Holiday Helpers listing gives credit

The annual Santa Night fundraising effort brought in $12,500 in 2006, and the goal was to double that in 2007. Through the successful first-edition Santa Night CD, the black-tie affair in November, many corporate sponsorships and public donations, the singing Santas raised just under $30,000 in 2007.

With the money, the Clinton County Christmas Bureau supplied holiday gifts to 5,000 children locally; Santa Night money bought them everything they asked for. In addition to the toys and clothes that these children received, the Christmas Bureau supplied grocery-store food vouchers for 2,500 families; Santa Night cut a check for $10,000 to cover that.

Organizers are already getting geared up for Santa Night 2008 and are always looking to add new Santas and Elves to the bus; the date will be Friday, Dec. 12, 2008.

Students from Seton Academy performed good deeds for the holidays.

Grade 3 students from Miss Bleeker's and Mrs. Reynolds's classes sold tickets on two hand-made quilts. The money was used to buy presents for a family for Christmas. The students, accompanied by teachers and parents, shopped for these presents at the mall. They then wrapped and labeled them.

Also, the staff became aware of a needy family and provided gifts for all four members of the family.

The students were asked to pick a toy they really liked and could give to another child to enjoy. These were collected, wrapped and labeled by the students, to be shared in the good works of Birthright, to assist local families.

Handmade "pop-up" Christmas cards were made by the fourth-graders. These were sent to the elderly Sisters of Mercy living in an assisted-living facility in Worcester, Mass.

In early November, a group of students, a teacher and some parents visited homes of elderly people to rake leaves and prepare yards for winter. They worked in conjunction with the Joint Council for Economic Opportunity and, though the students were tired, they provided a needed service to several people in the community, according to Sister Brian Marie Latour.

Between Dec. 10 and 14, the Saranac Lake campus of North Country Community College Student Government Association and the NCCC Association Massage Therapy Club joined forces to collect toys for the Saranac Lake Holiday Helpers.

North Country Assistant Director of Campus and Student Life Daniel Heims noted that, "Our students, faculty and staff generously contributed to our efforts and helped us to have a successful toy drive. We would like to thank everyone who participated in this event. This is an opportunity for us to give back to the community in a positive way." Heims added that boxes were set out all over the North Country campus to collect donations in order "to do our part in making sure that everyone's holidays can become a reality."

Four boxes of toys were collected, and the Massage Therapy Club made a monetary donation to the Saranac Lake Holiday Helpers. The North Country participants "really opened their hearts in the spirit of giving," said Heims.

The Rotary Club of AuSable Valley held a drive to collect food for two local food shelves: one in AuSable Forks and one in Wilmington. The club's 14 members brought food items each week to the meetings, collecting 312 pounds.

Northeastern Clinton High School students were generous this holiday season.

The French Club organized the annual food drive, which resulted in more than 1,400 items being collected, including more than 600 brought in by Mr. Howard's class.

The food was delivered to the Mooers Wesleyan Church by members of the NCCS boys varsity hockey team and French Club members.

In addition, about 30 NCCS students participated in the Salvation Army's bell-ringing program at Price Chopper in Champlain over three weekends, bringing in funds to help those in need.

The annual Toys for Kids program at Adirondack Medical Center was just one of many special events taking place in the spirit of the holiday season. AMC participated as a collection point in the regionwide program so every child in the area would have a present under the tree this Christmas.

The toys, donated by staff and members of the public, were evenly distributed to Adirondack Community Action Programs in Essex County and the United Way of Franklin County.

"The depth of the generosity of our staff towards those in need never ceases to amaze me and, believe me, it happens each and every day of the year," remarked AMC President and CEO Chandler Ralph.

Several departments at AMC "adopted" families who were not as fortunate as others. Individual departments donated items such as toys, clothing or books.

Similar "Adopt-A-Resident" programs took place at the AMC Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation facilities.

The Medical Center provided a free turkey for each AMC employee at Thanksgiving and a free Christmas Day meal for the employees who worked that day.

The Plattsburgh Elks Lodge 621 delivered gifts to veterans in area nursing homes at Christmas. The gifts were purchased and wrapped by Elks members to let veterans know they were remembered during the holidays.

