Saxonburg rallies around its own
The people of Saxonburg have always taken care of their own, coming to one another's aid during any crisis, large or small.
That helpful and caring spirit has intensified during the coronavirus pandemic due to Mayor Bill Gillespie and many others.
Gillespie has coordinated with the Saxonburg Police Department as well as the Friends of the Saxonburg Police nonprofit group to deliver more than 600 meals or bags of groceries to residents of the borough and the townships surrounding it since the pandemic began.
The meals, which are for two or four people, come from Hotel Saxonburg, What's Cooking on Main and Novotny's Pizza in a “Pay it Forward” program.
Gillespie explained that residents donate the cost of a dinner for two or four to one of the restaurants and a police officer or a member of the Friends of the Saxonburg Police delivers the meal.
Gillespie is also partnering with the food pantry at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Jefferson Township to bring bags of nonperishable food to low-income residents and those who have been affected by the virus.Gillespie said he, the police officers and the Friends of the Saxonburg Police find recipients through word-of-mouth in the borough.Gillespie calls those he hears are behind on their bills, lost their jobs, had relatives move in due to a pandemic-related job loss or other reason to ask if they could use a meal or a bag of nonperishable food.“It's been a lot of fun getting to know these folks and talk to them and help them,” Gillespie said.The deliveries have been ongoing since the first week in April in Saxonburg as well as Jefferson, Clinton and Middlesex townships.Gillespie said deliveries have been made to people who are ill with COVID-19, those in quarantine because they are associated with someone who has tested positive, patients who have recently returned home from the hospital and others.“We are trying to help them in that period when their income is down,” he said.Gillespie, Bill Hoche and Don Venturini coordinate delivering the meals and groceries.Gillespie remains amazed at the consistent generosity of those who pay for the meals or donate to the St. Luke Lutheran Church food pantry.“People in this community care about each other; they really do,” Gillespie said. “If there is a way they can help each other, they do it without asking for praise or anything in return.”Dave Pasquini heads up the church food pantry.He said he was delighted to partner with Gillespie when the mayor called to ask if he could help out during the pandemic.“It's tough,” Pasquini said. “A lot of people are out of work.”He said the more than 250 15- to 20-pound food bags the pantry has donated to Gillespie's effort contain canned fruit, vegetables, tuna or chicken; side dishes of potato, rice or pasta; jarred or canned sauces; and toilet paper.On Thursday, Pasquini said his volunteer packing teams added paper towels to the bags, and the next distribution will contain facial tissues.Gillespie retrieves the bags from the pantry on the first and third Thursdays of each month for delivery.The food comes from donations by St. Luke congregation members, St. Luke Lutheran School food drives and St. Luke Vacation Bible School food drives.The pantry also receives monetary donations, which can be made electronically by visiting the St. Luke Lutheran Church website and clicking on the “giving” tab and selecting “food pantry.”Others send checks to St. Luke Lutheran Church, 330 Hannahstown Road, Cabot, PA 16023.“I had several people give us their stimulus checks,” Pasquini said. “They said they didn't need it.”The pantry also receives donations from State Farm Insurance, the Wild Turkey Federation at Moraine State Park, the Saxonburg American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, and other businesses and organizations.“It has absolutely met the needs in the community,” Pasquini said. “I've gotten thank-you notes from people receiving food.”Pasquini said he has had a heart for feeding people in need since his father lost his job in the steel industry in Pittsburgh, where he and his five siblings grew up.“I know, somehow, groceries ended up at our house,” he said. “I have a sneaking suspicion that it was from the church food pantry.”Gillespie said the deliveries will continue as long as the coronavirus continues to affect Saxonburg area residents, and indefinitely for those in need.“Saxonburg is a small borough as far as the tax base is concerned, but it's a huge community,” Gillespie said. “People here stick together.”
