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| Since lack of adequate snow on area trails prevented the traditional snowmobile ride, Andy Santerre opted to join the run/walk event, which got under way from Griffeth Ford in Caribou. Pictured from left are: Santerre, Tamara Player and Todd Player. |
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
Despite a lack of snow that resulted in cancellation of the snowmobile ride, AMHC’s ninth annual Andy Santerre Sno-Run set a fund-raising record again this year, raising $52,739 to support sexual assault awareness services to aid children throughout Aroostook County. This is up more than $500 from last year’s total.
“I am amazed,” said event organizer Joe Chamberlain. “Again, for the ninth year in a row the community came together and helped to create awareness and raise funds to help youth victims of sexual assault in Aroostook County.”
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| The Picard family, of Caribou, took part in the Andy Santerre Sno-Run run/walk event Feb. 9. Here they’re pictured, from left, in the parking lot of Griffeth Ford: Alex, 9, Cale, 3, Jaden, 7, with their dad, Mario Picard. |
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| County Sports Polaris was recognized for its continued support of the Andy Santerre Sno-Run. Pictured with event organizer Lorraine Chamberlain, of AMHC, from County Sports are Myron Hale and Dave Moreau. |
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| Chad Dorr and his 14-month-old daughter, Mia, of Milbridge — friends of Andy Santerre — took part in the annual fundraiser to benefit AMHC’s sexual assault awareness program, which aids Aroostook County children. |
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| Andy Santerre sits on a vintage snowmobile — owned by the Leighton family — prior to the start of the run/walk at Griffeth Ford in Caribou on Feb. 9. The 9th annual Andy Santerre Son-Run’s traditional snowmobile ride was cancelled due to weather this year, so Santerre and others took part in the run/walk instead. |
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| KeyBank served as gold sponsor for AMHC’s Andy Santerre Sno-Run, which raises funds to provide sexual assault awareness services for children. Pictured from left are event organizer Lorraine Chamberlain and Steve St. Pierre, KeyBank’s vice president and senior relations manager. |
Due to lack of snow, poor and unsafe trail conditions, Joe said the snowmobile ride portion of the event that was planned to go to the Gateway Snowmobile Club in Van Buren on Saturday morning Feb. 9 for a luncheon was called off. Also cancelled was the vintage sled ride that was to go on a much shorter loop to the Washburn Trailrunners Club. This was to be a new addition to this year’s Sno-Run event.
Since the snowmobile rides were cancelled, the sledders had the option of joining in with the 5K Run-Walk which was scheduled at the same time on Saturday morning — another new event added this year.
“The weather was starting to go downhill as we started out from the Griffeth Ford dealership as we started on the 5K Run-Walk in Caribou,” said Joe. “It snowed and blew, but the dedicated runners and walkers battled the conditions to help create awareness of sexual assault. The Run-Walk ended at the TAMC outpatient office on Bennett Drive where medals were awarded by Chris Smith and Andy Santerre for the TAMC-sponsored portion of the Sno-Run event.”
Since he wasn’t able to lead the snowmobile ride this year, Santerre opted to take part in the Run-Walk, joining over two dozen other participants.
Winners in the running portion included: first place, Curtis Wheeler, with a time of 16.48; and second was Leo Kashian and Gabrielle Cyr, who tied with a time of 18.02. Noted for the highest in their age group were Peter McCorrison, with a time of 29.29 and Bruce Alexander, with a time of 30.35.
In the walking division, first place went to Amanda Robertson, with Greg Disy taking second place.
The 2013 Sno-Run event raised $52,739 from the day’s activities, topping the $52,251 amount raised in 2012.
“There were 300-plus supporters at the dinner/charity auction, held at The Crow’s Nest Event Center in Presque Isle. Due to weather conditions, there were a handful of cancellations from travelers coming from all over New England. Even though we missed them, we were still successful in 2013,” said event organizer Lorraine Chamberlain.
Santerre was honored for his continued support, with Presque Isle City Council Chair Emily Smith proclaiming Feb. 9 as Andy Santerre Sexual Assault Awareness Day in the city.
In accepting the honor, Santerre said, “I don’t do this for me, I do it for the cause and to help other people.”
The auction portion of the fundraiser saw heavy bidding on such items as NASCAR stockcar sheet metal panels, clothing, jewelry, gift cards and certificates to many Aroostook County businesses.
“Auctioneer Burt Winslow engaged the crowd to remember why we were all here, to raise money to support AMHC’s sexual assault services and be generous — which they were,” said Lorraine.
Winslow was supported by DRD Audio with an excellent sound system which made it much easier for all to hear what was occurring throughout the evening.
“The highest bidded item of the evening was again, as it was in 2012, a custom, hand-built, highly detailed, wooden tractor trailer truck crafted by Wally Mahan Jr. of Westfield, which sold for $750,” said Joe.
Raffle winners of the event were Dale and Cynthia Blackstone, of Washburn, for the custom-built bird feeder handcrafted by Bill Landes of Caribou, with Jim Savage of Caribou being named the winner of the 2013 Pro R Polaris youth snowmobile donated by County Sports Polaris of Caribou.
“AMHC would like to thank all that were involved in the event, including all those who donated auction items, the purchasing of raffle tickets and all the sponsors who donated to this worthy charitable fundraiser,” said Joe.
“As the sexual assault services provider in Aroostook County, all of the monies raised by the Sno-Run fundraiser specifically provide services for youth, free of charge, to support education and safety training to help prevent a traumatic event and, if an event occurs, to provide support and advocacy for youth victims of sexual assault and their families,” said Lorraine, who serves as licensed clinical social worker and is director of outpatient operations and emergency services for AMHC.
Lorraine said a major result of this year’s Sno-Run fundraiser is that it will help AMHC sexual assault services to achieve its goal of continue to increase youth awareness and access to the free service.
“The success of the Sno-Run event speaks volumes about how much Aroostook County residents value the service. One of the annual goals is to meet or exceed what was raised in previous years, which was done again this year,” said Lorraine. “AMHC Sexual Assault Services says a hardy ‘thank you.'”
AMHC Sexual Assault Services is a member of the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, also known as MECASA, and serves as the sexual assault crisis and support center for Aroostook County. The service mission is to put an end to sexual assault and sexual abuse in the County. For more information, call toll-free 800-550-3304 to learn about how you may get involved with the annual Sno-Run event or to provide funding support.
