BREWER, Maine — Parents struggling to keep a roof over their families’ heads, food on their tables and oil in their tanks often are hard-pressed to come up with the extra cash needed to put presents under the Christmas tree.
In eastern and northern Maine, however, a partnership between the Penobscot County chapter of United Bikers of Maine and Dollar Tree Stores in Orono, Bangor and Brewer is helping to fill that void.
During a campaign that ran several weeks, Dollar Tree customers were encouraged to purchase an extra item or two to place in a drop box for the bikers’ Penobscot County chapter’s toy drive. The toys were collected, divided into six piles and put into bags and boxes.
During a recent monthly meeting at Dino’s Pizza in Brewer, the county biker group presented an estimated 2,500 toys to social service agencies serving families from Penobscot, Washington, Aroostook and Hancock counties, the Penobscot Indian Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe based at Pleasant Point and Indian Township.
The haul included puzzles, games, dolls, coloring books and crayons, as well as warm hats, scarves and mittens — “and just about everything they sell at the Dollar Tree,” said Bob Harper, UBM’s county director.
“We’re always looking for ways that we can help out,” said Sam York, manager of the Dollar Tree on Stillwater Avenue in Orono. York’s store collected nearly 1,700 toys for this year’s drive — in a matter of just two weeks.
“We really can’t take all the credit,” he said. “It was our customers. Orono is a very giving community.”
The organization receiving the toys said the gifts would provide a holiday bright spot for children whose families are trying to stay afloat in a sinking economy.
“I think this is a godsend for many families,” said Karen Hall of Penquis CAP’s Child Care Resource Development Center. “Certainly, I think it helps relieve a little bit of the family’s stress around the holidays.”
Kids weren’t the only ones the bikers were helping this month. During their December gathering, members also brought nonperishable food items for area food cupboards, pet food and supplies for local animal shelters and cash.
Sandy McKeon, a spokeswoman for the county UBM chapter, said those supplies would be divided among several organizations, especially those serving people in communities hit by recent mill closures.