Stephen King's heating oil help exceeds goals

[December 17, 2011]  BANGOR, Maine (AP) -- Horror author Stephen King's efforts to raise money to help low-income Maine residents pay their heating oil bills this winter have exceeded goals.

King announced last month that his foundation would match up to $70,000 if listeners of the three Bangor-area radio stations he owns donated that amount, for a total of $140,000.

Listeners donated $24,000, the Lerner Foundation pitched in $46,000 and the foundation kept its promise.

On-air personality Pat LaMarche says an anonymous Californian then promised another $50,000, if King matched it. The Maine native agreed, bringing the total to over $240,000.

King tells the Bangor Daily News (http://bit.ly/uWZU1h) he's "grateful" to everybody who helped.

The federal government told the state it should expect $23 million in heating oil assistance this winter, down from $55.6 million last winter.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangordailynews.com/

[Associated Press]

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