Stocking The Pantry

To the Editor:

The Annual Postal Food Drive is always held the Saturday before Mother’s Day. As this is one of the busiest weekends of the year, it is difficult to get volunteers for this event. Though our numbers were limited, we were blessed with some of the hardest working people we have ever had.

Volunteer drivers were out by 9 am picking up food left by mailboxes. We would like to thank Steve and Jan Bennett, Ken and Barbara Bigham, Joe and Barbara Borst, Nancy Bosley, Howard and Barbara Bowles, Terry Hundt, John Klopfenstein, Chuck Leety, Bill and Debbie Nossal, Christine Orrico, Bob and Sylvia Poulin, Joe Prorock, Jim Setz, Christine Shaul, Jim Shpunt, and Amy and Brandon Thomas for that challenging job.

Drivers began dropping food off by late morning, and our sorters began their hours of difficult work. Six tons of food were moved, sorted, and shelved, but no one complained. We thank Nabeel Ahmed, Iaim Baxter, Barbara Bigham, Anne and Natalie Dieckman, Bob and Lynda Doyle, Laura and Alanna Fridfertig, Jean James, Alan Martin, Janice Phelan, Joe Prorock, and Najam Syed. We are especially grateful to Pat, Lauren, and Ken Picerno, Christine, Steve and Cheryl Orrico, Diana Schwichtenberg, Belle Hydock, and John Cochran who worked most of the day.

The event was very well coordinated due to the efforts of Rich Crowther, Newtown’s Acting Postmaster. We thank him and all of the postal carriers who picked up food and delivered it to our office.

On behalf of Newtown Social Services and the Salvation Army Food Pantry, we thank all Newtown residents who put food by their mailboxes on May 8. Our pantry will be well stocked for many months to come.

Ann Piccini, Joanne Klopfenstein

Department of Social Services

3 Main Street, Newtown                                                   May 11, 2004