Operation Happiness makes call for help
Dear Editor,
In less than three weeks, Operation Happiness will be here. Every year our community pulls together to ensure that every family in Clark County has a plentiful Christmas. This year, we will serve around 1,450 families from all over the county. We are entering our 42nd year of the project and want this one to be as successful as the rest. As we approach the Day of Giving, we ask that everyone consider making a donation to this community effort.
Work for this year’s Operation Happiness will begin Sunday, Dec. 16, with the Day of Giving on Thursday, Dec. 20, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Lexington Avenue. There are several ways to help. We expect to spend approximately $50,000 to provide toys, food, hygiene kits and winter clothing for needy children and families in Winchester and Clark County. This is up about $4,000 from years past due to a rise in food costs. God has always provided through the generous gifts of people, churches, civic groups and businesses in this community.
All gifts are tax deductible and can be sent to Operation Happiness, at P.O. Box 574, or donated online via the website listed below. The newspaper and several churches print a sponsorship flyer to copy and use to adopt (sponsor) a family for $40.
We are always in need of canned goods. We are always looking to supplement what the school system food drive brings in. The schools do a great job, but the need is tough for one group to fill. If anyone is willing to collect canned goods for us, we would greatly appreciate it. We can arrange to have them picked up and brought to Emmanuel on Dec. 17. We would love to have the problem of so much food we have to give the families extra!
Volunteers are the lifeblood of Operation Happiness. The day is only a success because of the dedicated volunteers in this community! Beginning with Sunday, Dec. 16, there is collecting, sorting, packing, decorating, deliveries, set-up and clean-up to be done. Businesses or churches could adopt a project or portion of the task. We are using the website to accept donations and to sign up the more than 600 volunteers needed to make this event a success! Please visit www.operationhappiness.net, or call Calvary Christian Church at 744-0817 to sign up to volunteer.
Parking will be more challenging this year but with help from the Clark County school board, we feel we have a good alternative. We will be using the bus lot behind the Board of Education to park cars. It would be extremely helpful if volunteers would carpool to help save space.
From now through Friday, more than 1,450 families will call 737-3636 to sign up for help this Christmas season. We hope you will get involved and help us make this the best year yet. Operation Happiness truly is a tremendous blessing this community bestows on its residents each year!
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas,
Judy Crowe and Darren Diguette
Operation Happiness Co-Chairs
Bus monitors needed
Dear Editor,
I have written two letters to the editor already and attended one board meeting and talked about bus monitors. So far, they have not hired any, so it must have fallen on deaf ears.
If the Board of Education thinks there is no problem on the buses, then they are living in a fantasy world.
But, we have three new members. Maybe they can take a look at the monitors on buses.
A monitor makes a world of difference.
Edsel Pelfrey
Winchester
Read the sign
Dear Editor,
This is for anyone and everyone who shops ar our grocery stores.
When you get to the checkout lane and there’s a sign that says “Express Lane — 15 items or less” that is what it means.
I told the cashier I would not have checked the person out, and he said he had to.
What do you think the sign is for? Decoration?
Elsie Wells
Winchester
