MONTAGUE — When Our Lady of Peace first organized a winter clothing drive two years ago, its parishioners banded together to donate roughly 150 pairs of mittens, gloves, hats and scarves for children and families in need.
So, when the drive, called the “Mittens for Mary’s Children” challenge, was revived this year, Pastoral Minister Marguerite Noga and parishioner Connie Sicard hoped it could be even more successful than it was in 2017. In less than three weeks, community members blew the goal of 200 articles of winter wear out of the water, donating more than 350 items by Dec. 15.
“One of our missions is to reach out to the less fortunate in our community,” said Sicard, who runs the church’s community meals program, serving about 50 people each week.
The mittens, gloves, hats and scarves will be distributed during community meals at Our Lady of Peace, and through the Montague Catholic Social Ministries and The United Arc, said Noga, one of the founders of “Mitten’s for Mary’s Children.”
Marie Putala, a member of the church, said she was happy to contribute to “Mittens for Mary’s Children” to help fill a need in the community. While many people are used to giving during the last two months of the year, Putala said she “loves the other 10 months, too,” and tries to help others year-round.
“Volunteering is a very special thing to me,” said Putala, who was named the Greenfield Recorder’s Citizen of the Year in 2015 for a variety of volunteer efforts she has been involved in — most of them with connections to Our Lady of Peace, Montague Catholic Social Ministries and the New England Learning Center for Women in Transition.
“The children of the church stepped up to the plate,” Putala noted. “They brought in mittens, canned goods and made cards to give out at nursing homes.”
Putala is one of four members of Our Lady of Peace who have been named Citizen of the Year, Noga noted.
“I think it says something to the spirit of the parish,” she said.
Our Lady of Peace’s Fr. Stanley Aksamit agreed, noting his parishioners never cease to amaze him with their generosity.
“Every time I feel something remarkable has happened, something happens that surpasses it,” he said.
Members of the church, like Sicard, have their eyes on the community because of their involvement with community meals and other programs, Aksamit said. When a need in the community arises, the parishioners always seek to help however they can.
“It’s one heck of a collection,” Aksamit said of this year’s “Mittens for Mary’s Children” challenge. “As people come forward at Christmas, I hope they’ll be just as generous for the rest of the year.”
Zack DeLuca can be reached at zdeluca@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 264.