Laura's Legacy of Love

01/13/2026

2 Maine DOT workers killed. 😞

Please slow down in work zones and watch for signage.

📰 MSP Investigating Fatal Crash Involving Two MaineDOT Workers 📰

On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at approximately 9:37 AM, the Maine State Police responded to a fatal pedestrian crash on I-95 southbound near mile marker 127 in Waterville. The Maine Department of Transportation had closed the traveling lane at the end of the southbound on-ramp from Kennedy Memorial Drive using cones and a posted stop sign as part of bridge construction work, with MaineDOT workers present at the site. The initial investigation indicates the operator of a gray Kia minivan failed to stop at the posted stop sign and then attempted to enter the passing lane (lane one) of I-95 southbound, where the minivan was struck by a tractor-trailer which was traveling southbound.

As a result of the collision, the minivan was forced into the work zone, striking three Maine Department of Transportation workers who were working at the site. The impact propelled two of the workers over the bridge and onto Kennedy Memorial Drive below. The two workers were pronounced deceased at the scene. They have been identified as 60-year-old James Brown of Waterville, and 51-year-old Dwayne Campbell of Waterville. A third worker was transported to a local hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening. The operator of the minivan, 34-year-old Samantha Tupper of Augusta had two young children in the vehicle. The children were not injured. Tupper was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the tractor trailer was not injured.

Due to the crash, all lanes of I-95 southbound were shut down for several hours while the Maine State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit conducted its investigation. One lane of I-95 southbound has since reopened. Additionally, Kennedy Memorial Drive was shut down westbound, and one lane was shut down eastbound for several hours to allow emergency response and investigation. The crash remains under investigation. The Maine State Police is being assisted by the Waterville Police Department, Waterville Fire Department, Waterville Public Works, Delta Ambulance and Dostie’s Towing.

The Maine State Police extend our condolences to the family, coworkers and loved ones of the MaineDOT workers impacted by this fatal crash.

01/01/2026

2025 was amazing! Wait til you see what's coming for 2026!

Happy New Year!

12/25/2025

Wow, what an amazing year! 835pm on Christmas Eve and we are done for another year!

We knew when we first opened the applications on November 1st, that this would be our busiest year yet! We were getting requests for toys up until Christmas Eve day. Volunteers were out delivering final gifts through 835pm on Christmas Eve.

We are one of a few programs who deliver the toys to families all over Southern Maine. Many people who needed assistance with toys have no transportation to pick up the gifts. We often had 3 or 4 delivery teams driving all over Maine delivering gifts, including the final 50 families on Christmas Eve day.

We have so many people to thank. This year, we opened up online shopping opportunities as several members of the community had reached out and wanted to help. We received so many amazing donations of toys from the community and we are so thankful! We also had several community members donate money to help buy gifts. We had toy collection boxes at MEE-D Thai in Sanford and Sanford Downtown McDonalds, and we appreciate everyone who donated. Both gave us a big box of amazing toys to help the kids!

Once again, Portland Media Group is a huge supporter of our program. They help us so much with their Christmas is for Kids program, in partnership with Bill Dodge Auto Group. This has helped us provide more gifts to more children every year and we are so appreciative of all their help.

Kona Ice of York County and the Cole Family paid for all the remaining toys to ensure every child got toys for Christmas.

This year, Toys For Tots Southern York County Maine had contacted us to offer us some amazing toys to help our program once they had distributed their toys. Their donation was a game changer for us as it saved us so much time shopping and allowed us to help more families. We are so appreciative of their generous donation.

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀:

- 𝟳𝟴𝟴 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 Received Toys from our Operation Santa Program this year (𝟮𝟵% 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 over 2024)

- 𝟯𝟴𝟯 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 were served (𝟯𝟭% 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 over 2024)

- 𝟰𝟯 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 received toys (𝟭𝟭% 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 over 2024)

- 𝟭𝟯𝟲𝟮 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 driven delivering toys.

This program ran concurrent with some other of our community programs, including providing 87 Thanksgiving Baskets to families, providing gifts and cards to nursing homes for the holidays, appreciation events at local schools including pizza parties, Wreaths Across America and a Transportation Department Appreciation Event for RSU 57. The volunteers have been putting in 12-17 hour days almost everyday since November 1st between all these events and shopping for nearly 800 kids!

One of our favorite parts of the program is helping children who have experienced trauma by gifting them with toys that match what they want, to try to help. This is the 5th year we have worked with trauma organizations and hospitals to help provide toys to these children and also children who are admitted into the hospital, or have family members admitted into the hospital.

