Postal workers Mariah Barden, left, and Susan Jones, right, help Farmington Determined Nutrition shop owners ship the boxes full of the RoeUrBoat tea. The tea was developed in honor of Rochelle Hager who passed away on March 29. All of the proceeds go to Hager’s family. Photo Courtesy of Determined Nutrition
FARMINGTON — Determined Nutrition owners Danielle Allen and Darlene Boyce have been packing shipping boxes of pre-mix tea until 2:30 a.m. since launching a fundraiser in honor of Waterville resident Rochelle Hager who passed away after a tree limb fatally crushed the roof of her car on March 29 in Farmington.
Brittanie Lynn Ritchie, Rochelle Hager’s fiancée hugs Determined Nutrition co-owner Darlene Boyce. Ritchie helped the shop owners develop the RoeUrBoat tea that reflects Hager’s favorite colors, yellow and black. All of the proceeds from the pineapple and grape tea are donated to Hager’s family. Photo Courtesy of Determined Nutrition
“It’s been insane. Our phones have been ringing off the hook, we’re here until 2:30 in the morning,” Boyce said. “We have people coming up from New Hampshire and Massachusetts to the shop to get this tea.”
The day after Allen and Boyce learned of Hager’s passing, they immediately felt the urge to do something to help Hager’s family, fiancée Brittanie Lynn Ritchie and her two children. While the owners did not personally know Hager or Ritchie, they were avid followers of Hager’s roeurboat3 TikTok account which has over 284,000 followers. The account gained popularity for Hager’s positivity and making people laugh, according to Ritchie.
The health food store’s owners connected with Ritchie who helped them develop a tea that would reflect Hager’s favorite colors, yellow and black by flavoring it with grape and pineapple flavors. The tea is named after Hager’s TikTok account and all of the profit goes straight to Ritchie.
Within the first four days of selling the tea directly out of the shop, the community raised $950, Boyce said. After the tea was posted on Determined Nutrition’s Facebook page and Ritchie posted about the fundraiser on her TikTok account, the shop gained the attention of Hager’s social media fans. To raise more funds, the shop owners launched shipping about a week ago and are sending out tea mixes across the country, Canada, Ireland and Australia, so far.
As Allen and Boyce coordinate with Hager’s social media fans for shipping, they’re also hearing the stories of Hager’s impact on people’s lives.
“I mean, the stories we have heard, like she has saved people from suicide, she has helped people come out, she has people who have become clean of heroine because of her,” Boyce said. “I mean, the stories we have heard, my heart is so full from doing this.”
Brittanie Lynn Ritchie, Rochelle Hager’s fiancée hugs Determined Nutrition co-owner Danielle Allen. Ritchie helped the shop owners develop the RoeUrBoat tea that reflects Hager’s favorite colors, yellow and black. All of the proceeds from the pineapple and grape tea are donated to Hager’s family. Photo Courtesy of Determined Nutrition
By adding shipping, Determined Nutrition has now raised over $5,000 for Hager’s family and the shop owners said the RoeUrBoat tea will now be a staple menu item and the fundraiser will continue.
“I don’t think my heart has been this full since my daughter has been born, so it’s been amazing,” Boyce said.
Determined Nutrition is located at 112 Marceau Court in Farmington and is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The RoeUrBoat tea is $7.56 for 32 ounces and for shipping, is sold as a premix for the same price with additional shipping costs. For more information call the shop at (207) 578-8583 or email determinednutrition207@gmail.com.
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