Thank you DaWolfman! I don't think hanna gets the fact that it is not just our town. The workers that have relocated now have a new community to give to. I'm sure they would like to help here but they do not live HERE anymore. hanna, admit you are clueless...

Nice try stillgrowing, but your still an idiot!!

guzler12oz: I’m not sure why you are telling hannah to “just shut up already!” but after reading some of your comments, you should apply that advice to yourself. Go guzzle another one.

hannah just shut up already!

My remarks were negative and I apologize for that. What I don't understand is why this conversation has begun at the 11th hour when its unlikely that anything can be done. I'm in favor of charitable giving. I know that there is tremendous need in town.

stillgrowing1- I can't thank you enough for helping me. I was at a loss for words when one of my students asked me for an example of insipience. Now, thanks to you, I can give her an example of the epitome of insipience!

The ECHO Thanksgiving distribution is this morning at the Rock County fair grounds. My wife and daughter are there. Unfornately I am recovering with three herniated discs in my back. I am going to find what the deadline is to donate the Echo Christmas day distribution is. Then I am going to send an email out to all of the people listed in my contacts asking for a donation in the form of a check made out to either Woodmans or Toys Are Us so I get buy gift cards to donate to ECHO for their Christmas fundraiser. I am also going to make up flyers and put them in my neighbors and friends mailboxes to see if any of them can do the same. I will donate all of the gift cards under the name of the good caring people of Janesville.

I am sure the gazette will take over the tradition! They always had nice things to say about GM workers!

it may be to late for the Thanksgiving part. thing is, maybe someone would take it over for the christmas toys. they might be able to include like a sack of grocery's per family at that time as well. who knows, but i will be watching just in case.

stillgrowing: and I thought scrooge was just some made up Christmas story ... but you must be the read deal .... get a life moron.

well Hannah, i see what your trying to say. thing with that is, would that plants security let us in number 1. second, the KC people there might think its for their area and when they find out its not, might be some problems there, hard feelings ETC. not real sure it would work.

ctr1 very well said. Woody I think this is a great positive Idea, keep up the good thoughts.

DaWolfman
i also wish this would be taken up somehow. this was a good program as was the christmas toy collection. It would be sad to see them fall by the wayside and i for one would be willing to help out. these two programs caused a lot of joy and happiness if only around the holidays.
The one thing that I have learned is when one door closes, you just just have to try and open another. I would guess that we still have 60,000 people living in this town. We could do something?
localboysince1968- well said. Lets stay positive.

i also wish this would be taken up somehow. this was a good program as was the christmas toy collection. It would be sad to see them fall by the wayside and i for one would be willing to help out. these two programs caused a lot of joy and happiness if only around the holidays.

stillgrowing1: i am a laid off GM'r. i have not once whined in these blogs. i take life as it comes and make the best of it. this article is NOT about that as you would have it be. it is the loss of a program that has helped this communities Poor and needy for years...... get over yourself and bash GM workers somewhere else. i STILL feel sorry for you and your kind however. needing to bash GM whenever you can. might wanna go get that checked out dood.

I believe hannah redeemed herself in a explanation of her original post. No need to continue to bash her afterwards.....

hannah: "I don't get paid well in this economy". Niether does mostly anyone else anymore. We did make decent money when GM, Lear, etc. were here. Statistics showed that to get by now, with all the high cost of living, a person SHOULD be making at least aprox. $17.00 an hour. Now alot more people will be living off the government because of lost DECENT jobs. Now most of us have to worry if we can keep our home, put food on the table, etc.

If Forward Janesville would do the food drive, it would show people they care for the little people in the community. Here is the chance for some good PR.

It would be a good time for the Forward Janesville Group to head up the food drive. It would work great because they are the business leaders of janesville. They already organized the flu shot to be given to all the members employees so a food drive wouldn't be much different. If Forward Janesville would do this, it could even have better success than before. Lets give them a call!

stillgrowning you are an idiot.

ctr1-you said it the best-Be proud to be part of Janesville and work together, don't be always so negative. Everyone in our house has lost their jobs because of the economy, we try to stay upbeat and look to the future(which is really hard at times) but life goes on and so are we. Stay positive, we will get through this.