This was our 6th year doing this program! Operation Santa was founded in 2020 as a new program after helping run other Community Christmas Programs. Laura's Legacy of Love was founded in 2021 after Laura Cole tragically was taken from us. She was a huge community organizer who helped with so many projects. Since then, the non-profit has helped dozens of area schools, Veterans groups, public safety organizations and more through donations and grants. We also sponsor programs like the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Thanksgiving Baskets, Wreaths Across America, Operation Santa and food drives to help local food pantries. Since 2020, we have helped over 2250 kids!

“What makes these very long days worth the effort is seeing the parents so grateful, often crying when they see large bags of gifts. They tell us they often have to make decisions between buying food, clothes or other things and its so stressful adding in the holidays. Our volunteers, as well as many amazing volunteers from several area non-profit organizations, work tirelessly to offer any assistance we can. It’s truly amazing to see how many peoples lives these groups make a difference in everyday and to see how well they all work together to help each other.”

Here are some pictures from today's final deliveries, it truly is a family event with all 5 children out delivering and helping plus great friends being there to always help!

Thank you everyone and we wish you all a very Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 ❤️

12/24/2025

Today's the day! We had to stop delivering last night due to the icy roads, but are out in full force today!

Everyone should have received an email this morning about delivery info or pick up instructions. If you did not, please email me immediately at [email protected]!

We are down to the last 50 families!

12/23/2025

We had such an amazing morning with the Transportation Staff at RSU 57!🚌 🚌

We hired the amazing Gotta Be Frank Gourmet to come serve about 60 to 65 bus drivers, van drivers, mechanics and admin staff to thank them for the amazing job that they do everyday. Everyone loved the delicious food!

Alfred Elementary School students and students from Ms. Hannahs 3rd and 4th grade class made the most adorable cards for each transportation staff member. ❤️

Some community members offered to make homemade goodies for the gift bags each member received. Also a bus driver from a neighboring community donated some items for every transportation staff member.

It was great to see them all so happy and feel appreciated. They have one of the hardest, but most valuable jobs in the world, to ensure our children make it to and from school safely.

We heard bus drivers telling stories about how each kid on their bus is like their own grandchild and they love them all.

They all got filled up before heading back out due to a snow storm causing an early release day.

12/22/2025

Good Monday Morning!

We had a great day yesterday, shopping for new families and then a lot of deliveries! We understand some are anxiously awaiting delivery and we are coming as quick as possible. Everyone will get delivered! There are over 100 kids in Sanford that we are working on finalizing their bags and delivery.

We will be in the following towns this afternoon/evening doing deliveries. We do not have the exact time but will text when we are on the way to your house to give you notice.

- Alfred
- Berwick
- Lebanon
- Limerick
- Limington
- Newfield
- North Berwick
- South Berwick

If you are not going to be home this afternoon and do not want it left, please let us know.

Harmonee the Elf will be texting you when we are on the way! We have emailed all the families who will see us today and it has Harmonee's direct number to text with any concerns!

Enjoy this beautiful day!

www.lauraslegacyoflove.com

12/21/2025

Good Sunday Morning!

We had a great day yesterday, shopping for new families and then a lot of deliveries! After today, we should be down to the final 108 deliveries!! We understand some are anxiously awaiting delivery and we are coming as quick as possible. Everyone will get delivered!

We will be in the following towns this afternoon/evening doing deliveries. We do not have the exact time but will text when we are on the way to your house to give you notice.

- Alfred
- Hollis
- Gorham
- Old Orchard Beach
- Portland
- Scarborough
- South Portland
- Standish
- Westbrook

If you are not going to be home this afternoon and do not want it left, please let us know.

Harmonee the Elf will be texting you when we are on the way! We have emailed all the families who will see us today and it has Harmonee's direct number to text with any concerns!

Enjoy this beautiful day!

12/20/2025

Today we will be getting Biddeford and Arundel done, if we get done early enough will send more towns! When we know your specific time, you will get an email and text. Theres only 2 of us today, so please be patient!

Biddeford is our 2nd biggest city and it will take more of the day and evening to get to dozens of families.

Www.lauraslegacyoflove.com

12/20/2025

We have multiple elves out delivering! Earlier we did Eliot, Kittery and part of Sanford. Tonight we are finishing Wells, Waterboro, Acton, Shapleigh, Alfred and Lyman.

We will be out all day and evening through Christmas Eve delivering.

For children 603 to 787, yours will be delivered d in plenty of time, we will email and text before we leave and are near your location!

We are down to the final 184 kids!

12/19/2025

In between delivering Operation Santa gifts we got the chance to deliver some pizzas for a Christmas Party at a Sanford School!

We hope you all have an amazing Christmas Party and Christmas break with family and friends

12/18/2025

12/17/2025

Its been so sad for the past 24 hours, so we wanted to share some fun.

We are out shopping for our last 152 kids and we were getting some wrapping paper and boxes for families. And then we find Jason