Athlete of the Week - Anna Foster

Eleven-year-old Anna Foster is in sixth grade at Windham Middle School. She competes in soccer, track and field, cross country, gymnastics, skiing and shooting sports. She’s been a stand out athlete on the middle school cross country team. Foster just won the state USATF cross country race, this past weekend, and she will attend the USATF regionals in New York on November 24.

Foster also missed breaking the middle school cross country championships record in South Portland by 1 second. Coach Paula Pock said, “Anna finished first in the junior girls competition in the middle school championship. She is a talented runner with a bright future.”          

Her parents, David and Nicole, said “It was an exciting first year of cross country for her and we are so proud. Foster also lives with her brothers Sebastian, 14, Ezra, 8 and David, 3.

Foster would like to go to college to be a doctor or a teacher. She is in her sixth year in Girl Scout Troop 12 and her seventh year of 4H. 

Her motto in any competition is “always do my best, stay focused and never give up.”

                                   

Best way to unwind after competition:    Relax and stretch, eat lots of food. Hang out with my friends and cheer on other competitors.

"The Right Choice" nutrition program - By PNF

Fall superfoods!

The sun is setting sooner, the air is getting colder, and our winter slippers are sounding like a great idea. It is a great time to discover all of what fall has to offer. Eating foods in season is essential for having a healthy and balanced diet. Head to your local grocery or market, and try out these delicious seasonal gems.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin beer – it is pumpkin season! Pumpkin is full of fiber and vitamin A. These nutrients will protect you, and boost immunity as flu season rolls around. Pumpkin is important in keeping heart health, vision and waistlines in check (as long as we don’t over do it in the pie department). Pumpkin seeds are also a great source of protein. I like to make muffins or bread with either fresh pumpkin puree (or canned) and whole wheat flour. You can also throw some ground flax seeds and chopped walnuts for an omega-3 boost!

Beets

Beets are completely edible from their leaves to their roots. The leaves can be used in salad, or deliciously sautéed. The bulbs are great steamed, or roasted for a wonderful side dish or addition to your salad. The red color is caused by a phytochemicals, such as betanin. Betanin has been known to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support. In order to benefit from these phytochemicals, it is recommended to keep steaming time down to 15 minutes or less, and when roasting beets-- under an hour.

Kale

Kale is the vegetable to add to your daily routine. Kale can lower your cholesterol, and lowers your risk for five cancers. Kale contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory benefits. The best way to consume kale is steaming it, our bodies’ better digest kale when it has been cooked. Raw kale still has great nutritional value, but just not as much. Enjoy kale sautéed, baked, as a soup or in your salad.

Other fall superfoods to try – sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, parsnips, rutabaga, pears, grapefruits and pomegranate.

Food for thought: Eat to live!

It’s time to take the emotion out of eating, and remember that food is fuel. Each and every morsel of food you put into your body will be broken down and used as energy to live. In order for the body to thrive, you need to put whole foods into your body. Your body is not made to survive off soda, refined sugar or processed foods. Switch to fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fish, and healthy oils today. Your body will thank you for it.

Make the “Right Choice” when thinking about starting a nutrition plan and call PNF @ 892-8333 or email pnf@myfairpoint.net.

'Rohan offers free workouts for veterans

The colder temperatures remind us that the holiday season is upon us and with the onset of November, Daylight Savings, Election Day and preparations for Thanksgiving gatherings, I want to acknowledge one particular holiday. On Monday, November 11, we honored our veterans and all uniformed military service men and women. On behalf of Rohan Strength & Fitness, I want to say thank you. Thank you for your self-less service to our country. Thank you for the sacrifices you and your families have made to protect our freedom. 

 

Starting this month, Rohan Strength & Fitness will offer military discounts for veterans and active service members and their families. This is our way of giving thanks and honoring your commitment. Here’s to your health and well-being. 

Rohan Strength & Fitness is located at 8 Heathwood Drive in Windham. If you have questions call the club at 892-3231 or email us at rohanstrengthfitness@gmail.com and be sure to like our page on Facebook for schedules and updates.

Raymond resident scores 8-pointer

Ryan Schweitzer, a Raymond resident and a freshman at The University of Maine at Orono, returned home for the weekend to hunt with his dad. However, before his father got home, Schweitzer had already shot this 150 class 8 pointer, 185 pound deer behind their house.

Dugas scores big on the moose hunt - By David Field

Josh Dugas is an experienced hunter when it comes to deer and bear.  However, his name was drawn this spring for the chance at a moose.  According to his father Joe, they picked Zone 12 because of its nearness to Windham and they had a friend’s camp in the area they could stay in.  

“We went up the Saturday before and scouted the whole day and Sunday too.  We never saw a moose.”  Joe Dugas had done a bunch of scouting late in September and early in October in addition to this.  “This year’s second season is a week later and the rut was over.  We had a bull permit and they weren’t responding to calls at all.”  Josh, his father and a group of friends went out on Monday, Columbus Day, in search of an elusive target in Grafton.  The day was finished with not even a sighting of either sex moose.  

On Tuesday, Joe and Josh headed by ATV two miles into the woods and hiked an additional half mile hunting for a bull in a different area in Grafton.  They called for two hours at their location and nothing responded nor showed.  Around 8 a.m, they headed out to try their luck in another location.  They saw a bull in another area that had been cleared about 200 yards out.  With the wind at their backs the moose got antsy.  Joe worked the call while he encouraged Josh to take a shot if a good opportunity presented itself.  

 At 8:15 a.m, Josh squeezed off a couple of rounds from his Remington .270 and watched the moose disappear.  After a few minutes, the search was on in the slash of a 3-year-old cutting.  With the moose located, the real work began.  

It took some time to get the gear from the truck to get the moose out of the cutting.  While those preparations were being made, work had to be done to eviscerate the moose.  With the help of friend Chris Sterling, that got done and the hauling process began.  The team finally got the moose to the road around 1 p.m.  They then headed to Roxbury to tag their prize. 

At the tagging station, the measurements began.  Josh’s moose weighed 800 pounds and had an antler spread of 53 inches.  The Dugas’s were very appreciative of the great help they had from the great people in their party.

Josh Dugas is a junior at Windham High School and plays soccer, is the place kicker on the football team, plays basketball and baseball.