CubbyGives provides for 16 Angel Flights
PRESQUE ISLE — CubbyGives, a program of The Cubby Thriftstores, LLC, along with its patrons, recently raised and donated more than $4,800 to Angel Flight of New England.
Contributed photo
Cindy Johnson, left, presents a check for $4,898.93 to Jim Cear, chairman of the board of directors of Angel Flight New England, the proceeds of a fundraising effort by The Cubby Thriftstores. The donation will provide for 16 Angel Flights to transport people to life-saving medical treatment.
“We are honored to have the support of CubbyGives and its patrons in Maine,” said Larry Camerlin, president of Angel Flight NE. “With flight requests increasing year over year by nearly 40 percent and many of those flights being requested by Maine residents, we are thankful for this generous support and belief in our mission.”
Cindy Johnson, president of The Cubby Thriftstores, stated, “Our patrons and staff are always very excited and invested in raising funds for AFNE. It is a service which provides much needed transportation to many of our Cubby Heroes, including our very own, Kaleb “Cubby” Johnson.”
Jim Cear, Chairman of AFNE’s board of directors, traveled to Presque Isle to accept the donation from Johnson.
Johnson said the donation will help support more than 16 flights of healing and hope that Angel Flight coordinates so children and adults in need of life-saving medical care won’t face barriers of distance or finances. To date, the CubbyGives program has raised more than $7,000 to support Angel Flight’s mission.
“The CubbyGives program also strives to lessen the emotional burden faced by parents and families as they care for a child with a life-threatening illness,” said Johnson. “Through the implementation of our various programs we are able to accomplish this.”
Since 1996, AFNE has helped coordinate air transportation for patients without financial resources to access life-saving medical care outside of their region. Celebrating its 20th year of service, the organization has over 1,000 volunteer private pilots who combine their love of flying with the spirit of grassroots volunteerism by flying patients and their families to the critical health care they need.
AFNE is also a vital mode of transportation for organs, blood and patients awaiting organ transplants. In total, it has helped more than 66,000 patients and companions and coordinated patient missions to 189 different health care facilities in 33 states. Ground support volunteers, or “Earth Angels,” donate their time and vehicles to transport patients to and from the airports and medical facilities.
The CubbyGives program was created to help provide financial support to cover lodging, food, fuel, medical equipment, and other expenses related to a need or hardship created by a life-threatening or chronic illness.
The Cubby Thriftstores has locations in Caribou, Presque Isle, Madawaska and Houlton. To learn more, visit http://thecubby.org/the-cubby-fund/.
