by Kris de Luna ’20

Quarters. Something so small, but for some people, it can make all the difference in the world.

Sally Melcher-McKeagney, a native Mainer, is the quarter lady. Once a week, she goes to the Waterville Highlander Laundromat and gives away quarters to everyone and anyone. 

The Laundry Quarters Program started as an initiative of the Waterville UCC after a news channel reported that some schools had installed washers and dryers as a part of their facilities. For many people who don’t have access to a car, getting their clothes to the laundromat can be very difficult and time-consuming. On top of that, paying for laundry gets expensive, especially for an entire family. 

For the past three years, Sally has gone to the laundromat on her days off and given quarters to anyone who wants them. She doesn’t have a system to her giving method—there’s no “look” or requirement that people need to fit. “Sometimes people take them and sometimes people don’t. You can’t tell by the way people dress if they need it or not,” she says. Although this initiative first started as a way to help people who are struggling financially, it has turned into a communal program that offers resources to anyone. 

Why quarters specifically? Something so small, why does it matter? For people who don’t face any financial instability, they wouldn’t think twice about their quarters, but for some, those quarters could cost them their meal for the night. Giving quarters is about recognizing a need within Waterville and helping people as a church without any “strings” attached. 

When offering coins , Sally always makes sure to tell them that it’s Community Quarters day. “I want them to know that there’s a community, even though they can’t see it, that’s got their back.” Community is something that can lift a person when they’re down and don’t know where to look for help, and something small like quarters can really make someone’s day. Even $10 can cover their laundry so the money they brought can then go to something like food. “It’s really about being there when someone needs something,” Sally says. For her, going to the laundromat means interacting with people, not setting yourself apart from them. It’s through that personal connection that people can feel seen and feel comfortable accepting the gift. 

Sally spoke about the challenges she had to get over, the first being her shyness (though you would never peg her as an introvert). “I learned to check my ego at the door and I was able to just be myself. That’s how you really get to just be with people,” she said. The second hurdle was the stigma around people who receive aid. Through her work, Sally’s learned that everyone needs help once in a while. There have been people of all kinds that take her quarters; some of them needed it and some of them probably didn’t, so at the end of the day it comes down to serving the community.

Sally stressed the importance of the programs that come out of churches like Waterville UCC because she believes that churches should help the most vulnerable. Though the Quarters Program is small, it represents a deeper network of people who are actively working to help the community.