Forever Two Wheels ‘Pays it Forward’ for Christmas

By Ed Pierce

The loss of someone important to him this holiday season has led a local business owner in Windham to step up efforts to “Pay it Forward” for area families in need again this Christmas.

Rhonda Davis of Windham Flower
Shop, left, thanks Nick Beaulieu of
Forever Two Wheels for his donation
of 10 Christmas trees to be given to
families in need in the community 
this holiday season. This is the third
year that Beaulieu has donated
Christmas trees at Windham Flower
Shop and he encourages other
local businesses to do the same.
COURTESY PHOTO   

Nick Beaulieu of Forever Two Wheels first teamed up with Rhonda Davis of the Windham Flower Shop three years ago to provide a Christmas tree for a local family and the initiative expanded to two trees for area families last year. But the loss of someone close to Beaulieu this year prompted him to work with Davis in increasing the number of Christmas trees available for local families in need.

This year Beaulieu has donated 10 Christmas trees to anyone who needs one and encourages other local businesses to donate trees as well.

“I originally did this during the pandemic in 2020 because I figured people were hurting and it was a way of helping,” Beaulieu said. “It’s truly amazing feeling to make someone’s holidays brighter.”

Davis ordered the trees from a farm near Dover-Foxcroft early in November and the tree shipment arrived by flatbed truck on Nov. 22 at Windham Flower Shop, 299 Roosevelt Trail, Windham, right before the start of the holiday season.

Available Christmas trees range from 4 feet to 10 feet in height and will be provided while the supply lasts at no charge on a first-come first-serve basis to families who need them with no questions asked, Beaulieu said.

Rising costs of gasoline, heating fuel, groceries and other items have left many local families struggling financially this year and some have decided that the purchase of a Christmas tree is a luxury that they simply could not afford. Families in need also must deal with the fact that the price for both real and artificial trees this year is expected to be about 10 to 30 percent higher than a year ago with a smaller selection to choose from than in previous years.

Beaulieu says that providing Christmas trees to those families who may not be able to afford them this year makes him feel good.

“I know that times are tough for some people and the holidays make it even tougher. I sincerely hope that everyone who receives a tree this year enjoys it and that this gift is very special to them,” he said. “I operate a community business in Windham and have a lot of local people coming in here all the time. This community has been very good to me, and it is a privilege for me to be able to pay it forward and do something like this for those in our community who need help this year.”

The concept of paying it forward has been around in America for decades and is used to describe a kind act where the beneficiary of a good deed repays the kindness to others instead of paying it back to the original benefactor.

According to Beaulieu, his goal is to help others this year in the spirit of Christmas, but he also would like to encourage others in the community to do something kind or come up with their own way to “Pay it Forward” this holiday season.

“I am also once again nominating my friends and local business owners Kevin Dubreuil of Beacon Electric, Justin Saunders of One Stop Earthworks, Pat Thorne of Patman’s Redemption, Joyce Elliott of Elliott Nutrition, Maine Tax Professionals, Hayley Moon of Rustlers Steakhouse, Matthew Sherburne of Misfit Crossfit, Misty Hodgdon and Heidi Lawler of Spruce Salon, Cynthia Terroni of the Stockhouse Restaurant and Sandbar Pub in Windham, and Kenny Cianchette of Erik’s Church to purchase trees and nominating others to also carry on the spirit of Christmas,” Beaulieu said. “Feel free to join paying it forward and supporting our community.”

Just this week, Eliott Nutrition and Erik’s Church accepted Beaulieu’s challenge and donated Christmas trees at Windham Flower Shop for those in need in the community and others that he nominated are expected to join the effort soon.

“From first-hand experience, I can tell everyone that it is deeply gratifying for me to be able to do something for others during the holiday season and it’s especially heartwarming to know that something like this makes others in our community feel good at Christmas too.” <

Fate intervenes in kidney donation for best friends in Windham

Windham Walmart employees Jean Bennett, left,
and Michelle Davis await a flight at the Portland
Jetport on Monday. Davis, who is Bennett's
best friend, received a donated kidney from
Bennett during transplant surgery in 
Jacksonville, Florida on Thursday.
COURTESY PHOTO 

By Ed Pierce

It’s often the moment of decision in which our fates are determined and for two Windham Walmart employees, being placed together in the same department six years ago may have saved the life of one of them.

