Here are brief thoughts on some of the heartwarming contributions from our community members this holiday season.
Franklin County has some particularly busy knitters.
Take, for instance, Turners Falls resident Sandra Cross, who knitted 60 scarves, all of which were hung on the Greenfield Common, available to passersby needing to keep warm. Another 30 scarves were donated, along with 70 hats and 75 pairs of mittens. She was even able to distribute 25 teddy bears to local children.
“I couldn’t offer anything substantial, but ‘I could do something meaningful,’ I thought,” Cross said, remembering when she asked herself how she could give back to the community. “I’ve been knitting since I was a child, so I decided that was the way to go.”
Then there’s the numerous knitters who support Warm the Children, such as Gill resident Marjorie Murphy and Rowe resident Carol Lively.
“It’s just sort of an under-the-radar thing that I do. I’m just glad to do a little bit,” Lively said of her contribution of knitted hats to Warm the Children. “I’m not a fancy knitter, by any means. But they keep kids’ ears warm in the winter.”
Even those who don’t necessarily knit themselves have found a way to contribute, with Our Lady of Peace Church in Turners Falls collecting more than 350 pairs of mittens, gloves, hats and scarves for children and families in need as part of its “Mittens for Mary’s Children” challenge. The items will be distributed during community meals at Our Lady of Peace, and through the Montague Catholic Social Ministries and The United Arc.
If anything illustrates that there’s power in numbers, it’s our community here in Franklin County. So many people contributing a little has added up, and will certainly make a huge difference for those who are less fortunate. While we can’t possibly thank everyone individually, let us say that we are proud to be covering news that regularly warms our hearts, not just during the holiday season, but all year long.
While some members of our community made winter wear their focus, another portion decided to take part in the national Wreaths Across America program, which delivers wreaths to veterans’ grave sites and war memorials. Local contributors included Turners Falls Municipal Airport Manager Bryan Camden and instructors and students at Franklin County Technical School.
“It’s giving something back to the veterans,” Camden said. “We don’t always realize that something like this makes a big difference to family members.”
Nicely said, and we couldn’t agree more.
Though Tech School Business Manager Russ Kaubris said the school’s participation was rather last-minute this year, staff and students are already looking to get more involved in 2020. We can’t wait to see how local residents will contribute to this national effort in the years to come.
The Salvation Army has some devoted volunteers, one of whom you might recognize from trips to the Greenfield Post Office or Stop & Shop.
“I started doing this about 18 years ago because I saw my mother do it,” said 48-year-old Carol Stoddard, known affectionately as “Christmas Carol,” as she collected donations for the Salvation Army outside Stop & Shop early last week. “I wanted to make a difference, too.”
And so she has, with roughly two-thirds of the people who passed by contributing to the cause. Meanwhile, 65-year-old Patricia Culver contributes back at the Salvation Army on Chapman Street.
“Patricia is so very valuable,” said Salvation Army Capt. Scott Peabody. “She helps coordinate showers for people, cooks, helps in the kitchen, whatever we need.”
Whether your volunteerism is lauded by the community, or your work is done behind the scenes, we thank everyone, including Stoddard and Culver, for doing their parts to make our little slice of the world a better place.