Benefit supper aids ‘Backpacks for Kids’ cause Saturday

By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    Gerald “Moose” Karnes is a gentle-spirited man. When the Houlton United Methodist Church opens its heart to those in need during the holidays, he steps up to help. But, he pondered one question — “What happens the other 50 weeks of the year?”
    That’s when Karnes and the congregation of the Houlton United Methodist Church started Backpacks for Kids. The church will be sponsoring a benefit supper for the program on Saturday from 4-6:30 p.m.
    “This will be the kick off for the coming year,” Karnes said.
Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
READY TO GO — Gerald “Moose” Karnes and his wife Leitha, left, along with Naomi Sam-Kpakra, United Methodist Church minister, stand in front of donated items to be used to fill backpacks for kids in the Aroostook County Action Program Bird and North Street centers.
    Attending an Ecumenical Service, Karnes heard an appeal by the Salvation Army for neighbors in the community who are struggling under the economic impact.
    “I left the service thinking throughout the night what I or we, as a church, could do to ease suffering right outside our doors,” he said. “I am a bus driver and I see kids who cannot wait to get to school to eat.”
    One in five children do not get enough to eat in the United States. That is a staggering number. So, as Karnes was reading his Bible, he came to Luke and studied the scriptures.
    “It is loaded with wonderful parables as to how people help or respond to needy situations around them,” he explained. “I know very well and it was confirmed in my reading that ‘to whom much is given, much will be required,’” as he quoted Luke 12:48.
    As the Lord worked on Karnes’ heart, he recalled seeing a television show months ago on helping to feed kids and their families on the weekends.
    “It was a pilot program in Guilford,” he said. “I prayed about this and asked God to show me what to do.”
    Karnes contacted the school in Guilford obtaining information on their program. After sharing his findings with the Houlton Methodist Men’s Group, before Easter, Karnes presented his proposal to the congregation.
    “We were able to do a trial run the last four weeks of school,” said Karnes. “It was well received.”
    Backpack for Kids serves the Aroostook County Action Program Bird and North Street centers. The backpacks are delivered to the centers and distributed by the teachers. Inside the backpack is $15 worth of food ranging from the ever-popular kids’ meal of pasta to vegetables, fruit, cereal and juice to name just a few items.
    “We fill the backpacks with non-perishable food items on a Thursday and take them to the centers on Friday,” Karnes explained. “The children return the empty backpacks on Monday. And, everything is repeated the following weeks.
    “Our plan is to really get up and running for the next school year,” he added.
    When the pilot program began with the United Methodist Men’s Group, they were thinking about starting with 10 backpacks.
    “I started calling numbers,” Karnes said with a smile.
    He happened to be talking to Rhonda Foster, an SAD 70 staff member, who had an extra 15 backpacks in her possession.
    “We solicited most of the items [to fill the backpacks] from church members,” Karnes said. “The program is valuable, needed and wanted.”
    Karnes is looking for anyone who would like to step up and become a sponsor for the program. He is looking into becoming a non-profit organization.
    “I believe people can impact the community they live in,” Karnes said. “I pray a spark would be kindled in the hearts of children and their families for our own neighborhoods.”
    For more information on the program, to become a sponsor or donate food items, call Karnes at 532-9623.