During this season of giving, it is most important to remember who we are, and recognize that Mainers are among the most generous people anywhere.

We help each other in countless ways by providing food, shelter and warm clothes for those in need; a safe haven in an emergency; even blood – the gift of life itself.

It is that caring spirit that means so much to people that many take the time to write to the Bangor Daily News to publicly express their gratitude.

In honor of this season of giving, we share some of those thoughts with you.

Dennis Marble has been director of the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter for five years, and he continues “to be astounded by the level of giving from which we benefit,” he wrote.

Because government funds don’t even cover 50 percent of the money needed for the shelter to operate 24 hours a day, Marble wrote that “several trusts and foundations, the United Way of Eastern Maine and hundreds of individuals step in to ensure our continued availability to homeless people.”

While donations of cash are appreciated, so are contributions of clothing, food, personal-hygiene products and cleaning and office supplies.

But “the most significant nonmonetary” gifts are the free, hot meals that community-based groups, organizations and individuals deliver that enabled the Shelter “to provide more than 30,000 servings to homeless people and others at risk.”

Marble describes one such donor as a middle-aged woman who lives outside of Bangor with her husband and their small dog.

Although they live on a fixed income, one to four evenings each month, the woman, her husband or a close friend, “pulls up to the Shelter’s kitchen door with a meal for 35 that she’s prepared on her own stove and carefully transported here,” he wrote.

“And not only does she bring good, hot food, but she delivers a smile that warms the heart of anyone standing nearby.”

On behalf of all who use and support the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, Marble offers his sincere thanks and appreciation, and wishes you all “Happy Holidays!”

Lisa Thibault of Milford, one of our NEWS carriers, totaled her car one cold, rainy, slippery morning in late November, and had to call for help.

“Within 20 minutes, a firefighter from Hudson Fire Department arrived, as well as a few others,” she wrote.

Thibault believes a few of those representing the HFD were volunteers, and she hopes “the residents realize what great guys they have.”

She appreciates the fact that they, and Deputy John Tibbetts of the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department answered her 3:30 a.m. call.

Arthur Dewey, Chairman of the Pittsfield Veteran’s Honor Roll Committee thanks the individuals and businesses in the area that donated to the Veteran’s Honor Roll Fund.

“It was a complete success,” he wrote of the project.

“We are proud to say that that stone was set on Nov. 10.”

A formal dedication is planned for Memorial Day, 2001.

Simply by attending the sixth annual craft fair last month at the Brewer Auditorium, which benefited Children’s Miracle Network of Eastern Maine Healthcare, you helped raise $7,500 for the organization that supports pediatric health services in northern, eastern and central Maine.

CMN director Nancy Dysart wrote, “The support and dedication of our volunteers from throughout the community never fails to amaze me.”

She recognizes if it were not for those volunteers, who included members of the Orono High School and John Bapst Memorial High School key clubs, “none of this would have been possible.”

Also lending their support to CMN are Israel Guthrie and Bill Richard, scalers at International Paper Company’s stud mill in Passadumkeag.

Dysart wrote that the two have conducted raffles among co-workers and truck drivers who haul to the mill, and donate the money they raise to CMN as part of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine’s Log-A-Load campaign.

Log-A-Load has raised nearly $50,000 for children’s pediatric health care in the past three years with help from folks such as Guthrie and Richard.

We know the people associated with Coastal AIDS Network in Belfast, which serves HIV-positive people and their families in Waldo,

Knox and Lincoln counties, is very grateful for the support it has received from the Libra Foundation, in the form of a $25,000 grant.

CAN executive director Michael Sirota wrote that the funds will help support CAN’s emergency fund, Community Education and Coastal Outright Youth Program.

Libra’s gift “recognizes and confirms CAN’s value in providing the midcoast with important direct service, outreach, prevention and education programs designed to make our communities better,” he wrote.

The gift of giving one’s time to another is what the sixth annual Buddy Walk was all about.

That event, which took place in October at Cascade Park in Bangor, drew 300 people “who spent the day listening to live music, snacking on refreshments and sharing stories about living with someone with Down syndrome,” wrote Tammy Ewing of Bangor.

She extends her thanks “to all who participated in our walk, and to all who showed their support by donating food and services.”

The Buddy Walk helps promote awareness for people with Down syndrome.

I will be off for a few days, celebrating the holiday season with family and friends

My column will return to page B4 on Wednesday, Dec. 27.

I extend to each and every one of you my very best wishes for the happiest of holidays.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.