Maine Boys Win $5000 and Award for Amazing Fundraising Efforts for Breast Cancer

This is a huge honor for two boys in Parsonsfield who have been helping Mainers for most of their young lives.

Since 2007, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Northern New England chapter (AFP-NNE) has been awarding a $5,000 grant to an individual aged eight to 23 who...

...demonstrates outstanding commitment to the community through direct financial support, development of charitable programs, volunteering, and leadership in philanthropy.

This is not a community service award, but rather a publicly and professionally recognized honor for a young person who has raised a significant amount of charitable support for the development of an important service or initiative in Northern New England. This is an individual award except for this year, when it went to two people: Bryce and Riley Deshaies.

Since 2010, the pair has brought bottles and cans to the annual Cans for a Cure fundraiser Lori and Jeff have helmed for the past 22 years. I remember the first year Bryce (who was three) came with his mom Katie in their car and gave us a couple of bags from the trunk. Since then, they have made it their mission to collect as many bottles and cans as possible. Here's what they accomplished in 2013.

2013

From Katie's Facebook page in 2013:

We just got done... the boys and I were on the radio... thanks to Q97.9... Meredith Jeff and Laurie are amazing and very sweet;-) Now having a nice dinner with the family;-) Thanks to everyone for the bottle donations;-)

2014

Well, we did it, one 1truck down and 2 more to go;) Thanks Steve Estes you are amazing if I might add;) Thanks, Donna Shea Estes and girls for helping unload:) I will thank all of our donors once I get my list done, but thanks to everyone who has helped;)

2015

2015 saw a huge jump in collections. They were 'gonna need a bigger boat'.

The next year, they stopped filling just pink dump trucks and moved on to tractor trailers!

2016

From Katie Deshaies's Facebook in 2016:

Extremely overwhelmed with all of the community support to fill not only the Big Trailer but the Dump Truck, a 1 ton and a regular pickup truck too... It's been a whirlwind of a few days and night but we did it!!! We ended up with around 80,000.00 bottles and cans total!! Thanks again to P.Y. Estes N Son and William A Day JR & Sons for all of your help with everything, we can't thank you enough😉😉 Also a big Thanks to WJBQ 97.9 for all that you do for this amazing cause

2017

From Katie Deshaies' Facebook in 2017:

It was definitely a busy night for Bryce and Riley Deshaies, family, and friends as they delivered approx $10,500 worth of cans and bottles for Cans for a Cure; WJBQ ‘s annual campaign to help beat breast cancer! All proceeds directly benefit the Maine Cancer Foundation and the Cancer Community Center! Definitely proud of these boys and the community’s generosity!

2018

2018 was a significant year for Bryce and Riley. It was the first year that Bryce was taller than Lori. He's 11 years old here, and Riley is nine. Oh, and they didn't just fill one tractor-trailer, but two!

2019

In 2019, the boys (and extended family and the community) got the attention of Patrick Dempsey. The money raised was helping the Patrick Dempsey Center in Maine, and he wanted to see what all the hoopla was about. He loved meeting everyone and seeing these two boys. He was impressed that Bryce and Riley had been doing this fundraiser (for nine years at this point) to help Mainers, and that it had grown so quickly!

2020

Ahhh, 2020. The year we all wish we could forget. But Bryce and Riley still collected bottles and cans. How many? $15,684.50 worth of nickels! Even with masks on. Their commitment was unwavering.

2021

Bryce and Riley came in with $17,000 in 2021 a year that was still marred by Covid. But people drank, and Bryce and Riley collected those bottles and cans! Oh, and Bryce continued to grow, and Lori is going to need a step ladder to reach him for an interview!

2022

Bryce and Riley had a strong collection in 2022 with over $15,000 in bottles and cans! Amazing efforts!

2023

Last year the whole gang came with the trucks, love, and money for Cans for a Cure. Every penny goes to the Maine Cancer Foundation and supports their efforts to help those fighting breast cancer. It's the Maine Cancer Foundation who nominated the boys for this award. It was a unanimous vote to make sure these boys won. I couldn't be more proud to know them, the family, and the community that supports the efforts.

Here's to 2024! That will be their 14th year of helping the cause! Well done, boys. Your radio mom is so proud.