Turkey Trot Collects Food For WIN Baskets

By Tanjua Damon

Middle Gate students did not have feathers or beaks Monday, but they took part in their annual Turkey Trot to help benefit holiday food baskets for needy families in Newtown.

The Women Involved in Newtown club takes on the project each year, providing food baskets for families for Thanksgiving and through Christmas, according to Karen Keating of WIN.

Middle Gate School plays a large role in the annual holiday program. The school is adopting 12 families in need this holiday season, which is about 25 percent of the families who are asking for help this year, according to Ms Keating. Last year WIN helped 80 families. So far this year 55 families have signed up.

“The community is tremendous,” Ms Keating said. “The people are so appreciative. It’s fun to see people on both sides come together.”

To begin their efforts of collecting food, Middle Gate students trotted around the school in a race Monday. Their entry fee for the race was a nonperishable product that will be used in the baskets made up by WIN.

The winners for the Middle Gate Turkey Trot included: first grade – Ryan Dunnigan and Lauren Maccharoli; second grade – William Little and Jillian Jagoe; third grade – Matthew Lewin and Katie Cochrane; fourth grade – Kevin Canavan and Nora Lynn Shimko; and fifth grade – Erik Dreher and Harriet Morgan.

Laura Altieri coordinates the Middle Gate Project. For more information on helping with the baskets contact Karen Keating at 426-6607.