By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — After raising $708 for the Make-A-Wish foundation in September, Linda Sheldon said that she’d like to reach $1,000.
As of Nov. 30, Sheldon and her friends were within dollars of their goal.
Contributed photo by Dick Sheldon
Helping fundraise $708 for Make A Wish during the Sept. 20 walk included, front row, from left: Diana Walton, Ev Dufour, Paul and Paula Barnes. Back row: Linda and JayLynn Sheldon, Wish Granter for Make A Wish Pete Lento and Courtney Sheldon. Absent from the photo were team members Dick Sheldon and Betty Paradis.
Sheldon has worked for the scrapbooking company Creative Memories for five years as an independent consultant, and the company fundraises for Make-A-Wish every September.
This year’s Make-A-Wish campaign, however, started a season spanning push by Sheldon and her friends to raise $1,000 for the Make-A-Wish Fund. Most recently the team — comprised of Sheldon, Diana Walton, Ev Dufour, Paul and Paula Barnes, Jaylynn Sheldon, Courtney Sheldon, Dick Sheldon and Betty Paradis — was able to add $210.50 to their total Make-A-Wish collections after the Presque Isle restaurant Amato’s donated 10 percent of their Tuesday proceeds to the non-profit cause. In addition, $53 in tips were collected at the eatery to help ill children find some happiness amidst their struggles.
“There’s too much hurtfulness in life, and to be able to see a little kid and know that you’ve made a difference in their life, even if it’s a half smile, it’s worth it,” Linda Sheldon said. “We as adults need to take lessons from kids like these guys — we really do. I guess we really need to be thankful and count our blessings,” she added. “I don’t think we count our blessings enough.”
With the generous support of Caribou businesses while canvassing the community, Sheldon and her crew have collected $954.43 for Make-A-Wish, including the $708 they raised during the Presque Isle walk.
But the group also decided to localize their assistance, collecting $53 for the grandson of the Make-A-Wish fundraising group member Diana Walton.
Stephen Drost, a Washburn toddler, was diagnosed with t-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoblastic lymphoma on Sept. 1. To help put a smile on his little face, Sheldon and her group gave the tyke the money to spend however he wished.
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| Photo courtesy of Deborah Drost Stephen Drost, 2, of Washburn, is pictured trying out a John Deere tractor from Theriault Equipment. Drost was diagnosed with cancer in September. |
Drost and his family went to Theriault Equipment in Presque Isle for John Deere toys, where there were unknown surprises waiting.
As Drost looked at the toys on the lower shelves, Sheldon and Drost’s family watched as a few Theriault employees came over and lifted a toy off of the top shelf — one of the expensive riding tractors.
“They went up to his mother Amber, and Stephen’s grandparents, and said ‘some of us chipped in and we bought this for him,’” Sheldon said, still getting choked up by the sentiment as she recalled the memory, because moments later a customer came over and bought Drost a bicycle and a hat.
In addition to his new bike and hat by a generous stranger, a new riding tractor by empathetic employees and $53 in spending money provided by Sheldon and her friends, Theriault Equipment donated a $50 dollar gift certificate and a fun ride on a great big tractor.
At the end of the event, Sheldon asked the happy little boy for a high five — which he enthusiastically provided.
“When Stevie gave me a high five, that was all worth it,” Sheldon said. “I have two children, and four grandkids, and I thank God that my kids are healthy. And when you see these other little kids, I just want to give,” she added. “I just want to see a smile on those little faces. These little guys are going through hell, and to see joy brought back on someone’s face and knowing that we have helped give back just a smidgen to somebody — that’s what life’s about.”
To help the cause, contact Sheldon at 498-8832 or visit www.wish.org.
