Area Residents Gobble Up Gifts of Warm Hearts and Warm Meals

    On a crisp November morning, the people inside The Braddock House in Frostburg, Maryland anxiously anticipated doing something that sums up the holiday season. People always say that those weeks surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas are when it is most important to give the gift of giving. Frostburg State University was able to do just that on the days of November 19 and 20.

    Groups and individuals were given an opportunity to donate various food items to families in need who live in this region. A checklist was provided to people who wished to donate that listed what food items were needed for the Thanksgiving baskets. Those donating simply provided the non-perishable items, such as canned vegetables, and the turkeys were already provided for each basket.

    Many students took time of their schedules to volunteer with the event, knowing that it was for such a good cause. Keith Davidson, a junior at FSU, said of his experience, “It was very rewarding to deliver food to families in need, and I’m glad I got to share in the experience and help make a family’s holiday special.” Davidson enjoys helping out his fellow people, which he has demonstrated by being involved in AmeriCorps for a few years now.

    Indeed, the donations did make families’ holidays special. 81 families, to be exact, benefited from the baskets. This totaled up to approximately 284 people who were able to enjoy delicious Thanksgiving meals thanks to the event. 41 people and organizations got involved in the process, which means that the families were able to receive their baskets in record time. Anyone who donated goods was able to do so on Monday, and the baskets were actually delivered on Monday and Tuesday.

    FSU junior Nicole Wilson was also among the list of people who helped to deliver the baskets. Wilson was very glad that she chose to partake in the event, and stated “It was a really unique experience. It is one thing to donate the food for the baskets, but the look on people’s faces when they receive them, and how thankful they are for it is truly heartwarming and lets you know you made a difference to them.”  Wilson enjoyed delivering the baskets and felt that seeing the effects firsthand made the experience more worthwhile and meaningful. She stated “It means more donating the food when you see where it goes.” It is always reassuring to be able to see that the receivers of good deeds do appreciate the efforts, and that they are actually receiving every bit of the work and donations that people have put forth.

   Patrick O’Brien, the associate director of the Office of Volunteerism and National Service, was also very involved in the process of getting the baskets ready and delivering them. O’Brien’s favorite part of the event is seeing the good that comes from the selfless giving, both inside the university and out. O’Brien commented on this point by saying “It never ceases to amaze me how much the university comes together for programs like this, and how willing we are to give to those in need.” It is the good feelings of teamwork and general love for mankind that pull the university together during events like these. Thankfully, this event is a tradition at the university, so it will be continued for many years to come.