Moody Foundation to honor beloved resident during boys’ basketball home opener

By Matt Pascarella

More than one year after his passing, the memory and character of Windham resident Pat Moody remain within not just the local community but throughout Southern Maine.

The late Pat Moody,  left, joins his son AJ Moody after
Windham High School won its first state boys' basketball
title at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland in March 2024. The 
team will honor Pat Moody while raising money for the
Pat  Moody Foundation during this season's home
opener at Windham High on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
SUBMITTED PHOTO    

The Pat Moody Foundation was launched to keep Moody’s memory and love for helping the community alive. The purpose of the Pat Moody Foundation is to provide opportunities to others in need, whether that be through scholarships or money for athletics, and hopefully encourage them to help others and in turn become more civic-minded.

During the Windham High School varsity boys’ basketball team home opener against Sanford High on at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, “Pat Moody Night” will pay tribute to a genuine community hero and legend.

“Pat was truly a pillar here,” said wife Sherma Moody. “His passion for basketball and his belief in giving kids a chance to grow through the sport shaped so much of who he was. Pat always made it a point to include as many kids as possible, teaching them the fundamentals of basketball but also the value of teamwork, perseverance, and belonging.”

The goal of the Pat Moody Foundation is to put the funds raised right back into the community and into forming positive influences and experiences for youth. It currently aims to expand scholarship offerings for more students in the coming year and continue fundraising events for kids in need, including educational support and extracurricular activities.

“It's hard to believe it's already been a year since Pat's untimely passing,” said Pat Moody’s best friend and Pat Moody Foundation board member Tyler Graves. “Not a day passes that I don't think of Pat. I believe all of us can attest that after knowing someone for so long that they become part of you, they're the thread that becomes stitched into your life. I think being involved with the foundation has given me a sense of well-being in knowing that Pat would have been proud of our efforts to continue selfless acts of kindness that in some way will help benefit, support, encourage, and even inspire our youth.”

Basketball was more than a game for Pat Moody. It gave him lifelong friendships, mentors, and a network that supported him throughout his life. He wanted every child, regardless of circumstances, to have that same opportunity. Through the Pat Moody Foundation, young athletes can join teams, get basic equipment or a pair of shoes, and most importantly, discover the joy and confidence that come from playing the sport he cherished.

“Within that year the foundation has grown considerably because of the generous donations from our local communities,” said Moody’s sister and Pat Moody Foundation President Tracey Lydon. “I think I can speak for the entire board and say that we are humbled by the outpouring of support that has transpired in the wake of losing Pat. We've been afforded the opportunity and privilege of providing over $6,000 in multiple scholarships to some very deserving, civic-minded student athletes, and have sponsored children to participate in youth sports who may have not been able to afford it otherwise.”

It's heartwarming for Graves to see people within the Windham community and Southern Maine wearing any Pat Moody-related T-shirts. Graves said he has had people stop and ask what WWPD (What Would Pat Do?) means; this has started conversations and allowed him to explain the random acts of kindness that embodied Pat Moody’s persona.

“The firsts are hard, very hard,” said Lydon. “Being part of a team that is keeping Pat’s legacy alive by making sure that the community and the kids have access to the opportunities that basketball gave him makes me feel his presence in everything we do.”

Windham’s boys’ basketball team honored Moody last year at their first home game and people really enjoyed it and it was well-attended. The team wants to keep the tradition going and all T-shirt sales that night go directly to the Pat Moody Foundation. The night will also be a great opportunity for everyone to learn more about the Pat Moody Foundation, its accomplishments, its purpose. and its plans for the future.

Donations made to the Pat Moody Foundation stay here and directly serve our community's children; this will hopefully inspire them to continue to play sports and give back in their own way.

