JG-TC.com > News > Charleston firefighters, My Store team to deliver Thanksgiving <br />fixings to needy Coles Co. families

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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Tuesday, November 25, 2008 9:42 PM CST
Charleston firefighters, My Store team to deliver Thanksgiving
fixings to needy Coles Co. families

By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com

MATTOON — Monday morning began with 500 bags of food and 250 boxes of frozen turkeys lined up in the warehouse at My Store.

Starting at 7 a.m., the long rows of paper grocery bags and cardboard boxes quickly diminished as approximately 20 volunteers loaded their vehicles with the food for distribution to households in financial need throughout Coles County.

The distribution was part of Charleston Firefighters Local 3200’s eighth annual Thanksgiving food basket program. The goal is to ensure that the enrolled families have all the ingredients necessary for traditional holiday meals.

“There are 250 families we are delivering to this year,” said union member Todd Foster. “It covers all four corners of the county and everything in the middle.”

Volunteers included local firefighters and their families as well as other community members.

Charleston firefighter Gerald Smith, a first-time food basket volunteer, helped load the back of his vehicle with groceries for deliveries to nine households in Mattoon.

“I just enjoy helping people and making sure they have Thanksgiving dinners,” Smith said.

My Store Manager Larry Lowell said store employees sacked canned vegetables, dinner rolls, noodles, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, stuffing mix and other nonperishable items Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

Lowell said they sacked pumpkin pies, whipped topping, milk, potatoes, bagels and other perishable items at 4 a.m. Monday. He added the bagels were donated this year by Lender’s Bagels.

“It looks to be very organized. My Store went out of its way to get everything ready,” Smith said.

The firefighter union’s annual fundraising campaign helps provide for the food basket program and the annual Christmas party at Camp New Hope.

Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 348-5734.

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devilishangel61401 wrote on Nov 25, 2008 12:08 AM:

" God Bless all of these wonderful people for helping those in need. "

Rojo wrote on Nov 25, 2008 8:29 AM:

" A Big Thank you to all the businesses and individuals who donated to the Thanksgiving basket drive. Its great to see that 250 families in the area were served. Big thanks to the volunteers who delivered all of the baskets! "

injustice85 wrote on Nov 25, 2008 3:11 PM:

" Some citizens and some businesses could stand to learn a thing or two from the local firefighters who work hard year after year for the less fortunate "

injustice85 wrote on Nov 25, 2008 3:18 PM:

" Some citizens and some businesses could stand to learn a thing or two from the local firefighters who work hard year after year for the less fortunate "

Old Grumpy wrote on Nov 25, 2008 5:23 PM:

" If you missed the chance to help others this Thanksgiving you can pick up a name from the "Angles Tree" at the Mall or Wal-Mart. The chance to help a less fortunate child have a Merry Christmas should not be missed. If the firefighters can help those in need so can you. "

ed miller wrote on Nov 25, 2008 9:35 PM:

" I just hope they are not using the firetrucks for deliveries. We wouldn't want to get our friend Mr. Potter all worked up. "

Harry Potter wrote on Nov 26, 2008 7:35 AM:

" ed miller wrote on Nov 25, 2008 9:35 PM:

" I just hope they are not using the firetrucks for deliveries. We wouldn't want to get our friend Mr. Potter all worked up. "

----

Leave it to the likes of ed miller to turn this act of charity and good will into one of his usual small minded comments.

And for the clarification of the poor confused ed miller, It's the Mattoon Fire Department that misuses their vehicles, not the Charleston Department.

The good folks in Charleston seem to be a lot more responsible with the taxpayer's assets than those in Mattoon.

Charleston even manages to mow the grass at their lake.

But I'm always happy to straighten you out, ed.

Hats off to the Charleston Fire Department, My Store and Lenders. Good job folks! "

ed miller wrote on Nov 26, 2008 10:09 AM:

" Sheesh Harry, lighten up. It was a joke. I know you always complained about MFD at Villa. I couldn't help myself for a chance to dig at you. Have a Happy Thanksgiving anyway. "

injustice85 wrote on Nov 26, 2008 12:26 PM:

" sorry 'bout the double-post lol "

yeah right wrote on Nov 26, 2008 3:49 PM:

" Let it go! Enough with the fireman! "

Harry Potter wrote on Nov 26, 2008 6:49 PM:

" Thank you. I will and I hope you and yours do the same.

One on the things I am thankful for is the freedom to come on here and express my opinions. We live in a great county, don't we, ed?

I have traveled to several foreign countries where they don't have near the freedoms that we do. For all our warts, faults, disagreements and problems etc, we have the absolutely best country and government in the world.

Obama getting elected is not be the end of the world as some on the right seem to think, and if McCain had won, things would go on as usual, despite all the whining from those of us on the left. "

medic57 wrote on Nov 27, 2008 7:51 AM:

" It's the Mattoon Fire Department that misuses their vehicles, not the Charleston Department.

The good folks in Charleston seem to be a lot more responsible with the taxpayer's assets than those in Mattoon

Is that right, is it not abuse when a boy gets hit on his bicycle if front of The North Side Charleston Fire Department only to find that there was not 1 fireman in the building, the fire trucks were all there, the firemen were at a meeting across town. Luckily, several citizens helped the boy and he was ok, would have been nice to have had a licensed trained professional person there.

As far as the Thanksgiving dinners go,it wouldn't make a difference if they were delivered in fire trucks or police cars would it? isn't it the job of the police and fire departments to protect and to serve. I just hope they had enough food for everyone who needed it.

And I hope they cleared everything with Daisy and Unknownjoe first. "

medic57 wrote on Nov 27, 2008 9:21 AM:

" For all our warts, faults, disagreements and problems etc, we have the absolutely best country and government in the world.

Speak for yourself, I have never had a Wart. "

sapient wrote on Nov 27, 2008 10:22 AM:

" Harry: As Obama said, "We live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. Join me in trying to change it." Something like that. "

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Charleston Fire Captain Richard Edwards helps load sacks filled with canned vegetables, dinner rolls, noodles, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, stuffing mix and other nonperishable items at My Store in Mattoon Monday morning. Rob Stroud/Staff