Generous
Quiet
Corner
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
“Uninspiring” weather, COVID-19 “challenges” to local pocketbooks — none of that could keep the northeast corner from showing its compassion for fellow residents. Boots, toys, monetary donations all flourished in the past weeks of drives.
Putnam Family Resource Center’s
Holiday Giving Campaign
The Putnam Police Department’s “Stuff-A-Cruiser Holiday Toy Drive” pulled in two cruisers filled to the roof with new unwrapped toys and raised $2,900 in donations, according to Putnam Police Chief Christopher Ferace. This benefits the Putnam Family Resource Center’s Holiday Giving Campaign.
The Putnam Fire Department also held a drive pulling in stacks of toys for the center’s campaign and, according to Putnam Fire Chief Bob Campbell, more than $2,000 in monetary donations.
Toys also came to the campaign from Cargill Chevrolet where a pickup truck was filled with toys. The resource center’s toy drive also got boosts from US Button, Chace Building Supply, and the town’s Drive-by Santa Event and the reverse Holiday Dazzle Light Parade.
TEEG
TEEG received tagged gifts from: The First Congregational Church of Woodstock, St. Mary’s, Holy Trinity, St. Joseph’s, St. Stephen’s, Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center, W.T. Rich Company, individuals from Pomfret School, and individual donors, plus Linemaster Switch Corp, Rectory School and the East Woodstock Congregational Church.
A drive-through food drive, sponsored by the Woodstock Business Association, was held at Roseland Park.
Donations also came from: from Thompson Congregational, United Church of Christ, the  Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association, Muddy Brook Fire Department, Bungay Fire Brigade, Community Fire Department and local residents.
In Woodstock, the Woodstock Democratic Town Committee didn’t let a little raw rain stop them. In their first Winter Boot Drive to benefit TEEG, they collected 80 pairs of boots and $768 in cash.
Pomfret
In Pomfret, the Pomfret Fire Department, Station 70, helped the Bakers Dozen’s Operation Christmas efforts by conducting a boot drive Dec. 12. According to Chief Brett Sheldon, more than $4,000 was deposited in the firefighter boots. He said the department has been helping the Bakers Dozen Operation Christmas efforts for the last six years and generally pulls in between $3,000 and $5,000.
Daily Bread also benefitted from several fund-raisers and donations collected at the reverse Holiday Dazzle Light Parade.
And those are just the tip of the generous iceberg!

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