“The Pat Moody Foundation is so much more than a charitable effort, it is a way of keeping his spirit alive in the community he loved so deeply,” said Sherma Moody. “The Pat Moody Foundation reflects his heart, focused on children in need, committed to opening doors, and dedicated to helping young people continue learning and growing. Carrying on this mission allows me to honor Pat every day and ensure that the love and generosity he poured into this community continue to inspire future generations.” <

Pat Moody Foundation creates scholarship in memory of beloved Windham resident

By Matt Pascarella

The late Pat Moody was affectionately called the mayor of Windham and if he could support the town, its residents, and of course, the basketball program, he would give it everything he had. In his passing, the mission of The Pat Moody Foundation is to continue his legacy by empowering youth programs and activities in Windham and the surrounding communities.

The Pat Moody Foundation will be 
offering a scholarship to a Windham
High School student-athlete who 
embodies all the qualities that Pat
himself thought important:
community, volunteerism, school
pride, work ethic and being a 
positive influence for those around
them. The $2,500 scholarship will
be presented at WHS during graduation
week on Thursday, June 5.
PHOTO BY KRISTY LAPRINO OF
KRISTY MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY   

To that end, The Pat Moody Foundation will be offering a $2,500 scholarship to a graduating Windham student-athlete; someone who knows and displays the meaning of community, volunteerism, school pride, work ethic, sportsmanship and is a positive influence on those around them – just like Pat was.

This scholarship is currently targeted towards student-athletes, although athletic achievement is only one of the criteria, and not the primary factor in decision making. They are looking for the most community-minded athlete who is a great role model, not necessarily the most successful athlete. While they do focus on Moody’s love of basketball, the foundation wants to support as many students in as many ways as possible.

“He would be thrilled to see this opportunity provided to someone that he probably watched grow up (at least these first few years),” said Moody’s older sister Tracey Lydon, president of The Pat Moody Foundation. “He would love the fact that the community has supported this foundation in such a huge way that is allowing for these opportunities, but he was always one to do things quietly without fanfare. He would be very much supporting this from the fact that it is helping to bring about positive impacts and change in the community he loved. Imagine the community we can continue to build upon if our first thoughts were about others and how we could support them; this scholarship aims to be a catalyst for change not just to its recipients, but those that choose to apply knowing the expectations asked of them to be eligible.”

The scholarship will be awarded based on personal performance while in high school, but it can be used for starting a business, or getting a real estate license, or any other thing that makes sense for their future. The foundation wants to choose someone whom we believe will make a positive impact because they have a track record of making a positive impact, and that doesn't necessarily mean they'll be going to college next year.

“There was nothing Pat loved more than his family, friends, community, the Celtics and Whoopie Pies,” said his best friend and Pat Moody Foundation board member Tyler Graves. “His sense of kindness was genuine and was truly organic as it was just a natural piece of who he was. It was because of his admirable generosity to others that we felt the need to start The Pat Moody Foundation and continue Pat's selfless acts of kindness. He had an amazing way of making people feel special and included. Pat was able to connect with countless people on a multitude of levels and especially through the medium of sports. Through the foundation we look to give back to civic minded student-athletes, who in-turn give back to their communities and teams much the same way Pat did.”

Graves said The Pat Moody Foundation is funded solely by the kind hearts of not only our local community and businesses, but by many people and establishments throughout the state of Maine. They encourage anyone who knows of a similar youth who may be deserving of help and/or recognition for their acts of kindness to visit The Pat Moody Foundation and reach out to any board member.

"This scholarship is not a celebration of the best athlete or best student, but of someone who consistently makes great choices and makes our little corner of the world a better place,” said Geoff Grigsby, secretary of The Pat Moody Foundation. “No one loved the Windham community, or had more school pride, than Pat Moody. Pat was always just wanting to give of himself, help create resources, give others responsibility so they could become better people; he was a believer in others. This scholarship is just a small token of appreciation for someone who can become that next giver and believer and give them a little jumpstart on shaping our community in positive new ways. I'm sure that looking down on us he feels pride that people cared enough about him to want to be better themselves and continue the legacy of the little acts of kindness, warmth, sincerity, humor, and generosity that he acted out each and every day.”

Scholarship applications have been provided to Windham High School and will be accepted by mail or email. Information will be posted on The Pat Moody Foundation’s Facebook page; all applications are due by May 26.

The scholarship winner will be announced on Senior Awards Night at Windham High School on Thursday, June 5 during Graduation Week. <