The NEARI Children's Fund
2007 Gingerbread Express

     Hundreds of happy children at the D'Abate School, Providence, were treated to a Gingerbread Express delivery December 12. This is the 16th year of the gift-giving program.

Unloading gifts at D'Abate School from the tractor-trailor truck, donated by Teamsters Local 251, is easy work with the help of many hands.

Volunteers sort out the gifts in record time, according to classroom numbers.

Together for the annual Gingerbread Express celebration are (from left) Denise Orton, program founder, Lucille Furia, D'Abate principal, Valerie Staples, Children's Fund coordinator, and a special guest.

Providence firefighter Tony Estrella looks for help reciting the Gingerbread Express story in Spanish.

NEA Oganizational Specialist Dennis Slaughter gets into the spirit of the day as he relates the English version of the tale D'Abate students look forward to every year.

On December 14, the Gingerbread Express collected gifts for other needy children from State House donations. On hand were Senator Hanna Gallo (l.), coordinator Maria DeCastro - who runs the program for the Senate Majority Leader - and NEARI President Larry Purtill.