New Volunteer Continue Madison Eagle Christmas Fund Tradition

Thirteen Madison residents have joined the Madison Eagle Christmas Fund Committee after reading the appeal for volunteers by its current chair, Gary Ruckelshaus, and the plea of the paper’s editor Garry Herzog.

“We can now confidently move into the 2016 campaign knowing that we have enough people involved who are willing to direct the Fund in the future,” said Ruckelshaus who told the volunteers at a meeting last week, “we were on the verge of having to decide whether we would solicit funds as we do in October every year, or just use what we have left in the bank to close out the fund’s work after this Christmas.”

Ruckelshaus, along with five “veterans” had been running the committee on a temporary basis for the past four years after its long-term chair retired. Efforts to personally recruit new members failed, leading the committee to believe “the time had come to retire the fund.” But the appeal in a recent addition of the Madison Eagle produced almost immediate results, and the new committee gathered Wednesday night in the Madison Library.

“It was a terrific meeting,’ he said, noting the enthusiasm from the volunteers assured everyone in the community that the Fund is an important value to residents. The fund, started in 1974, has been delivering gifts and food to Madison’s needy families continuously since then. The fund also assists with financial aid and other services throughout the year. The fund, underwritten by Madison residents through solicitations, limits it services to Madison residents only. “It is one of the oldest community-based funds in the state,” added Ruckelshaus.

The volunteers and the present committee will work together this year. Ruckelshaus noted that the “enthusiasm shown and the great ideas that were suggested, makes us feel confident that we will have a successful year and a lot of fun along the way.”

The new committee members are: Janet O’Connell, Tina Hein, Stacey Smollen, Jen Boyer, Diane Driscoll, Sheryl Cilenti, Hal Moeller, DeAnna Schraft, Kathleen Scheier, Marietta Iacozzi, Marilyn Musielski, Kathy McGrath, and Georgia Papathomas.