Program helped families have happier holidays

To the Editor:

You hear the phrase "times are tough" a lot lately. Loss of employment, foreclosures, cost of medications and high gas prices are only a few of the troubles facing people everywhere, and that list goes on and on.

Thanks to some very giving residents in Putnam County, 58 families hopefully had it a bit easier when they had food baskets delivered before the Christmas holiday.

For the second year, Sheriff Steve Fenwick spearheaded a drive to help families who needed assistance during the holiday season. Any Putnam County family with a need could call the sheriff's department to request a food basket, or a family could be nominated. The PCSD them prepared and packed the items, which were delivered by the department. The requests went from 35 the previous year to 58 this year, with a few calls coming in after the baskets were completed.

Each basket included a ham or turkey, sweet potatoes, corn, green beans, potatoes, gravy, stuffing, pie, pop, rolls, macaroni and cheese, fruit, hot chocolate, noodles, marshmallows, butter, a McDonald's gift card and candy -- all wrapped in a large, festive box. Some even included stuffed animals.

We can't say enough about those who helped make this possible. A huge thank you goes out to the following people and businesses that made donations of food or money: Mark and Valerie Abernathy, Randy and Donna Nichols, Larry and Nancy Price, Mike and Karen Biggs, George and Ruth Stultz, Wrightsman family, Robert and Judy Biggs, Bowling Moms, Donnelly's, Stevie Smith and the Haunted Trail Committee, Donna Williams, Putnam County Sheriff's Department Merit Board, Butler's LP and many others who chose to remain anonymous.

We hope that we have not accidentally left anyone off this list.

Also, thanks to the Wal-Mart and McDonald's employees for their assistance.

Vova Johnson, Ashley O'Hair and Tresha Clearwaters

PCSD Administration