Patrick Linehan, of Modern Woodmen of America in Oakland, was honored recently with a Maine School Boards Association Friend of Education Award for his service to Regional School Unit 18.

Linehan received the MSBA Business Friend of Education Award at the Maine School Management Association Annual Fall Conference in Augusta before an audience of school board members and superintendents from across the state, according to a MSBA news release.

As manager of Modern Woodmen, Linehan has donated a number of services to the schools in RSU 18, including planting flowers and placing planters and mulch around the entryway for the first day of school at Atwood Primary. He has planted trees at both the elementary schools and high school and donated large picnic tables for the schools’ play yards.

“In the winter, he appears with boxes of extra hats and mittens for children in need and is a familiar face at school events where he and his family provide the cotton candy,” said MSBA President Becky Fles in giving the honor, in the release.

Currently Modern Woodmen is in the process of working with Messalonskee Middle and High School around the issue of food insecurity and helping to promote food pantries in both schools.

Linehan was nominated for this award by the RSU 18 School Board.

MSMA is the service organization for MSBA and the Maine School Superintendents Association.