EASTON, Maine – A blizzard hit the Easton area Dec. 14 at 2:30 p.m. and blocked the departure of almost 50 guests from an open house at Center Farms Inc. until a plow bailed them out later that evening.

Employees of Center Farms started clearing the yard at 6 p.m., but the icy road conditions and 8-foot snowdrifts were still too dangerous for anyone to leave. The Maine Department of Transportation waited until the storm passed before dispatching several plows and salt trucks to Easton. The roads were passable by 8:30 p.m., and the guests were then able to get to their cars and start making their way home.

Center Farms customer Grace McCrum, of Washburn, won a free ton of coal raffled off at the “Christmas in the County” event, which was scheduled from 1-4 p.m. She was impressed with how the employees handled the snow situation.

“Honestly, I didn’t mind staying a little while longer,” McCrum said. “All of those coal stoves running were keeping us nice and warm! It just reminds me why I switched to coal last winter.”

The open house was designed to promote a Christmas stove sale at Center Farms and to attract new customers during the holiday season. About 50 people attended the event to enter the raffle and to learn about the benefits of heating their homes and commercial buildings with coal. Even Santa Claus made an appearance to endorse the anthracite coal sold by Center Farms, and he drew Grace McCrum’s name for the raffle.

Despite the setback of the blizzard, co-owner Bruce White was pleased with the turnout of the event and hoped the people of Aroostook County will consider Center Farms for their heating needs this winter.

“I think the raffle brought in a lot of people today, even with the blizzard,” White said. “It’s going to be a long winter, and we want the people of Aroostook County to know Center Farms is here to help keep them safe and warm.”