PARIS – A University of Southern Maine teacher who joined a humanitarian trip to Cuba last year, then bought a bus to bring aid to the country again this year, will be the focus of a fundraising event June 8 at the Paris Hill County Club.

Let Cuba Live of Maine, a group which has used non-violent resistance to bring humanitarian aid to Cuba for the past 19 years, is seeking to raise $10,000 to pay back Westbrook resident Ken Jones for the purchase of the bus and supplies that will join a Pastors for Peace caravan to Cuba next month. The action is in violation of the United States export and travel ban.

“We’ve done this for many years to protest against the United States policies,” said Tom Whitney of Paris, who has been to Cuba eight to 10 times to bring humanitarian aid.

Whitney describes the caravan, which crosses the border into Mexico, where supplies are loaded onto cargo ships to Havana, as an act of civil disobedience.

“The U.S. is blockading it to make the economy suffer so people suffer so they will rise up in rebellion. Many of us think it’s cruel and wrong and illegal,” said Whitney.

This year between June 14 and July 14, the U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan will visit more than 125 U.S. and Canadian cities to raise funds and supplies before heading to Cuba.

Traveling in school buses, trucks, cars and a bookmobile, the group will challenge the U.S. export and travel ban by traveling without official authorization. During their stay in Cuba, the group will attend cultural events, visit social projects, a home for the elderly and health centers and talk to Cubans about problems caused by U.S. policies.

Once the group returns to Texas they will declare their trip to Cuba and express their opposition to the blockade.

“The U.S. embargo says you have to get permission to do humanitarian work. The pastors say no, you don’t have to,” said Whitney.

The fundraising event, which will feature Primo Cubano, described by organizers as Maine’s own Cuban “son” and salsa band, will be held at the Paris Hill Community Club on Paris Hill Road at 3 p.m. on June 8. Admission is $10.