ALFRED, Maine — To help bring some cheer during a difficult time for those incarcerated, folks are pitching in to deliver a handful of activities in the York County Jail this holiday season.
"You know, Christmas is really hard. It's hard for a lot of folks, especially those incarcerated and not having that bond of being able to do something personal for their families" Programs Lieutenant Lori Marks said.
On Saturday, those incarcerated were able to join in on some caroling with the performing choir 'Rock My Soul;' a group out of South Berwick.
The group says its mission is to share music throughout New England to places that need it the most.
To send some holiday wishes back home, others got to stretch their creative side by hand-crafting holiday cards to send out.
To add to that delivery, presents are also being gifted to friends and family of those incarcerated thanks to a new pilot program.
"This was one of the Sheriff's ideas of having people get a little closer to their children if they haven't seen them in a little while," Robert McCormack, Board of Visitors member, said. "And it'll make a very nice Christmas for some of these folks who are just not going to be home."
Donated toys were lined up on tables, to then be picked out by folks incarcerated. Afterward, they were able to wrap them to be hand-delivered later this month.
"I'm psyched to be able to have a contact visit; see him, hug him!" mother Adrienne Williams said, who picked out a few presents for her two sons. "I thought it was really lovely that people cared enough; to come in here and thought about our children and us as mothers during Christmastime."
Mother Renee Rocheville said she's got the perfect gift planned and is also looking forward to surprising her daughter.
"To be able to have this to look forward to; it definitely helps," Rocheville.