Pleas for holiday aid rise in Penquis area

DOVER-Foxcroft – The economy may have improved in other regions of the country, but it appears that’s not the case in the Penquis region, where in some communities more families than ever have requested help this Christmas.

The Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis Club has so many children to provide for this year that an infusion of club funds was needed to help with the local donations, according to Lilly Weatherbee, chairwoman of the annual Christmas project.

“This is our busiest year ever with the most children adopted,” Weatherbee said Thursday. Local families “adopt” needy children for Christmas gift giving, but this year there was a spillover of those children.

About 117 children will be assisted this year compared with about 90 children last year, according to Weatherbee, who is assisted in the project by Kiwanis member Judy Raymond.

Weatherbee said the program serves children in Dover-Foxcroft, Sebec, Charleston, Monson and Atkinson, all of whom receive warm clothing and toys. It costs about $100 for each child, she said.

“People just don’t have the money this year for gifts,” Linda Clukey, Dexter’s human services director and head of the local Toys for Tots project, said Thursday.

Dexter’s program will provide toys and warm clothing for about 125 children, about the same number who were helped last year, according to Clukey, who is assisted in the effort by resident Jean Edgerly.

Clukey believes the economy in general as well as the high cost of gasoline and home heating oil have had an effect on the pocketbooks of local families.

The Moosehead Lake Area Kiwanis Club will serve about 16 families, a slight increase over last year since children in Monson and Rockwood are now included in the program, according to Kiwanis member Diane Bartley. These families receive a food basket and toys and clothing for the children.

In addition, 12 to 15 needy senior citizens receive food baskets at Christmas.

The local food cupboard is a great help to the project, according to Bartley, who is assisted by Jacquelyn Gaudet.

As in the past, a local resident has agreed to donate at least 20 $100 gift cards for fuel for needy families.

The Three Rivers Kiwanis Club of Milo and Brownville will provide for 140 children this Christmas, about the same number as last year, according to Ethelyn Treworgy, club president. All of the children receive warm, new clothing and toys.

Treworgy said The Salvation Army, residents and local clubs help with the project that is chaired by Janet Richards. She said the largest family being served has seven children.

About 115 children in Guilford, Sangerville, Abbot, Parkman, Wellington and Cambridge will have a merry Christmas thanks to the efforts of the Guilford Area Kiwanis Club.

Shelley Blockler, who co-chairs the giving program with Wendy Baird, said the need actually was a little less than last year. Her organization is assisted in the effort by employees of local industries, the towns, the Piscataquis Community High School Key Club and The Salvation Army.

All of the giving programs are community efforts.

Anyone who wants to help these projects should contact the organizers or the local town offices.