Generosity Abounds

The Caring Community of Gray-New Gloucester, along with all of the individuals and families who received a Thanksgiving meal through CCGNG’s program, wish to convey their heartfelt appreciation to our community for helping your neighbors in need.

Because of your generosity, more than 100 food baskets were distributed in both Gray and New Gloucester, resulting in a total of 444 people (226 adults and 218 children) enjoying a delicious and warm meal on Thanksgiving Day.

Many individuals, families, neighborhoods, civic groups, churches, businesses and organizations helped by donating money and gift cards, as well as sponsoring and delivering complete holiday meals. With 34 sponsors this year, the CCGNG was delighted to have so many repeat sponsors and thrilled to have new private and public sponsors.

A huge “thank you” is bestowed to the following organizations who sponsored, and thus fed, many families this Thanksgiving: Church of the Latter Day Saints, Gray Country Day Care, GNGHS Community Service Club, American Legion, Med Tech Media, Tender Hearts Child Care, Good Shepherd Methodist Church, St. Gregory’s Catholic Church, Curves, Links Variety, GNG Optimist Club, First Congregational Church, Brakey Energy, Oberdrola USA, Eastern Star, OTT Communication, Gorrill Palmer, Gray-New Gloucester Middle School National Junior Honor Society, Crossroads Church, and the Seniors 50 Forward Group.

For a number of these organizations, their generosity included providing more than one meal. A very sincere thank-you to the GNG Middle School National Junior Honor Society for donating 20 complete meals, St. Gregory’s Catholic Church for 12 meals, Cross Roads Church for eight, Good Shepherd Church for five, GNG Optimist Club for five, and the High School Community Service Club for three.

The CCGNG continues to help families and individuals in Gray and New Gloucester who find themselves in need this Christmas season. The deadline for applying for assistance has passed, but sponsors are always welcome and needed. If you wish to be a Christmas sponsor, provide a holiday meal and/or gifts for children, contact Mike Marcotte at gngcaring@gmail.com. To donate gift cards for food or gifts contact Donna Rand at donnaleerand@gmail.com. Monetary donations can be sent to CCGNG, PO Box 1244, Gray, ME 04039. And, if you have questions, you can contact Christina Foster at winkers92@yahoo.com, or 233-0828.

Old-Fashioned Butter Making

Meet Pineland Farms’ handsome Holsteins and learn how to churn their milk into butter, just like people did in the old days. This class, on Thursday, Dec. 19, from 10-11:30 a.m., is open to all ages. Buy tickets at The Market and Welcome Center, 15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester, for $5 per person.

Holiday Wine Tasting

Pineland Farms invites those ages 21 and over to a complimentary wine tasting at The Market, 15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester, from 3-6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 19. Bring a friend and preview wines that are perfect for holiday entertaining.

Bible Church Candlelight Service

The New Gloucester Bible Church, 218 Lewiston Road, will be hosting its traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 24. All are welcomed. Call Pastor Dan at 926-3140 for more information.

Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols

The New Gloucester First Congregational Church’s candlelight service is planned in the English tradition, which began after the armistice of World War I at Kings College, Cambridge. There will be readers from the congregation telling the Gospel story, anthems by the choirs, and lots of classic carols for everyone to sing.

The church is located at 19 Gloucester Hill Road, and the ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 24. The sanctuary is usually packed for this annual service, so you will want to arrive early.

Dog Licenses

Dog licenses for the 2014 year are available at the New Gloucester town office, or online for an extra $1 per dog. A link to the state website is available at newgloucester.com.

Dog licenses all expire Dec. 31 each year, with a one-month grace period. Spayed or neutered dogs are $6 and non-sterilized are $11. After Jan. 31, 2014, there will be a state mandated late fee of $25 per dog.

Town Facilities’ Holiday Hours

All New Gloucester town facilities will be closing at noon, Tuesday, Dec. 24, for Christmas Eve and noon, Tuesday, Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve. They will be closed for Christmas Day, Dec. 25, and New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2014.

According to Matt Sabasteanski, outdoor recreation director at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, its ski shop is not open just yet, but will be soon. The shop has been completely revamped, allowing for less congestion and smoother operation.  This Thanksgiving dinner food basket was one of 20 donated by the Gray-New Gloucester Middle School National Junior Honor Society in conjunction with the Caring Community of Gray-New Gloucester.