Volunteers Our Greatest Resource Listed alphabetically. Please visit the Volunteer page for information on becoming a Dempsey Center volunteer. Rolande Allarie Rolande is an RN and recently retired after enjoying many rewarding years in the healthcare field. She has two children and two grandsons. She enjoys walking, reading, gardening and spending time with her family. For the past few summers she and her husband have spent time relaxing at their cabin in western Maine. Volunteering at the Dempsey Center has given her the opportunity to continue helping those in need, which is important to her as well as meeting some wonderful and interesting people. Marsha Auster Marsha, born and raised in NYC, came to live in Auburn Maine in 1973. She worked for the Lewiston School Dept for over 30 years and retired from being the Guidance Director at Lewiston High School. While living in Maine Marsha was diagnosed twice with breast cancer. She is a two-time survivor and was a caregiver for her niece. As a retired person, Marsha wanted to donate her time to helping others with cancer and became a volunteer at the Dempsey Center. She also volunteers at the Human Resource Dept and the Development Office. She has her own business - www.bukrap.com and lives with her husband of 40 years, Mitchell, a dentist in Lewiston. Marsha enjoys playing Mah Jongg and Scrabble and is an avid reader and knitter. Kate Beever Kate is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Music Therapy at New York University. The 24-year-old Cornish resident contacted the Dempsey Center about volunteering her talents throughout the summer. Beever’s chosen field has been shown to manage stress, improve communication, alleviate pain and counteract depression. In addition to leading a weekly drumming group for cancer patients, Kate would sing to patients in the doorway of their room or encourage them to participate by singing along or playing a variety of instruments she provided. Feedback from the patients was universally positive. One patient noted that her “stress just melted away” when Kate began to play for her. Phyllis Benoit Phyllis lives in Lewiston with her mom and Sasha, their Golden Retriever. She enjoys spending time with family and friends. Spring and summers are spent helping a friend at his greenhouse. She loves to do scrapbooking, card-making, slate-painting and pergamano. After working over 40 years at the Concord Group Insurance Company, In 2008, following a year and a half of retirement, Phyllis retired and wanted to do volunteer work. She found the Dempsey Center to be the perfect place. She is also a breast cancer survivor. Phyllis is a “Jill of all Trades” volunteer at the Center. She assists with spa services, does proctor volunteering and is part of the Caring Card group, where she began her volunteer work at the Center. Janice Bilodeau Janice is the Dempsey Center baker. She "runs" sweets over to the Center every week to be shared with the groups. We can smell her baked goods from a mile away. Janice is married, a mother of four with eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She has a long history of volunteering which includes advent bird watching, Audubon Society membership, the Bureau of Public Land Society, Baxter State Park. Janice has been a cook on top of Mount Washington and helped hikers on Bigelow Mountain for seven years. She  loves to run and hike. Jennifer Couch Jen spent many years in the animal healthcare profession before switching gears to the human field. She and her husband, Chris, are owned by seven cats and two dogs – one of which Jen trained as a service dog. Outside of work, Jen spends her time volunteering with the Lupus Foundation of America and the National Fibromyalgia Association. She has been active in fundraisers, walks, and educating people about systemic lupus erythematosus and fibromyalgia. Jen joined The Dempsey Center team earlier this summer. Jen's favorite part about working at The Dempsey Center is "Meeting some of the most amazing people - it makes me realize how strong the spirit truly is!" Sue Dube Sue has been a Realtor for 10 years and works for Coldwell Banker Millett Realty in Auburn. Sue volunteers for The Dempsey Center on Thursdays and is also an Associate for the CMMC Development Office. Sue has two grown sons and a granddaughter. She enjoys working out, going to the ocean, gardening and family time. Sue volunteers at CMMC because she wants to give back. Steve Dwinal Steve is a three year cancer survivor and has been volunteering at the Dempsey Center since April, 2008. He loves volunteering for The Dempsey Center because everyone is so nice and likes to see others benefit from the Center as well. Cheryl Figg Cheryl is a Registered Nurse and been practicing Reiki since 2004. She is honored to share healing energy with such courageous human beings. In her free time she gardens, hikes, travels and spends time with her two cats and dog. Cynthia French Cynthia graduated from the Leavitt Institute and Auburn Maine School of Commerce. She has worked at radio stations; WLAM and WTHT and at Per Se Tech. She