Members of TPD, a transportation engineering firm located primarily in the Delaware Valley, has made it their mission to spread cheer across the region this year in lieu of sending holiday cards to clients and friends that eventually just get recycled. Through their “12 Days of Giving” program, which was specially crafted to benefit local people (and animals) that need a little extra attention, members of TPD (“TPDers”) are volunteering and/or donating in 12 different ways this holiday season, with help from families and local community members as well.
To date, they have completed half of the activities on their list, including:
– Collecting 171 total Toys for Tots for donation to the US Marine Corps’ annual program. TPD participates annually in this program, however this year was special. A total of 35 toys were donated by Mark Nalencz, in memory of older brother Vince Nalencz (24), a 2011 Pottstown High School graduate who was killed in a hit and run accident in early November. In lieu of flowers, Toys for Tots were collected at his memorial service, as he completed his senior project on Toys for Tots and had a passion for giving.
– Holding a book drive which included the donation of 180 books to Liberty Thrift, a non-profit thrift store with five locations serving northeast Pennsylvania. Additionally, TPD donated six copies of “Loie’s Disease,” a book created and written to explain leukodystrophy to children, titled in memory of a member of the TPD family – a cause close to home. These particular books were donated directly to the Leukodystrophy Center of Excellence at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to be given to families who visit the hospital.
– Providing decoration assistance and donation of 70 Christmas stockings and craft supplies at Bon Homie Adult Day Center in Limerick, PA to brighten the holidays for their clients. Their visit also included impromptu caroling by TPDers for the clients’ enjoyment!
– Volunteering (and making a donation) at the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities Outreach Center, assisting with the organization of their donation warehouse. TPDers sorted clothing and shoes, linens, food and more in order to get shelves stocked and ready to be used by clients.
– Making a monetary donation to the Montgomery County, PA Intermediate Unit (MCIU)’s Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Program which will contribute to enriching the County’s schools districts’ STEM programming.
– Collecting over 3.5 lbs. of can tabs for donation to the Ronald McDonald House of Philadelphia, which provide a home-away-from-home to families with a seriously ill or injured child during treatment. Donating can tabs is one way to help with the costs for the families.
The remaining activities will be completed by the end of the month, and include: volunteering for the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies by placing wreaths on veterans’ gravestones, a canned food donation to the Daily Bread food pantry in Collegeville, PA, as well as a separate donation of homemade baked goods for pantry patrons’ enjoyment, sending season’s greetings cards to seniors at the Manatawny Manor in Pottstown, PA, donation of shelter supplies to the Berks County Animal Rescue League, and donation of craft kits to be used by sick children through the Caitlin’s Smiles of Harrisburg.
To see photos and more information on all completed activities, click here: https://trafficpd.smugmug.com/Winter-2016-12-Days-of-Giving/