A handful of kids waited on the church balcony for Eric Smith to descend from the church tower on Saturday after his solitary 24-hour vigil.
“He’s coming,” they screamed in unison at 12:03 p.m. to about 25 people waiting in the sanctuary at the First Parish Church in Gorham.
Smith, an assistant pastor at First Parish, perched on a steeple ledge to raise awareness of an annual drive to aid the needy in Gorham. Donors in Gorham contributed 2,793 pounds of food and $600 in cash to replenish shelves at the Gorham Ecumenical Food Pantry and $1,446.90 to assist the needy with heating bills.
“Thanks for your help and your donations,” Smith said after coming down the wooden stairways in the tower.
Smith was pelted by rain during his first few hours on the steeple. But unlike previous years, the temperatures were mild during the night. “It was easy. It never got cold,” Smith said.
This was the third year of the annual vigil, as Smith and Rev. Rick Small, a former associate pastor at First Parish, initiated it in 2004. This year, Small, now at the Congregational Church in Cumberland, stood the vigil in a tower there. Churches in South Portland and Freeport also joined the vigil this year with donations staying in the communities that donated them.
Collectively, more than $10,000 in fuel assistance and 5,000 pounds of food was received at the churches. “People are going to be short on both ends this year,” Smith said about the needy facing rising costs.
Smith said during the vigil last year the temperature fell after rain subsided. He was well prepared for the elements this year with an insulated firefighter’s coat, an assorted array of foul weather clothing, a half dozen pair of socks and extra boots, hats and gloves. “I’ll be ready,” he said on Friday morning.
Shelby Zaner, a volunteer who received donations in the First Parish vestibule, said Smith was up to the challenge. “He takes a beating every year – wind, rain or cold,” Zaner said.
Hazel Meserve of Gorham House was an early donor shortly after noon on Friday. “I’m hoping he won’t get too wet. I suspect he’s well dressed,” Meserve said.
The pastor at First Parish, Rev. David Butler, said he’d rather be up there in a blizzard. “This is the worst,” Butler said.
In prepping for his stand, Smith shoveled snow from the ledge on Thursday. Rain pounded the tower as he crawled out through a small window in the tower to begin the vigil at noon on Friday. He said it wasn’t as bad as it sounded.
Cars honked as he made his appearance on the ledge. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” a voice called out from inside the church below.
Larry Kalp, associate pastor at First Parish, said several volunteered to accompany Smith on the ledge, but he wanted to do it alone. Smith was geared up to combat any loneliness. He took two books, “Night” by Elie Wiesel, and “A Short History of Myth” by Karen Armstrong.
Smith was also equipped with a portable TV and a radio to follow publicity for the event. “It’s nice to hear what’s being covered,” he said.
He stayed in touch with a ground crew by walkie-talkie and cell phone. A basket on a pulley hoisted up food, and college co-eds put mints in the basket for Smith. He had a dinner at 9 p.m.
Food and cash donations flowed into the church during the day and evening but stopped for the night just before midnight Friday. The tally then showed 1,261 pounds of food and $100 for the food pantry with $629.77 earmarked for fuel assistance.
At 1 a.m., Smith asked for a sleeping bag. He got a few hours of sleep beside the clockworks inside the tower.
With Smith napping in the tower and townspeople in beds at home, Gorham Village was quiet in the early morning hours. Eleven middle school kids were in sleeping bags in the church after rallying with signs outside. Sheila Richardson, a volunteer in the vestibule, was playing solitaire at 4:30 a.m.
Like the previous vigils, Smith had plenty of goodies. Kalp said Smith even had brownies.
Butler cooked blueberry pancakes for the kids and Smith for breakfast. “I brought him pancakes about 7:30 a.m.,” said Sue Faunce, a volunteer who was waving a sign on the street Saturday.
With noon nearing on Saturday, a woman carried a bag of groceries into the vestibule. She declined an offer for help although she said it was heavy. “We hope it’s heavy,” Butler said as the donation was placed on scales.
The mood was jubilant in the vestibule as volunteers sorted foodstuffs and carried donations to a storage area. Donna Carll, a church member who had two grandchildren with her, was busy stacking flattened cardboard boxes. “It’s happy. The children get excited. They’ll remember this when their 30,” she said. “We’ve had a good time, but it’s a serious purpose.”
Fran Doucette, who heads up the Gorham Ecumenical Food Pantry, said 30 families depend on the food pantry each week. “That looks good to me,” Doucette said as she viewed the tally board just before noon.
When Smith emerged in the sanctuary when the vigil ended, Doucette hugged Smith. “Thank you,” she said.
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