Androscoggin Mill employees who delivered 288 hams recently include (front row kneeling, left to right) Vernon McDonald and Bruce Brooks, (back row standing) Palmer Hebert, Ray Bryant, Perry Ellsworth, Don Miller, Earl McCarmick and Ed Melcher. Darlene Marstaller and Tom Saviello are absent from photo. (Submitted photo) JAY - Traditional holiday hams were distributed recently to Verso Paper Corporation's Androscoggin Mill employees, retirees and widows; many employees decided to donate their ham to those in need. Thanks to Delance White, Jim Finley, and Bill Harlow, the widows of IP employees had their ham delivered to them.

On Friday, Dec. 19 Cindy Bennett, Ed Melcher, Perry Ellsworth, Ray Bryant, Darlene Marstaller, Alvin McDonald, Delance White, Palmer Hebert, Don Miller, Bruce Brooks, Earl McCormack, Dan Corcoran and Tom Saviello delivered 288 hams and/or turkeys to 11 local non-profit organizations, including the Tri-Town Ministerial Food Bank, AWAP Food Pantry, Hartford Food Banks, UBM, Jay High School and Middle School, VFW Food Baskets and the towns and cities of Wilton, Augusta, Winthrop, Strong, Avon/Phillips.

"Many retirees expressed their gratitude for the mill's generosity and good will, and appreciated the festive setting in the Sugarloaf Room (Engineering Building) where the hams were distributed," according to Jef Howell, Purchasing Manager.

Through November and December more than 225 gifts for Operation Santa Claus were delivered to the North Pole in Farmington to help make dreams come true for many deserving area children.

Additionally, the Western Maine Community Action received a donation of $4,382 from the mill's Community Involvement Team to assist communities in western Maine supporting elderly and children's services to include fuel assistance, prescription medications, food, clothing and shelter.

These activities have become a part of the mill employees' year-end giving back to the communities where they live, work and play.