By Tyler R. Morrissey
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which marks the official beginning of the holiday season. The holidays are time to take stock of what’s important and a chance to reconnect with family and friends. It’s also the time to think about those who are less fortunate and those who are in need. William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty is proud to announce that many of our brokerage offices are participating in various toy drives, food drives and other philanthropic efforts this holiday season. Below are a handful of offices in the region that are accepting donations and spreading some holiday cheer.
Our Ridgefield brokerage, in partnership with the Ridgefield Social Services office, recently collected non-perishable foods, gift cards and holiday paper goods for two needy families to provide a Thanksgiving meal.
Our Old Lyme, Essex and Westport offices are participating in “Toys for Tots.” Founded in 1947, Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve that distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. Old Lyme and Essex will be collecting new, unwrapped toys until December 14th. Westport will be collecting toys Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In Danbury, brokerage agent Jean O’Neill is the Chairperson for NFCAR’s Community Involvement Committee, which runs an annual collection of winter clothes. This year the Danbury office served as a drop off location for hats, gloves and socks, collecting over 60 sets of winter apparel. Brokerage agent Kristie Perry, Vice President for Dream Come True of Western Connecticut, also organized a holiday toy drive for Dream Come True. Donations will be distributed to Dream children at their annual holiday breakfast later this year.
Also, our Danbury office created and donated a free tree for the 15th Annual Festival of the Trees. The event took place this past week and featured over 100 trees that were raffled off to benefit Ann’s Place, a charity that supports families living with cancer.
The theme of this year’s tree was “a beacon of hope,” as the office took up a collection to cover the cost of materials. Patty McManus handmade the lighthouse at the top of the tree, some of the ornaments and the tree skirt, while Lucy Blessey helped organize Danbury’s participation in this year’s event.
Our Guilford-Madison brokerage in partnership with the Shoreline Community Women will be assembling care packages to be shipped to our soldiers overseas during Christmas. Items they are accepting include socks, wet wipes, healthy snacks, razors and more. Donations can be dropped off at the Guilford or Madison office. The office is also accepting checks payable to the Shoreline Community Women to help cover the cost of postage.
Our Southport office will also be doing its part to spread some holiday cheer. Southport agents Judy Mitchell and Lisa Damp will participate in the annual “Fairfield Holiday Shop and Stroll” by handing out free cups of hot cocoa on the Sherman Green on Thursday, December 7, 2017 from 6 to 9 p.m. The Holiday Shop and Stroll is a festive evening featuring discounts at many of the local shops and restaurants in downtown Fairfield. In addition to giving away hot cocoa, the Judy Mitchell group will hold a free drawing for a $500 Visa Gift Card.
