Skowhegan Family-Owned Businesses Team Up to Benefit ‘Sweet Dream

UPDATE: The Sweet Dream Project has helped 500 kids this season! Again, Mainers making the difference by coming together. All the details from centralmaine.com

Orginal Story: My heart is melting like my Giffords ice-cream cone on a hot summer day!

The holidays are a time of giving and to show your appreciation for your local community. That is precisely what Gifford’s Ice Cream, Hight Dealerships, and Animal Medical Clinic are doing by supporting the Sweet Dreams Project.

For five years, the Sweet Dreams Project has provided kiddos in-need with a new book, PJs, and toys to open during the holidays for a holiday memory they will look back on fondly. More on the Sweet Dream Project when you scroll down, it is very cool.

Gifford’s, Hight, and Animal Medical Clinic are working together to spread the word about Sweet Dreams Project and collect donations through December 6, 2020. These are home-town businesses, and they want to spread the word and help bring the community together to meet the need in the Skowhegan area.

Donations can be dropped off at:

Hight Chevrolet located at 29 Madison Avenue, Skowhegan, ME
Hight Ford located at 242 Madison Avenue, Skowhegan, ME
Federated Church located at 13 Island Ave, Skowhegan, ME

For parents or caregivers of a child, they can sign up for one of the gift bags by calling the Skowhegan Federated Church at 207-474-2776

More on Sweet Dreams…for five years, the Sweet Dreams Project has given gifts to children in Skowhegan during the holiday season with the hopes of lifting their spirits and bringing families together. In its first year, the project donated 114 sets of PJs and books to local community members. In 2019, the program presented over 400 gift sets.

Deb Tanner, Skowhegan Area Middle School Teacher and founder of the Sweet Dreams Project, is a dedicated public servant named Somerset County Teacher of the Year in 2015. Since then, Tanner has dedicated thousands of hours to do more and give more to the kids she teaches. Running on the generosity of local partners and contributors from across the country – including many out of state donors reaching from New Hampshire to as far as Florida, Tanner’s vision for the program grows annually.

And Skowhegan, from the press release I got about all of this...there is a lot is going on you should know about; check out other ways to give back to the Skowhegan community this season:

-Skowhegan Education Association Toy Drive: To further benefit the Sweet Dreams Project, the Skowhegan Education Association is hosting a toy drive at all Skowhegan schools. The timeline for this toy drive aligns with the Sweet Dreams Project with donations being accepted through December 6, 2020 at all Skowhegan schools. Thank you to all school staff and community members for your contributions to this drive.

-JingleFest 2020 Stuff the Trailer Towriffic Toy Drive: Gifford’s is proud to support the Skowhegan Information Center/Chamber of Commerce in partnering with United Way of Mid-Maine for JingleFest 2020 and this year’s Stuff the Trailer Towriffic Toy Drive. Anyone that drops off toys on December 12, 2020 at Skowhegan Information Center/Chamber of Commerce, Hight Dealerships, Charlie and Son Sales and Service, or T&B’s Outback/Central Maine Family Fun Center, will be entered to win a $100 gift card to George’s Market.

-Charlie and Sons Toy Drive: Charlie and Sons Sales and Service will be hosting a toy drive the weekend following Thanksgiving (Friday, November 27 through Sunday, November 29) at Walmart, 60 fairgrounds Market Pl, Skowhegan, ME 04976