Knox ladies’ auxiliary gathers goods for natal days

The Enterprise — Melissa Hale-Spencer

Holding a hairband with a polka-dot bow, Mary Sherman displays the goods contained in a colorful bag with all the fixings for a girl’s birthday party.

KNOX — Mary Sherman wants to see that every Hilltown child is celebrated on his or her birthday.

“If people can’t afford food, how can they have a birthday party?” she asks. “Children shouldn’t go without a birthday party.”

To solve that dilemma, Sherman and the members of the Knox Volunteer Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary are putting together bags to be delivered to the Hilltown Community Resource Center, which, among other services, runs a food pantry.

The big, colorful bags — some labeled for girls and others for boys — are filled with all the fixings for a child’s birthday party. There is cake mix, frosting, candles, a tablecloth, party favors, soap bubbles, stickers, goody bags with trinkets — tops and toy cars for the boys, and headbands and jewelry for the girls.

“It’s everything they need for a party,” said Sherman.

The ladies’ auxiliary used to send care packages to local soldiers. “That’s dwindled down to one,” said Sherman. So the ladies’ efforts are now going toward the birthday-party project.

Anyone who would like to participate may send contributions to the  Knox Volunteer Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary, Post Office Box 15, Knox, NY  12107.

For more information, call Sherman at (518) 895-2795.

“It’s my baby,” she said, cradling the bag in her arms.

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