The Colchester-Milton Rotary Club kicked off the annual Holiday Basket Program by assembling a soup mix to be included in the baskets.

The club is also requesting donations for its annual holiday food basket project and preparing for a year that may bring record participation in the program.

 

With donated funds, we buy food at discounted prices from area stores and assemble the packages with small gifts, dental supplies, knit hats, gloves, mittens and books. We will assemble the baskets on December 2nd this year and the baskets will be delivered on December 9th with some help from area fire departments.

The list of basket requests comes through the Colchester School District, who contacts potentially needy families confidentially and ask them to reach out our the Rotary Club for placement in the program.

Any families interested should make sure to quickly fill out and return the paperwork to their child’s school.

In 2016, the club served over 125 families consisting of more than 500 adults and children. Each basket costs about $41 to fill.

This year, there are over 300 eligible families, and we anticipate a record year of participation. Despite generous donations last year, we had to dip into our reserves and the result is we need to dramatically increase donations.

Now in its 41st year, the program was started by the Colchester Women’s Club and then transferred to the Malletts Bay Congregational Church before our Rotary Club picked it up about 15 years ago.

Our regular donors include Sen. Dick Mazza, Our Lady of Grace, Holy Cross and St. Andrews churches, Shadow Cross Farm and Sam Mazza.

Donations can be made via check and sent to P.O. Box 82, Colchester, VT. Checks should be made out to “Holiday Project – CM Rotary.” Donations can also be made online at http://bit.ly/CMRCBaskets.

Questions about the program can be directed to Ron Lewis