By Paula Brewer
Special to the Aroostook Republican
Thanks to successes in Presque Isle and Caribou, a local business has brought its mission of serving families of children with serious illnesses to the St. John Valley. The Cubby Thriftstores opened its newest location in Madawaska this past August, and according to its founders, the new site is blossoming.
“Our patron base has already become very loyal and the donations are amazingly generous,” said Cindy Johnson, chief executive officer of The Cubby Thriftstores. “We are happy to see the families of The Valley enjoying their experience at The Cubby and connecting with our cause of helping children with life-threatening illnesses.”
Cindy and her husband, Chris Johnson, chief operating officer, initially planned to seek a third location in Houlton. “While we were scouting properties, we made a social visit to Madawaska, noticed the current location, and knew we had to act,” she explained. “In the long run, it has turned out to be a great move for The Cubby. We have had great feedback and support for our cause and concept. The culture of The Valley is very warm and welcoming, and we have enjoyed our time here setting up and visiting the store.”
The Madawaska store opened August 30 at 383 Main Street in the Kmart Plaza, and employs a total of six people. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Johnsons began their venture as a way to give back to the community following some of their experiences with their son, Kaleb, who was born with a life-threatening illness called neurofibromatosis type 1, or NFI. According to information from the Mayo Clinic, NFI is a type of nervous system disorder that can cause tumors to form on nerve tissue, and is usually diagnosed in childhood or early adulthood. Some of these tumors can become malignant.
Though doctors were unsure if Kaleb would live past age 4, he is now 15.
“Our journey educated us as parents of a child with a life-threatening illness. In the beginning it was devastating both emotionally and financially.” The family, which included the couple and their five young children, traveled extensively for appointments and surgeries. “It was hard at times to travel as a family, but we grew closer and gained more than we ever lost. We were the recipients of so much generosity and it made all the difference in the world. The idea behind our concept was to just give back and try to be a support to families who were experiencing what we had already gone through,” said Cindy Johnson.
The Johnsons began their first store in Caribou in the fall of 2010. From that 1,200-foot space, they moved to a 12,000-foot space, and in April of 2011 expanded to Presque Isle. Following the opening in Madawaska, they plan to expand to Houlton in the spring of 2014.
“Our patrons in Houlton have been very patient, as we have been promising a store for some time and we are very excited about our next location,” said Cindy Johnson.
“Our greatest education and reality check was how much work it takes to make a little money for our cause. The Cubby Thriftstores LLC are the financial generators for The Cubby Fund, which is a nonprofit organization. Our retail stores are still subject to all the costs of payroll, taxes, insurances, utilities, rents and mortgages.
“We recognize the importance of our cause and the families we help, and that was the reason we decided to expand,” she noted.
The Johnsons explained that the retail stores also work with local agencies and auxiliaries to provide physical support to families in need by donating clothing and other fixtures. While they realize they can’t solve every problem, their goal is to contribute where they can.
In addition to supporting children with life-threatening and chronic illnesses, The Cubby Fund also sponsors a parent group open to all families of children with special needs, where special presenters offer support and education on a variety of current topics. A monthly Hero Program recognizes the strength and bravery of a local child with a life-threatening illness with a monetary gift to spend as they wish, as well as their picture and story in the local paper showcasing their courage. Chris Johnson reported that a volunteer/community service program is also offered by The Cubby Fund, and utilized by a number of different organizations.
“Our greatest reward is our 16 staff members of our stores who work so hard to provide a unique and satisfying retail experience for our patrons and all the families we are able to support as a result of this work,” added Cindy Johnson. “We have not forgotten the road we traveled with our son and we still travel it today. We are thankful for all the support we received when Kaleb was younger and are so honored to pass it on.”
