The Spirit of Maine

Mainers come together in the face of historical rain and flooding

Fierce weather started early in Maine this year. On December 18, 2023 we had a fierce wind and rain storm that saw over 300,000 Mainers without power, some for days. Over 1400 powerline workers were out (more than the ice storm of 1998!), working to restore power to Maine residents. 

Thankfully for our pipes, the temperatures were relatively mild for a December in Maine for the first few days - in the 40s. But that didn’t help those without power stay warm or food stay frozen. That is where local communities (and the Facebook groups that connect them!) stepped up. 

In these groups, we saw the spirit of Maine - neighbors helping neighbors - truly shine. In the local Lisbon community group, I saw numerous posts from residents sharing road closures, stores that were open or closed, and appreciation to powerline workers. 

Truly heart-warming (no pun intended!) were the posts from people who had a generator and offered hot showers and food storage to the people in their community. We saw this offer over and over again in the community groups.

And, because it was almost Christmas, there were a lot of gifts being ordered and delivered! The flooding threatened to delay delivery, but one UPS driver didn’t let the water stand (flow?) in his way. He knew that families were depending on him to make Christmas happen. 

UPS driver Ryan Long spotted a boat that had been left out by Butch, a resident of Mercer, for use by neighbors. He didn’t hesitate to load up the boat with his deliveries. 

Neighbors saw him and came out to help. The rain and water weren’t going to keep these neighbors from celebrating Christmas! 

This is what Maine is like. We may live far apart, we may not be able to see our “next door” neighbor, but we know they are there, and we help them out when times are tough. The spirit of Maine is, and always has been, strong. 

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