Christmas Friends Inc., the local charity that provides gifts for needy children and elderly or disabled adults in Middlesex County, launched its 37th season this week.
The Middlesex Department of Social Services has been assisting clients in completing their “wish lists” and volunteer shoppers will begin hitting the stores next week to fulfill those wishes. Volunteer wrappers and delivery crews will be gathering next month to complete another year of Christmas Friends magic by Dec. 17.
Monetary donations from community friends are now needed to assure that the work can continue. The program expects to serve 275-300 clients this year and the fundraising goal is $30,000.
Clients still working on wish lists are reminded to deliver them to Social Services as soon as possible. A final count is needed soon to assure that funding and shoppers are available.
Volunteer safety
The organizers of Christmas Friends — the Southside Sentinel and the Middlesex Department of Social Services — are grateful for all the volunteers who have worked through the pandemic protocols in recent years, and continue to urge everyone to be cautious and stay safe.
Volunteers who have not been immunized are asked to wear a mask when inside buildings. Shoppers are encouraged to shop early or late in the day to avoid crowded stores, use smaller stores if possible, and consider online shopping if there is no local alternative and timely delivery can be confirmed.
Wrapping sessions will again be scheduled to be sure social distancing space, and “elbow room,” is available for a maximum of five wrappers. Volunteers will be able to wrap on most weekdays at the Sentinel office. A schedule will be posted next week on ChristmasFriends.org where you can sign up to wrap. Morning or afternoon sessions can be arranged except there will be no wrapping on Wednesdays.
Wrappers are encouraged to bring their own scissors to each session. Gift boxes are always needed and may be left any time at the back door of the Sentinel office.
Many shoppers also wrap the gifts they purchase. That is an ideal situation in today’s world and wrapping paper is available at the Sentinel.
Delivery of the gifts is organized so volunteers rarely need to enter homes of the recipients.
Want to help?
Shopping director Bettie Lee Gaskins said 90 volunteer shoppers have already signed up. Last year more than 100 were needed so if you would like to volunteer, please call Sentinel office manager Geanie Longest at 804-758-2328, ext. 101, or email her at glongest@ssentinel.com.
You can also contact Longest if you have a large van capable of holding approximately 25 “contractor” size bags of gifts and are willing to be its driver for one of 12 delivery routes on Saturday, Dec. 17.
The ideal van is a Chrysler or Dodge with stowaway rear seats, or similar size vans with seats that can be completely removed. “Full size” SUVs (such as a Chevy Suburban) have also been used successfully. Most regular size SUVs do not have enough space for all the bags.
Full size pickup trucks with camper shells are also suitable.
Thanks to Horn’s Middlesex Ace which has once again agreed to donate all the large contractor bags needed for the program this year.
Total volunteer effort
All funds donated to Christmas Friends go directly to help needy children and disabled or low-income elderly of Middlesex. All workers are volunteers and the only administrative fee is the annual State Corporation Commission renewal. Supplies such as boxes, wrapping paper and delivery bags are all donated. Volunteers supply storage space, vans and fuel to assist with the big delivery job.
Contributors will be recognized as Christmas Friends and their donations will be listed weekly in the Southside Sentinel. Contributors who wish to remain anonymous should request that their donations be listed as such. Memorial contributions also will be acknowledged.
To donate using PayPal or a credit card, go to ChristmasFriends.org.
Donations received through Nov. 15 include:
- Dale Waldrop, $100.
- Anonymous, $75.
- Mr. and Mrs. Charles Carmichael, $200.
- Church of the Visitation Golf Tournament, $500.
- Network for Good, $35.
- Middle Peninsula Security Center, $525.
Total this week: $1,435.
