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Showing posts with label Brian McCarthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brian McCarthy. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

‘Guardian Ride V’ a test of endurance for police officer

By Ed Pierce

Brian McCarthy of Windham learned much during his time in the military but one new thing he found was how military families like his own were cared for and looked after when he was serving overseas. When he retired as an Army Sergeant First Class following a 20-year military career, McCarthy kept his pledge to support military families through what he calls the “Guardian Ride,” an annual long distance bicycle trip to raise money for Maine’s 488th’s Family Readiness Group which assists military dependents in resolving problems while military personnel are away from home.

Windham's Brian McCarthy will undertake his fifth
'Guardian Ride' to raise money for Maine military families
starting on Sunday, Sept. 11. McCarthy will cycle from
Windham to New Hampshire and into Massachusetts before
returning to South Portland on Sept. 17, a route consisting
of more than 319 miles. COURTESY PHOTO
McCarthy, a police officer in South Portland, is now preparing for the fifth edition of his cycling fundraiser and the 2022 “Guardian Ride V” will be taking a new route through some different terrain and passing through different states that promise new challenges for him from previous years. It kicks off Sunday and will span seven days while covering hundreds of miles.

“This year, for the first time, I’m venturing south,” McCarthy said. I’ll be on a loop ride from the Windham Veterans Center, departing on Sunday, Sept. 11, across southern New Hampshire, passing through my hometown of Templeton, Massachusetts, and then returning to Bug Light Park in South Portland on Sept. 17. This year’s route should be 319-plus miles.”

While stretching himself to the limit physically and mentally each day cycling on the ride, McCarthy said he remains focused on the basis for the fundraiser.

“When I deployed, I had a great deal of support from my family, not only in the form of emails and phone calls, but also in the knowledge and surety that they were secure in our home, in their schooling, jobs, etc. I was blessed with strong family supports,” he said. “I also knew that our unit’s Family Readiness Group had our back, just in case there was an unforeseen emergency or if something fell through the cracks. Additionally, my co-workers and community also rallied around me and my soldiers, keeping us well supported with care packages and cards, etc. With me taking on this ride every year, and raising not only funding, but also awareness for the FRG, is my own little way of giving back to the unit and its families behind the scenes.”

Supporting McCarthy on this year’s ride are his wife, Kristin, daughter Logan, colleagues from the South Portland Police Department, and his friends from the American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 in Windham.

“I’ve been blown away by the generosity of my donors, friends, and family. Over the first four years, we’ve raised over $15,000 for Maine military families,” McCarthy said. “In addition to monetary donations, several households have helped with my ongoing year-round can and bottle drive, I’ve had a soldier-owned bike shop provide some parts and repairs on my bike, and I’ve had friends in every corner of the state host me at their homes and camps for meals and showers along my routes.”

McCarthy says that the feedback he’s received from his military friends has been entirely appreciative and supportive of the “Guardian Ride.”

Having served in three separate National Guard units here in Maine in Brewer, Westbrook and Waterville, I have fellow veteran brothers and sisters in every corner of the state,” he said. “They’ve made very generous donations, hosted me for overnights, cookouts, showers, and have even jumped out of their trucks to say hi when they see me passing through their town. I’ve received updates and pictorials from the FRG leader, to show how the group is incorporating our donations into their annual family functions. And our local service organizations, particularly Windham’s own Field-Allen American Legion Post 148, spearheaded by Post Adjutant David Tanguay, has been very supportive with donations, send-offs, and ‘welcome homes’ for me.”

By collecting pledges made for his ride on a Go Fund Me page, McCarthy raised more than $6,000 in 2021 and hopes to better that this year.

“I’ve received overwhelming and heartfelt support from my old unit, the 488th Military Police Company. I’m still in regular contact with current soldiers and leaders through social media, as well as unit alumni like myself. They are extremely appreciative of not just my efforts on the bike, but also of the generosity of my donors and ride supporters.”

Once more, McCarthy will be using his 24-year-old HARO mountain bike and pulling an Allen Sports cargo trailer for this year’s fundraiser.

“In terms of challenges, in years past I’ve covered long, quiet, remote stretches of road in central and northern Maine. This year, heading south, I expect there to be much more vehicle traffic and urban and suburban roadways. So, I’ll definitely be on alert, staying far to the right, and keeping my head on a swivel. And as always, it’s impossible to scout every mile of such a long ride, so I’m sure there will be plenty of surprises along the way: monster hills, construction sites, and detours.”