Jean Bennett, a team leader at Walmart, first struck up a friendship instantly with Michelle Davis when they were both assigned to work together at the Windham store in 2016. They became best friends and Bennett, a divorced mother of two, anguished as Davis, a married mother of four children, experienced kidney failure and then was told she needed a kidney transplant to survive.

“Michelle’s been suffering from kidney disease for the past four and a half years,” Bennett said. “It was really hard to watch my best friend go through that and suffer so much.”

The process of waiting for a kidney donation hasn’t been easy for Davis and her family.

“It’s been emotionally and financially draining and very difficult not knowing if I would find a match or not,” Davis said. “But then a miracle happened.”

And that miracle came from a very unexpected and fateful source.

Last year Bennett herself got tested and as unbelievable as it sounds, turned out to be a potential match for Davis. Bennett then underwent immune system testing and blood work last October and that was followed up by a battery of intense and rigorous kidney donation testing in February of this year. 

The Mayo Clinic reports that currently there are about 90,000 Americans in kidney failure on the waiting list for a possible match for a donor kidney and the average length of time that a recipient may spend on the waiting list is about three to five years. Many would-be kidney recipients die before ever finding a match nationally, making this particular donation even more improbable.

Eventually, Bennett’s donation to Davis was approved and both friends flew to Florida on Monday for the kidney transplant surgery, which was performed Thursday at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.

“She’s my best friend and she truly helped me through a tough time a few years ago,” Bennett said. “I couldn’t just sit by and let her die, I knew I needed to step up and do something. I told her I would do anything for my best friend and if I can prolong your life, I’m willing to do it.”

Davis said that she’s grateful for meeting someone as wonderful as Bennett.

“I think it was a higher power that put us together working in the same department at Walmart,” Davis said. “I believe in fate and there’s a reason we met. Having her to do this for me is a godsend.”

During the complicated four-hour surgical operation, Bennett’s left kidney was removed and then transplanted into Davis, who was in surgery for about seven hours.

Bennett says that her teen daughters are highly supportive of her donating her kidney to Davis and proud of what she’s done.

“They understand, and they get it,” she said. “I’ll be in Florida for around 10 days and then I get to come home. I’ve been told not to do any heavy lifting for around six to eight weeks. But I should be back to full speed about mid-July.”

Doctors say that during the coming months Bennett’s remaining kidney will enlarge, doing the work of two healthy kidneys.

Davis was accompanied to Florida by her daughter, Samantha, who will stay with her during her recovery period which is estimated to be between four to eight weeks in Jacksonville. She will no longer require dialysis and should resume a normal life because of the transplant.

Both Bennett and Davis say they have been transformed by this entire experience.

“We got pushed together at work and found we had a lot in common,” Davis said. “Now we will have even more in common.”

Bennett said she would encourage everyone to become organ donors and through everything related to the donation and transplant, she’s discovered something new about herself.

“I am a much stronger person than I thought I was,” Bennett said. “Because of this I am committed to becoming an organ donor. I never expected to save anyone’s life, but it’s certainly changed mine for the better.” <

Four Windham children demonstrate how money can buy you happiness

Four local children crafted bracelets made
out of pipe cleaners and sold them for 25
cents. After earning $100 they donated 
100 percent of the proceeds to the Animal
Refuge League of Greater Portland. Shown
are students Ben Dubois, Jackson Dubois,
Lily Kuusela and Jackson Kuusela.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Lorraine Glowczak

In his November 2011 Ted Talk, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, Michael Norton, shared some fascinating research on how money buys happiness. The data he shared regarding fiscal currency and its relationship to joy and bliss would be surprising to most.

“If you are not happy spending money,” Norton said in his Ted Talk, “then you are not spending it right.”

According to Norton’s research, four delighted Windham youth are spending their money wisely.

The young money-making entrepreneurs in question include second grade student, Ben Dubois and his brother Jackson who is a fifth-grade student, along with first grader, Lily Kuusela and her older brother Jackson, also a fifth-grade student.

