Here & There Column 6-8-10

Pastor J. Wallace, right, President of the Interfaith Council of Liberty and Council Director Henrietta Phelps.

Volunteers Help Raise $2,000

Interfaith effort by community volunteers under the leadership of Pastor J. Wallace, president of the Interfaith Council Of Liberty (ICOL) proved successful May 8 at an organization dinner-dance that raised almost $2,000 for the ICOL food pantry.
Wallace is also the pastor at the 1st Presbyterian Church of Liberty and the First Church Presbyterian in Monticello.
The ICOL food pantry specifically helps feed the needy who are allowed to come once a month where they get a bag of food containing tuna fish, 2 cans of soup, 2 cans of vegetables, 1 can of fruit, 1 can of pasta sauce, a box of spaghetti pasta, 1 box of macaroni and cheese, 1 box of rice, a can of beans, 1 box of tea bags and 1 container of hot chocolate. There is also pastries and bread donated by local supermarkets.
Pastor Wallace in commenting about the success of the May 8 dinner-dance fund-raiser held at the Liberty Presbyterian Church Social Hall said that volunteers made this event what it was. He praised the volunteer efforts of the Touch of Jazz Band , Norman Graves the music director at Daytop Village, Doug Bowell cook from the Sullivan County Adult Care Center for doing all the cooking, Ms. Tamara from the Liberty ShopRite which provided $200 worth of fish and vegetables, a donation of $200 worth of chicken from a Fallsburg poultry distributor and Liberty Central School students who helped prepare and serve the food.
When Pastor Wallace and his wife Bonnie went out and knocked on doors to sell tickets for the dinner-dance the pastor pointed out that many folks went above and beyond and gave much more then the printed ticket price.
Director of the IFCL Henrietta Phelps also thanked local citizens, the Liberty Post Office staff and the Liberty schools who help so much with their food drives.
All the volunteers were honored at the dinner-dance for their contributions in helping the needy in their community.