BUTTE - The folks at Montana Resources know how to move tons of rock, but they also know how to move thousands of pounds worth of food as they brought back their annual Christmas basket event where they are giving food to the needy.
“We got just one can of sweet potatoes in each. Let’s go ahead with those,” said event organizer Suzy McClernan.
Volunteers with the Butte mining company loaded 300 bins filled with all the fixings for a Christmas dinner for needy families in the Butte area.
“Yep, there’s a lot of people out there that need it and they really enjoy it when we drop it off. It just takes one person to have tears in their eyes when you drop it off … it’s very nice,” said Mark Seitz, who has been volunteering at this event since 1988.
Suzy McClernan organized the dozens of volunteers from Montana Resources making sure each bin received a turkey, mashed potatoes, pie and other items for a full Christmas meal. She started organizing this event in the summer by contacting organizations that put them in touch with families in need. For the past 15 years, she’s found this giveaway very rewarding.
“I used to go deliver to houses and the little kids faces saying, ‘this is ours? We get to keep this?,’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah! Merry Christmas!’, said McClernan.
This event started back in 1987 and has continued until the past two years when the pandemic forced them to temporarily shut down. Butte organizers are glad to start the giveaway back up.
“I want to keep on doing it while I’m here and when I go I want to hand it off to somebody else and just keep on doing it,” said Seitz.
