ROCKLAND – The Historic Inns of Rockland presented the Interfaith AIO Food Pantry with a check at the Granite Inn, 546 Main Street, for the total amount raised during the recent Pies on Parade event. To date and a total of 12 years, Pies on Parade has donated more then $134,000 to AIO to help feed families in the Midcoast area.

Cheryl Michaelsen of the Berry Manor Inn said 2016 marked 20 venues participating, offering 45 types of pies that equaled 9,000 slices. In its first year the event raised $350 for the food pantry and this year a check for $25,000 was presented. In addition Maritime Energy matched $2,000 raised in the oil fund to supply families with heating oil assistance.

Interfaith AIO serves all of Knox County.

Not only the Inns, but local business participated as well. Trackside Restaurant held an auction, Island Institute hosted a tea, there was a wine tasting and this year marked the first year the Hawthorn Inn out of Camden participated.

Any pies cut, but not served at the end of the event are donated to area soup kitchens and any whole pies are donated to the food pantry to be distributed to families.

Sherry Cobb, director of the AIO Food Pantry said everyone is wonderful and the pantry is grateful for all the efforts.

“The community is very generous and kind,” she said. “Once they know there is a need, they respond. There arte a lot of great pies and the tickets are not cheap, but I think people are happy to pay it because it’s for a very good cause.”

Cobb said the generosity of the business community makes an enormous difference in what they can do for the community.

“It makes a huge impact in what we can do,” she said. “Hungry or cold, it would be a very different world if we didn’t have this.”

Michaelsen pointed out that a number of people bought tickets to give to those who could not afford it and others bought tickets knowing they would not be able to attend.

Each of the Pies on Parade participating businesses donate all the time, materials and love that go into creating as many as 70 pies per venue for the event. That translates to more than $500 in time and materials donated by each participating venue; for some businesses it’s almost double that amount.

Former Rockland mayor Frank Isganitis owns and operates the LimeRock Inn and supports, administers and participates in Pies on Parade every year.

“$25,000 and we made our match for oil donations, it just makes a huge impact,” he said. “At a time when fuel prices are at an all time low, that translates into 25 extra gallons for everybody who is asking and it just makes that money go that much further.”

Michaelsen said that work has already begun for Pies on Parade 2017. The event will take place January 17 and be the 13^th annual.