JAY – Traditional holiday hams were distributed recently to Verso Paper Corp.’s Androscoggin Mill employees, retirees and widows. Many employees decided to donate their ham to those in need.

Thanks to Delance White, Jim Finley and Bill Harlow, the widows of IP employees had their ham delivered to them.

On Dec. 19 Cindy Bennett, Ed Melcher, Perry Ellsworth, Ray Bryant, Darlene Marstaller, Alvin McDonald, Delance White, Palmer Hebert, Don Miller, Bruce Brooks, Earl McCormack, Dan Corcoran and Tom Saviello delivered 288 hams and/or turkeys to 11 local nonprofit organizations, including the Tri-Town Ministerial Food Bank; AWAP Food Pantry; the Wilton, Augusta, Winthrop, Strong, Avon/Phillips and Hartford food banks; UBM, Jay High School and Middle School; and VFW food baskets.

Jef Howell, purchasing manager, said, “Many retirees expressed their gratitude for the mill’s generosity and good will, and appreciated the festive setting in the Sugarloaf Room (engineering building) where the hams were distributed.”

Through November and December more than 225 gifts for Operation Santa Claus were delivered to the North Pole in Farmington to help make dreams come true for area children.

Additionally, the Western Maine Community Action received a donation of $4,382 from the mill’s community involvement team to assist communities in western Maine support elderly and children’s services, including fuel assistance, prescription medications, food, clothing and shelter.