Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 16, 1992 TAG: 9201170256
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
CHRISTMAS MADE MERRIER FOR NEEDY
Many Roanoke-area organizations shared the Christmas spirit by helping others in various ways during the recent holiday season.Some raised donations of money, food, toys and clothing to help the needy. Others were helpful in different ways.
Following is a list of some of the groups and how they helped others:
\ THE VINTON POLICE DEPARTMENT raised $9,000 in its sixth annual Needy Family Program.
Proceeds from the Vinton Haunted House at Halloween, donations from the Vinton Moose Lodge and from individuals enabled the Police Department to provide food and gifts to 50 families with 85 children and food for 10 elderly individuals. The program also repaired one person's roof and paid rent for two people.
The 150 volunteers included Police Department employees and cadets; members of the Vinton Association of Merchants and Professionals; and employees of the Vinton Kroger store, Dominion Bank Vinton branch and Town of Vinton. Kmart and Big Lots provided toys and other gifts at a discount.
\ GENERAL ELECTRIC EMPLOYEES distributed Christmas baskets to 270 families.
\ THE MOSS IN THE VALLEY CHAPTER of the P. Buckley Moss Society presented a check for $3,252 in raffle proceeds to The Achievement Center, a school for children with learning disabilities.
Moss, who is dyslexic, visited with the students earlier in the year and created a print, "Moonlight Ride," which was raffled off to benefit the school.
\ THE THRASHER WALKERS, a group that walks for exercise at Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church, made a $130 donation to RAM House during the holidays. The group also collected food to be distributed to needy families through the Presbyterian Community Center.
\ FRIENDSHIP MANOR EMPLOYEES, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS donated Christmas gifts for the 373 convalescent center residents. Volunteers sorted, packed and wrapped the presents for Santa to distribute during Friendship Manor's annual Christmas open house for employees and residents. The effort was coordinated by the home's Activities Department.
\ GOLDSMITH JEWELERS collected several cases of non-perishable food for RAM House through a discount program that the store offered to its customers.
During November, the store offered a 10 percent discount for each food item (up to three) that each customer donated.
\ BOY SCOUT TROOP 5 and CUB SCOUT PACK 5 participated in the fourth annual Scouting for Food Good Turn in November.
The Scouts distributed fliers in several North Roanoke neighborhoods, asking residents for donations of food. The following week, they collected the food and distributed it to Roanoke Area Ministries and the food bank at Hollins Road Baptist Church.
\ CRESTAR BANK EMPLOYEES in Roanoke raised $321.50 to benefit the Salvation Army during the bank-sponsored sales promotion called "The 12 Weeks of Christmas."
A different Crestar product was featured during each week of the promotion. For every new account opened, an amount was set aside for the donation.
***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on January 30, 1992.
Clarification
Because of a misunderstanding by an editorial assistant, the source of a $130 donation to RAM House was unclear in a story in Neighbors Jan. 23. Members of Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church contributed the money through a special collection.
NOTE: Story also ran January 16, 1992.
Memo: CORRECTION