Plenty of opportunities to support Share-A-Christmas
From boxing up and organizing presents on delivery day to driving, participating in the annual phone drive fundraiser with WKLM or other ways, there are plenty of ways to help Holmes County Share-A-Christmas put a smile on the faces of families throughout Holmes County this Christmas season.
One of Holmes County’s most selfless times of giving is approaching quickly, with Holmes County Share-A-Christmas getting all its ducks in a row as it prepares to give to area families who need an uplifting experience this holiday season.
SAC chairman Bob Porter said this is an exciting time of the year for everyone, but there remains something special about helping families who are struggling financially during the holidays.
“Our community is something special when it comes to giving,” Porter said. “We see people in need, and we leap into action to help. That compassion and care for others is how Share-A-Christmas was started, and that giving spirit remains central to what we continue to do as an organization today.”
While delivery day looms several weeks away on Saturday, Dec. 14, the call is going out now for people to get involved, and there are plenty of ways they may do so.
The first way is to donate nonperishable food items to one of the local elementary schools or middle schools in Holmes County.
Each year this activity helps generate the food that is boxed up and presented to participating SAC families as part of their Christmas package.
Schools throughout Holmes County are preparing to engage in what is always a spirited contest among grades and schools, where they work to bring in the most nonperishable items they can to help local families in need.
The schools do the collecting, and on Tuesday, Nov. 26, Porter and his band of merry volunteers from the Holmes County Juvenile Department hit the road in a huge box truck, making stops at every participating school.
They load up their donations at one school and head to the next, starting at Mt. Hope School and ending up in Lakeville Elementary. This is one tour that puts smiles on the faces of kids as they eagerly bring in canned goods and other nonperishable items to watch the mountain of gifts grow.
“We have gotten such amazing support from the schools in this drive,” Porter said. “The kids really invest in what we are doing, and it’s a great way to introduce them to what Share-A-Christmas is all about.”
Another way to get involved is through volunteering as a driver on delivery day.
Porter said they are always seeking new drivers who are excited to join the cause and deliver items, and he said the experience of putting smiles on faces and warming the hearts of area families is unforgettable.
“It’s a special experience, and we invite anyone with a pickup truck or SUV to join us to deliver that Saturday,” Porter said.
Drivers start their journey by picking up their packet for a home or two at NewPointe Church from 7:30-7:45 a.m., then slide over to the Baker Building at Harvest Ridge to load up their packages of presents and food. From there they venture to the Holmes Fire District #1 parking lot to pick up the perishable food.
Then it’s off to make a family very happy this Christmas.
A third way to get involved is to donate through the WKLM phone-a-thon that kicks off the morning following Thanksgiving.
WKLM staff and volunteers man the phones waiting for call-ins, and throughout the experience, special guests are in studio.
This fundraiser has become a vital part of SAC’s fundraising effort, and the invitation is sent out to call in or drop off donations and even to challenge other families, groups or businesses to match donations.
“It’s something we’ve done for many years, and it remains a very big part of our fundraising effort,” Porter said, noting the drive will go on for as long as it takes to raise the necessary funds.
Yet a fourth way to give is to pluck one of the SAC children’s tags off one of the giving trees located at Walmart and Jitters in Millersburg or German Village in Berlin.
These trees have ornaments with a child’s wish list, and those taking time to purchase a toy or two for the kids can simply make the purchases and return the wrapped and labeled gifts to any of the giving tree locations.
Anyone wishing to volunteer as a driver for delivery day may call Porter at 330-763-0133.