PHARSALIA – The inmates at Camp Pharsalia don’t forget they’re doing time in prison, former warden Jim Wilkinson says. With a small show of thanks this holiday season, a few members of the community don’t want them to forget their self-worth and value to society, either.
In appreciation for all the work the camp inmates do locally throughout the year – like paint churches, labor on road crews, clear flood plains and shore up old buildings – Wednesday a committee of area citizens held the 45th Annual Camp Pharsalia Christmas Party for the minimum security prisoners.
For their efforts, the approximately 160 camp men will receive a chicken dinner, citrus fruit provided by the Norwich Rotary and an assortment of homemade pies. Most of the funding for the party comes from community donations.
Why have a Christmas party for prisoners? Several of the roughly dozen Christmas party committee members say because these men, although incarcerated, are not past receiving compassion, and deserve a pat-on-the-back for what they accomplish outside the prison gates.
“In general they do a lot of good stuff and they continue to do a lot of good in our community,” said Christmas party volunteer Tom Taylor, a retired minister and former pastor of the Broad Street Methodist Church. “For me, showing care for people that are incarcerated is just a good thing to do.”
The party was started in 1962 by long-time Chenango County Sheriff Joseph Benenati. Wilkinson and others say Benenati was instrumental in organizing the function and getting others involved for over 40 years.
That community involvement has made a difference in the prisoners’ lives to this day, said Wilkinson, who is now retired from the camp and has taken over for Benenati as Chairman of the party committee.
“The inmates see these people in the community come out here to show their appreciation, and I think they understand that we do have faith in them,” said Wilkinson. “They’re still incarcerated, they’re still doing time. It’s jail no matter how you look at it, and they know that. But they appreciate what they receive, and they realize that people on the outside still have faith in them.”
It’s important to have faith in others, even prisoners, says Reverend John Koopman, a chaplain at the camp and committee volunteer, because no one is beyond hope.
