The eighth annual Haiti Benefit (‘Hearts and Hands for Haiti’) dinner hosted by the Lincoln County Ecumenical Committee for Haiti will be held March 1, 2019 at 5 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church in Damariscotta Mills.

Committee co-chair Sharon Marchi of Bremen said “This year’s dinner faces a triple challenge: first, to continue support for the successful ongoing projects funded by previous dinners in and around the town of Gros Morne, such as hot school lunches, school books and uniforms, school repairs and construction, assistance to the elderly poor, the goat project, etc.; second, to respond to a new request from the Friends of Gros Morne Committee to support the raising of chickens by poor families; and lastly, and tragically, to address some of the effects of the powerful earthquake which rocked northwest Haiti in October of 2018 and damaged schools we have long supported.

“We were very successful last year, Marchi said, and thanks to the generosity of dinner participants we were able to expand our successful goat project, provide additional scholarships for girls high school education, build school latrines and introduce a new program of providing hot lunches in several elementary schools. But the devastating earthquake in October which struck off the north coast of Haiti some 40 miles from Gros Morne, caused considerable damage in Gros Morne, including to schools which we have traditionally supported and even caused the death of at least seven people in Gros Morne.”

“It is heart wrenching to see the damage caused to St Gabriel school for girls and nearby Resurrection school,” said dinner co-founder Frazier Meade of Newcastle, “and one of our priority goals for this year’s dinner will be to raise money for construction materials to help repair the damaged classrooms, and make them more earthquake resistant. We also want to be responsive to a new request from the interdenominational Friends of Gros Morne committee to help poor families raise chickens, both to improve diets and to provide income.” This project will involve training, the provisions of chickens and roosters and help in constructing rudimentary coops.

The committee is pleased and grateful to announce that auctioneer John Bottero of Thomaston Place Galleries will again conduct a pledging session enabling everyone to support their preferred form of assistance at whatever level desired. The committee is also pleased to announce that this year’s dinner will be prepared by chef Rick Hirsch and Jean Kerrigan and their team at the Damariscotta River Grill. As usual sales of vibrant Haitian arts and crafts will be featured. Details of the annual raffle and door prize will be announced later. Tickets for the dinner will be $30 for adults ($35 at the door) and $15 for children and will be available at the usual locations and from Ecumenical Committee members Sharon Marchi, St. Denis Church; Barbara Williams and JoAnita Norman, St Patrick’s Church; Frazier and Susan Meade, St Andrew’s Church; Paula Campbell, 2nd Congregational Church; Sue Lewis, First Congregational of Wiscasset; Tom Eichler, St Giles’ Church; Dean Curran in Damariscotta, and Donna Flynn in Alna.

For more information, to donate, or to volunteer to help please call 563-1931.