ATU 714 Member Raises Over $200,000 for Maine Charities

ATU Local 714 member Mark Shapp was recently featured in a news segment on WGME about his outstanding work raising money for various charities in Maine. Since 2013, Shapp has been driving a bus for Greater Portland Metro. 
 

He told WGME he enjoys "Getting to see people every day, helping them get to where they're going and maybe brightening their day in the process.”

When he’s not driving his bus, Shapp can be seen wearing a penguin costume outside stores in Windham where he collects donations for the Salvation Army’s annual red kettle campaign.

"Salvation Army provides food for people during the holidays and throughout the year, clothing assistance, help with heating your home, for people that might just need a little extra help around this time of year,” Shapp told WGME. “So it's really a good feeling to be part of their work.”

Shapp said he bought the penguin suit for the annual polar dip in Sebago Lake to raise money for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program, which he has done 14 years in a row. In addition, Shapp also rides in the annual Trek Across Maine for the Maine Lung Cancer Association. All told, over the years Shapp has helped raise more than $200,000 for various Maine charities.

"I think that life is all about helping others,” he said, “and those sort of values of looking out for our neighbors are ingrained in us as Mainers.”