A CLOSER LOOK

The Gorham Home Energy Fair is Saturday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Cressey Road United Methodist Church off Route 25.

Admission is free.

The Gorham Ecumenical Council is sponsoring a Home Energy Fair to help people deal with getting through the cold months that loom ahead.

Scheduled for Saturday, the fair will connect people with organizations that can help, such as local fire departments; Efficiency Maine, a Maine Public Utilities Commission program; the Peoples Regional Opportunity Program; and 2-1-1 Maine Inc., a nonprofit organization that serves as a network and database for social service organizations.

These groups will educate energy users about the best ways to afford fuel or cut down on heating costs, said Chris Kimball, president of the Gorham Ecumenical Council.

People will learn how to reduce energy output, making sure their chimneys are clean and their stoves are burning efficiently, and what loan programs are available to help in heating costs.

“We’re hoping it will help a lot of people to keep warm and be safe this winter,” Kimball said.

The Cressey Road United Methodist Church, off Route 25, is hosting the fair, which runs from 10 a.m-2 p.m. Admission is free, and the first 100 people to walk through the doors will receive an energy bar and be eligible to win prizes, including 100 gallons of heating oil, a chord of wood, $50 savings bond, one-day free use of a moving van or a $25 gasoline card.

“We’ve become concerned because so many people are worried about how they are going to heat their homes this winter,” Kimball said. “This is not just an energy crisis, but also a financial crisis and we want to give people the opportunity to learn about all of their options this winter.”

Fairs like this are common, said Tim Vrabel, deputy director for energy programs for the Maine Public Utilities Commission. He said he or his colleagues attend nearly 50 similar fairs per year, and recommends that people take advantage to have their questions answered in a one-on-one setting.

“This is really a smart way for people to learn about how to become more energy efficient,” he said. “For any one who has questions about how to save money these fairs are really a good idea.”