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PHOTO: Cape Breton based supergroup COIG band members, from left, Darren McMullen, Rachel Davis, Zakk Cormier, Chrissy Crowley. (Submitted photo)
FARMINGTON — Internationally acclaimed Cape Breton-based Celtic music supergroup COIG will again partner with Farmington Area Ecumenical Ministry to bring holiday cheer and an opportunity to support the local Franklin County Ecumenical Heating Fund ministry. While COVID restrictions prohibit large gatherings, and Canada has closed the border, COIG members so want to be here in Farmington that they offered to perform their concert in Nova Scotia and have it professionally recorded. The concert will be available online to ticket holders at 7 p.m. Wednesday Dec. 16. To buy a ticket, visit the Old South Church website at www.farmingtonucc.org. A link to the concert will be sent to the email address or Facebook page where the concert will air. With the purchase of a ticket, the concert will be viewable for 48 hours and will not be available to the public on YouTube.
When the concert is held in person at Old South Church, Santa hats are passed for donations to the ECU Heat Fund. This year, donations may be made through the ticketing website or by mailing a check payable to FAEM/ECU HEAT to FAEM/ECU HEAT, P.O. Box 188, West Farmington, ME 04992.
All donations are tax-deductible and will be acknowledged. Once again this year, the Sandy River Charitable Fund has offered to match $5,000 in donations. Each year COIG has partnered with us, enough donations have been received to qualify for the matching grant, and then some.
The ECU HEAT fund serves low-income residents of Franklin County with one delivery of fuel per winter, through the “50 for $50” program, administered by Western Maine Community Action. Applications are available at WMCA, town offices and local churches.
Each applicant pays a $50 share toward the cost of a 50-gallon liquid fuel delivery, or a ton of pellets, or a cord of firewood delivered by that customer’s regular fuel vendor. The shares help ensure that ECU HEAT is able to help every family that applies once during the heating season. Last winter 786 neighbors in 400 homes throughout Franklin County received an ECU HEAT delivery. Many applicants were older residents living on fixed incomes.
Disabled people who live on fixed incomes also need a helping hand, since Social Security checks may be enough for basic expenses in the summer but don’t stretch to cover the cost of winter fuel. This winter, because so many neighbors are unemployed due to layoffs or COVID-19, ECU Heat is anticipating even more people will apply. Donations will help some neighbor stay a little bit warmer this winter.
ECU HEAT is a ministry of FAEM, a 501.c.3 charitable nonprofit. For more information, faemofficer@gmail.com or www.faemchurches.org.
