 |
| Marissa E. Lloyd |
By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
The Marissa E. Lloyd Sunshine Fund is seeking community support. March 17 is Marissa’s birthday and members of the foundation wanted to do something special therefore, they will be holding a raffle during the month of March. Prizes will be drawn daily, with a $250 grand prize drawing on March 17. All proceeds from this fundraiser will go toward the Marissa E. Lloyd Sunshine Fund second grade book program.
Lloyd, a second-grade student at Hilltop Elementary, died Feb. 15, 2008, the victim of a tragic automobile accident. She was 7 years of age, or as she would say, according to her grandmother Connie Lloyd, ‘Mimi, I’m almost 8.’
This year marks the fifth year the foundation has been providing books for children that contain important life lessons dealing with issues such as bullying, separation anxiety, death and much more. The program was first established in 2008 at the Caribou elementary schools and has since expanded to surrounding schools including Woodland, New Sweden and Connor and this year organizers plan to include Limestone and Caswell Elementary Schools as well.
“We believe every child has a right to have a voice and they have to be taught the skills to identify abuse and neglect, etc.,” stated Connie Lloyd. “But, we also believe young mothers and fathers need to be educated to deal with problems that arise. It’s sad when you pick up a paper and there is another child missing and no one knows what happened or when a young parent throws a baby in a crib and the child dies. There is too much of this going on and this is why we try to put links on Marissa’s website for parental help, in times of stress or life problems.”
“It is so important that family members start to come forward and protect the children in their immediate families — DHHS, courts, and schools are just not equipped,” said Lloyd. “A child’s best advocate should be his or her family. We all should be protecting innocent children and more importantly children should be heard,” she emphasized, “a voice is a voice, no matter how small.”
Over the years since the Marissa E. Lloyd Sunshine Fund was established, Connie Lloyd stated that the response to the program has been overwhelming as parents and other adults share their stories online, stating what a positive network of support Marissa’s legacy is building.
The tickets are $10 and individuals may enter more than one time. Those interested in helping to carry on Marissa’s legacy may contact any of the board members — Kristin Lloyd, Nancy Saucier, Lisa Berkoski, Connie Lloyd, Allyson Masse, Lynn Greenier or Terri Hallowell.
Board members can also be contacted at marissasunshinefund.org or Sunshine fund on Facebook. Anyone who would like to purchase a ticket by mail, should send a check for $10 (per ticket) along with their address to: Marissa E. Lloyd Sunshine Fund, 394 Sweden Street, Caribou, ME. 04736
“It would mean a lot to have our mailbox be filled with ticket requests. The proceeds will help us to continue our mission and to carry on Marissa’s legacy,” stated Lloyd.
