Lincoln County residents pull together to make sure everyone has food and supplies

When the severity of the threat posed by COVID-19 became apparent last weekend, Sumner and Rosie Richards, who run S. Fernald’s Country Store in Damariscotta, knew they had to close up shop.

“We have a pretty mixed crowd, older folks, younger folks. It’s a big community spot. We’re not the kind of place that should remain open,” Sumner explained.

They donated their perishable items to Jane Gravel, owner of Main Street Grocery, who had already begun to stock a small food pantry and organize volunteers who prepared meals for locals in need of food and supplies. But they knew that was not enough.

Rosie and Sumner Richards with Jane Gravel (left to right). | S. Fernald’s Country Store, Facebook

“We quickly realized — Rosie, and I, and Jane at the grocery — this is gonna be bad, it’s gonna be awhile,” said Sumner. They also knew they couldn’t do it alone.

Though Sumner and Rosie currently “make sandwiches and play shop,” both have experience working in disaster relief. Rosie, who previously worked with AmeriCorps in response to floods in Minot, North Dakota and mudslides in Colorado, met Sumner, who had been in New Orleans, Argentina, and Haiti doing disaster relief, when both were helping communities rebuild in the wake Superstorm Sandy.

One thing about responding to disaster, Rosie noted, is that “you really have to take action and act as quickly as you can in order to get those resources.”

With this in mind, the couple launched a food relief fundraiser on GoFundMe and within 24 hours had raised $5000. They used the money to purchase five palates worth of food from their distributor, Dennis Paper and Food Service out of Bangor.

As more local businesses, schools, and organizations closed their doors, more resources, like kitchen space, food supplies, and staff time have become increasingly available. “We realized we needed to pool resources,” explained Sumner.

As word spread, a number of local organizations and businesses — including Lincoln Academy, a local food pantry, Camp Kieve and the local YMCA — reached out to see how they might help. On Friday, Sumner said, they held a conference call with more than a dozen parties “trying to tie this thing together with the hope that we oil this machine and get it running before we go into complete shutdown.”

Food and supplies being delivered. | Courtesy of S. Fernald’s Country Store

The program is still being refined, but the executive chef at Lincoln Academy is going to be taking over food preparation at the school, cooking prepared meals that can be frozen and distributed to community members, along with nonperishable and sanitary items.

The effort also received a wave of food donations from local restaurants including Barn Door Bakery, Mammy’s Bakery, Newcastle Publick House, Oysterhead Pizza Co and Racha Noodle Bar as they prepared to close down and transition to take-out only.

The local assistance operation is just getting running, but they say it’s gotten a lot of positive feedback, and many requests for food and other help.

Mostly, the pair hopes that the community response in Lincoln County can serve as a model for other communities across Maine as people begin to settle in with the long term impacts of this situation.

“The biggest piece that we should all take home is though frightening times are ahead, if we can work together as communities, we can snap that fear now and hopefully get through it together,” Sumner said.

Visit MainersTogether.com to volunteer or seek assistance in your own community.

Top Photo: S. Fernald’s Country Store in Damariscotta, Maine. | S. Fernald’s Country Store, Facebook