According to McCarthy, being out on the open road on his bicycle for his “Guardian Rides” have been some of the best days of my life.

“I’ve been on luxury cruises and beach vacations, but to pack everything you need for a week onto your bicycle, chart a course, and then wind your way through the countryside, is the most relaxing, refreshing time I can recall,” he said. “Crisp morning air rushing by, roadside snacks, friendly faces, and chats with strangers. And this year I have the special treat of biking through my childhood hometown in Templeton, Mass. I’m hoping to see some old friends that day.”

All money collected from the “Guardian Ride” is donated to the Family Readiness Group and used for such things as purchasing back-to-school supplies for military dependent children, a summer cookout and gathering for unit families and single soldiers, a catered unit Christmas party with a visit from Santa for unit families, emergency relief funds for families in need, and for keeping unit families in touch with their loved ones who are stationed overseas.

To make a pledge to McCarthy for this year’s “Guardian Ride,” visit https://gofund.me/40eb5315 <

Friday, August 6, 2021

Grueling ‘Guardian Ride’ fundraiser nearing for Windham veteran

POLICEMAN TO RIDE BIKE 360 MILES TO HELP MILITARY UNIT

By Ed Pierce

Windham resident Brian McCarthy, a South Portland police
officer, will undertake a 360-mile trek on his mountain bike
from Windham to Moosehead Lake and back in an effort
to raise money for his former military unit, the 488th
Military Police Company based in Waterville. This is
the fourth summer that McCarthy has rode across Maine
on his 'Guardian Ride' to help fund programs that assist
families of soldiers serving overseas.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  
When Brian McCarthy had to deploy with his U.S. Army unit to serve in the Gulf War, the last thing he needed to worry about was the well-being of his wife Kristin and daughter Logan at home. McCarthy learned first-hand the peace of mind that organizations like the 488th Military Police Company’s Family Readiness Group give to soldiers serving overseas, helping families solve problems at home while their loved ones are miles away.

When McCarthy retired as an Army Sergeant First Class following a 20-year military career, he vowed to do whatever he could to help continue the important work of the 488th’s Family Readiness Group and in a few weeks, he’s going to embark on his fourth 350-mile “Guardian Ride” to raise money for the organization.

All money pledged to McCarthy during his summer bicycle ride is donated to the Family Readiness Group and are used for such things as the purchase of back-to-school supplies for military dependent children, a summer cookout for unit families and single soldiers alike with water sports and camping, a catered unit Christmas party with a visit from Santa, emergency relief funds for families in need, and for keeping unit families in touch with their loved ones stationed overseas.       

McCarthy, a South Portland police officer, will depart from the Windham Veterans Center for this year’s trip on Aug. 23 and hopes to return to Windham on Sunday, Aug. 29. Through three previous “Guardian Ride” trips across Maine, he’s raised more than $10,000 for the Family Readiness Group and will use a 23-year-old HARO mountain bike with an Allen Sports cargo trailer for his adventure.

“My route this year will be an out-and-back ride from Windham to Moosehead Lake and back, and possibly a loop route to Moosehead, then west to Jackman, and then home, depending upon what I see for road conditions,” said McCarthy, who is undertaking the trek while on vacation from his job as a South Portland police officer. “I’ve never been up there before, so much of my route reconnaissance depends on Google Street View images and studying elevation changes in the Delorme Gazeteer. The total mileage looks to be around 350 to 360 miles over seven days.”

According to McCarthy, the hardest part of each “Guardian Ride” is getting to each day’s portion of the trip.

“The finish line is a wonderful glowing vision, but the end of each day comes with very little fanfare and is fairly aptly described at times as a hasty retreat from the beating sun or cold rain,” he said. “I’m far from an elite athlete nor an accomplished cyclist, so 50-plus miles per day, towing a trailer along the hilly main streets and back roads of Maine, for seven straight days, is among the toughest physical challenges I’ve endured. And doing it alone makes for some long quiet days. But my cause, and my donors and supporters keep me motivated.”

For his efforts, McCarthy was presented with the 2021 American Legion’s Humanitarian Service Award in June at the Maine American Legion Convention in Brewer and said that he was deeply humbled by the honor.   

