Wantagh Middle School students are helping to spread some holiday cheer to homebound residents this Thanksgiving by writing touching letters to accompany meals delivered across Long Island.
The school’s librarian, Amelia Weber, spearheaded the project by inviting students and faculty to help pen hundreds of heartfelt messages for older adults, disabled and financially struggling residents who often spend the holiday alone.
“I have gotten a mountain of cards and letters so far,” Weber said. “I’ve probably got about 300, and I’m going to get more.” The idea stemmed from a tradition her parents, John and Melinda Alford, began more than 30 years ago when they owned J.B.’s Pub on Old Country Road on the Garden City–Mineola border.
Each Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, the couple served free meals to anyone in need. Even after their restaurant closed in 2001, they continued the effort from home, gathering volunteers to cook and deliver meals to residents unable to travel.
“My parents decided, ‘if we can’t have people in need come to us, why not go to them?’” Weber said. The volunteer network has since grown, drawing cooks, drivers and donors from across Nassau and Suffolk counties. Each holiday, volunteers prepare and deliver hot meals, desserts, drinks and hand-decorated bags — and the letters inside are always a favorite for recipients.
“Everybody comments on the cards and letters that they receive as the most special,” Weber said. Weber introduced the letter-writing program to Wantagh Middle School in 2015. After running it for three years, she paused the effort due to the pandemic and because she was raising her three young children.
Now in her 11th year at the school, she has revived the program and emailed teachers inviting their classes to participate. Many teachers have already volunteered, and Weber also has welcomed students into the library during lunch periods to write a note. She said she expects to collect more than 300 by mid-November.
Each handwritten card includes a few sentences about students’ hobbies, families, what they’re learning and how they celebrate Thanksgiving. Weber said the notes help recipients feel connected during a time of year that can be especially lonely.
“These people are totally alone and like to just feel like somebody is in the room with them,” she said. Kristin Fragola, an eighth-grade English teacher, has been among the most active participants. Weber said Fragola even devoted an entire class period to the project, leading to meaningful conversations about gratitude and giving back.
Students in Fragola’s class said the experience helped them appreciate the needs within their own community. One student, Tommy Tsempelis, said Thanksgiving is a time to be happy, so he wished his recipient a healthy and enjoyable holiday. His classmate, Chloe Kuhn, said she valued having the opportunity to brighten someone’s day, even from afar.
“It makes me really happy that I get to spread cheer to other people,” eight grader Emily Tepper said. “It’s very important because maybe some people are less fortunate around the holiday, and this might make them feel love on the inside.”
Weber said the letters are often the highlight for many residents who receive meals each year, and they could make an emotional difference for someone spending the holiday alone.“Because of the students, hundreds of people on Thanksgiving will have beautiful letters to read,” she said. “It’s something to brighten their day and to let them know they’re not truly alone.”
