2 Those Who Care awards will honor region’s volunteers

BANGOR – A group of outstanding volunteers will be the honored guests at the annual gala ceremony for the 2 Those Who Care Awards Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the G. Peirce Webber Campus Center at Husson College.

The event will be televised as a primetime special at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, on WLBZ-TV Channel 2.

The 2 Those Who Care awards were developed by WLBZ in partnership with the United Way of Eastern Maine. The program is sponsored by Merrill Bank and Webber Energy Fuels.

Hosted by NewsCenter anchors Matt Friedman and Donna Gormley, the program will treat viewers to some truly exceptional people – men and women from throughout eastern Maine who unselfishly make a difference in the lives of others.

In addition to the 2 Those Who Care winners, Kay Lebowitz of Bangor will be presented with the John W. Coombs Award, a volunteer recognition award of the United Way of Eastern Maine since 1984.

The Maine Breast Cancer Coalition will be honored with the Agency of Distinction Award.

The 2 Those Who Care honorees are:

. Arthur Comstock of Orono, nominated by Rick Fournier. Comstock has dedicated 50 years of service in more than 25 different organizations. It has been said of the well-respected banker that “professionalism is his goal and community service is in his soul.” His service spans every age group from the Katahdin Area Boy Scouts of America to the Eastern Agency on Aging. Comstock volunteers his professional abilities to many medical organizations, serving on the boards and leading committees for Eastern Maine Medical Center, the Maine Hospital Association and Acadia Hospital. He was instrumental in raising $2.5 million to start the Challenger Learning Center, a scientific institution that serves middle schools across Maine. He has devoted considerable efforts to community development through the Greater Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce. He serves as a counselor and mentor, a passionate “mover and shaker,” and an inspiration.

. Roberta “Bobbie” Fowler of Old Town, nominated by Carol Higgins. Fowler has always worked behind the scenes to help those most in need. A retired teacher, she has continued her unmatched service to the community. In 1991, Fowler took over the Animal Orphanage and turned what was then an unlivable shelter into a comfortable, stray-only, no-kill foster home for animals. She plans fundraising events and organizes volunteers, writes newsletters, does bookkeeping and enjoys hands-on care of animals. Fowler often races from the shelter to other volunteer positions at Penobscot Theatre, My Friend’s Place (an Alzheimer’s day program), the Milford Congregational Church, Crossroads Ministries, the Kiwanis and the Special Olympics. As a cancer survivor, she helps to organize the Orono High School team for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Her energy, sincerity and commitment are making life better for those in need in the Orono and Old Town communities.

. Eloise Griffin of Hermon, nominated by Wayne Melanson. Griffin has dedicated most of her life to the mending of broken bodies and broken spirits. A nurse by profession, at Hospice of Eastern Maine she is known by many patients as their “special angel.” Through laughter, a shoulder to cry on, or an ear that listens, Griffin provides comfort and support to terminally ill patients and their families, especially grieving children. She has a gift for connecting with patients who have Alzheimer’s disease. Visiting patients in a nursing home or delivering meals for the Meals for Me program, she helps them enjoy each moment to its fullest through music, pictures, and nature. To further support hospice, Griffin bakes for bake sales, works the health fairs, attends educational conferences and tends the Hospice garden.

. Earle Hannigan of Holden, nominated by Elizabeth Lander. Hannigan has had a tangible impact on the Bangor-Brewer community since the late 1960s. His primary endeavor was his involvement as one of the “founding fathers” of John Bapst Memorial High School in 1980. When Bapst closed as a Catholic school, he played a critical role in its rebirth as an alternative to public schools. His participation in the life of the school continues, as he was appointed trustee emeritus in 2003. Hannigan joined the Maine Forest and Logging Museum-Leonard’s Mills in 1990 and is still a part of the museum’s Living History Days. He is a longtime Kiwanis member and an active parishioner at St. Teresa’s Catholic Church in Brewer.

. Margery Brown of Cherryfield, nominated by Kathy Lipton. Brown has made preservation of the history of the town of Cherryfield a key part of her life’s work. A founding member and 31-year president of the Cherryfield Historical Society, she has been described as someone who knows more about the town than anyone else in the world. Brown has served as a town selectman and member of the planning board and the budget committee. She has been an active and effective fundraiser for the Cherryfield Free Public Library. She and her late husband cleaned and catalogued more than 40 historic cemeteries in the region. Brown is a two-time cancer survivor, and has often lent support to other cancer patients by taking them on the 120-mile round trip to Bangor for treatment, as well as sharing her caring ear.

. Catherine “Kay” Lebowitz of Bangor, recipient of the John W. Coombs Award, nominated by Jim Donnelly. Lebowitz dedicates her time, charm and elbow grease to make a difference locally and nationwide. Even at 90 years old, she hasn’t slowed down. A former Bangor City Council member and state representative, she now outworks younger volunteers on the boards of the Bangor Museum and Center for History, Eastern Maine Community College and the Maine Center for Aging, just to name a few. At any hour of the morning, Lebowitz gives out hugs of support as a volunteer troop greeter, meeting servicemen and women returning or leaving for duty through Bangor International Airport. Known as “Bangor’s Sweetheart” by friends and city officials, her birthday on June 30 was proclaimed “Kay’s Day” by the thankful Bangor City Council for all her years of service. Her dedication to her community, her state and the nation serves as a role model for all.

. The Maine Breast Cancer Coalition, the Agency of Distinction. The coalition is a grass-roots, volunteer-driven nonprofit organization in operation since 1992. There are no paid employees; more than 100 members make up a partnership of breast cancer survivors, health care professionals, representatives from cancer-related organizations and supporters. At any time, 15-20 members are actively volunteering. They are committed to making a difference in the health of Maine people through financial support for underserved people with breast health or breast cancer needs; advocacy for breast cancer research and legislation; and education to promote knowledge about breast cancer and quality care.

WLBZ-TV Channel 2 is one of 21 television stations operated in the United States by Gannett Co. Inc., which also publishes USA Weekend, a weekly newspaper magazine carried in the Bangor Daily News.