BonnerSprings.com

Jeannine Gallagher fought back tears last week when she explained the importance of Vaughn-Trent Community Services’ annual Christmas basket drive.

“There is no pain like hunger,” said Gallagher, who chairs the committee leading the effort.

After more than 40 years participating in the annual charity program, Gallagher has seen just how much a box of food can make a difference in someone’s life.

And Thursday was no different as community members gathered, just as they have since 1960, to distribute boxes filled with food to their hungry neighbors.

“It only takes one of them with tears in their eyes to make everything worthwhile,” Gallagher said. “And we’ve had more than one of those today.”

Volunteers started Monday by putting out boxes and continued through the week sorting and packing the donated food items. Volunteers ranged from adult community members to students from home schools, USD 204 and the Sacred Heart School.

This year, as has been the case for the past few years, the program put together about 250 boxes for community members in need, but even with that amount, Gallagher said she expected there to be more in need.

“We were surprised,” she said. “Because of the economy, we thought there would be more.”

No matter the number of people requesting the boxes, Gallagher said the program had a good response from the community as far as donations. With other charitable agencies such as Harvesters and The Salvation Army publicity vocalizing their increased needs this year, Gallagher said she thought their cries for help encouraged more people to give.

The baskets contained nonperishable food items that were donated, as well as items such as eggs, bread, sugar and potatoes.

This year a Price Chopper gift certificate for a turkey or ham was given to those receiving boxes. Gallagher said this was changed this year so that people could decide when they wanted to pick up their piece of meat.

“It’s the 17th so there’s still a few days until Christmas. Many of the people may not have freezers,” Gallagher said of why the gift certificate was given instead. “I think it worked out really, really well.”

Helping carrying shopping carts filled with the boxes of food was Gallagher’s daughter, Debe Birzer.

“It’s what Christmas is all about,” she said.

Birzer said she looks forward to volunteering with the food program each year. In a season when so much emphasis is placed on receiving gifts, Birzer said the Vaughn-Trent Christmas basket program reminds her of the real meaning of Christmas in her everyday life.

“It’s about humans taking care of each other,” she said. “It’s about the soul.”

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