Mark had returned to his hometown an Air Force veteran, and in 1993 was picking up a part-time position on top of his regular job that provided for his young wife and family – organizing football and soccer programs and a father-daughter dance, on a few thousand dollars and many volunteers.
Right now if you stop by the Lisbon Parks & Recreation offices at the MTM Community Center, 18 School Street, Lisbon Falls – you’ll definitely hear the cheers and shrieks of the after school program, home to over a hundred children who otherwise might have no one to flip the lights on at home, no one to listen to stories of their recess snow fort, no one to make them hustle to rebound when they get blocked on a shot playing one-on-one in the gym. These kids tumble off the bus every day into an unused school building that no one wanted that Mark said yes to. That every day and every night of the week burns in the darkness with lights on in its Fitness Center, gymnasium, food pantry, and meeting rooms full of birthday parties, wedding showers, baby showers, funeral receptions.
Mark will tell you he did not create any of this, he just said yes to it.
Below is a more quantified list of the Department and Mark’s contributions.
• Employment History/Experience: Lisbon Parks & Recreation director since 1993.
• Education and Certification: BS in Recreation from University of Maine, Presque Isle
• Professional Affiliation: longstanding MRPA member
• Leadership Contribution/ Administrative & Program Development/ Strategic Thinking and Planning/Partner and Coalition Building:
Mark has been a wrestling and field hockey coach for over twenty years, winning the US National Wrestling Coach of the year title in 2014. He has been a long-term member of the advisory board of the Lisbon Community Federal Credit Union and an advisor to our local scouting troops. He has developed the Recreation Committee and Conservation Committee for the department to lead the governance of the recreation and parks entities of the department.