WindowDressers was recently reconnected with Frank Mundo, one of the original co-founders of the organization. This spring, Diann Henderson, the Measuring Coordinator for the Rockland, ME Community Build team, arrived at Frank’s new home to measure his windows for inserts. Diann was one of the first people Frank and Dick Cadwgan trained to measure windows more than 10 years ago when WindowDressers was just getting started.

Diann had stepped away from WindowDressers for a few years and has recently returned, making the encounter even more special. We wanted to share this heartening full-circle moment as a reflection of the lasting connections built through this program.

This unexpected reunion offered a unique opportunity to reflect on the origins of WindowDressers and the core values that continue to guide our work. We had the pleasure of speaking with Frank about this full-circle moment and the early days of the organization.

 

How did it feel to see the measuring process in action again, and how similar is it to the way things were done when you were involved?

“I was amazed how little changed since I was measuring windows. Laser measuring equipment has been updated. The discussion about which windows would benefit the most from having an insert was the same. The naming of inserts (so that the inserts could be placed in the appropriate window) was unchanged. The description of the materials used and the importance of customer volunteer recruitment for the Community Build was not brought up as I am familiar with the process having participated in many Community Builds more than a decade ago.”

“I remember though how important it was (and I’m sure it still is) to get volunteers to participate in Builds. Not only is this essential to keep the price of inserts reasonable, volunteers have an opportunity to meet other people and have fun constructing the inserts. WindowDressers greatest asset is that so many of the organization’s volunteers come back year after year to participate in building inserts.”

 

What was the original vision for WindowDressers? 

“Our initial view was very limited. We sought to resolve an issue of high heating costs from our church First Universalist Church of Rockland, Maine. The solution worked so well that we had more requests from homeowners in the congregation to build inserts for them. As more and more people learned of the project in other churches or from other communities outside of Rockland the interest expanded. There was an increasing demand and we were fortunate in having interest from people who had special skills stepping up to help us expand.”

The first Community Build in 2010:

• “The first inserts – those destined for the windows at First Universalist Church in Rockland were assembled by Dick Cadwgan in his shop and my garage in Rockport. Dick was responsible for the design of the inserts and building the tools and process to assemble them. I was responsible for organizing volunteer labor. I basically was inspired by the ‘Barn Raising’ community efforts of colonial times.”

 

In 2024 WindowDressers built over 10,500 inserts for around 1,725 households. In the early days did you ever imagine WindowDressers growing to this scale?

“We had no idea that the interest would grow beyond some of the homes of the members of our local church. We really had no idea that the project would grow to the extent that it has. That it would expand to the extent that it would serve the needs to serve communities beyond coastal Maine.”

 

This program has always been about more than just window inserts. What does the word “community” mean to you in this work?

“Community is a term that is broader in scope than ‘geography’ or ‘neighborhood.’  I think as far as WindowDressers is concerned, ‘Community’ includes people working together toward a common goal, with mutual respect and appreciation for each other’s work. One of the major forces at work in making WindowDressers such an extraordinary success is that ‘Community’ makes the work (building inserts), FUN. And people develop friendships.”

 

We have volunteers that have been with us for several years that continue to return year after year. What do you think it is about our program that inspires this type of dedication?

“I believe that it is a combination of factors that encourage people to come back again and volunteer year after year. First and foremost is a sense of making a real contribution to others who get direct benefit in terms of warmth and savings in heating costs. There is also the fact that a lot of new friendships are made and people look forward to seeing and working with their new friends again. A sense of real ‘accomplishment’ occurs for many people in creating a quality product that will benefit families for many years.”

 

Tell me about your experience with WindowDressers’ inserts. Have they helped reduce your heating costs, and how have they held up over the years?

“Over the 16 years from the time I first put window inserts in my home on Islesboro I have saved close to $20,000 in heating costs. My house faces north towards Searsport and gets hit hard with winds from the north. I figured the inserts could last maybe 5 years before they would need to be rewrapped with clear polyolefin. The fact is that of the 50 inserts for my house only 8 inserts have needed insulative foam replaced around the edges – after 15 years. I never imagined that I’d be 80 years old installing window inserts every year. It takes about an hour and a half for two people. Most of the time is retrieving the inserts from storage in the attic and delivering them to their appropriate room locations.”

 

Is there anything you hope to see in the future as WindowDressers continues to grow?

“I think you’ve got the right people to make the right things happen. I just hope that things continue to work out so well, and that the reputation gets so established. I can’t get over the fact that I went into a waiting room, and I thought to myself, just throw out a question to the people here. ‘Have you ever heard of a company called WindowDressers?’ and about four hands went up. I just thought, you know, that’s amazing.”

 

If you could share one message to the next generation of volunteers and leaders, what would it be? 

“We are, at this moment in time, dealing with Partisan Politics that is dividing our country and challenging our citizens to a degree that really is destroying our ability to negotiate issues, make decisions and to get things done. There is an enormous need to Build Community and to get young people personally engaged in saving the environment. Further, the economic situation – with oil prices poised to go through the roof, LIHEAP (government support for home heating for low income families) being terminated.”

“Make this a unique opportunity to focus on the elements that are inherent in WindowDressers that strengthen community, support those in need and basically underscore the importance of working together in a unity of purpose. The one thing that remains in my mind from the time I started working with people making inserts is how much people enjoyed working together. And how surprised they were to find that they were capable of working with their hands. Inserts made in Community Builds build relationships between people and provide an opportunity to help people of all ages support an effort to reduce CO2 and save the environment.”

We’re incredibly grateful to Frank for taking the time to speak with us and for sharing his reflections. As we continue to grow and welcome new volunteers, it’s moments like this that remind us of the values at the heart of our organization and the lasting impact of this work. In Frank’s own words: “Community Builds help build community.”