Spirit of the season shared by generous friends, neighbors

This holiday season, despite the poor economy, the spirit of Christmas is evident in Charlotte County and eastern Washington County, as people generously give to neighbors who are less fortunate.

Silent Santa helps 219 children
The Silent Santa program is providing 219 children in the Eastport area with Christmas gifts. The number of recipients is up from last year but also includes some needy youngsters in Pleasant Point, Perry and Robbinston.
Heavily involved in the success of the annual event were Kathy Lawrence, Denise Koehne, Chris Vizcarrondo, Susan Francis and John Foster. The spouses of local coastguardsman also stepped up and went shopping after they heard that help was needed.
Helping to buy gifts for the children were parishioners of the St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Christ Episcopal Church and Cornerstone Baptist Church in Eastport and the staff at The First bank branch. The local Girl Scouts pitched in, too.
"Four Shead alumni who live away contacted me to mail them tags, and they went shopping," reports Chris Vizcarrondo. "I got a phone call from someone asking if we needed anything, and I said 'a bicycle,' and we got a brand new bike."
So many helped with their generosity, says Kathy Lawrence. "The response was overwhelming."

Students receive gifts
Thanks to financial donations from the Eastport Elementary School Kids Boosters Club, Eastport Teachers Association and the Eastport Garden Club, as well as an anonymous donor, gifts were purchased for all 79 of the Eastport Elementary School students and passed out by Santa Claus on the morning of December 22.

Next Step angels help the needy
The Next Step's Christmas Tree Angel program is composed of benefactors who adopt families and purchase whatever is needed. Sally Rier has been heading the Washington County project since she joined The Next Step back in 2004. "This year we're helping over 30 families, and we're still taking more. A crisis comes up, and we'll be out there working for the families so we're able to fulfill their wish list."
The purpose of the holiday program is not to supply the person or family with everything they need for the holidays but to make the season a little brighter. Recipients, ranging from a parent with one to four children, are given clothing, toys and toiletries from the angels.
"We couldn't do it without the support of the community," stresses Rier. "We have individuals who really care. This is quite the program. It's very fulfilling."
Anyone wishing to donate to the holiday program can contact The Next Step by telephone at 255-4934 or 454-8088 or drop by the offices at 3 Main Street in Machias or 47 Union Street in Calais.

Islanders fill empty stockings
The Empty Stocking Fund on Grand Manan is benefiting at least 60 families this Christmas season. Coordinator Marilyn Cary of the island's ministerial association reports that there may be some more households added before the delivery of food and gift baskets. "There's always some last-minute changes."
"We've had lots of support from the community," reports Cary. "Some lobster fishermen have given us checks. The Happy Hour Seniors group has helped, and so has the Village of Grand Manan. We get lots of financial support from the Rotary. They held their Christmas auction on December 3 at the school."
Cary says the Santa Claus Parade on the island provided an opportunity for people to donate before the baskets were delivered.
All of the boxes were filled with food for a Christmas dinner, and the approximately 30 homes with children also will get toys, mittens and more.
"Everybody's really pulling together," sums up Cary.

Lions Club supplies gift certificates
The Calais Lions Club will once again be helping needy families by supplying them with gift certificates from Bell's IGA and Paradis' Shop 'n Save, as well as coupons that can be redeemed at local businesses that include Walmart, Ace Hardware, Boston Shoe Store and Marden's.
Children age one to 14 are eligible for $5 coupons that come 10 in a package, and those are given to families with up to four children.
Chairman John Mitchell thinks the program started 39 or 40 years ago, and he has been involved for over 30 years. "Last year we gave out 119 baskets, primarily in Calais, but some went to Robbinston and Charlotte."
"We raised over $15,000 this year, mainly from our fundraising drive at businesses in Calais and out," he adds. "The response is generally pretty good."
"My observation is that most people are honest, there's no cheating, and they are grateful for it," says Mitchell of the recipients.

Christmas hampers packed
Nine households received Christmas hampers this year on Deer Island. Packed by the members of the Deer Island Safety Net Committee and volunteers on December 12 at the food pantry, the hampers included fixings for a turkey dinners, as well as appropriate gifts for young and old.
"We do this so that everyone can enjoy Christmas," says Joyce Stuart of the committee. "We used to pack 15 hampers, but people have either moved off the island or are making more money."

