Though it’s a distant memory from the life she lives now, Diane Wilton remembers hard Christmases.
Her "saint" of a mother was single, raising five children and could only do so much.
"But I remember people who would bring gifts right before Christmas and leave them on the front porch," the Monroe resident said. "That always stuck with me — Christmas as a time to help the less fortunate."
This year, Wilton bought and stuffed 700 stockings for the Sky Valley Food Bank to distribute to area boys and girls. Last year she did 500 stockings, and the food bank ran short.
So she did more this year, and every red-and-white stocking was passed out Monday and Tuesday.
In addition, the food bank passed out more than 10 meals each for 318 local families — enough to get them through the holidays.
Food bank director Julie Morris said it’s a happy ending for the community.
"We’ve never seen that much food down there in the whole 27 years it’s been in operation," Morris said. "It’s just so heartwarming to put the call out to the community … and have people come together, even in times of trouble."
The food bank probably won’t have to buy food again for up to three months, she said.
The food and Christmas toys went to families that have faced hardships for a long time and newly struggling ones. It could be just about anyone’s next-door neighbor in need, Morris said.
"Neighbors helping neighbors. That is what (area) people have done," she said. "In my opinion, it’s just so right to help each other while we’re here on earth. What greater purpose is there?"
Wilton, too, feels the need to serve this higher purpose.
She and her husband, Mickey, have worked hard to establish a successful welding supply business. Wilton said the good life she has means there are, and should be, more opportunities to give back to the community.
Watching for sales at area stores, she bought stocking stuffers all year long — watches, calculators, teddy bears and hand-held games. Then, right after Halloween when stores first put Christmas candy on shelves, Wilton was there — to buy all of it.
"I bought out all of the Rite Aid’s candy in Monroe and Snohomish," Wilton said, chuckling. "I had 700 pounds of candy."
She, her family and friends and some die-hard volunteers spent hours in her garage putting the toys and candy into stockings, which were separated into age groups for boys and girls.
"My only instructions were that you stuff them. There should be no room left in ‘em," she said.
Wilton said it only makes sense during the holidays to spend time and money on those who need it most — which is, most of the time, not friends and relatives.
"I wanted to buy for the people that really need it," she said. "I mean, shoot, they need some help. This is Christmas."
Reporter Jennifer Warnick:
425-339-3429 or
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