Three years ago the Merrimack Lions Club started raising money for the American Diabetes Association by selling scarecrow kits that included a hand-painted face and a T-frame for $20 each. Each kit included instructions and a pin or sticker promoting this health issue. In three years the club has raised over $8,400 in sales and donations. The kits were sold at the Merrimack Public Library on Saturday mornings. In the first year, over 80 businesses displayed their scarecrows on DW Highway and in the past two years more families became involved and displayed their creations.

This year we offered a contest for businesses and families/individual entries. New this year, was a certificate of participation that was mailed to those families who showed that their children helped in the making the scarecrow.

Dana Furlong, manager of Home Depot on Route 101 donated the wood for the frames every year. He became interested when he saw us loading up the strapping wood at his store one morning. He and several other store members have family or friends who had diabetes issues.

Without the help of the library and Home Depot we would not have been as successful. Throughout the years, we have seen the town come together to support an important health issue.

– Submitted by Merrimack Lions Club