Months of preparation and the involvement of hundreds of volunteers came to a successful conclusion Saturday with the delivery of Christmas Friends gifts to 256 disadvantaged children and senior adults in Middlesex County.
Volunteers in vans and trucks carrying a bag of gifts for each one, plus a few bikes and other larger items, spread out in 12 delivery areas throughout the county. Thirty-one bags were returned because the recipients were not at home. They were taken to the Middlesex Department of Social Services at Cooks Corner for pick up.
Christmas Friends is sponsored by the Southside Sentinel and the social services department, which screens and refers all recipients. This is the 39th year for the program.
The Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department again was a key partner in the delivery process. The large bays at the Urbanna firehouse are loaned to Christmas Friends Friday afternoon and Saturday morning so the hundreds of bags can be divided and sorted in delivery order. The large contractor size bags were donated by Horn’s Middlesex Ace Hardware.
Christmas Friends in 2024 missed two stalwart supporters, Bill Hight and Scott Orrell, who for decades arranged for a storage trailer and/or large truck near the back door of the Sentinel office where bags of wrapped gifts could be stored and later transferred to the firehouse. Both died earlier this year.
Bill’s son, Christopher, made sure that tradition continued this season, with the help of drivers Bruce Murray and Rick Giles.
“Our gratitude goes to these and hundreds of others who donated funds, shopped, wrapped, delivered, or supported the program in a variety of ways,” said Christmas Friends president Fred Gaskins. “Our community steps up every year to help brighten Christmas for the disadvantaged in our county.”
Planning now begins for next year
Christmas Friends Inc. spent $29,955 for gifts this season, and donors have contributed $20,127. so far. Donations are accepted at any time during the year and will allow volunteers to get an early start when the 2025 shopping season begins.
Monetary donations 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.
ChristmasFriends.org also contains a link for those who wish to donate funds through PayPal or a credit card.
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.
Donations received during the past week include:
- In memory of Chic and Bev Silver by Bob and Susan Fitch, $100.
- In memory of our son, Derek Bristow. We miss you and love you, Marvin and Susan Hurley-Fowler, $100.
- In memory of Derek Bristow. We miss you so much and love you, Daddy. Brayson and Farrah Bristow, $50.
- Patricia Bell, $250.
- In loving memory of my Best Friend, Nancy Dixon, $300.
- Anonymous, $100.
- In memory of loved ones by Johnny and Cookie Fleet, $100.
- In honor of First Responders by Johnny and Cookie Fleet, $100.
- In honor of Clark Laster by PopPop and Mimi, $100.
- In memory of Brenda Knupp and Evelyn Turner by Richard Stearns and Andrea Crawford, $100.
- In memory of Hersey Mason by Mason Realty Inc., $100.
- In loving memory of Jim Ray and Chic Silver by Susan Ray Silver, $100.
- In memory of Hersey Mason by Anne Mason, $100.
- James and Virginia Shackelford, $100.
- Leasure’s Wrecker Service Inc., $250.
- In memory of our parents by Chuck and Linda Leasure, $100.
- Strother and Evie Scott, $200.
- Don and Judy Richwine given with loving thanks for all the help we have received, $200.
- In memory of Marden and John M. Bareford Sr. given by Barbara and John M. Bareford Jr., $100.
- In memory of Thomas Bland Norman given by Barbara and John M. Bareford Jr., $100.
- In memory of Fay N. Willaford given by Barbara and John M. Bareford Jr. $50.
Previous total: $17,427.
Total this week: $2,700.
