Christmas Friends Inc. is shifting into high gear for the 2024 season of helping Middlesex County’s needy children and senior adults. Many shoppers are receiving their “wish lists” this week and will soon be bringing in bags of gifts daily. Wrapping sessions will begin next week.
This is the 39th year for the local charity organized by the Southside Sentinel and the Middlesex County Department of Social Services. Christmas Friends expects to serve 275-300 clients this year and the fundraising goal is $32,000.
Wrapping sessions are being held in the back room at the Southside Sentinel where space is available for a maximum of five wrappers. Volunteers will be able to wrap on most weekdays.
ChristmasFriends.org
If you’d like to help wrap gifts, go to ChristmasFriends.org and click on the Wrapping link. Three-hour morning and afternoon sessions are listed and you are invited to get your wrapping friends together and plan on a day or two of holiday spirit-infusing fun! Already, members of the Middlesex County Woman’s Club have reserved most of Dec. 5. Thank you!
If you are without Internet service, please call the Sentinel office to volunteer.
Many shoppers also wrap the gifts they purchase, and wrapping paper is available at the Sentinel if needed.
Wrappers are encouraged to bring their own scissors. Gift boxes are always needed and may be left any time at the back door of the Sentinel office.
Other ways to help
A few shoppers may still be needed to cover every client needing help. Recipients of Christmas Friends gifts are all referred by the Department of Social Services, and the names are still coming in. If you would like to volunteer as a shopper, please call Sentinel office manager Geanie Longest at 804-758-2328, ext. 101, or email her at glongest@ssentinel.com.
Delivery of the gift bags will be on Saturday, Dec. 14. 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.
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 covered beds are also suitable.
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 fees are related to maintaining its tax exempt status. Supplies such as boxes, wrapping paper and delivery bags are all donated. Once again, Horn’s Middlesex Ace is donating all the large contractor bags to be used. Volunteers supply storage space, vans and fuel to assist with the big delivery job. The Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department provides space to organize the bags in delivery order.
Monetary 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. 20 total $1,800. The total this week is $500.
Donations include:
- Anonymous, $200.
- Joy Crowder, $100.
- In loving memory of my brother, Jimmie Rector, and my sister, Betty Miller, by Jean Hill, $50.
- In loving memory of Patty and Drewry Hill by Jim and Jean Hill, $50.
- John and Vera England, $100.
