Want cream and sugar with your coffee, or do you take it black? Bob Corkum will want to know.

The day after the found himself out of a job, Corkum has something to occupy his time Wednesday morning. He’ll be one of about 16 volunteer servers at five Tim Horton’s locations in Maine, raising money to send local children to summer camps.

Corkum, 45, met Tuesday with Red Gendron, the newly hired head hockey coach at the University of Maine. Corkum wanted to stay with the program he had had spent five years trying to turn around.

He was the associate head coach under Tim Whitehead. He had given Maine four years as a player some 25 years earlier. He wanted to give more.

Gendron said no thanks, telling Corkum he wanted to move the program in another direction, after last season’s 11-19-8 record and shrinking attendance.

“It’s not uncommon,” said Corkum. “New coaches usually do want to bring in their own people. It’s unfortunate for me. I wanted to stay on.”

Advertisement

Corkum played for Shawn Walsh, who brought national championships to Maine in 1993 and 1999.

Gendron coached with Walsh 20 years ago.

“I’m disappointed,” said Corkum. “What will I do? Good question. I’ll catch up on yardwork.”

He’ll drive to the Tim Horton’s location on Maine Mall Road in South Portland for his 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. stint with Landon Bathe, the AHL official from Scarborough.

For one day, all Tim Horton’s locations will donate 100 percent of their coffee sales during a 24-hour period to help pay campers’ fees for the Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation Summer Camps in the U.S. and Canada.

For two hours Corkum will find his comfort zone, he says, helping raise money for needy kids to attend camp.

Advertisement

“I’ve had a good life. I wasn’t going to set around and feel sorry for myself. I’ll try to put a smile on some kid’s face (Wednesday.) This gives me a chance to help others.”

Many of the volunteers will wear team clothing to identify them. Matt Mangene, who started every game for Maine during the 2010-11 season could wear the blue-and-white of the Black Bears.

He’s now in the Philadelphia Flyers’ organization and could wear those colors. He’ll work the earlier 9-11 a.m. shift at the Maine Mall location.

Current Maine players Jake Rutt and Mark Anthoine will serve coffee in the Scarborough location. Rick Middleton, the former Boston Bruins star, will take the next shift.

Bruce Shoebottom, the former Boston Bruins and Maine Mariners defenseman will be in Biddeford.

Why the preponderance of hockey players?

Advertisement

Tim Horton played on four Stanley Cup teams and was a three-time NHL first-team all-star in the 1960s. He first starred for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He started the coffee shop chain with a partner in 1964 and was killed 10 years later in a car crash. He was 44.

Non-hockey players will serve coffee, too.

Russell Lamour, the pro fighter from the Portland Boxing Club is one. Joe Dudek, the star running back from Plymouth State who shared a Sports Illustrated magazine cover with Bo Jackson is another.

Corkum might dig out a piece of New Jersey Devils or Anaheim Ducks clothing to wear. He played for both during a 12-year career in the NHL.

“I’ll wear a free agent shirt,” he said, kidding. “I won’t be wearing a Maine shirt.”

Advertisement

His meeting with Gendron was more than civil, professional.

Corkum is no longer Maine’s interim head hockey coach, no longer its associate head coach. He’s hurt, but so be it.

“If Red needs help at all, with anything, I’m available,” said Corkum.

In the meantime, Corkum will take a U.S. under-18 Select Team to the Ivan Hlinka Tournament in Slovakia in early August. The tourney is also known as the Junior World Cup. A lot of hockey people will be there. The potential for a new job is there.

“I’d like to stay in the college game,” said Corkum.

“A lot of jobs have already been filled but (losing one job) pushes you in the right direction to potentially something better.”

Steve Solloway can be contacted at 791-6412 or at:

ssolloway@pressherald.com

Twitter: SteveSolloway


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.