VERONA — The legacy of longtime Verona Food Pantry Director Linda Finnerty continues.

Finnerty passed away Sept. 15. Food pantry volunteer Peg Ward said Finnerty will be remembered as a person “who saw a need and did something about it.”

“Linda provided a welcoming smile each time the pantry was open,” Ward complimented. “She ordered food each week from the Food Bank of Central New York, paid all invoices, and served as treasurer, acknowledged donations of both monetary and food products, and quite often went out of her way to meet people with emergency needs at times when the pantry was not open.”

A lifelong resident of Verona and a member of the Verona United Methodist Church, Finnerty was also a liver transplant recipient, spending countless hours advocating for people to become organ donors, Ward added.

The food pantry serves about 100 town of Verona families a month. Anyone in need of some food can simply stop in with a driver’s license or another item like a piece of mail showing their address. Although they follow the USDA’s income guidelines, they are very flexible, Ward promised.

“If someone has a need we’ll serve them,” she said. “We never turn anyone away on their first visit.”

The food pantry is under the direction of the Verona Area Council of Churches (VACC) and now directed by Debra Rafte, president of the VACC and a commissioned lay minister for mission outreach and worship at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Verona. Ward’s husband Greg Ward is the treasurer of the VACC and is also serving as treasurer of the food pantry.

Rafte said the food pantry has around 20 volunteers working six per shift. Their donors’ contributions are just as important, Rafte said, as they give the food pantry the stock to give out to those in need. Food donations are accepted at the Verona Post Office, 5731 Rock Road, and during open hours at the food pantry.

Monetary donations may be sent to the Town of Verona Food Pantry, PO Box 75, Verona, NY 13478. The pantry is supported by state and federal grants through the Food Bank of Central New York, individual donations, area churches, schools and local organizations.

During November each client receives a complete Thanksgiving dinner in addition to their regular food and in December, the VACC provides Christmas meals and gifts for children. Rafte said their clients are glad the food pantry is there and she appreciates that.

“We get a lot of people saying, ‘God bless you,’” Rafte said. “People are very gracious and happy that we are here, and it all goes back to Linda’s inspiration. It’s taken three of us to do everything she did - if she had a fault, it was that she didn’t want to delegate anything - so we like to continue to give her the credit that she is due.”

The food pantry is open from 1-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays and from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursdays in the Town of Verona complex at 6600 Germany Road. For more information, call Rafte at 315-225-0559.