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On April 15, 2001, Isabel Brown and Maude Alice Hadley attended the Northern New England Conference Annual Community Services Federation meeting at the Auburn Church. The meeting was chaired by Elder Harry Sabnani. President of the Federation, Gordon McLaren, spoke to the group about the importance of the Community Service in the local church areas. He and his wife Ruby are from the Harrison Church and have a active center in that area. He also stressed the need of preparedness in case of natural disasters. Available help from other organizations was mentioned and how we can take advantage of this help.
Fourteen community service workers from around the state and one from New Hampshire were present for the opening prayer. Following the roll call and the reports from each church leader in attendance, Elder Sabnini gave us handouts stating the understanding between the Adventist community Services and the American Red Cross on how to coordinate our efforts in time of natural disasters. The same statement has been made with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). After the meeting was adjourned we were given a very tasty lunch.
Bonney Wilson and her daughter run the Community Service Center in Auburn. They have a very well organized center for clothing and a food pantry. We admire them for their dedication and talent in this important service of the SDA Church. It is good to see what other church groups are doing. We enjoyed our fellowship with them.
The Woodstock Community Services is alive and struggling to be prepared to help in an emergency. We have a food pantry and access to the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Lewiston. There is always a need for food on our shelves. We can buy, at a minimal cost charged by weight, from the food bank. We would like donations of canned foods and juices. They are the most expensive at the bank because of their weight. We won't refuse any donation. The box is in the foyer of the church to receive your donations.
We keep a supply of bedding and blankets for fire victims. Towels and other house hold linens are in very short supply right now. Our donation box can receive these things as well.
We keep a small supply of good, clean clothes, and share our overstock with the Auburn Center. Clean, whole clothes in the current fashion, will be accepted. Elder Sabnini said that the warehouses are over stocked at the present time. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Ernestine Riley, Isabel Brown, Maude Alice Hadley
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