News
Season
of Helping
By Naomi Morrison
Gray-New Gloucester--The vibrant autumn leaves have
at last fallen to the ground, and just in time for
the snowy days of winter to cover the bare landscape.
This is the first sign that the season of giving is
near, and local organizations in both New Gloucester
and Gray are hoping for all sorts of contributions
so they may distribute many gifts to all the local
families in need during the holiday season and beyond.
"There are a lot of people out there that really
give at this time of year," said Donna Hill,
Town Clerk in Gray.
Whether it's a turkey for a family's Thanksgiving
Dinner or cotton balls for Gray's animal rehabilitator,
if you're thinking about contributing food, supplies
or even your own time, consider keeping it close to
home. Below is a short list of local organizations
that provide services to individuals of this area
who are in need.
NEW GLOUCESTER FOOD PANTRY
Rev. Linda K Gard of the New Gloucester Congregational
Church is in charge of the town's food pantry. The
pantry runs on volunteers that buy food, pack the
individual boxes and distribute the packages. Right,
the food pantry at the NG Congregational Church
There are many fund raisers for the food pantry throughout
the year as well as a budget for it in the church
funds. Every October, members of the church organize
a Crop Walk, an international fundraiser. One-quarter
of the money raised is kept for the local community
and three-quarters goes globally to help hunger throughout
the world. This October $400 was raised for the New
Gloucester Food Pantry. The New Gloucester Boy Scouts
also do a food drive around this time for the pantry.
About $150 per month is spent to supply residents
with their packages, in addition to direct donations
from individuals and groups. New Gloucester residents
who need food can get it if they come to the food
pantry, said Gard. The volunteers of the food pantry
don't necessarily put together special packages for
the holidays, said Gard, but it ends up happening
that way.
Contact: Rev. Linda Gard at the New Gloucester
Congregational Church to volunteer or make a donation
at 926-3260. If you're in need, you may pick up an
application at the church or call for more information.
Needed Donations: Money, canned tuna, coffee,
peanut butter, pasta, sauce, toilet paper and other
non perishable items. Frozen meats, vegetables and
other perishable items are accepted only if the drop-off
is scheduled in advance.
Volunteers: People are needed to purchase food
at the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn, pack individual
boxes and deliver boxes to the homes.
Distribution Times: They are on the second and
fourth Saturday of every month from 8 to 9:30 a.m.
Food is also available other than those times in emergency
situations.
GRAY FOOD PANTRY
The Gray Food Pantry is located in the town office
at 6 Shaker Road and is open during the normal business
hours. Due to the food pantry area being so small,
volunteers are not needed; however, Mr. and Mrs. Burnham
of Gray take care of organizing the pantry, and do
a great job at it, said Town 
Clerk
of Gray, Donna Hill. Below, results of last year's
food drive awaiting processing into the pantry.
The pantry is supported by donations of non perishable
items and monetary contributions by schools, the boy
scouts and other organizations. Two weeks ago the
Gray Boy Scouts held a food drive and gave all the
food to the food pantry. The middle school also gave
$250 towards purchasing items needed for families
who use the pantry.
The town also organizes an 'Adopt a Family' every
year for Christmas. The school nurses and Cokie Wills
send out the forms to parents. Those who wish to be
a part of the 'Adopt a Family' program fill the form
out and then return it to the town. Sponsors can adopt
one or more families. The members of the Gray Fire
Department adopt at least one family every year. They
use some of the money raised for the department along
with member contributions to give the best Christmas
day possible, said Chief Jon Barton.
The town also helps the Trinity Assembly of God during
Thanksgiving by supplying names of persons who wish
to receive dinners. "Nobody's going to go without,"
said Hill. If you would like to be a recipient of
a turkey dinner, please contact the Gray town office
at 657-3339.
Needed Donations: Soap, toothpaste, toiletries
and other items that people can't get with food stamps.
Also peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti,
dry cereal and other non perishable foods. No perishable
foods are accepted.
Distribution Times: During town office hours, which
are: Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m.
to 4 p.m., Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays
from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
GRAY LENDING CLOSET
The lending closet provides individuals in need with
medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers.
The equipment is kept in the fire house and is available
24 hours a day. Please keep in mind that space is
limited and to call prior to donating items. This
program works through equipment donations.
Contact: Gray Fire Department at 657-3031 to
donate or receive. Needed Donations: Wheelchairs,
walkers, three pronged canes, commodes and more. Please
call prior tobringing donations.
Distribution Times: Open 24 hours a day.
LION'S CLUB
The Lion's Club is always looking for eyeglass donations,
said member Joe Murray. "It's a very important
gift," he said. "It's like a million dollars
to somebody from a third world country." Requests
are evaluated by the eyeglass committee on a need
basis and children's needs are brought to the Club's
attention by the school nurse.
The club does several fundraisers a year such as
Journey for Sight, a car show and the White Cane Awareness
in the spring. In November (date to be announced)
they will sell light bulbs at the Gray Transfer Station.
They are also putting on a Christmas party along with
the Gray Parks and Recreation for children. Right,
This year's Journey for Sight
"We are forever saying thank you to all who support
us," said Murray.
In Need, Contact: Eyeglass Committee Chairman Dave
Guiseley of Gray Family Vision at 657-4488.
To Get Involved, Contact: Lion's Club President David
Gray at 657-2183. Needed Donations: Eyeglasses of
all sorts.
OPTIMIST CLUB
A new Chapter, the Pineland Community Optimist Club,
started this spring as a community based organization
that focuses on children, similar to a rotary club.
Steve Massing is the president and there are two vice
presidents, a secretary and a treasurer along with
a half-dozen members.
Each month a student from MSAD #15 who excels is honored
by the club. They are brought to one of the meetings
for lunch and are provided with a small gift basket
and a plaque.
For the holidays, the club is working on putting up
a tree at Pineland and hanging 30 to 50 children's
names on the tree instead of ornaments. The back of
the card will have the child's age and what the child
needs or likes. Sponsors can take a name off the tree
and buy a gift for that child and the club will distribute
the gifts around Christmas. The members are also organizing
a fishing derby for kids sometime next year.
Contact: Steve Massing's cell phone at 232-5196
or email at smassing@homesellersmaine.com.
Volunteers: Members are looking to expand the
group. Meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday
of the month at Pineland and interested persons are
encouraged to go.
GRAY ANIMAL REHABILITATOR
Caryl Widdowson has been taking care of orphaned mammals
for 14 years. She is permitted by the state to nurse
mice, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, moles
and other mammals back to health and then release
them into the wild. She has about 100 animals a year,
most of them being babies. The average cost to care
for each animal is $70. She said that donations usually
come from the individuals who bring an animal in,
but it's never enough.
Contact: Caryl Widdowson to drop off animals
or to make donations, at 657-2094.
Needed Donations: Money (for formula that she
needs to purchase based on each individual animal's
needs), heating pads, cotton balls, Q-tips, printer
cartridges, and much more.
Volunteers: Widdowson does all the caretaking
but would welcome some help with items such as cleaning
the animal's cages.
