Happy Thanksgiving!

Earlier this week, volunteers in Madison were busy getting ready for the Thanksgiving holiday.

For them, that meant conducting food and toy drives and assembling and delivering Thanksgiving baskets for our neighbors who otherwise might not have enough to eat for the holiday.

On Saturday, the Madison Police Chief Jack Drumm, Madison Police Commissioner Thom Cartledge, Madison Animal Control Officer Fran Fellows and other members of the Madison Police Department conducted a food and toy drive at Madison Stop & Shop in the south end of town, and Robert's in North Madison.

If you missed it, there is still time to help out. You can drop off food and toys any time, day or night, at the Madison Police Department at Madison Town Campus, 9 Campus Drive, off of Duck Hole Road, just north of the Hammonasset Connector. See below for a list of items they would like to have.

Over the weekend, volunteers with Madison Community Services, led by the indefatigable Margaret and Vinny Diglio, assembled dozens of Thanksgiving baskets for people in town who otherwise might not have something special to put on their holiday table.

Here is a list of just some of the people and organizations that helped make those baskets possible, that Madison Community Services would like to thank:

• Sal Fazzino (Big Y Store Manager) and his staff for their generosity
• Robert Fusco (Robert's IGA owner) - donating bags for the baskets
• Russ & Mary Ann Martin - directions and routing
• Barb Francese and Ann Fogg - handing out turkeys/turkey breasts, milk and desserts to the drivers
• Heather Pellatt, Ryan Pellatt and Matt Pellatt for helping with the Big Y pick-up
• Sunday Packers & Monday AM & PM drivers
• Girl Scout Troops for the delicious dessert that they made for families/seniors/singles
• madison-ct.patch.com for the announcement that generated a tremendous amount of volunteers.

To find out more about the all-volunteer Madison Community Services, the individuals and organizations that help it do its good work, and how to donate, please see the Madison Community Services website.

There are still a few more drivers needed to deliver Christmas baskets on Dec. 17 at 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. To help, please contact Vinny Diglio at vincentdiglio@comcast.net.

From all of us at Patch, we hope you are having a very Happy Thanksgiving!

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Items requested by the Madison Police Department:

• Frozen turkeys
• Canned vegetables
• Cranberry sauce
• Rice mixes
• Bisquick
• Flour
• Pancake syrup
• Juice or juice boxes
• Cake/brownie mix
• Cookies
• Pasta sauce
• Hand soap
• Laundry detergent
• Toilet paper
• Deoderant
• Female hygiene products
• Stuffing mix
• Canned fruit
• Cooking oil
• Baked potatoes
• Noodles mixes
• Sugar
• Pancake mix
• Cereals
• Coffee / Tea
• Granola bars
• Crackers
• Pasta
• Dish soap
• Diapers
• Paper towels
• Tooth brushes
• Dental floss
• Toys

These can be dropped off anytime, day or night, at the Madison Police Department, 9 Campus Drive, off of Duck Hole Road.