BALDWINSVILLE — Before last year, Alysia Clary and Maureen Annal might have recognized each other in the congregation at St. Mary’s Church in Baldwinsville, but it’s only recently that they have gotten to know one another.
“I’m sure we passed each other in the communion lines,” said Clary.
The families recognized each other “by face but definitely didn’t know each other specifically,” Annal said.
Now, the Annals and the Clarys have something new in common besides belonging to the same flock: Both families founded nonprofit organizations to improve the lives of children in their communities.
Alysia and Mark Clary founded Clary’s Closet in 2019 to provide clothing essentials for school-age students in more than 55 schools in Onondaga, Cayuga and Madison counties. Maureen and Tom Annal founded Annal’s Angels in memory of their daughters, Maryella and Elizabeth, who were killed in a car accident Sept. 3, 2020.
This holiday season, Clary’s Closet and Annal’s Angels are collaborating on the Angels on Call program. Donors pledge to fulfill the wish list of a student with something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
“Typically, after Thanksgiving, people want to get into the winter spirit and donate. I was getting overwhelmed with donations of winter coats,” Alysia Clary said. “People were asking if they could buy more items — toys and books.”
Clary reached out to the Annals for help.
“Because of Maureen and Tom’s tragedy, I wanted to do something to honor their girls,” she said.
“We were so happy to be a part of this. It really means a lot and it’s another way to honor the girls,” Annal said.
The “read” component of Clary’s campaign especially appealed to the Annals. A major focus of Annal’s Angels is literacy.
“One of our daughters in particular, Maryella, really loved reading,” Annal said. “[We] focus on reading and getting books in the hands of kids who might not otherwise have as much access.”
In October, Clary contacted the schools who have relationships with Clary’s Closet and explained the aim of Angels on Call. Clary’s Closet has matched more than 100 students from the Auburn, Baldwinsville and Syracuse school districts with “angels” who are shopping for the kids’ wish lists. The organization receives more wish lists each day.
The need is great among Central New York students. In Onondaga County, nearly 20,000 children live under the poverty line. That’s one in five kids. In the Baldwinsville Central School District, 29% of students are classified as “economically disadvantaged,” according to BCSD’s New York State Education Department Report Card. In the Auburn Enlarged City School District — the largest school district partner of Clary’s Closet — 58% of students are economically disadvantaged, according to the NYSED Report Card.
Fortunately, the angel volunteers have been generous, Clary said. St. Mary’s is encouraging its parishioners to sign up for Angels on Call, and Child Health Care Associates in Liverpool — where Maryella and Elizabeth Annal’s pediatrician practices — is sponsoring 12 wish lists.
“People have gone above and beyond in buying things for these kids,” Clary said. “People include little things that they think their children would like — little stocking stuffers.”
Clary said she feels as though Maryella and Elizabeth’s spirits are helping as well.
“There’s been little things along the way where we didn’t know if we’d have enough volunteers. I feel like the girls are guiding us through this and sending people our way,” she said.
After the Annals lost their daughters, they vowed to live “by the motto to do ‘the next right thing,’” according to the Annal’s Angels website.
“It keeps us focused on something positive and moving forward and on keeping the girls remembered and known in the community,” Maureen Annal said. “Both of our kids enjoyed helping others and doing things for others to make them feel good and it’s another way to honor their spirits.”
Other young people in B’ville are lending a hand to the organizations this holiday season. The Baldwinsville Rotary Interact Club at Baker High School is collecting new hats, gloves and mittens and new or gently used books for Angels on Call.
“The people that live here are amazing — very thoughtful of others and very willing to help,” Annal said. “People that didn’t even know us came out of the woodwork to support us during this horrible time.”
“We all have each other’s back and we really do have that small-town mentality. If something happens to one of us, it happens to all of us,” Clary said.
As for what’s next for Annal’s Angels, the organization is in the process of setting up scholarships in memory of Maryella and Elizabeth using funds raised in a pair of events held Sept. 3, 2021 — a memorial celebration at Palmer Elementary and a 5K at Onondaga Lake Park. Annal said the family is also working with the Baldwinsville Public Library on a way to honor the girls.
“I’m so grateful for all the angels from Baldwinsville that have signed up. They’re working so many miracles,” Clary said.
To sign up for Angels on Call, contact Annal’s Angels or Clary’s Closet on Facebook. Donors can split one student’s wish list, but items must be dropped off at the same time. Gift items must be new and unwrapped (gently used books are accepted as well).
