Lewiston, ME

I don’t normally post the information I get from my email but this cause is important to me.  Last week, there was a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine.  These events are always horrifying and beyond belief but this one hit home for me – literally.

I was born in Lewiston many years ago and so was my mom and her siblings.  We have/had relatives in the small towns around there, too.  The ones mentioned in the news reports.

Several holidays and vacations were taken in Maine, including Auburn, the twin city to Lewiston.

Years ago, I met a woman online and we were comparing notes.  After winnowing the info down, we realized that both our moms had the same doctor delivering them of us.  There can’t be more than one Dr. Gard Twaddle in Lewiston, ME!

I couldn’t find much about Dr. Twaddle online but this quote from https://www.mchp.edu/dr-gard-w-twaddle-nurses-endowment-fund/ shows a bit of how much he was loved:

“The Dr. Gard Twaddle Nurses’ Endowment Fund was formed in 1954 as a living tribute to Dr. Gard Twaddle, a highly respected physician in the Lewiston-Auburn area.  The fund was formed by a group of Dr. Twaddle’s professional colleagues as a tribute to a community doctor who placed people-patients, nurses he worked with, and the community members- above monetary measures.   Even after Dr. Twaddle’s retirement and then his death in 1970, community members have continued to make donations to the fund in his memory.  Since its inception, the fund has assisted nursing students for over 65 years and, over those years, has generously given close to 1 million in scholarships.  Many of these students probably would not be able to attend college without assistance from this fund.”

So, when the opportunity to buy yet another sweatshirt came up, one that promised to help the victims families, I said “send me that shirt” – or I clicked the PayPal button.

Today, that company wrote:

“Lewiston, Maine is currently facing a heartbreaking situation with the tragic mass shooting resulting in 18 confirmed fatalities. As a company deeply rooted in Lewiston since 1969, we are profoundly affected by this devastating event.

Our close personal connections to some of the victims have compelled us to take action. We understand that all the affected families will require significant support during this difficult time. To contribute to this cause, we have initiated a fundraiser, and we want to assure you that every penny raised will be directly allocated to assist the affected families.

If you are in a position to offer assistance, we sincerely appreciate your support. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who are grappling with the aftermath of this tragedy.“

I’m not sharing the name of the company because I don’t do promotions but it should be easy for anyone to figure out if they want…or not.