It’s that time of year again, when SRC and others join with Circles of Mercy for its “Easter Baskets for Cate’s Kids” drive on behalf of needy children ages 1 to 12. Last year, SRC pledged 75 baskets but came up with 106!

Circles of Mercy is an outreach center for poor and low-income families which is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy Northeast Community. SRC has partnered with the organization for years on a number of effort, including holiday family “adoptions.”

“Last year, over 150 requests for Easter baskets was met, but given the current economic times, no doubt Circles of Mercy will have not only the same number of children, but possibly more,” says Circles’ director Richard Zazycki.

Easter this year will fall on Sunday, April 19, and we have agreed to meet an April 1 deadline by which to deliver gift baskets to Circles in time to get them distributed to the client families the week before the Easter holiday.

President Phil Kellerman will be contacting some of you about possibly coordinating the club’s portion of the effort and staying in contact with club member Shannon Romanowski at the Greenbush YMCA which is undertaking a companion effort.

Meanwhile, our practice has been to have the club purchase baskets, artificial grass, and transparent wrappings, and ask members to purchase items for the baskets from the shopping list below, getting them to our event coordinator as they are purchased.

Since we’re on a tight turnaround, you may want to begin shopping now. Here’s what is needed:

THE SHOPPING LIST

• coloring books
• crayons
• color pencils
• facial tissues
• toothpaste, tooth brushes, and dental floss
• combs and brushes
• small, age-appropriate (1 to 12) stuffed animals, toys, small games
• reading books
… and, of course, different types of traditional candy