These four youthful businesspersons created a small enterprise of making bracelets out of multi-colored pipe cleaners and sold them to the community as a creative way to occupy their time during the pandemic when they were not busy doing their schoolwork. As for the money they made? They gave it all away to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland (ARLGP).

“Logan has made bracelets in the past and he thought about selling them so we all decided it would be fun to do this as a business together,” Jackson Dubois said, who is a longtime family friend and classmate of Logan’s. “We built and set up a stand to sell them for 25 cents each. We were going to split and keep the money but decided to donate all of it.”

This entrepreneurial turned philanthropy endeavor began in mid-November. By mid-December as Lily Kuusela noted, the stand was set up at the end of the Kuusela family driveway. They made $100.

“We made $2.00 on the very first day,” Logan said.

Although the four youngsters were successful at selling bracelets at their stand, news got around quickly and individuals within the community started making orders via the children’s parents’ Facebook pages.

“In some cases, we had people donate money after they realized the kids were making the money to give away to the animal shelter,” one of the mothers, Kim Kuusela said. “We even had someone donate a package containing 350 pipe cleaners, but we do not know who the doner was. No one is owning up to that.”

The $100 was delivered on Wednesday, Feb. 17.. As for the choice to give the money away to the ARLGP, the decision was easy.

“We all love animals and we wanted to be able to help the shelter feed the animals with that money,” the children said. “And we got Oliver from there,” Ben Dubois said of his family cat.

As for the parents Kim and Jon Kuusela and Jon Dubois and Jodi Mitchell-Dubois, their children sparked wonder and amazement.

“I was very surprised when they decided to donate their money to the ARLGP,” Jodi Mitchell said. “They worked hard and had fun, and they could have decided to buy something for themselves or split it and each take a share. None of them hesitated to donate the money, and while I was surprised, I was also incredibly proud of them all for coming together and looking outside themselves.” 

“I should not say I’m surprised because they are very kind children and always have been, but I was…… well - surprised” Kim Kuusela said. “It’s not often that people think about others before themselves. We have been blessed a lot in our lives and we believe God has given that to us. If we have more than we need, we try to instill in our kids that we should help those who do need. It was a proud moment that this message has resonated with our children. It has produced in me wonder and pride.”

The Kuusela and Dubois youngsters are not stopping here, and they spoke with excitement about their next endeavor.

“The next time we want to sell bracelets and give the money to a homeless shelter,” Logan Kuusela said.

Although bracelets made out of pipe cleaners may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, Norton ends his Ted Talk with this powerful statement, “The specific way you spend on other people is not as important as the fact that you spend money on other people. You can still do small, trivial things and you can make yourself happy.”

The parents of the children wish to give a shout out to all the community members who encouraged the youngsters in living their dream of philanthropy. “They helped to make this possible, too.”

To purchase bracelets from the Kuusela/Dubois children, with all the proceeds from their current endeavor going to a homeless shelter, email orders at: windhambraceletsforacause@gmail.com

Interested in watching Norton’s Ted Talk? Go to: https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_norton_how_to_buy_happiness <

 

 

Windham Fire Department grateful for Hovercraft donation

Lee's Family Trailer Sales and Service donated this
four-passenger Neoteric Hovercraft to the Windham Fire
Department. It will allow fire and  rescue crews to be better 
able to respond to emergencies on and around bodies of
water. COURTESY PHOTO, DANIEL CRAFFEY  

By Elizabeth Richards

In a community with an abundance of recreational water bodies, safety can be a top concern. Through the donation of a four-passenger Neoteric Hovercraft, the Windham Fire Department will be more able to respond to emergencies on and around these bodies of water.

Daniel Craffey, the owner of Lee’s Family Trailer Sales and Service in Windham, said that they received the vehicle as a trade in. While they initially considered reselling it, he said, after looking online and seeing that it could be used for ice rescues, they quickly decided to donate it to the fire department instead.

This isn’t the first time that the company has donated a valuable resource to the community’s public safety personnel. They’ve also rebuilt a trailer, free of charge, for the police department.

“We’ve got some great employees here and they all live in the area,” Craffey said. “Windham’s been a great place to do business and we like to do stuff like that.”

The business has grown substantially, Craffey said, since he took over in 2017. “We’re doing really well here, and we want to pass it on,” he said.

