On the first day of Spring, we are feeling cautiously hopeful that we have enough in our reserves, thanks to the generosity of our friends and neighbors who turned out to support our 10th annual fuel rally in February ... but we're watchful of the prices, too ... the more they climb, the harder it is for our neighbors to afford the fuel needed to get through a cold Maine spring...and harder for us to stretch our resources, too. For the moment, we're in good shape, ready to answer the calls from our Scarborough neighbors.

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When temperatures plunge and prices are on the rise as they are now, more than a few of our neighbors need extra help to keep their homes warm. This is the 10th year that Eddie challenged Scarborough to raise money for fuel assistance at the Rally to Keep Our Neighbors Warm. By noon last Saturday, together we had raised more than $26,000 dollars for fuel assistance! At today’s prices, that covers about sixty ‘helps’ of 100 gallons of oil, k1, propane, or firewood. Thanks to the Rally, that’s nearly 8,000 gallons of fuel to keep furnaces going. This amazing community Rally is only possible because of the teamwork and enthusiastic support from the Town of Scarborough, Scarborough Police and Fire, Community Services and Public Works, SEDCO and the Chamber of Commerce, Town Council, Scarborough Public Library and the groups that turn out to lend a hand. To everyone who rallied with us and gave to the fuel fund, the Town and Project GRACE extend their warmest and most heartfelt thanks. Thanks to a very caring and generous community, we can keep our promise that we won’t leave our neighbors in the cold. 

Mainers are really good at resilience. We come together as a community when there's a challenge, and we're quick to pitch in to clear away the snow, share a warm meal, and check in with our senior neighbors living on their own. We've got this. 

Is your family ready for emergencies? Find out at the Scarborough Fire Department's free program on Februrary 10th. Learn about self-sufficiency during an emergency; assembling an emergency preparedness kit; creating a communication plan; strategies to protect household members, valuables, and important documents; and community resources. >>Register with Scarborough Adult Ed

>>> More NEWS YOU CAN USE (Fuel Assistance, Free Covid Tests, & More)

For nearly 20 years, Project GRACE has coordinated a holiday giving program. This year, members of the Scarborough community donated more than a thousand presents (and warm socks, hats, mittens, and more) to the organization. Volunteers collected the gifts from a dozen giving trees around town including ones at the Big20 Bowling Center, Inn by the Sea, St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, Scarborough Public Library, and many families brought special presents directly to us. More volunteers sorted the gifts, wrapped and tagged them, so that the Scarborough Police Department could take them door-to-door right  before Christmas to more than 200 children. It was an amazing effort of joy, good will, and cheer at the holidays, and for everyone who helped, we are grateful.We only wish you could have seen the smiles on the faces of the kids!

Thanksgiving is all about sharing our bounty with family, friends, and neighbors. We enjoy trying new recipes for stuffing, sparring lightly over whether it is pumpkin or apple pie that’s the perfect slice of heaven, and deciding who will bring the favorite must-have sides to complement the turkey, the star of the show. Sharing with others is a meaningful and celebrated custom that draws us closer together during the holidays, and was the core value which led to the formation of long-standing local food drives, generous holiday donations, and six years ago, the Scarborough Community Thanksgiving Dinner. 
 
Among Scarborough’s longstanding holiday traditions are the annual food drives and special gifts to the Scarborough Food Pantry. For the past 10 years or so, Scarborough Kiwanis Club has been donating about 100 turkeys to the Scarborough Food Pantry and School Nutrition’s “Backpack” supplemental food program at Wentworth School. Kiwanis leader, Ava Adams, says the Scarborough Kiwanis Club “always looks forward to providing turkeys to families in our community for Thanksgiving. We hope everyone has a joyful holiday.”  

Local businesses and organizations get involved, too. Project GRACE organizes an annual “Fixings” food drive for the Scarborough Food Pantry. This month State Manufactured Homes' Hillcrest Retirement Community sent a bus around their neighborhood collecting donations; Infinity Credit Union stuffed an SUV to the brim with fixings, and neighbors from all over town brought boxes, bags, and bundles of good cheer and food for their neighbors. Many paused to visit, smiling and glad to be a part of something bigger, a part of a generous and compassionate community.  

