Local sisters open their homes and their hearts

By Kate Thomson

In the midst of the harsh economic climate, when the only news heard seems to be countless stories of fraud, recession and lost jobs, charity was once again the most important thing on the minds of a few Norfolk families. On Christmas Eve, 2007, the Green family of South Norfolk fell victim to a home break-in and robbery that resulted in the theft of all the carefully chosen and wrapped Christmas gifts beneath their tree. Once the Connecticut State Police arrived and surveyed the loss, troopers instinctively sent word out to their wives and other officers who, in one of the fastest last minute shopping sprees on record, replaced all of the stolen gifts. At around 7 p.m. on December 24 last year, the officers returned to the Green residence again, with gifts to replace, to the letter, the stolen ones. Norfolk twin sisters Mary Bazzano Reeve and Margaret Bazzano Alexson did not forget the actions of Troop B members, and decided to acknowledge them by adding a twist to their annual “Santa rehearses with Norfolk kids” party. This year’s children’s party was held on December 6. As usual, each parent brought a wrapped gift for a child, and surreptitiously dropped it into Santa’s sack for later distribution to a wide-eyed little one. As usual, the inimitable Harry Rallo drolly played the jolly old elf, with his work aided by a number of seasoned, small helpers, namely Holly, Nicholas, Katie and Christopher Alexson. As always, the spirit of goodwill and community filled the air. Now here’s the twist. Each attending parent was asked to also bring a small gift for a needy adult. As Reeve noted, “these people have had such unfortunate things happen in their lives. It was a rough year for everyone. We just had to do something.” What was donated during this “for adults only” drive was later delivered to Troop B as a surprise and a thank you for the selflessness its members expressed a year earlier. The American Express gift cards, cookbooks, gas cards and more that filled the “for adults only” sack would soon be in the hands of needy adults encountered by Troop B members during the course of their day-to-day work. A good deed had been done, and another good deed has followed. For the record, the case of the Christmas 2007 break-in is still not closed.