INSIDE:
3
5 Melchers’ home open for holidays
13 Deputies graduate academy
14
Brooke Point graduate shines at VMI
Wifi signal becoming essential
NOVEMBER 20, 2015
VOLUME 27, NUMBER 36
VIEWPOINTS, PAGE 4 | PUZZLES, PAGE 14 | CLASSIFIEDS, PAGE 15
75¢
INSIDENOVA.COM
SERVE dishes up holiday helping TRACY BELL
Stafford County Sun
T
his holiday season, SERVE is gearing up to assist families and individuals in need as the organization does all throughout the year. Also known as Stafford Emergency Relief through Volunteer Efforts, SERVE is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that assists Stafford County residents. Marilyn Stevens, SERVE’s executive director, said that what the organization needs most from the community as the holidays approach is food. There is an ongoing, continuous need for pantry food, she said, regardless of the time of year. However, SERVE will assist 150 to 200 families for Thanksgiving and another 150 to 200 families around Christmas, Stevens said. “Stafford is growing so quickly and with this growth, we can safely project the need for food pantry assistance to increase,” she said. SERVE distributed 101.9 tons of food last fiscal year and are on target to exceed the amount this year, all with a staff of five and some 25 regular volunteers, Stevens said. SERVE has a food ‘wish list’ on its website that includes spaghetti sauce, crackers, soup, peanut butter, jelly, canned and box meals and canned vegetables, tomatoes and beans. The organization also occasionally needs toiletries, cleaners, laundry items, baby and paper products. The group also lists specific needed items that it includes in its holiday food baskets that are filled with traditional holiday foods, as well as breakfast and lunch items. Stevens said that community donations of turkeys or grocery store gift cards help complete the baskets. SERVE began its mission to help the community in 1979, striving to help alleviate local human suffering by meeting the emergency needs of those experiencing financial crises, and promoting programs to encourage self-sufficiency. “We are so grateful to Stafford for supporting SERVE for 36 years,” Stevens
Stafford Emergency Relief through Volunteer Efforts (SERVE) volunteers Kay Larson, left, and Wendy Bristow, both of North Stafford, organize donated foods in the organization’s pantry. Both women are members of Ebenezer Methodist Church, whose congregation volunteers at SERVE on Tuesdays. ALEKS DOLZENKO| STAFFORD COUNTY SUN
said. “The compassion of our Stafford community has been the catalyst for many families in need to find their way out of their emergencies.” SERVE typically receives its donations and assistance from local residents, Stafford’s churches, schools, civic organizations and businesses, as well as Stafford County government, the Rappahannock United Way and various campaigns and sponsors. The group serves Stafford residents, along with 22 senior citizens and disabled clients from neighboring localities that were grandfathered in when SERVE restructured its service area. In addition to operating a food pantry,
SERVE also offers free programs, services, counseling, events and classes. For instance, SERVE offers a Teenage Christmas Program, accepting donations of teen gifts or $20 gift cards to stores such as Target, Walmart and Old Navy. Stevens explained that the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots focuses its support of SERVE on children up to 14 years old, so community help is needed for older teens. “We have 150 teenagers that will not be receiving a Christmas gift unless we help to provide for this great need,” said Stevens. Volunteers are always needed at SERVE to assist in many ways, including processing food donations and purchased
food, supporting SERVE staff, conducting food drives, filling food boxes, representing SERVE at various community events and serving on the organization’s golf tournament planning committee. The next fundraising golf tournament will be April 29, she added. SERVE Another SERVE program, PAGE 7 Stuff the Truck, relies on
8
57144
00401
8