OAKFIELD, Maine — The Oakfield Community Center will be filled with excited children on Saturday, Dec. 8 , as the inaugural “Mike and Heidi Community Christmas” is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m.
According to organizers, the goal is to provide a high quality Christmas event in the area, while continuing to honor the memory of Mike Kitchen and Heidi Pratt, who lost their lives on Sept. 23, 2013. The Mike and Heidi Community Fund is a non-profit organization that was established following their deaths, and has held an annual memorial ride since.
There is no fee to attend and the event is open to everyone with children who wish to see Santa, play Christmas oriented games, enjoy hot chocolate, and get a treat from Santa himself. Free turkeys will be handed out to the first 100 families, beginning at noon.
“We are particularly excited about handing turkeys out to families, as this is something Mike (Kitchen) and Heidi (Pratt) would be all about” said Ken Bustard, president and one of the founding directors of the Mike and Heidi Community Fund. “Our goal is to make this a premier Christmas event for kids and their families. While this is the first year, and we will be making improvements each year, I think people will be pleased with what has been put together.”
The event is a joint effort between the board members of the Mike and Heidi Community Fund and the Oakfield Fire Department. Other community members have reached out to volunteer during the day’s events.
The Oakfield Fire Department volunteers were first responders at the scene during that tragic event. For more information, contact Shannon Lloyd (267-0480) or Bustard (659-2018). There is also a Facebook event page “Mike and Heidi Community Christmas.”
