Help is desperately needed to assist York County Shelter Programs in their campaign to “Go Green!”  The agency has been seriously addressing the need to reduce energy costs for their homeless shelter in Alfred and for the twenty-four houses throughout York County that they manage in Sanford, Springvale, Kittery, Biddeford, Saco, and West Newfield.  The need for oil last year in all their housing units was phenomenal.  Over 31,000 gallons of fuel were consumed.  With the sky-rocketing costs of fuel, the situation has become critical.  So many services and products included in the coming year’s budget will be impacted.

Several efforts have been taken to reduce energy consumption.  Employees from various departments at the York County Shelter Programs have formed a Green Team to come up with ways to save energy.  The clothes dryers have been removed in the housing units.  Residents have been sent letters with hints of how to reduce their kilowatt consumption.  New construction projects such as Vinton Hall on Shaker Hill Road and Edie’s Place in Sanford have incorporated solar features and state-of-the-art heating  systems.  All light bulbs have been replaced with energy-saving CFL bulbs.  New energy-saving windows were installed at the main Shelter facility on Shaker Hill Road this past year.

    The York County Shelter Programs is receiving consultation from Luke Senecal of “The Heating Guy” in Acton in ways to regulate their heating systems.  Fuel burner controls will be purchased for each of the heating systems in the various houses.  Bruce Lambert is donating his time to conduct energy

audits in the various buildings.

      Windows will be covered with poly and insulation and weather-stripping will be installed where needed.  Water-saving devices for the shower heads and kitchen sinks will be installed and water pipes will be insulated.

      York County Shelter Programs is looking for the donation of an

insulation blower machine to use to blow insulation in the attics and walls

to reduce energy costs.  Please contact Mary Doyle at 324-1137 or

email:  maryd@ycspi.org   if you know of a machine that can be donated

or lent for this project.  Thanks.

    

Some of the members of the Green Team at the York County Shelter

Programs include from left:  Pam Hartvigsen, Russell King, Don Gean, Lori Theriault, and Joan Sylvester.  (Missing from the photo is

David Beseda)

Luke Senecal of “The Heating Guy” in Acton has been extremely generous with his time and efforts and expertise to help the Green Team at York County Shelter Programs.

Bruce Lambert has volunteered to help the Shelter learn about ways to save energy.

Russell King is shown checking for

areas where heat loss takes place.