Throughout the holiday season we savor the time we have with those we love, and we think about others. We give, a little or a lot, whatever we can of our time, so that others do not want, so that our community is made whole through caring. This bright spirit still inspires the hosts of the annual Scarborough Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Usually served as a buffet at Wentworth School, but now shifted to curbside pickup, the many businesses, organizations, and friends in Scarborough lend a helping hand. At the heart of it all are the neighbors who come for dinner or pick up a meal for a friend. “Scarborough is a wonderful community with great fabric from the caring, giving, loving folks who volunteer and help others,” says Eddie Woodin, who was among the first to champion the idea of a community dinner.  

This year 1,000 roast turkey dinners with all the traditional fixings (and pie!) will be prepared by Chef Peter Esposito and the School Nutrition team. It is an all-hands-on-deck effort, with volunteers from the Town Community Services, Public Works, Public Safety, and the community are pitching in. “I am so proud of my town and the volunteers who contribute time and talent to this annual event,” says Town Councilor Jean-Marie Caterina. “So many of my constituents would have no Thanksgiving without their efforts. Thank you. Thank you.” 

Scarborough Public Safety personnel are among the quiet heroes who don chef’s aprons and help in the kitchen, spend hours keeping cars safely moving during curbside pick-up, and go door-to-door bringing a cheery greeting and meal to neighbors. “Thanksgiving is just another way we serve the community,” say Det. Eric Greenleaf and Sgt. Steve Thibodeau. “It brings us great pleasure to assist those who benefit from a home-cooked and heartfelt holiday meal.”  

Linda Halleran, Community Engagement Manager at Town & Country Federal Credit Union, reflecting on their annual gift, says, “Scarborough’s annual Thanksgiving Dinner has grown into a wonderful tradition bringing together local businesses, municipal government, non-profit groups and neighbors to serve the community. In the spirit of our ‘Local Helping Local’ initiative, Town & Country Federal Credit Union is pleased to be a sponsor of this event.” 

BlueWave Solar is a new sponsor­­ who stepped forward this year to match the leadership gifts offered by Woodin & Co. and Ameriprise of Scarborough. “One of our core values is ‘we do it together,’ and believe in showing up as a member of the communities we live in, work in, and support,” says Alan Robertson, Managing Director of Solar Development at BlueWave. “We are proud to work with Project GRACE and all the partners to ensure all members of the Scarborough community are able to celebrate Thanksgiving with a holiday meal.”

With the warmest of wishes to all our neighbors, with the greatest of gratitude for the love and caring that shines so brightly this time of year, we wish one and all a very Happy Thanksgiving.  

Saco Biddeford Savings Institution, Scarborough Kiwanis Club, La-Z-Boy of Scarborough, South Portland Police Patrolman's Association, Prescott Jamieson Murphy Law Group, Inc., Mitchell Family, Carpenter Family, MedCor Professionals, Scarborough Muffler, Scarborough Hannaford, Nancy Erb Coaching, Glidden Roofing, Ron Forest Fence, Friends & Family of Edward Needham, Friends & Family of Lindsay Manseau, Higgins Beach Association, Prouts Neck Association,Town of Scarborough, and many generous friends and families.

Winter and those colder temperatures are coming. Now's the time to get ready to save fuel and funds. Have you tried any of these easy and inexpensive fixes? Got any other ideas for us? We'd love to hear'em!

Please join us and your neighbors for the 6th Annual Scarborough Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Again this year, the community dinner will be a curbside to-go affair and it will feature roast turkey with all the traditional fixings of the holiday - and pie! Scarborough School Nutrition, Scarborough Public Safety, Scarborough Community Services, and Project GRACE are the partners hosting the dinner, together with many generous sponsors and friends. Mark your calendar, we're saving you some pie!

July has been wet and weedy, but thanks to help from several talented and dedicated volunteers, we've revealed the peppers, chard, celery, and broccoli and cabbages ready to harvest for the food pantry. We appreciate all the help in the St Nick's Community Garden so far this season. Meanwhile gardeners are growing herbs and greens and other delicious veggies at Hillcrest for the pantry each week. Blue Point gardeners are growing, too. Thanks!

Project GRACE's founder, Karen Packhem, is part of the group behind the inspirational VOICES OF HOPE documentary about chemical dependency and Substance Use Disorder in our communities. Initiated by Scarborough S.E.E.D. students, the 12-episode series airs on Channel-13 WGME Saturdays at 7pm. FMI or to find links to episodes, visit https://voicesofhopeandrecovery.org or https://www.facebook.com/VoicesOfHopeME/  There are also opportunities for students to get involved with the project, including social media and film production support.