The time to help is now

‘There’s no worse feeling in one’s life than going to bed hungry.”So said “NASCAR” Dave MacMillan, founder and organizer of the Sunday in the Country Food Drive — which provides full Thanksgiving and Christmas meals to the hungry each year. During its 22-year history thousands of empty mouths have been fed, and thousands of dollars raised to make that possible.Which is what brings us to the present. MacMillan and a group of dedicated volunteers are once again asking members of the community to dig deep and make a donation ­— any donation — to help continue the cause he has championed for more than two decades. It’s due to the generosity of local residents, businesses and community organizations that Sunday in the Country has survived for so long and is able to deliver much needed sustenance to a total of 13 food pantries in the Tri-state region.And the meals are hearty. They include a 13-pound turkey, five pounds of potatoes, stuffing, gravy, soup and two kinds of canned vegetables, along with pie mix. According to MacMillan the food provides enough for two meals for an average family of four. And there are plenty of families in the area that depend on those meals to make the holidays worth celebrating. In fact, last year the group gave away 600 complete dinners at Thanksgiving and 580 at Christmas. It needed $64,000 to do so.The donations make a difference in the lives of many. The sense of community, of caring and of cooperation among those who volunteer their time, as well as those on the receiving end, is part and parcel of what makes the Sunday in the Country Food Drive such a success. Throughout the year its initiatives have been garnering support, from food tables at Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA) events to its American Legion Post 178 Chicken Cook-Off (held this past weekend) to its David P. Waldren Memorial Poker Run to the Mark Washburn Memorial Golf Tournament.Then there are those who actively donate their time, like the Maplebrook School students enrolled in the school’s Center for the Advancement of Postsecondary Studies (CAPS) program. Those students spend an entire day canvassing Millerton, Amenia and Sharon, Conn., for donations. For the past three years they’ve managed to raise $6,000 in a single day, raising nearly $20,000 total.“Whether it’s $5 or $1, we’ll take it,” said MacMillan.It’s true. Whatever amount one can spare will make a difference, because all of those dollars add up quickly, though not nearly as quickly as they get spent. What helps alleviate some of the cost is that businesses also get in the act. Many donate their goods and services so that Sunday in the Country can do more than dollar donations would allow.To help make the dollar go even further, MacMillan is a fan of collaborating with other nonprofits. He’s worked with not only SWSA and the American Legion Post 178, but the Millerton Lions Club, the Sharon Fire Department and others to generate donations.But there is a limit. MacMillan said the average volunteer is 55 to 65 years old, “and we’re getting tired.” There’s a real need for younger volunteers willing to take on this cause — which knows no age bracket. Whether one is a school-age student, a Millennial (part of “Generation Y”), a young parent or a part of any other segment of today’s population, the need for volunteers is bigger than ever. Consider donating your time as well as your money. It’s only getting harder for many to support themselves and their families in today’s economy.To help make a difference call 914-475-5918 or send a donation to Sunday in the Country Food Drive, P.O. Box 789, Millerton, NY 12546. Those who do will learn that helping out means as much to the donor as it does to the recipient.