Inaugural memorial walk set for Saturday
If the infectious smile didn’t get you, his energy and sparkling eyes did.
Carter Cummings’ life touched many far and wide, and Hodgdon students want to continue to support his family through their difficult loss of their son to neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer.
Carter was diagnosed in June of 2008, and that is when Hodgdon’s Jobs for Maine Grads students jumped on board to help.
“A friend of mine had told me about the situation and showed me their website,” said Kara Wright, Hodgdon JMG instructor. “The students got together and held a car wash, which made $400 to $500, right in our school parking lot.”
Carter passed away on April 27 after a two-year battle with cancer.
The Hodgdon students knew Carter’s father, Jeremy, was an alumnus of the school and where it was a child stricken with illness, they felt strongly about doing something, added Wright.
Students still feel they want to be a part of the Cummings family’s healing. So, on Saturday, May 15 at Riverfront Park, adjacent to TD Bank, the inaugural Carter’s Gift Memorial Walk will be held, with registration at 9 a.m. and the walk beginning at 10 a.m.
The course will start near the North Road bridge and proceed up North Road to Washburn Street, taking a right onto Highland Avenue, another right onto Water Street through Market Square, finishing after crossing the Gateway Bridge.
Pledge sheets are available at all area schools, along with the Houlton Town Office. Students have combed the business community for sponsors — first business on board was Crawford Homes — to offset costs of the event.
T-shirts will be available to participants, as well as to anyone who would like to buy one.
“All profits will go to the Cummings family to use for whatever they need,” said Wright. “We just wanted to let the Cummings family decide where to put the money to best use. They have already tossed around a variety of ideas.”
One group is Cure Search, a national organization dedicated to helping find a cure for childhood cancer. Hodgdon JMG students donated to this group in the past, as well. The Cummings family also thought helping other families facing the same trial would be a starting point.
Wright said Carter’s Gift Memorial Walk will be an annual event in Houlton.
Over the last two years, JMG and National Honor Society students have held more car washes, bottle drives, coin drives and even a Trick or Treating event like UNICEF’s to not only help Carter, but McKenna Ward of Houlton, who also has been diagnosed with the same disease.
Not stopping there, students ordered and created bracelets for Carter, which said, “Go, Carter, Go” and one for McKenna that says “McKenna’s Hope.”
SHOW OF SUPPORT — A bracelet shows support for Carter Cummings.
“I think Carter’s [saying] started in their church and we’ve taken it on up here, too,” said Hodgdon JMG assistant and coach Rob Smith.
“We’ve probably sold hundreds of bracelets,” Wright added.
When students got word that Carter’s days were short, they felt as though they were prepared for the news.
“I’m just trying to stay up because I know he is in a better place and he is not in pain anymore,” said junior JMG student Amanda Ryan. “Most of us realize that, so easier to take it because we were prepared, but it’s hard to know that he is gone.”
Smith noticed walking around the hallways how much the news of Carter’s death affected the students.
“I saw their emotions overcome them even though they were prepared for it,” he said. “It’s never easy. And, they are still talking about him.”
The 3-year-old’s funeral was last Saturday.
“His life is still going to continue to affect people,” said Smith. “It’s going to be neat to see how the students are preparing to carry on his life. To see how they continue that legacy.”
For Ryan and her classmates, lending a hand to find a cure would be a definitive finish to their undertaking, as they struggle with the inequity of losing someone so young, who didn’t have a chance to live life to maturity.
“We all want a cure, obviously,” she said. “He touched us all. He made us think about stuff. It’s amazing to see teenagers, who are usually so selfish, bind together to help him. It’s not just about us. It’s about him too.”
At first, Ryan was hesitant about taking the JMG class, now she is appreciative for the opportunity.
“I remember sitting in JMG my first class and thinking, ‘Why am I even taking this class? I’m probably going to drop it.’ I became an officer my first year and there’s just been no turning back.”
Through her time in JMG working for Carter, Ryan’s career choice has been altered.
“I’ve changed a lot. My whole outlook on life is different,” she said. “You aren’t just going through life everyday for yourself … I don’t anymore. Right now, my life is Carter, even though he is gone, he’s not. It’s changed my life. It has changed what I want to do with my life. I was thinking about social work, now I’m going to school and hopefully head non-profits.”
Not only has Ryan changed, but so hasn’t her assistant instructor.
“I have two little girls,” Smith said. “One is 4 and the other is 2. Something like this opens your eyes. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow, so it reminds me that anything could happen to my kids, and I want to spend as much time with them as I can … just in case something ever happens.
“I’m trying to spend more time with them, so when I’m not coaching or working at school functions, hopefully, I can spend time on the trampoline, playground or on our swing set in the backyard … just more family time.”
Because she is a mother, Wright understands why she was drawn to Carter and McKenna’s cause, but she is also proud of her students’ fervor.
“This is one of our biggest projects that we’ve kept going,” said Wright. “I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to make such a difference. It has completely changed my outlook, too. My son is only two weeks older than Carter. I couldn’t imagine what this family was going through and dealing with. Watching them and the poise that they have and their faith in God.”
Jeremy and his wife Wanda, as well as their families, became vulnerable, bringing their concerns to the forefront of their communities, while praying for a miracle.
“The service project has been life changing for me, too,” Wright said. “To see the kids plan and take the initiative, while I sit back and help them organize. It’s their ideas and they take and run with it. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Carter’s project didn’t stop with the JMG students, but poured over to the whole student body.
“To see someone like Carter … so young, and for us it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense to anyone,” she said. “Especially for us because some have siblings that age and there are moms in school. It would be hard to see them go through something like this, and we want to help the Cummings family any way we can.”
Ryan got to meet Carter this winter when the family was home visiting.
“He was adorable,” she said. “He wanted to play basketball with us. So, we asked him to run out with us. He was so excited. It was awesome.”
Wright explained it was Carter’s first basketball game, so the varsity girls and boys teams got together and made T-shirts that said Carter’s Crew.
“We made one for each member of the family, including Carter,” she said. “His little T-shirt had all the players’ signatures on the back. When the kids were warming up, Carter went out and shot a foul shot.”
Before that game, Wright and some of her students made a presentation of Christmas gifts to the Cummings family.
“Jeremy and Carter got to the microphone, and when Jeremy had a hard time talking, Carter would grab the mic and say ‘Thank you, thank you,’” Wright recalled.
“He was so happy,” Ryan added.
Another event that the Hodgdon National Honor Society students will be having in memory of Carter and for McKenna is a blood drive on May 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the high school.
“Wanda told me how important the blood drive is because throughout Carter’s treatment, he received more than 100 transfusions of blood and blood products,” Wright said.
With their goal of helping others, Hodgdon JMG students are remembering Carter and at the same time, working hard for McKenna.
“I think we had community support with Carter, but where McKenna is more local, I think we will get a lot more community backing to be able to do a lot more to help her,” added Ryan.
For more information on Carter’s Gift Memorial Walk or McKenna’s Hope, call Wright at 532-2413 or e-mail karadwright@yahoo.com.
