UNE Students Help Decorate Biddeford

Hannah Ramalho wanted to emulate her late stepfather when she joined her University of New England roommate on Nov. 2 for an annual day of community service in downtown Biddeford, when the Class of 2027 partnered with a local nonprofit to decorate the town with holiday lights.

“I didn’t have a rugby game today, so if I had an opportunity to step back and give back, then that’s what I’m going to do. That’s what my stepdad did before he died. He just wanted to help people,” said Ramalho (Animal Behavior, ’27). “Giving back to my community has become a big part of my ethical code, my morals.”

As the president of UNE’s Class of 2027, Sammi Slonecker (Animal Behavior, ’27) helped recruit two dozen volunteers with the University’s Office of Citizenship and Civic Engagement in partnership with the local nonprofit Heart of Biddeford to help brighten the town and bond with the local community.  

Heart of Biddeford, which works to foster a welcoming, inclusive, and sustainable community for the people of Biddeford and its visitors, provided buckets of lights, ladders, and the nonprofit’s Main Street office as a gathering spot.

There, Romalho helped package blankets and clothing donated by the UNE S.W.A.P Shop (which stands for Surplus with a Purpose) to Seeds of Hope, another local nonprofit that provides resources to those who are unhoused or unemployed. The Class of 2027 also donated $1,500 to the local resource center in a gesture of community alliance.

For Slonecker, the opportunity to help rally students to decorate their college town brought her love of Biddeford full circle — reminding her of when she first toured UNE’s coastal Maine campus two years ago.

“The first time I was here was during Thanksgiving weekend when my parents brought me on a college tour. We drove the 20 hours from Wisconsin and when we arrived, we loved the lights around Biddeford’s downtown. It made it homey, like a small town, which is where I’m from,” said Slonecker of Rosendale, Wisconsin — population 1,040. 

That small town vibe was what drew Anthony Johnson (Medical Biology and Biochemistry, ’26) on Saturday. He grew up in nearby Buxton, Maine, but didn’t get to know Biddeford until he enrolled at UNE two years ago. It was his second year helping to prepare the downtown boulevard for the holidays. Last year, he was asked to help; this year, he sought out the opportunity.

“I love how Biddeford has locally owned businesses. There are no chain restaurants. They’re indie shops here, which is cool. I'm happy to help today,” Johnson said.