Thomas and Madeline Morrison stand with their new bottle-collection cart. Community members purchased the new cart for the Morrisons after the old cart was allegedly stolen. Kristian Moravec / The Times Record

Thomas Morrison, who most in Brunswick know as “Tom the Bottleman,” was devastated when he discovered that his bottle cart went missing late December from its usual parking spot behind Big Top.

“I was real upset,” said Morrison, who has been collecting returnables for well over a decade. Immediately after it went missing, he called the police and asked community members to keep an eye out for it.

But what happened next is what Morrison’s wife, Madeline, described as a testament of how great the community is. Shortly after word spread on social media about the missing cart, residents began offering to donate bottles to collection facilities in Morrison’s name and pool money to buy a new cart.

The Brunswick worker who spearheaded the fundraiser for a new cart, Lisa Kennedy, raised over $100 within the first half hour of pooling. In total, she collected $300 to gift a new cart plus some cash to the Morrisons.

“Really, all I did was see the need to raise money for a new cart, put a post on my own Facebook page and Support Brunswick (a local Brunswick community group),” Kennedy said in a message to The Times Record. “Within 12 hours I had raised $300. I called Tom to make sure he wanted a bigger cart, which he did. I ordered it from Amazon, my husband put it together and the rest is history.”

In early January, the Morrisons became the owners of the shiny, new cart, which Tom describes as an improvement to the old one. The old cart was always rolling into him, especially when trekking downhill. The new one is much easier to manage, he said, and is equipped with diverse-terrain tires and more room for bottles.

The new one does not fit in the back of the Morrisons’ car like the old one did, but Morrison said he does not shy away from being out in the Maine elements.

“I collect bottles every day, except for when it’s raining real bad,” he said. “I was out the last two days, when it was real cold. I was warm. I had gloves on. The only time my hands get cold is when I take my gloves off to separate the bottles.”

Neither of the Morrisons has as an idea of how much they make each month with bottle collecting. Madeline said it’s usually not much. So why does Morrison keep trekking out year-round for bottles?

“For the fun of it,” Tom said.

For Madeline, the new cart speaks to the broader nature of Brunswick, alleged cart theft aside. They recalled how three years ago, Morrison needed a pacemaker for his heart after it stopped several times. The community raised funds and donated bottles to help him get the surgery, and a Brunswick business even set up a “Tips for Tom” fundraiser.

“I was born here in Brunswick, and these people are awesome,” she said. “They care.”

And as for the old cart, someone found it behind Frosty’s on New Year’s Eve. Morrison eventually got ahold of it and took it apart, transferring the safety lights and distinctive signs to the new cart.

Madeline said she worries about Morrison when he’s out collecting, though he wears safety gear. She often can’t accompany him due to her health. And with her own cardiac procedure looming on the horizon, having the community support for the cart offered some relief.

“I just want to thank everybody for helping my husband, he was distraught when it was found gone,” Madeline said. “… Thank you, Brunswick, for helping Tom.”