BELFAST — For the fifth year in a row, volunteers from around Belfast and Waldo County worked together at the Belfast Boathouse for two weeks in November to help their neighbors stay warmer this winter. More than 100 volunteers made 500 sturdy, pine, polyolefin-wrapped interior storm windows.

These inserts will save Window Dressers’ customers – whether they are in trailer homes or old Victorians - money on winter fuel. Their homes will be warmer and quieter and their greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels will be reduced significantly.

Window Dressers served 55 customers this year: 40 in Belfast, five in Northport and 10 in Lincolnville. According to Window Dressers organizers, close to 22 percent of its customers who would have had great difficulty paying even the organization’s modest prices for inserts were asked to make a small donation, plus volunteer time for their inserts.

“We want to publicly thank all of our wonderful volunteers for a job well done. Four local churches (Belfast United Methodist, St. Francis Roman Catholic, St. Margaret's Episcopal and the Unitarian-Universalist) as well as many volunteers from throughout the community have planned and carried out what Window Dressers calls a ‘community build’ for five years now,” said Window Dressers Steering Committee in a press release. “We could not have accomplished what we did without the amazing support of local businesses, many of whom provided delicious lunches and snacks to keep us energized while we worked! We encourage our customers and volunteers to patronize these businesses and thank them for their support.”

Food donations were provided by Alexia's Pizza, the Belfast Co-op, Daily Soup, Darby's, Eat More Cheese, the Moonbat Café and Rollie’s Bar and Grill.

“For other support we thank Hannaford Supermarkets (gift card and paper goods), the Sundog Solar Store (cardboard) and the Waldo County Technical Center (a school bus and enthusiastic students to help deliver orders). Thanks also go to the Maine Coastal Regional Reentry Center for sending crews to help unload our trucks and wrap inserts. We also want to express our deep gratitude to the members of the Belfast City Council for allowing us to use the Boathouse again for this project,” they said.

Waiting lists for 2017 are being created, so if you are interested in inserts for yourself, contact Window Dressers in Rockland at 596-3073 or fill out the inquiry form online at windowdressers.org .

The 2016 Belfast Window Dressers Steering Committee includes Corliss Davis, Dean Anderson, Judy and David Beebe, Mary and Jerry Brand, Bill Colcord, Cris Hughes, Betsy Reed, Sandy Squire, John Terry, Greg Todd, Janet Weinberg and Chris Wright.