Milk Fund tally tops $55,417
WOONSOCKET – As Dave Richards tells it, the final tally of $55,417 for the 2019 Milk Fund Drive was pretty much a “sprint to the end.”
The previous tabulation had been just under $40,000 after all, and the abbreviated holiday season starting with a later than normal Thanksgiving had taken its toll on the Milk Fund’s initial support.
“Quite frankly, we didn’t expect to hit $50,000, Richards noted of the drive’s slow start.
But the initial response did not deter Lisa Carcifero, Milk Fund general chair, from working for the best final result as the drive continued through Christmas and headed toward its New Year conclusion, according to Richards.
After making the next to last deposit for the Milk Fund, Richards said he knew a few more donations were expected but didn’t anticipate just how large the last minute push would be.
“I was surprised by the final tally and so was she,” Richards
said of Carcifero.
In the end, another $16,385 was collected for the final tally of $55,417, a sum not that far off from the $57,000 raised during the 2018 Milk Fund campaign, according to Richards.
The last donation recorded was a $1,000 contribution from the Woonsocket Rotary Club, Richards noted.
The final tally was also boosted by a $2,000 contribution from Dean Foods, $2,000 from Prime Healthcare and Landmark Medical Center, $3,872 from the Milk Fund paper bottle campaign, $1,000 from Rep. Michael Morin’s participation in the Twin River Holiday Blackjack Tournament, and another $1,000 as a legislative grant from Sen. Roger Picard.
There were plenty of small contributions too, donations such as $225 from the Kogut family’s Christmas Party, $25 from Helen M. Cybulski, $101 from the St. Agatha Senior Citizens, $100 in memory of Lionel & Adele Lahousse, and $1,270 from Pauline C. for WOON Radio Auction items.
It was the behind the scenes work that Carcifero put in, letters sent to potential contributors and phone calls for help that paid off in a big way, Richards said.
“It all started to add up in the end and it got us past $50,000,” he said.
Once again, just as it has done in the past, Woonsocket showed it is a community that “has a heart,” Richards said.
The thing you can always count on is Woonsocket’s community spirit, Richards said. “It is a community that cares for its own,” he added.
The final tally had Carcifero feeling very appreciative of the community’s support as well.
“That is fabulous,” she said of the final amount of $55,400.
“We were last at $39,000 and I think we did wonderful. It was just a great run to the end,” Carcifero said.
“To have raised $55,000 is wonderful and it is just shy of what we raised last year,” Carcifero said.
The money raised in 2018 went to providing
a steady supply of milk to 257 families through the course of the year, she noted.
“It went to over 700 individuals,” Carcifero said while explaining how the Milk Fund, founded in 1932 by the Woonsocket Call and the Woonsocket Day Nursery and Children’s Home, still provides important nutrition to disadvantaged local families even today.
Now administrated by the Community Care Alliance, the Milk Fund issues vouchers to qualified families or individuals who use them to obtain a weekly supply of milk, Carcifero noted.
In 2018-2019, recipients obtained 12,342 gallons of milk through the program, according to Carcifero.
With the 2019 campaign now complete, Carcifero is already looking ahead to the next drive and ways to make it even better.
“This year we will be setting a goal for the drive, the first in several years, and it will be based on what our plans are and what we anticipate as a result,” she said.
Carcifero will be starting up meetings with a planning committee in April and noted she is looking forward to hearing new ideas for the coming drive when they do.
“We may bring back some of the things done in the past and also some new ones,” she said.
“When we begin meeting in April, we will be reaching out community groups and individuals for their input,” she said. And then it will be time to get to work on another great fundraising drive for the Milk Fund.
The following is the final report for the 2019 Milk Fund Drive:
$225.00—In Honor of Those Invited to the Kogut Christmas Party.
$100.00—In Loving Memory of David W. Balfour from James and Ronnah Medeiros.
$100.00—From Woonsocket Chapter #3 of the Order of the Eastern Star.
$1,000.00—State of Rhode Island Legislative Grant via Senator Roger Picard. $2,000.00—Dean Foods Company, Parent Company of Garelick Farms.
$500.00—From Ronald and Julie Houle. $250.00—Proceeds of the Milk Fund Event by Manny Brandao and Jeff Gamache. $25.00—From Irene C. and Lee K.J. Blais. $500.00—Community Contribution from the Autumnfest Steering Committee. $100.00—From the Woonsocket Emblem Club #27.
