Notre Dame du Lac residents keep giving.

• Position: NEWS

Byline: Ellie Oleson

COLUMN: TELEGRAM & GAZETTE SANTA

Retired religious and lay residents of Notre Dame du Lac assisted living center at 55 Plantation St. may no longer be working, but they have not stopped giving.

Each year, they donate a portion of the funds they earn at their annual holiday fair fundraiser to the Telegram & Gazette Santa Fund.

Ellen A. Micol, activities director, said, "Many of our residents are retired teachers. Children touch their hearts. They love the excitement of the fair and enjoy donating to it."

Funds raised support activities at the center as well as charitable donations.

Ms. Micol said "resident artist" Sister Ellen Hathaway donates her paintings to be sold at the fair.

"She specializes in lighthouses, but also paints children's art such as teddy bears and dinosaurs. She is truly talented."

Sister Maureen Lewis, who headed up the popular bake table, made 50 loaves of Irish soda bread, which quickly sold out.

"Barbara Harrington and her family baked all day, and Kathleen Gallagher helped," Ms. Micol said.

A small army of knitters, including Sister Marion Sheehan, Valerie Esip and Jackie Martin, created afghans, scarves, mittens, hats and other items.

"We have many artists and their families, who are very giving of their time and talent," Ms. Micol said.

After the tragic murder of the children in Newtown, Connecticut, Notre Dame residents created paper snowflakes to help ease the surviving students' return to school.

The ladies also offered prayers for the families of all those touched by the tragedy.

"The most popular activity at Notre Dame is the daily Mass, which is said at 10:30 every morning except Saturday in our beautiful chapel," Ms. Micol said.

"Our residents are very generous and want to reach out to help everyone they can. That is why they donate each year to the Gazette Santa to make sure children have a happy Christmas."

In its 74th year, the T&G Santa Fund collects thousands of donations from generous readers and area residents to help buy toys for children in need in Central Massachusetts.

Anyone who wishes to contribute to the fund can do so by clipping and filling out the form in the newspaper and mailing it to Telegram & Gazette Santa Fund, c/o Commerce Bank, P.O. Box 15204, Worcester, MA 01615-0204 or by going online to www.telegram.com/santa to donate by credit card.

PREVIOUS BALANCE$133,818.87

CONTRIBUTIONS

Employees of Greenberg, Rosenblatt, Kull & Bitsoli, P.C$1,680

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