Filling Empty Stockings

Staff Play Santa at Empty Stocking Event

Empty Stocking Fund Volunteers — **Dominique Beverly, left, and Rachel Jackson**

Freedom staff spent a recent evening filling empty stockings. The charity behind the event, The Empty Stocking Fund, collects toys and gifts for needy kids. It has become a Freedom tradition to support The Empty Stocking Fund each year by collecting goods and filling stockings. Collection bins are at all branches and donations are being accepted through the end of the year.

The work takes place in a warehouse full of collected donations. Volunteers pull together hand-picked selections for each child on the list. Matches are made based on age, gender, reading level, clothes size, and hobbies. Each child receives a variety of items, such as toys, clothes, books, arts and crafts, games and toiletries.

This year The Empty Socking Fund has helped 282 families, including 656 children.

Lending a Hand at Aberdeen ReStore

Staff Donate Weekend Time at Aberdeen ReStore

Freedom staff, Board Member and spouse at the Aberdeen ReStore — L to R John and Lisa Ermatinger, Mike Dilworth, Dominique Beverly, Julie Irby, and Stacey Butler. (Crouching) Steven Batchelor

This weekend, 10 Freedom staff and board members gave back. Their work benefited Habitat for Humanity’s new Aberdeen ReStore. Rather than go all at once, staff worked two shifts. They helped in the ReStore warehouse and storefront.

Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to house those in need. Home owners can get a low cost home. This happens thanks to Habitat’s volunteers and donations. Volunteers typically help on building projects. Less well known, they can also work in the air-conditioned comfort of a Habitat’s ReStore! Learn more about Habitat’s Susquehanna’s work in Harford County. The Aberdeen ReStore‘s location and hours are online.

Freedom Staff at Habitat — From left, Stacey Butler, Julie Irby, Lisa Ermatinger, and Dominque Beverly

This volunteer effort is one of several organized by Freedom’s Volunteer Committee. We give back to our Harford County community!

Freedom Staff members at ReStore warehouse — From left, Steven Batchelor, John Ermatinger and Board Member Lisa Ermantinger

Freedom Volunteers at Pirate Fest

Staff Volunteer in Havre de Grace

Havre de Grace Pirate Fest 5k volunteers — **Pirate Fest 5k volunteers, L to R, Jeff Herman, Kristi Kelly, Janis Motichka**

Freedom staff volunteers spent the weekend helping out at the Susquehanna Museum at the Lock House’s Pirate Fest in Havre de Grace. Festival activities included a 5k run, a pirate encampment, kids’ activities and food.

Janis Motichka, VP of Accounting, Kristi Kelly, Electronic Services, and Jeff Herman, Business Banking, covered the 5K race in the morning. Later in the day Marcus Johnson and Jen Davenport from our Swan Creek branch and Heather Theisen, Loan Program, Dominique Beverly, Indirect Lending, and Anthony Allen, IT, handled the games at the afternoon’s Pirate Encampment. The weather was beautiful and the staff were happy to lend a hand.