Make A Difference Day a hit Spirit of volunteering spreads across Maine

HAMPDEN – Jessica Graro, 8, of Hampden had a tooth pulled on Friday but was ready for work Saturday morning, when she helped collect food and make toiletry kits filled with toothpaste, shampoo and other items for the needy during Make A Difference Day.

The second-grade pupil at Hampden’s George Weatherbee School helped about a dozen other children and adult parishioners at the Hampden Congregational Church during a four-hour collection effort that nearly filled the Hampden Community Food Cupboard in the church’s basement.

Graro and companions Jack Day, 6, and his sister, Megan Day, 13, of Bangor, Michael Mourkis, 13, of Hampden, and Blair Murphy, 7, of Mattawamkeag all said the work made them happy because they knew less-advantaged people would benefit from the items collected Saturday.

The turnout was “overwhelming” during the church’s first Make A Difference Day effort, said Debbie Atwood, a member of the church’s Missions and Outreach committee.

About 2,459 items were brought in by local community members between 8 a.m. and noon, filling previously empty shelves with canned vegetables, macaroni and cheese, soups, spaghetti and paper goods.

In addition, an anonymous donor dropped off $500 at Graves’ Supermarket with the directions that it be used to purchase food for the church’s campaign. A local realtor held a public supper a week ago, netting more than $600 for the cause. In all, more than $1,200 in monetary donations were earmarked for the Hampden cupboard’s replenishment.

The heartwarming response was but one of many Saturday as Maine residents took part in the 13th annual Make A Difference Day, an annual event created nationally by USA Weekend magazine. In 2002, 3 million people gave back to their communities by volunteering on that day, usually the fourth Saturday of October.

In Maine, the spirit of the day spread farther than the Greater Bangor area.

In Anson, a group of sixth-graders planned to rake leaves from a retired teacher’s expansive back lawn. In Pittsfield, dozens took part in the Sebasticook Valley Hospital’s Make A Difference Day Breast Cancer Awareness Walk. The event was followed by free bone-density readings for women age 40 and over, $8 flu vaccinations, giveaways and a session on the importance of mammograms, clinical and self breast exams. Proceeds will be used to provide 50 free mammograms at SVH for women who qualify.

In Bangor, a group of children saddened when television personality Mr. Rogers died, organized a fund-raising walk in his memory and to raise money for UNICEF.

In Old Town, The Girls Talk youth group and the Chin Wag youth group and their mentors created 23 decorated baby boxes filled with items for newborns. They also filled 150 baby bags for 1-year-olds. The activity, sponsored by the River Coalition, took place at the public library.

Also in Old Town, local residents flocked to the Crossroad Ministries’ resource center to donate food and personal items for that organization’s food cupboard. Items from nonperishable food to paper products to $1 bills were donated.

Food drive coordinators said the publicity given the event helped bring in donations.

Atwood said she knew it was going to be a good day when she entered the Hampden Congregational Church basement Saturday to find four tables loaded with canned goods brought in from Hampden schools.

“Everybody really got into it. We thank them all,” Atwood said.