WIN Launches Holiday Basket Program

By Kaaren Valenta

Women Involved in Newtown (WIN) has launched its annual Thanksgiving Day basket program and is asking residents and local businesses to join in the effort to make sure that everyone in the community can have a holiday meal.

For the past 13 years WIN has spearheaded the sponsorship program through which households in need are provided with the groceries to prepare a holiday meal – and sometimes a lot more.

“Each year we try to give enough canned goods to last through Christmas,” said Laurie Madaus, who is co-chairperson this year with Karen Keating, Barbara Dunleavy, and Melissa Kraycir.

“Even in today’s good economy, there are many people in the community who are in need,” Ms Madaus said. “We tend to think that we’re living in a nice little cocoon in the country that doesn’t have children in need, but we do have many people, families and senior citizens, who are in need.”

Last year WIN assisted 63 households in Newtown. This year they expected the number to be down, but it has reached 71 and is expected to increase even more by Thanksgiving.

“Ann (Piccini) at Social Services lets us know what each family needs, the number of persons in the house, if they are male or female, if grandparents are raising the children, if there are dietary requirements – that kind of information,” Mrs Madaus said. “If someone in the household is terminally ill, the school children will make special cards and we might include flowers.”

Sometimes there are other needs. “A family, actually two 30-year-old adults, both deaf – although we didn’t know it at the time – said they would prefer a ham over a turkey because their oven doesn’t work,” Mrs Madaus said. “The family is being sponsored by the owners of the Doughnut Hut in Ricky’s Shopping Center, [who are] two young mothers with a struggling new business, but they wanted to help. They told me they are going to go out and get the family a stove. Their generosity gives me the chills.  The spirit of giving in this town just floors me.”

Each year Middle Gate School sponsors a Turkey Trot – this year it will be on November 15 – to collect canned goods. Teachers, staff and students at the school have adopted families. Last year they adopted 11 families; this year they adopted 14. “And the high school student government told me they have raised $500 and wanted to adopt a second family,” Mrs Keating said.

Each “basket” provided by the sponsors usually includes such items as a turkey, potatoes, canned goods, coffee and tea, onions, butter/margarine, flour, eggs, stuffing, juice, celery, sugar, and paper goods. Other groceries, holiday table decorations, and food certificates also are welcome.

The donations will be collected at the Sandy Hook Fire House, 20 Riverside Road, on Friday, November 19, between 6 pm and 8 pm, for pickup or delivery on Saturday. Anyone who is interested in sponsoring a family, delivering food, or helping in any way, should call Laurie Madaus at 270-8639.