Jackson-Milton families get food deliveries

By Denise Dick | December 12, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

LAKE MILTON

Canned goods, condiments, bread and boxed dinners line 12 tables inside Lake Milton Presbyterian Church.

It’s enough to provide 20 families in the Jackson-Milton community with groceries for the holidays.

For nearly 30 years, Murle and Kaye McLaughlin have been organizing the effort to help those in need.

“We get the names of families from the school district,” Kaye explained.

Jackson-Milton Elementary School students collect canned goods in their classrooms, the American Legion Lake Post No. 737, which Murle founded, buys turkeys, and other groups and individuals contribute to the effort, Murle said.

Volunteers gathered Thursday morning at the church to assemble boxes and deliver them to families. Each family received several boxes full. Bags of toys, school supplies and other miscellaneous items for children accompanied 11 of the deliveries. The group also assembles boxes of fruit for seniors in the community.

“It started when I was the custodian at the school,” Murle said.

One year, the school mounted a collection to help a few families. From there, Murle decided to take it over, and it grew.

Besides the church, elementary school and Legion post, the American Legion Auxiliary Lake Unit No. 737, Sons of American Legion Squadron No. 737 and American Legion Riders Lake Post No. 737 are involved each year. Other individuals also contribute but prefer to maintain anonymity, Murle said.

Kaye said the number of families varies. “This is the first year we’ve had all new families,” she said.

With about 15 volunteers Thursday morning, all deliveries were complete by early afternoon. Recipients must be home to accept the bounty. Exceptions may be made in rare circumstances.

“I got a call from a woman who asked, ‘Can my box be delivered to my parents’ house? I’m in the hospital,’” Kaye said.

The woman has pneumonia, so the food went to her parents’ house.

Families accept the boxes with a combination of gratitude and relief, Kaye said.

The McLaughlins have kept the effort going all these years “because of the need in the area,” she said.