Allison Gaudio(far left), stands with United States Marine Corps, following a personnel donation from the Toys for Tots program to New Windsor School’s toy drive. (Photo by Andrea Merrill)
From Kerry Butrick, Newburgh Enlarged School District
Students and staff at New Windsor School recently wrapped up the holiday season – literally and figuratively. The season of giving began with the annual Thanksgiving food drive, conducted by the Clintonian Honor Society, which is directed by faculty advisors Gigi Cinnante, Joanna Clift, Michelle Delgado and Sheila Manning. Students and staff collected and distributed food for Thanksgiving baskets for 36 families in the school.
The season continued with the school’s annual holiday toy drive, directed by teaching assistant Allison Gaudio and school psychologist Kelly Caci. Generous students and staff donated numerous toys to be given to school families in need of holiday presents. The toy drive was unexpectedly and delightfully enhanced with the help of the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program. The Marine Corps generously donated toys collected as part of the Toys for Tots program to the New Windsor toy drive, resulting in a dramatic increase in the amount of toys collected.
New Windsor School teaching assistant Allison Gaudio (left) and school psychologist Kelly Caci (right), organizers of the New Windsor School annual holiday toy drive. This holiday season, generous students and staff donated numerous toys to be given to school families in need of holiday presents. (Photo by Andrea Merrill)
Additionally, fourth grade teacher Karen Roberts partnered with the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation for their annual holiday dinner. Participants from Orange, Dutchess, Rockland, and Sullivan counties attended the dinner, bringing an unwrapped toy to benefit children in the Hudson Valley. New Windsor School was one of the recipients of a generous donation from the federation, adding to the growing toy drive collection at school.
Overall, as a result of the generous donations from New Windsor students and staff, and area organizations, a total of 106 children from 40 families received holiday toys from the toy drive. All gifts were wrapped by New Windsor staff members, who volunteered their free time before, during, and after the school day.
This year, employees from ShopRite of Vails Gate contacted New Windsor School and expressed interest in sponsoring a local family for the holiday season. On Weds., December 22, 2010, several ShopRite staff, led by store manager Dominick Ausino, delivered three carloads of gifts and food to benefit the family. ShopRite staff back row (from left to right): Steve Guida, Ashley Strait, Kathy Billesimo, Maggie Berwick, Kevin Corbett; New Windsor School staff Kelly Caci & Michelle Delgado. Front row (from left): New Windsor TA Allison Gaudio, ShopRite store manager Dominic Ausino. (photo by Margaret Depuy)
The wonder of the holiday season continued when first grade teacher Michelle Delgado received a phone call from the Vails Gate ShopRite. The store’s employees expressed interest in sponsoring a local family for Christmas. This was something new for the store, and Michelle Delgado and Kelly Caci were ecstatic to be able to partner with a local business to benefit another family at New Windsor School. A receiving family was selected by the school staff, and within less than two weeks the Vails Gate ShopRite staff gathered together their donations. On Weds., December 22, 2010, several ShopRite staff, led by store manager Dominick Ausino, delivered three carloads of gifts and food to benefit the family. The New Windsor staff was absolutely overwhelmed with the generosity of the ShopRite staff, as was the receiving family.
Also during the holiday season, staff members became aware of the dire needs of two different families in the building for basic items like clothing, coats, and beds. The staff rallied together and acquired five beds, as well as contributing furniture such as couches and dining tables, in addition to a TV, numerous bags of clothing and winter coat donations. Basic necessities such as dishes, pots and pans, and bedding were also donated, and all items were delivered to the two separate families by New Windsor staff members and their families. The generosity of the staff resulted in several truck loads of items to furnish the apartments of these two families.
With the state of the present economy, the New Windsor staff was concerned about being able to serve enough families during the holiday season. However, the hard work and generosity of the New Windsor students and staff, in partnership with area businesses and organizations, resulted in a very happy holiday season.
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