Northern Maine Community College raffle changes lives

    PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — “Holy cow … I’m going back to school … and next week!” That was the stunned reaction of 25-year-old Heather Copeland, a Mapleton native who was one of the lucky winners of the first-ever tuition raffle held by Northern Maine Community College’s Alumni and Friends Organization.    Friends of Copeland’s family, Gisele and Danny MacDonald, had purchased one of the winning tickets drawn Aug. 19 and designated her as the recipient of the prize — free tuition for 12 credit hours in the fall semester and again for the spring semester.
Copeland had taken classes at NMCC previously, but hadn’t originally planned to return this fall due to the need to work during the busy season on her parents’ Christmas tree farm.
“But now that I have this opportunity, I’ll have to work less; but I feel an education is more important,” she said. “Having this gift makes the financial load much, much smaller. I will be able to pay off what I owe and get the degree.”
Copeland is pursuing a business degree with the hopes of expanding her home-crafting business.
The NMCC Alumni and Friends Organization raffle chose one winner from each of the college’s four academic departments: nursing and allied health, business, trade and technical, and arts and sciences.
Ashley Doucette of New Sweden has already completed all the courses necessary for a degree in early childhood education. But she is back on the NMCC campus enrolled in the health information technology program. She, too, was the recipient of a winning raffle ticket — this one bought by a stranger.
“We didn’t know anyone going to NMCC, so I asked my niece if she knew anyone,” said Sandra Bouchard. “She said, ‘Yes, my best friend, Ashley.’ But she may not have been going back right away due to finances. My husband, Mark, and I were happy to put her name in the drawing and so happy that she won!”
Doucette currently works part-time as a day habilitation trainer at Northern Maine General and has a second job in a sandwich shop.
“I was shocked. I was struggling with money issues and this is such a help because of the extra expense this semester of health insurance costs,” she said. “It’s pretty awesome that I get this opportunity.”
“It really takes some of the stress off. Not having to pay for most of this year’s expense means a lot,” said Brad MacKenzie, a senior in the diesel hydraulics technology program. MacKenzie’s parents participated in the raffle and were ecstatic to find out their son had won.
“I was so happy … I mean, I never win anything big like this!” said MacKenzie. “I’ll still have student loans for a couple of semesters, but this will make it so much easier.”
MacKenzie, who is from Fairfield, says he chose NMCC because it’s the best program of its kind in the state.
“I love it, it’s fantastic,” he said. “While I’ll always have things to learn, I know I’ll be well prepared to find a job once I graduate. I just want to say ‘thank you’ to NM for making this raffle opportunity possible for students. I’ll never forget it!”
Unfortunately, because of life circumstances, the fourth winner was unable to take advantage of returning to college this year.
Over $5,300 was raised through the raffle. The proceeds will be retained by the Alumni and Friends Organization to fund activities which support the college.