Tidds Sports Shop helps grant student’s wish

By Karen Donato
Special to the Houlton Pioneer Times
    Seventeen-year-old Joey Dube, son of Randy and Kathy Holmes of Presque Isle received a special wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine. Born with Down syndrome and a heart condition, Dube spent several weeks at Maine Medical Center last spring. Now back at Presque Isle High School, he is readjusting and feeling much better.
    On Oct. 15 he was the guest of honor at a Make-A-Wish party where many friends and relatives gathered to mark the occasion, including several members of the United Vets Motorcycle Club from the Houlton area.
Photo by Karen Donato
GIVING-A-WISH — Partnering with Polaris Company, Tidd’s Sport Shop of Houlton participated in a Make-A-Wish event in Presque Isle. They provided a new 2012 Ranger Side-by-Side to Joey Dube, a 17-year-old Presque Isle High School student born with Down Syndrome and coping with a heart condition. From left, Dube, his friend Jim Humphrey of Presque Isle, Rick Tidd with granddaughters, Serrinna Saunders and McKenna Tidd and his parents, Elwood and Dinah Tidd of Houlton, who assisted with the presentation.
    Marilyn Carey, Tonya Fitzpatrick and Karen King, wish grantors from southern Aroostook organized the event. Guests decorated pumpkins and enjoyed a barbecue by the biker members with Slurpees provided by the Irving On-the-Run store on Main Street in Presque Isle.
    Dube was overwhelmed by the large crowd and shied away from the activities at first. He was finally enticed outside by the offer of a Slurpee, his favorite drink. Once out on his deck he received a life-size Marmaduke piñata and his own Slurpee machine. He also received new boots, gloves, insulated mugs and two helmets from Cabela’s. The extra helmet was for his nephew, Brandon Cropley of Washburn, who spends a lot of time with Dube.
    Those gifts led up to the presentation of a brand new 2012 Polaris Ranger Side-by-Side, 500EFI. The four-wheel-drive, fuel-injected off-road vehicle was purchased through the Polaris Company, who partnered with Tidd’s Sport Shop of Houlton. Dube’s dad added the windshield, roof and door package to make it more versatile for the weather.
    Holmes said that he and Joey had been driving along Main Street in Presque Isle earlier in the summer and passed by several ATV riders on one of the local trails. It was then that he became interested in the sport.
    “The Make-A-Wish organization has some fabulous people,” said Holmes. “When they go after something, they get it. My wife and I have been very impressed with everything.”
    Elwood Tidd and his son Rick, owners of the sport shop, delivered the machine to the party.
    Rick said, “We were more than happy to be part of this worthwhile event and it won’t be the last. A lot of people came together to make this work.”
    The Tidds have operated their business on the Calais Road in Houlton for about 40 years and this was the first time they have participated in a Make-A-Wish presentation.
    The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine is headquartered in Portland and have wish grantors around the state. It takes approximately $6,000 to provide a wish. Those receiving wishes must be between 2 and one-half and 18 years old with a life-threatening illness. For more information or to donate to this worthwhile cause, one can find information @Mainewish.org.