The Interfaith Human Relations Committee of the Cranford Clergy and the Committee for the Dr. King Service Fair would like to thank the local Houses of Worship and the Cranford community for supporting the Sixth Annual Dr. King Service Fair, held on Jan 15, 2018, at the First Presbyterian Church of Cranford. There was a great turn-out, with over 150 individuals attending and helping. “It was really inspiring,” states fair coordinator Janice Grevious. “Your donations and hard work enabled our community to help a lot of people in need by being of service to others.”
The Committee wishes to issue a special thanks to Perrotti’s Quality Meats, Pastosa Ravioli and Thumann’s for their contributions to the fair.
Activities volunteers helped with included:
- Creating 12 floral arrangements, 25 watercolor placemats, and 12 Valentine’s picture frames for Meals on Wheels/SAGE Eldercare, located in Summit, as well as Clark Rehabilitation and Nursing Home
- Making 180 lunches each for Rahway Food for Friends and St Joseph’s Social Service Center in Elizabeth
- Decorating 27 bookmarks for veterans at the VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange campus
- Creating 48 Valentine’s Day cards and 11 finger puppets for Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside
- Writing 25 note cards for active duty troops
- Assembling 12 grocery bags of canned goods, snacks, and juices for the children at School 20/John Marshall School in Elizabeth
- Putting together 115 personal care bags and two boxes containing shampoo, toothbrushes, and soap for Community Access Unlimited in Elizabeth
- Assembling 197 personal care bags and boxes containing toothbrushes, soaps, bottles of shampoos, conditioners, and body washes for Covenant House in Newark
- Collecting $175 at the Refreshment Table, to be donated to the Institute for Music for Children in Elizabeth and Meal on Wheels in Summit
- Creating handmade dog toys for the Coalition of Advocates for Shelter Animals (CASA), organized by Brownie Troop 40744 of Orange Avenue School in Cranford
- Making 40 hand-decorated bags with toiletries for the Women’s Shelter in Elizabeth
- Decorating 45 t-shirts, 40 bibs, and 1,000 diapers for Raphael’s Life House in Elizabeth
“I am already looking forward to next year,” states Grevious. “I am sure that we will have lots more organizations to help, and even more people willing to come forward and work towards making the world a better place.”
To learn more about the Dr. King Day of Service or to recommend organizations to help for next year, contact Janice Grevious at janicegrevious@gmail.com.
