Windham Hill UCC’s historic belfry to be restored by Easter

By Lorraine Glowczak

Windham Hill United Church of Christ at 140 Windham Center Road was recently awarded the maximum grant amount of $20,000 from the Maine Community Foundation’s Belvedere Historical Preservation and Energy Efficiency 2022 Fund for the restoration of its steeple.  

The steeple of Windham Hill United Church of Christ was
built in 1880 with the bell cast at one of Paul Revere's
workshops in Massachusetts. After 143 years of use, the
steeple is starting to crumble and deteriorate, and the
church has received a grant for restorative repairs.
FILE PHOTO 

According to the foundation’s website, the purpose of the grant is to “invest in the preservation, restoration, and retrofitting of historic buildings in Maine. Grants from this fund focus on capital investments in historic buildings that serve as civic, cultural, or economic hubs for communities.”

WHUCC certainly meets all the above criteria for its steeple renovations, expected to begin next week, as it has been the civic, cultural, and economic hub since Windham’s inception in 1762.

In New England’s early years, during the 17th and 18th centuries, the law mandated that states enforce religious devotion. Towns could not be legally established without a founding church that supported a minister by levying taxes. Windham’s Congregational Church, as it was named during the early years and now known as Windham Hill United Church of Christ, was that church.

Since the town of Windham was officially incorporated, the Congregational/UCC parishioners have met at different locations throughout the Windham area. But it was in 1834 when the present building was constructed. It remains a community gathering and worshiping location today.

“The steeple was added in 1880, nearly 50 years after the church was built,” said Rebecca Brown, WHUCC member and chair of the Steeple Taskforce. She further said. “What makes this bell so historically significant and unique is that it was cast in Boston at one of Paul Revere’s workshops in Massachusetts.”

After 140 years of use, the steeple that houses the historic bell is starting to crumble and needs important repairs if the bell is to continue to ring.

“The hemlock beams in the tower that hold the steeple in place are original and they have had significant dry rot over the years,” Brown said. “As a result, we are forced to add steel beams onto the hemlock to stabilize the tower which will also enable us to begin ringing the bell again.”

Brown said that the bell hasn’t rung in over six months due to the hemlock rot. In a previous interview, local historian, and member of WHUCC, Laurel Parker said, “Normally, the bell rings every Sunday but is also rung on special occasions for the community with the hope of peace. It was rung at the end of the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and on 9/11.”

The total cost to repair the steeple is approximately $41,000. While the Belvedere grant will provide a large portion of those costs, other funds have been provided to the church.

“We also have been awarded up to 50 percent of the cost of the steeple restoration through the Maine Steeples Fund with an additional $4,000 contributed from the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ committee on Resourcing the Local Church,” Brown said.

According to its website, The Maine Steeples Fund was established to support local efforts to restore church steeples of historic, cultural, and community significance in small cities and towns in Maine. They have provided financial assistance to over 75 Maine steeples since 2007.

“We are very grateful for all the financial awards and contributions we’ve received from the Belvedere grant, the Maine Steeples Fund, and the Maine Conference of the UCC,” WHUCC Pastor Sharon Rankin said. “This church and the bell that it houses have always been an important part of the community and we want to keep history’s momentum moving forward. This is something to be enjoyed and used for all occasions - for the town and its people. This restoration will keep that secure for years to come.”

Rankin pointed out that the church has always been a cultural, community, and historical building, but that WHUCC is, and always has been, a place to gather for worship – gaining spiritual sustenance in good times and bad.

Brown anticipates that the steeple will be fully restored in time for Easter worship.

"We are hoping against all hope that the restoration will be completed by the end of March and before Easter Sunday, April 9,” Brown said.  “It will be a great way to celebrate – to ring, to announce, and to rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord.”

WHUCC offers in-person, Zoom, and Facebook live options for worship. Sunday services begin at 9:30 am. For more information, contact the church office by phone at 207-892-4217 or by email at windhamhillucc1835@gmail.com. <

Free Monday Meal program is still going strong, providing food to local pantries

Olley Klein of Gray, left, said thathe has been coming
to the Monday Meal program since its inception and
finds its fellowship is just as important as the
food the program serves
PHOTO BY LORRAINE GLOWCZAK

By Lorraine Glowczak

The concept of a free Monday meal officially began by members of the Windham Hill United Church of Christ (UCC) in 1998.

