Georgetown, Del., Dec. 5, 2011: Sussex County came a-caroling – and a-collecting – for a cause that will make Christmas a bit brighter for needy families.
More than 600 carolers sang in the holiday season during the 28th annual Caroling on The Circle event Monday night, Dec. 5, singing traditional and Spanish carols and, along the way, doing their part to help collect almost 24,500 canned goods and other non-perishable food items for the less fortunate of the community.
The event each year kicks off the holiday season for Sussex County, while serving as a community food drive to benefit local pantries. Started in 1984 as part of the Delaware First initiative, Caroling on The Circle continues to cheer hearts and help those in need more than two decades later. To date, the community has donated nearly 575,000 canned goods through the Caroling on The Circle program.
Monday night’s Caroling event, along with collections from Sussex County Council, County employees, numerous schools, groups and businesses, helped push this year’s preliminary total about 4,500 items above the more than 20,000 items collected in 2010. The collection effort will continue through the end of this month, so the final number could go higher.
County Administrator-appointee Todd F. Lawson said the Caroling on The Circle food drive’s ‘Pack the POD’ campaign has been a huge success. This year, the County set up a 14-foot-by-7-foot PODS storage trailer on The Circle to serve as a focal point for Caroling and heighten awareness about the food drive.
“There’s no doubt that times are tough right now for many families right here in Sussex County. Sussex County has really stepped up and shown that even in the toughest of times, we can pull together to make a difference for our neighbors,” Mr. Lawson said. “Every can of vegetables, every box of macaroni, every dollar raised through Caroling on The Circle means one more meal for a less fortunate neighbor here in Sussex County. That’s a success.”
“We’re thankful for this outpouring of support, and we’re sure the families receiving this food will be thankful for the community’s continued generosity,” Mr. Lawson said.
Mr. Lawson said because the need in the community continues to stretch local food pantry programs, the County will again extend its collection effort through the end of December in order to maximize donation totals. The public can drop off canned goods and non-perishable food items between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the County Administrative Offices building on The Circle or the West Complex offices on U.S. 113, both in Georgetown.
Mr. Lawson thanked the public and those in attendance at Monday night’s event, and acknowledged several participating groups. Those included County Council, County employees, Steve Class/Colonial East, the Delaware Manufactured Home Owners Association, First State Manufactured Housing Association, Fuqua, Yori & Willard, the Punkin’ Chunkin’ Association, Sussex County Association of REALTORS®, Beacon Middle, Delmarva Christian High, Georgetown Elementary, Georgetown Middle, H.O. Brittingham Elementary, Howard T. Ennis, Milton Elementary, and North Georgetown Elementary schools.
Items collected will be donated to approximately one dozen area pantries, shelters and church organizations for distribution within Sussex County.
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