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Pass it along holds Family Volunteer Day

| 24 Nov 2015 | 11:48
    Alex Curran, Courtney McKenna, Daniel Baker and Colleen Russell assemble boxes for Christmas cookies.
    Alex Curran, Courtney McKenna, Daniel Baker and Colleen Russell assemble boxes for Christmas cookies.
    Sisters Gwen and Kristen Silipena of Hardyston Township decorate denim pieces for Freedom Gratitude Quilt.
    Sisters Gwen and Kristen Silipena of Hardyston Township decorate denim pieces for Freedom Gratitude Quilt.
    Rose Ippolito, Hannah Ervey, and Olivia Weiss of Newton High School display their handcrafted dog collars.
    Rose Ippolito, Hannah Ervey, and Olivia Weiss of Newton High School display their handcrafted dog collars.
    Izabella Stevens, Amy Arvary and Gracie Stock stand in front of the Gratitude Wall.
    Izabella Stevens, Amy Arvary and Gracie Stock stand in front of the Gratitude Wall.
    Cookie makers hard at work. From left, Sarah Steele, Ava Castellana, Aaliyah Giuffrita, Natalie Torres and Amanda Torres.
    Cookie makers hard at work. From left, Sarah Steele, Ava Castellana, Aaliyah Giuffrita, Natalie Torres and Amanda Torres.
    Tyler Mc Ginnis, Mark Young and Cole Baldini decorate boxes with holiday images.
    Tyler Mc Ginnis, Mark Young and Cole Baldini decorate boxes with holiday images.

BY ROSE SGARLATO
SPARTA — Over 150 people came out for Pass It Along’s annual Family Volunteer Day on Nov. 21 at Sparta Evangelical Free Church. Strategically held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, people from across Sussex County came together to give and serve the community.

One of the larger scaled projects is the collection of food items for Thanksgiving meals. The whole gamut of Thanksgiving fixings including frozen turkeys are donated by attendees and assembled in to-go boxes in order that families in need have it all.

“We filled 65 boxes this year,” said Kelly Rathbone, director of Annual Events for Pass It Along. “Over 25 local families have called and asked for meals."

Various groups were represented including families, students from area schools and local organizations.

Karen Monohan is the coordinator for the Get Connected program geared towards 18- to 21-year-olds. Her group was busy hand-painting boxes with holiday themes.

All of the planned activities have purpose and serve a need. This year Pass It Along introduced a dog theme with students from Newton High School making dog collars for gifts.

Lauran Donohue, Pass It Along chapter advisor at Wallkill Valley High School, was overseeing a Freedom Quilt for service members receiving medical care abroad.

Younger volunteers ranging from age 7 to 11 were busy in the kitchen baking and decorating holiday cookies, while high school volunteers were assembling the boxes for the cookies.

A new addition this year was the Gratitude Wall, an opportunity for those to remember why Thanksgiving is celebrated.

“Participants wrote down what they are thankful for in an effort to bring awareness and look inward,” said Amy Arvary, committee member and speaker for Pass It Along.

Reverend Doug Thuen, pastor of Sparta Evangelical Free Church, was pleased to host the event and grateful to Pass It Along and all the volunteers.

“Keep doing this,” said Thuen to Pass It Along representatives. “We are about community, and this is great.”

For more volunteering opportunities, visit www.passitalong.org.