The Elizabethtown-Lewis Chamber of Commerce contributed to three local giving programs during the holiday season: the Adirondack Community Action Programs toy drive, the Families First drive to provide warm winter clothes for families in need at their Water Street location in Elizabethtown and the Community Food Shelf, located at the Episcopal Parish Hall on Williams Street in Elizabethtown.

The Elizabethtown-Lewis Chamber of Commerce said it is adopting the Food Shelf on a year-round basis, because hunger knows no season.

Ward Lumber worked with two area agencies to collect items for those in need during the holiday season.

The Jay Store accepted toys for children of any age to support Adirondack Community Action Programs Inc. in Essex County.

Ward Lumber's Malone store accepted non-perishable food and gifts in support of the Adopt a Soldier program. These are being sent to soldiers at war.

Dannemora Federal Credit Union's Board of Directors approved a $25,000 donation to the Clinton County Veterans Service Agency and the North Country Vietnam Veterans Association Inc.

The Veterans Service Agency offers assistance to thousands of veterans, military personnel and their dependents. Assistance is seen in the form of compensation for service/non-service-connected deaths and disabilities; hospitalization and outpatient treatment, help with employment and re-employment and domiciliary care, among many other services.

The North Country Vietnam Veterans Association is a non-profit veterans organization serving Vietnam-era veterans and their families in Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties, as well as northern Vermont and Quebec. Programs include the annual regional educational scholarships of children of Vietnam veterans, an annual Christmas food basket program serving 50 to 60 families, assisting veterans in developing VA compensation claims and providing peer-group counseling to Vietnam veterans and outreach referral services for veterans and their families in need.

By making this donation, Dannemora Federal Credit Union continues a lengthy tradition of support to area veterans and military personnel.

Boy Scouts from Pack 55 helped with a holiday food drive. The boys and parent helpers passed out bags on Nov. 10 and picked up bags of food on Nov. 17. They collected more than 210 items and donated them to the Plattsburgh Interfaith Food Shelf. Helping the Boy Scouts were Cub Scouts Austin Blier, Caleb Hoistion and Keith Sanders; parent Helpers and family members Paul and Christine Bleir, Tracey Hoistion, Sierra Hoistion, Tyrell Obert and Gregory Obert; Den Leader Priscilla Baker; and Cubmaster Rob Obert.

The Senior Citizens of Chazy donated two food baskets to be given out by the Chazy Outreach Center at Thanksgiving.

Poinsettia plants were delivered by Carole Hay and Theresa Boire to Evergreen and Meadowbrook nursing homes and to shut-in seniors.

Club members collected toys for the Christmas Bureau.

A holiday lunch was celebrated Dec. 3, honoring people who work at Chazy Town Offices.

This Christmas season is the seventh year that community members of Essex County have supported Frank's Knotty Pine Toy Drive in Port Henry. Beth and Frank Slycord, owners of the Knotty Pine, gathered a list of area families who could use help providing gifts for children. With the support of local residents, organizations and businesses, the Knotty Pine received donations of new, unwrapped toys and distributed gift boxes to area children. Last year, Frank's Knotty Pine provided gift boxes to 88 children in the Essex County area.

For the past few years, Vickie and Gary Trombley have adopted the Westport Animal Shelter to share their Christmas spirit with. Purchasing canned pet food, making a Christmas delivery and providing comfort to the shelter animals gives them joy, because they know animals at the shelter are being given a second chance, and because they feel God never intended for animals to suffer or be discarded.

American Legion Post 1619 in Morrisonville and United Parcel Service in Plattsburgh helped the less fortunate during the holidays.

The American Legion provided 60 food baskets, complete with turkeys. At Christmas, the legion, along with UPS, provided 60 food baskets. UPS management and employees donated more than 60 turkeys, and Post 1619 completed the baskets.

The Northeastern Zone of the New York State Retired Teachers' Association made Christmas a little brighter for some local children. Members brought Christmas gifts to their annual holiday luncheon. Through the generosity of these retired North Country teachers, more than 90 presents were delivered to the Clinton County Christmas Bureau and Essex County Department of Social Services.

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