Lady Knox Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, launched a bucket challenge that became a State Meeting Project in partnership with the Maine State Organization, DAR (MSODAR).

Lady Knox Chapter challenged DAR chapters around the state to fill a bucket with a pre-set list of cleaning supplies. Lowes, in Thomaston, generously donated 30 five-gallon buckets for the Challenge.

Every Maine DAR chapter participated, along with the State Executive Committee, State Pages, and the Maine State Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.). Chapters filled their buckets at the MSODAR State Fall Meeting in Bangor on Saturday, November 8.

Lady Knox Chapter Regent Mary Kay Felton, and Vice-Regent Kristin MacArthur, delivered the filled buckets, and additional donated boxes of supplies, to Cabin in the Woods on Veterans’ Day. According to Volunteers of America, “Cabin in the Woods Community is the first project of its kind in the state of Maine, and the only program in Maine that will offer permanent housing for homeless male and female veterans, as well as their families.”

The cluster of 550 square foot one bedroom cabins and 700 square foot two bedroom cabins sit on 11 acres of land on the grounds of the Togus VA Medical Center in Chelsea. Veterans face challenges as they transition from homelessness to housing. A primary focus of Cabin in the Woods is helping veterans with family reunification and employment opportunities.

"No veteran should have to face homelessness, food insecurity, or an inability to keep up with basic household needs," said Felton.

Cleaning supplies are often a large portion of a monthly grocery bill and SNAP benefits don’t cover the purchase of non-food items. The DAR hopes that their donation of cleaning supplies will leave a few extra dollars in the veterans’ pockets as the holiday season approaches.