Junior Woman’s Club Makes Donations

By Jeff White

Fourteen Newtown organizations and funds are a little richer, thanks to the Newtown Junior Woman’s Club, which handed out its annual contributions at a recent ceremony at the Meeting House.

On hand to receive the club’s donations were representatives from Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue (NUSAR), Newtown’s World War II Memorial, the Newtown Fund, Riverview Hospital for Children, and the Treadwell Park Playground Committee.

In opening remarks, club president Karen Udiskey remarked that choosing this year’s funding recipients was relatively easy for club members, as each group and cause was valuable to the Town of Newtown.

Mike McCarthy and Karl Sieling from NUSAR were present to receive a check that would go into a general account for the improvement of their equipment, according to Mr Sieling. NUSAR gets funding from the town, but Mr Sieling said that such funding is the bare minimum of what the group needs to keep their operation up and running.

“Our equipment, it’s unbelievable the expense on it,” Mr Sieling said. Every little bit helps, he added.

Lois Barber was on hand to receive a check for Newtown’s World War II Memorial. Ms Barber, whose grandfather fought in the war, thanked the club for supporting what she referred to as a wonderful tribute for Newtown’s veterans.

Doreen Kostecki of the Newtown Fund excepted the check on behalf of the program, which helps support the town’s elderly community and needy families.

The residents of Riverview Hospital for Children, a psychiatric hospital for children located in Middletown, will have new bathing suits, thanks to the Junior Woman’s Club. Jerelyn Taubert was on hand to receive the club’s donation of a large supply of “bigger-sized” bathing suits for use by the children during swimming classes and playtime.

Gordon Williams was also present at the ceremony, in order to receive a check on behalf of the Treadwell Park Playground Committee. The Lions Club President is helping to spur the project through the planning stages, in the hopes that a new playground will be in place at the park by next spring.

In addition to those able to be present to receive the Junior Woman’s Club donations, further donations were made to Michael Marsilio, the Newtown chapter of the Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut, and Threshold, a “safe house” for women and children located in Danbury.