The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Catholic Charities joinsNye Auto
Karing Kitchen handing over gift-delivery responsibilities
ONEIDA, N.Y. » After more than 30 years of support, the Karing Kitchen will no longer be involved with Share a Caring Christmas.
A tradition that has been part of the greater Oneida area for 35 years, Share a Caring Christmas has touched nearly 15,000 families since it started.
In 1983, local resident Carol Neuveu and the late Harold Nye started the program as a way to bring out the true spirit of Christmas to the community.
“Thirty-five years ago, Carol Nueveu and Harold Nye had his sales people deliver their gifts in the very first year,” Nye Auto Spokeswoman Kelly Karramsaid. “After that, the Salvation Army had gotten involved and they were the ones who worked with the community to do interviews and find families in need.”
The Salvation Army pulled out of the Oneida area around eight years ago. Involved with the Salvation Army, Karing Kitchen Coordinator Melissa King took over the gift giving process ever since.
But for 2018, Share a Caring Christmas gifts will be distributed through Catholic Charities of Oneida and Madison Counties.
“Being our 35th year, we wanted to do something to get back to our roots,” Karram said. “Now that Harold and Diane Nye
are no longer with us, we thought it would be a great way to honor the late Mrs. Nye. She was very involved with Catholic Charities.”
Karram said King supports the transfer and has been coordinating with Nye Automotive to ensure it goes smoothly.
Those in need can visit the Catholic Charities’ Oneida location in the Gorman Foundation Community Center in the Northside Plaza, or can find more information and an application for the Christmas Assistance Program on their website at www. catholiccharitiesom.org. The 2018 event will be on Dec. 1 from 9:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at NYE’s Ford location.
Event organizers have coordinated with the North Pole to be a collection site for Letters to Santa; all letters can be dropped off during normal business hours during the months of November and December.
For more information about Share a Caring Christmas, contact Terri Wimmer at 363-1000 ext. 4256 or Kelly Karram at 725-8420. More information can also be found on www.facebook.com/shareacaringchristmas/