Hopkinton News : fundraiser

Hundreds show support for family of Hopkinton offi cer Sean Powers

Bow Editor — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:28:00 GMT

In a sea of motorcycles and bikers, there was one common purpose – to support the family and memory of Hopkinton police officer Sean Powers.

On Saturday, Oct. 4, 304 people turned out for a motorcycle ride to benefit the Powers family. A motorcade of bikers left Hillsboro-Deering High School with a police escort at 10 a.m. for a two-hour ride to Waterville Valley in the White Mountains. Russell Fuller and Jeremy Gaudet, two of Powers’ high school friends, organized the event.

“It’s something we all loved to do,” said Fuller. “We all used to ride together.”

Fuller said they would like to make this an annual event, and they will make a donation to a different cause each year.

Powers, who joined the Hopkinton Police Department in April, was riding his motorcycle home at the end of his shift when he was killed by an alleged drunk driver on Aug. 14. Powers served two tours of duty in Iraq, suffering no injuries, and was home for less than one year before the incident occurred.

“I heard about this story, and it was a real heart (breaker),” said Rich Netto of Hillsborough, one of the participants in the event.

“Sean and I were like brothers,” said Peter W. Powers Sr., Sean’s father, “the whole military thing, the whole motorcycle thing.”

Peter Powers said by the time his son was 19, he even had a brand-new Harley.

“Sean was just a real nice guy,” said Peter Powers. “He didn’t have a lot of friends – but you knew he loved you, and he knew you loved him.”

Sean Powers’ first-grade teacher, Vicky Wheeler of Hillsborough, sat on the tailgate of her truck amidst the commotion around her. Her husband, John, rode in the benefit as well. Both have been friends with the Powers family for years.

“I’ve got soccer duty today, otherwise I’d be riding, too,” said Wheeler.

“This has got to feel good for the Powers,” said Wheeler, of the massive amount of support shown for the family.

“We miss him, we really miss him,” said Hopkinton firefighter Sean Weldon, who showed up with other members of the Fire Department.

Many people who never knew Powers showed up to the event as well.

“I’m just supporting him as a former police officer myself,” said Ray Bernier of Temple.

“I’m just a fellow Marine,” said Mike Brien of Hillsborough.

Father Mark Dollard, pastor of St. Theresa’s Church in Henniker and St. Mary’s Church in Hillsborough, performed a blessing of the bikes before bikers headed to Waterville Valley. Dollard also officiated at Powers’ funeral.

“We’re going on – putting one foot in front of the other,” said Peter Powers. “You got to have faith. You got to have faith that you’ll see him again.”

Hopkinton officer remembered with bike benefit

Bow Editor — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:26:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Police officer Sean Powers’ memory will ride on.

Hopkinton Police Chief David Wheeler is working with two of Powers’ Hillsboro-Deering High School classmates to honor the recently killed officer with a motorcycle ride to benefit the Powers family.

“The family is strapped right now with paying for the funeral, so we wanted to generate a fundraiser and bring closure to that issue,” said Wheeler. “By the same token, we want to do something very positive to not only help the family out, but bring people together in his memory.”

Wheeler said the Saturday, Oct. 4, motorcycle ride will hopefully include a two-hour ride into the White Mountains, a one-hour lunch break, and a two-hour ride back, including a police escort the entire way. Powers, who joined the Hopkinton Police Department in the spring, was killed on Aug. 14 by an alleged drunk driver while riding his motorcycle home at the end of his shift.

“He had so many passions. It’ll be amazing to try to think about what he would want to have money go to each year,” said Russell Fuller, one of Powers’ friends who organized the benefit with friend Jeremy Gaudette. “It’ll be good coming up with special things to remember a special person. It’s hard to say just how amazing someone is.”

Even though Powers worked with Wheeler in the department for a short time, the chief said Powers made a big impact.

“Although he was here for a short period of time, his spirit will be stimulating this department and community for a long time to come,” said Wheeler. “It hit here as hard as it hit them, in some respects. It’s been very good for the officers to get through this by maintaining an open communication with the family.”

Fuller said he has been impressed to see the community response since Powers’ death, and hopes the motorcycle ride will be more of the same outpouring.

“Even the day we did the funeral, seeing everyone on the side of the road was very respectful,” said Fuller. “I’m looking forward to putting something like this together every year from now on. I’m hoping I can do it every year, learn more about it and see people coming back.”

Wheeler said he has already gotten a large response about the ride, and hopes to get at least 300 to 400 people to take part. Each rider is being asked to make a $25 donation for the event, which has a rain date of Saturday, Oct. 18.

“I think it’ll be very instrumental in (getting some sort of closure),” said Wheeler. “The family needs the support, and they’re getting the support.”

Even those who don’t ride motorcycles may take part in the event, as Wheeler said there have been volunteers willing to cater the lunch at the halfway point of the ride.

While Wheeler said the fundraiser will be helpful in the grieving process, he knows it is ongoing.

“This process will take time. It’s not something that will be over in any finite period,” said Wheeler. “We want to keep that memory stimulated and very much alive.”

Motorcycle Ride will travel from Hillsboro-Deering High School to the White Mountains and back. Anyone who wants to participate in the ride is asked to meet at the Hillsboro-Deering High School, 12 Hillcrest Dr. Hillsboro, at 9 a.m.

Those interested in taking part in the ride should contact Chief Wheeler at 746-5151.

Hopkinton students pooling their money to make wish come true

Bow Editor — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:17:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

A group of Maple Street School students wanted a swimming pool, even if they may never set foot in it.

Fourth- through sixth-graders at the Hopkinton school organized a fundraiser for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, specifically for a 9-year-old cancer patient, Samantha.

