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Newtown Asks People to Stop Sending Gifts

Dec. 27, 2012 7:30am Jonathon M. Seidl

City of Newtown, CT, Asks People to Stop Sending Gifts to the City

Volunteer Anthony Vessicchio of East Haven, Conn., helps to sort tables full of donated toys at the town hall in Newtown, Conn., Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. Credit: AP

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) — Officials in Newtown, Conn., are asking people to stop sending gifts to the grief-stricken community following the deadly school shooting, saying they’re deeply grateful but can’t handle the donation deluge.

The town’s first selectman, police chief and schools superintendent made the request Wednesday through an editor at The Newtown Bee newspaper.

They say since a gunman killed 20 first-graders and six educators Dec. 14, gifts from school supplies to artwork have arrived in such numbers they’ve overwhelmed the small community’s ability to process them.

The officials are asking people to temporarily stop sending gifts. They say once they process the “warehouses full of items,” they’ll detail the best ways to help.

Meanwhile, the United Way of Western Connecticut announced Wednesday that a fund established after the shooting to support Newtown has grown to $3.5 million.

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Comments (18)

sinner-saint
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 5:22am
Totally moronic. Why is everyone sending toys? What purpose are toys being sent for – for children that have been allegedly killed? Totally insane and rediculous. A simple “I sympathise with you” would be entirely sufficient.

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Camptown Races
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 10:56pm
Hey Newtown….. It’s called “PAY IT FORWARD”!!! Done right, the city and it’s inhabitants might be able to spread love to others as well. Stop worrying about “processing” and put the things into bags and hit the streets in other cities…. You are a very affluent town. And despite the tragedy that happened, you STILL have always had more than most. Instead of complaining…. get MOVING…

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ccprotect
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 10:12pm
take my gift, TAKE IT, TAKE IT SO I CAN FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF OR I WILL GET ANGRY… Just plain azz-e-nine for anyone to judge a small community on how they are trying to deal with world wide attention. leave them alone and let them heal, if they ask for help then give it.

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Balpit
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 4:38pm
People have opened their hearts so much that the officials can’t process all the gifts.
It’s stories like this that help restore faith in humanity.

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- JRook
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 5:07pm
  Perhaps, but it just goes to show you that Americans think money and gifts can sooth the soul and offset the loss of lives. Newtown is an affluent community and doesn’t need money nor gifts. Unless of course people want to send gun lockers or safes so that disturbed kids won’t have easy access to their parents guns. Or perhaps donations to mental health services and counseling that has been slashed in federal, state and county budgets.
  
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RLNoland
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 1:38pm
How about a ten inch glass wall and put all these toys between glass. Then all could see how Americans deal with these type of outrage.

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Sondra74
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 11:51am
Toys for Tots is a great idea. Maybe check the area hospitals and donate there, as well. Judging by the picture, they were inundated. The American public always steps up.

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1776freedomofspeech
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 10:17am
Horse Puckey Newton, find a way to process the gifts, you bureaucratic idiots.

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- robinson54321
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 11:02am
  Hey 1776, that’s my hometown. Learn to spell it. And maybe learn a little bit about the size of it, what the people volunteering are faced with while still grieving, of the size of the post office, and of the storage facility (aka the Town Hall). And while you are at it, learn to show some respect.
  
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- Ditto Head
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 11:18am
  Yeah, Newton, because all the toys will replace your murdered children.
  1776, you’re an idiot.
  BTW, idiot, it’s Newtown, not Newton.
  
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- 1776freedomofspeech
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 11:52am
  @robinson54321 and Ditto Head
  
  Deal with the pressure! Give the kids their gifts!
  
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- 1776freedomofspeech
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 12:31pm
  @robinson54321 and Ditto Head of NewtoWn!
  
  Storage options: Churchses, Barns, Moving Vans (semi or U-haul), Garages, etc.
  Overflow options: Donate to the Salvation Army, Churches, Welfare Offices, Toy for Toys, Call Gov Christie, Call Fox News, and quit sniveling and crying that you can’t and they can’t take it.
  
  Plenty of solutions. Action needed. Acknowledge!
  
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- COFemale
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 1:31pm
  1776 – you are an idiot. This has nothing to do with bureaucratic issues. Distribution and storage of these toys takes people away from their normal jobs and to find a way to distribute the toys and too whom.
  
  I cannot believe you are this insensitive and I do not think you have one ounce of Republican/Conservative or Christian blood in your bones. My guess you are a bitter old Liberal with a chip on your shoulder.
  
  Newtown, is not that big of town. They are still grieving. The outpouring of love sent to this town is an embarrassment to the Obama administration, as there is no way the government would have responded in this fashion. Hell, Staten Island and other parts of NY and NJ are still waiting for FEMA help.
  
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Dismayed Veteran
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 9:12am
Americans always perform best in adversity. That has always been our strength. Why don’t we continue to supply them with an abundance of prayer?

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SpankDaMonkey
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:05am
.
Need to give all that to Toys for Tots………….

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:58am
  SPANKY, Very good idea, at least for a start. May want to share some elsewhere too if there really are that many. This action speaks highly of the American people. Having lived in other countries and during times of crisis about the world, I have still never seen the people of other nations pull together and be as generous and uplifting as the American people.
  
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- Paool
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 11:48am
  Agreed, I’m sure they could funnel those toys to some of the kids in NJ that didn’t have a Christmas. I think it’s just awesome how Americans push through these hard times and band together. Wish it happened more often and not just after 20 kids get shot.
  
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ccuster
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:46am
amen to all the people who donated!!!!!! I have never seen where they ask NOT to send anything. I am so proud of how this country pulls together in time of need..

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