Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution Named Volunteer of the Year

(Left to right) Lou Hendricks, Team Coordinator; Amber Zuchara, Case Manager; Don Lauzier, Vice President of Community Relations at Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution; and Allycia LeCompte, Case Manager celebrate Volunteers of America’s new Biddeford office.

Volunteers of America Northern New England presented Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution with its Volunteer of the Year Award.  “This is our highest honor and celebrates our wonderful volunteers and their generosity to the people that we are fortunate to serve,” said June Koegel, President and CEO of Volunteers of America Northern New England.  “At this time of the year when we celebrate miracles and the joy of giving, it is with great pride and gratitude that we present this award to Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution.”

On a cold Saturday afternoon, a fire destroyed the offices of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Program (JDAP) at 64 Alfred Street in Biddeford.  Volunteers of America Northern New England and Youth Alternatives manage this state-wide program for at-risk youth, which is funded by the Maine Department of Corrections. 

Most important, all of the staff members were safe.  However, the office, all of its equipment, and many irreplaceable personal items were destroyed.  In addition, there was little money to replace these items.  To nobody’s surprise, it didn’t take long for the community to step forward to help. 

Thanks to a relationship established during the United Way of York County’s Day of Caring, Volunteers of America Northern New England contacted Don Lauzier, Vice President of Community Relations, at Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution.  He offered to lead the effort to help the program furnish a new office.  “This is what community is all about,” said Mr. Lauzier.  “In this community, we help each other – especially in times of need.  That is an important part of the heritage of our organization and certainly a valued strength of our community.  We felt fortunate to be able to help and so did many others.”  

According to June Koegel, “Mr. Lauzier organized a community-wide effort to find the items needed to create a new home for the organization,” Koegel said.  “Saco and Biddeford Savings Institution took the lead and generously provided furniture and some much-needed hope.  Their efforts allowed us to find a new office, and more important, to continue to provide services to area youth.  We often hear that good things can ‘rise from the ashes’ of this type of disastrous situation,” Koegel continued. “This was a truly heartwarming experience for all of us involved with this program.  We are truly blessed and grateful to Biddeford & Saco Savings Institution and everyone that made this possible.”