Moms teach their daughters many things. But when they teach them the gift of giving to someone else, that’s amazing.
This week, several moms who are members of the Wilton Woman’s Club did just that, through the club’s Junior Leadership Program. The JLP was started last year to fill a need the club saw in the community for mothers and teen daughters to do things together to benefit the community.
About two dozen moms and daughters from the club cooked and plated 40 Thanksgiving dinners for homebound clients of Wilton Social Services and delivered them on Wednesday night, the day before Thanksgiving.
The head of the JLP is Valerie Colburn who explained, “There’s a lot of things our daughters participate in, but nothing where we were together and had that mother-daughter relationship and help the community. Whether it’s the Wilton Library, or the Thanksgiving meals. It’s nice to have that bonding with your daughter while you’re actually helping others.”
The dinners they made were traditional Thanksgiving dinners–turkey, cranberry side dish, green beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and a slice of pie for dessert. Each of the members made something at home, and gathered at the Senior Center at Comstock to help package and wrap the plates and then organize delivery around Wilton.
“It’s so rewarding for the girls. The Wilton Woman’s Club has always done this every year. Last year our group took it over because we thought it would be a great opportunity for the girls. When they put the plates together, to use their organization skills, their time management skills. Even thought it’s ‘just 40 meals,’ to decide who’s making the mashed potatoes, who’s making what, and then to coordinate how everything is packaged. And then to deliver it? That’s probably the most rewarding for the girls. Because they saw how grateful–usually it’s mostly elderly people [they deliver to]–and they’re so grateful. Not just for the meal but I think to see the girls, to invite them in, say hello and for the girls to chat with them,” Colburn said.
Sydney Elia is one of the girls who takes part with her mom, Jennifer. This is their second year making and delivery the holiday meals. “When we went to the door the lady was really touched by it, and she talked with us and really appreciated it, and it made us feel good, that was the best part.” From what Sydney says, it seems like the Club’s intent is paying off: “It makes me feel like I’m doing something good for the community, and makes me feel like I’m helping to make the community better.”
The JLP is a division of the Woman’s Club, and members with daughters in grades 6-12 are able to take part.
Colburn noted, they were organized and well-staffed for this project, and actually didn’t need assistance from the public for making everything happen. They do the same thing just before Christmas to deliver meals again, and even then everything is taken care of by the members themselves.
But that doesn’t mean that Wilton residents can’t help the JLP and the Woman’s Club.
“We do a giving tree in town during the Holiday Stroll, for needy families with young children. We’ll be at the gazebo, and hopefully people can help donate then,” Colburn said.
For more information on how you can help or how to join the Wilton Woman’s Club, visit their website.