Andy Barlow

Andy Barlow was born and raised in the small town of Hanover, ME. Born with a condition called Spina Bifida (any abnormal development of the bones in the spine with or without involvement of the brain) back during a time in history when there was very little medical knowledge and/or treatment for this degenerative, disabling condition causing him paralysis from the waist down.

When Andy was a small boy he could walk and play like any young boy, but during his school years he became dependent on crutches. As time moved on the disabling effects of his condition took its toll. Andy now depends on a wheel chair to get around.

Andy is a very humble, quiet man who is also a shining star for his community. He’s an active outdoors man, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a gardener, a handy man, a lumberjack, a volunteer, and a mentor in the lives of many. He gets out there and gives back every day. Whether he is mowing lawns for neighbors or fixing a car for a friend, he is always giving a helping hand, contributing a kind word or inspiring others. For the past 25 years Andy has been a volunteer for Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation. Over the years he has been a mentor and ski instructor for thousands of program participants.

Presently Andy resides in his big old family farm homestead built sometime in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s; it was once listed on the registry of historical properties. Over the years the condition of the old homestead has declined and Andy can no longer keep up with maintenance either financially or physically. The homestead is just falling apart. The ground floor is accessible to him via entry into the barn, through an attachment between the barn and the house and then into the first floor of the house. The second floor is not accessible for him and his wheel chair and is curtained off to prevent heat loss upstairs. There is no ramp for access to the house through the front door. There is only the barn door entrance to the house, leaving no emergency escape route. To this very day the home has nothing more than a wood stove for heat.

Mission:
To provide Andy with an appropriate home, one that is both affordable and acceptable to Andy. Affordable meaning Andy will have the ability to maintain and meet the long-term financial requirements (taxes, heat, electricity, upkeep, etc.)

Goal:
To build a new home on Andy’s existing property before Summer 2015.

To help offset this expense, a fundraising campaign in Andy’s honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, a trusted nonprofit organization that has been providing community-based fundraising guidance to patients and their families for more than 30 years. All donations are tax-deductible, are held by HelpHOPELive in the Northeast Catastrophic Illness Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for illness-related expenses only. If you would like to make a contribution please click the DONATE NOW tab.

Thanks in advance for your support of Andy – together we can make a difference for this most deserving man!

Friends of Andy