Gifts come in many forms, from the physical to the mental to the spiritual: gifts of life, love, help and hope; the warmth of a new coat or scarf; the gift of transportation; the gift of support in times of trial; or even the gift of a place to call your own.

The BDN regularly receives letters from individuals expressing their deep appreciation for such gifts and, on this, the day before Christmas and Hanukkah, I am pleased to share some of their words with you.

Catherine Trahan of Milo, a single mother of two, recently called me to ask to publicly thank staff of Penquis CAP – and one person in particular – for helping Trahan find a place to live, helping her obtain furniture, and even helping her organize her apartment, just in time for the holidays.

Trahan said there really is no way to fully explain how much this kindness means to her.

“I just want to say thank you,” she said.

Last spring Ernie and Brenda Pyle of Always Flowers in Veazie found out how helpful public officials and workers can be.

When a frozen culvert forced water into their basement, they received immediate assistance, in order, from Veazie code enforcement officer Alan Thomas, the Veazie Fire Department, the Maine Department of Transportation and the Orono Fire Department.

“It’s nice to know that, in this day and age, that there are people out there who will help you as quickly” as all of these people did, they wrote.

It took “six years of hard work and constant fundraising,” but OHI “finally achieved its goal” to take 28 individuals with disabilities to Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Duane Hall of OHI extends “a big thanks” to everyone who helped make this possible, from the OHI Disney Committee to OHI employees and members of the community.

“There were so many people who helped make this dream come true,” Hall wrote, but he specifically thanks “a few of our biggest supporters” including John Graham, Brent Cross, Charlie Weeks, Bill Miller and members of the Brewer Eagles Club.

Hall added, “this trip meant so much to so many deserving people.”

OHI, based in Hermon, is a nonprofit organization that helps people with disabilities live productively in their communities.

Dick Giffard of Brewer wrote to thank members of the Brewer High School Student Council and Key Club for the Veteran’s Remembrance Assembly they hosted in November.

From the roll call of veterans in attendance to the “eloquent” speeches and honoring of all POWs and MIAs, the program was “without a doubt, the most moving ceremony I have ever witnessed in my lifetime of 74 years,” Giffard wrote.

“Most of the veterans in attendance broke down, or at least swallowed hard.

“It was a great job! Thank you!”

Although she initially wanted to remain anonymous, I now can report that Terry Patton of Orono is the person to thank for the children’s Winter Camp ’05 at the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor.

As part of a very substantial gift to Operation Community Support she made through the Maine National Guard, Patton requested that a portion of the funds be used for this purpose.

The goal of OCS is to enhance military family assistance programs with existing community resources and providing for families while Guard members are deployed.

The family of Larry and Mary Astbury of Surry wrote to “give great thanks” to everyone who “helped in the rebuilding of our parents’ home,” which was lost to fire in July.

“They wouldn’t be as far as they are today if it wasn’t for all the friends, family and community that have come together in a time of need,” the children wrote.

The family greatly appreciates “everything that everyone has done for them,” such as the crew working Labor Day weekend, benefits that helped raise money for the couple, and people who were just there to support their parents.

The children appreciate their hometown community, they wrote, and “wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.”

And from me to you, merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah.

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