Profiles in Community: Krista and Brian Martin

Westbrook is about to lose two of its best volunteers. This month, Krista and Brian Martin and their two children, Tim and Elizabeth, are moving to Ocala, Fla., taking with them memories of the countless hours they spent organizing Westbrook’s Together Days, rebuilding homes, volunteering in schools and many, many more service activities. They also take with them the thanks of a grateful city.

Krista (formerly Krista Perkins) grew up on Brook Road in Westbrook, attending Prides Corner School until the sixth-grade, then the junior high, and then graduating from Westbrook High School in 1988. In 1991, Krista married Brian, who graduated from Biddeford High School in 1987 and from the University of Maine in 1991. Krista and Brian moved away from Westbrook in 1991, but returned in 1995, building their home on Krista’s family’s land on Brook Road.

Community service has always come naturally to Krista and Brian. “It’s in our blood,” Krista laughed. Upon returning to Westbrook, Krista began chairing the nursery school board for Prides Corner Congregational Church, where she was a member. “They needed help, so I pitched in,” Krista said.

Since then, Krista and Brian, along with Tim, 11, and Elizabeth, 8, have always been there to pitch in when help was needed. Krista helped organize Westbrook’s Together Days Festival for five years. She served as Tim’s Cub Scout den leader (Pack 70) for four years and as Elizabeth’s Daisy and Brownie troop leader (Troup #1867) for three years. For the last two years, she has been the Daisy consultant for Westbrook, making sure all new Daisy leaders have what they need.

Krista is the elected ward clerk for Ward 5. She has spent long hours over the past five years serving on the building committee for Congin Elementary School and Wescott Junior High School. She has also served on the city-wide playground committee, which has worked to improve playgrounds throughout the city.

Krista has always focused on promoting strong schools. In addition to her committee work, Krista has been a member of the Congin/Prides Corner Parent Teacher Organization. This year, she served as seek officer and was charged with organizing and fundraising for educational field trips for the students. For the past two years, Krista has helped organize the Congin Variety Show, providing a showcase for the talented children at Congin and helping raise money for Congin’s playground. Krista has also volunteered at both Prides Corner and Congin. Krista has also taught Liturgy of the Word and kindergarten and first-grade religious education at St. Edmund’s Church (now the Westbrook Catholic Community), where she is now a parishioner.

Krista also served on the Junior Achievement board for four years, chairing the board for two of those years. And Krista, along with Angelea Errington, established the Kevin Errington Scholarship Fund in honor of Angelea’s son, Kevin, who passed away in 1995 at the age of five. Each January, the fund hosts a spaghetti dinner to raise funds, which are then used to subsidize tuition for needy children at the Prides Corner Nursery School.

Moving beyond Westbrook’s borders, Krista served as a chair of the Scarborough chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and helped organize its annual fundraising walk. After she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, Krista contacted the New England chapter of the Arthritis Association and has helped organize that association’s fundraising walk. Last spring, the chapter asked Krista to represent Maine at the national Arthritis Association conference in Washington, D.C. Krista met with Representatives Tom Allen and Mike Michaud and with staff to Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins to lobby for increased funding for arthritis research. Since her nephew, Austin, now 7, was born with autism, Krista has helped raise money for the National Alliance for Autism Research.

And Brian has been right there with her. “Everything I do, Brian gets dragged into it,” Krista said. In addition to working with Krista on all of these service activities, Brian has worked for several years with Rebuilding Together Greater Portland, a nonprofit group dedicated to renovating housing for low income families in the Greater Portland area. On the last Saturday in April, Rebuilding Together brings together hundreds of volunteers to renovate 10 to 15 homes in one day. The group focuses on significant repairs such as new roofs, new heating systems, access ramps, and new windows, among other items, that help the homeowner continue to live in her or his home in warmth, safety and independence.

Brian, an engineer and skilled handyman, serves as a house captain each year. As house captain, he inspects the home to determine the scope of services to be provided. He orders the materials needed and makes sure they are delivered. Brian also determines how many skilled and unskilled volunteers are needed. On Rebuilding Day, Brian is in charge of all the volunteers and must make sure the project is completed. Oftentimes, Brian returns to a house a second or a third time to make sure the job is done right.

Brian and Krista also involve Tim and Elizabeth in their community service activities. “It instills in our kids how important it is to be active in their community,” Krista explained.

The decision to move to Ocala, Fla., was a difficult one for Brian and Krista. The Westbrook community is an integral part of their lives, and they are an integral part of Westbrook. But it was a necessary decision, given Krista’s health concerns.

Brian and Krista, and Tim and Elizabeth, will miss Westbrook.

“We have a great community,” Krista said. “We will miss that the most.” But they are also excited about Brian’s new job with Jones Edmunds, Florida’s oldest engineering firm. And Tim and Elizabeth are particularly excited about the swimming pool in the backyard, and that the swimming season in Florida is slightly longer than in Maine.

It is a good bet that Krista and Brian will soon be volunteering in Ocala. “I will definitely get involved right away in Tim’s and Elizabeth’s schools,” Krista said. Krista and Brian also promise to return to Westbrook for frequent visits. Krista’s mother and step-father, Marcia and Mark Gartley, live in Westbrook. Most of Brian’s family lives nearby in southern Maine. And they look forward to hosting Westbrook friends, pointing out that Disney World is only 45 minutes away.

“It’s tough. It’s very tough to leave Westbrook,” Krista said. “We will miss the community and all our friends and family. But we have to look at it as a new adventure, too.”

As the Martins embark on their new adventure, their friends and family and all those whom they have helped through the years here in Westbrook send their best wishes, and a simple, heartfelt thank you.