Hanover fundraiser switches gears, donates money to Michael Chesna's family

A fundraiser to help a community build a street hockey rink changed course in order to help the family of slain Weymouth Police Sergeant Michael Chesna.

Hanover Build The Boards has been holding monthly movie nights throughout the summer to help raise money to build a street hockey complex.

However, for this month's event, they decided to switch gears and donate all the money to the Chesna family.

The switch led to a whole community coming together at Fore Pond Park in Hanover.

"Unbelievable, people just couldn't thank us enough," Bevin Gray of Hanover Build The Boards said. "People said they will donate their services, time, food, everything you can imagine."

The group has been working for the past several years to raise money to pay for the street hockey complex.

They usually raise a few hundred dollars at each movie event, usually held in June, July and August.

"We're about $30,000 short of our goal now," Bob Melone of Hanover Build The Boards said.

After the tragedy involving Chesna earlier in July, many of the Build The Boards members, who are also police officers, made the decision to donate the month's fundraiser to the Chesna family.

>>PREVIOUS: Weymouth shooting: Police officer fatally shot, civilian also killed

"As soon as we did that, like a light switch turned on," Gray said. "Donations, contributions, just came pouring in."

The group put together raffles and rides, and is still doing their usual movie night.

"So far, we've raised over $20,000 in cash donations, and we haven't even shown the movie yet," Melone said. "We haven't sold a raffle ticket."

Sean and Joe Keenan are both sons of police officers, and are excited about the potential for a street hockey complex. However, they know the Chesna family needs their support now.

"They really need the money more than us," Joe Keenan said.

Sean Keenan followed up his brother's sentiments, saying that the switch was well worth it.

"It's for a really good cause, and they're going to be really thankful for it," Sean Keenan said.

>>MORE: Weymouth resident using Facebook to boost support for police officers

Cox Media Group