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Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts

Friday, December 16, 2016

Windham Police help Santa bring Christmas cheer - By Michelle Libby



Six police cruisers pulled up to the doors at Windham Walmart on Tuesday, drawing concerned looks from shoppers. They gathered out front to form their plan and scattered into the store. This wasn’t a typical operation for the police department, officers took time from their schedules to shop for Windham Social Services. With money raised at various fundraisers, they brought $2,000 to buy toys for over 30 children in Windham. 

From learning toys for toddlers to make up for teens, the officers worked with one another to find the best gifts for the children they were shopping for. In past years, the officers were given a dollar amount and they picked out items for a variety of children. This year, administrative assistant Sue Rogers, gave each officer a sheet of paper with an age and suggestions for gifts that child would love to see under their tree. So as the officers were shopping, they had a specific child in mind. 

“The best reason we do this is that we are giving back to the community. We receive a lot of public support in town and it’s nice to give some of that back,” said officer Jason Burke. 

The fundraising for their programs come from solicitation calls in the beginning of the year and a show they put on. This year on February 25, Windham Police Department will introduce the community to Audio Body, a musical performance duo similar to the Blue Man Group. With the money raised, the officers as a whole are able to donate to local charities, sports teams and sponsor officers or someone with a connection to the department as they participate in walks like the Dempsey Challenge and cancer walks. 

“We donate to different veteran groups, team like little league who went to Nationals and special circumstances like cancer diagnosis or a kid who needs a physical to play sports. It’s all done quietly,” said officer Jim Cook. 

While the officers scoured the toy department for Christmas gems, shoppers stopped them and gave them donations to put toward the purchases. They received $270 in donations while shopping. Another woman gave them $100 in gift cards that were already paid for. 

“The best part is when people come up to give you money,” said officer Gene Gallant. 

“One man who had a long negative history with the police, came up to us and gave us cash one year,” said Cook. 

This was the fourth year the police department has shopped for less fortunate children in Windham. They also added some gifts and toiletries for seniors. 

Good will breeds good will. Dunkin Donuts in Walmart offered to give each officer a free coffee for the good work they were doing. Although few took them up on the offer, it was the thought that counted.







Outdoor photo – (L to R) Justin Hudnor, Seth Fornier, Jason Burke, Eric Quatrano, Sue Rogers, Sherma Moody (Manager of Walmart), Matt Cyr, Jason Andrews, Gene Gallant, Jim Cook and Bill Andrew.

Friday, December 9, 2016

Motorcycle club spreads joy, peace, honor and respect - By Lorraine Glowczak



Local motorcycle club, Brothers Crew MC of Maine, was recently recognized by Portland’s Channel 13 for feeding over 900 families in Maine on Thanksgiving Day. Based in Windham with a focus on honoring all fallen brothers, military or otherwise, Brothers Crew MC not only feeds the hungry at Thanksgiving and provides gifts to families in need at Christmas that include substantial donations to Preble Street Resource Center, they also offer help and provide necessities to children with disabilities, homeless families, military families as well as providing assistance to abused women and children. Additionally, the organization delivers backpacks filled with needed school supplies for students to local elementary schools. 

Bayside Learning Community in Portland is one of the local schools that has been and is a recipient of the goodwill provided by the club. “They put so much effort in gift giving,” stated Jen Searway, the school’s director. “When they provided the backpacks filled with school supplies, the bags did not contain generic items. Instead, they took the time to ask what was needed most by individual students and that is what they supplied. Brothers Crew MC truly gives unconditionally and for the right reasons.” Searway also stated that this motorcycle club is a prime example of paying it forward. 

Obviously, one should not be fooled by this group of leather wearing, tattooed, bike riding brotherhood of rugged and hardworking men. Underneath what might seem a rough and intimidating exterior beats huge hearts of tenderness that spread love, kindness, respect, honor and peace in one small part of the world that has rippling and everlasting effects. 

Steven Huntington of Windham, president and founder of Brothers Crew MC, never set out to create a motorcycle club. It definitely was not his intention to create an organization with the mission to relieve a little suffering for others. It all began because he, himself, was suffering from the depths of grief after losing someone he deeply loved. Huntington’s brother, Charles “Chucky” Huntington, died at the age of 42 on November 12, 2012. “He was everything to me,” Huntington explained as he told his brother’s story and the “accidental” creation of Brothers Crew MC. 

