The community organization Friends of Skipper brought in a record-breaking $5,100 last week in its semiannual tag sale, with the funds going toward the Skipper Initiative, which helps educate parents and caregivers about the dangers of shaken baby syndrome.
The initiative was started by the friends and family of George “Skipper” Litcho – an 11-month-old Town of Poughkeepsie child who died from brain injuries on Dec. 3, 2000, after being shaken by his caregiver.
The group, comprised of families from Dutchess, Ulster and Orange counties, began the twice-yearly tag sale three years ago, at the Garfield Place home of the sale’s coordinator, Malinda Mortell, and each time the event grew. Last week’s sale – which offered children’s clothing, toys and gear, as well as baked goods donated by the Culinary Institute of America, was held at the Jewish Community Center on South Grand Avenue in Poughkeepsie.
“When we first started out, we raised $60. Nobody ever expected the sale to grow into this,” said Mortell. “Without the support of the families and the surrounding communities, we couldn’t do this. This has truly turned into a community experience.”