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Friday, May 16, 2025 Volume 21 • Issue No. 20
Local Resident Minnie Szykniej Turns 103 WELLS Local resident Minnie Szykniej recently turned 103! On Sunday, April 27, family and friends gathered at St. Mary’s Church in Wells to celebrate her remarkable life. A member of St. Mary’s for decades, Minnie volunteered at the church well into her 90s, helping at the door, greeting parishioners, and handing out music sheets. She was also a member of the Church Life Commission, which arranged funeral receptions and planned social events. She was active in the prayer shawl committee, which created and distributed shawls to those in need
Minnie Szykniej attended her 103rd birthday at St. Mary’s in Wells. Photo courtesy of Holy Spirit Parish of Wells, Kennebunk & Ogunquit.
of comfort. Over many Christmas seasons, Minnie helped prepare children for the annual Christmas
pageant, sewing costumes for the production. At Christmastime, she would dress up as “Mini Claus” to hand out gifts and treats
to the children. A lifelong love of acting often found Minnie in costume. She fondly recalls performing skits and dancing in traveling shows. “I just always did it, even as a kid,” she said. “I always had that in my heart. I like to perform, and I love people.” Minnie was a member of the Seacoast Follies, a group that entertained nursing home residents. Over the years, the Follies put on multiple “Spirit of Broadway” shows – produced by her daughter, Marie – to support various senior centers, churches, and veterans organizations, causes especially
dear to Minnie’s heart. She also graced the stage in “Broadway at the Beach,” a summer fundraiser for the Women’s Society, of which she was a longtime member. She even played the part of Jesus during one Vacation Bible School. The memory still brings a big smile to her face. “That was funny. The kids were really funny,” she said. St. Mary’s parishioners had a lot to say about Minnie: “If anything goes wrong, you’d call Minnie – if there’s any kind of problem, if you need to find anything.” “She brings everyone toSee MINNIE on page 9 . . .
York County Food Pantry Forges Ahead YORK COUNTY York County Food Pantry will continue to operate at 5 Swett’s Bridge Road in Alfred, opening to the public as usual on Tuesdays and Fridays from 12 to 3 p.m. The food pantry, until recently a program of the private nonprofit York County Shelter Programs Inc., will now operate in a partnership between York County Government and the county’s charitable arm, the nonprofit First County Foundation (FTC). FTC was formed in 2024 to enhance two county government projects – a first responder training center and substance use
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WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families has announced the release of more than $400 million in funding for the LowIncome Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The announcement follows a letter from Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Jack Reed (D-R I), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) – signed by 10 Senate colleagues – urging HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to distribute funds swiftly and avoid cuts to regular programmatic support.
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ing to operate the pantry through the end of the current fiscal year on June 30. They agreed to appropriate $100,000, pending York County Budget Committee approval, for the fiscal year beginning July 1. “We’re glad to be able to help people in York County. We don’t want our residents to go hungry,” said York County Commissioners Chair Richard Dutremble. “That is why we allocated funding for the food pantry and have assumed its operation.” The food pantry was located at York County Shelter Programs’ main campus on Shaker Hill in Alfred from its formation
until 2018, when it then moved to the county-owned building at Swett’s Bridge Road. The building and most utilities were provided to the agency by the county government as a courtesy, without charge. On a recent day, pantry
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recovery center – with a forward look to support future endeavors across the county. And although York County Shelter Programs Inc. has closed the shelter, York County Government and FTC are forging ahead together to operate the pantry. “There will be no hiccup,” said York County Manager Greg Zinser of the food pantry’s operation. He said people who use the pantry can expect it to continue. “There is no intent to change any distribution.” On Wednesday, May 7, York County commissioners unanimously voted to authorize Zinser to run the pantry and to use $25,000 in contingency fund-
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“LIHEAP funding provides vital relief to thousands of Mainers, helping them avoid the constant worry of having to choose between heating or cooling their homes and covering other basic necessities,” said
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Senator Collins. “I am glad that following our outreach, the Department has released the full amount of funding for this critical program. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to support this program and work to ensure that households in Maine and throughout the country can afford to heat their homes.” T h e fe d e r a l ly- f u nd e d LIHEAP is a critical resource that helps 6.2 million low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes afford their energy bills, including those who use natural gas, propane, electricity,
coordinator Rob Boyd was surveying the shelves. A shipment of food had come in earlier in the day, and he was expecting another before the next opening day. The pantry operates like a See PANTRY on page 4 . . . and home heating oil. Without this assistance, many individuals may face difficulty paying their utility bills, particularly during extreme weather. LIHEAP is administered by states and accessed through local Community Action Agencies. Eligibility for the program is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources. Senior citizens and those receiving Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are encouraged to apply early, but applications will remain open to all until funding is exhausted. For more information, visit www.mainehousing.org/ prog ra m s-se r v ices/e ne rg y/ energydetails/liheap.
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