Valentine’s gift baskets delivered to shelters

Red Hat Society members (from left) Dottie Carroll, administrative assistant in English, Wanda McCracken, senior secretary in English, and Debbie Williams, records specialist in admissions

12:37 p.m., Feb. 14, 2005--This Valentine’s Day dozens of residents of New Castle County Battered Women’s Shelters received special gift baskets, thanks to Wanda McCracken, senior secretary in UD’s English department.

For several years for Valentine’s Day, McCracken has prepared baskets of goodies for the women--hotel samples, makeup, toiletries, candy, stationery, scarves, jewelry--any small items women can use and enjoy. She has been doing this on her own for several years, soliciting donations from friends and UD employees.

McCracken also is the the leader of the Red Hat Society in Bear. The society is a national organization with local branches to provide an opportunity for women to get together to socialize and enjoy each other’s company. The only requirement is that members must wear red hats to their meetings and functions. The Bear group wanted to adopt a charity to help and decided to help McCracken with her Valentine project.

“Together we made 28 baskets this year--20 for women in the shelters, four for their teenage daughters and four for toddlers,” McCracken said.

McCracken has been a volunteer at the shelters for about 10 years. “I style hair, do makeup and manicures and help women prepare for job interviews and also do presentations,” she said.

Photo by Kevin Quinlan

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