Stephen King offers $70,000 for heating fuel aid

[Maine-ah]

Source: BDN

BANGOR, Maine — With poor, elderly and disabled Mainers facing deep cuts to the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program which helps keep them warm in the winter, Bangor’s most famous resident, author Stephen King, is stepping forward to help out.

King — who owns Bangor radio stations WZON 620 AM, WKIT 100.3 FM and The Pulse 103.1 FM — said Tuesday that the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation would work with the radio stations to try to raise as much as $140,000 to be used for fuel assistance for low-income Mainers in the stations’ broadcast area.

“We’ll match up to $70,000 of the amount raised,” King said in a telephone interview. “This economy is terrible and Tabitha and I both worry so much about Bangor because it truly is a working-class town and we are always looking for ways to help, and right now this is a great need.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notified MaineHousing late last month that it should expect to receive $23 million in LIHEAP funds this winter, down from $55.6 million last year. Gov. Paul LePage said last week he would ask the Legislature for funds to bridge the gap.

Read more: http://bangordailynews.com/2011/11/08/news/bangor/stephen-king-offers-70000-for-heating-fuel-aid/

[Ohio Joe]

1. His best writing years may be long behind him but he is a good egg - nt

[kimmylavin]

7. He is a good egg...

But I've got to disagree about the best writing years. :)
His stuff from the last 10 years or so has been incredible.
Not straight horror (and oh, I love the horror!), but really good drama.
(I thought that "Under the Dome" was particularly good, and a novella he wrote for the Kindle called "Ur" was weirdly fun... Plus "On Writing" is a wonderful book about writing/his writing.)


Regardless, good for him!

[Matariki]

2. Bravo.

More like him and his wife.

[peacefreak]

3. I admire him

because he has never forgotten his rough years. Thank you, Mr King. More people should follow your lead.

[awoke_in_2003]

4. I may just have to go out and buy

a few King books (and not at a resale place, like I normally do).

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. ...

:applause:

[Festivito]

6. I wonder how far it would go if he used that amount to buy legislators instead of heating oil.

Some of these Republicans get a tremendous rate of return doing just that.

[Nihil]

16. It's a trade-off between getting the best ROI and keeping his integrity.

I think he's doing the right thing rather than going down the
path of "good intentions" ...

[JoeyT]

18. And this may have a hidden ROI in the future.

If dude X bought the heating oil that kept my family alive through the winter is on the TeeVee machine talking about how politician Y will be good for the poor, I'd probably be a lot more inclined to listen to him than I would pundit Z who is just some dipshit that gets paid to whine and never does anything for anyone unless they hand him a sack full of cash.

I seriously doubt that's how King is thinking of it, but the potential is there.

[NickB79]

17. If the legislators don't work out like we want, can we still burn them?

Might make a good fund-raising special on PBS :evilgrin:

[Festivito]

20. At the polls.

not the poles.

So extreme.

Although, integrity over and above return-on-investment is an extreme difference, which, if chosen could evoke extreme consequences -- I guess.

[MaineDem]

21. He's a generous donor to Democratic campaigns. n/t

[spin]

8. K&R (n/t)

[gadjitfreek]

9. I absolutely love this guy...

He has achieved fame and fortune through his sheer talent and he remains the humble Mainer that he has always been. I was lucky enough to meet him in 1985 up at Mohonk Mountain House where I was working through college as a dishwasher and he took the time after everyone else got their autographs to talk with me (just a 19-year-old kid) about writing. His best writing years are certainly not behind him and it would seem that he is using his powers for good. Bravo, Mr. King. I wish there were more human beings like him on this Earth.

[RebelOne]

10. I love that man!!! n/t

[christx30]

11. Wow...

I just grabbed an audio version of Drawing of the Three to put in my Nook for my walks home.
Glad to hear that he's doing some good.

[1620rock]

12. A truly great person.

[geomon666]

13. That selfish rich bastard!

If you can't see the sarcasm, read this thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2249721

[burrowowl]

14. GOOD GUY

lousy books

[midnight]

15. Nice move....

[xchrom]

19. what a wonderful thing to do. thank you, mr king. nt

[woo me with science]

22. Thank you, Mr. King, and SHAME that you had to do this. nt