REGION — United Way of the Tri-Valley Area is honored to continue offering the Community Energy Challenge. The Community Energy Challenge (CEC) is a Franklin and Northern Androscoggin County volunteer-led winterization initiative designed to help families save money on heating costs. A simple, low-cost strategy of interior window panels keeps heat inside homes during the harsh winter months and encourages homeowners to make positive changes in their energy consumption. A hallmark of the CEC is engaging the homeowners or renters to participate in workshops when possible and become more proactive in their homes and lives. United Way will be taking COVID-19 precautions for our volunteers who visit homes to measure or install as well as at the workshops, providing hand sanitizer and requiring face coverings. The traditional potluck lunch will be a takeout lunch option this year to minimize risk.

Any interested community volunteers are encouraged to attend a Community Energy Challenge window panel workshop at Henderson Memorial Baptist Church, Academy Street, Farmington starting Saturdays, October 3rd – December 12th from 9 am – 12 pm. No previous experience is required, and all are welcome!

Families who receive fuel assistance, may qualify for up to six FREE interior window panels that are measured and built especially for their windows. To sign up or get additional information, call the United Way office at 778-5048.

For those who don’t qualify for heating assistance, panels are very affordable at $1.50 linear/ft. The cost of these panels will pay for themselves in energy saved within the first heating season. Interior window panels are available to householders living in Franklin County, Livermore, and Livermore Falls.

Since the program’s inception, more than 1,175 volunteers have served over 18,238 hours building and installing 2,748 interior storm window panels for 475 households and 23 community buildings for an estimated energy savings now of more than $82,000** annually. This number grows exponentially as panels we built in previous seasons are installed and another season is realized.

The Community Energy Challenge is made possible by the generous support of United Way of the Tri-Valley Area and the Susan and Fritz Onion Component Fund of the Maine Community Foundation.

For additional information about United Way of the Tri-Valley Area, visit www.uwtva.org or call 778-5048. Follow United Way on Facebook, too (www.facebook.com/uwtva) to be kept up to speed on up-coming programs and initiatives!

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