“Receiving the American Legion’s Humanitarian Service Award was a complete surprise to me,” McCarthy said. “I didn’t take on this endeavor for any personal recognition, so to be recognized by such a great group of veterans, patriots, and community volunteers was very humbling. I have a tremendous amount of respect for our Legionnaires and their history of service in and out of uniform. I’m very thankful to Dave Tanguay for the nomination and my Post 148 family for their support.”

Tanguay, the adjutant for Windham’s American Legion Field-Allen Post 148, says McCarthy is a good man and American legion member who is making a substantial difference for his former National Guard unit, the 488th Military Police Company based in Waterville.

“For the fourth consecutive year, Brian is taking personal time off from his duties in South Portland as a police officer to make a seven-day trek across Maine called the ‘Guardian Ride,’ on his mountain bike and trailer as a fundraiser for the unit’s Family Readiness Group and youth programs for deployed family members,” Tanguay said. “Over the last four summers, the American Legion Field-Allen Post has supported Brian as a base of operation and financially in support of his goal. We are looking forward to Aug. 23 to give Brian a rousing send-off on his latest trek.”

Support from Windham’s American Legion post and from his former military unit have boosted McCarthy’s spirit during his long solitary rides since he began the project.

I’ve received overwhelming and heartfelt support from my old unit, the 488th Military Police Company. I’m still in regular contact with current soldiers and leaders through social media, as well as unit alumni like myself,” McCarthy said. “They are extremely appreciative of not just my efforts on the bike, but also of the generosity of my donors and ride supporters.”

Stretching himself to the limit physically and mentally each day while on the ride, McCarthy said he stays focused on the underlying purpose of the fundraiser and the good things it does for others.

“When I deployed, I had a great deal of support from my family, not only in the form of emails and phone calls, but also in the knowledge and surety that they were secure in our home, in their schooling, jobs, etc. I was blessed with strong family supports,” he said. “I also knew that our unit’s Family Readiness Group had our back, just in case there was an unforeseen emergency or if something fell through the cracks. Additionally, my coworkers and community also rallied around me and my soldiers, keeping us well supported with care packages and cards, etc. With me taking on this ride every year, and raising not only funding, but also awareness of the FRG, is my own little way of giving back to the unit and its families behind the scenes.”

He said the “Guardian Ride” is important to him because he truly loves our soldiers and their families.

“Even more so, now that I’m out of uniform, I look at the hard work our National Guard ‘citizen soldiers’ do overseas and here at home, and I just feel like I need to show our appreciation,” McCarthy said. “And if I can help raise a few bucks for more burgers at the unit picnic, or more kayaks and tent sites at the unit family weekend, or a few more goodies in the back-to-school supplies, or a few more presents from Santa at the Christmas party, then it’s all worthwhile. I will do this ride every year as long as I’m able, and then maybe pass the torch to a fellow 488th alumnus. Ideally, I’d love to inspire a fellow retiree from each of Maine’s National Guard units to undertake their own versions of an FRG ride. I think that would be quite an event.”

To make a pledge to McCarthy for this year’s “Guardian Ride,” visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-guardian-ride-2021 <

Friday, June 18, 2021

American Legion's State Convention pays tribute to outstanding Windham officers

By Ed Pierce

Veterans from the American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 in Windham have got to be happy and a bit humbled following the 102nd Maine American Legion Convention in Brewer last weekend. During the convention, Post 148 was recognized with 13 different awards, including two of the most prestigious, Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for 2021 and the 2021 Humanitarian Award.

Windham Police Officer Ernest MacVane received the 2021
Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award during the 
American Legion's 102nd Annual Convention in Brewer on
Saturday, June 12. Presenting the award to MacVane are
Department of Maine American Legion Commander Matthew
Jaubaut, left, and Maine American Legion 2nd Vice
Commander Kurt Thurston. COURTESY PHOTO   
Windham Police Officer Ernest MacVane gratefully accepted the 2021 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award from the Department of Maine American Legion Commander Matthew Jabut during the convention on June 12 as his family watched.

MacVane was nominated for the award by Post 148 Adjutant David Tanguay for his consistent hard work and community engagement with the Windham Police. MacVane was recognized for successfully apprehending a felony drug suspect and executing a search warrant the led to the recovery of stolen property and a stolen firearm.

