Food Drive Helped 75 Families

To the Editor:

The Friday before Thanksgiving, Women Involved in Newtown, in conjunction with Newtown’s Social Services Department, held their annual Thanksgiving Basket Food Drive to benefit Newtown’s families in need. As we all know, it’s been a tough time for many, but through the overwhelming generosity of Newtowners, 75 families received food, toiletries, and paper goods to help them throughout the holidays. WIN has been coordinating the Thanksgiving Basket food drive for over 40 years. Those of us who’ve been involved in recent years are always pleasantly surprised by the degree of support the people of this town are willing to give to each other.

There are some businesses and schools in town that we would like to thank for their generous involvement in this event. Eunice and the wonderful people at Bagel Delight provided breakfast for all of the volunteers. Bruno and his staff at The Meat House donated turkeys for three families and supplied us all with a terrific lunch. My Place donated a turkey for a family and provided discounted pizza for the volunteers’ dinner. Jim Marcucilli and Berkshire Motors held their own food drive and donated everything they collected to the WIN event. We have some wonderfully supportive and community-oriented businesses in town.

Newtown Middle School, the Reed School, Sandy Hook School and the Fraser-Woods School held their own food drives and delivered the items to us for distribution to the families. They collected a substantial amount from among their school communities. Newtown High School’s Student Council, under the direction of Jeff Tolson, also contributed to the cause. It was heartwarming to see the effort all of these kids made in order to help others.

We would also like to express our gratitude to the Newtown United Methodist Church for the daylong use of their hall. We couldn’t collect and distribute this food without that space and their generous cooperation.

Those of us working on this event each year always seem to express the same thing to each other while we sort cans and collect food: we are so very lucky to live in a town where people care so much for each other. All of us at WIN wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season.

Thank you, Newtown!

Sincerely,

Cyndy DaSilva & Mandy Monaco

Co-Chairmen

Women Involved in Newtown

Thanksgiving Basket Program

Beckett Village, Sandy Hook                                November 30, 2010