The Wishes in Our Midst
A family…a forever home…food…a future for our children…clean, clear lakes…Wishes for a family have topped the list on the annual Christmas wish tree at the Good-Will Hinckley School, a group home setting for Maine’s challenged youth and may top the list of the state’s almost 2,000 children and youth in foster care or the estimated 2,000 plus homeless students and definitely for the several dozen children awaiting adoption.
Wishes for families are tall dreams but there are lesser ones, too, easier to fulfill. On the Good Will-Hinckley Wish List, for example are: art supplies — washable paints, markers, canvas, paper and sketch pads, bikes, ice fishing equipment, legos model kits, cornhole, tetherball and other outside games, play-doh, sleds, snowshoes, tennis and volleyball equipment.
Wishes for a forever home are in the eyes of the dogs and cats, hopeful and waiting in our many rescue facilities. These waiting pets long for kind words and a comforting pat, always fresh water and no chains, and maybe it’s ok to get on the furniture.
Even the most ardent animal lover can’t adopt them all but everybody can contribute to a shelter wish list by buying extra cleaning supplies or a bag of food or whatever is needed. The Franklin County Animal Shelter in Farmington, for example, needs: scoopable cat litter, bleach, Purina Cat and Kitten Chow, 4Health Grain-free Dog Food, blankets and towels and flat sheets (used are welcome), paper towels, large Kong dog toys, cat and kitten toys and tennis balls.
Wishes for food, accompany these youngest of residents everywhere but especially at night. No child should have to try to understand that choices have to be made between shelter and winter warmth and transportation and food and food has to be at the end of the list. No child should go to bed hungry but estimates for the state (one out of eight; one out of five) indicate otherwise.
Help reaches these children though school food programs, churches, hospitals, food pantries, food drives and collection boxes. Help reaches these children when cash donations are made to regional organizations such as the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn. And help reaches these children when visitors and vacationers leave their unopened cans and dry goods at the post office or town office collection boxes. For what to contribute on an ongoing basis, lists are available through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Wishes for a future, safe and secure, for their children is the overriding wish of immigrants and refugees in Maine. They arrive with nothing, needing everything from simple hygiene products like soap and toothpaste to (no surprise) winter coats and warm clothing to furnishings when they finally have a place to live. An easy way to help that allows them to make their own choices are gift cards to grocery stores and all home goods and clothing stores. Cards can be mailed to Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services, 256 Bartlett Street, Lewiston, ME 04240 or Catholic Charities Maine, Attn: Development Office, PO Box 10660, Portland, ME 04104.
Wishes for clear, clean lakes and a safe environment for children and grandchildren is the dream of many lake dwellers and users who have had this privilege over the generations. There is still time this summer to attend meetings, volunteer and donate and to check with the 7 Lakes Alliance in Belgrade Lakes to see if they have a wish list, especially for the tools and equipment that the hard-working youth conservation corps use.
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