SAUGUS — The Board of Selectmen will hold a food and necessities drive this Saturday, February 27, at the Saugus Senior Center.
Donations of canned and boxed food items and necessities such as toilet paper and hand sanitizer can be dropped off between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. at the Senior Center, 466 Central St.
Selectwoman Debra Panetta said that this is the fourth drive the board has held during the pandemic, and that at other events the community has been very generous.
“People will go to the grocery store and come back with bags and bags of stuff, cases of bottled water, piles of toilet paper or paper towels,” Panetta said. “It’s just wonderful how our community comes together to help the less fortunate.”
This is the first drive that has been held since the death of Board of Selectmen clerk and former School Committee chair Wendy Reed on February 5. Panetta said that Reed was incredibly active at the drives, so it will be an emotional event, but she knows that Reed will be at the event in spirit.
“She was always giving back to the community,” Panetta said.
In that spirit, Panetta said that donations don’t have to be large. Even one box of macaroni and cheese can make a difference to a needy family, she said.
“I saw one person who said, I don’t have much, but I have an extra toothbrush,” she said. “That means more than bags and bags of stuff, because you gave from your heart. It meant so much to them. They felt so good that they could contribute and make a difference.”
