By Carol Anders Staff Writer
PLYMOUTH — For  many years, WTCA radio has called upon their listeners to help make the holidays happier for area families by providing gifts and food.
This year, the need increased and the community stepped up just in time.
Station Manager Kathy Bottorff said, “We usually adopt seven or eight families at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but we were given the names of 10 families who are struggling this year.”

All of the referrals came for residents of Pathfinders and the Madison Center.
“For awhile, we didn’t think we would have enough food or presents for the children in the families, but in the last two weeks, the lobby filled up,” Bottorff said.
A table set up in the lobby of the station was piled high with canned foods, other non-perishable food items and toiletries.
Food baskets include the traditional items for a holiday meal plus enough food to last for several days as well.
Bottorff said, “F.O.P. Lodge 195 donates the holiday-type each year, including meat, potatoes and onions. With the cash donations that we receive, our staff here goes shopping to complete the lists for individual families.”
Helping to wrap toys and other presents for the occasion were Debbie Haeck, Bev Van Gilder and Theressa Welborn.
Welborn has been wrapping gifts at the station for the past nine years.
Haeck said, “This is the first year that I had the ‘wrapping’ day off from my job at Shady Rest so I could came in and help.”
Bottorff said, “We can’t thank our listeners enough.”