Women in Timber group prepares food, gift baskets for needy families

The president of the Clark Fork Valley Women in Timber wouldn't know what to do without being able to sit down for a nice holiday meal at Christmas time.

"I couldn't imagine it," said Connie Ireland about not being able to enjoy a nice turkey dinner with her family. Ireland and the rest of the Women in Timber group wouldn't want anybody else in Mineral County to have to imagine it either. That's why, for the past week, they have been putting together 78 food baskets for less fortunate families in the county.

A turkey, dressing, rice, noodles, vegetables and potatoes are just some of the items contained in the baskets. "There's enough for the whole holiday mess," Ireland said. She said there is also enough food for a few more meals throughout the week. Besides the food, the baskets also come with a present for every child in the household.

"It makes us feel good that we can alleviate some of the pain at Christmas time," Ireland said. She said Women and Timber have been making the food baskets for about 15 years and have received too many "thank yous" to count. She said that some of the recipients have been so grateful that once they got back on their feet they came to help the women put the baskets together.

On Friday, a group of about 10 women were putting the finishing touches on the baskets so the Superior Lions Club could deliver them Saturday. As the women tiptoed around a mountain of turkeys and through the maze of food baskets that crowded the storage shed floor, they knew exactly what presents went to what basket. "We're really organized for being disorganized," Ireland said.

In total, about 30 people off and on helped with the baskets and wrapping the gifts, with 10 women forming the core of the group, said Ireland. She said they had spent the past week making the baskets and had spent the past three weeks wrapping the gifts. Even though they spent a lot of time on the baskets, Ireland views it as anything but work. She said the baskets give the women a chance to get together to share stories and laugh. "We have fun, no matter what we do," she said. Ireland added that even though there is a lot a laughing, they always get the job finished. "We get everything done. We just enjoy ourselves when we're doing it," she said.

After doing the baskets for 15 years, Ireland said it has not only become a habit for her, but it has also become ingrained in her Christmas traditions. She said she and the rest of the Women in Timber plan to do it for a long time to come.