To the Journal editor:

Thanks to many in the Ishpeming area, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. John and St. Joseph Conference’s annual Christmas basket distribution was a huge success!

Seventy-nine Ishpeming-area households, including 27 families with school-aged children, received Christmas baskets. This year local businesses, such as the Rainbow Bar, became creative and utilized their talents to host a “Ladies Night Out” supported by other businesses, while others collected non-perishable food during December.

Many businesses, private individuals, and organizations, including Bell Auxiliary, gave of their treasures and generously provided financial contributions for purchasing food and small gifts for the children.

The Ishpeming Catholic community in addition to providing most of the food for the baskets, ensured that each of the school-aged children received new pajamas. SVdP only needed to purchase turkeys, hams, bread, and butter to fill the food baskets, which held all the makings of a special Christmas meal.

The baskets were rounded out with an abundance of in-kind donations of milk, hats, gloves, socks, books, hand-made purses and animal quilts, and mugs filled with candy. The families were so appreciative of all the “extras.”

A big thanks to all of those who dedicated time as volunteers to this program! Just like the magi at the first Christmas, many in Ishpeming brought their “gifts” of time, talent, and treasure to bless those families in need for Christmas 2018. God bless.

LISA NIEMI

Ishpeming