Thursday, May 31, 2007

May 31st Walk for Wishes A Great Success!

The Seventh Annual Walk for Wishes on May 31st in six locations was a huge success. This year, a record number of teams - 78 altogether - joined forces to help raise over $93,000, or the equivalent of 18 wishes!

This year's walkers created many reasons to celebrate. The Lewiston walk location saw a 50% increase in participation, raising a record $15,942. A new walk location in Rockland surpassed all expectations with a spirited turnout of more than 100 people who raised more than $14,500. The majority of funds raised in Augusta came from wish kids and school groups. Overall, more than 600 walkers hit the pavement for wishes. Way to go, walkers!

Total amount of pledges collected at each walk site:

The overall amount raised was brought to over $93,000 thanks to our corporate sponsors:

• Spectrum Medical: $9,000
• Saco/Biddeford Savings Bank: Pledged $2,500 to challenge School Union #7
• Service Master: $1,500
• Auburn Wal-Mart Supercenter: $1,500
• Kohl's: Three $500 community grants and employee participation in Bangor, Lewiston/Auburn, and Saco/Biddeford. Kohl's employees in Saco/Biddeford also raised $286 and served on the steering committee.
• Ariel Creative: Donation of print and website design and materials.

Thanks also to the following Mile Sponsors: Wal-Mart Distribution Center, Taylor Brook Dental Associates, Central Maine Medical Center, Prock Marine, Subway of Rockland, and Camden National Bank.

Event Photos
(To enlarge photo, click on any thumbnail image below)

	Friends and family members held their own Walk For Wishes on June 4, in Guilford, in memory of Mike Davis who received his wish to go to Walt Disney World Resort in 1999. Mike passed away in March, 2007, and his friends and family raised $909 in his memory.
	Meredith Leiter and Maureen Flanagan helped make the Rockland site a huge success. This is the first year that a walk has taken place in Rockland, and the midcoast community raised nearly $15,000. Meredith was the team captain for Pen Bay Medical Center, which raised more than $4,000 to win the top Corporate Team category.
	The Bank of America team in Bangor raised more than $3,500. Last year, Bank of America branches also raised more than $5,000 to grant twelve-year-old Anthony's (center, in yellow) wish to go to Walt Disney World Resort. (photo credit: RealYou Photography).
	Young walkers led the charge in Augusta. Bri's team was formed by wish child Carlene (far right, middle row), in honor of former wish child and friend Brianna, who went to Walt Disney World in 2000.
	Brock Hurley, who wished to ride his bike across the Golden Gate Bridge in 2002, is the inspiration for The Brock Hurley Team which walks each year in Portland. The Brock Hurley Team was the top fundraiser team this year, raising nearly $4,500.
	Special thanks to Eva Matteson and Tim Wright from the Coast 93.1 Morning Show for their support promoting the Walk in advance and emceeing the evening in Portland.
	The Key Club from Cony High School raised nearly $800 at the Augusta site.
	Guy and Polly Baillargeon participated at the Saco/Biddeford Walk For Wishes, in celebration of their grandson Adam, who wished to ski with extreme skiier Shane McConkey in 2002.
	A group of friends and family formed the team Hailey's Army in Lewiston and raised nearly $3,000 in honor of six-year-old Hailey, who is in the process of deciding what her wish will be. (photo credit: Kymberli Bryant)
	Walkers in Portland head out to make the loop around Back Bay.
	Kohl's employees helped out in Bangor, Lewiston/Auburn, and Saco/Biddeford. In Saco/Biddeford, these employees also raised $286 and served on the steering committee. Thanks, Kohl's!
	JR Mitchell, of Q106.5 in Bangor, served as the emcee for the Bangor Walk. Special thanks to Q106.5 for promoting the Walk in advance, providing a live remote, and emceeing the evening. (photo credit: RealYou Photography).
	The Walk For Savannah team raised more than $4,000, inspired by wish child Savannah who will go to Walt Disney World Resort this summer.
	Employees of Subway in Rockland raised more than $500.
	Seven-year-old Taylor Ann, who received her wish to go to Walt Disney World Resort in 2004, has collected change in her "dinosaur bank" for the past two years for the Walk For Wishes. In 2006, she donated $76.06, and this year she collected $100! After making her donation, she was thrilled to get a ride in a Portland Fire Department truck at the Walk For Wishes in Portland.