The intent was to provide free nutritious meals for those who experienced food insecurity on Monday evenings. Hoping to receive help from other area churches, Windham Hill UCC reached out to other congregations to see if there would be an interest in joining their efforts on a needed service to the community.

It was not long after the request was made that more than five area churches were soon on board, offering weekly free meals – and as such, the Food and Fellowship, Inc. a non-profit ecumenical organization was established.

The organization has sponsored the free Monday Meal program in the Lakes Region since 1999, serving between 50 to 70 guests every Monday evening.

Although the program has not been able to provide free in person Monday Meals for over two months due to the pandemic, Food and Fellowship, Inc. is still going strong.

“We are still here, although we can’t get together in person right now,” said Dan Wheeler of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and President of Food and Fellowship, Inc. “We thought it was important to continue giving food for those in need, so we have opted to donate towards area food pantries.”

The organization has recently donated at total of $1,750 to food pantries of surrounding towns that have contributed financially or otherwise to Food and Fellowship, Inc. “We have given $250 to Standish Food Pantry, $250 to the Raymond Food Pantry and $1,250 to the Windham Food Pantry,” Wheeler said.

As with most organizations and individuals, the pandemic has created an opportunity to think outside the box, being innovative to meet missions and goals.

“What we realized when the social distancing began is that we did not have a system in place in circumstances such as these to let people know what we were doing,” said Wheeler. “Although we do have a Facebook page and a website to provide that information, there are some people we serve who either do not have access to a computer or internet or simply do not use social media as a form of staying connected. This is where we have decided to develop a phone and email list so we can update individuals who join Monday Meals. We plan to do this going forward.”

But just as the food is an important part of the Monday Meal Program’s mission, providing a source of social interaction plays a very important role, too.

In a previous interview for an article last summer highlighting the 20^th anniversary of free Monday Meals, Olley Klein from Gray shared his thoughts about getting together with others on a weekly basis.

“My wife died in 1991 and I have been coming here almost since the beginning,” he said. “Not so much for the food - which I enjoy – but more for the social aspect of it. In fact, I think I spend more time in the churches of Windham than I do at home in Gray.”

Although it is unsafe to gather at this point, the Monday Meal program will be meeting in person when the threat of contracting COVID-19 is diminished and is safe for the guests to gather.

“We will be back to meeting in person someday, hopefully soon,” Wheeler said. “Once schools are in session then it is possible that we will meet again. However, 90 percent of our board members and meal participants are at risk and we must make sure the facilities where the meals take place meet social distancing requirements. Although there is much to consider for the safety of all, we will be back!”

When the program is back in session, the meal sites will continue as normal. September through May, the meal sites are located at: First Monday at North Windham Union Church, second Monday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, third and fourth Mondays at Windham Hill United Church of Christ and on those rare fifth Mondays - at the Standish Congregational Church. During the summer months (June, July and August), the meal sites are: First four Mondays at St. Ann's Episcopal Church and the fifth Monday at the Standish Congregational Church. Meals begin promptly at 5:30 p.m. but guests begin arriving as early as 4:30 p.m. to reserve a spot and enjoy appetizers and fellowship. The meals traditionally end at about 6 p.m.

Funding for this program is donated by area churches. The Town of Windham also donates generously on a yearly basis.

If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation to the Food and Fellowship program, you can do so by sending a check or money order to Food and Fellowship, c/o Mark Stokes, Treasurer,  P.O. Box 911  Windham, ME  04062.

For more information about Monday Meals, contact Wheeler and Food and Fellowship, Inc via email at:  mondaymealwindham@gmail.com. Like and follow them on them on Facebook www.facebook.com/Monday-Meals-Food-and-Fellowship-Inc-330082320897486/

or check out their website at:  www.monday-meals-foodandfellowship.com/

For whom the bell tolls: Windham’s first church congregation turns 275

By Lorraine Glowczak

Those who live or work on Windham Center Road near the intersection of Pope Road may hear a lot of ringing in their ears on Friday, December 14 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. If this is the case for you, be reassured that you most likely do not have tinnitus (serious case of ringing or buzzing in the ear). What you will be experiencing, instead, is the chime of the church bell from the belfry of Windham Hill United Church of Christ (WHUCC) as they celebrate their 275^th anniversary.

