Chief Josh Potvin and Sergeant Heidi Johnston presented an unsuspecting citizen with gift cards. The driver showed his appreciation to the Chief and Sergeant with a hug.~ Photo courtesy of Fryeburg Police

FRYEBURG, MAINE – Fryeburg Police Officers have been issuing holiday spirit instead of citations. Most of the time when someone gets pulled over the last thing they want to do is hug the officer, however that wasn’t the case in Fryeburg this week. As unsuspecting drivers were pulled over they ended up receiving gift certificates instead of tickets.

The gift certificates, which included signed messages from full time officers, were donated by local businesses in support of the Police Departments goal of giving back during the holiday season.

Fryeburg Police Chief Joshua Potvin said that the traffic stops were for minor traffic violations and it is up to the officer’s discretion whether to give a gift.

Chief Potvin said “First reactions so far have been pretty emotional. Most drivers have either asked if they can have a hug or just say they just want to hug us and do it. This is what community policing is all about.”  adding ““We wanted to do something during this holiday season to give back to our citizens.” 

One recipient of the holiday treat was so overwhelmed with joy that he can be seen giving Chief Josh Potvin and Sergeant Heidi Johnston a hug on body cam footage.

The recipient later commentedt on the Fryeburg police Facebook page saying aid “I am still speechless by the random act of kindness from the Fryeburg Police Department today. I appreciate all that you do to keep us safe. Thank you again, not only for the card, but also helping restore my faith in humanity.”

 

Click to check out the body camera and cruiser footage of the drivers surprise.

 

Memorial Hospital was among a select group of hospitals nationwide recognized for promoting enrollment in state organ donor registries in a national campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

 

NORTH CONWAY, NH – Memorial Hospital was among a select group of hospitals nationwide recognized for promoting enrollment in state organ donor registries in a national campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The campaign has added more than 400,000 donor enrollments to state registries nationwide.

Memorial Hospital conducted awareness and registry campaigns to educate staff, patients, visitors, and community members about the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donors and, by doing so, increased the number of potential donors on the state’s donor registry. The hospital earned points for each activity implemented between October 2016 and April 2017 and was awarded Bronze Recognition through the HRSA Workplace Partnership for Life Hospital Campaign.

Of the 1,102 hospitals and transplant centers participating in the campaign 218 bronze awards were awarded during this phase of the campaign.
 

See the full list of recognized hospitals here.

Ethnee Garner, Vice President of Patient Care Services at Memorial emphasized the importance of the coordination between Memorial’s Nursing Coordinators and  New England Donor Services.

Garner stated, “This award recognizes the responsibility of our Nursing Coordinators, Will Owen, Marta Ramsey, Doug Darrah, Linda Roberts, Michael Poirer, Devin Copsey, and Jay Laflamme, to report all deaths in a timely manner to the New England Donor Services (NEDS). In the chaos that usually ensues after an unexpected death, the requirement is to report within one hour. The Nursing Coordinator also has to be able to answer the many questions the NEDS requires in order to make a decision. It should be noted that staff at Memorial never approach the family about organ donation; that is the responsibility of appropriately trained NEDS staff. The implications of donations of tissue, skin, bone, and corneas is far reaching. One donor can impact up to 160 patients”.

This campaign is a special effort of HRSA’s Workplace Partnership for Life to mobilize the nation’s hospitals to increase the number of people in the country who are registered organ, eye, and tissue donors and ultimately, the number of organs available for transplant. The campaign unites donation advocates at hospitals with representatives from their local organ procurement organizations, Donate Life America affiliates, and state and regional hospital associations. Working together, the teams leverage their communications resources and outreach efforts to most effectively spread word of the critical need for donors.

For more information on organ donation, visit www.organdonor.gov.

Story Contributed by Kathy Bennett, Vice President – Community Relations & Development at Memorial Hospital

Left to right back: Doug Fagone from Cranmore Mountain; Kathy Bennett, Vice President Community Relations at Memorial Hospital; and Melissa Linne and Ray Gilmore from Cranmore Mountain. Left to right front: Adeline Oberg and Anastacia Spurlock from Bartlett Elementary School; and Maira Morgan and Abigail Hynes from Jackson Grammar School. ~ Photo Courtesy Of Melody Nester

 

NORTH CONWAY, NH – Memorial Hospital is making sure kids can ski and ride safely this winter regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Memorial hospital teamed up with local schools in order to ensure that local school children have appropriate helmets for their participation in the Eastern Slope Ski Club’s Junior Ski Program.

Cranmore Mountain helped out by sorting and distributing the over 200 helmets as part of the ESSC equipment pick up process. Kathy Bennett, Vice President of Community Relations for Memorial, said “We’re thankful to Cranmore for continuing to make this program possible by working with us on the distribution of helmets to the students. We couldn’t do it without them,”

Participating schools include Schools participating in the Safe Skier Initiative include Bartlett Elementary, K.A. Brett School in Tamworth, Conway Elementary, Freedom Elementary, Jackson Grammar School, John Fuller, Madison Elementary, Robert Frost Charter School and Pine Tree School.

To qualify for a free helmet, students must be enrolled in the school’s free/reduced rate meals program while others have the opportunity to purchase helmets at a significant discount.

The program is funded by Memorial Hospital’s Roger C. Clapp Memorial Ski Helmet Fund. Clapp, who passed away in 2013, was a hospital trustee for many years and a passionate lifelong skier.

To help ensure the future of the program, the Memorial Hospital Foundation created the Roger C. Clapp Memorial Ski Helmet Fund. Clapp, who passed away in 2013,  was a hospital trustee for many years and a passionate lifelong skier. Family and friends made memorial donations to the fund and continue to encourage contributions to it.

Those looking for more information or who wish to donate can go to www.memorialhospitalnh.org/waystogive.