A hovercraft vehicle is a machine that can operate on land, water, and even broken-up ice. A fan forces air under the machine, lifting it to float up to 9 inches above the surface on a cushion of air, according to the Neoteric website.

Windham Fire Chief Brent Libby said that until last year, the department hadn’t had a marine resource for several years. Last year, the department partnered with the Maine Forest Service, housing a 16-foot aluminum boat in return for access to that boat.

The hovercraft, he said, provides an additional marine resource that will be useful not only on open water, but especially on ice. Currently, if an incident occurs on the ice, the department would either need to get an airboat from the warden service or walk out in their gear, which could take a significant amount of time to reach someone in need of assistance.

Because a hovercraft is a specialized machine, training is required to operate it safely. Libby said that the department has reached out to Neoteric and are coordinating with them to have a representative come and do in-service training.

Libby said that the purchase of a hovercraft probably wouldn’t have been a direction the department went. Before partnering with the Forest Service, the department’s capital plan included acquisition of a boat.

“It’s maybe not something we would have gone for normally, but it will certainly be a huge asset to the community and the marine areas we have,” he said.  “It will take us a bit of time to get trained and comfortable with its operation, especially to function in emergency response, but it certainly will fill a void for us and I’m sure for our neighboring communities as well.”

According to Libby, area departments rely on each other for support, equipment and personnel in any major incident.

“This will just be another tool in that toolbox for all of us to have access to and utilize,” he said.

While they haven’t run the hovercraft yet to see what it can do, Libby said, the previous owner had used it on mud flats. The Windham fire department also reached out to other departments in the country to be sure it would be helpful for emergency response.

“Those agencies we spoke with have found it beneficial as well. We extend our appreciation and thanks to Lee’s Family Trailer for thinking of us, when they came across the piece of equipment, and recognizing that it might be helpful to us and the community,” Libby said. “We certainly appreciate that and their generosity in donating it to us.” <

Sticky Bud Farms makes generous donation to Windham Food Pantry

By Ed Pierce

There was a time when David Whitten, the owner of Windham’s Sticky Bud Farms, needed to rely on a food pantry to survive and years later he’s shown his gratitude and generosity with a large donation to the Windham Food Pantry.

On Sept. 14, Whitten and three Sticky Bud employees dropped off more than $2,000 worth of food and non-perishables in dozens of boxes for the food pantry. The money to purchase the food came from a donation jar set up near the Sticky Bud cash register which was then doubled when matched by Whitten.

Sticky Bud Farms employees and owner David
Whitten dropped off more than $2,000 worth
of food and non-perishables in a generous 
donation for the Windham Food Pantry on
Sept. 14.  COURTESY PHOTO    
caption

“At one time in my life when I broke my neck, I had to rely on the food pantry,” Whitten said. “I’ve been there, and I know how hard it can be sometimes.”

Operating a successful business in Windham, Whitten said he wanted to repay the kindness that residents of the town have shown to him.

“Personally, I feel that giving back to the community is important,” he said. “And right now, more than ever because of the pandemic, there is certainly a growing need for the food pantry and an increasing number of our friends and neighbors in need of help.”

Rather than use the cash register jar for tips, the six employees of Sticky Bud Farms chose to use what they collected to purchase food items that the Windham Food Pantry was sorely in need of.

“The staff gave up their tips because they felt it was important and we wanted to include them in our spirit of giving,” Whitten said. “We feel that we’re an integral part of this community working with as many cancer patients as we do and this donation shows that our staff is committed to the health and well-bring of everyone in Windham.”

The Windham Food Pantry is open to any Windham resident with proof of residency and residents are provided with food on an every month basis.

Food and non-food donations are accepted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Monetary donations are accepted from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at the Windham Town Manager’s Office at the Windham Town Hall.

The donation from Sticky Bud Farms followed the official wish list of the Windham Food Pantry but went above and beyond, Whitten said.

“There were so many boxes, it was just amazing to see it all,” he said. “There were soups, beans, cookies, crackers, chili and much, much more and the four of us that went over before work to drop it off came away impressed with how organized they are at the food pantry. We were all so humbled by that experience that we’re going to do it again soon.”

