By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Employees of the Maine Military Authority and members of the local United Bikers of Maine organization teamed up to help kids head back to school this fall in style by donating crayons, markers and notebooks to the Wings Caribou office.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
Using their new school supplies, obtained through the generosity of Maine Military Authority employees and members of the local United Bikers of Maine (UBM) group, some of the young Wings clients created “thank you” cards as a sign of appreciation for the donation. Pictured with the cards are, from left, front row: Wings Case Manager Christa Waugh, Wings Case Manager Melissa Perry, an area representative for the UBM and the inspiration for the supply-drive Phyllis Robichaud, school-supplies project facilitator and Maine Military Authority Administrative Supervisor Bonnie Beaulieu and Wings Case Manager Jill Griffeth. Back row: Wings Case Manager Kelsey Albert, Executive Director of Wings Trish Niedorowski, Wings Case Manager Nicole Mills, Secretary/Treasurer for the local UBM Kathy Michaud, local UBM Assistant Director Larry Robichaud, local UBM Director David Michaud, retired MMA employee and UBM biker Byron Skidgel and UBM member Tammy Thomas.
Their charity exceeded bags of school supplies or even boxes as only a van was big enough to hold all the donations, which were estimated to exceed well over $1,000.
Wings provides targeted case management, a service funded through MaineCare, for youths with a diagnosis in the behavioral health, developmental, intellectual, substance abuse, or complex medical needs areas; the donated school supplies will be given to some of the underprivileged youths served by the Wings Caribou office.
“I am overwhelmed at the generosity of the groups and their grass-roots, collaborative effort,” said Executive Director of Wings Trish Niedorowski, who grew up in Aroostook County and knows that the region’s community interconnectedness is invaluable. “Somebody knew somebody, who knew somebody who knew of a need — and that’s Aroostook County — that’s how it works up here.”
Niedorowski described how even an $8 donated backpack can really make a difference for a struggling family trying to make ends meet.
“There isn’t a lot extra left over, so when the community can provide an $8 backpack — that’s $8 that can be spent on a meal for the family,” Niedorowski described.
The United Bikers of Maine orchestrate many charitable rides each year, but the local UBM group took on a new facet of giving back this year.
An area UBM representative and an educational technician at Pine Street Elementary School in Presque Isle, Phyllis Robichaud suggested that the biking group help local youths head back to school by collecting supplies that Wings employees could give to some of their underprivileged clients.
The supply drive’s success is truly one of those “it takes a village” stories.
Robichaud shared her idea with fellow UBM members including, retired Maine Military Authority employee Byron Skidgel. Skidgel knew that MMA often holds charity drives for Wings, and contacted MMA Administrative Supervisor Bonnie Beaulieu, who contacted officials with Wings.
The collaborative supply-drive yielded tremendous results for area students.
“I thought it would be a little program that we could do, but it turned out bigger than we expected,” Robichaud said, adding that she anticipates the supply-drive will be an even greater success next year.
Both the supply-drive at MMA and the UBM supply drive ride received large support.
Over 50 riders turned out for the “Back to School” ride on July 29, donating various school supplies and $5 to participate in the ride as well. The ride started at Plourde and Plourde in Caribou, looped around Long Lake and then biked over to Van Buren before returning to the starting point.
Local UBM Director David Michaud thanked Bob Plourde of Plourde and Plourde for allowing the group to utilize his building as a home-base for the ride and even chipped in school supplies for the drive. Plourde even had refreshments waiting for the members when they arrived.
To show their appreciation for the donated school supplies, about 20 of the Wings youthful clients crafted “thank you” cards using their new gear, and more continue coming in.
“One card even said ‘I’m going to use my supplies to write a chapter book,’” Niedorowski shared.
She also said that students were very excited and very appreciative of their new school gear.
