All Pawtucket All The Time

By Ken McGill, Registrar of Voters

City of Pawtucket 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – the people of Pawtucket are generous people. Time and time again I witness the generosity of ordinary citizens who step up to the plate to help their fellow man. Even in these tough economic times these people dig deep down and somehow come up with there never ending generosity. It never ceases to amaze me.

Case in point – last Sunday my good friend Ernie Marrot, who runs the Pawtucket Soup Kitchen, put on a breakfast at St. Joseph’s Church called “Heat for the Homeless”. Ernie does this each year and all the proceeds are donated to St. Paul’s Church on Park Place. St. Paul’s is Pawtucket’s only homeless shelter during the winter months. Ernie puts on a good spread and many attend the breakfast.

I help him sell tickets because I think it’s an important cause and because of my respect for Ernie. Each year Ernie tells me that if someone buys a ticket and can’t go to put the ticket aside and he will give it to a person who cannot afford to go. Do you know that the majority of tickets that I sell the buyer will say to me – keep the ticket and let someone else go.

Another case in point is my other friend Arthur Plitt who does so much for our neighborhoods. Many know Arthur as the President of the Pawtucket Neighborhood Association. Arthur is a great advocate for Pawtucket who works hard to make our city a better place to live.

Each November Arthur holds “Warm Heart Buy Nothing Coats ‘n’ Day”. All through November people can drop off their good used winter coats at several locations throughout the city and on November 27^th anyone can stop by the Visitors Center and pick one up at no cost. This year’s drop off locations include: St. Paul’s Church – Park Place, Mayors Office at Pawtucket City Hall, Bristol County Savings Bank – Armistice Blvd., Pawtucket Public Library – Summer Street, Woodlawn Community Center – West Ave., Oakhill Nursing Home – Pleasant St. and Gail Ahler’s Gift Designs at 1005 Main St.

As I said if you are in need of a winter coat for yourself, your kids or someone you know you can visit Arthur on Friday, November 27^th from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Blackstone Valley Visitors Center, 175 Main Street, to pick up a coat. There is no cost.

If you would like to volunteer to help Arthur with “Warm Hearts Buy Nothing Day” he can be reached at kingarthur02940@yahoo.com or you can call him at 369-1918.

These are just two examples of the generosity of the people of Pawtucket. I could list many, many more. Pawtucket, as is most of America, is a special city with abundant generosity we extend our hand to our fellow citizens at a time of need. That is why the generous people of our city will always be part of Pawtucket – Your Hometown.

-           Until next week.