 Whitten said Sticky Bud Farms has ordered 100 food boxes from Hannaford which will be donated to the Windham Food Pantry for those in need for Thanksgiving.

“And we’re going to be collecting toys at Christmastime again this year for Toys for Tots,” he said. <

Byron’s Bloom Bombs explode with popularity, bringing sunshine to essential workers

Byron Davis with his sister Clara

By Lorraine Glowczak

It all began with a mother’s intent to keep her family active during the stay at home initiative by deep cleaning their house, one room at a time. “I named it the ‘COVID Clean Out,’” stated Stacy Davis. 

On an afternoon about a month ago, while tackling the kitchen, Stacy and her 9-year old son Byron came across papered flower discs made by a former classmate given as a Valentine’s Day gift. “Let’s plant these in our flower garden,” Stacy suggested to Byron. They did, but Byron was inspired to go a step further. “I want to make these discs and give them away to all the essential workers to bring some happiness to them.”

Immediately, they began to search the house to see if they had all the materials needed to make the homemade plantable paper embedded with flower seeds. Stacy and Byron discovered they had enough material to make 50 discs and decided to name their philanthropic efforts, Byron’s Bloom Bombs.

The family, which includes Byron’s 5-year-old sister, Clara and his father, Jeremie, got busy instantly. This also included a surprise from Bryon’s grandmother, June Davis, when she personally delivered several specially designed “Byron’s Bloom Bomb” t-shirts to the Davis home.

A Facebook page was also established to help spread the word and make Byron’s vision a reality. In the first post, dated April 10 at 6:10 p.m., Byron, who is a third-grade student at Windham Primary School shared his thoughts, introducing the idea. “In looking for things to do while stuck at home, my mom and I came upon making papered flower discs. In seeing these, I thought what better way to show those on the COVID front lines that we appreciate them. Flowers always bring brightness to someone, so my hope is that these bloom bombs can do the same.”

Stacy was stunned when she woke up the next morning. “I checked the Facebook page and was shocked to see that we already had 100 likes,” Stacy said. “The news and support that Byron has received has quite literally….’blown up’….excuse the pun.” 

And explode it has! In less than a month, Byron’s Bloom Bombs mission has given away a total 950 paper flower discs to essential workers in and around the greater Windham area. So far, they have delivered to the following locations: Shaws, CVS, Walgreen, Walmart, Maine Medical Center, Spring Harbor Hospital and Maine Urology. The family has also mailed Byron Bloom Bombs to friends and family members who work on the COVID front line in Madison, Fort Kent and Lewiston. 

To ensure they reach as many essential workers in the area as possible, they enlist the help from others through their Facebook page by doing drawings for free homemade bloom bombs, requesting that some of the papered flower discs are given away at a store or medical facility near the winner’s hometown community.

Byron and his family have also highlighted local sport favorites and have shown appreciation to teachers during this COVID-19 time.

When asked what he has learned the most about his charitable adventure, Byron stated, “Front line workers do not always mean they work in a hospital. It includes people who work at grocery stores, gas stations and convenience stores.”

Byron was also quick to mention his gratitude to Ms. Fries, his third-grade teacher. “She has always been his cheerleader – always helpful and always encouraging,” Stacy said.

He and his family also recognize and are grateful for the incredible support and encouragement they have received from the community – that has now expanded from as far north as Presque Isle, to as far south as Connecticut. 

“Never in our wildest dreams did we think this would take off as it has, but we are thrilled. It is because of the front like workers and your encouragement that we will continue this project to show our appreciation,” Stacy wrote on Facebook recently.

To support and encourage Byron’s vision, please be sure to like and share the Byron Bloom Bombs Facebook page.

The wish of a dying veteran is granted through the generosity of a “Brother in Arms”

Joe Bernard just prior to joining the Marines

By Lorraine Glowczak

“Yesterday, I wrote a post seeking a set of Marine dress blues for my dying uncle,” the post began in the Windham Maine Community Board Facebook page. “He loved being a Marine and worked very hard on veterans’ support issues his entire adult life. The outpouring of support from the Windham community brought a tear or two to my eye.”

