University of New England

UNE volunteers participate in a statewide initiative to keep Maine residents warm this winter

On Saturday Oct. 21st and Sunday Oct.  22nd eighteen members of the University of New England community participated in Operation Keep ME Warm throughout York County. 

Nicole Shiles, Sarah Tuttle, Elizabeth Mitchell

Rachele Peterson, Catherine Placido, Trisha Joy, Kerra Gearinger

Operation Keep ME Warm is a statewide program that took place Oct. 19-22 in all 16 counties of Maine. 

While the cost of energy continues to rise, this fall event was a crucial winter preparation for many families.  Volunteers installed plastic insulation on windows, caulked cracks surrounding windows and doors, replaced existing light bulbs with energy-efficient ones, and insulated hot water pipes.

This was the third year of implementation for Operation Keep ME Warm, and it is a program that will be necessary in future years to help keep energy costs down for Maine residents.  This program is made possible by the Maine Commission for Community Service and depends on volunteers to carry out projects.  As the years progress, more families are aware of the benefits of the program and numbers of volunteers rise. 

The volunteers from the University of New England represented a wide variety of student groups and classes.  Volunteers from Earth’s E.C.O. (Environmentally Concerned Organization) and other students from an environmental class were using this project as an opportunity for experiential learning about energy conservation. 

Several other students are enrolled in a Citizenship Seminar for seniors and participated in Operation Keep ME Warm as the community engagement component of the course.  The remainder of the volunteers heard about the project around campus and decided that it would be a unique opportunity to help out in the community. 

One of the volunteers, Trisha Joy, commented, “It was a rewarding experience and meeting the homeowners made the experience better because you knew who you were helping…”

Thanks to the members of the UNE community who volunteered for Operation Keep ME Warm: Tracie Alexander '07, Donna Bass '08, Will DiMento '07, Matt Doyle '07, Kerra Gearinger '08, Alysson Hamlin ''10, Katie Helton 09, Nicole Jackson '09, Trisha Joy 'o8, Kira Keough '09, Elizabeth Mitchell '09, Catherine Placido '07, Sara Pelkey '09, Rachele Peterson '08, Nicole Shiles '08, Sarah Tuttle '09, and Megan Wyand '09.  

(Press release issued Nov. 7, 2008)