October 31st, 2023
To our Hancock Lumber Community:
As the month of October comes to a close, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with everyone in our beloved state and community. Given the recent series of events that rocked our world it did not feel right to continue with our regularly scheduled October Hancock Happenings email. Since joining Team Hancock in 2005 I’ve been creating and deleting email folders and subfolders for my Hancock email account (as we probably all do to stay organized!)
In the early morning hours of Thursday, October 26th I shuddered as I created a new one: 2023 Mass Shooting. Sitting next to subfolders titled COVID and fires, this one was different. Dreadful headlines that had always appeared in cities and states far away now blasted the local news, our community shook.
The first email to our senior leadership team came in at 10:10 on Wednesday night from President + CEO, Paul Wainman—e-mails continued throughout the night with Kevin Hancock writing in from Tucson, Arizona where he was helping run a week-long leadership program.
I’m proud of our team, but not surprised at the swift, collective effort made to ensure we handled this tragic situation as safely and effectively as possible for our employees and their families. Hearing how this has directly impacted co-workers, friends, their families, the Lewiston community and our state has been heart wrenching. Innocent lives taken so recklessly, lives forever changed.
Whether you’ve come from afar or you have generational roots here, Mainers are unique. The people who choose to live and work here share a special connection and set of values. We are holding all of our customers in our hearts and thoughts—knowing like our teams—every one of you has been impacted by this tragedy. Be well, be safe—and, please reach out if you need anything.
Erin Plummer, Chief Marketing Officer
Available Resources:
- 211 Maine: Wellbeing, mental health and other resources you can access by calling 211 or texting your zip code to 898-211
- Maine Crisis Line (988): behavioral health crisis or thoughts of self-harm
- Additional resources can be found online, as well: https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/lewiston