PowerServe: A decade of service through the Donnelly Family’s eyes

By Lorraine Glowczak

The special spring tradition of volunteering continues, bringing neighbors together once again and marking 10 years of service rooted in compassion, connection, and community. PowerServe participants will gather for another day of community service, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 9, on the Windham Historical Society campus before volunteers disperse to their assigned community projects, and return at 1 p.m. for a shared lunch.

In celebration of its 10-year anniversary, PowerServe hopes
to complete at least 35 service projects with 250 volunteers
at its community service event on May 9 in Windham. 
COURTESY PHOTO  

0 Although the focus is community service, PowerServe has been more than a volunteer event. From the very beginning, the organization has also been a story about people, purpose, and the ripple effect of one teenager’s belief that caring for a community can create lasting change.

This annual volunteer-driven initiative continues to live out its mission of “caring boldly and serving strong.” Often described as a spark of light in the community, PowerServe began as a way to simply turn grief into action.

Launched in 2016 after the unexpected passing of 16-year-old Shane Donnelly, the effort started when Kristine Delano of YoungLife Sebago saw the impact on the students at Windham High School and the wider community and felt called to respond. Inspired by the power of community service, she created a day in early May 2016 to unite the community in kindness and connection in Shane’s honor.

For the Donnelly family, PowerServe is deeply personal – a legacy of compassion that began with a vision to help others and has grown far beyond what they imagined. Each year, they watch that spark spread, drawing in about 200 volunteers and strengthening community bonds through projects like yard cleanups, painting, and small repairs for Windham neighbors and nonprofits.

“When you lose a child, you enter a kind of grief you never imagined,” Shane’s mother, Kim Donnelly said. “But out of something so tragic, something unexpectedly beautiful has grown. People experience loss every day, yet what PowerServe has become is a reflection of community – where nearly two-thirds of the volunteers are youth and students serving alongside adults, all working together.”

Shane’s sister, Maddie Donnelly, a senior at WHS, who was 7 years old at the time of his passing, said her brother carried a quiet, steady outlook on life that was rooted in the outdoors and a deep caring for others. 

“Whether he was talking about college, dreaming of becoming a Maine Game Warden, or simply enjoying time outside, he found a sense of peace and tranquility in nature,” she said. “He was also known for offering kind words and giving others the benefit of the doubt, always choosing compassion first.”

Maddie shared that his compassion for others truly lives on in the spirit of PowerServe, and she is determined to keep that spirit alive by spreading the word about the organization. This year, she did so through her Senior Capstone Project, a graduation requirement.

“It felt like an easy decision to choose PowerServe as my capstone topic,” she said. “Sharing PowerServe and helping people learn about it just made sense. It speaks to the kind of person Shane was and it feels good to make others feel good in his honor. He loved serving others and being outdoors – this is something he would have truly enjoyed doing.”

She said that PowerServe is not just about the projects being completed, it’s about the people being present with one another. It’s about connections.

“Watching volunteers and recipients sit down, talk, and truly connect is what stays with you, Maddie said. “Some of the most meaningful stories come afterward from neighbors who didn’t just receive help, but also shared time, laughter, and a sense of being seen.”

Maddie agrees with her mother, saying that she enjoys connecting with the recipients.

“Our conversations are so much fun and we create lasting memories,” she said. “Sometimes we spend at least an hour talking with each other. It leaves everyone feeling genuinely uplifted.”

As for the requests for assistance, the Donnellys say that it is often a friend, neighbor, or loved one who makes the request for others. 

“People who need help with gardens, painting, etc. generally do not want to burden family, and once we step in, we keep checking back to see how they’re doing, even helping them enjoy flower gardens they haven’t been able to tend to in years,” they said. 

PowerServe, which recently became an official nonprofit, allows all donated funds to stay in Windham, and is hoping to complete at least 35 service projects with 250 volunteers at its community service event on May 9.

“The more volunteers, the more projects we can do and the more people we can help, the better able to make a greater impact and difference in our community, which exemplifies Shane’s personality and would make him so happy,” Maddie said.

As PowerServe celebrates a decade of service, its impact is measured not just in completed projects, but in the relationships built, the gratitude shared, and the reminder that meaningful change often starts with a simple decision to show up and help.

For more details about PowerServe, to volunteer to help, or to request a project, send an email to [email protected]. <