Fire department personnel, volunteers from all around and neighbors pulled into the Whitefield Elementary School gymnasium Saturday night to help a local family struggling with medical care costs.
Rob Burke has been a volunteer firefighter with the Whitefield Fire Dept. for 10 years and when his wife, April, was recently diagnosed with cancer, other fire departments heard their call. April has been working full time as a nurse at Winship Green in Bath, helping others with their ailments, but she and her husband have had a tough time covering costs for her own treatment.
Parents of both Rob and April expressed their gratitude for the huge Nov.21 turnout and support. Elizabeth Burke and her husband (Rob’s parents) drove up from Massachusetts for the dinner and back home the same night.
“We’re overwhelmed by everyone’s kindness,” April’s mother said. “I didn’t think they were going to make it through the winter.”
Whitefield Fire Chief Tim Pellerin described the fire department as a brotherhood. Somerville, Whitefield and Jefferson fire department volunteers came to the school in the spirit of “mutual aid” to help out with the dinner. Newcastle Fire Chief Clayton Huntley came to the dinner and in cooperation with the Boothbay Fire Dept., offered donated items for a raffle drawing.
“When one of us is down,” Pellerin said, “We all get together to help out.”
Among the raffle items were bowling tickets, emergency gear, a large hand-made quilt, restaurant gift certificates and other items. Melissa Padgett, a local independent designer (www.celebratinghome.com/sites/melissapadgett) offered a percentage of proceeds from the sale of her candles to the cause, as well as 10 percent off her party reservations.
An individual gave a long, cherry wood train made in the industrial program at Two Bridges Regional Jail. It sold to a high bidder for $300.
Many residents turned out for the dinner, as well as the Jolly Farmers 4-H Club who helped out. Donations for the raffle and silent auction brought in a lot of support, and people who came to eat should not have left hungry. In addition to the spaghetti dinner and salad, a neighboring table was covered with dozens of cakes, cookies and other sweets, with coffee and apple cider nearby.
Dawn Guptill, Director of Nursing at Winship Green, said her fellow staff members donated a lot of the desserts. She said her staff adopts a family for Christmas each year. They buy presents for children and support a family in need.
“We’re going to adopt April’s family this year,” Guptill said.
Burke has been working for Guptill for some time now. They worked at Fieldcrest Manor in Waldoboro and then moved to Bath when the Waldoboro long-term care facility closed last year. Guptill described Burke as a very hard worker, that Burke worked 50-60 hours per week.
Burke is still working full time, Guptill said, but only works when she is able. She said Burke has earned the respect of her peers and the staff is very supportive.
“She’s a strong girl,” Guptill said. “If it was me I’d be hiding under a table. I haven’t seen a teardrop. She’s asked for absolutely nothing.”
