By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

Bruce Martin’s life-changing moment came while walking down a Wal-Mart aisle.

“I turned a corner and there was this little boy with an oxygen tank and bald head. I just looked at him and I wanted to cry. You just knew by looking at him he was suffering,” Martin said. 

An hour later, Martin rounded a corner at Shaw’s to find himself face to face with the same little boy, who he called “Shorty.” While driving home, Martin said he “heard something in my head say ‘I told you twice and you didn’t get it.’”

At that moment, Martin realized there was something he could do: organize an oldies dance to raise money to help families of children battling cancer. Months later and with the help of friends and the community, the dance raised $1,800 for the Ronald McDonald House in Portland. The second annual dance is 7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 2 at the American Legion Hall in Kennebunkport.

Martin, 65, who was a DJ in Europe during his time in the Army, prepared for the first dance by buying an iPod and making play lists with his favorite dance music. Meanwhile, word spread about the fundraiser and donations began to pour in. The American Legion Hall in Kennebunkport was donated at no cost, a printing business donated posters and door prizes gifted by businesses from Scarborough to Kennebunk piled up.

“To this day, I don’t know how they found out about it,” said Martin, who lives in Biddeford. “This thing has taken on a life of its own. People are calling me to donate, calling to buy tickets. People are coming from all over, it’s insane.” 

Martin credits the success of the event to people’s willingness to support sick children while looking for a fun evening of dancing to music from the 1950s to 1970s. The dance will feature Martin as DJ, jitterbug contests, drawings for door prizes and dance videos specially converted to DVD format by a Biddeford business. 

Though he looks forward to a spin on the dance floor, Martin said “it just feels good to do something for the kids.” He lost Claire, his wife of 38 years, to cancer, as well as his parents and mother-in-law.

“It’s a plague on mankind. This is my way of saying we can have fun and dance while helping the families out,” Martin said. “It just goes so smoothly. Every time there’s a problem, something steers us to a solution. Everyone feels so good about it.”

Martin, who retired from the Saco Police Department and works for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said he is looking forward to raising more money at this year’s dance, which is almost sold out. Tickets are $10 per person and people are welcome to bring their own beverages. Door prize tickets are 10 for $5 and it is rare for someone to leave without a prize donated by a local business, he said. Tickets can be reserved by calling 284-4692 as soon as possible. The 2011 dance will be held Oct. 1 at the same location. 

While ticket reservations roll in each day, Martin said he is still amazed by the outpouring of support from the community.

“All of this from that 6-year-old boy. I don’t even know if he’s still alive,” he said. “I just feel so good about this. It’s like my wife is smiling down on me.” 

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.