By Wayne Laepple
McEWENSVILLE — The Baker family faces a bleak Christmas, and without the help of the Needy Family Fund, they would have no Christmas to speak of, according to William Baker.
Laid off from his job as an electrician at Ritz-Craft Homes since February, Baker is nearly at the end of his string.
His employer, he said, doesn’t know when or even if he’ll be recalled, and although he’s sought work everywhere he can think of, no one is hiring.
“There just aren’t any jobs around here,” he said. “What I receive for unemployment doesn’t go very far. We just try and pay what we can on our bills every month.”
His wife, Billie Jo, is unable to work. She receives SSI disability payments, but even they have been sporadic, her husband said.
“Depending on what I get from unemployment, sometimes she doesn’t get anything at all,” he said.
Baker has applied for heating assistance and is doing everything he can to keep the family’s living costs down.
The situation is really hard on their 10-year old son, he said. He’s growing out of his clothes, but there is no money for new ones.
“He really wants a Nintendo DS, but even at a discount, we don’t have the money for that,” Baker said. “I saw one at a flea market for $90, but we couldn’t afford that.”
“We’re glad to have anything for him,” Baker said.
The family received assistance from the Needy Family Fund last year, and the Watsontown Police Department’s annual toy drive and the generosity of the Watsontown Elementary PTSA helped the family make it through last winter, he said.
Recent donations were as follows: Barbara B. Hackenburg, Mifflinburg, $25; in memory of Robert Coup, Coal Township, $15; Terri L. Bitting, Lewisburg, $50; Andrea J. Klingler, Lewisburg, $50; John S. Klingler, New Berlin, $75; Donald and Mary Kamsler, Sunbury, $500;
Also, Jane F. Rebuck, Sunbury, $50; Stanley Harrison, Lewisburg, $100; Ladies Auxiliary, Post 6631, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Selinsgrove, $2,000;
Also, Shirley and Richard Herbert, Selinsgrove, $50; Tom and Sue Beachell, in memory of Sharon Guyer, Northumberland, $50; anonymous donations, $100.
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Needy Family Fund
Donations go to buy food, clothing and gifts for the less fortunate in the Valley. Contributions are tax-deductible. The fund is sponsored by The Daily Item, Sunbury Broadcasting Corp. and Susquehanna Bank. Contributions may be taken to any Susquehanna Bank office or mailed to:
Needy Family Fund
Susquehanna Bank
400 Market St.
Sunbury, PA 17801
2009 goal: $75,000
