ROCKPORT — The Hospitality House and the Knox County Homeless Coalition would like to take the opportunity to say thank-you for the support for our fundraising activities and events.

We are applying for grants and working with state agencies for funding to get the door open. While we're doing that, community members, businesses, volunteers, media, local service providers and entertainers have stepped forward to help out. Here are some of the things that have happened.

Community members have given sizeable donations, held a bottle drive, organized informational booths, driven around and picked up donations, and they continue to plan future activities and events.

The Kiwanis Club of Rockland held a cupcake challenge at Rock Coast Harbor. The Sogno Salon colored hair for donations at the Rockland Summer Solstice. Rite-Aid offered space to hold a car wash. The Rock Coast Rollers donated proceeds from their most recent bout. The Breakers Jazz Band held a concert at the People's United Methodist Church in South Thomaston. Static Coda donated their proceeds collected at the Summer Solstice. West Bay Rotary member Joanne Miller donated her Rotary prize money. The generosity is amazing!

Even our youth are involved in the action. Ms. Snow's fifth-grade students helped construct the donation house we use at local festivals, fairs and shows. Cameron Rogers and friends donated time and tools to cut the lawn at the Hospitality House. Kids also came and helped, this past weekend, with the car wash and that helped made it a family fun affair.

In addition to having a presence at local public events, we're planning a 5K from the Hospitality House through Rockport, a motorcycle run and barbecue, lawn sales and more bottle drives.

On July 11, The Good Kettle Restaurant in Stockton Springs is holding a wine tasting night. Proceeds from this event will be donated to the Hospitality House.

Every donation counts and we are truly grateful for all the community support, which is helping us achieve our goal of offering emergency shelter and programming to those who need it. Thank-you! There will be plenty of thanks as well from the families we assist once Hospitality House is open. Please help if you can.

For additional information about upcoming events, you can like our Hospitality House page on Facebook. If you would like to volunteer for future fundraising events or volunteer to help in other ways, contact Annette Burns at aburns@penquis.org or call her at 974-2433.

Fundraising efforts are ongoing for the support of Hospitality House and the Knox County Homeless Coalition. To contribute, checks may be made out to the Knox County Homeless Coalition and mailed to PO Box 1696, Rockland, ME 04841.