WINDHAM – At the halfway point in the 10-week-long Community Coin Challenge, things are looking good for the local food pantries in the 10 towns in the Sebago Lake area that will benefit from its proceeds.

Sheri Huff, the lead organizer of the fundraising effort, in which local businesses are collecting coins in jars to go to the food pantries, said donations so far at Gorham Savings Bank are already more than $3,000, with momentum growing.

“We’re halfway through. Many jars are full and people are moving on to their second jars. So let’s keep this going, let’s keep putting money into the jars,” said Huff, who came up with the fundraising idea after hearing about the increase in demand at local food pantries.

Madeline Roberts, who manages the Windham Food Pantry, is buoyed by the news that the fundraiser is going well.

“It’s quite a project,” Roberts said. “Hopefully the results will be what everyone is hoping for. I think overall they’ll realize a good take from this.”

Huff and about 25 members of the Community Coin Challenge Committee, which is a subcommittee of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, are hoping to raise $20,000 by the end of the effort, which culminates with Octoberfest in North Windham on Saturday, Oct. 13. Money raised will go to food pantries in Windham, Gray, New Gloucester, Casco, Naples, Raymond, Sebago, Standish, Limington and Limerick.

At that event, people who have raised money in jars will bring those jars for final counting. So, while $3,000 has already been deposited at Gorham Savings Bank, Huff said the bulk should come in during Octoberfest.

“The dollar figure is going to happen on that final day,” she said. “Octoberfest is going to be unbelievable. All the businesses are upbeat, and everything is free.”

From 2-7 p.m., Huff said the area on the east side of Route 302 from Buck’s Naked BBQ to Mechanic Savings Bank will be rocking with live bands, a beer garden and fun events like face painting, apple bobbing, a hot dog and s’more roast hosted by local fire departments, a pumpkin-carving contest, best decorated costume dog parade, helicopter rides, hay rides, tattooing, manicures and chair massages for seniors, free popcorn and cotton candy.

“Everything is free,” Huff said. “Free, free, free. We want everybody there.”

There’s also a motorcycle ride scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. on Oct. 13 and travel 96 miles through the 10 towns the chamber serves. Registration costs $30 for an individual and $40 for a couple, and takes place 10-11 a.m. at Moto Milano on Route 302 in North Windham. All proceeds go to the food pantries.

Huff said it’s not too late to get in on the Coin Challenge. Families and individuals and businesses in the 10 towns the chamber serves are invited to collect money in any kind of jar – Huff is using a 5-gallon pail at Lee’s Family Trailer – and then bring the money to Gorham Savings Bank by Oct. 13. (The committee is hoping people will make deposits prior to Octoberfest so the committee isn’t counting lots of coins the last day.)

So far, so good, Huff said.

“It’s wonderful to see the businesses stepping up to the plate wanting to support such a great cause,” Huff said. “Money raised from this will go to help serve the 1,000 families in the 10 towns in the Sebago Lake area that use local food pantries.”

Dan Hancock, a member of the challenge committee and an employee at Gorham Savings Bank, said turnout has been good for those already making deposits at the bank.

“We’ve been getting a pretty steady amount of foot traffic, and it’s from a lot of different sources, which is nice to see a diverse group like that participating, so it’s been fun,” Hancock said.

“It’s everything from little kids that are saving some of their spare change to business that have had several jars full, and individuals, families, businesses and community groups.”

Hancock said the fundraiser is a large undertaking, but one worth pursuing.

“It’s the first thing that we’ve done in a long time to pull all of the 10 communities of the chamber together, and it’s been a nice response,” he said. “It’s something we want to and need to do more of.”