Tom's of Maine brings some "Goodness" to Ecology School in Saco

With blue skies and sunshine, Friday was the perfect day to be outside. Fortunately for Tom’s of Maine Employees, it was also their annual Goodness Day, and they were spending it at the Ecology School at River Bend Farm in Saco.

Tom’s of Maine, manufacturer of natural personal care products with corporate offices in Kennebunk and a factory in Sanford, hosts an annual Goodness Day. On Goodness Day, employees leave the office and the manufacturing plant and dedicate their day to community service work at an area nonprofit.

This year, The Ecology School at River Bend Farm was the chosen nonprofit in part because it could accommodate the 95 employees and family members who were participating in the service day, but it was also a natural fit in many other ways, said Cris Martini, vice president and general manager of Tom's of Maine.

“What we love about the Ecology School is that its mission is similar to ours,” said Martini. Both are focused on environmental stewardship and sustainability and support the elimination of hunger.

The Ecology School at River Bend Farm, located at Simpson Road in Saco, provides hands-on overnight and day educational programs to about 5,000 children and programming for about 2,000 adults a year. The farm’s gardens last year produced 11,000 pounds of vegetables. Two-thirds of the produce grown was at the farm’s solar-powered kitchen to make meals for students onsite. The remaining third was distributed to York County Food Pantry, Youth Full Maine, and Wabanaki Mobile Food Pantry.

Dumsch said the Ecology School had a good relationship with Tom’s of Maine, and the company has donated money to support agroecology as well as student programs with schools in Saco and Biddeford, and this coming year, Sanford. Dumsch was happy to have the team from Tom’s at the 313 acre farm.

“There’s always something to do at River Bend Farm,” he said.

Tom's of Maine staff trim garlic at The Ecology School in Saco during Goodness Day. PHOTO BY LIZ GOTTHELF

Volunteers worked on several tasks including weeding, trail maintenance, painting, composting and harvesting vegetables.

“It’s been a busy day,” said Martini, “but it’s a good kind of busy.”

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.