"Thanks" When Thanks Are Due

Hagadone hosts fundraiser and A tail-wagging success were the headlines in this morning's papers. I probably wouldn't be writing this if the fundraiser had not been for the Humane Society but it was and I am. Duane Hagadone is not the most popular man in town. He owns the resort. He owns one of the newspapers. He is more known for his reputedly questionable business tactics than his charitable contributions. He is wealthy beyond what most of our imaginations allow.

He opens his home on Casco Bay every year for a fundraising event for a local charity. This year it was the Humane Society. It was a sell out so states one paper. Six hundred tickets at $125 each. Not a bad chunk of change. And that doesn't include the proceeds from the auction and raffles.

I imagine some will say the costs were charged to his company rather than coming out of his own pocket. I don't know if that would be true or not. Does it matter? Some will no doubt ask if people attended because they care about our critters or were they mostly curious about how the really rich live. Some of each I would guess. Does it matter?

I think not. The animals win this year. Other charities have won in the past. More will in the future. So thank you Mr. and Mrs. Hagadone. You contribute what most of us cannot; the ability to raise substantial money for worthy causes.

One thing I do know. The Hagadones have a dog; a German Shepard named Sky. They love that dog. Kind of humanizes them, doesn't it?