By Khalida Sarwari
Last year, the Saratoga community collected nearly 1,500 pounds of food and countless toys for those in need. This year, the goal is to meet, if not exceed, that amount with another food and toy drive.
The city of Saratoga, which is organizing the drive, is accepting new and unwrapped toy donations through Dec. 12 at the Saratoga Historical Museum and food donations through Dec. 20 at the Saratoga Library and the Saratoga Prospect Center. Both food and toys can be dropped off at the Joan Pisani Community Center and the city manager’s office.
After the items are collected, they’ll be sorted and donated–the food to the Second Harvest Food Bank and the toys to the Sacred Heart Community Service, which provides toys to around 5,000 children who participate in its programs. The organization is requesting nonviolent toys for infants to teenagers.
Deputy city clerk Debbie Bretschneider is credited with the idea for a community toy drive in 2008, not long after she joined the city manager’s office. The toy drive began with city employee donations, but expanded in 2010 to include community contributions.
“I had been donating to Sacred Heart for several years, and when I started working at city hall, I just expanded the giving,” said Bretschneider.
The food drive began in 2007 after office specialist Lynette Elliott came on board the recreation and facilities department.
“The food drive has become somewhat of a personal project for me,” Elliott said. “I enjoy interacting with the citizens as they come by to drop off their donations, and I also like working with my colleagues on expanding the drive every year. It’s a holiday tradition here at the Joan Pisani Community Center.”
The most needed items include canned tuna, peanut butter, baked beans, canned nuts, powdered milk, 100 percent juice in boxes or cans and canned vegetables and fruits. Other requested food items are boxed pasta, rice, cereal and canned soups and stews.
“We hope that our Saratoga residents will come out as they do every year and give generously to those in need,” said Mayor Jill Hunter. “Saratoga residents have always participated in the traditional spirit of giving and I believe that this year will be the same.”
