The Lincoln County Ecumenical Committee has announced that its annual popular benefit dinner for Haiti has been moved from its usual time frame in February to November. This year’s dinner will take place at St Patrick’s Church in Damariscotta Mills on Nov. 3.

The committee had decided shortly after last year’s dinner to explore moving the dinner to a period of less inclement weather and one that better suited the other commitments of committee members. The dinner will be similar to last year’s very successful event and will feature Haitian inspired food (prepared by a local restaurant) and drink, Haitian music, Haitian art and handicrafts, the raffle of a Haitian painting, a door prize. Most importantly, auctioneer John Bottero of Thomaston Place Auction Galleries will lead another pledging session like last year’s which raised thousands to buy goats, school books and school uniforms for the neediest in Gros Morne, Haiti.

The pledging session for goats last year proved particularly popular and that program has had an excellent start in Gros Morne. Over 20 poor women have finished the literacy and accounting training and have benefited from micro loans and the gift of a goat to help boost their revenues. Project managers in Gros Morne are hopeful of increasing the number of participants this year and have already sent some goats to a neighboring town whose livestock was decimated in Hurricane Matthew late last year.

Members of the Lincoln County committee are planning to visit Gros Morne in the coming months to meet with the Friends of Gros Morne committee to see how the projects are going and to evaluate new proposals. A short report will be presented at the dinner in November. Members will also be procuring food items for the dinner and replenishing supplies of art and handicrafts from some of the best suppliers and artisans in Port au Prince and Jacmel.

More details will be provided on this ever popular event as we get closer to the date but don’t forget to mark your calendars for Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. at St Patrick’s Church. Tickets will remain at last year’s prices, $30 advance ($35 at the door) and $15 for children and will be available in the fall at the usual locations.

For more information, or to volunteer to help in organizing the dinner and related activities, call co chairs Barbara Williams, 563-1931, or Dean Curran, 380-5103.