“We will begin ringing the bell 23 times at 9 a.m. this Friday,” began WHUCC Historian, Laurel Parker. “And we will continue to ring the bell 23 times on the top of the hour every hour until 8 p.m., at which time the bell will ring 22 times – adding up to a total of 275 rings.”

According to a press release submitted to and published in The Windham Eagle in June 2014, WHUCC, presently located at 140 Windham Center Road, has historical significance to the Town of Windham as it was the founding church for the town. In New England, during the 17^th and 18^th century, the law mandated that states enforce religious devotion. All towns were required to establish a church and support a minister by levying taxes. Over the next century, the congregation met in a few different locations throughout the Windham area. In 1834, the church that now stands in its present location was constructed and has remained there over the last two centuries. 

When that church was built, it gained a bell that also contains historical significance. “It [the bell] has been a part of our church since it was built in 1834-35,” explained Pastor of WHUCC, Sally Colegrove, in a previous interview. “The bell comes from a foundry in the Boston area out of one of the workshops of Paul Revere. The bell rings every Sunday but is also rung on special occasions for the community with the hope of peace. It was rung at the end of the Civil War, World War I, World War II and on 9/11.”

Parker further explained that whenever there is a call to ring bells across America for other momentous and time-honored events, the bell at WHUCC will always be heard ringing in unison with other bells across the nation. “Of course, the bell always rings every Sunday morning at 9:20 for the call to worship,” Parker said, referring to the 9:30 a.m. weekly service.

The Windham Eagle newspaper’s very own historian and writer, Walter Lunt, offered a bit of background history on Windham’s first church in his bi-weekly history series that was published in the March 24, 2017 edition.

“Windham Congregational Church [as it was named at the time] has occupied at least three separate locations, all on high points of land. Whether for protection, circumstance or perhaps a closer talk with thee, the church buildings were constructed on two separate hills (each named Anderson) and on Windham Hill……. local historians record the full or partial construction of no fewer than five churches between 1743 and 1834. In addition to their pioneering spirit, Windham’s early settlers needed certain essentials to achieve their goal of carving a prosperous township out of a barren wilderness: shelter, food, clothing and (yes, an essential) spiritual nourishment.”

Lunt also stated, “Attempts to construct a church atop Anderson Hill, off present-day River Road, were hindered by hostilities related to the French and Indian Wars. The partially framed edifice was torn down and the timbers used to help construct a fort to protect the early families. Under the pastoral guidance of Rev. John Wight, a 1729 graduate of Harvard College and the township’s first minister, the first services were conducted inside the fort. Early records indicate Rev. Wight was highly respected and remembered for his dedication and loyalty to the needs of the infant settlement - a devotion that impaired his health. Wight died in the fort, leaving behind a congregation that grew from seven to 25 members during his tenure.”

Approximately 200 members strong today with Rev. Colegrove at the helm for the past 15 years, the congregation officially changed its name from The First Congregational Church of Windham to what we know it today as Windham Hill United Church of Christ in January 1972.

With such a rich Windham heritage and history, the ringing of the bell is a celebration that not all communities can own. “As I sit in the pews every Sunday morning, what amazes me the most as a historian is the fact that this congregation began before George Washington was President,” stated Parker.

WHUCC raises funds and participates in numerous social and charitable causes on local, national and worldwide levels. This includes support for the Windham food pantry, the free Monday Meals program for seniors and others, E-waste collection and the international Heifer Project, which distributes live animals to third-world countries – to name just a few organizations that benefit from their missionary outreach.

For a look back on the church’s history, the original clerk’s book of the congregation that began in 1743, is available online and can offer a valuable source. Visit: digitalmaine.com/windham_whucc_books/1/.

“But you must always keep the original/paper source safe, if possible,” warned Parker. “Although we believe digital access will remain an obtainable resource forever – we must remember that we once thought of that with the floppy disk. Now, anything that has been placed on a floppy disk is not easily accessible.” 

As for the ringing of the bell on Friday, December 14, Parker joked that those in the congregation who have offered to ring the bell this Friday will face a certain challenge. “It’s a heavy bell and I’m certain those who will be pulling on the 1-inch thick rope for a very heavy bell with 23 or 22 repetitions will surely be exhausted when they are done.”

