as “players to watch” for the upcoming season, according to a news release from the school. The players are students Eliza Doyon (senior), Cordelia Kane (sophomore), Ayla Lagasse (senior), Hannah Loranger (senior), Kayla Magnant (junior), Mia Mariello (freshman) and Corinne Ramunno (junior).

“We couldn’t be more proud of these talented athletes,” said Dennis Walton, BHS athletic director. “Their commitment, teamwork and tireless drive truly set them apart. This recognition is a testament to their hard work and the outstanding leadership of their coaches. We’re excited to see what they accomplish this season and beyond.”

The NFHCA Watch List is designed to highlight those field hockey student-athletes who have the greatest potential for consideration for this year's NFHCA All-Region and All-American teams. To be nominated for the 2024 Watch List, student-athletes must have been recognized for their exceptional field hockey skills through awards such as NFHCA All-Region, NFHCA All-American, All-Conference, Nexus Championship Selection and AAU Junior selection for the past two years Olympic Games, All-State or All-League and/or U.S. National Team squad. Additionally, their head coach must be an active NFHCA member.

Head coach Caitlin Tremberth said: “These girls have shown incredible commitment and passion for the sport. They push each other to be better every day and it's inspiring to see them grow as athletes and as a team. Inclusion on the NFHCA Watch List is a well-deserved honor and I know they will continue to excel.”

It is important to note that the watch list itself does not constitute a nomination or selection for the NFHCA All-Region or All-American teams. Student-athletes not named on the watch list may still be nominated for these awards. The NFHCA High School All-Region and All-American teams will be announced on November 26, 2024 and December 10, 2024, respectively.

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