The University of New England donated a plow and truck to the Good Shepherd Food-Bank on Wednesday.
AUBURN – One of the state’s most prominent charities can again clear the snow.
Only two weeks after discovering a new $4,600 plow had been stolen from the Good Shepherd Food-Bank, the charity received a donated plow and truck from the University of New England.
“It’s a blessing,” said Paul Tarr, the food bank’s operations manager.
Officials from the Biddeford school had planned to auction a 1987 Dodge Ram. Then, they spotted a news item about the theft and called Tarr.
“It’s not even that old,” Tarr said. The 1-ton truck has about 44,000 miles of use.
It ought to save the charity thousands of dollars. The food bank had purchased the stolen plow in March, after spending $500 per storm to plow and sand the lot outside its complex on the Hotel Road in Auburn.
“In January alone, we spent $2,200,” Tarr said. Administrators figured they could recoup the new plow’s cost in just two months of use.
“It never pushed a bit of snow, though,” Tarr said.
Sometime on the night of Nov. 22, it was hauled away. And the thieves were well-equipped. “They managed to pick it straight up without disturbing the pallet it was sitting on,” Tarr said.
Police have yet to catch the culprits.
On Wednesday, food bank leaders picked up the donated plow and truck. It was filled with food, some donated by UNE students.
“We’re actually ahead of the game, now,” Tarr said.
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