Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Drive for East Haddam Food Bank Results in Generous Donations

Thanks once again to the East Haddam Rotary Club and the Moodus branch of Liberty Bank, in conjunction with the sixty-five local families who were otherwise unable to afford a Thanksgiving dinner were able to enjoy a holiday meal. 

"Our yearly Thanksgiving Food Drive was very successful, and we really appreciate all of our customers' generosity, especially during these financially difficult times," said Sue Prueher of Liberty Bank.

Monetary donations in the amount of $3,421.27 were initially raised by customers of the bank and other East Haddam residents and businesses.

Liberty Bank then matched 25% of that total, adding an additional $705.11, for a total of $4,126.38 being presented to the East Haddam Food Bank for future food purchases and distributions for residents in need.

Kate O'Boyle, President of the East Haddam Rotary Club, had these words to say upon presenting the check to the food bank:

"I am happy and honored to present this check to the East Haddam Food Bank."

The Rotary Club of East Haddam acknowledges the generosity of Liberty Bank as well as all the residents of East Haddam who helped to make this Thanksgiving Drive a success.

The fact that we collected 10% more this year is a true testament to the giving spirit of our town, despite the hardships felt by many this year. 

Thank you to the Town of East Haddam, thank you to Liberty Bank, and thank you, the East Haddam Food Bank!" she exclaimed.

Participants in the food bank program were provided with a box of holiday food filled with items such as an uncooked turkey, stuffing mix, gravy, fresh potatoes, carrots, celery and onions, corn, cranberry sauce, olives, pickles and other dinner items, carefully hand-packed by the many regular, dedicated food bank volunteers.

Sophie Soja, Director of the East Haddam Food Bank for the past thirteen years, was thrilled to accept the check and added, "I really appreciate it, this is truly wonderful. Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make this possible."

The East Haddam Garden Club prepared beautiful handmade holiday centerpieces to go along with each box of food, made of evergreen cuttings, dried flowers, ribbons and other decorations in baskets of all shapes and sizes.

The Goodspeed Opera House held their own annual holiday food drive to benefit the food bank, offering buy-one-get-one-free tickets to some of their performances to patrons that brought non-perishable food to donate.

Their efforts resulted in an entire roomful of bags and boxes of food, an extremely generous supply of items for the food bank program in general.

Since the food bank has been suffering from low donations and an extreme shortage of supplies since back in the mid-summer, this was all a very welcome relief.