United Mid-Coast Charities has just concluded a year with an exceptionally busy event schedule in Knox and Waldo Counties.

The first event was Making Miracles in collaboration with coastal downtown business groups. The 125 merchants who participated agreed to donate up to 10% of their sales on December 12th to UMCC. To remind people to shop downtown, Bangor Savings Bank employee-teams assembled luminaries, distributed them in the downtowns and lit them. This event took place in Camden-Rockport, Rockland, Belfast, Searsport and Unity. An anonymous donor contributed $15,000 to match the success in each of these towns. We thank the Bangor Savings Bank employees-teams and the over 125 merchants who participated in this important fundraising event.

The second was the 2009 Holiday Pops Concert, a first time event for UMCC. Maine Pro Musica's orchestra, Camden Hills Regional High School Women's Choir and Chamber Singers, Penobscot Bay Ringers, and Rockport Dance Conservatory performed at Strom Auditorium in a concert describes as a "smashing success." Over 100 musicians participated in this concert. The quality of the music tells us that along the coast of Maine there are exceptional musicians eager to celebrate the holiday season.

The third event was the Lighting of Luminaries on Christmas Eve in Knox and Waldo counties. A small army of volunteers from the Cub Scouts to high school students to seniors assembled 2000 luminaries. They were sold by street captains throughout both counties lighting up the spirit of community and expressing hope to those in need of help.

There were 125 merchants participating in Making Miracles, in addition to the Bangor Savings Bank employee-teams. About 500 people attended the Holiday Pops Concert. And about 2,000 luminaries were sold to benefit the 50 agencies in our federation.

A mere thank you to the hundreds of people who participated with us in December seems so inadequate, but it is offered with the warmest sincerity of our Directors and Officers.