HARTLAND — Helping Hands of Hartland planned and organized a successful fund-raiser to support a drug awareness program in the local elementary school. The Roberts Brothers Circus was in town last week as the climax to the fund raising and supplied the final deposit to the fund.

While many people may assume that the Helping Hands is a multimember committee dedicated to a drug-free generation for their own children, the truth represents a stronger commitment to Hartland children. According to June Lowe, one of the group, the other committee members are Fire Chief Dana Cooper and Town Manager Peggy Morgan — three pairs of hands.

Lowe said she came away from a past meeting at the Hartland Town Hall concerned that local children were not being educated about the dangers of drugs. The meeting was called to determine whether Hartland residents were interested in creating a local police department to battle the increasing use and abuse of drugs and alcohol in the community, and related problems.

Faced with the potential cost of the police department, residents at the meeting indicated they were more interested in educating young people about the effects and dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Lowe set out to fund a drug awareness program the only way she knew how: She called her friends at the circus. In previous years, Lowe had used the Roberts Brothers Circus to help her raise funds for the annual Hartland Fun Days. They didn’t let her down this time.

The circus came to town Aug. 1, with two performances attended by capacity crowds.

“They’re a good, clean show,” Lowe said, “We can depend on them to leave the grounds clean and not to bring any problems with them. They are genuinely nice, family people.”

The trio of Helping Hands received support from several area businesses also committed to drug-awareness education. These businesses included Irving Tanning Co., Maine National Bank, Lewis’ Market, Smart’s Garage, Hartland Diner, Barb’s New Image, Randlett and Son, Park House Auto and Hardware, V and R Variety, Hartland-St. Albans Telephone, all of Hartland; the Hartland town employees, the volunteer Fire Department, and the Hartland-St. Albans Ambulance crew.

Other area businesses included Pittsfield Cedar, Country Roads Florist, Skowhegan Savings Bank, Donald H. Shorey Funeral Chapel, all of Pittsfield; and Condon Electric of Carmel and Associated Chemical of Bangor.

The funds will purchase materials for a Drug Abuse Resistance Education program for fifth- and sixth-graders at the Hartland Consolidated School. The DARE program will be taught by a trooper from the Maine State Police. Materials also will be purchased for a drug awareness program for kindergarten through fourth grade.

“This isn’t the end of Helping Hands,” Lowe said. “This is an ongoing process. We need more hands to help raise more money to keep this program going so we can look forward to a drug-free generation.”