By Eliza Hallabeck

Women Involved In Newtown's annual Thanksgiving Basket Program came together on Friday, November 18, as volunteers across town worked to gather and sort donations.

Mandy Monaco, who is WIN co-president with Cyndy DaSilva, said this year's program will feed 73 local families.

WIN's Thanksgiving Basket Program has collected food for local families for more than 40 years in conjunction with Newtown Social Services to ensure that local families have food for the holiday season, according to the group.

Local schools - Reed Intermediate School, Middle Gate Elementary School, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown Middle School, and Fraser Woods Montessori School - all donated to this year's effort. Ms Monaco said this was the schools' biggest contribution year yet, with a number of schools surpassing previous years collections at the buildings. Newtown High School's Fusion Club, Trinity Episcopal Church, and Grace Family Church also contributed to this year's campaign by holding collection drives, according to Ms Monaco.

Ms DaSilva said this year's campaign was well organized, and a lot of volunteers helped everything run smoothly. As usual, she continued, Newtown and its schools stepped up to provide food and goods for people in need.

"I don't think anyone will want this holiday season," said Ms DaSilva.

All of the donation's for this year's Thanksgiving Basket Program were collected at Newtown United Methodist Church for volunteers to sort through.