To the Editor: 

Just as the weather turned sharply colder, the Albany County Sheriff’s office welcomed this year’s donation of 50 blankets to the 31st annual Hilltown Christmas Program from the local chapter of Project Linus, a national organization that provides handmade blankets to children in need.

Donated through Project Linus by a local blanketeer, the colorful, warm fleece blankets will be distributed at the annual Hilltown Christmas party to be held this year at the Albany County Sheriff’s Office in Clarksville on Sunday, Dec. 15.

It is a fun time for the entire family and, while the children are engaged in other holiday activities, parents are provided the opportunity to select donated toys and books for their children as well as needed winter clothes, boots, and mittens — and a handmade blanket. This year’s program will provide services to 100 families with nearly 200 children.

You have an opportunity to participate in supporting this program by attending one of the toy drives scheduled for Nov. 30 at Hannaford in Voorheesville and Dec. 7 at the Bethlehem Price Chopper in Slingerlands.

Both collection drives will run from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. It is always fun to purchase toys for the little ones, but please remember how important the holiday is to older children as well. If you are looking for gift ideas for an older child, consider small hand-held games or passes for movies, bowling, or other fun activities.

You can provide financial assistance to the program by contributing to the collection buckets at one of the toy drives or by mailing a check payable to Hilltown Christmas Program to: Albany County Sheriff’s Office, 58 Verda Avenue — Post Office Box A, Clarksville, NY 12041.

If you are interested in learning more about Project Linus, as a new blanketeer or as an organization in need of blankets for children, contact JoAnne Marcario, coordinator for the Albany/Rensselaer chapter of Project Linus, at . 

Sharon Breisch

New Scotland