Samantha’s wish is to have a pool she can swim in for the summer, and to have it built by the beginning of July.

Maple Street guidance counselor Mary-Chris Duncan and her group of peer leaders wanted to find a way to donate to Make-a-Wish, but with a personal connection.

The foundation’s Manchester branch led Duncan to Samantha’s wish, and the school began fundraising in the beginning of May.

“We knew we couldn’t come up with the funds for the whole pool, but we said we would raise as much as we could and have it matched by some corporate sponsors,” Duncan said. “We raised some money with daily donations.”

Students made donations in each classroom and for three Tuesdays during the month, Duncan helped organize a table at the school with healthy snacks and treats for sale.

A parent of one of the students involved with the fundraiser agreed to match whatever the students raised during the “Tuesday Treats” sales, bringing the total to about $300.

In total, the school raised $800 to donate to Samantha in about three weeks of work.

“It’s very heartening. The kids were very enthusiastic about this,” said Duncan. “It’s a very busy time of the school year and, quite frankly, I wasn’t sure how a fundrasier would go in May.”

The peer leaders were also joined by the Friends of Rachel Club at the school, with the two groups heading the fundraising efforts.

For every $5 students donated, Duncan added a paper link to a chain that began in her office and stretched down the hallway. Each piece signified a positive chain reaction of kindness and was decorated with a personal message from a student.

“They would check and count the links, and it was also like a math thing.,” Duncan said. “Even kids not part of the fundraiser would check the links. The kids in the school were excited to do something for Samantha.”

Duncan said the fundraiser affected more than one child.

“I think any time you allow kids to help out someone else, particularly another child, that’s huge. For them it’s very positive and very powerful. Kids like to help others and give back,” she said. “It was something that created a lot of positive energy in the school.”

Raffle raises money for leadership program

Bow Editor — Wed, 16 May 2007 20:20:00 GMT

Looking for a chance to see the Red Sox this summer?

The Boys and Girls Club is selling $5 raffle tickets for a chance to win two seats at the July 2 game against the Texas Rangers. The seats are along the first base line, section 10, box 97, row SS, seats 11 and 12.

The drawing will take place at the Hopkinton Memorial Day cookout at the American Legion on May 28. You do not need to be present to win.

All proceeds from the raffle will go to the first annual Boys and Girls Club Cape Eleuthera Institute Leadership Program. The Cape Eleuthera Institute is a facility that promotes a connection between people and the environment.

The program will provide a learning opportunity for the staff and 10 club teens who have been nominated based on their contribution to the club and community, proven ability to follow through on commitment and potential for growth. This curriculum will encourage individual growth of each participant while enhancing their contribution to their own community. They will be learning about tropical environments and sustainable design, including biodiesel, wind and solar energy.

Specific outcomes of the program will be designing a community project focusing on sustainability to implement at home; creating a program for the younger members at the club focusing on self-esteem development; design an educational presentation on the trip to present to the community; and develop skill in teamwork, leadership and self-reliance.

“It’s been amazing to see this group come together as a team,” said Hopkinton club director Carol Morse.

Morse, along with two other highly qualified trip leaders, will be joining the teens this summer on this adventure.

“The teens will be learning teamwork and communication skills that they can use for the rest of their lives. This program will help bring them and the club to the next level. I am honored to be part of this experience with them.”

This is just one fundraising event the group has organized to help fund the program. They also coordinated a number of activities in April, including a middle school dance in Concord, live music show at Columbia Hall in Hopkinton, a bake sale, a car wash and a 10,000 title book sale.

Tickets are available now, right up until the drawing at the American Legion. If you are interested, contact Carol Morse at 746-3474.

Mardi Gras – Money raised helps volunteers

Bow Editor — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 20:53:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Beads, balloons, feathered boas and Dixieland music set the mardi gras mood to help get 28 volunteers to Biloxi, Miss., to aid the Hurricane Katrina relief.

The Feb. 17 Mardi Gras and silent auction celebration at Harold Martin School in Hopkinton served more than 225 people and raised about $7,000.

“It’s been the most amazing thing I’ve ever put together because the community has come together in ways you couldn’t even imagine,” said organizer Kathy Ashton of First Congregational Church of Hopkinton. “We thought, ‘If we get 50 items for the silent auction we’ll be lucky,’ and we received 251 items, and they are all great items.”

Some auction items included cookbooks, event tickets, gift baskets, gift certificates, vacation packages, furniture, clothing, jewelry and others.

The Tall Granite Jazz Band, with local musicians Whit Simms, Dave Dustin, Dave Cook, Tim Wildman, Kurt Ekstrom and Randy Hencke, was formed specifially to entertain gatherers at the event.

The event also featured a mask-making workshop for children and authentic Cajun cuisine such as jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, and hot dogs for children.

The celebration also included “king cakes” – large crown-shaped pastries cut into slices.

Liz Olson, who contributed to the event, said the cakes are indicative of Three Kings Day, which kicks off Mardi Gras and symbolizes the three wise men traveling to find baby Jesus.

“On Three Kings Day in New Orleans, everybody brings in the first king cakes to school, to work, everywhere, and each cake has a little plastic baby to symbolize Jesus,” said Olson. “When you eat it, if you get the baby, you have to bring in the cake the next day. So, it goes on from Three Kings Day, which is Jan. 12, every day leading up to Mardi Gras.”

Ashton said she thought of the idea to make the trip to Biloxi and host the fundraiser after her daughter, who was serving with Americorps, informed her of the level of destruction that still exists along the Gulf.

The 28 volunteers, including Ashton, will volunteer from April 29 to May 5 in Biloxi with the Back Bay Mission to help restore homes demolished during Hurricane Katrina.

The homes belong to low- income families, most without insurance.