This year again, the community responded to the annual CSAC Holiday Sharing Program. CSAC, the Community Social Action Committee, is a committee of the Interreligious and Human Needs Council of North Oyster Bay and runs the annual holiday sharing program comprised of the Thanksgiving dinner project and the Toy Drive. On Tuesday, Nov. 22 volunteers worked in the parish hall of First Presbyterian Church putting together cartons of food ready for making Thanksgiving dinners for people in the community.

"This is the most food we've had in years. This is unbelievable," said co-chair Randy Daub. "It most definitely is the most," said co-chair Carol Daub. The husband and wife team sent out letters to the community early in the month to remind them of the need.

"I think people are feeling more generous and more compassionate after the September 11th attack," she said. The young people in the community are also feeling a need to participate. "More children are wanting to help and are donating their labor, which is a wonderful thing to see," said Carol.

"The Italian-American Club raised $400 in one week," said Randy. "They are one of many groups we want to thank," said Carol.

"When we opened one of the donated boxes we found a plastic bag with coins from a kid who opened his piggy bank. Dollars have been stuffed into envelopes in the packages," she said.

"There's a good feeling of wanting to help," said David Paterson as he delivered foodstuffs donated by St. Dominic High School and Elementary School students.

On the stage of the First Presbyterian Church there were cartons marked: bakery goods, snacks and desserts, salad dressing, spaghetti sauce, fruit, juices, pasta, cereal, soup, gravy, canned meat and fish, corn, rice, baked beans, carrots and mixed vegetables, green beans, peanut butter. The volunteers were separating the donated items and putting them into the cartons so others could place them in appropriate boxes for the families.

As always no names are used. Families are given numbers which are marked on the boxes and tell the number of adults and children the box should feed. That gives the volunteers a handle on adding such things as baby food or cookies.

In the main body of the church, Suzie Ecton, Leslie Nielsen, Millie Austin and Anita Luckenbill were putting fresh produce into bags for the families. They had for example, several 48 pound bags filled with one-pound bags of carrots. There were summer squash, pumpkins, pineapples, apples and potatoes. "This congregation (First Presbyterian) has always taken on the responsibility of getting the fresh produce. They do the bulk of this work. It's part of their tradition," said Ms. Nielsen.

"The whole community is involved: school kids, church kids and there are more and more community members involved," said Randy Daub.

"We've noticed more and more of the young people have tried to get involved," said Carol.

"Oyster Babies came and brought items. I got their pictures as they came up one by one to put items on the stage," said Randy.

As it got closer to noon, on Tuesday, Randy and Carol met with Joe Ferraro and Al Ludlam as they considered how many turkeys they would need. They had 37 already and went off to purchase more.

This year there were about 135 families and about 100 plus seniors who were involved in the program, said Carol. There were 113 boxes on the tables. People adopt families so the numbers won't jibe.

"The Toy Drive takes place on Dec. 18 and 19 right here," said Carol. To be involved in the program, please call Youth and Family Counseling of OBEN, the organization that coordinates the giving, at 922-6867.