Published: December 14, 2008 11:56 pm      

Union Rescue Mission helps

Volunteers work to create robust dinner tables for families in need

CUMBERLAND — ‘Tis the season for giving. That was the holiday message running through the minds of the volunteers who donated their Saturday morning to helping those in need.

Held on the second Saturday of December, the Union Rescue Mission’s Christmas Food Baskets program has become a tradition for many of the volunteers. This year, more than 70 volunteers helped put food in boxes that were delivered to 315 families.

“This year we are feeding over 1,500 men, women and children,” said Terry Taylor, executive administrator and special project coordinator. “It’s so wonderful to do this. I call this project ‘Happy Homes,’ because today we’re making over 300 happy homes with these baskets.”

The baskets were filled with cans of vegetables, fruit, ravioli, spaghetti, boxes of macaroni, stuffing, bags of apples, potatoes and other miscellaneous items. Each home also got a turkey.

“We rely completely on volunteers and donations,” Taylor said. “We get donations from churches, organizations and food drives. This year, Kelco Credit Union organized a turkey drive and donated approximately 100 turkeys.”

And making these happy homes isn’t just a one-day thing for Taylor and the volunteers. The giving will continue through the week.

“We will be taking additional names throughout the week,” Taylor said. “We also have a food pantry, though not at this site, and anyone can make donations.”

Barb Oneal of Cumberland was one of the many volunteers that has continued to come back and help with the baskets.

“I have been doing this a long time, over 10 years,” she said. “Rev. Dan Taylor is my pastor so we wanted to help him and those in need. There are a lot of hungry people out there.”

Cindy Chrisholm, youth group director for LaVale’s Faith PCA, has also been volunteering for nearly 10 years.

“Our family started coming with the youth group before we became the directors,” Chrisholm said. “Now it’s one of my favorite parts of Christmas. It’s hard to put into words, but it’s so rewarding knowing we are helping provide relief.”

The Christmas Food Baskets program started in 1990 when the Rev. Daniel Taylor and his wife, Terry, got together with friends from the Bedford Valley Bible Church. Deciding they wanted to do something extra for the holidays, they created the program.

That December, there was only a small group of about eight people making and delivering 50 baskets. Though starting at 8 a.m., the group didn’t finish until 11 p.m. Now the program has flourished and, with the help of all the volunteers and donations, baskets are assembled and delivered in three to four hours.

Baskets are delivered to individuals and families in Cumberland, Cresaptown, LaVale, Lonaconing, Rawlings, Midland, Westernport, Mount Savage, Oldtown, Frostburg and Flintstone.

Sarah Taylor, daughter of Dan and Terry, has been helping her parents with the program since it began.

“It’s so great seeing everyone come together for goodness; working as a team to help the less fortunate,” she said.

Taylor adds she is so impressed at how organized her mom keeps everything. And, after watching her mom run this for the past 18 years, she may be next in line to carry on the tradition.

“I would hope she would turn the job over to me and, if so, I would gladly do so,” she said. “It’s just so rewarding to see how much good can be done.”

For more information or to refer individuals or families for a Christmas Food Basket, contact the Union Rescue Mission at (301) 724-1585.

Tess Hill can be reached at thill@times-news.com.