That was a post written recently by Barry Bernard, a Portland man who also has a camp on Pettengill Pond in Windham and is the treasurer for the Windham Drifters Snowmobile Club. The previous day, he reached out to the Windham community, asking if there was anyone who might know of where the family could find the well-known and honored Marine dress uniform.

“It was my uncle’s desire to be buried in dress blues,” Barry stated. “We searched and couldn’t find his uniform. We wanted to do our best to make sure to locate a uniform for him and hoped we could do that before he passed away.”

In just over an hour after making the original Facebook post, Bernard had those dress blues donated by, none other than, another Marine. Ryan Salamon, who dedicated his life to the United States Marine Corp from 2010 to 2014 and now lives in Manchester, Maine responded to Barry’s request.

“My wife, Rachel, follows the Windham Community Board and saw Barry’s post,” Salamon said. 

“She thought it would be a good idea to offer my dress blues to Barry’s uncle – and I agreed so we immediately reached out to Barry.”

Marine dress blues as described by Medals of America consists “of a long-sleeved navy jacket with standing collar over a plain white shirt and white, webbed belt on top. Enlisted soldiers will have red trim on the coat and a gold waist plate corresponding to rank. Officers will have a gold M-buckle on their jacket belt. Pants are sky blue in color for enlisted Marines and midnight blue for officers. The red stripe down the trousers, also known as a “blood stripe,” varies in width depending on rank”

Barry stated that Salamon was not the only one who responded to his request. “My neighbor at Pettengill Pond who lives in the Boston area stated that he would help me in my research to find dress blues. But because the need was immediate, we elected to use Ryan’s uniform.”

The Marine dress blue owned by Ryan Salamon
and donated to Joe Bernard

Barry’s uncle, Harry Joseph (Joe) Bernard, Jr. joined the Marine Corp Reserves from 1964 to 1970. Joe was a combat engineer with the 10^th Engineering Company where he honed his skills on covert missions building airstrips and base camps during the Vietnam War era throughout the Philippines and Puerto Rico. During his deployment, Joe handled and worked with the chemical, Agent Orange, in his role as a combat engineer, and thus had possible exposure to it. “This was of great concern to him and he talked about it often,” Barry said.

When he returned home to civil life, Joe began his 30-year career as a Crane Operator, working for Cianbro Construction. “He laid the steel for the Casco Bay Bridge and worked on the decommissioning of Maine Yankee [Maine’s only nuclear power plant],” Barry stated proudly of his uncle.

Known as a practical joker and the life of the party, Joe continued his Marine-like devotion to the Country. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America as a troop leader. As the Commander of his local American Legion, he sponsored many scouting activities and projects for America’s young men. 

“He also was highly involved in the Honor Guards at funerals for veterans and was very engaged in the development of the Veterans Home in South Paris,” Barry stated. “He was committed to Maine’s veterans, helping out in any way he could.”

It was in that same vein of helping a Maine veteran that Salamon donated his dress blues. “I feel honored and am very happy to give my dress blues to a fellow Brother in Arms,” Salamon said. “To be honest, the uniform was just collecting dust and now it is serving a better purpose. If I am lucky enough to live into my 70s, perhaps one day another Marine will donate his dress blues to me.”

Upon completion of the service in the Marines, both Salamon and Barry’s Uncle Joe ended their military career as Sergeants. As a result, Barry pointed out that the stripes on the uniform are correct. Salamon did remove his medals and ribbons but his dress blues are in concert with Joe’s rank.

Joe passed away on Thursday, April 2^nd but he did so peacefully - knowing that he was going to be buried in Marine dress blues. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, funeral services will be placed on hold until this summer. However, family members will be allowed to view Joe’s body in his dress blues, five at a time, in keeping with social distancing guidance. There will likely be a burial service later this spring, but the funeral home has worked closely with Joe’s son, Bob, so that the family can properly grieve.

Before his uncle died, Barry got the opportunity to FaceTime him. Barry shared his experience with those who had been following the story on the Windham Community Facebook page. “I was so pleased to let him know that his wish will be granted [before he passed away]. Uncle Joe smiled and said, ‘thank you’.”

“And, I thank you, Ryan Salamon and all the Windham community that was willing and ready to assist our family in meeting our uncle’s dying wish!”

Source: https://www.medalsofamerica.com/blog/marine-corps-uniforms-101/