Give, Enjoy Holiday Cheer

A free Thanksgiving dinner at First Unitarian Society of Plainfield drew double the number of guests than attended last year.

All the food was donated by church members and volunteers set up tables, served the food and cleaned up. It was a scene that was most likely replicated at several other churches across the city and which will take place again on Christmas.

The sharp increase in attendance is surely an indicator of the economic decline that is affecting the entire nation. If you can, please donate to toy and winter clothing drives, food pantries and local soup kitchens.

An interesting sidelight this year is that some charitable events are including distribution of energy-saving light bulbs. This was mentioned when Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs met with seniors Tuesday. A senior center member raised the question of how spent bulbs can be properly disposed of, saying an out-of-town hazardous waste collection was not very convenient. The bulbs contain a small amount of mercury and are not supposed to be tossed in household trash.

First Unitarian Society has been giving out Compact Fluorescent Bulbs at its monthly food pantry and will also be giving them out at the Christmas dinner, along with information on proper use and disposal. The church came up with a plan to exchange burned-out bulbs for new ones at the food pantry to ensure safe disposal.

Meanwhile, the city is holding a toy giveaway in conjunction with the City Hall tree lighting at 6 p.m. tonight (Friday, Dec. 5) and will also offer a light meal, according to a press release on the city web site.

Plainfield has more than 100 houses of worship, so even those who do not attend can easily find one in the neighborhood and donate goods or time to a holiday dinner. If in need, city residents can be assured of a genuine welcome at the table. As a reporter, I covered a number of Plainfield holiday dinners and always saw the true spirit of giving and sharing.

--Bernice Paglia