Happy Birthday, Windham Hill United Church of Christ. Thank you for providing the historical and spiritual roots to Windham. Based upon the rules of 17^th century New England, the town would not be here without you.

Storyteller to share heartfelt stories of those who died during the AIDS epidemic and those who loved them by Lorraine Glowczak

AIDS quilt at the Mall in Washington D.C.

Ashamed, dying alone and forgotten was the unfortunate experience of many who contracted AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) across the U.S. and internationally during the 1980s and early 90s. Although we have a long way to go as a society regarding acceptance of complicated issues we don’t completely understand; thanks to advocacy, education and medical intervention, life has changed for the better among many people who are now diagnosed with AIDS.

Endless stories are available to be told and shared in order to remember and honor a group of individuals who were often separated and shamed by their families. Author/quilt maker/storyteller, Deborah Freedman from Portland will be available on Monday, September 10 at 1:30 p.m. at Windham Hill United Church of Christ, 140 Windham Center Road to share some of the stories she has accumulated over the years from her volunteer efforts on the NAMES Project of the AIDS Memorial Quilt for Maine.

The awareness surrounding AIDS began in the 1980s. According to the History.com website, “Though HIV [human immunodeficiency virus, a virus that can lead to AIDS) arrived in the United States around 1970, it didn’t come to the public’s attention until the early 1980s.”

The website also noted that though the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) discovered all major routes of the disease’s transmission, the public considered AIDS a gay disease. It was even called the “gay plague” for many years after.” It wasn’t until 1991 when a famous heterosexual basketball player, Magic Johnson announced he had HIV, helping to further bring awareness to the issue and
dispel the stereotype of it being a gay disease.

But for the men with AIDS during the 1980s, many were typecast and thus shunned by their families through misunderstanding and embarrassment. As a result, the NAMES Project/AIDS Quilt was born to remember the lives of many and their stories.

Although the NAMES Project/AIDS Quilt began as a political activist endeavor, “by tapping into the word ‘quilt’, the separation and shame surrounding the disease broke the isolation,” stated Freedman in a recent interview.

The concept of the NAMES Project/AIDS Quilt was the brainchild of Cleve Jones, a friend and mentor of Harvey Milk. Milk was a well-known politician who was gay and running for mayor of San Francisco in 1978. He was assassinated as a result of his sexual orientation.

The quilt began spontaneously during a gay pride parade in San Francisco in 1985 when Jones asked people to join him by writing a name of an individual who had died of AIDS on placards. At the end of the march, Jones and others stood on ladders taping these placards to the walls of the San Francisco Federal Building. The wall of names looked like a patchwork quilt. Inspired by this sight, Jones and friends made plans for a larger memorial. A little over a year later, he created the first panel for the AIDS Memorial Quilt. In June of 1987, the NAMES Project Foundation was established, and national public response was immediate.

The book will be available for sell

On October 11, 1987, the Quilt was displayed for the first time on the National Mall in Washington,

D.C., during the National March for Lesbian and Gay Rights. It covered a space larger than a football field and included 1,920 panels. Half a million people visited the Quilt that weekend.

So, how did Freedman from Portland, Maine become involved and head the Quilt Project for the State of Maine?

 “I love to make quilts,” she began. “In the early 80s, a woman in Portland by the name of Frannie Peabody had a grandson who was diagnosed and died of AIDS. In his honor, she started a non-profit called the AIDS Project. This had no correlation with the NAMES project and the AIDS quilt. In fact, I had never heard of the AIDS Quilt. The Portland’s AIDS Project was having a fundraiser, so I decided to donate one of my quilts for them to sell. As I was walking into the office with my donation, an individual noticed what I was carrying and yelled across the room to ask me, ‘Are you a quilter?” When I replied yes, they asked me to help with the AIDS Quilt project. That day in my life turned on a dime and changed my life forever.”

She traveled to San Francisco, met Jones and spent numerous days hearing stories from people whose loved ones had passed, creating a panel in their honor. The quilt she helped to create while in San Francisco traveled to D.C. and was part of the display at the Mall in D.C.

Freedman lead the NAMES project/AIDS quilt cause in Maine, capturing the stories of those who passed away here in the state. The quilt has grown and continues to travel to schools and libraries throughout Maine.

