'Tis the Season to Enjoy - Winter 2022

Volunteer Newsletter
To see in those in need the face of Christ

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to All!


During this joyous season, we are grateful for all of our SVdP volunteers. We hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday with your loved ones and wish you good health in 2023. Thank you for all you do to help us help others. We look forward to seeing you next year!

2022 Calendar
  • Saturday, December 24, 2022: SVdP Center is closed for the holiday.
  • Saturday, December 31, 2022: SVdP Center is open normal hours.

SVdP New Board Members Elected

Congratulations to the new members recently added to the SVdP Board for the next three-year term. They are Nancy Fitzgerald, Donna Horney, Laurie Jantz and John Syarto. We thank retiring officers and board members Wanda Diffley, Charlie Fitzgerald and Barbara Harries.

Art Sale a Big Success!

The SVdP Art Sale held October 21-23 at Saints Peter and Paul Parish's Maria M. Mitchell Social Hall was very well attended. Thanks to generous donors, we were given many great pieces of original art and quality framed prints to offer for sale. Proceeds of over $9,400 benefited our Food Pantry. Special thanks to Saints Peter and Paul Parish, the SVdP Furniture Department, the event committee: Anjali Hinduja & Barbara Harries (co-chairs), Kate Levey, Stephanie Handy and Donna Horney. We appreciated the extra assistance from the Oxford Community Center, Easton Utilities and the Oxford Fire Company Auxiliary.


We thank these volunteers who helped before, during, and after the event (in addition to the committee): Sue Comey, Sheila Dyer, Judy Pascal, Steve Page, Maire McArdle, Pauline Berrigan, Lisa Gritti, Ken Tokarz, Millie Houck, Wanda and Peter Diffley, Alex Handy, Laurie and Kim Mackaness, Lise Valliant, Rose Sigman, David Sherrill, Anjali's sons Arman, Alan and Aarav plus exchange student Yannel (SSPP HS), Colin Roberts (SSPP HS), and John Syarto.



Alex Handy and Peter Diffley serving champagne at the preview event.

Committee L-R: Stephanie Handy, Donna Horney, Barbara Harries, Anjali Hinduja, Kate Levey

Maria M. Mitchell Social

Hall at SSPP

Annual Christmas Holiday Sale


Our annual Christmas holiday sale night, held on Wednesday, November 17th, saw a profit of more than $2,700 for the evening! Here's our own John Syarto, modeling a holiday themed sport coat to get us all in the spirit of the season! There are still plenty of great Christmas decorations and festive clothing, so stop by!

SVdP Samaritan's Shop Stocked


On Saturday, November 19, four SSPP Middle Schoolers along with their teacher Mrs. Susan Galanek, volunteered at SVdP to assist with a very special project, setting up The Samaritan’s Shop. Many months of planning and prep work preceded that day, along with the collection of household items generously donated by SSPP Elementary School families.


The idea for The Samaritan’s Shop came from SVdP experiencing an increased need for material goods among the people who came in seeking assistance. There seemed to be a rising number of families who, for one reason or another, found themselves starting over, setting up house from scratch. Kate Levey, manager of the Thrift Store, conferred with Sherrie Connolly principal of SSPP Elementary, Religious Ed teacher Emily Effinger,and Middle School teacher, Susan Galanek, about the possibility of reaching out to school families for donations of household goods. It was no surprise that the families responded with enthusiasm and generous abundance. Once the collection of goods was complete, Kate Levey invited the students to come help organize and set up. According to Levey, they had already secured a storage unit right outside the back door of the Thrift Store, and a number of people had donated shelving. We basically had an empty store waiting to be stocked with dishes, cups, silverware, pots pans, sheets, blankets, pillows, towels, and so forth. The kids came that chilly Saturday morning and worked for several hours, emptying boxes, sorting the inventory and organizing it on the shelves. They did a fantastic job, and we have already served a number of families.

7th grader Charles, 8th graders Lauren, Madeline, Samantha

Samaritan's Shop -housewares

Samaritan's Shop - soft goods

Angel Tree 2022

Thank you to everyone who has donated money towards gift cards for our local children and seniors. You will definitely make their Christmas brighter because of your generosity. Because of increased need this year, donations are being accepted until the end of the year.

Giving Tuesday


The GivingTuesday Data Commons estimates that giving in the United States alone totaled $3.1 billion on GivingTuesday 2022, representing a 15% increase compared to GivingTuesday 2021, and a 25% increase since 2020. 37 million adults in the U.S. participated in GivingTuesday in some way, a 6% increase from 2021, contributing much needed and critical support to causes, communities, and non-profit organizations as the giving season begins this year in the face of substantial economic challenges and continued volatility. 


Thank you to all who chose SVdP during this event! We received over $1,700 in donations.

Food Pantry

Food pantry volunteers (from left: Anne Lefebvre, Elaine Costello, Carole Weinmann, Anne Warfel) assembled 300 bags of cleaning supplies (and chocolate!) for the neighbors who came to the pantry this Christmas season. 

Kelly Distributors of Easton generously undertook a household supplies drive for the food pantry. Employees Misty Adkins and Dave Rizer deliver a pallet of much-appreciated laundry detergent, dish soap, and spray cleaners.


Amazon Smile Account


When you shop on Amazon, please click on this special link (or copy and paste into your browser): https://smile.amazon.com/ch/82-5261263 or specify "St. Vincent de Paul Saints Peter and Paul Conference I" from the Amazon Smile (smile.amazon.com) website. You only need to sign up once, and then log in to https://smile.amazon.com each time you shop. We receive 0.5% of purchases and it all makes a difference.
THANK YOU!
Find Us on Facebook & Instagram!
In addition to our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/svdpeastonmd) and our Thrift Store Facebook page (St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store - Easton, MD - Home | Facebook), we have an Instagram presence. Please look for us at https://instagram.com/svdpeastonmd. Please share this info with friends.

Welcome New Volunteers!


Mary Lee Murrin - Boutique

Stephanie Ross - Thrift Store

Robert Denise - St. Vincent Advisors

Stephen Gunther - St. Vincent Advisors & Food Pantry

Teal Gunther - Food Pantry

Allyson Swindall - St. Vincent Advisors

Jane Holly - Thrift Store

Juan Martinez - St. Vincent Advisors & Food Pantry

Daniel Stover - Food Pantry

Beronica Sanchez - St. Vincent Advisors

Bill Pisaruck - St. Vincent Advisors

Carol Ann Meholic - Food Pantry

Jim Meholic - Food Pantry

Betty Fitzpatrick - Furniture

Ryan Dietsch - Furniture

Beverly Lynch - Boutique

Mary Ann Otterbeck - Boutique

Janet Schilling - Boutique

Paul Petrichenko - Food Pantry

William Messner - Furniture

Contact Us:

Society of St. Vincent de Paul SSPP Conference, Inc.

29533 Canvasback Drive

P.O. Box 783

Easton, MD 21601

410.770.4505

email: svdpeastonmd@gmail.com

website: https://svdpeastonmd.org/

(Articles/information for future issues may be submitted via email to barbaraharries@gmail.com)

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