A coalition of Midcoast Christian churches are banding together to raise funds for heating assistance for local families. They are holding a public event, “Helping Hands, Heating Homes,” on Saturday evening, Feb. 7 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on Academy Hill Road in Newcastle at 6. The event will include a spaghetti dinner, silent auction and concert. The cost to attend all events of the evening is $25 per person. All proceeds will be divided equally between the Ecumenical Council on Homeless Prevention (ECHP) and CHiP.

The concert will begin at 7:30. The concert will feature a variety of talented musicians from the Midcoast area. The scheduled music has changed. Local musicians are replacing the Pihcintu Multi National Girls Choir. The Pihcintu Choir, comprised of teenage immigrants from a variety of countries, recently canceled out of an abundance of caution due to recent immigration enforcement activities.

People may come to the concert only, with a suggested donation of $10 per person.

Regardless of the music, the main purpose is to provide heating assistance to neighbors in need.

“There are many families struggling to heat their homes right now”, said Don Sproul, chair of the event and president of the Water of Life Lutheran Church. “This is a great opportunity for the community to come together. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to help local families.”

According to Steve Ward, co-coordinator at ECHP, the need for heating assistance is historically high this year. At one point they once served nine families, now the need is for over 60 families.

Sproul said there are three ways people can help:

1. Donate items to the silent auction. You may do so by calling Kathy at 207-542-7699.

2. Volunteer to help on Feb. 7. People can sign up to volunteer at Helping Hands Heating Homes Dinner Volunteer | Doodle, or by calling Don at 207-441-7778.

3. Purchase tickets for a cost of $25 per person and attend the event. You may purchase tickets at www.chipinc.org/donate and indicate your donation is for the 4H Dinner. If anyone cannot attend, but wish to donate to the heating assistance fund, they may also do that at this link.

In addition to volunteers from Water of Life Lutheran Church and St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, volunteers from St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and Wiscasset United Church of Christ have been involved in the planning of this event. Representatives from CHiP, ECHP, Stepping Stones, and the Central Lincoln County YMCA have also assisted.