Page 5 - Hometown Heroes - Hartford Courant 022116
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THE HARTFORD COURANT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2016 W5
HOMETOWN HEROES: Good Neighbors
“The people who are actually working the lines at the soup kitchen, they’re
the heroes. I have a megaphone, and I use it.”
Mike Merlin
DJ CRACKS JOKES, AIDS CHARITY
Cancer Isn’t Keeping Mike Merlin From His Job Or From Raising Money For Good Causes
PATRICK RAYCRAFT | PRAYCRAFT@COURANT.COM
MIKE MERLIN, a DJ and radio program director at WILI-FM in Willimantic, has used his platform over the years to help out food banks, homeless shelters and other charities. He is
battling lung cancer, but has new charity drives in mind.
By MARA LEE fundraisers for two soup kitchens and a food He said he takes a pill targeted to his of his life, is treasuring the time with them
pantry, in November and May. Shoppers pay strain of lung cancer, which has fewer side even more now. “I study them more. I ask
maralee@courant.com $1 to buy a paper turkey or, in May, a flower. effects than traditional chemo, and he has more questions. I listen to their answers.”
missed only a few weeks of work — once
W ILLIMANTIC — Like many “With every dollar they can buy $11 worth after he dislodged a catheter draining liquid He’s not always able to keep himself from
DJs, Mike Merlin still has a of food,” Merlin said. And the Liberty from his lungs when he was riding a wooden thinking about what he calls his “awful
bit of the class clown in Foundation gives a quarter for every dollar, roller coaster with his kids. prognosis.”
him, even at 43. too. Last November, they raised $3,720, as
Earlier this month, as he was promoting a well as 900 pounds of food donations. “Work keeps my mind off things,” he said. “I remember taking them roller skating
contest on WILI, 98.3 FM, to win a Italian Cracking jokes, thinking about which songs one time,” and he said he was thinking as he
bead necklace donated by a local jeweler, he “When you team up with other are on point — it all helps him stay in the watched them circle the rink: “I’ll never
told listeners, “That would be awesome! I’ll organizations, you can do a lot more than moment. “You don’t want to think about the dance with her at her wedding. I’ll never see
tell you how to win it next.” just by yourself,” Merlin said. future too much.” him pitch.”
He sounded like a high-schooler Last year, Merlin took part in two charity And the charity work is a big part of that, “My goal right now is to make five years. It
whipping up the pep rally. events for the first time, jumping into the too. “One of the things that’s really helped doesn’t seem like a lot, but to me, it is,” he said.
Nautchag River in winter and running a 5K me is helping other people,” he said.
Merlin’s energy and enthusiasm in the spring to raise money for cancer, Merlin and his wife, Colleen, used to team
entertains tens of thousands of listeners, and without training at all beforehand. “It was “He doesn’t want anybody to feel sorry up at least twice a month for weddings, with
it also motivates some to give to charity. “He awful,” he said, smiling. “I was just going to for him,” Smart said. “That’s Mike. That’s his her shooting photos, and him DJ-ing —
brings other people together. Absolutely,” promote it,” but then decided, “Heck, I character.” which accounted for at least 15 percent of
said Angela Smart, manager of Liberty Bank might as well run it.” the family’s income. She also quit her job as
in downtown Willimantic. Smart said Merlin said the hardest part of having a day care teacher after he got sick. So now
community fundraisers are much bigger and “And I didn’t know I had cancer at the cancer was telling his three kids, who are 8, Merlin himself has benefited from some
more successful because of Merlin. time,” he said. 6 and 5. fundraising efforts.
Merlin, whose real name is Mike Jerry Mailhiot said he nominated Merlin Bella, his oldest, got it, he feels. “Olivia But even this turn of sometimes helping
Whitehouse, has been program manager for as a Hometown Hero because he finds it freaked out,” he said. She’s his youngest. She and sometimes being helped is not so
Willimantic’s Top 40 station for a dozen years. inspiring that his boss still makes time for cried: “Daddy, we don’t want you to die!” different from his neighbors, he knows.
charity drives as he battles cancer.
