Artist Makes Unique Donation to Businesses Where Shooting Happened in Lewiston

An artist in Woolwich made a one-of-a-kind donation.

Everyone was affected differently by the mass shooting in Lewiston. Most of us wanted to help in some way. One way was to donate money or blood to the Red Cross. But just like grieving, people process tragedy in different ways. For one artist in the Woolwich area, who wished to remain anonymous, this was what she wanted to do. She made 20 coat racks, one for each of the 18 victims and one for each of the businesses where the shootings took place (Schmenges and Just in Time Recreation in Lewiston).

Each coat rack is hand-painted with repurposed wood, and each of the hangers is unique and different, made with parts found in the barn or from a bathroom remodel. Some coat racks have moving parts, and some are just cool. This artist reached out to me to see if I could make a connection with the businesses.

I was able to connect with both Kathy from Schmenges and Justin from Just in Time Rec (no, that's NOT why it's called that. We'll cover that later). Justin was thrilled by the kind gesture and the uniqueness of the gift. He was glad to take all 20. The artist didn't care what happened to the racks, or whether they were gifted, put in the business, or put in a home. As long as they got used at some point, that's all that mattered. They are a definite conversation starter.

I met Justin in Lewiston and transported the racks from my car to his truck. He is such a nice guy. I asked him how he was doing, and he honestly said,

Some days are better than others.

I can only imagine. He hopes to re-open Just in Time in January, but there are so many things to handle right now. This sweet gesture of the coat racks was really appreciated. Before I left, Justin had already given one away to his wife's hairdresser.

Oh and the name 'Just in Time'? It's not named after him, but because he and his wife bought the place 'just in time' because it was about to close for good.