Community provides Christmas gifts for needy children

By SAMANTHA PHILLIPS

sphillips@vindy.com

LIBERTY

Thanks to the community’s generosity, 89 Blott Guy Elementary School children will receive an abundance of gifts this Christmas.

Members of the United Methodist Church and community volunteers gathered at the church Monday morning at 189 Church Hill Road, wrapping gifts as part of the annual Blott Holiday Kids project.

The project provides gifts for needy children in the community. In November, volunteers set up trees at the church and about 25 local businesses hung tags with the children’s age and what gifts they wanted. People could take a tag, pick up the requested item and drop it off at the church.

At least 100 people are involved in the project every year, between buying gifts for the children and providing gift-wrapping materials.

Project coordinator Sharon Wathen of Liberty said the project is a great way for the community to share its generosity.

“What we find is everyone wants to help, but they don’t know how to help as an individual,” she said. “But, when it’s a group effort, they can become part of a bigger project and help more people. There is value in a community coming together to serve.”

The project was started decades ago by a teacher, Gretchen Reed, who realized some of her students’ families couldn’t celebrate Christmas because they couldn’t afford to pay for the gifts.

Teachers from kindergarten through fourth grade tell project coordinators which of their students have a need for donations.

In addition to the gifts, children also receive clothes and parents get gift cards to provide holiday meals for their families.

Kim Quinlan of Liberty, who has been involved with the project for 12 years, said she wishes she could see the look on the children’s faces as they open the gifts. “Your heart goes out to them,” she said.

Jan Ferry of Liberty has helped wrap presents for 22 years. She has watched the program expand to help more children over the years.

Shannon Andre of Liberty donates gifts every year, but this year she was also able to donate her time to help wrap the gifts. “As a parent, I especially appreciate this program,” she said.