Governor-Elect Janet Mills Volunteering at Preble Street Resource Center Today.
Mills Staff Members Scott Ogden & Jeremy Kennedy at Preble Street Resource Center.
Volunteers Janine Talbot & Nicole Bernsen, a Rugby Coach at UMaine, Orono.
Cam Scott and Margoe Shaw Volunteering Today. Cam, Originally from Alta Vista, VA., was a high school student of my nephew, Andy McCracken, down there. Our paths crossed accidentally today!
“These are baked beans. And, these are canned tomatoes. I’m not as fond of them, but I’m sure someone else is,” laughed Governor-Elect Janet Mills at noon today. She volunteered to unload heavy boxes of donated food and hand them down the line to the next person until they were stacked inside the Preble Street Resource Center.
The annual event began at Hannaford Brothers, Forest Avenue, where people donated food or cash until two buses were filled to overfilling. Just before noon, the buses made their way to 252 Oxford Street, the site of Preble Street. It took a lot of kind-hearted people to unload the buses.
At the end of the day, 135,000 lbs. of food was collected in this annual food drive. It was 21,000 lbs. more than previously. It took many volunteers from different companies in the area who pitched in.
Some of this food will be used for Thanksgiving meals tomorrow according to Deena Metzled, kitchen operations assistant. But most of it will be used through out the holidays. Preble Street expects to serve 500 meals on Thanksgiving Day – that includes lunch and dinner. Thirty (30) turkeys have been cooked over the last few days for Thanksgiving Day meals. All of them are cooked at the Preble Street kitchen.
“The stakes were really high in this race and I wanted to help get Janet elected Governor,” said Scott Ogden, communications director for the Mills campaign. (Formerly, he was on the staff of Senator Angus King (I). Jeremy Kennedy, her chief of staff, has been extremely involved in Democratic politics in the State of Maine. Specifically, he was Chairman of the Maine Democratic party. (See above left photo). The event is organized annually by 100.9 radio station.
“I hope everyone will be generous, thoughtful and kind this holiday season,” said Governor-Elect Mills.
note: Please see previous post about Portland and South Portland selecting a consultant to develop a Climate Change plan to mitigate the affects of climate change on the two cities.