WIN Thanksgiving Baskets Support Families In Need

By Tanjua Damon

Thanksgiving is the start of the giving season, and Women Invovled in Newtown (WIN) have begun the giving by helping over 65 families who need a helping hand this year.

The WIN Thanksgiving Baskets is a program supported by the entire Newtown community from schoolchildren to businesses to individuals. The baskets are given to families at Thanksgiving, but enough food is also provided to help families through Christmas, according to WIN president Beth Hoolehan.

Two Hawley students ran a lemonade stand, raising $11.05, and they decided to donate their earnings to the WIN Basket program.

“We just wanted to,” Emily Floros, 7, said.

“To be a good neighbor,” Kelsey VonDerLinn, 7, added.

Pink lemonade and a free cookie given by the girls’ brothers Thomas and Christopher over a week ago helped the four raise the money to donate. They presented their earnings and an additional $11.05 by Lisa Floros, totaling $22.10 for the baskets, to Mrs Hoolehan at Grand Union in Newtown last Friday.

“Thank you so much,” she said. “You are going to help someone with this.”

Grand Union also plays a role in the Thanksgiving Baskets. The store donates groceries for the baskets and the corporate office gives a discount for the turkey certificates families use to buy their Thanksgiving turkeys.

“I love it. We do a lot of Thanksgiving baskets,” Ms Chaffee, Grand Union General Manager, said. “It’s a good cause. They don’t just need food for Thanksgiving. They need it throughout the year. It’s nice if you can donate more. It makes the holidays extra special.”

Grocery Manager Bob Wall was surprised by the response last year while working in Danbury and was excited to be able to participate again.

“It’s terrific. It’s the second year. I saw the response we did in Danbury,” Mr Wall said. “I wanted to do it even more.”

Last year WIN helped over 80 families by providing Thanksgiving baskets that provide food until Christmas. This year over 65 families have already asked for the help. Families may call Social Services at 270-4330 if they feel they may need a little help this holiday season. Food or monetary donations can also be donated through Social Services.

The Women Involved in Newtown organization helps organize the yearly baskets.

“We have such a wonderful, dedicated group of women,” Mrs Hoolehan said. “It makes the president’s job very easy. We are a small group of about 19 members.”

For more information about the Thanksgiving baskets, call 270-4330.