Kayak poster . . .

A prestigious Old Town kayak up for raffle

You could be paddling a "Cayuga 130" kayak built by Old Town — famous builder of canoes and kayaks — next spring for just $15!! The kayak sells for $939 but raffle tickets from the Taskforce for the Homeless are only $15 each — or 2 for $25, or 4 for $50. The drawing will be held June 4, 2009 or as soon as the maximum of 500 tickets are sold.

See details: www.oldtowncanoe.com/kayaks/recreation_touring/cayuga_130.html

Information on ticket purchases is available through kayak committee chairman Judy Erickson at 508-747-0022. All proceeds benefit the Plymouth Taskforce for the Homeless, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

"Overnights" season underway

An increase in early-season guests was obvious during the first week (Oct. 26-Nov.1, 2008) of the Overnights of Hospitality; in previous years, the early week guests tended to average about 5 per night -- this year, the first two night totals were low, but reached 12 by the end of the week. Many of the homeless men we've known from previous years tend to show up after the mild nights of October and early November turn into chillier weather.

At the monthly meeting Nov. 6 of the Taskforce board, board members and attendees involved with various feeding programs around town reported large increases in visitors to their meals. Generally, participant numbers doubled since last year, the highest number — reported at the Church of the Pilgrimage — was 40. (One of the men confided to me that "the cooks at the Pilgrimage are great – and they have ice cream for dessert every day.")