Congratulations to the following Team Spirit Winners:

• Wish Family Team: Brock Hurley Team - $4,434.00
  Team Captain: Dari Hurley
  
  
• Corporate Team: Pen Bay Medical Center - $4,099.00
  Team Captain: Meredith Leiter
  
  
• Non-Corporate Team: School Union #7 - $2,055.00
  Team Captains: Cathy Baillargeon, Erin Stitt
  
  
• Kids for Wish Kids Team: Acton School Student Council - $1,003.00
  Team Captain: Gail Boisvert

All individual walkers who raised $1,000 or more were entered into a drawing to win a $500 gift certificate. The winner was Melissa Gould, of Team Triple MT in Bangor. Congratulations, Melissa!

We also extend our gratitude to the following corporate teams who have faithfully contributed to the walk's success over the last few years:

• Bank of America
• Bachmann Industries
• Hilltop Log Homes
• Support Solutions
• The Power Walkers
• Wishful Walkers (Olympia Sports)

The following teams raised more than $500:

The Brock Hurley Team, Portland, $4,479.00
Walk for Savannah, Augusta, $4,167.00
Pen Bay Medical Center, Rockland, $4,099.15
Bank of America, Bangor, $3,596.12
Hailey's Army, Lewiston/Auburn, $2,915.24
Dreamcatcher, Portland, $2,770.00
School Union #7, Saco, $2,195.00
MSAD #5, Rockland, $2,124.00
Pure Imagination, Lewiston/Auburn, $1,955.00
The Power Walkers, Lewiston/Auburn, $1,772.00
Wishful Walkers, Portland, $1,560.00
L/A General, Lewiston/Auburn, $1,535.00
Support Solutions, Lewiston/Auburn, $1,395.00
Gung-Ho Granters, Saco, $1,377.00
Intertech Pira, Portland, $1,234.00
Triple MT, Bangor, $1,183.05
Kaerner/Pendleton, Saco, $1,010.00
Acton School Student Council, Saco, $1,003.50
The Dream Team, Saco, $1,000.00
Friends for Wishes, Lewiston/Auburn, $994.00
Los Tigres de los Deseos, Augusta, $912.00
Ty's Team, Bangor, $895.00
Jaret & Cohn, Rockland, $860.00
Michelle's Marchers, Lewiston/Auburn, $850.00
Sunny Side Up, Portland, $840.00
Jordan Small Middle School, Lewiston/Auburn, $806.00
Cony High School Key Club, Augusta, $771.50
Meadow Auto Body, Rockland, $768.00
Bachmann Industries, Lewiston/Auburn, $762.00
Taylor Ann's Triumph, Portland, $720.00
Employees of DHHS, Rockland, $677.00
Heather's Team, Lewiston/Auburn, $637.00
Critter Outfitters, Rockland, $587.00
Subway, Rockland, $573.83
Biddeford YMCA, Saco, $570.00

Thanks to the following participants who raised more than $100:

