National Starch and Chemical donates $4K

    ISLAND FALLS – Employees at the National Starch and Chemical plant in Island Falls donated $2,075 to the United Way of Aroostook County this year. The National Starch and Chemical Foundation matched that amount, bringing the total to $4,150.
     The funds are desperately needed, according to Claudia Stevens of the United Way.
    “Our most pressing concern is the rising cost of fuel, which has doubled in this area,” she said.  “People are in a panic about the coming winter.”
     To cope with this crisis, Gov. John Baldacci has invited representatives of the state’s Community Action Programs (CAPs) and United Way organizations to meet and develop a plan. 
    “I have ideas,” said Stevens, “but no way to fund them. For example, if we could help people install pellet stoves, they would pay for themselves in just one year.”
     The United Way of Aroostook County had been focusing on substance abuse, a problem which was identified as the primary concern in the area. 
    “We’ve funded six programs with a total of $77,000 that will be paid out this year,” she said. “But now we must shift gears and focus on the fuel crisis.”