Its been a while since I've felt moved to post in these blogs, but I feel that I need to now. The program in question was a truly wonderful out reach, Nancy and Marv, and countless others made this happen for many years. A co-worker once told Me that Her children learned more about the spirit of giving while participating than they could have anywhere else, they would ask Her, Mom when is the food drive? Many times I had heard that there were so many volunteers showing up, that they didnt have enough work to go around. I Myself have made the decision to keep My family rooted in Janesville, its the place I love, and the place I want My kids to grow up, its the true spirit of JANESVILLE that made these programs work, the PEOPLE of Janseville, it just so happens that many G.M. employees, and retirees I might add, were a part of it, along with many others from all walks of life, the negativity is just un needed, I still tell Myself that the negative individuals that keeping spreading the bad vibes just account for a small percentage of the population of the area, and with that thought in mind, I still think ahead of the day when I can call Janesville My full time home again, and wake up every morning to see My Wife and childrens faces everyday, not just weekends and holidays. So to those who would prefer no G.M related work or workers in the area, You'll probably get Your wish,but the spirit is still there, and one day in the not so distant future, I will be semi retired in Janesville, and maybe working next to You, what would You say then?

I think the sacrafice of the holiday giving is fine. Good riddance that the whiners lost their jobs. What I can tell from the blogs is a bunch of former GMer's saying "don't you feel bad now?". Frankly I don't.

You can give to needy families without an organized program. Just do it if you happen to still have a job. Think of it as your way of saying "Thanks" for your job.

My thanks goes out for Nancy and Marv for the job that they have for the past 25 years making sure there was food for the less fortunate.

Also, to all the people that critize GM and the Union, don't you feel a little guity now? I hope so.

NeoBartly......Amen!

I would like to start out by saying thank you for the UAW/GM Employee Assistance Program holiday food drive of 25 years. It is and was for a great cause. It is sad for everything that has happened in our community in the last 5 years for everyone, Gm'ers' and non Gm'ers. Everyone has been affected. Yes losing Gm and all the associated jobs has affected our community, with that we all have to admit that we have lost many other jobs due to the economy that nothing to do with the automotive industry also. It is all bad for everyone and the only way to overcome it and survive is to put away our differences and work together. We should carry on this tradition and call it the Janesville/ Rock County Assistance Program holiday food drive. Start a fund drive at a bank or what have you for anybody that can donate and lets all pitch in what we can to help out. Contact the gazette, Radio stations because they would probably donate some advertising and maybe we can come up with enough for one bag of groceries and maybe a toy or two. Something is better that nothing. I know just for me that I have toys in my basement that my daughter has out grown and that we would certainly donate. I could also donate a few bucks and sometime also. I just think we have get pass the blaming and arguing and get on with the future. As much as I am willing to pitch in, I know there would be others in this great town that would pitch in and help out as much as possible. Let’s come together as a Town/community and continue the great tradition that these two great ladies have done for 25 years. Let’s just try it; what do we have to lose?

Is what I said impossible? I feel like my coments go along with NeoBartly.

The countless man hours Marv and Nancy put in on this organization are to be commendable. The hundreds of volenteers that always showed up every year, along with their children to stuff bags and deliver door to door(paid our own gas),fork truck drivers moving pallets full of foods, semis from other contributors that delivered by the semi loads to be distributed, the hundreds of line workers; for weeks, that would donate in the Stocking and not even giving it a second thought. Coats for kids, the Mittens Tree, who rang the bells for Salvation Army most frequently? I should add that their are so many institutions that benifited from us grossly over-paid GM'rs; this is now going to impact the worst-off folks. Red Cross, Military Aide, yes Echo, child care facilities, The Y, blood drives, and more than I can write in here. We did contribute much to the community as a main body. It shames me to think that On Their Own- Other companies haven't stepped up to the challenge? I do not think it would be that difficult to get in touch with Marv, for organizational format to go by, and yes even to solicit UAW people still here that would help through the UAW Hall. All Yah have to do is Ask. We are rough off, yet we would give time and volenteer still. That was and is the true spirit of the GM workers that went by the way side to the bashers. A very careing and active part is missing from our/the normal annual routeen. We gave with spirit, and good intentions, and community in our hearts.
Sorry, just felt it should be known.

Marv and Nancy, if they ask, the help would be there anyhow. I'm gonna check with the UAW just in case monday.

btw, what other companies? Pay attention to the news and realize many companies are closing in this community and surrounding communities.

A very sad turn of events, but not unexpected. It will get even tougher once unemployment starts running out.