Kathryn Abel
Bev Acker
Pat Acker-Bailey
Volha Adamovich
Jessica Agreste
Chip Amergian
Kerry Audet
Frank Ayotte
Cathy Baillargeon
Erin Baker
Nancy Barry
Sheri Bartlett
Geoffrey Basinet
Nichole Beane
Denise Beaulieu
Lindsay Beauregard
Joshua Beckett
Gail Boisvert
Beverly Boudreau
Connor Bouffard
Kenda Bouffard
Nancy Bowie
Amanda Brewster
Kymberli Bryant
Lisa Buck
Janice Budzik
Cheryl Burgess
Trish Butler
Joanna Call
Buddy Carleton
Lindsey Carr
Ilmi Carter
Erica Castonsuan
Laura Charloff
Cindy Charlson
Kerrie Childs
Larry Ciembroniewicz
Lisa Coburn
Darren Collins
Arthur Collins
Debbie Collins
Leslie Connell
Sarah Coonradt
Debbie Davis
Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School DECA students
Linda Dilodouco
Bobby Dion
Elena Donovan
Sophie Douzepis
Kathi Doyle
Donna Duke
Teresa Duke
Heather Dumas
Carrie Dunbar
Kate Kline Edge
Amy Faunce
Dawn Fecteau
Carolyn Ferrance
Emily Fisher
Sue Fleming
Kimberly Frank
Kelly Fredericks
Jim and Sandie Gaffney
Pattie Gallant
Kayla Goodwin
Melissa Gould
Kim Goulet
Vanessa Grierson
Ashley Haney
Tracey Hansen
Noreen Hare
Cynthia Harradon
Kathy Harrison
Mindy Hart
Tyler Hawes
Kimberly Henke
Emi Higgins
Sam Hodsdon
Tamra Hooper
Gladys Howard
Alesia Howell
Carmen Hunter
Bill Hunter
Jade Hurley
Dari Hurley
Taylor Ann James
Michelle James
Claudia Kaerner
Kirk Karkos
Heather Karoli
Candace Keene
Judi Keene
Bonnie Kempson
Deanna Kenney
James Kurr
Dean Lamson
Lisa Laustsen
Julie Lawrence
Kimberly LeClair
Chandra Leister
Meredith Leiter
Cheryl Levasseur
Kerin Lindahl
Debbie Litchfield
Barbara Loux
Susan MacMillan
Jordyn Maloy
Jessica Maloy
Chelsey Matthews
Hope McCabe
Cathy McKenna
Marion Mitchell
David Moisan
Sam/Erin Moody
Katherine Moores
Matt Moran
Ginny Morang
Gina Mosca
Jeannie Muldoon
Kayla Munroe
Brenda Musselman
Angela Nelson
Diane Normand
Daniel Norwood
Michelle O'Dwyer
Kayla O'Malley
Jennie Palermo
Dorothy Paquette
Brittany Payson
Natasha Peasley
Amber Pelletier
Brigham Pendleton
Megan Phelan
Kim Plourde
Grace and Samantha Poirier
Eliza Porter
Hazel Poulin
Pat Putnam
Tacy Ranney
Anna Remsen
Rita Renaud
Lacy Richard
Zachary Richard
Shelly Richard
Kristen Robichaud
Jessica Roy
Catherine Sally-Rice
Stephanie Salmon
Laurie Saunders
Jacqueline Sawyer
Meghan Seavey
Heather Seiders
Betsy Sibley
Hannah Sieben
Jan Siniscalchi
Katie Smith
Annette Smith
Sue Snow
Hailey Sontag
Sabrina Sontag
Kristie, Grace and Elise Soucy
Lauren Stackhouse
Nancy Stinson
Erin Stitt
Eben Sweetser
Greg Sweetser
Eben Sweetser
Kim Thompson
Jessica Tilton
Linda Timberlake
Judi Trafford
Jennifer Trafton
Dina Trefethen
Catherine Tribou
Dylan Tureff
Cierra Tuttle
Haley Tuttle
Sharon Tuttle
Savannah Tuttle
Shawn Tuttle
Hallie Twomey
Elizabeth Tyler
Donnaleen Vanorse-DiNapoli
Carol Violette
Heather Washburn
Jean Willard
Mike Williams
John Wilson
Pam Woodcock
Jessica Woodcock
Anne Wortman
Kim Young
Patty Zub

Thanks again to everyone who gathered pledges to help make wishes come true!