The Boothbay Harbor Congregational Church is participating in the Church World Service’s (CWS) emergency cleanup buckets project. The  undertaking is alongside other projects the CWS is sponsoring such as hygiene kits for families and school kits for over 200,000 displaced students.

"We are so grateful for every congregation that is springing into action to stand with our neighbors in Texas by assembling CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets,” said Elizabeth Frank, CWS Associate Director for Humanitarian Programs. “Our supply of buckets was low when Harvey hit, and well over half of the buckets that we had in stock are on their way to Texas.”

Sue Burge, president of the Boothbay Region Community Resource Council, sent an email out telling folks in the area what the church and CWS are doing.

“I am simply a vessel to spread the news,” said Burge. “I will do a bucket with my granddaughter just as a training tool for her heart … I have the bucket and I have the will to help in some way.”

Said Frank, “When a church assembles and donates these buckets, they are making sure that families in affected areas have soap, masks, gloves, garbage bags and more critical supplies to help them muck out their home and begin the long road to recovery."

The kits must include: One clean five-gallon bucket with a resealable lid, four scouring pads, seven sponges, one large scrub brush, 18 reusable cleaning towels such as Easy Wipes, one 50-ounce or two 25-ounce bottles of liquid laundry detergent, one 16-28 ounce bottle of liquid disinfectant dish soap, one 12-16 ounce bottle of water soluble household cleaner (no spray bottles), one package of 48 to 50 clothespins, a clothesline (two 50-foot or one, 100-foot), five dust masks, two pairs of non-surgical latex gloves, one pair of work gloves (cotton with leather palm or all-leather), 24-28 heavy duty or contractor-type 30-45 gallon trash bags on a roll and removed from the carton, and one 6-9 ounce bottle of non-aerosol insect repellent.

CWS asks that all cleaning items be new with any capped liquid items securely tightened and all items placed into the bucket and packed securely. The lid must be snapped on tight and sealed with packing tape. 

For more information, call the church at 633-4757.