Organizers of the Maine Marathon felt especially generous with the organization’s charitable donations this year.
And thousands of Maine children are going to have a brighter holiday season as a result.
The Portland Press Herald Toy Fund in the Spirit of Bruce Roberts uses those donations to provide toys to thousands of Maine children who might otherwise not receive holiday gifts because of hardships faced by their parents.
The fund – now in its 67th year – is accepting applications for toys from needy families in Cumberland, York, Sagadahoc, Lincoln and Knox counties.
Applications can be downloaded at pressheraldtoyfund.org.
Call 791-6672 to have one mailed to you.
Donations to help buy the toys can be made on the website or by writing checks to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund and mailing them to the fund at P.O. Box 7310, Portland, ME 04112.
For more information and to donate online, go to: pressheraldtoyfund.org.
See more stories about the fund at: pressherald.com
The Portland Press Herald Toy Fund in the Spirit of Bruce Roberts received an unexpected $10,000 check from the Maine Marathon last week. The money will help buy new toys for Maine kids who face a Christmas without presents because of hardships faced by their families.
“Kids have always been the priority,” said race director Howard Spear, who has led the organization for 18 years. “Everyone knows the toy fund. We hope that it will be go toward helping them break their $200,000 mark. It’s a great cause.”
More than 3,000 runners participate in the organization’s marathon, half-marathon and relay each October. The Maine Track Club uses between 14 and 20 percent of the proceeds from the races to benefit charities, Spear said, and most of the money goes to organizations that help children. Since 1997, according to Spear, the races and race participants have raised nearly $4 million for charity.
The annual donations typically total about $100,000, with half going to a primary charity that changes each year. The primary recipient this year is the Dream Factory of Maine, which grants dreams to critically and chronically ill children.
But, the 2016 marathon was the 25th, and the anniversary prompted the board to double the usual total charitable donation to $204,000. “This being our 25th year, we’ve kind of gone overboard,” Spear said. Among the beneficiaries was the toy fund.
The $10,000 gift to the Press Herald toy fund was celebrated as a major boost for the nonprofit, which raises most of its donations from individual newspaper readers and rarely receives a five-figure check.
“Many families will be happy because of this gift,” said Kathleen Meade, the fund’s director.
Saturday’s Toy Fund donors
Maine Marathon Race Committee $10,000
In memory of Marthann Hartford – Buzz and Sandra Hartford $50
In memory of Jim and Lutie Barr $300
Harry Konkel $500
Merry Christmas from Speedy Stop $250
In memory of my mother, Marthann Hartford, a longtime Fund volunteer – Wendy McCann & family $20
Merry Christmas from Leslie and Rich $100
Anonymous $50
In memory of Joe Guertin, who loved toys $50
Happy Holidays! – Luka and Lydia $25
From all the good little boys and girls in the Newell family – Christopher Newell $100
In memory of Roscoe and Evelyn Seabury from Marjorie Estabrook $100
In memory of our mother, Peggy McKinnon, who loved Christmas, from “All her kids” $100
In memory of Lora A. Lemanski $50
In memory of Rick $20
Merry Christmas from Sandra Michniewicz $50
Polly Carmichael $50
Merry Christmas from Caleb $25
In memory of the Busby family $50
In honor of our wonderful grandchildren, Piper, Scarlett, Dylan, Camdyn and Memphis, Merry Christmas! $50
In memory of Jack Deering $75
Greg Soper Woodworking $100
In memory of Red and Dot Swett $100
Happy Holidays to all! Derek Berg $500
In memory of Ken E. Morse and Devon Higgins; in honor of Jaime L. Higgins – the Morse, Higgins, Holt and Currier families $50
In memory of Frances & Joseph Morse, Ken Morse, Devon Higgins, Bill Keith, Helen Keith Gallant, Arthur Gallant, Bill Keith Jr. $25
In memory of Jeanie and Audrey Keith, Vickie Gallant and Bruce Chuluda from the Morse, Higgins, Holt and Currier families $25
In honor of James D. Wallace – we love you and miss you, Grampie/Dad $200
In memory of Josie $30
For the children, in memory of Joseph A. Barbarino of Joe’s Deli and Pizza $50
Paul & Katie Dexter $50
David Lloyd $100
Anonymous $200
Anonymous $10
Flip Meyer $200
Anonymous $20
Anonymous…$250
In the name of Gladys Celeste Polland $100
In loving memory of Earl & Shirley Witham, who loved Christmas and children $100
Because every child should have a gift at Christmas $50
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! from the Averbach/Popkin family $100
Bob and Bonny Brown $20
Total to date $39,375.60
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