For nearly 50 years the Apalachin Lions club has been delivering Christmas baskets to people in Apalachin and Little Meadows. This years effort was nearly 20% larger than in the last several years.

     Fifty-eight families were served with a package consisting of two boxes of groceries, a turkey, at least one new present for each child 12 or younger, and gift certificates of ten dollars per person for groceries. Each child 15 or younger also received a gift certificate for between $10 and $25, at K-Mart.

     Lions members spent over two hundred hours collecting, sorting, and delivering food and toys collected from several sources in the community. Although the Lions spearhead the effort, success would not have been possible without extensive help from numerous organizations and individuals in the Apalachin community.

     The Apalachin Lions wish tothank the following for donations or assistance with this effort: Apalachin Pharmacy, Apalachin Elementary School,Tioga Hills Elementary School, Apalachin Library, Boy Scout Troops #32, and #43, Frontier Telephone Company, Girl Scout Troop #152, K-Mart-Endicott, St. Margaret Mary's Church, Tim Loso, Sweeny's Market, and United States Postal Service-Apalachin. In addition to the named donors, numerous donations of food, toys, and gift certificates were received from individuals from Apalachin, Crestview Heights, Tioga Hills, and Little Meadows.

     The Lions and the 220 people who received help wish to thank everyone for the, as always, generous support given to worthy projects in our area.