Erin knows her way around the Sloatsburg Public Library. Her mother, Annmarie McAnany, is children’s librarian and also regularly helps corral Sloatsburg UMC Food Pantry donations.
Erin McAnany, practically raised in the library, wanted to pitch in too. With her mother’s input, she worked out a creative way to contribute to the community. A student at Sloatsburg Elementary School, Erin set up shop at the recent library Holiday Craft & Vendor Fair to sell homemade items that promised a bit of holiday magic.
Along with her good friend and fellow student Emma Nugent, Erin scoured the internet for ideas on how to make gifts for people out of recycled goods. The two hit pay dirt with their Jar of Nothing, Reindeer Food and Angel Blessings, little items made from old film canisters that contained sprinkles of glitter and other special ingredients. In all, the girls’ craftiness earned $80, which they used to buy supplies for the Food Pantry.
“We made reindeer food. We made glass ornaments. We made magnets out of tiles,” she said, already a veteran fundraiser — this year’s fair was her third. Erin said she’s already planning to raise more money in the spring.
The girls’ Jar of Nothing turned out to be the biggest selling item. It’s one of those gifts you can give someone who, when asked what they want for their birthday or graduation or other special occasion, say: nothing.
The Reindeer Food, a film canister filled with birdseed, oatmeal, and the ever important glitter, was sold for people to sprinkle on their lawns on Christmas Eve to ensure that Santa will see the yard and house.
Erin’s and Emma’s good elf effort will help the Food Pantry provide meals for the some 100 families the pantry serves every month. For a $1 cash donation, the pantry can supply up to 8 meals. A vital Sloatsburg community outreach effort, the pantry provides support to people from the Ramapo Central and Tuxedo Union Free school districts.
“We did good,” Erin said. “We made money for the food pantry and we counted it out and we went to the store and we bought food.”
