Helping Hands

Spreading Christmas joy

WAYNE COUNTY, PA — Wayne County Children’s Christmas Bureau, with the help of the Honesdale Jaycees, assisted 289 Wayne County families with a total of 652 children. The Honesdale Wal-Mart, Store 2480, donated $2,500 to the bureau and The Hawley Senior Center adopted a family. Center participants bought gifts and/or made a donation for gifts to be purchased for a family. In addition, Charlie and Sharon Kittner of Honesdale hosted a Christmas party, and guests brought toys to be distributed to the bureau and food for the Wayne County Food Pantry.

Care bags for new moms

HONESDALE, PA — Two Western Wayne High School seniors made up care bags for new moms at Wayne Memorial Hospital’s New Beginnings unit. The bags included items such as baby socks and hats, soap, wash clothes, hand sanitizer and pamphlets on infant care. The seniors, Samantha Corazzi, center left, and Colette Riedel, center right, put the project together with the help of a $250 grant from the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce’ School-to-Work Program. Wayne Memorial staff was thrilled with the bags. “It’s really nice of these students to think of us,” said Janice Pettinato, right, RN, BSN, Nurse Manager of New Beginnings. Seen at left is Christine Quigley, RN.

Candlelight vigil for soldiers

DAMASCUS, PA — A candlelight vigil and bonfire fundraiser to support women soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq will be held on Friday, December 18 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 349 Steiner Road (via Conklin Hill Road). Homemade desserts, hot apple cider, Christmas caroling and musical entertainment will be provided. Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Terri Ward will be present for a ribbon cutting. Minimum donation is $3 per person, children enter free.

The event is sponsored by Grandma Michele, whose mission is to provide a healing place and temporary residence for women returning from the warfront so they can more easily transition back to civilian life, and to provide a daytime facility with healing therapies for veteran family members. Her goal is to have this facility up and running by August 18, 2010.

For more information visit allaboutmytimenow.com or grandmamichelepa.blogspot.com or call 570/224-6544.