‘Held on the Helipad’ to raise funds for cancer care

    PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — After two very successful years on the roof raising more than $45,000 collectively for cancer and pediatric care in The County, organizers with TAMC and Townsquare Media are bringing to the ground the popular and fun event formerly known as “Rally on the Roof.” The new location promises even more fun for “captives” with a pirate-themed island adventure planned on the helipad in front of TAMC’s A.R. Gould Memorial Hospital.
Final plans are being made by organizers from TAMC and the three Townsquare Media radio stations in Aroostook County for the revamped “Held on the Helipad” event Thursday, May 29. The 12-hour fundraiser, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., will again benefit TAMC’s Aroostook Cancer Care Services, specifically a new fund established to assist patients in need to ensure that barriers such as transportation costs do not get in the way of their receiving life-saving treatment.
The Helipad Pirate Island fun, which will be visible to passersby on Academy Street, will be hosted by Jason Parent, director of advancement for TAMC, and Lisa Miles, general manager for Townsquare Media in Presque Isle. The two will broadcast on the radio through the day, encouraging listeners to have friends and family sent to the island, having the captives help raise “ransom” through on-air pleas, and providing updates to the community on their progress. The antics will also be captured live on a webcam that will be broadcast on the official www.heldonthehelipad.com website.
As part of the fund-raising effort, community members are encouraged to pay to have a “capture order” issued for someone they’d like to see “walk the plank” and join in the Pirate Island adventure. The capture order cost is $100. Once issued, the pirate ships on wheels (Crown Ambulance and the colorful WOW Wagon) will be dispatched to pick up the “scalawags” for their trip to “Crown Bay” where they will be sentenced to time on nearby Helipad Pirate Island.
When the captured party arrives at the TAMC’s Crown Emergency Care facility, adjacent to the hospital, they will go before a special guest pirate captain to be sentenced to serve time on Helipad Pirate Island. While on the helipad, it will be the person’s responsibility to raise their way back to the “mainland” by calling friends and family to work their way off.
“The support we have received the past couple of years for Rally on the Roof has been wonderful. People really got into the spirit of that event, as I am certain they will this year. It’s this generosity and compassion that makes The County so special,” said Miles. “This year, we are gearing up for a very fun, very busy 12 hours. At the end of the day, we hope to have shared some laughs and to make a real difference for our friends and neighbors. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
The captured won’t find it an overly great hardship to be exiled to the island and raise their bail. Island-themed décor and music will greet them, and tropical-themed refreshments will be served.
“We’re not sure people will want to return to work or home, especially if the weather is nice,” said Parent. “We have gotten information out to numerous area businesses and organizations about this year’s event. The response has been great. Numerous ‘capture orders’ have already been issued and a good number of new sponsors and partners are on board. We have been so blessed by the support of the community for this great cause over the past two years. It is great to see folks rallying behind us again.”
Community members are encouraged to visit www.heldonthehelipad.com for official information on the event, to issue a capture order, and on the day of the event to view the activity live. The website will also be the place where people can go to pay to help free the island captives by making a donation to Aroostook Cancer Care.
In addition to the fun and fundraising that will take place on the helipad, Tim Hortons of Aroostook County will support the project through their “Smile Cookie” program at Tim Hortons Café and Bake Shops in the region. The Houlton, Presque Isle, Caribou and Madawaska locations will sell the specially-decorated cookies all week long with proceeds from the sweet treats sold that day to benefit the patient assistance fund at Aroostook Cancer Care.
Radio broadcasts of Held on the Helipad can be heard throughout the day May 29 on WQHR-FM — Q96.1, WBPW-FM 96.9 — BIG Country 96.9, and WOZI-FM 101.9 — 101.9 The Rock.
Anyone interested in making a donation or issuing a capture order can do so at any time in advance of the event or during the event by visiting www.heldonthehelipad.com or calling the TAMC Communication and Development Office at 768-4858.