The 2022 activities of Christmas Friends Inc. are in full swing, and more monetary donations are needed to maintain the effort. The local organization, sponsored by the Southside Sentinel and the Middlesex County Department of Social Services, has a fundraising goal of $30,000. Already this year it has spent $31,640 to purchase gifts for needy children and senior adults in Middlesex County.
ChristmasFriends.org contains a link for those who wish to donate funds through PayPal or a credit card.
Donations also can be brought to the Southside Sentinel office at 276 Virginia St. in Urbanna or mailed to Christmas Friends Inc., c/o Southside Sentinel, P.O. Box 549, Urbanna, VA 23175. Checks should be made out to Christmas Friends Inc.
Christmas Friends Inc. is a 501(c)3 corporation and donations are tax-deductible.
Monetary contributors are recognized as Christmas Friends and their donations are listed weekly in the Sentinel. Contributors who wish to remain anonymous should request that their donations be listed as such. Memorial contributions also will be acknowledged.
The latest contributions are listed at the end of this article.
Volunteer effort
Christmas Friends thanks all donors and everyone volunteering to help in any way. Dozens of volunteers are the key to the program’s success for the past 37 years.
Almost 100 shoppers purchase the gifts and many wrappers have already reported for duty during the past two weeks. Scheduled wrapping sessions are winding down now but lots of gifts are still coming in and additional wrapping may be needed. If you can help, call the Sentinel office and leave your number. If needed, the final wrapping sessions may be on Saturday morning, Dec. 10, and Sunday afternoon, Dec. 11.
On Dec. 17 more volunteers will gather to deliver the hundreds of gift bags throughout the county. Only one more large, open van is needed to help carry the gifts, but six to eight crew members are needed for some of the 13 routes.
Call Sentinel office manager Geanie Longest at 804-758-2328, ext. 101, or email her at glongest@ssentinel.com to volunteer a van, help deliver, or to wrap gifts if needed.
Donations received through Dec. 6 total $13,585.
In memory of Derek Bristow in Heaven. We love you and miss you Daddy, Brayson and Farrah, $50.
In memory of our son, Derek Bristow. We love you and miss you so much son, Marvin and
Susan Hurley-Fowler, $50.
Elizabeth Landon, $25.
Bob and Kris Scherrer, $200.
Carol and George Throckmorton, $100.
In memory of Dorothy Healy Carneal, Eddie and Minnie Healy, Amos and Margaret Healy and Mabel Healy Shanaberger by Ellen Carneal, $100.
In memory of Carroll Lee Spencer, Louise Spencer and Lois Spencer by Ellen Carneal, $100.
Steve and Becky Ferrell, $200.
Anonymous, $100.
In memory of Jimmie Williams by June Williams, $100.
In memory of Syd Thrift by Dolly Thrift, $400.
Anonymous, $100.
Tom and Thelma Phillips, $250.
Richard and Deborah Haynes, $200.
Linda and Fred Edwards, $250.
In memory of loved ones by The Revere Family, $200.
Michelle and Claiborne Irby, $100.
Sandra and Winston Wright, $200.
In memory of grandson, Justin Wyatt, by Kenny and Bernice Wyatt, $100.
The Episcopal Church Women Christ Church Parish, $100.
Strother and Evie Scott, $200.
In memory of Connie, Cody and Christy Carlton by Jeffrey and Barbara Shaw, $350.
Happy Holidays Monday Scat Ladies, $200.
In honor of volunteers everywhere by Barbara Fasig, $200.
Forest Chapel United Methodist Church, $100.
Middlesex County Woman’s Club Inc., $150.
Total this week: $4,125.
Previous total: $9,460.
Total to date: $13,585.
