On February 1st, Lori and I were honored to receive a check from Summit’s Luminary Fund in support of the Christ Child Society’s Layette Program.  Each year the Luminary Fund supports an amazing group of non-profit organizations that in turn support Summit citizens, from infants to seniors.  The Luminary Fund is able to provide these funds due to the generosity of Summit citizens who purchase thousands of luminaries each December to illuminate our town on December 24th.  As Miles MacMahon, another Luminary Fund recipient, so aptly put it, “the luminary effect”, or “glow,” starts with the people who buy and display these beautiful lights throughout the town. It is spread through the good works of the people who run the program led by Barbara Romano. Lastly, it is felt by every Summit citizen who benefits from the services provided by fund recipients including the Summit First Aid Squad, SAGE, Senior Connections, Area Baby Center, and more.  Thank you to the Luminary Fund and to all these organizations for making Summit “glow.”

The day before Valentine’s Day, an “angel” called me out of the blue and said “Someone gave me 5 large boxes of bibs...does Christ Child know anyone who can use them?”  Did we ever!!  Since the start of the school year, the staff at the Infant and Toddler Early Learning Center at Central High School in Newark has been asking if we could get them bibs, LOTS of them, since the babies go through them so quickly, and they tend to get pretty yucky, pretty fast.  Here was a gift of bibs, LOTS of them, from out of nowhere.  Well, not exactly nowhere. The “angel” saw our name in the bulletin and knew of our organization because her mother was a member of the original Summit chapter of the Christ Child Society.  Her mother joined Christ Child when she moved to Summit from Brooklyn when she was in her EIGHTIES.  She lived to be 103 years old.  It just goes to show, it’s never too late to make a difference!