Patrisha McLean, left, CEO and founder of Finding Our Voices, with Laurie Rairdon, who started the Westbrook Strong 5K with her husband Gary to honor their son Matthew, who was killed by an ex-boyfriend. Contributed / Patrisha McLean The Westbrook Strong 5K race, founded by City Councilor Gary Rairdon and his wife Laurie in memory of their son who was murdered, has donated $10,000 to Finding Our Voices, a Maine advocacy group helping victims of domestic violence. Rairdon About 500 runners and walkers gathered at Riverbank Park in Westbrook July 13 for the event honoring Matthew Rairdon, a nurse, who at age 22 in 2013 was fatally shot by an ex-boyfriend.
The 11th annual race raised $36,000. Finding Our Voices was the special beneficiary this year, with the remainder of proceeds going to nursing scholarships, including at Matthew’s alma mater, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, according to a press release. Event organizers made bright yellow race T-shirts this year to match Finding Our Voices.
The group’s founder and CEO Patrisha McLean said yellow is the group’s color “because we are survivors who managed to escape from domestic abuse and we are shining a light for our sisters in Maine who are still in the dark.” Laurie Rairdon said at a gathering after the race that she and her husband at first had “a very hard time” thinking that their son died as a result of domestic violence, according to the press release. “It wasn’t what we envisioned domestic violence looking like.
Matthew had ended his relationship and was moving on with his life. Unfortunately the person (who killed him) was not,” she said. “You just never know who is walking those shoes.
It could be your neighbor, your co-worker ...
and as long as you continue to be a friend or ear, it’s a matter of time before someone we hope will reach out to you and say ‘I need help.’ Thankfully there are resources.” McLean started Finding Our Voices following the 2016 domestic violence arrest of her husband of 29 years, singer and songwriter Don McLean.
“It moved me to tears to see a community come together as it did on July 13 to honor a hometown son, and also to see a family turning unfathomable private darkness into such a powerful beacon of light and love,” McLean said in the press release. “It is an honor and privilege for Finding Our Voices and for me personally to be connected to such a beautiful event, and to such a beautiful family.” She said the Westbrook Strong donation will help “a lot of people across Maine recognize domestic abuse, know they are not alone, and cross over to the bright side of freedom and safety.
” Finding Our Voices’ programs include access to free dental care, a Get Out Stay Out fund of financial support to those fleeing domestic abuse, and support groups. Laurie Rairdon will be on the panel of a Finding Our Voices presentation at the Westbrook Community Center on Sept. 16 talking about the impact of domestic abuse on the family.
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