retired  from full-time work 2007 and is currently employed part-time at MSAD 52 Adult Ed. Cynthia enjoys volunteering and being “Jill of all Trades” at The Dempsey Center. Danielle Jamison Danielle is a graduate of St. Dominic's Regional High School. She is currently student at St. Joseph's College of Maine and will be graduating in May with a bachelors degree in Biology. She is hoping to attend Medical School in the fall. Danielle has been volunteering at the Dempsey Center while attending College since May of 2009. Elizabeth “Betty” Lane Betty has been volunteering at the Dempsey Center since we opened our doors in March, 2008. She works as a lab technologist at Hematology/Oncology Associates and Infusion Center and leads the weekly knitting circle at the Dempsey Center. She and her ever-growing group of knitters have created hundreds of hats, lap blankets, prayer shawls, bra inserts, and other items, which have all been distributed to cancer patients throughout the region. Betty, who has been knitting since she was a small child, looks at her volunteer service as “the most rewarding thing” she does. She notes that it’s especially gratifying when she sees patients enjoying the lap blankets and prayer shawls in the Infusion Center, or coming into the office with one of the knitted hats. “It means so much to the knitters to know that what they do really makes a difference for others!” Priscilla and Richard Lavoie Priscilla enjoys family, friends and volunteering. Priscilla sews, does needlepoint, knitting, crocheting, quilting and traveling. Pricilla is also a part of a bible study group. “With Faith anything is possible”. Dick loved working in other countries. Enjoys working with computers and volunteering. Dick also plays golf and watches golf tournaments. When Dick is not volunteering he reads, spends time with family and friends and his wife Priscilla. He is also a part of a bible study group. Larry Mayes I am Larry Mayes, a retired Navy Hospital Corpsman/ Vietnam veteran, Biomedical Equipment Technician and Ohmeda Anesthesia Service Technician. I am also a former Analyst and Electron Microscope/ Engineering Technician at National Semiconductor in South Portland. I am a six-year Testicular Cancer survivor who also lost my sister to Breast Cancer on an Easter Sunday morning, three years ago. When I began repairing medical equipment, I adopted the philosophy that I was assisting the healthcare team with each patient. When I began cancer treatment, I was humbled by the thought that every nurse, doctor, medical assistant, receptionist, etc who cared for me throughout my 9 month course of treatment was returning to me far beyond the contributions I made to the care of other over twenty years. I also hoped that my care to others had benefited others in the same way I had. The devotion of these professionals at all levels has enabled me to enjoy laughter, friendship, family and grandchildren and continue learning to play the violin on my own since age 50. Someone once said, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away!”. If you can’t look at the clouds in the sky and marvel at the beauty of what God does to color our world with just water vapor and light, then you need to pause and take another look! Nancy Muir After 21 years in banking, Nancy has been enjoying her retirement which began in June, 2008. For many years she taught a variety of crafts and fiber arts and is now sharing her love of rubber stamping as a Stampin’ Up demonstrator. Nancy loves gardening and sharing her flowers (especially dahlias), as well as bird watching. She is a member of the Maine Audubon Society and the Stanton Bird Club. She enjoys road trips throughout Maine and New Hampshire with her husband. They have two sons, three grandchildren and four step-grandchildren. She feels it is time “to give back” and is pleased to be part of the Dempsey Center volunteers. Barbara Richard Barbara has worked at CMMC in the Finance Dept. since 2005 and has been a volunteer at The Dempsey Center since April 2008. She is the founder and leader of the Caring Card group which meets once a month to make greeting cards for The Center. Barbara lives with her husband Michael and their son, Jared. Her husband, Michael, had prostrate cancer in 2006 and now thankfully, is fine. She wanted a way to give back for their good outcome. Barbara likes the staff at the Dempsey Center because they are very upbeat and positive. Barbara volunteers on Friday afternoons.   Kathi A. Young Kathi has been volunteering as a reiki practitioner since the offering of reiki at the Dempsey Center. Kathi holds a level of Reiki Master Teacher. She also has attained other certificates in holistic approach. Kathi believes experiencing herself as both a caregiver and patient that it is important that you find time to “take those moments to give to yourself”. She has been an employee at CMMC for 17 years. Kathi lives by the Mission statement of CMMC, “To provide exceptional healthcare services in a safe and trustful environment, through the expertise, commitment and compassion of our family of caregiver."