Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, December 23, 1994 TAG: 9412230127
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The fund is used each holiday season to buy clothing for needy children. Employees contribute by check or through payroll deduction. A Leggett department store provides the clothing at a small discount. Children are identified through school systems in Roanoke, Roanoke County, Salem, Vinton and Botetourt County.
Norfolk Southern Corp. downsizing has affected the number of contributors in recent years, said Ron Sink, company treasurer. Still, 200 to 300 people contributed to the fund this year, giving enough money to buy clothes for 432 children.
"What I like about it is its longevity," he said. "It's existed in almost the same fashion for 50 years. We've calculated that we've probably clothed, in 50 years, about 25,000 to 27,000 children at a cost close to $1million."
Giving during the holidays appears to be a tradition the work force refuses to part with, despite downsizing, mergers and plant closings.
Pinpointing just how much in dollars, volunteer services and food donations the Roanoke-area work force contributes during the holiday season is difficult. But community service agencies say the support is crucial, particularly with funds, goods and volunteers in increasingly short supply.
"We count on everybody - businesses included," said Julie Hollingsworth, director of Roanoke Area Ministries, which provides emergency funds for rent, utility bills and other necessities and operates a day shelter for the homeless.
WVTF public radio is conducting a food drive for the agency, as did Gwyn & Harmon Realtors. The owner of Bastian's Barbeque Restaurant in Salem offered to cook 10 turkeys, weighing 25 pounds apiece, and eight 15-pound hams for Christmas.
"We don't have any humongous source of money," Hollingsworth said. "We're grateful for every little bit that comes in."
Staff and volunteers from the Salvation Army's Roanoke unit worked this week to prepare the old Winn-Dixie building at the Plaza of Roanoke-Salem for the charity's annual Christmas distribution for low-income families.
When the distribution ends its three-day run today, the Salvation Army will have provided an estimated 3,200 families food, clothing, toys and personal-care items, some of it stuffed in stockings.
Thousands of the stockings were stuffed by employees of area businesses, said Maj. Dan Delaney, commanding officer of the Roanoke unit.
Norfolk Southern employees filled 650 of them - with items such as chewing gum, toys, crayons, coloring books, shampoo and toothpaste.
"We've been hard at [stuffing Salvation Army stockings] on the railroad for about three years," said Jim Randles, director of asset management. "It just gets bigger and better."
At the General Electric plant in Salem, employees are encouraged to become involved in community service projects.
Although employee involvement occurs year-round, efforts tend to increase during the holidays, said Mike Allee, communications manager.
This year, groups of GE employees "adopted" 23 families who recently had moved out of the Salvation Army's Turning Point, a shelter for abused women and their children. The employee groups furnished items the families needed - from flatware to furniture and toys.
And for the 32nd consecutive year, GE employees packed and delivered large boxes of food to needy families, mostly elderly, in the Roanoke area.
"We have always been involved both collectively and as individuals in charitable and civic community activities," said Allee.
Roanoke-area businesses responded to a request from the Southwest Virginia Second Harvest FoodBank with several thousand pounds of food.
"We just explained about our decrease in donations, in good-quality food especially," said Mike Hepler, special events coordinator for the food bank. "People seem more willing to help."
Valley Metro collected 866 pounds of food in one day, waiving the fare for riders who donated cans of nonperishable food.
The Brambleton Commons Chiropractic Center in Southwest Roanoke mailed coupons to patients after Thanksgiving, offering them up to $150 worth of services for a minimum $20 donation to the food bank. Ellen Wilson, officer manager, said she did not yet know how much money was raised.
Groups of First Union National Bank employees "adopted" families for the holidays, continuing a tradition that was started by employees of the bank's predecessor, Dominion Bank.
"It's not really a structured thing," said Kim Saunders, a marketing research analyst. "We bought clothing, toys, toiletries, food items, coats and school supplies for a mother and her three daughters.
"We wanted to carry on a tradition. We wanted to feel part of the community and do something for someone else."
by CNB