Resource Center preparing for 12 Days of Christmas

WAITSBURG-Tucked away just before the intersection of Preston and Main, the volunteer-run Waitsburg Resource Center has been quietly and compassionately helping families in need.

While her mother and grandmother have been volunteering for a while now, Jesse May Brown decided to offer her assistance about one month ago, when she recognized the need for social media pages.

"My mom was talking about some of the events coming up, and I was like, 'you guys really need a Facebook page," Brown said. "I offered to get it set up, so someone could take it over, and my mom said, 'you know no one will take that over."

She said she attended a meeting, offered to set up and run a Facebook page, hoping to target younger generations that may not receive the newspaper.

"I had this whole spiel planned, explaining why this was a good idea. I had statistics because I'm a statistics kind of person," Brown explained, holding back a laugh. "They just said, 'so you're going to run it, right?' and that was it!"

Facebook wasn't the only need that she recognized and acted on. Brown said that, in the past, Resource Center volunteers have handed out goodie bags during holiday parades, but COVID-19 restrictions have not allowed that kind of interaction. Instead, volunteers packed bags and took them to the schools, but interest was low, and Brown didn't want to see that go away, either.

"I looked at my mom and asked if she would help me because I think this is great for the community, for the kids," Brown explained. She said they had received the donations they needed for the bags but would appreciate help passing them out. Details regarding the goodie bags will be announced later.

A full-time college student studying Human and Social Services with a previous interest in psychology, Brown said that this volunteer opportunity perfectly fits her career goals.

Currently, the Waitsburg Resource Center, otherwise known as the Food Bank, is gearing up for the 12 Days of Christmas food drive and is looking for holiday-ingredient donations, including cereal, canned pumpkin and fruit, stuffing mixes, boxes of macaroni and cheese, crackers, olives, meals in a box, canned carrots, apple sauce, salad dressing, and spaghetti sauce. Donations may be dropped off at the Resource Center, 106 Preston Ave, between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Thursdays, or at the Christian and Presbyterian churches in Waitsburg. Items may also be dropped off at Ten Ton Coffee between 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. daily.

As always, all shelf-stable food donations are welcome. The Resource Center also gladly accepts grocery bags and egg cartons.

Christmas food baskets will be available again this year. Sign-up sheets for those wishing to receive a basket and those wanting to give a basket are available at the Resource Center and both churches. The deadline to sign up is December 2.

The Resource Center is always open on Thursdays, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.