West Bay Rotary is raising money to help three local nonprofits that help people in need. Net proceeds from Lucky’s Christmas Vacation raffle will benefit the Camden Area Christian Food Pantry, One Less Worry, and the Shields Mission Project.

Raffle tickets are $10 each or six tickets for $50, and the winner will receive a certificate for seven nights at the Vanderbilt Beach Resort in Naples, Florida. The raffle winner will be drawn Sunday, Dec. 20, at 4 p.m., at the West Bay Rotary Christmas tree fundraiser at Maine Sport Outfitters, in Rockport.

Raffle tickets are available for sale online at westbayrotaryraffle.com., at the Christmas tree fundraiser, Rockport Automotive (271 Commercial Street, Rockport), and New England Real Estate Co. (98 Elm Street, Camden).

“Only 1,000 will be sold, so get your raffle tickets before they are gone,” said West Bay, in a news release.

Because of Covid-19, West Bay Rotary has had to cancel many of their fundraisers, so they have been finding creative new ways to help the community.

“Although the annual Christmas tree fundraiser is still on and will help raise money for charities and nonprofits, it just seemed like more could be done,” said West Bay.

West Bay Rotarian Ray Fink came up with the idea to have a raffle that would benefit local nonprofits that are anticipating an increased need for help this winter. The Vanderbilt Beach Resort agreed to offer the prize and the board quickly approved the idea.

“These organizations are going to really need extra help this winter, so we are hoping to sell all 1,000 tickets and really make a difference,” said Ray Fink.

The Camden Area Christian Food Pantry is a group of Christian churches working to provide food to anyone with need in the Camden area, serving Appleton, Camden, Hope, Islesboro, Lincolnville, Rockport, Searsmont, Union, and Washington. Camden Area Christian Food Pantry is an all-volunteer charity.

The Camden Area Christian Food Pantry, like so many other nonprofit, charitable organizations, has adjusted its operations to cope with the Covid-19 crisis. Clients are no longer allowed to enter the building to receive food but are serviced curbside.

“Covid-19 has taken our clients out of the pantry,” said Board President Ashley Hunt, “but it has not and will not take the food away from our clients” 

One Less Worry (OLW) is a nonprofit organization that provides personal care necessities and grooming products while raising awareness of need and normalizing periods. In addition to toilet paper and personal care items, they provide pads and tampons to 23 locations including high schools, middle schools, food pantries, and community organizations. It is projected that they will provide over 60,000 pads and tampons and 13,000 rolls of toilet paper in Knox County this year, according to West Bay.

OLW Executive Director, Sharon Hobson said, “When you are an organization striving to provide toilet paper to the rising number of folks in need and there is no toilet paper, you face the kind of challenge you never imagined. Covid-19 has given us many months of such challenges which affected most the items we provide. Because our amazing community dropped off one lone roll of toilet paper or one package of pads or handed us $5, we made it through this extended and heightened period of need. Our community’s support means we can say ‘yes’ to those with essential needs. OLW anticipates more shortages and increased cost of toilet paper, toothpaste, pads & tampons soon. We also anticipate increased need.”

The Shields Mission Project is a dedicated fund of the First Congregational Church of Camden used to benefit needy residents of Knox County and Lincolnville who do not qualify for assistance from various social services and governmental agencies. Its purpose is to provide direct financial aid to individuals and families in crisis for any number of reasons.

During this time of COVID, increasing numbers of families in our local communities find themselves in precarious financial situations, having lost their jobs and unable to afford housing, utilities, food, transportation, health care, etc. For some it is truly a desperate situation with nowhere to turn, according to the release.

Since the beginning of the pandemic Shields has seen a 20% increase in requests for assistance. There is every expectation that the number of families struggling will continue to increase as the pandemic wears on during the upcoming winter months.

“Donations to the Shields Fund go directly to assist our friends and neighbors as together we work to get through this difficult time, reaching out to support each other in as many ways as possible,” said Rev. Ute Molitor, pastor of the Congregational Church.

For more information about these organizations, click below:

westbayrotaryofmaine.org or westbayrotaryinfo@gmail.com

camdenareachristianfoodpantry.org

onelessworry.me

camdenucc.org