Salvation Army will be warmed by the Interact Club's fund-raising tally
It was one of the coldest winters in years but that didn’t stop the members of the Putnam Rotary Club’s Interact Club from ringing the bells at the local Salvation Army kettles.
Interact Club members, their friends, Rotarians and family members have been ringing the Salvation Army Kettle bells since 1997.
Rotarian Roberta Rocchetti, advisor, said the Interact members in that time have raised more than $250,000 for this region.
“This Kettle campaign is the only source of revenue for the Putnam Salvation Army office. They use the money to assist the needy of northeastern Connecticut with utilities, rent, fuel oil, and more,” she said.
She added that this year “We received $11,447.75 in kettle donations (including $500 from the Rotary Club) and a very generous check for $2,000 to bring the total to $13,447.75. That is amazing considering we only had four Saturdays to collect donations.
Last year the group had five weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas and it took in $14,608.53.
“I’m grateful to all 96 students from Woodstock Academy, Tourtellotte Memorial High School, Putnam High, Marianapolis Prep, Pomfret School and UConn who stood out in the cold to man the kettle. I appreciate all other volunteers who helped set up and fill in where necessary. I am so grateful to Putnam Supermarket for letting us store our kettles all these years and Walmart, Stop & Shop and Price Chopper for allowing us to have the Salvation Army kettles in front of their store. Without their support we could never accomplish all that we do,” she said.
Taking part, from Putnam High: Paige Perry, Gabriell Cerasiello, Kaydence Morris, Maddy Kimball, Emma Campbell, Alivia Ortiz, Angelina Seymour, Jayda Rivera, Carlos Harper-Mendoza, Ella Carota, Kaylee Borders, Keivon Robinson, Jay Patel, Gavin Patterson, Cora Desrosiers, Makenzei Fry, Hudson Smith.
From Tourtellotte: Ava Tucker, Gianna Brinson, Caitlyn L’Heureux, Alexis Phav, Isabell McGlynn, Christian Dejesus, Cole Hopkins, Lindsey Sturtevant, Victoria Patterson, Kayd Patterson, Calleigh Levesque, Joshua Tackson, Dylan Axtell, Serena Smith, Sofia Thurber, June Ferraro, Bethany Nieves, Tessa Sheldon, Tanisha Patel, Tyler Shead, Keegan Stall, Abby Ditzel, Zahara Moore, Grace Akana, Ember Merrill, Anna Bell.
From Marianapolis: Devi Patel-Gandhi, Emma Martineau, Henrietta Hayes. From Pomfret School: Max Gerum. From UConn: Eric Levesque, Jordyn Butler.
From Woodstock Academy: Liliana Bottone, Christian Menounos, Kira Greene, Phoebe Griffin, Maddie Jezierski, Bella DiGregorio, Avery Plouffe, Ava Golden, Vivian Bibeau, Eli Manning, Sophia Milardo, Lauren Thomas, Anthony Beaudreault, Mia Sorrentino, Katelyn Bruce, Gianna DiCola-Keddy, Kaelyn Tremblay, Livia Gerum, Melanie DiPippo, Jackie Dearborn, Thatcher Paterson, Aidan Tyler, Miranda Miller, Eli Susi, Maddie Bloom, Mikayla Bessette, Isabel D’Alleva-Bochain, Kaylee Saucier, Macy Rawson, Grace Pokorny, Liliana Moran, Maura Hart, Chyanne Machamer, Jackson Dorez, Celine Leffingwell, Eva Lusignan, Allie Boyd, Sophia Sarkis. Lillian Morgis, Maggie McHugh, Audrey MacPherson, Lillian Beausoleil, Avery Thienel, Ivan Lin, Emma Quinney.
She also thanked the adult volunteers: Leo Rocchetti from Stafford Springs, Patty Gaffney from Putnam, Edit Dipippo from Woodstock, Claudia Ursin and Donna Drasch from Ashford. Rotaract members: Matthew and Harrison Gardiner, John Spratt. Rotarians: Jonathan and Keri Tremblay, Dick and Marianne Loomis, Deb Hoft, Emily Barnes, Joseph Adiletta, Richard & Kathy Naumann and Mike and Roberta Rocchetti, Kayla Morin, Marc Archambault, Paul Pikora, Rotary Club past president Amanda Kelly and current Rotary Club president Doug Porter.
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Salvation Army will be warmed by the Interact Club's fund-raising tally
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