From masks to money and time, Alna citizens are helping feed and protect one another, according to selectmen Wednesday night, May 6.

First Selectman Melissa Spinney said a recent series of donations to the food pantry totaled $1,650, “which is quite impressive for one week’s worth of donations. So we want to thank everybody ...” And resident and Lincoln County Administrator Carrie Kipfer on May 6 brought to the town office about $250 in food the county donated, including nuts and frozen meat and fish, “all kinds of great stuff. That really helped” between shipments from Midcoast Hunger Prevention, Spinney said.

Spinney also thanked Anne Simpson and Jenn Barton for taking over the community garden for the summer. They’ve already started planting seedlings, she said. And she thanked Tom Albee for lime and fertilizer and for tilling the garden.

The many face masks Alna Cares members made have been going fast, according to selectmen. Spinney said most of the ones she left in the little library are gone, and Third Selectman Greg Shute said he has been stocking Alna General Store with them also and people have been leaving donations when they pick them up. That money and other new donations he has collected for Alna Cares total about another $120, Shute said.

Also May 6, selectmen reminded residents the town office remains closed to the public, but is staffed at the regular hours of  8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays. So call or email, Spinney said. Selectmen noted the staff will be continuing to go through boxes of records from the prior town office, and digitizing property records.

The board meets next at 6 p.m. May 20 via Zoom, Spinney said.