The following is a letter to the editor written by Westport Woman's Club President Mary Wells Vickery:

On behalf of the Westport Woman's Club Board of Directors, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all of the individuals and organizations that helped with or contributed to our recent Holiday Meals program, as well as our Food Closet and Food Gift Card programs.

The Woman's Club Holiday Meals Program, with a list supplied by The Westport Department of Human Services, provides meals on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day to about 25 Westporters who are alone and can't cook for themselves. This year, In Good Taste prepared the Thanksgiving meals; The Wild Pear catered the Christmas meals, and the Sherwood Diner prepared the New Year's Day meals. All three restaurants provided gourmet fare at reasonable prices, and in The Wild Pear's case even extended their store hours to ensure that the meals were warm when delivered to the recipients. Westport is extremely lucky to have such benevolent restaurateurs.

Jeanne and Jack Klinge's family and friends delivered all three of the Holiday Meals. The Klinges have coordinated the delivery of the club's holiday meals for about 30 years, and now have three generations involved in the project. The Klinges are truly an extraordinary family, and it would be very difficult to run this program without their ongoing help.

Of course, none of our club's food programs would be possible, if it weren't for the funding generosity of an army of angels, including the Woman's Club members who coordinate the club's fundraisers and give generously of their time and money. This past holiday season, the club was also the beneficiary of a number of very special outside donations earmarked for our Holiday Meals Program, as well as our year-round food programs. We would like to thank the Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher Foundation, the Mason's Monker Group, the Nancy Jones Beard Foundation, John and Marianne Farrell, Isabel and Russell Blair, the Barbara and Charles Culp Charitable Gift Fund, the Downtown Merchants and Scott Peciorello. We are most grateful for these and all donations, especially in these difficult economic times.

In closing, I would like to remind the Westport community that the Westport Woman's Club does maintain the Food Closet and Food Gift Card Programs year-round.  Working, once again, in conjunction with Westport Human Services staff, the club supplies groceries and Stop and Shop food gift cards to local families. While each of our local public schools and our postal carriers have graciously agreed to conduct can and other non-perishable food drives to stock the closet throughout the school-year, the demand for food has more than doubled this year and will remain high through the summer. Additional donations of cash or other non-perishable food items, such as powdered milk, canned hams, canned meat, pizza kits, coffee, cooking oil and canned fruits, are always welcome. Donations can be brought to the Westport Woman's Club, located at 44 Imperial Avenue in Westport. For more information, call 203-227-4240.

Sincerely,

Mary Wells Vickery

President

The Westport Woman's Club