What a glorious weekend! I hope you were all able to get out and enjoy it. For Mike and me, it continues today and tomorrow, as we've both decided to take a couple of days “off” to celebrate our 40th anniversary. That means that right now, I'm doing SSK paperwork and he's writing a recommendation letter lol. But when we're finished with those tasks, the work is being put away and we're going to go enjoy this beautiful day.
I have a few updates for you. First, the next major meeting concerning our local hospital is at Devens this Thursday evening. I've attached the flyer for you here. The word has come down too that the buyer for Holy Family Hospital has fallen through, so that now makes 3 of the 8 Steward hospitals that are in danger. If you need more information on this situation that Nashoba Valley Health Center is in, please refer to my newsletter from last week with all the links.
Second, an update on the coffee stand at the pantry. It has been very well received, and it looks like we're going to go with it on a weather-permitting basis! Everyone who has come to the pantry is invited to pull over afterwards and grab a cup of hot or iced coffee and to chat for awhile. We love creating opportunities for people to meet up with friends, old and new. New this week is a report on Vinny and Lin's lemonade stand. They've done this for several years now, gathering up neighbors and friends to make it even more fun. Local dignitaries, including some of Ayer's police officers, truckers, business owners, and neighbors all helped to make this a success. The attendees were very generous, and the kids (and their adults) did a great job! A picture is attached.
Summer is a tough time for us. While produce is plentiful, other donations tend to be down, as people enjoy their summer vacations. We are so grateful to the Ayer Police Station for holding a food drive for us each August...it really helps. Also, along with the money from the lemonade stand and from our faithful regular donors (you know who you are, and we appreciate you so much!), we were the grateful recipients of several unexpected monetary donations last week that...can I say it?...came at exactly the right time. We have been trying to figure out how to cut back our expenses without hurting our guests, and we were beginning to be concerned. Just a reminder...your donations go towards food and getting it into the hands of those who need it. There are no salaries, and any program costs are funded by small, specific grants or specific donations. We love our community!
If you can shop for us this week, we are low on some of our most popular basics: soups, 18 oz containers of oatmeal, boxed mac + cheese, canned pasta, baked beans, spaghetti pasta, small boxes of plain instant potatoes, cereal, and 1 or 2 lb bags of rice. There is a grocery cart in the lobby of the Ayer Police Station for your drop-offs, as well as at Shop n' Save, and as always, you are invited to leave a note in your bags so that we know whom to thank. We'll be at the pantry on Wednesday from 10 to noon, Friday from 4 to 5:30, and Saturday from 9 to noon for drop-offs too.
I love you all! Thank you for your support
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