Their weekly coffee hours at McDonald’s have been interrupted by the pandemic.
But members of the Westbrook High School Class of ’68 are still keeping in touch and making each other laugh. And they are still helping Maine children by supporting the Press Herald Toy Fund.
Donations from members of the group began arriving this week, a reassuring sign that the coronavirus crisis doesn’t have to keep old friends apart, even if they can’t physically be together.
When the pandemic hit last spring, the friends moved their chats onto social media, said Sandra Cort. “This summer, some of us got together at the park in Westbrook. We brought our own chairs and coffee and stayed 6 feet apart.”
Now they are once again socializing online, but plan to get through the winter together. They also decided to keep up the group’s tradition of donating to the toy fund instead of buying each other gifts, well aware of how the pandemic has disrupted so many families’ lives.
“It’s been such a difficult year for so many people, so we decided to keep it going,” Cort said.
• THE PRESS HERALD TOY FUND in the Spirit of Bruce Roberts uses donations from readers to provide toys to thousands of Maine children who might otherwise not receive holiday gifts because of hardships faced by their parents. Now in its 71st year, the fund is accepting applications for toys from needy families in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Androscoggin, Lincoln and Knox counties.
• DONATIONS to help buy the toys can be made at pressheraldtoyfund.org or by writing checks to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund and mailing them to the fund at P.O. Box 7310, Portland, ME 04112.
• FOR MORE INFORMATION, call 791-6672 or go to: pressheraldtoyfund.org.
TODAY’S DONORS:
Doris & Ted Cook $100
In memory of our parents, from Karl & Barbara Albrecht $200
Anonymous $500
Anonymous $30
Anonymous $100
In honor of my first great granddaughter $30
In honor of our grandkids – Max, Mila and Aziza, from Dale Stephenson & Frank O. Smith $50
In memory of Ruth & Paul Gonya $500
Stella Atwell $100
In memory of Beverly Wallace, from Nancy Jodrie $500
In memory of Kay $100
In loving memory of Alice Davis, from Debbie and Mick $50
Jack and Bev $50
Happy Hanukkah, Good Kwanza, Merry Christmas and a MUCH better New Year to all! Alice Adams & Liz Winfiels $100
Anonymous $100
Diann Coyne $50
Merry Christmas! The Gorneau family of South Portland $100
Chabot and Peabody families $200
Elizabeth Weir $100
Anonymous $100
In memory of Anne Royer and Mike Quattrucci, from Phebe, Guy and Tessa Quattrucci $50
Sam, Nora and Max Shepard $100
We miss/love you Grampie $200
In honor of Westbrook High School, class of ’68, coffee club $20
David Gao $25
Anonymous $100
In honor of our children and grandchildren, from Pamela Cox and Richard Kessler $250
In loving memory of Eleanor Joy, who loved all children! Kathy & Jay $500
Anonymous $200
Wishing you a Happy Holiday, from Renee $100
Anonymous $20
In memory of our son, Jonathan Michael Sawyer, from Peter & Joy $200
Merry Christmas!! $50
Year-to-date total: $56,555
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