Thumbs up to all those who are working together to give a grand welcome to Karen Rand, a victim of the Boston Marathon bombing who is moving to Old Orchard Beach. Rand’s friend, Krystle Campbell, died in the attack, and Rand was left with shrapnel wounds and lost her left leg as a result of her injuries. She’s moving back to her home state soon and residents here have rolled out the red carpet.
Developer Elliot Chamberlain and real estate agent Terry Bragdon are working to secure land and build a home for Rand at little or no cost, while acquaintance Mal Mango organized a fundraiser at The Brunswick for Rand this past weekend. All of those who attended, along with the many businesses and individuals that contributed to the auction, should be applauded for making sure Rand not only feels welcomed, but supported after surviving such a tragedy.
Thumbs up to the Town of Kennebunkport for renaming the bridge connecting Dock Square with Kennebunk in honor of late selectman Mat Lanigan, and to the state Legislature for approving the change. Lanigan’s unexpected death last November was a shock to the community and he left behind a wife and three young children. A business owner, Lanigan was well-respected in the area for his unwavering dedication to the community, from his duties as selectman to his flair for decorating as part of Kennebunkport’s Christmas Prelude Committee. With the bridge now bearing his name, his memory will be enshrined in the town for ages to come, perhaps inspiring others to learn about him and follow his footsteps of community service.
Thumbs up to the strong turnout and community involvement in choosing a site for the new Sanford High School and regional technology center. In a straw poll vote Thursday, residents showed their approval of the Main Street site that has been narrowed down as the best option for this new complex, which will serve not only Sanford and Acton students, but also many others in the region who are interested in the tech school programs. Some residents wanted the new complex to be built on the current high school site, but it’s not conducive to expansion due to several factors. By retaining this site for an elementary school, we feel the city will be respecting its place in the community while still choosing the best spot to accommodate a new high school.
Thumbs up to the woodworking program at the Milestone Foundation in Old Orchard Beach, which is helping residents develop skills while also giving them a product to sell as a fundraiser. The men at Milestone are working to recover from alcohol and drug abuse, and the money from the picnic tables and Adirondack chairs they make and sell goes toward a house fund that helps enhance their lives. The fund is used toward dental care, substance abuse treatment, help with child support and other needs. Making the wood products is also a healing activity for residents, so we urge anyone looking for a picnic table or chair to consider purchasing it from Milestone as a way to strengthen their community.
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Thumbnails is a Monday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages. If you would like to respond, please write the Reader’s Forum via email at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford office.
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