Gerrity’s owner Joe Fasula, Abington Rotary President Chris Loftus, and Rock 107 VP/GM Terry Deitz joined forces to develop and execute Mom’s Helpers.
Submitted Photo
Rotary, Rock 107, Gerrity’s team up to spread Christmas cheer
Forty households in Northeast Pennsylvania received a big surprise at their doorstep this holiday season. The Rotary Club of the Abingtons teamed up with Rock 107 and Gerrity’s Fresh Grocer to donate non-perishable food items and gift cards to local residents.
Named for Joyce Fasula, president of Gerrity’s, this project is called “Mom’s Holiday Helpers.”
Community members wrote anonymous letters about friends or family members who needed a little help for the holidays, and sent them to Rock 107.
Rotary Club of the Abingtons members were also involved in the project, including Bruce Valentine, Diane Calabro, Steve Selige, Leah Rudolph, Anita Nealon, and James Baker. The Rotary Club helped the local radio station read these letters on air. They the recipients of gift cards and packaged goods courtesy of Joe Fasula, owner of Gerrity’s.
“They were all touching letters because they all talked about local people that might not be the people you see go to a food bank,” said Terry Deitz, senior vice president of Times-Shamrock Communications.
Deitz pitched this idea to the Rotary Club of the Abingtons as one of the weekly speakers at the Rotary’s meetings at Camelot Restaurant and Inn.
“We (Rotary) happened to be talking about doing something like that,” said Chris Loftus, president of the Rotary. “So, it was a good meshing of ideas.”
Chris called Joe, who sponsors the Rotary’s events, about this project. Joe agreed to it.
Everybody was on the same page,” said Chris. “It was kind of serendipitous that we all got together.”
Chris, Joe, and Terry, and other volunteers of the Rotary gathered at a Gerrity’s in Scranton and prepared paper bags of gift cards and foods. Chris, Terry, and employees of Times-Shamrock Communications knocked on doors delivering them to people around many neighboring towns.
“The people were very surprised, and they were very gracious,” said Chris. “They just loved it. They thanked us profusely. It was a great thing to do. That’s why we plan to do it again.”
Mom’s Holiday Helpers plans to continue this project next holiday season.
