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.
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| 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 |
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.” <
