by Wende Carr
It’s a beautiful thing when people from various backgrounds work together for a common cause. And this holiday season, there is no shortage of cooperation evidenced here in the Adirondacks. In the past two weeks, deacons and laypersons from Niccolls Memorial Presbyterian Church, St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church of Old Forge, and St. Anthony’s Catholic Church of Inlet have worked to make this Thanksgiving a more special one for families in the region.
Lisa Lloyd wheels Thanksgiving baskets to delivery vehicles at St. Bartholomew’s Church. Photo by Wende Carr
Linda Hippisley, moderator of the Niccolls Memorial Board of Deacons, and Eileen Tobin, Food Pantry Coordinator at St. Bartholomew’s, communicated with each other to assure that Thanksgiving dinners would be provided to families and individuals in need of assistance this holiday.
The sharing of recipient lists assured that the two groups wouldn’t duplicate or leave anyone out.
Niccolls Church deacons met last Thursday evening and filled boxes decorated for the holiday with food and added handmade Thanksgiving cards containing gift cards to a local store. Most of the food was donated by people in the church.
Kinney Drugs, Town of Webb Schools and the Old Forge Post Office also set out donation boxes and delivered their contents to Niccolls, to be included in the gift boxes.
According to Tobin, the Knights of Columbus and St. Anthony’s Altar & Rosary Society each contributed $200, and members of St. Bartholomew’s Altar and Rosary Society contributed homemade breads.
Phil Pepper gets a meal ready to send. Photo by Wende Carr
“We’re getting as many people from the congregations involved as we can,” she said. “It’s a total parish thing, which I think is important.” Kids at St. Bartholomew’s also helped assemble the baskets after church on Sunday.
“It’s good for them to learn that when you see someone who needs help, you act,” she added.
All three churches make it a point to distribute baskets (approximately 30 this Thanksgiving) at Thanksgiving and Christmas each year. At Easter, they distribute baskets and/or gift cards to local stores.
