Maritime Energy and Maritime Farms convenience stores are once again supporting LifeFlight through gasoline and diesel sales at their 13 Maritime Farms convenience stores. This program, titled “Pennies for Life,” donates one cent for every gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel sold during the months of April and May. 

“LifeFlight receives a request for transport about every four hours, every day of the week,” said President of Maritime Energy, Susan Ware Page, in a Maritime news release. “It has probably helped save the life of someone you know as it has provided critical care and transport for over 30,000 patients throughout Maine. Our state needs this essential service, and we want to do what we can to help the organization.”

Here’s just one story of a young man and his need for the service. There are thousands more, and new needs every day, according to Maritime.

13-year-old Adin Grey was riding his new bike near his home in Camden when the chain came off and the bike stopped short, driving the handlebar into his abdomen. He crashed in a heap on the sidewalk, just across the street from the fire department. Several of the firefighters were outside, they rushed over to help and noticed substantial bleeding from Adin’s midsection. They grabbed a first aid kit from the fire truck and used wound dressings to apply pressure while they waited for the ambulance to get there.

Upon arrival at the hospital it was determined that Adin needed to get to specialized care at Maine Medical Center as soon as possible. The LifeFlight helicopter could make the trip in less than 30 minutes and provide the critical care that Adin needed along the way so the call was made for transport. Once safely in Portland, Adin went into a four hour surgery to fix the damage and stop the bleeding. It was two more days before he stabilized and his doctors and family breathed a sigh of relief. Adin and his family are happy to report that he has made a full recovery and is a thriving honor student at Camden Hills Regional High School. He is also working part time and recently received his driving permit.

Pennies for Life will help LifeFlight purchase a new state-of-the-art helicopter, which will complete an entire fleet upgrade. These new aircrafts are faster, more powerful, have a larger interior workspace, and advanced avionics that will give LifeFlight more options to safely and reliably answer more calls for help. This translates to more patients served, and served more quickly.

Maritime Energy is a full service, locally owned family energy company serving Knox, Lincoln, Waldo, Hancock, and Kennebec counties. Services include heating, cooling, and plumbing installations, maintenance and repair. Maritime's fuel products include heating oil, K-1, diesel, propane, and gasoline. For more information or to find a fuel office or Maritime Farms store visit: www.maritimeenergy.com or call 1-800-333-4489. The company currently has 5 fuel offices including the main office in Rockland, Maine, and 13 Maritime Farms convenience stores throughout Midcoast and Central Maine.