UMaine groups give back to community throughout the holidays

Editor’s note: Details on additional initiatives will be added when they become available.

University of Maine groups campuswide are leading charitable giving efforts for the holiday season.

The Black Bear Exchange, UMaine’s food pantry and clothing exchange, will offer Thanksgiving meals to its clients who remain in the area for the holiday.

The CEAC (Classified Employees Advisory Council) and the PEAC (Professional Employees Advisory Council) will collect nonperishable food items and monetary donations, on behalf of the Black Bear Exchange, at the UMaine Employee Holiday Lunch in Wells Conference Center on Monday, Dec. 12.

In addition, UMaine fraternities and sororities will host food, clothing and toy drives.

Alpha Tau Omega will host its annual Blue and Gold Christmas, a competition-based philanthropy event that collects clothes, books, nonperishable food and monetary donations for Crossroads Ministries and the Ronald McDonald House. Teams from Greek Life and other student organizations will be given a tree to decorate, along with a donation box. Teams score points for donations and tree decorations.

The trees, which will be on display in the Memorial Union from Nov. 28 to Dec. 16 will be judged by university officials. The philanthropy effort will kick off this year at the Nov. 28 Women’s Hockey game at Alfond Arena.

Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) and Pi Beta Phi will hold their annual Pi Phi/FIJI Christmas toy drive at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 at the FIJI fraternity house. All toys donated at the event go to Crossroads Ministries in Old Town, which distributes them to area children in need.