From Alma Johnson comes word that Ofelia’s Food Cupboard & Thrift Store in Glenburn celebrated its first anniversary in January, and that the organization is now serving “nearly 1,600 people from 44 towns.”

Ofelia’s is located at 831 Pushaw Road, and “food pass-out days” are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, while its thrift shop is open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

“Sales from our thrift shop, and donations, are what keeps the food on our shelves,” Johnson wrote.

“We also take food to the Bangor House, Penobscot River House and the Vet Center on Harlow Street” in Bangor, and Ofelia’s “provides baby supplies for My Choice and Victoria’s Corner and loans out baby furniture to low-income mothers.”

“We also carry all their other baby needs,” Johnson added, “such as diapers, bottles and food.”

And Ofelia’s offers another opportunity as well.

“The kids who get expelled from school get to do their community service at our cupboard,” Johnson said. “They get to see what it is like to help others.”

Ofelia’s welcomes donations of food, baby furniture and clean cloths, and is always seeking volunteers to help with sorting clothes, stocking selves, cutting and folding boxes, loading and unloading trucks and working in its thrift shop.

When I spoke with Johnson, she asked that I “stress the need for volunteers,” and mention the fact that Ofelia’s would really like to get a good group of “senior volunteers” committed to this very active and helpful program.

And, Johnson added, if anyone has a printer and fax machine to donate, everyone at Ofelia’s “would be very appreciative.”

For information on how you can help, visit Ofelia’s or call Johnson at 945-6015.

Bill Lucy, the 2002 United Way of Eastern Maine campaign chairman, wrote the Bangor Daily News that he is “thrilled” the United Way of Eastern Maine reached its $2,650,000 goal, “bringing an end to an amazing community effort.”

“While the entire campaign has had incredible challenges,” he wrote, “our work to raise the final $66,000 looked as if it would be the most daunting.”

But, thanks to you, the goal was reached.

The success of the campaign is “special because it is such a grass-roots effort with thousands of contributions of all sizes,” he pointed out, and also “because we are experiencing some tough economic times, nationally, and in our state.”

Whenever there was a setback in the campaign, however, he found that “people stepped up to the challenge. It was impressive.”

Lucy extends his heartfelt gratitude to his campaign cabinet, members of the UWEM board, executives on loan, employee campaign managers and “all of the volunteers who were out in the trenches” helping reach the campaign goal.

He particularly noted that executives on loan and employee campaign managers “are critical to creating the foundation for a successful campaign,” because they enable UWEM “to keep overhead costs low, and contribute 87 cents of every dollar” to help “those who need it most.”

To the individuals and companies who contributed to the campaign, Lucy extends his gratitude as well.

Lucy recognized “there are many demands on our pocketbooks, and more than $2.6 million is a lot of money to raise annually in a short period of time,” the campaign succeeded, thanks to the “generous spirit of the people in our five-county area.”

Through your support of UWEM, he wrote, you helped provide a child with “a safe place to go after school, and a caring adult to look up to”; helped provide “hot meals and companionships for the elderly; job training and support for people with disabilities; shelter for the homeless; a safe haven for domestic violence victims; and so much more.”

Lucy assures you the UWEM staff and board “will work tirelessly to ensure that your dollars will bring hope, change lives, and build stronger communities in the year ahead.”

A gospel concert follows the public baked bean supper from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at the East Orrington Congregational Church, 38 Johnson Mill Road.

Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children for the supper, which includes biscuits, pies, hot dishes and salads.

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