In 2005, a group of Harwood freshmen in student council signed on to be part of an Interact team. This evolved into a club at Harwood. Interact is an organization sponsored by the Waterbury and Valley Rotary Clubs and is devoted to performing community service and service learning projects for both local and international causes.
The Harwood team has organized and executed numerous projects, including Gifts of Kindness, a toy drive, which many may have heard of or supported in past years. After recognizing the lack of holiday cheer for many children in local homeless shelters, the Interact team organized a drive to collect toys, clothing and basic supplies for the Good Samaritan Haven in Barre as well as the Battered Women's Shelter. The success of the drive in the past has been tremendous and the group is hoping to have the same community response this year. Club members are asking the community to donate new or gently used items for adults and children ages 6 months to 12 years. These families are in desperate need of toys, clothing such as long underwear, socks, hats, mittens, winter coats, good sneakers (especially women’s 8 to 9 and men’s sizes 8 to 14), toiletries (bottles of shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, lotion, adult toothbrushes), wrist watches, alarm clocks, children’s educational videos, new towels, twin mattress pads, twin sheet sets, folding laundry baskets, entertainment passes (movies, bowling, etc.), and prepaid cards (gas, phone, food).
This year yarn will also be collected as part of the drive. Donations of new and used yarn to help warm those in need would be greatly appreciated. The ladies at the DOC Women’s facility turn donated yarn into mittens, hats and scarves that are sent to homeless shelters and child care facilities throughout the state during the holidays!
The Interact Club invites the community to participate.
Collection boxes will be located from November 7 through December 16 in local schools and several other locations in the community. For additional information, contact Ellen Berrings,
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