Dear Sir,

Please allow us once again to use your newspaper for this note of appreciation and heartfelt thanks to our Bermuda community.

A special thanks to MarketPlace for the use of all their premises for our Share the Christmas Spirit Tag Day, which was on November 24, 2018.

This past Christmas we supplied 419 food hampers. The committee was overwhelmed by the continued support that Bermuda has shown by placing non-perishable goods in decorated boxes at all MarketPlace stores.

We do realise that many persons are finding it difficult to make ends meet. Our hope is that we were able to help in some small way, with them receiving a food hamper during this past Christmas season.

As chairwoman of the Share the Christmas Spirit project, I express my gratitude to Seth Stutzman, the president, Ladricka Simmons, Natalie Rego, Rita Pereira and Albertha Waite of MarketPlace. Also a special thank-you for Joseph Cheeseman for his love, compassion and hard work in collecting goods from all MarketPlace stores and all schools who made donations.

Thank you to the Corporation of Hamilton for allowing us to use their building at Barr’s Park. Thank you also to our donors, Oil Group of Companies, Wakefern Food Corp, MarketPlace Stores, Roger Pacheco from Pacheco Farms & Sons, and his dedicated staff for donating and delivering fresh vegetables for all the hampers, the Berkeley Institute PTA, BGA, Butterfield & Vallis, the Bermuda Society for the Blind, and Lionel Raynor and his staff.

I would also like to thank Hamilton Lions members Debi and Dudley Cottingham for opening their home to members of Hamilton Lions and Paget Lions so we could wrap the Christmas boxes. Thank you to Stephen Dean, Marlene Christopher, Edna Dill, Jean Stovell, their family and friends, and the Warwick Academy Leo Club, which assisted in helping to pack the food hampers. And Sidney Simmons, Raymond Simmons and John Jordan for delivery hampers.

We are most grateful to Bermuda High School for Girls, Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy, government preschools, middle schools and high schools for their contributions.

Our prayers and thoughts are that the Bermuda community may receive blessings upon blessings for 2019.

DESSIE WALDRON

Lions Clubs of Bermuda