NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine — Two women from Norridgewock who made homemade bracelets to raise money for the family of Cpl. Eugene Cole, after he was shot and killed in April 2018, have brought the beads out once again.
Brandi Ireland and Sheena Boone are trying to do what they can to help the families affected by the explosion in Farmington on Monday, Sept. 16. They have created bracelets to signify the "thin red line" and, they say, to recognize that not all heroes wear uniforms.
Since announcing they were making them, Ireland has been inundated with mail requests for the bracelets. They've come from as far as Texas, Arizona even Indiana.
"It's a lot, sometimes it takes me hours just to go through the mail," Ireland said. "But it's an amazing feeling to be able to be part of something that is making such a huge impact."
Each bracelet has seven red beads and one white. The red beads signify the seven firefighters who were caught in the blast on Monday, Sept. 16, that leveled the LEAP Inc., central office in Farmington. Six of the firefighters were injured and Capt. Michael Bell was killed.
The one white bead represents the LEAP employee, Larry Lord, who has been hailed a hero for helping evacuate the building. Lord was the first person to detect the smell of gas at the LEAP office Monday morning just before 8 a.m.
He alerted more than a dozen LEAP employees and ushered them out of the building. When firefighters arrived on the scene, Lord went back inside the building with them to show them the problem. Shortly thereafter, the building exploded.
Lord is, as of Wednesday, still in critical condition at Mass. General where he is expected to stay for months as he recovers from severe burns and other injuries.
"These men are all heroes," said Ireland and Boone.
The handmade bracelets are available for $6 each, with all of the proceeds going to benefit those impacted by the explosion.
The pair has raised more than $20-thousand dollars total for the families of Corporal Eugene Cole and State Police Detective, Ben Campbell. It's an something Ireland says she's still shocked by.
"I thought it was probably like one and done, I really didn't even think that the first time it would really become of anything," Ireland said. "The amount of money we've been able to raise for the families has just been unheard of like something we never even thought we would ever get to."
They say it's not just the donations that keep them going, but the feeling that comes with them.
"It's super cool how people come together and show their support even if they aren't from the area or have any knowledge of the people." Ireland said.
"This is definitely one of the good things that comes out in such a tragic accident." Boone said.
Ireland and Boone say those interested can send a self-addressed stamped envelope, along with the money for the bracelet, to:
Brandi Ireland
271 Madison Road
Norridgewock, Maine 04957
The women say they raised over $6,000 for the Cole family and raised more than $10,000 for the family of Maine State Police Detective Ben Campbell who was killed in April 2019. Campbell was hit by a tire on I-95 in Hampden when he stopped to help a driver who had skidded off the road.