To the Editor:

Thanks to many of our town business people for participating in this year's Trick or Treat for UNICEF by placing the little orange boxes in prominent places for residents to contribute.

Five dollars provides five days of food for a malnourished child, $15 provides a year's worth of clean, safe water for a child, $30 provides measles or malaria protection for 100 children – and a gift of $400 buys a pump to provide clean water to an entire village!

St. James Lutheran Church, Southbury, encourages our Sunday School parents to use Trick or Treat for UNICEF as a learning experience of caring for children less privileged.  As we all look at the nightly news, we see thousands of migrating families with their bewildered children throughout Europe, huddled kids on boats in parents' frantic arms crossing over to the safety and security that awaits them.  We see tiny victims and rubble in the Chilean earthquake, homes and hopes burned in the devastating fires in our very own country, and terrified children of war in too many nations.

Help is desperately needed and we can make a difference – penny by penny.  St. James UNICEF drive started in 2008 with $286.84 raised among members.  The effort has grown each year.   We are grateful for whatever the total may be, and we continue very hopeful that hearts will be touched and pockets opened!

 We thank those who were willing help – at the following Newtown/Sandy Hook locations: Sandy Hook Laundromat; Sandy Hook Wine and Liquor; Sandy Hook Perk Coffee Shop; Newtown Hardware; Pizza Palace Restaurant; Newtown  Deli and Convenience Store; Newtown Mobil; Newtown Cleaners; New-town Barber; My Place Restaurant.

Along with Southbury and Woodbury, we were able to raise $7,026.08!  Thank you all!

Sincerely,

Paulette and Ron Calderone

Lynn and Bob Morrison

Marylee Siegle, Organizer

St. James Lutheran Church

111 Peter Road, Southbury         December 1, 2015