They fed over 350 families and also toy drive donations to echo, For all you who have bashed them for years will see the effect the whole community will feel without GMAD and all its hard workers and volunteers that helped this community for many many years. I hope there is a way to help the less fortunate ones this year there is still a month to try and do something. Is there any number we can call to help?

they can't ask other companies because the other UAW companies in there are also gone.

So...where are all the do-gooders from before who said this WOULDN'T happen? Mercy is Rock County's largest employer. Are they going to go up and down, in and around all of their floors, clinics and hospitals to solicit donations to match the void this drive has left??

rosewood: I was one of those that stated life WILL go on. True, the income made by GMers IS being felt. The whole concept was that people haven't learned to get over loss. Do you know anyone that is not able to get over the loss of a loved one? In a different sense, it is similar. Of course, this just opened up a whole new discussion. Oh well.

Hannah, please stop posting until you brush up on the english language and how to use it.

This is devastating to the area. All the other businesses in town that are still thriving should take it upon themselves to see this gets done. It's time others pitched in to help the community.

Being a GM'r i would like to thank Marv and Nancy as well. this was a great and helpful program. i would have no doubt that the people would be there to help, just not the monetary donations needed. hopefully the toys program will be picked up somehow. that would be a shame as well to see that fall by the wayside.

I would like to start out by saying thank you for the UAW/GM Employee Assistance Program holiday food drive of 25 years. It is and was for a great cause. It is sad for everything that has happened in our community in the last 5 years for everyone, Gm'ers' and non Gm'ers. Everyone has been affected. Yes losing Gm and all the associated jobs has affected our community, with that we all have to admit that we have lost many other jobs due to the economy that nothing to do with the automotive industry also. It is all bad for everyone and the only way to overcome it and survive is to put away our differences and work together. We should carry on this tradition and call it the Janesville/ Rock County Assistance Program holiday food drive. Start a fund drive at a bank or what have you for anybody that can donate and lets all pitch in what we can to help out. Contact the gazette, Radio stations because they would probably donate some advertising and maybe we can come up with enough for one bag of groceries and maybe a toy or two. Something is better that nothing. I know just for me that I have toys in my basement that my daughter has out grown and that we would certainly donate. I could also donate a few bucks and sometime also. I just think we have get pass the blaming and arguing and get on with the future. As much as I am willing to pitch in, I know there would be others in this great town that would pitch in and help out as much as possible. Let’s come together as a Town/community and continue the great tradition that these two great ladies have done for 25 years. Let’s just try it; what do we have to lose?

Does anyone have an estimate on what this program would cost to continue?

hannah-instead of worrying about the GM employees giving, what do you do to give to the community? It sounds like you have time as much as you blog, put your time to good use.

The article doesn't say anything about former GM employees moving away. If someone could come up with real numbers supporting the argument that former GM employees have moved away maybe the reason Wopat gives for shutting down the program would make more sense. Wopat says "they would go up and down the line". Is it more a matter that someone isn't willing to make house/phone calls to get those contributions? It's easy to contribute to to the less fortunate when little effort has to be put in to it. Based solely on the article, it looks like someone might be a little opportunistic and taking the easy way out by blaming misfortune on circumstances beyond their control.

Not only the food drive, but the GM Toys for Echo...GM employees would donate up to $10,000 a year for the Echo toys. That won't be happening either. Too bad. It was a great "family" tradition that will be missed

To all you GM bashers that said closing GM won't effect the city, that there is life after the plant closes, maybe now you should think how much they gave to the community. Its only going to get worse as people lose their unemployment-the recession is not over in Janesville.

I can't believe that comment was made either. That's one of the many deeds that GM employees did for the community. Sad to see it not happen.

Karma..I remember reading all the comments about how over paid the GM workers were and how this city would be fine without them. Well which one of you are going to tell these families that they are better off with out GM. Next in line, the toys for tots.

Does anyone know how much money it would take to make it happen?

Well we still have charity coming out of our payroll checks I wonder where thats really going to the state I'm working in?

Hannah you just showed what kind of person you really are,Open mouth insert foot. How can you make such a heartless comment you scrooge!

hannah...are you trying to be funny? Do you realize how many families the UAW/GM food drive provided food for? Hundreds of them!! Every family that received a food delivery received 7 grocery bags full of food, plus juices and milk, and if they had children, a wrapped gift for each of the children. My husband and I volunteered for several years at the food drive and it made my holiday complete knowing that I was helping to provide food for a family that might have otherwise gone without. We often left the homes that we delivered to with tears in our eyes because the residents were crying. It's a shame that there wasn't a way to keep it going.