Why Alma Jones is More Than a Household Name in Maine; She is MY INSPIRATION

Being a part time Mainer, I originally saw the article on Alma Jones, in Down East Magazine, and choose to do a little investigating. The excerpt, which moved me incredibly, described an 89 year old Alma Jones wanting to retire from her position of running the Washington Food Pantry out of her basement. It was previously in the Kennebec Journal, and before you know it, people were talking and word was everywhere.

The kicker here is that she was retiring at 89. (EIGHTY- NINE. ) from a task, ( job) locals say she took at age 69. (SIXTY-NINE) .

In a time in her life when most of us would retire and enjoy doing NOTHING, she was just starting to DO SOMETHING. This was her big claim to fame. Alma would not only take over the pantry and begin her twenty year program to give back to her community but she would share her vigor and her goodwill, providing an example of outstanding human nature in the process that everyone grew to know and love.

It is truly amazing that Alma was successfully fulfilling the monthly needs of thirty to forty families per month, (not counting any other special dinners, events, church functions, or other special projects). Although the pantry was located in her house on Waldoboro Road, she would often be traveling to other towns outside of her own in the never-ending search of the donations, or cheapest means of acquiring food for this purpose.

Having family that still reside in Maine , and having lived there myself, I can only tell you that making a living there is much harder than doing the same skill or trade and finding work near or around a big city town. Though Maine is the most beautiful place I've ever been on Earth, work is sparse, and the weather can be unforgiving. Not to mention the rise in gas and utility bills last year alone, caused many MORE residents than usual to ask for assistance from the State, making it an official time of crises.

I have this vision, that when all that was going on, Alma Jones was more worried about her Godly task at hand, running around shopping and picking up free food to help the needy. Not only did she open her heart over the course of twenty years, but she would open the minds of her community to do the same.

It was less than ten years ago when Alma Jones and Peg Hobbs (Master Gardener), developed a little project called "Grow a Seedling for your Neighbor Program." Having many needy families who didn't like being "classified as such", they creatively thought up a way to empower the underprivileged community folks. Essentially this "grow your own food" program, would make the families feel better about their situation and enable them to become garden gurus.

This was a way for Alma and Peg to creatively fulfill their food needs, and nourish their hearts at the same time. Finding out these families had areas to make gardens; Peg and Alma soon called on the neighbors to turn out pepper and tomato seedlings. Nothing like having a Master Gardener around to help achieve the perfect tomato plant!

Neighbors helped, seedlings emerged, and were given to and planted by the needy families. Vegetables were grown and hearts were harvested, this program was a success. Alma had once again involved the entire community to step up and pitch in. Smiles were spreading and hearts were opening.

Soon "Kitchen Gardens" was well received as a fun program where the happy residents were swapping veggies, smiles, and the occasional recipe. As of 2006, the neighbors were providing seedlings to the needy of plants that included summer and winter squash, several varieties of tomatoes and peppers.

The food pantry last I heard was being relocated, and had volunteers to take over where Alma left off (all hoping they can fill her shoes). It's no wonder Alma will be sorely missed in this program, but to many residents of Washington, Maine, she is a legacy.

Thank you Alma for proving that where there's a will, there's a way. I've always said you can't take it with you when you go, so give it away while you are here. In this case, it's not the food I'm talking about. Alma has provided an example that wholesome goodness is contagious.