LEWISTON, Maine (WGME) — It’s been a weekend filled with remembrances of “Lewiston Strong,” marking two years since Maine’s worst mass shooting.
We’ve seen emotional tributes for the 18 people who lost their lives, including a special event and special moment Sunday for one of them.
Chad Hopkins is the owner of Apple Valley Golf Course in Lewiston, who tells us this is the busiest he can ever remember the course, for an event honoring someone, he says, they’ll never forget.
“Keep her in your spirits today when you’re playing golf,” Hopkins said. “Having her presence here was something that I’ll hold onto the rest of my life.”
Two years ago, Trish Asselin and Hopkins were with their bowling group inside Just-in-Time Recreation, playing against each other, when the gunfire suddenly erupted, and just like that, she was gone.
“She was connected to each and every single person here,” Hopkins said.
Here at Apple Valley is where Asselin dedicated much of her off-time, helping Hopkins around the pro shop, and of course, doing what she loved the most: getting out on the links three days a week.
While this time of the year is always emotional for the group, Sunday was a particularly special one.
“I sat there and cried because she quoted me the price of the funds we had raised. I knew that day we were able to get this bench,” Lisa Greenleaf, the best friend of Tricia, said about a bench fully funded by the group. Greenleaf picked out the bench.
“I hope this bench is a piece of connection, peace, reflection to remember the good times, the good memories,” Greenleaf went on.
The bench is placed at the first tee box, with the idea that Tricia would be able to watch over everyone’s tee shot and send each golfer a little bit of luck to guide their ball down the fairway.
“So, definitely, when I saw the bench for the first time, I was like, ‘There you go, Trish. Now you’re where you want to be,'” Hopkins said.
Forever close to the game she loved and most importantly, surrounded by those who loved her.
“She touched many of our lives. May her memory live on here at Apple Valley,” Greenleaf said.