Chucky was a survivor despite all odds. Fifteen years ago in an unfortunate circumstance, Chucky was shot in between the eyes and the bullet’s shrapnel scattered throughout the brain. He was immediately taken to Maine Medical Center where the family was told the odds of survival were slim. The surgeon explained he would do his best to remove as much of the shrapnel as possible but if Chucky did survive the surgery, he would never walk or talk again and most likely remain in a vegetative state. 

After surgery, Chucky was placed on life support for four weeks, at which time, the ventilator was disconnected. Miraculously, not only did Chucky survive but he lived a full and productive life. However, as he grew older, the shrapnel that could not be removed from his brain during surgery began to shift. As it did, Chucky slowly reverted back to the young mind of an eighteen-year-old. Chucky loved motorcycles and it was his dream to be a part of a brotherhood. However, due to his disabilities, driving a motorcycle and thus being a part of a motorcycle club would never be a dream realized. Unfortunately, Chucky’s life came to an abrupt end when he choked and aspirated while eating.

“I cried every day for months after his death,” Huntington said, recalling the moment his grief hit an all-time low. However, it was within that deep grief of death that Brothers Crew MC was unknowingly given birth. “One day I decided to honor my brother and his wish to become a part of a brotherhood by simply drawing a sketch of a patch that I would put on the back of my leather jacket. That’s all I wanted to do was to honor my brother and his dream. I spent a lot of time working on that sketch trying to get it just right, eventually working with a tattoo artist to assist me in perfecting it.”

Within a month, Huntington had his patch and it was time for him to ride. Huntington asked two of his friends to join him and the three rode together on a warm spring day in 2013. “Then, the word got around,” Huntington expressed with amazement, “Before I knew it, other friends wanted to join in memory of my brother. Quickly, two friends became four, four friends became eight and eight became twelve. It just kept growing without any effort from me.” Within six months after that original ride, there were approximately 20 men who wanted to be a part of this unofficial motorcycle club. 

“As it continued to grow, we decided to become an official club with the intention to honor all brothers who have passed and, in doing so, relieve a little suffering in the world,” Huntington explained. That fall, approximately six months later and about a year after his brother’s death, Brothers Crew MC was born and became an official organization.

Membership requires a series of steps to include 1. Contacting the President, 2. Invitation to “hang out” with the group 3. Becoming a prospect 4. Full acceptance that includes the patch. All members must pass a background check as well as a drug free test and be non-violent members of society.
Members come from all walks of life and join for various reasons. “I have known Steve all my life and I had been following him and his new motorcycle club on Facebook,” Joe Mulkern of Westbrook explained. “I saw all the good they were doing and thought to myself, ‘What a feeling that must be to help others. I want to be a part of that,’” Mulkern continued. “If I would have known how this group would have grown and become what they are today, I would have joined in the beginning.”

Others join for the structure. “I was looking for a traditional and regimented motorcycle group, where you earn your role as a member,” Matt LaBranche stated. LaBranche’s need for structure most likely came from being a veteran in the armed services, serving in Iraq in 2003-2004. “I know the US entering into the Iraq War was controversial, but I believe we were there doing God’s work, eliminating a dictator who was killing women and children.” 

LaBranche’s preference for structure is what led him to Brothers Crew MC. His reflective nature also indicates that he still gets to do “God’s work.”

Brothers Crew MC is gearing up for the holiday season. For those who wish to spread some joy and relieve a little suffering in a sometimes challenging world, contact Huntington at brothercrewmc.com/author/brotherscrewmc to make a donation. Not only will one honor those who live in our memory but those who still live. For Huntington, he does his work “in memory of my Brother 42 and our Brother Alex Paradis Chubs 22*.”

*This article is dedicated with honor to the recent passing of a Brothers Crew MC member, 22- year -old Alex Paradis. His loyalty and enthusiasm toward the goodwill of the club was outstanding and his passion and commitment for life will be missed.