$2,000.00—From Prime Healthcare Services – Landmark Medical Center.
$3,872.00—Proceeds from the Paper Milk Fund Bottle Project – See Detail Below.
Paper Milk Bottle Project-Detail $1,520.00—From Chan’s Fine Oriental Dining $500.00—From AMVETS Post #7 on Social Street. $320.00—From the Lil General Store on Great Road, N.S.
$241.00—From The Broaster House. $241.00—From Lil General Corporate H.Q. $231.00—From Cercle Laurier, Inc. $140.00—From Lil General in Harrisville. $125.00—From Lil General in Bellingham. $120.00—From Lil General on Front Street in Lincoln. $100.00—From Club Lafayette, Inc. $100.00—From TYRA Club. $100.00—From George’s Breakfast & Lunch. $80.00—From American Legion Post #85. $50.00—From Lil General Store on Cumberland Hill Road.
$4.00—From Lil General Store on Manville Road. $198.58—Proceeds from Plastic Milk Fund Bottles – see details below.
Plastic Milk Fund Bottles Detail$34.43—From The Beef Barn in Bellingham. $54.28—From The Beef Barn in North Smithfield. $2.80—From Pepin Lumber. $33.99—From Missy’s Family Restaurant. $32.30—From Piette Jewelers. $29.03—From The Honey Shop. $11.75—From Timeless Antiques & Collectables. $25.00—In Memory of David & Roger from Roger and Pauline Lafontaine. $100.00—From Ronald and Deborah Hardy. $10.00—From James & Priscilla Glode. $100.00—In Memory of Maurice ‘Moe’ H. Ferland from the members and officers of the Woonsocket Sportsman Club.
$10.00—In Memory of Evelyn B. $100.00—In Memory of Lionel & Adele Lahousse from John Lahousse and Lisa Lahousse Ryan. $100.00—In Memory of Richard Barbrie from Robin. $20.00—From Pat Chatty. $25.00—From Helen M. Cybulski. $10.00—From Jim Hearn. $10.00—From Anonymous.
$20.00—In Memory of Dave Balfour from Wendy Jencks and Craig Johnson. $101.00—From St. Agatha’s Senior Citizens. $10.00—From George Rezendes for Prudence Rezendes.
$15.00—From Patricia Hammond and Edwin Hammond Jr.
$1,000.00—From Rep. Michael Morin’s Participation in the 7th Annual Holiday Charity Blackjack Tournament at Twin River Casino Hotel. $5.00—From Anonymous.
$25.00—From Marianne Grondalski. $40.00—From Mary R. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$35.00—From Irene B. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$30.00—From Mr. Nobody for WOON Radio Auction item.
$7.00—From Carl K. for WOON Radio Auction item. $8.00—From Roger B. for WOON Radio Auction item.
$38.00—From Melissa M. for WOON Radio Auction item.
$25.00—To match bid calls to the December 16th WOON Milk Fund Radio Auction from Melissa M. $47.00—From Bill B. for WOON Radio Auction items. $34.00—To match bid calls to the WOON Radio Auction from Ron Nichols. $48.00—From Mike Laflamme for WOON Radio Auction item.
$178.00—From Pauline S. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$14.00—From Bill B. for WOON Radio Auction item. $260.00—From Jeanne B. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$1,270.00—From Pauline C. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$104.00—From Glen B. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$24.00—From Paul P. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$25.00—From Donna P. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$34.00—To match bid calls to the WOON Radio Auction from Donna P.
$1.00—From Donna P.
$25.00—From Gene L. for WOON Radio Auction item.
$28.00—From Rene L. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$66.00—From Toni D. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$25.00—From Jeff P. for WOON Radio Auction item. $72.00—From Melissa L. for WOON Radio Auction item.
$191.00—From Julia L. for WOON Radio Auction items.
$20.00—From Jeff B. for WOON Radio Auction item. $149.00—From Diana L. for WOON Radio Auction item.
$1.00—From Diana L.
$30.00—From J.B. for WOON Radio Auction item. $1,000.00—From the members of the Rotary Club of Woonsocket. _______________________________________ $ 16,385.58 – Today’s Deposit
$ 39,031.63 – Previous Appeal Total
FINAL 2019 Appeal Total – $55,417.21