L ost in the hoopla of holiday shopping, decorating and get-togethers, is the true meaning of the holidays, giving back to those less fortunate than ourselves, and one local group has made it its mission to remind people of the true nature of the season.
Members of the Middletown Springs Community Church will spread a little holiday joy this weekend as they host their “Free Indeed Giveaway” from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Dec. 11, at the church on the green in Middletown Springs.
During the giveaway, organizers will hand out a variety of goods, at no charge, to people in need.
“It’s our first ever attempt at this,” said Betsy Mitcheson. “We’re excited to give to people in need.”
Mitcheson said the idea for the event was born from a desire to return the blessings they had received in their own lives and was modeled after the Rummage Give-Away that was held at the Granville (N.Y.) Baptist Church last weekend.
The items, which include clothing, household goods, toys, books, tools, furniture and much more, were all donated by members of the church and community. The folks at the Granville Baptist Church even donated the leftover items from their own giveaway to their counterparts in Middletown Springs.
All those items will then be distributed to people in need. There is no form to be filled out and organizers won’t take down any names. Anybody in need can simply show up.
“Each person will be given a bag to fill,” Mitcheson explained.
In preparation for the give-away several of the organizers attended the Granville event to see how it worked.
“It was an amazing thing to watch; they gave away a lot of stuff in the first hour,” Mitcheson said.
She said they hope the event will become a yearly thing and would like to invite local businesses and organizations to contribute in future years.
Anybody who would like to donate items for the event can still do so on Friday, Dec. 10. Mitcheson said the group is looking for winter clothing, baby clothes and toys.
“It’s a good exercise for each of our hearts. We all have stuff we don’t need,” Mitcheson said. “We hope people will come from miles around.”
Mitcheson said they plan on donating any unclaimed items to local charitable organizations.
To learn more, call Mitcheson at 235-2097.