The station sponsored charity drives But then, he said, she asked: “Can we go At the free dinners, he said, “We had a lot
before he joined, he said, but they were Merlin was diagnosed with metastatic lung out and get ice cream before you die?” of people say, ‘I have received assistance, and
“kind of meager.” For instance, someone cancer in August, a rare type that strikes non- now I’m in a position to give.’ And they give.”
would go to a grocery store for a few hours smokers. Within a month, he was traveling to He said of course they could. And they did.
and ask people to donate canned goods. New Haven to have gamma knife radiation to His middle child, Lukas, tests how well his “I’m not a hero at all,” he added. “How
fight five tumors in his brain. Dad is doing by seeing if Merlin can lift him hard is it just to set this stuff up? The people
Now, 98.3 partners with Liberty Bank when he runs up to him. So far, Merlin can. who are actually working the lines at the
Foundation and Bob’s Windham IGA to do “It’s so weird. They bolt this thing to your Merlin, who said he already thought soup kitchen, they’re the heroes. I have a
head like Frankenstein,” Merlin said. these years of raising his kids were the best megaphone, and I use it.”
Saints DeDominicis, invited him to become a saint. He recalled one occasion when a woman she was making a snow angel.
That was 15 years ago. Dickstein is still brought her preteen daughter to their “It was like she wanted to imprint herself
Continued from Page W1 completed house before they moved in. The
raising homes, and so is DeDominicis, who girl picked out her bedroom and lay down on the floor of her room,” Arcari said.
see the homeowners week after week, turns 81 in July. on the floor, moving her arms and legs as if “That’s how much it meant to her. It really
working side by side with them, it shows stays with you.”
them this is a team effort.” DeDominicis has always been a
“handyman” he said: He built a two-car -MEAT COMPANY- Worth The Trip From
And the members on that team will be garage and a 20-by-40-pool at his home in Anywhere
the first to brag about it. Farmington. The transition to using his ON THE RIVER
talents to help others was “natural,” he said.
“We do it because it’s the greatest Thank You. We Appreciate Your Business!
fraternity you could ever belong to; these “It gives you satisfaction of accomplishing
guys love each other,” Barry Dickstein said something, of building something for some- 3 3Our Own Store Made $ 99 Beef Shanks $ 99
as he took a coffee-and-doughnut break one who otherwise would have to go with- Ground Turkey lb. for Soups or Stew
inside a work site on Grand Street. out,” said DeDominicis, who previously lb.
owned the radio station WRCH-FM.
“We’re just a bunch of guys working Fresh Boneless and Skinless $ 99 Ground Fresh All Day $ 99
together, doing great things.” That satisfaction is also what motivated
Ralph Arcari, who ran the University of 1Chicken Breast lb. 82% Lean lb.
Pre-sainthood, Dickstein, 70, was in Connecticut Health Center’s Lyman Ground Chuck
broadcasting, the owner of a network of Maynard Stowe Library for 40 years. 3Farm Fresh 99
radio and TV stations. When he left that gig
behind, his former colleague, Enzo “When homeowners come in, and you 99Chicken Drums lb.
see how happy they are, it’s tremendous,” he
RALPH said. 99
ARCARI,
$. lb. Store Made $ lb.
left, of Sweet or Hot
Farmington 2Half or Whole Bone In $
reaches for 5New York Strip
some screws or Thighs
from Barry
Dickstein of 99 Italian Sausage
Canton as lb. Sicilian Green, $
they secure Kalamata
4Fresh Cut $ 99
part of a
stairway to Beef Cutlets or
the back of a 5Shaved Steak lb. or Oil Cured Olives
home on Pecorino Romano or $ 99
Grand Street Parmesan cheeses
Canadian 6 7$ 99
in Hartford. Salmon Fillets lb. Chunk or Grated lb.
JOHN WOIKE | 8GrassFed Raw Basics Dog Food Chicken,
JWOIKE Top Turkey or Beef Mixes Available
Broil,
@COURANT. Beef London $ 99
COM Round or
lb.
Ground Round Call For Information
Need to Pre-order
17 EASTERN DRIVE, MIDDLETOWN, CT • 860-347-8574
TUES.-FRI. 7:30-5 • SAT. 7:30-1:00 • ALL CREDIT CARDS & SNAP CARD
Not Responsible For Typographical Errors
HOMETOWN HEROES: Good Neighbors
“The people who are actually working the lines at the soup kitchen, they’re
the heroes. I have a megaphone, and I use it.”
