Rotary Club of Hamburg kicks off Warm the Children, seeks volunteer shoppers, support!
Each fall, the Rotary Club of Hamburg is proud to sponsor “Warm the Children”, a program which assists families in need throughout the Southtowns, before the cold winter sets in. “Most of us know how to handle brutal Western New York winter weather,” says Elizabeth Angelbeck, coordinator of Warm the Children for Rotary Club of Hamburg. “For many families, soaring heating costs, as well as the high cost of groceries and rent prevent them from being able to purchase new, warm winter clothing for their youngsters.”
Last year, Warm the Children provided a record 563 children with new, winter clothes.
One hundred percent of all contributions go toward the purchase of new clothing for children in need and is fully tax-deductible. All administrative costs are absorbed by Rotary, while Club members are responsible for program coordination, with assistance from NBT Bank and community volunteers, who meet families at Walmart in Hamburg to select their clothing.
The Rotary Club of Hamburg last month dedicated the framed original logo artwork of the Warm the Children national program, created by famed presidential portrait artist, Herbert Abrams, whose paintings of George and Barbara Bush and Jimmy Carter hang in the White House. The artwork was donated to the Hamburg Rotary by Warm the Children founder, Mack Stewart, just prior to his death last February.
“The framed artwork, along with a dedication plaque and Warm the Children poster now hang in the Town of Hamburg Library’s children’s section as a reminder of what a community like Hamburg can do to help its children,” says Angelbeck. As editor of The Sun newspaper in 1995, Rotarian Eileen Hotho met and was impressed by Stewart and his program at the New York Press Association Convention and with the permission of the publishers of the paper launched the Warm the Children, locally. After the newspaper had changed ownership several times, then editor Dan Meyer contacted Hotho asking if the Rotary Club would consider taking over the program as the publishers no longer would. When the membership agreed to do so, a group of Rotarians let by Earl Knauss and Tom Johnson oversaw the program with The Sun until Liz Angelbeck became coordinator, resulting in its growth and reach.
Rotary greatly appreciated the early generous support from West Herr Automotive Group, Frontier Central Retired Employees Association and Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, and continues to seek donations of financial support and volunteer shoppers. “We want to encourage those who wish to contribute to Warm the Children to do so as early as possible, so we may send as many families to Walmart as we can, before the snow begins to fall,” explains Angelbeck.
Those wishing to contribute may do so by making checks payable to Warm the Children Fund, and either mailing or bringing donations to NBT Bank, 5999 S. Park Avenue, Hamburg, NY 14075. Or contributions may be made online at www.hamburgrotaryclub.org/SitePage/warm-the-children.