The spirit of giving was alive in Wiscasset Saturday, from Ames True Value to Wiscasset Community Center. Local groups greeted passers-by and raised money for causes.

As Ames hosted its annual Christmas Spectacular with Santa and free doughnut holes and coffee, the Masons' Lincoln Lodge of Wiscasset was outside with its annual cement mixer drive. Chuck Billings said the lodge will also be at Ames Saturday, Dec. 8 and Saturday, Dec. 15. The drive will benefit area food banks, he said.

Steps away, Wiscasset Fire Chief T.J. Merry was helping sell tickets on the Association of Wiscasset Firefighters' 21st annual raffle for a series of prizes. The drawing is Jan. 1. 

Inside the Route 1 business, amid the free goodies and the boxes for grownups' and children's door prize drawings was a donations box. Ames' Peg Averill said the money goes to help fill Christmas gift wishes not received during a local collection.

"We have a tree with tags on it at Ames. A lot of the tags can be filled right at Ames with the purchase of boots, sleds and some toy items. Some people will take a tag or two when they are going off to do their Christmas shopping and will bring the gift items back and put them into the box at Ames. The tags read, 'Family Wishes Spirit of Giving Event,'" Averill explained in an email. And all the money collected in boxes at the store goes into a check to the town, she said.

Wiscasset Administrative Assistant Kathy Onorato said a volunteer group is doing the drive and the town is helping.

And in the lobby of the community center on Gardiner Road  Saturday, WCC's Unsinkables swim team was fundraising with tickets on a holiday gift basket. The drawing was set for Dec. 5.