Mike Merlin
DJ CRACKS JOKES, AIDS CHARITY
Cancer Isn’t Keeping Mike Merlin From His Job Or From Raising Money For Good Causes
PATRICK RAYCRAFT | PRAYCRAFT@COURANT.COM
MIKE MERLIN, a DJ and radio program director at WILI-FM in Willimantic, has used his platform over the years to help out food banks, homeless shelters and other charities. He is
battling lung cancer, but has new charity drives in mind.
By MARA LEE fundraisers for two soup kitchens and a food He said he takes a pill targeted to his of his life, is treasuring the time with them
pantry, in November and May. Shoppers pay strain of lung cancer, which has fewer side even more now. “I study them more. I ask
maralee@courant.com $1 to buy a paper turkey or, in May, a flower. effects than traditional chemo, and he has more questions. I listen to their answers.”
missed only a few weeks of work — once
W ILLIMANTIC — Like many “With every dollar they can buy $11 worth after he dislodged a catheter draining liquid He’s not always able to keep himself from
DJs, Mike Merlin still has a of food,” Merlin said. And the Liberty from his lungs when he was riding a wooden thinking about what he calls his “awful
bit of the class clown in Foundation gives a quarter for every dollar, roller coaster with his kids. prognosis.”
him, even at 43. too. Last November, they raised $3,720, as
Earlier this month, as he was promoting a well as 900 pounds of food donations. “Work keeps my mind off things,” he said. “I remember taking them roller skating
contest on WILI, 98.3 FM, to win a Italian Cracking jokes, thinking about which songs one time,” and he said he was thinking as he
bead necklace donated by a local jeweler, he “When you team up with other are on point — it all helps him stay in the watched them circle the rink: “I’ll never
told listeners, “That would be awesome! I’ll organizations, you can do a lot more than moment. “You don’t want to think about the dance with her at her wedding. I’ll never see
tell you how to win it next.” just by yourself,” Merlin said. future too much.” him pitch.”
He sounded like a high-schooler Last year, Merlin took part in two charity And the charity work is a big part of that, “My goal right now is to make five years. It
whipping up the pep rally. events for the first time, jumping into the too. “One of the things that’s really helped doesn’t seem like a lot, but to me, it is,” he said.
Nautchag River in winter and running a 5K me is helping other people,” he said.
Merlin’s energy and enthusiasm in the spring to raise money for cancer, Merlin and his wife, Colleen, used to team
entertains tens of thousands of listeners, and without training at all beforehand. “It was “He doesn’t want anybody to feel sorry up at least twice a month for weddings, with
it also motivates some to give to charity. “He awful,” he said, smiling. “I was just going to for him,” Smart said. “That’s Mike. That’s his her shooting photos, and him DJ-ing —
brings other people together. Absolutely,” promote it,” but then decided, “Heck, I character.” which accounted for at least 15 percent of
said Angela Smart, manager of Liberty Bank might as well run it.” the family’s income. She also quit her job as
in downtown Willimantic. Smart said Merlin said the hardest part of having a day care teacher after he got sick. So now
community fundraisers are much bigger and “And I didn’t know I had cancer at the cancer was telling his three kids, who are 8, Merlin himself has benefited from some
more successful because of Merlin. time,” he said. 6 and 5. fundraising efforts.
Merlin, whose real name is Mike Jerry Mailhiot said he nominated Merlin Bella, his oldest, got it, he feels. “Olivia But even this turn of sometimes helping
Whitehouse, has been program manager for as a Hometown Hero because he finds it freaked out,” he said. She’s his youngest. She and sometimes being helped is not so
Willimantic’s Top 40 station for a dozen years. inspiring that his boss still makes time for cried: “Daddy, we don’t want you to die!” different from his neighbors, he knows.
charity drives as he battles cancer.
