Workcamp Fundraiser

A Success

To the Editor:

On behalf of the 2010 Newtown Ecumenical Workcamp Students (NEWS), we would like to thank everyone who helped make our annual fundraising breakfast a very successful and entertaining event.

NEWS is an ecumenical group of 31 students from Newtown Congregational Church, St Rose Catholic Church, United Methodist Church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and a few are unaffiliated. These teens, along with their nine chaperones, will spend one week of their summer vacation performing much-needed home repairs for Hurricane Katrina-ravaged homes in Biloxi, Miss.

We would like thank our fellow advisory board members and their families for their dedication and many hours of hard work — Jerry Cole, Matt Cole, Shawna King, Justin Nickerson, Tammy DeMarche, Rich Weiss, Reverend Matt Crebbin, and Karen Keating.

Thank you to Carl Lindquist and his creative entertainment committee who provided us with fabulous Madri Gras-themed entertainment. To J. Edwards, our emcee for the morning (and a former chaperone), thank you for supporting workcamp yet again; the breakfast would not be the same without you. We are indebted to Laura Sullivan and Donna Mangiafico for their endless efforts on this year’s breakfast. Thank you to Shannon Hicks and The Newtown Bee for their continued support of our workcamp mission program.

NEWS would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the St Rose Knights of Columbus members Danny Barrett and Markus Balas and their Knights’ kitchen staff who spent their Saturday morning cooking for us. We also extend a warm thank you to the members of the NCC Men’s Fellowship, for their overwhelming kitchen support.

We thank the generous organizations and businesses that sponsored tables this year, including: Curtis Beck, DMD, Honan Funeral Home, Lathrop School of Dance, The LaurelRock Company, The Morlath Family, Brautigam Land Surveyors, Family Health Career Center of Newtown, Newtown Jr Women’s Club, RHYS Commercial, Sugar Hill LLC, Eastern Land Management, Newtown Rotary Club, Urology Associates of Danbury, and Taylor Lynn Carpentry. To the many families that also sponsored tables, we sincerely thank you for your support.

Many thanks to the generous businesses that donated items for our successful raffle: Ace Hardware in Bethel, Andrea’s Bakery, A New Beginning Spa, Bit of Tack, Carminuccio’s Pizza, Chintz-N-Prints, Club NewFit, Ferris Acres Creamery, Franco’s Pizza, Kolam restaurant, Mexicali Rose, Mona Lisa restaurant, Newtown Color Center, Newtown Cultural Arts Commission, Newtown Florist, Newtown Hardware, Newtown Youth Academy, Nina’s Nail Salon, Pier One Imports of Southbury, Radio Shack, Ricci’s Salon and Spa, Sandy Hook Hair Co., Smokey Topaz, Spa Mianra, Starbucks Coffee, Tambascio’s, Thomas E. Salon, UK Gourmet, Villarina’s, and Wines Unlimited.. Thank you also to the families of workcamp students that generously donated raffle items and gift baskets.

Thank you again to everyone who attended the breakfast at Newtown Congregational Church. We appreciate your support. Their mission trip would not be possible without you.

Terry Ferris and Sue Mouchantat

Workcamp Advisory Board

and Breakfast Organizers

144 Sugar Street, Newtown                                          March 30, 2010