When the quilt started making its rounds to schools, libraries and other events, Freedman began to realize she needed to share the story of each panel. “I noticed that students and other individuals were looking at the quilts, but they didn’t know the stories behind them,” Freedman explained. “So, for each panel, I told the stories as students and others looked on. I began to realize the stories made an impact, made it real and opened the hearts of those who did not understand. That’s how the storytelling part of the quilt began.”

Freedman told one of the latest stories of the quilt when asked if she believed perceptions surrounding AIDS and sexual orientation was beginning to change. She believes for the most part, it
has. But not completely.

“About two years ago,” Freedman began. “A quilt was on display at the Limerick Library. A woman from another town found out the quilt was at that library and wondered if her husband’s panel was on display there. After a few detailed discussions, we discovered that her husband’s quilt – and story – was on display in Limerick, Maine. ‘I’m so glad to know that his story is still being told,’ she emailed me. I told her that we would be happy to bring that very quilt to a library near her. ‘Oh, no!’ she said to me. ‘It is much too soon.’ With that conversation, I realized we still have a long way to go.”

For an informative, thought provoking and healing story telling adventure, be sure to catch Freedman and four other story tellers on Monday, September 10^th.

If you are unable to make this event and hear the many stories she has to share, have Freeman and the rest of the Storyspell crew at your next event. Contact Freedman at storyspell@hotmail.com.

Freeman will also have her book, “The Quiet Triumphant of the Heart” available for sale at the free event at Windham Hill United Church of Christ.

---

added "and those who loved them" [DF1]

I put "sell" for "sale" [DF2]

where you put "patchwork" I put "panel" [DF3]

I would leave out the town, Presque Isle" from the Limerick Library story [DF4]

First annual Festival of Trees a holiday success by Lorraine Glowczak

The Fellowship Hall at Windham Hill United Church of Christ (UCC), 140 Windham Center Road in Windham, was a winter wonderland of 18 brightly decorated Christmas trees this past weekend.

As part of their first annual Festival of Trees fundraising event, the Windham Hill UCC’s Fellowship Hall was filled with good cheer and generosity from Friday, December 1 to Sunday, December 3, as each tree presented gifts wrapped in decorations of red and green. The trees, decorations and gifts were donated by local business, organizations and individuals.

“This was an amazing event to organize and be a part of,” stated Bob Turner, co-chair of the Festival of Trees. “I loved watching the kids come through the Fellowship Hall doors and see all the decorated trees with the gifts underneath. It put a big smile on their face.”

Some of those children, and their lucky families, were the winners in this event. Raffle tickets were available for 50 cents each or 10 for $5 for a chance to win one of the 18 trees. The drawing for the tickets began on Sunday at 4 p.m. and the winners received the tree itself, with its lights and ornaments, all of the gifts on the tree, and all of the gifts under the tree.

Congratulations to the following winners:

Marrae Kimball - tree donated by the Dental Office of Dr. Leslie Elston

Jennifer Drouin - tree donated by Windham Hill UCC International Tree

Lori Bailey - tree donated by Windham Hill UCC Tree

Selina Paine - tree donated by Spruce Salon

Angela Wheaton - tree donated by Aubuchon Hardware

Roger Grillo - tree donated by Windham Jewelers

Jen Twombly - tree donated by Hall Implement

Danica Potvin - tree donated by Shaw Brothers Construction

Donna Emerson - tree donated by Door Service Inc.

Michael Johnson - tree donated by Patman’s Redemption Agency & Liquor Store

Jill Mathiew - tree donated by Seavey’s Furniture & Appliance

Kelly Osborne - tree donated by C R Tandberg

Jen Moulton - tree donated by Windham Hill UCC Women’s Fellowship

Sarah McRea - tree donated by Katie Hazel & Susan Moore

Ellie McCallum - tree donated by Dolby, Blais & Segee Funeral Home

Tony Candelmo - tree donated by Bob & Bonnie Turner

Lindsay Hall - tree donated by Blue Seal Feeds

Tyler Defossa who received a gift certificate tree from the following donors:

Cabinetry Concepts; Chutes Family Restaurant; Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Pete Neelon; Mills & Company; MGM Builders/TLC Reality; NAPA Auto Parts; Rustlers Restaurant; Sullivan Tire & Auto Service

Co-chairs Bonnie and Bill Turner

Monies raised from this fundraising event will be contributed to local, national and international

missions including: Heifer International, the Root Cellar, Windham Food Pantry, the Backpack Program of the Windham Schools, H.O.M.E. Co-op in Orland, Maine, Church World Service, SERRV, and many other organizations. Funds will also benefit continued maintenance and programming for this church which hosts Food and Fellowship’s Monday Meals, Boy Scout Troop 51, Windham Lion’s Club. The Windham Hill UCC is also hosting programs of the Windham Public Library during its renovations.

