Dear Editor:

On behalf of the steering committee of the Newton County Food Basket Brigade 2007, I would like to say “thank you” to all who helped make this year’s Brigade a success.

First, a special thanks goes to the news media — radio station KQYS, the Neosho Daily News, and the TV stations — for their excellent coverage and promotion of the Brigade.
A special, special thanks to Dave Horvath of KQYS and Todd Higdon of the Neosho Daily News for their over-and-above news coverage.

Thank-you to Newton County, to businesses, and to individuals, for the generous giving of canned goods and money, and to the volunteers who gave up time to help in some way. The gathering of food, picking it up from the various locations, sorting it, preparing it for distribution, and the clean-up effort takes a great deal of time and energy on the part of many people. A special thanks to the Neosho, Diamond, and East Newton schools for their participation by collecting food at each school, and to all school students and personnel who helped prepare the food for distribution and again helped with the distribution.

Thank-you to the Neosho Help Center and the people of the churches who worked not only in this effort but who work on a daily basis giving help. They are reminders that needs exist not only at this time of the year, but through all the year.

The cooperation of the Newton County Commissioners for the use of the armory and the help of the Civil Defense emergency disaster staff, who now have residency in the armory, was greatly appreciated.

This year was truly a record year for the number applying for food assistance. Once again, we have seen what can be accomplished when the people of Newton County pull together to help their own. Through the Christmas spirit of giving and in the receiving, many lives have been touched. Because of everyone working together, Basket Brigade 2007 can be declared an overwhelming and record-setting success.

Sincerely,
Robert W. Allen, president
Newton County Food Basket Brigade 2007
Steering Committee: Lewis Cole, vice president; Monica Blain, secretary; Bernadette Stuart, treasurer; Dave Winegardner; Dave Horvath; Donna Wilson; Jacque Faulkner; Dick Day; Roy Shaver; Dallas Kelly; Virginia McKenzie; Denise Mahr; Ben Moore; Herb Reding; Larry Johnson; Dick Shultz; Jack Andris; and Gary Copeland.