He also drew praise for his efforts while responding to a reported drug overdose in which his actions most likely saved a life. While off duty in another community, MacVane witnessed an attempted carjacking and leaped in to help, successfully detaining the suspect until local police officers arrived at the scene to make an arrest.

MacVane has 22 years of law enforcement experience and said he was deeply moved by the recognition and that his family was able to attend the event and see him receive the award for his work for the Windham Police Department.       

Windham resident and Post 148 member Brian McCarthy was honored during the convention with the 2021 Maine Humanitarian Award. McCarthy is a police officer in South Portland and was honored with the award for his continued efforts with the Guardian Ride, a fundraiser for the Maine Army National Guard’s 488th Military Police Family Readiness Group.

McCarthy has served with South Portland Police Department for more than 12 years and has distinguished himself working in patrol, as well as in his additional duties as a member of the Southern Maine Regional SWAT. He served 20 years in the military before retiring and chose to undertake an annual fundraising bike ride to make a difference for members of his former military outfit, the 488th Military Police Unit in Waterville.

For the past three years, McCarthy has taken off from work for seven-day trek across Maine on his mountain bike, taking pledges for the trip which spans as much as 350 miles at a time. His determination and willingness to help has raised more than $10,000 for the initiative in three years.  

All monies McCarthy collects from his “Guardian Ride” are used by the 488th’s FRG for back-to-school supplies, a summer cookout for unit families and single soldiers alike with water sports and camping, a catered unit Christmas party with a visit from Santa, emergency relief funds for families in need, and for keeping unit families in touch with their soldiers stationed overseas.

Like Officer MacVane, McCarthy was nominated for the Humanitarian Award by Tanguay, who first heard about the Guardian Ride initiative during a function at the post in Windham.   

Three local American Legion members were recognized at the convention for their efforts on behalf of Post 148.

Henry “Chuck” Wynot was honored as Post Service Officer of the Year for 2020, his third such award in five years. Whynot, approached the post adjutant about starting a regular Veterans Social Coffee at the Windham Veterans Center in 2016. He had indicated that he visited four to five “housebound” veterans each week and found that some of them just needed a place outside the home that was safe for them to go.  

Initially established and advertised as a drop-off for ambulatory veterans to get out of the house and possibly allowing the veteran’s caregivers a little free time, the Veteran’s Socials are held from 9 to 11 a.m. each Wednesday morning at the Windham Veterans Center. The gathering was considered a success and plans continued for the weekly event which grew over the following years to about three dozen veterans. Many came for the camaraderie and coffee, others developed other interests such as playing cribbage and other board games.

Through the years, strong bonds of friendship have been formed with many of the members and because of the coffee, on average, some 15 new veterans have joined the Field-Allen post and many of them have become integral members of the organization. In March 2020, just two weeks before the fourth anniversary of the coffee, everything was halted because of concerns about the COVID-19 virus spreading in the community. This ended a 203-week run of the Veterans Coffee gathering without ever missing a single Wednesday.

But in early April 2020, an interesting thing happened. Whynot and several of the Veterans Coffee members started coming to the WVC on Wednesday around 9 a.m. and they set up chairs in the parking lot at appropriate social distances to spend some social time together. They brought their own coffee and face masks and the tradition for veterans continues to this day.

Jane Fisher was honored as Post Service Officer of the Year for 2021 at the convention. And David Tanguay himself was honored as Recruiter of the Year for 2021, his second such award in the last four years. 

Field-Allen Post also won a number of other American Legion Awards presented during the annual convention including:

** Post Excellence Award for 2020 and 2021 (consecutive honors from 2014 to 2021).

** Americanism And Youth Programs Award for 2020 and 2021, the fifth consecutive award.

** Department of Maine “Goal to Grow” membership award for 2020, the fourth consecutive) award.

** National Membership Award for achieving a “New High” in membership with awards for 2020 and 2021, marking 12 consecutive years of 100 percent-plus membership.

** Post Newsletter First Place Award for 2020 and 2021, for the eighth consecutive year.

** Post Narrative History for 2020 and 2021, First Place.

** Post Yearbook History for 2021, Third Place.

** Post member Edmund Pierce, the managing editor of The Windham Eagle newspaper, was honored with the Fourth Estate Award for 2021 for outstanding coverage of veterans and veterans’ issues in Maine. <