Windham Hill United Church of Christ is an open and affirming church, welcoming all who attend. The church was founded in 1743 and has been central to the life of Windham throughout Windham’s history as a town. 

If you missed this year’s Festival of Trees, do not despair. “Although the exact date has yet been determined, we are already preparing for next year’s event,” stated Turner.

Sebago Lake Automotive chosen by ACDelco to provide free vehicle repairs to those in need by Lorraine Glowczak

L-R: Pastor Colegrove, the Rands, Dupree and Woodbrey

They say it takes a village to raise a child. However, that often-quoted statement can also be used as part of a community effort in lending a helping hand to those who could use a little assistance. On Thursday, May 4, Debora and Nathan Rand of Raymond as well as Janie Brown of Gorham, were chosen to be the recipients of ACDelco’s National Day of Service by getting their vehicles repaired free of charge at Sebago Lake Automotive on 302 in North Windham.
 

This is the second annual National Day of Service as ACDelco, an automotive company that is owned by General Motors, works with repair shops across the nation, to provide a collective $200,000 net worth of free vehicle repairs. This year, Sebago Lake Automotive was the chosen shop to provide service in Maine.

Sebago Lake Automotive had the difficult choice of choosing one non-profit organization in the area, to work in conjunction with and to identify a local family and/or individual who could benefit greatly from this service. They chose to work with the Windham Hill United Church of Christ (WHUCC) who recognized the Rands and Brown as needing the service. In doing so, they were provided a total of $4,000 in free automotive repair service.

“A member of our church community approached me and informed me about the ACDelco National Day of Service,” stated Sally Colegrove, pastor of WHUCC. “I thought about it for a long time and decided that Debora and Nathan Rand and Janie Brown, members of the church, would be a great choice. These three individuals are retired and living on a limited income. That, in and of itself, is deserving of this free service. But I chose them because they give of themselves to the community in unlimited ways. I thought it would be wise if the community could reciprocate, so I approached Sebago Lake Automotive with my suggestion.” 

The Rands, who own a 2003 Ford Focus, are very involved in a multiple of community volunteer efforts that includes Food and Fellowship, a weekly service from various organizations that provides free meals to the community every Monday at WHUCC. They are also a part of the Missions Board at WHUCC and participate in the community garden and plant sale efforts that raise funds and environmental awareness with the Raymond Village Library. 

The Rands’ Ford Focus had a leaking air conditioner, needed a timing belt and hood release mechanism replaced. They also received a free State of Maine inspection. “The total cost for the Rand’s would have cost them $2,000,” said Mitch Woodbrey, co-owner and service manager at Sebago Lake Automotive.

Brown, of Gorham, owns a 2004 Toyota Scion. She is the coordinator of the Food and Fellowship. As a coordinator, she works tirelessly with a multitude of other organizations and churches in the area that contributes to the success of this program, making sure that at least one weekly free and healthy meal is provided to those who need some extra help. Brown, along with the Rands, also works on The H.O.M.E. Craft Show and Sale. It is a project that is a part of the Missions Board and is an event held on Saturday, June 3. The event is open to the public to support crafters in one of the poorest areas of Maine, Hancock County.   

Brown’s concern for others and making sure that they can survive to the best of their ability, leaves little time for her own personal concerns. But she does have a bit of a challenge living on a fixed income. “I always have on my mind what needs to be paid next.” Brown said. “It’s nice to have this one thing off my mind,” she continued, referring to the needed repairs of her 13-year-old vehicle.

As General Motors and ACDelco state, everyone should have access to reliable and safe transportation. The out-of-pocket repairs can add up to over $600, and nearly a third of American drivers cannot add that amount to their monthly budget. 

There is another saying that states, “Do good and good will come to you.” It seems this is the case for the Rands and Brown. A thank you goes out to ACDelco, General Motors and Sebago Lake Automotive, for recognizing three individuals who do good in the world - by returning the good to them.