Residents of Phippsburg brought out their old-fashioned community spirit when they put on a dinner and dance in June to help Nick Gilliam, 23, pay medical expenses and buy specialized equipment. Gilliam, of West Point, was injured while helping out on a construction job. He is now a paraplegic.
For the lobster roll dinner, fishermen donated 458 pounds of lobster which was cooked by Terry Watson and his wife at Clam Hunter Seafood and picked by a group of 17 women and men. Other people contributed, cooked and picked 20 pounds of crab meat. Women baked 118 pies and made huge tubs of salads, and still other residents contributed kid food, condiments and paper goods and worked at the event. The dinner, dance and an auction of varied services from numerous local businesses raised $11,400. Pastor Dan Coffin of Small Point Baptist Church, who helped organize the event, says Gilliam was overwhelmed by the response and has asked the church to oversee expenditure of the money. Pastor Coffin said donations may still be sent to Small Point Baptist Church, Route 209, Phippsburg, ME 04562. Checks should be made out to the church with the notation “For benefit of Nick Gilliam.”
– Muriel L. Hendrix