Ricky lost his battle to cancer in April 10, 2009 but his memory lives on with his family, friends and teammates.
Iowa-based Musco Lighting officials decided to donate, and install, all the needed lights and four light poles. Construction began on Friday, November 21.
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UPDATE 10.18.08:
At the game, a total of $12,790 (including Make-A-Wish Foundation's $6,000 contribution) was raised through ticket sales, raffles, general crowd donations and a $1,000 gift from the 4th and 5th grade Maranacook youth football team.
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12/8/08
Ricky’s football team at Maranacook Community High School in Readfield has long dreamt of a field with lights and bleachers. The focus of Ricky’s wish is to make this dream a reality.
Ricky, a sophomore at Maranacook and a member of the varsity football team, was diagnosed in September with Pontine Glioma, a malignant tumor in the brain stem that has progressed rapidly. He is currently undergoing chemotherapy and decided that, out of all the wishes he could have, he would like to give something back to his football program.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine researched the cost of field upgrades (lights and bleachers) with the hope that the entire project could be completed directly within the organization’s means. However, even conservative estimates of the cost to add bleachers and lighting to the Maranacook field came in at $200,000, a figure that the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine does not have the ability to reach. Alone.
Instead, the Foundation will be teaming with Maranacook Football, Inc., a community group that supports the high school football program to which Ricky belongs. A special fund dedicated to field upgrades will be launched with Make-A-Wish as the initial donor, giving $6,000 (the average cost of a granted wish in Maine).
Donations made to the fund, which Ricky’s wish has been the catalyst for, will directly benefit all football programs supported by Maranacook Football, Inc., including kindergarten through twelfth grade football teams residing in the communities of Manchester, Mt. Vernon, Readfield, Fayette and Wayne.
“All of the wishes from our Make-A-Wish kids touch our hearts in different ways,” said Tom Peaco, Executive Director at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine.
“Ricky’s wish touched us because his greatest wish is focused on giving to others, and to a group that is so special to him. While the fulfillment of his wish is well beyond our means as an organization, we are honored to lend our resources to launching a campaign to realize his dream.”
This Saturday at 1:30PM, Maranacook will host Winslow in a regularly scheduled Pine Tree Conference matchup. Ricky and his family along with representatives from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine, Maranacook Football, Inc., and school administrators will be on hand to formally launch the campaign. The public is encouraged to attend and contributions to the campaign are most welcome at the game. Checks can be made payable to Maranacook Education Foundation and contributions are tax-deductible.
For more information about donating to the fund, please contact Linda Smith at Maranacook Football Inc. at 207-623-3532 or visit maranacook.org.
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