DAMARISCOTTA, Maine — There will be plenty of yard sales this weekend, but one in Damariscotta will have a higher purpose than most. All of the money raised will go to fight addiction in Lincoln County, in memory of a young woman who lost that fight.
Morgan Mayo’s grandparents are holding the sales at their Bristol Road home every weekend this month, as a way to honor Morgan and help others fight addiction. Morgan was 22 when she died at her Massachusetts home in June, after a two-year fight with drug addiction. Morgan’s family helped her through rehab and drug treatment programs, but ultimately the addiction was too powerful, and it took her life.
Morgan's grandmother, Flo Bourgon, says addiction is taking a terrible toll on Maine families.
"I said at the funeral, it doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, thin or fat -- sooner or later, everybody will be affected by this crisis," Flo said.
Morgan’s mother, Tamara Mayo, says her daughter was devoted to helping people.
"She was always helping others in need. At her funeral, we heard so many inspiring stories about Morgan," Tamara said.
She says those stories include Morgan carrying oranges and water in her car to give to homeless people. So the family is calling the fundraising effort 'Oranges for Morgan' -- they are going to give all the money to addiction programs in Lincoln County, where grandparents Flo and Ernie Bourgon live.
Tamara says in Massachusetts, where she lives, there are lots of services and sober houses -- far more than are available in this part of the midcoast. So she welcomes her parents’ idea to sell off their large collection of collectibles and antiques to fund the program.
"One hundred percent of proceeds from this sale are going to addiction services and education centers. We want to help the midcoast, Lincoln County area. We know we need to put funds to this crisis," Tamara said. "We want to make a difference and help at the local level.”
Those sales are happening this weekend and each weekend in August at the family’s home on Bristol Road in Damariscotta.
Flo and Ernie Bourgon say there has been a surprise at the sales. They say most of the people stopping to shop have shared their own family experience with addiction.
"It's incredible," says Ernie.
But he also says many people shopping at the yard sale have made donations, in addition to their purchases.
The family has more information on Morgan and the fundraising effort on the website www.orangesfrommorgan.org.