Holiday Fund accepting applications past deadline

POTSDAM — The Potsdam Holiday Fund will keep taking applications for assistance even though the deadline has passed, according to fund volunteer Nancy E. Griffin.

The deadline for families to apply for assistance through the Potsdam charity was technically Tuesday, but Mrs. Griffin said she and other volunteers will continue offering help as long as resources hold out.

"We will still accept applications as long as we have enough resources to provide for the additional families," she said. "We'll regroup after Thanksgiving to determine how many more applications we can accept for the program based on contributions received to that point."

Last year the organization provided gifts to 415 children, and food baskets to 285 needy families, according to Mrs. Griffin. She said the 2008 numbers represented an approximate 8 percent increase over 2007.

Mrs. Griffin said early indications suggest the number of economically distressed families in the group's service area will rise again this year.

To help bolster the charity's coffers, she said, the owners of McDuff's Tavern, 59 Market St., are teaming up for a benefit event Dec. 2. McDuff's owners, Jody and Heather Wenzel, are donating half of the tavern's proceeds from 7 to 10 p.m., according to Mrs. Griffin. She said last year McDuff's held a similar event, raising $1,000 for the program.

The fund provides cash-strapped families with presents, food and clothing in the towns of Potsdam, Madrid, Hopkinton, Nicholville, Brasher Falls, Chase Mills, Fort Jackson, West Stockholm and Winthrop.