Support Coach Bill Eck's Recovery from Hurricane Damage

Hello friends. My name is Steve Bockus. I am a former student of Bill "Coach" Eck. Bill taught me 8th grade math in the early 1970s at Weatherbee Jr. High in Hampden, Maine. He also coached baseball for many years at Hampden Academy until retiring and moving to Florida, where he is currently living. Bill is an avid baseball fan and a connoisseur of collecting 1950s-1980s rock and roll 45s and albums, plus his large collection of sports memorabilia. As many of you know, this past weekend, our country suffered the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene. Coach Bill was in the middle of it. His home was completely flooded with four feet of storm surge and most of his belongings were destroyed, including his much-beloved collections. Myself and classmate Tom Reeves were blessed to spend this past Monday helping to pull out some of his belongings to the street. As you can see by the pictures, it's mostly totaled. When I got there, Bill told me he fell through the floor in his hallway, spending some time getting out of the hole from the warped floorboards.

Today, Bill obtained a storage unit where he can process what's left of his belongings. He is staying with a friend for now, not sure what his long-term plans are. I know that the county he lives in will not let him rebuild unless a replacement mobile home is elevated above flood stage, and that will take a long time. There is no insurance. I really felt led to help him through this transition. He has spent his life mentoring and coaching many of us as we grew up, and now I feel it's time we can step up and do our part. Any help will be most appreciated.