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Group To Feed, Clothe Needy

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By MEGAN HUSSEY

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 27, 2008

The Community Service Council of West Pasco is spreading the warmth this holiday season, in more ways than one.

Through its Mission of Appreciation, CSC is collecting cool-weather wear for senior citizens in need.

"Many of our members work at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, and they know residents who don't have family members coming to visit them," said Becky Bennett, CSC publicity director and co-chairman of community outreach. "They don't get the sweater gifts that grandmas and grandpas do."

To facilitate this mission, CSC requests community donations of men's and women's sweaters, new or barely used, socks and shoes, and other cool-weather apparel. These donations will be accepted through the end of this month; for information, call Bennett at (727) 452-4693 or go to www.communityservicecouncil.org.

The council also plans a holiday treat for people in need, as members will prepare and personally deliver Thanksgiving dinners to 66 families this year; families referred by nonprofit agencies such as Healthy Families Pasco-Hernando and CARES. Today, Thanksgiving Day, the CSC Outreach Committee will serve more than 206 people from Holiday to Spring Hill, who will receive a hot Thanksgiving meal that includes turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, green beans, bread, butter and dessert.

Vish and Sero Singh of Jennifer Gardens Assisted Living Facility in Hudson, according to a news release, took the lead on this project by recruiting other ALFs to help. Braybrook, Artia Windsor Woods, Atria Baypoint, Atria Evergreen Woods, Atria Windsor Woods, La Casa Grande and Sunshine Christian Homes joined Jennifer Gardens in this endeavor, volunteering the use of their kitchens as well as cooking, purchasing and packaging the food.

Tina Shelton, president-elect of CSC, then organized more than 20 volunteers to pick up the dinners and deliver the meals to the families' homes; all meals will be delivered by noon today. The families receiving the meals vary from two to eight people, ranging in age from infants to elderly.

"These people are volunteering their time and food, and it's all done with a personal touch," said Bennett.

"We are so excited about this project," said Victoria Barley, Community Outreach Committee chairperson, in the press release. "We hope to be able to triple this project next year. We are very fortunate to have a membership at Community Service Council with the compassion to help others. Our goal with Outreach is to continue to 'Enrich our Community, One Project at a Time.'"

In addition to turkeys with all the fixings, CSC members will deliver baby food for the youngest members of the families served.

"What's so great about our community outreach is that we try to serve all different populations," Bennett said. "We send packages to the troops, are throwing a Christmas party for the PACE girls, and have a spring event for the hospice kids."

"We include everybody," Bennett said.

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