1.24.2006

While busy in the office and around town, I am always aware that many others are on the job in Killingworth as well. They are the men and women who serve us as volunteers or town employees helping to keep us safe and our community vibrant. Three groups have particularly been up front and center recently.

There are about 40 emergency firefighters in Killingworth. Fifteen of them were joined by firefighters from neighboring towns, in a prompt response to the fire at 293 Route 148 on January 13. They were responsible for rescuing Ian Jansma from the burning building and limiting major damage to one corner of the home. The house, dating back to the 1700s can definitely be restored. Fire Chief Fred Dudek, praised the crew for an excellent job. He said that "their extensive training and preparation paid off." The commitment of our firefighters reinforces the importance that volunteers provide to our community. We as a town respect their skills and ongoing dedication.

Let's extend a hand of thanks to the "Helping Hands"of three Killingworth women. Lisa Sodergren, Alice Simoniello, and Michelle Amendola operate a food pantry serving 65 needy families in town. About 80% of the food is donated from various organizations' "food drives". During holiday seasons they distribute cartons of food with frozen turkey or hams, fresh produce and home baked pastries or pies from Lyman Orchards.

Value Print in Clinton provides boxes for the gift parcels. "Helping Hands" also distributes toys during the holidays. Michelle initiated a school snack program for needy children throughout the school year.

These dedicated women conduct their ambitious enterprise out of a room on the second floor of the Town Office Building that is bursting with food stuffs. The Board of Selectmen is now renovating a portion of the town garage to accommodate "Helping Hands" with more space and a more efficient facility for receiving and distributing goods. The volunteers will be able to display the merchandise attractively and make it easier for the clients to choose what they need. "Helping Hands" services are invaluable to many members of this community. They are looking for more volunteers and can be reached at their hot line number, 663 4047.

A group of town employees deserving a hearty thank you, are the Town Crew who worked diligently through the recent Saturday night/Sunday morning weather horror. They worked through freezing temperatures, an ice and snow mix, and gale force winds, to get our roads scraped and sanded. Residents without power for 17 hours appreciated having clean roads to drive to more comfortable surroundings.

Thank you all for being on the job!

Sincerely,
Marty