In the fall of 2016 an idea percolated in the mind of a local pastor:
What would it look like to have a crowd of people from my church or
other or none, join together for a day of service and acts of kindness
for the good of Gorham? He found that thought exciting. And beginning
in October a group of people began meeting at his invitation to think
and dream and pray that it might really happen.
It did! On June 17, 2017, over 400 people did gather and serve. Some
came from Gorham churches, whose members worked hard to organize
things. Some came from the schools, because the visible “big ticket
item” was accessible zip lines installed at each of the three
elementary schools. Some came because they were brought by a neighbor.
Most lived in Gorham, but some came from away (work gets around). it
was hot, sweaty work, but the smiles on faces communicated joy,
especially those children for whom playgrounds are mostly not usable
because of disability.
Why did we work all those months, hashing out details, wondering if
it would work, running into roadblocks, wondering if enough people
would come to accomplish our big dreams? Why did a crew sweat through
an unusually hot April vacation alongside school facilities personnel,
digging holes and wrestling concrete curbing? Because we love Gorham.
And it’s not just that we like living here, with nice neighborhoods
and great playgrounds.
Ultimately, when we say we love Gorham we mean that we love the
people who live here. It is an attempt to love a neighbor, perhaps one
who lives close by, but also the one on the other side of town. Wen we
meet at the playground, we are reminded that we are neighbors. If we
can do good for another, especially one who has a particular
disadvantage or disability, isn’t that what we should do first? This
is love.
We Love Gorham 