Let's all have a merrier Christmas
Just over 500 people will be helped by the "Let's All Have A Merrier Christmas" program that has been run by Rhonda French for the past 27 years. She was hoping to close up shop on December 21, "but, as late as December 24 morning, we always get some desperate calls afterward. Always."
"I've never had to turn anyone away," she points out. "Never."
Let's All Have A Merrier Christmas was started in 1984 by a group of concerned western Washington County residents from local churches, as well as single individuals who realized the needs of many are children. The program is designed to provide a new toy and a warm outfit to youngsters who will receive little or nothing at Christmas.
This year, as often happens, benefactors don't think of teenagers when they shop for gifts. "There's usually plenty of trucks and Barbies, but we serve up to age 15, and it's looking a little unsure for the older kids," points out French.
French stresses that she has a lot of help every year with Let's All Have A Merrier Christmas. The program is housed in the United Pentecostal Church in Jonesport, and different groups can be counted on to lend a hand. "I'm really happy that we have help from youth groups. We have student senates, and a lot of other high schoolers assisting."
Last year, Let's All Have a Merrier Christmas gave out over $9,500 worth of toys and clothing to over 400 children.
Anyone wishing to know more about the program can go to the website <www.merrierchristmas.com> or call Rhonda French at 497-5490 if there is a needy family that has not been served by any other seasonal charity.
Gifts put under community tree
This is the 11th year for the community Christmas tree program in Machias, and organizer Kathy Land reports it will help approximately 700 needy individuals from Jonesboro to Lubec.
"It's a little down from last year," she reports. "Unexpectedly so."
"But I think they're being served by other programs," adds Land.
Forty volunteers shopped and/or manned the program's "store" in Holy Name Parish Hall, which opened just before Thanksgiving. That is where all of the donations are sorted by age and made sure they go to the proper recipients.
"We shopped for coats and boots big time," says Land. "We recognize that children can't go out and play at recess unless they are warmly dressed."
The budget is usually $5,000, and half of the program's money comes from Maine Seacoast Mission. "We're considered an outreach program of the Centre Street Church. We use that as a meeting place, and we borrow their treasurer, Joyce Richardson."
The Christmas tree program receives funding from Machias businesses, and helpers include students from area high schools. "Lacey Craven's knitting club at Washington Academy hand-knit dolls," points out Land. "That adds something special."
"We're very pleased with how great things have turned out this year for the program," says Land.
Santa's helpers distribute toys and gifts
Thanks to wide community support, Washington Hancock Community Agency's Christmas Is for Kids & More will make the holiday season brighter for approximately 500 children. "It's the one thing all of us here at WHCA look forward to," says Christmas Is for Kids & More organizer Megan Burgess, a family crisis advocate. "It's very satisfying."
Businesses, nonprofit organizations and generous individuals donated hundreds of new toys and gifts, and WHCA collects and distributes the gifts. "The Milbridge and Ellsworth offices both participate, and our housing division person in the Calais areas is willing and able to help out. It's wonderful that they are able to do that for children."
Some of the presents are given to the elderly and disabled, but Burgess says, "Ninety-five percent go to children, and their ages range from infant to 18. We try to make sure they get clothing like a jacket, one big toy, one little toy, a stuffed animal and stocking stuffers."
The gifts are purposely left unwrapped and are placed in bags for the parents to pick up because, as Burgess stresses, "All of the gifts are from the parents."

WCCP coordinates gifts for children
At the Washington County Children's Program (WCCP) in Marshfield, case managers and behavioral health professionals, who provide essential services to children with special needs throughout the year, take on another role at Christmas -- they become Santa's helpers. They load up their cars and drive around Washington County delivering the packages. Months ago, staff worked with Sonja Ramsdell in the outreach department to provide information about Christmas resources available to their families in need.
It all comes together when generous community members fulfill these Christmas wishes, whether they give through their work, their school or fulfill a "wish" from a Christmas giving tree. This year over 100 children will receive presents. A number of businesses and agencies donated gifts for the program.