The Spirit Of Giving

To the Editor:

In a society where public education and teachers are maligned too frequently, I would like to tell you a story of one teacher who truly knows “the spirit of giving.”

As a new member of the organization Women in Newtown (WIN), I became involved this year in their “Thanksgiving Basket” project to provide needy families in Newtown with supplies for a Thanksgiving meal.

I discovered many of our schools “adopted” these families and wanted my children’s school, Head O’ Meadow, to become part of this endeavor. When I approached Gail Diminico, my son’s kindergarten teacher and one of the School and Community Team (SCT) advisors, it was only 10 days away from the deadline. As a new parent not familiar with all the organizations our SCT sponsored, I requested assistance from Gail. She informed me that our school collected for a food pantry, but that she was an advisor for another local teen group in Bethel (her hometown) and she would like to help.

In less than 10 days, she organized her youth group to collect enough food and money for a grocery store gift certificate to provide Thanksgiving meals for two needy families in Newtown – not Bethel! She then took it upon herself to deliver the supplies to the Sandy Hook Firehouse on the designated night.

I am proud to have Gail Diminico as my son’s kindergarten teacher and Newtown should be grateful to have a teacher in its district with such a caring and giving spirit. She certainly embodies the qualities we hope all our children will experience in their educational careers.

Sincerely,

Susan Ruddock

29 Ashford Lane                         November 30, 1999