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Christmas baskets bring joy to needy

Deborah Prescott | Daily Press Julie Nelson examines books before adding them to her cart while her son Tom Nelson looks ahead toward other items. They were among volunteers assembling Escanaba St. Vincent de Paul Christmas baskets for the area’s disadvantaged families Wednesday. Christmas baskets will be available to pick up Friday at the Ruth Butler Building at the U.P. State Fairgrounds. Approximately 60 volunteers put together 432 Christmas baskets.

ESCANABA — This week, St. Vincent de Paul of Escanaba (SVdP) used the Ruth Butler Building as a warehouse, converting donations from the community into Christmas baskets for neighbors in need this holiday season.

Families will be able to pick up their Christmas baskets Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ruth Butler Building at the U.P. State Fairgrounds. Families who have previously registered are asked to bring their identification card with them to pick up their basket. Christmas baskets not picked up will be returned to SVdP.

Volunteer and organizer Julie Bishop hustled in and out of the building making sure every volunteer had what they needed to create 432 Christmas baskets, serving over 1,000 people.

For over 30 years, families in the area have filled out information on a form used by SVdP volunteers to create a gift basket of items needed. The gift is called a Christmas basket and is made up of food items, clothes, and toys.

“The food was purchased by St. Vincent de Paul,” said Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Escanaba District Council President Barbara (Babs) Cavadeas. “And Jilbert’s Dairy is donating milk for the baskets this year.”

A sampling of food items included in the baskets are potatoes, cereal, crackers, cake mix, apple sauce, juice, and jelly. Approximately 60 volunteers worked through the week to get the baskets ready for Friday. Some volunteers have been around a while, and others have recently started.

Julie Nelson and her son Tom, second year volunteers, came back this year after enjoying giving back to the community and helping others last year. Penny West, also a second year volunteer, recognizes some people do not have as good a life as others.

“It’s nice to help others out by giving,” said West. “I have a good life, not everyone does.”

This year, $1,077 was collected by the Escanaba Township Fire Department, Knights of Columbus and SVdP.

“For two months we had cans in local businesses to collect donations for purchasing hats, mittens, coats, shoes, boots, and other items needed,” said volunteer John King. “It’s a new thing we tried this year.”

Another new activity this year is giving a child the toy they requested. The child wrote down what they would like on a tag that was placed on a tree. That toy is placed in the family’s Christmas basket.

Every year, five to six volunteer firefighters from the Escanaba Township department have volunteered making the baskets. Other regular volunteers include students from Escanaba High School and Holy Name Catholic School.

“We have fun every year volunteering, it’s a good time,” said volunteer Mary Winker. “It’s a family thing with us. We’re out to recruit people to volunteer because the ones who started it (Christmas baskets) before us are retiring.”

Cavadeas would like people to know SVdP is more than a store — members grow spiritually by helping others.

“The whole community gets involved in making the Christmas baskets,” said Cavadeas. “Not just St. Vincent de Paul. It’s a way of helping a neighbor in need.”

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