Volunteers to the rescue for Share-A-Christmas
Holmes County’s high waters won’t dampen spirits this Christmas thanks to dozens of local Share-A-Christmas volunteers.
When heavy rainfalls threatened to flood the storage center at the fairgrounds, putting more than 600 packages of non-perishable items in jeopardy, volunteer students and faculty from area high schools joined forces with the Share-A-Christmas team in a united effort to save Christmas for those in need.
The volunteers first moved boxes containing food, gifts and other items for more than 300 families out of the fairgrounds and into trucks when the promise of heavy rains loomed in the forecast. The Share-A-Christmas operation needed a new building, said chairperson Bob Porter. “We had the threat of a flood and we’ve been through this so many times at the fairgrounds that we needed to get out of there,” he said. “We couldn’t stay there, it was sopping wet. Randy Jones offered this building to us and we jumped on it.”
That building, known to many as the old Goodwill on South Washington Street, provided the perfect haven for the boxes, with plenty of parking, space and unloading docks. On Thursday, Dec. 1, more than 50 local volunteers came out after school to move the boxes out of the trucks and into the new building.
Most of the volunteers came from area schools after announcements asking for help were broadcasted over school loudspeakers, said Share-A-Christmas organizer Steph Ditmars. Students and faculty members from East and West Holmes answered the call.
“This is going so smoothly,” said Ditmars, as volunteers busily unloaded, carried and placed boxes all around her. “I am so amazed at the turnout.”
The students cheerfully hauled each load to its assigned spot using wagons and their own muscle, knowing that their hard work would help others this holiday season.
West Holmes High School student Emily Ditmars kept this goal in mind. “I know it’s for a good cause so it makes all the hard work okay,” she said. “I think it’s an accomplishment to see that we can give everyone in need something a little extra to make their Christmas better. I think it makes all the hard work worthwhile.”
Schuyler Jones, another West Holmes student, agreed, saying that she loves knowing that she helped make someone’s Christmas that much better.
“It was different to have to move from one building to another but we were able to accommodate everything,” she said. “All the help made it a lot easier. We got all this done in a very short time.”
In fact, the volunteers unloaded and neatly reorganized the 600 boxes in only 35 minutes. Such a combined and heartfelt effort is the key to getting things done, remarked Porter, who was amazed by the student volunteer turnout.
“I think it’s wonderful. There must be 50 kids here all over the place,” he said. “I appreciate the high school kids who came. They are just unbelievable.”
Share-A-Christmas boxes will be distributed from the new location on Saturday, Dec. 10.
When heavy rainfalls threatened to flood the storage center at the fairgrounds, putting more than 600 packages of non-perishable items in jeopardy, volunteer students and faculty from area high schools joined forces with the Share-A-Christmas team in a united effort to save Christmas for those in need.
The volunteers first moved boxes containing food, gifts and other items for more than 300 families out of the fairgrounds and into trucks when the promise of heavy rains loomed in the forecast. The Share-A-Christmas operation needed a new building, said chairperson Bob Porter. “We had the threat of a flood and we’ve been through this so many times at the fairgrounds that we needed to get out of there,” he said. “We couldn’t stay there, it was sopping wet. Randy Jones offered this building to us and we jumped on it.”
That building, known to many as the old Goodwill on South Washington Street, provided the perfect haven for the boxes, with plenty of parking, space and unloading docks. On Thursday, Dec. 1, more than 50 local volunteers came out after school to move the boxes out of the trucks and into the new building.
Most of the volunteers came from area schools after announcements asking for help were broadcasted over school loudspeakers, said Share-A-Christmas organizer Steph Ditmars. Students and faculty members from East and West Holmes answered the call.
“This is going so smoothly,” said Ditmars, as volunteers busily unloaded, carried and placed boxes all around her. “I am so amazed at the turnout.”
The students cheerfully hauled each load to its assigned spot using wagons and their own muscle, knowing that their hard work would help others this holiday season.
West Holmes High School student Emily Ditmars kept this goal in mind. “I know it’s for a good cause so it makes all the hard work okay,” she said. “I think it’s an accomplishment to see that we can give everyone in need something a little extra to make their Christmas better. I think it makes all the hard work worthwhile.”
Schuyler Jones, another West Holmes student, agreed, saying that she loves knowing that she helped make someone’s Christmas that much better.
“It was different to have to move from one building to another but we were able to accommodate everything,” she said. “All the help made it a lot easier. We got all this done in a very short time.”
In fact, the volunteers unloaded and neatly reorganized the 600 boxes in only 35 minutes. Such a combined and heartfelt effort is the key to getting things done, remarked Porter, who was amazed by the student volunteer turnout.
“I think it’s wonderful. There must be 50 kids here all over the place,” he said. “I appreciate the high school kids who came. They are just unbelievable.”
Share-A-Christmas boxes will be distributed from the new location on Saturday, Dec. 10.
Published: December 4, 2011
