Ornes pick raffle winner, who then pays it forward
PETER WILLIAMS presents the gift basket to John Orne at his Water District office on Tuesday morning. Courtesy of Peter Williams
JULIE ROBERTS gives the money and a list of people who donated to the benefit raffle to John and Cathy Orne at their Edgecomb home on Monday. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
JOHN ORNE gives Julie Roberts a hug after she presented the raffle proceeds to the Ornes. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
CATHY ORNE reads Peter Williams’ name as the winner of the raffle. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
PETER WILLIAMS presents the gift basket to John Orne at his Water District office on Tuesday morning. Courtesy of Peter Williams
JULIE ROBERTS gives the money and a list of people who donated to the benefit raffle to John and Cathy Orne at their Edgecomb home on Monday. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
JOHN ORNE gives Julie Roberts a hug after she presented the raffle proceeds to the Ornes. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
CATHY ORNE reads Peter Williams’ name as the winner of the raffle. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Tears of joy flowed and happiness was all around the John and Cathy Orne house on Monday and Tuesday.
On Monday, Julie Roberts brought the raffle drum — donated by the Boothbay Fire Department — to John and Cathy Orne's house in Edgecomb.
The Ornes, who were injured in a car accident in Warren in late September, were chosen to pick a name from the drum in the benefit raffle organized by Roberts and Nick Livingston, with the proceeds to help the Ornes get back on their feet financially after medical bills and other expenses started rolling in after the accident.
John rolled the drum, mixing up the hundreds of raffle entries, and Cathy eventually picked the winning name.
Peter Williams of East Boothbay won the gift basket full of donated gift cards and items donated by local businesses and individuals, which in total was worth over $3,300.
Roberts then announced and presented the Ornes with over $6,300 in cash and checks that the raffle raised.
That's when the tears flowed!
"We can't thank you enough. This is great," said John, over and over, who added that Cathy is getting around with a walker and can put weight on one foot after she suffered a collapsed lung and breaks to her pelvis, hip, hand and both feet in the accident.
John suffered a broken right leg and cracked ribs in the accident. He has recovered enough to return to work for the Boothbay Region Water District. John said that Cathy still has several months of recovery before she can return to work.
"This is wonderful," said Cathy, who cried along with Roberts after the presentation.
"People just came out of the woodwork donating to this raffle," said Roberts. "Nick was a big help collecting items, sometimes going to three or four places in a day."
But the story doesn't end there.
On Tuesday morning, Williams went to the Water District office to donate the gift basket to the Edgecomb couple.
"John was quite surprised," said Williams in an email sent to the newspaper and to Roberts.
"Thank you Julie for doing this fundraiser, it meant a great deal to them both. Best regards and happy holidays," wrote Williams.
Happy holidays, indeed.
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