The station sponsored charity drives But then, he said, she asked: “Can we go At the free dinners, he said, “We had a lot
before he joined, he said, but they were Merlin was diagnosed with metastatic lung out and get ice cream before you die?” of people say, ‘I have received assistance, and
“kind of meager.” For instance, someone cancer in August, a rare type that strikes non- now I’m in a position to give.’ And they give.”
would go to a grocery store for a few hours smokers. Within a month, he was traveling to He said of course they could. And they did.
and ask people to donate canned goods. New Haven to have gamma knife radiation to His middle child, Lukas, tests how well his “I’m not a hero at all,” he added. “How
fight five tumors in his brain. Dad is doing by seeing if Merlin can lift him hard is it just to set this stuff up? The people
Now, 98.3 partners with Liberty Bank when he runs up to him. So far, Merlin can. who are actually working the lines at the
Foundation and Bob’s Windham IGA to do “It’s so weird. They bolt this thing to your Merlin, who said he already thought soup kitchen, they’re the heroes. I have a
head like Frankenstein,” Merlin said. these years of raising his kids were the best megaphone, and I use it.”
Saints DeDominicis, invited him to become a saint. He recalled one occasion when a woman she was making a snow angel.
That was 15 years ago. Dickstein is still brought her preteen daughter to their “It was like she wanted to imprint herself
Continued from Page W1 completed house before they moved in. The
raising homes, and so is DeDominicis, who girl picked out her bedroom and lay down on the floor of her room,” Arcari said.
see the homeowners week after week, turns 81 in July. on the floor, moving her arms and legs as if “That’s how much it meant to her. It really
working side by side with them, it shows stays with you.”
them this is a team effort.” DeDominicis has always been a
“handyman” he said: He built a two-car -MEAT COMPANY- Worth The Trip From
And the members on that team will be garage and a 20-by-40-pool at his home in Anywhere
the first to brag about it. Farmington. The transition to using his ON THE RIVER
talents to help others was “natural,” he said.
“We do it because it’s the greatest Thank You. We Appreciate Your Business!
fraternity you could ever belong to; these “It gives you satisfaction of accomplishing
guys love each other,” Barry Dickstein said something, of building something for some- 3 3Our Own Store Made $ 99 Beef Shanks $ 99
as he took a coffee-and-doughnut break one who otherwise would have to go with- Ground Turkey lb. for Soups or Stew
inside a work site on Grand Street. out,” said DeDominicis, who previously lb.
owned the radio station WRCH-FM.
“We’re just a bunch of guys working Fresh Boneless and Skinless $ 99 Ground Fresh All Day $ 99
together, doing great things.” That satisfaction is also what motivated
Ralph Arcari, who ran the University of 1Chicken Breast lb. 82% Lean lb.
Pre-sainthood, Dickstein, 70, was in Connecticut Health Center’s Lyman Ground Chuck
broadcasting, the owner of a network of Maynard Stowe Library for 40 years. 3Farm Fresh 99
radio and TV stations. When he left that gig
behind, his former colleague, Enzo “When homeowners come in, and you 99Chicken Drums lb.
see how happy they are, it’s tremendous,” he
RALPH said. 99
ARCARI,
$. lb. Store Made $ lb.
left, of Sweet or Hot
Farmington 2Half or Whole Bone In $
reaches for 5New York Strip
some screws or Thighs
from Barry
Dickstein of 99 Italian Sausage
Canton as lb. Sicilian Green, $
they secure Kalamata
4Fresh Cut $ 99
part of a
stairway to Beef Cutlets or
the back of a 5Shaved Steak lb. or Oil Cured Olives
home on Pecorino Romano or $ 99
Grand Street Parmesan cheeses
Canadian 6 7$ 99
in Hartford. Salmon Fillets lb. Chunk or Grated lb.
JOHN WOIKE | 8GrassFed Raw Basics Dog Food Chicken,
JWOIKE Top Turkey or Beef Mixes Available
Broil,
@COURANT. Beef London $ 99
COM Round or
lb.
Ground Round Call For Information
Need to Pre-order
17 EASTERN DRIVE, MIDDLETOWN, CT • 860-347-8574
TUES.-FRI. 7:30-5 • SAT. 7:30-1:00 • ALL CREDIT CARDS & SNAP CARD
Not Responsible For Typographical Errors
