Members of the Catholic Daughters Court Our Lady of Mercy of St. Joseph Church show some of the Easter baskets they created. From left are the event organizer Bette Keller, Mary Jane Whinney, Gerrie Crudele, Betty Hollingsworth, Cathy Fagan, Chickie Flora, Kay Higginbotham, and Barbara Dorring. (Photo courtesy of Sea Isle City)
In addition to appreciating the importance of Lent and Easter, the Catholic Daughters Court Our Lady of Mercy also believes that every child should have treats on Easter morning.
For the second year in a row, the Catholic Daughters of St. Joseph Church in Sea Isle City collected candy, snacks, toys and other items to fill Easter baskets for children in need and homebound seniors.
According to Bette Keller, who organized the collection, many items were donated by parishioners after each Mass on March 26 and 27, including cellophane Easter grass, chocolate bunnies and eggs, jump ropes, coloring books, and other kid-friendly treats -- as well as snacks, fragrant hand soaps and cozy socks for adults.
The donations filled 115 colorful baskets, 25 of which were delivered to homebound seniors.
“The Catholic Daughters are wonderful, good-hearted ladies,” said Sea Isle City Public Information Officer Katherine Custer, who is also an active member of St. Joseph Church. “We at St. Joseph Church are all very proud of them. They are shining examples of Christian kindness.”
An additional 60 baskets went to The Branches Center in Rio Grande, where they will brighten the Easter holiday for families in need. Also, 30 baskets were delivered to Covenant House in Atlantic City, where victims of human trafficking and homeless youths receive assistance and shelter.
The Catholic Daughters also delivered additional treats to other service organizations in the region -- thanks to the outpouring of kindness displayed by their fellow worshippers.
“This is our second year making Easter baskets, and this year our parishioners nearly doubled the amount of items that they donated last year -- so we were able to reach out to additional agencies and spread even more joy this Easter,” Keller said. “April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, so this is a very timely event.”
When complimented on the success of the basket-filling effort, Keller said, “We are part of a great village.”
To learn more about St. Joseph Church and the Catholic Daughters, go to https://www.stjosephsic.org/.
