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ECM, Annual Report, 2017
Helmut Linne von Berg

Within the ECM my assigned duty is to maintain a relationship with the Caroline County Social
Service Assistant Director, Ms. Anne Tyree. She identifies to our group needy families in the
Port Royal area which we support on major holidays during the year. We also provide food
items to the Caroline County Pantry when sufficient funds are available to us. Early in 2017,
ECM delivered canned meats to the County’s Pantry using funds left over from the 2016
Thanksgiving/Christmas Fund Drive. There seems to be a consistent shortage of canned meats
in the pantry.

During the week of 2017 Thanksgiving the ECM delivered to three needy families identified to
us by Social Services full baskets with turkey, ham, pumpkin pie, canned veggies and
miscellaneous food items to assure that the folks would have a Happy Thanksgiving.

For Christmas, Social Services provided us with names of three needy families with children in
the Port Royal area. There was a total of 12 children, ages 9 months to 15 years. All the
children were provided with clothing (we had fun picking out the appropriate sizes). Each of
the children received several toys, some received a bike. The families were also provided with a

selection of food appropriate for the Christmas Season.

Quoting a response to our activities from Caroline Social Services:

“Dear Gentlemen,
Thank you so much for sponsoring the three families for Christmas. You have made
a number of children truly happy! Without your continued support we would be unable
to serve such a large number of Caroline children.
Happy New Year to you all!

Sincerely,
Anne Tyree, Assistant Director Caroline Social Services.”

I wish to thank the members of ECM and our congregation at large for their continued
generosity. Seeing the happy faces of those folks to whom we make deliveries and knowing
that the children will not go hungry is a most rewarding experience. I believe it’s truly what our
Lord Jesus wants us to do! The good news is that we have sufficient funds to make two or
three canned meat deliveries during the months to come!

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