This year 443 children from 185 families had a good Christmas because of community generosity.  A total of 236 baskets were given out, including 51 baskets to senior citizens and special-needs adults (94 people). This means that we served a total of 928 people.  Each basket contained nonperishable food items, various sundries, 10 pounds of potatoes, a bag of fruit (6 to 8 apples and 6 to 8 oranges) and meat (either a 12 lb turkey or large ham for the families and a small ham for the senior citizens). All families received certificates for Stewart’s milk. The children of the families received two gifts each, one of clothing and one toy as well as some candy. Many of the children also received winter jackets (106), snow pants (123) and boots (193). Most of the children received socks, hats and mittens. Sharon shops all year round for the winter clothing. 

Preparation and planning start long before December.  In August, we had a “Food 4 Food” sale and bottle and can drive at St. Leo & St. Ann’s Church. We raised $750.00 from the bake sale (& sale of one home-made afghan) and $630.00 from the bottles and cans. In early September, we raised another $650.00 from a bake sale at Simple Simon’s Bake Shop, at the Boonville Renaissance Faire organized by Tim Parker. This fundraising allowed us to purchase a large order from the Food Bank of Central New York. In early December we received a shipment food costing about $2,200 and LOTS of free food as well! Some of the free food included apples, oranges, potatoes and squash.

Names of needy families are gathered from calls to our “Christmas Basket Hotline,” by intake volunteers at the FRCM Food Pantry during October and November, and through an ad in the Rural Star.

Members of many area churches take a tag describing the age and interests of a particular child.  They shop for either a toy or clothing.  That would be 886 shoppers, except many people take more than one tag.  Other people must spend the year knitting, judging from the number of hats and mittens that are donated.

In November, a convoy consisting of one small red Toyota and two pickup trucks picked up 180 frozen 12 lb. turkeys from Sysco in Albany and unloaded them into the Floyd Fire House freezer. (What would we do without that firehouse freezer!)

In the week before the baskets were given out, volunteers of all ages helped to sort food, gifts and winter clothing.  We filled the basement of St. Leo & St. Ann’s Church with boxes of food and bags of gifts.

The Christmas Basket Program is a prime example of meeting the goals outlined in our mission statement - helping our neighbors in need and giving a real sense of community at the Christmas Season.  We are really very blessed to have the resources to support this program and the volunteers to carry out the effort.