Postal Food Drive A Success

To the Editor:

This is the first year that the annual Postal Food Drive was not held on Mother’s Day weekend, and it was a great decision to schedule it later. There were more volunteers than ever before, and the amount of food collected exceeded all expectations.

The list is long, but we would like to thank those who helped us. Drivers who followed rural postal routes were Steve Behnfeldt, Ken and Barbara Bigham, Joe and Barbara Borst, Howard Bowles, Bruce and Robin Galaro, Chuck Leety, Steve Odams, Katja Pieragostini, Bob and Sylvia Poulin, Alex Read, Dina Sabia, Jim Setz, Jim Shpunt, Jay and Brandon Thomas, Bob and Edie Tschorn, and Greg Wismar.

As the drivers returned with bags of food, sorters began unloading trucks and separating items into bins. The stream of food was never-ending, but the sorters worked without stopping throughout the day. We thank Jean Anderheggen, Stephen Ashbolt, Jeanne and Elise Benedict, Adam Calderone, Elizabeth Comcowich, Jonathan Cote, Janet Fortier, Greg Goodkowsky, Donna Kowalski, Mary Lou Laws, Nick Mariani, Kate McDonough, Tim McMullen, Marsha Moskowitz, Steve, Wendy and Abby Odams, Kathryn and Pam Piccini, Ed Rees, Matt Sabia, and Amy Thomas.

Late in the afternoon when bodies were tiring, Lin Hertberg arrived with members of the girls’ Newtown Softball team. We thank the following girls who were such hard workers: Lisa Alberico, Sophie Cerreta, Jaclyn and Jenna Van Waalwijk, Ali Legros, Christina Wolf, Mariale Renna, Kelly Tenney, Annie Grills, Melissa Fracker, and Joanna Barry.

We extend special thanks to Ed Rees who worked from early morning to late evening and to Rich Crowther, acting Newtown Postmaster, and Dave Sabia, postal carrier, who coordinated efforts with our department to make this event such a success. We also thank the postal carriers who picked up food on their routes.

Enough food was collected to supply our pantry for many months to come. We thank each and every Newtown resident who left food by their mailboxes. Newtown is a very caring and generous town in which to live.

Ann Piccini

JoAnne Klopfenstein

Department of Social Services

3 Main Street, Newtown                                                 May 22, 2005