This is a big “THANK YOU!” to all the people who donated items for our Christmas day bags.
Each year, we pass out 50 bags to our diners at the Community Meal site. There are 13 items in each bag. These were: one pair gloves, one pair socks, wash cloth, bar of soap, tube of toothpaste, toothbrush, small shampoo, comb, one bottle of water, razor, hand-knitted scarf, $10 gift card from McDonalds, 1 bag (dozen) homemade cookies.
I got cash donations from the Fellowship of Churches, U.C.C. Congregational Women’s Group. Also, a generous donation (each year) from a friend of mine at church.
We received all of the toothbrushes and toothpaste from Dr. Stanbury. Thank you so much.
The scarves were all handknitted by the Ladies of the Moose. They were beautiful and warm. After I passed out the bags, I looked around and most of the people had put their scarves on.
I get donations all year long from people for these bags, socks, washcloths, gloves.
I approached McDonalds and told them I was going to include a $10 gift card in each bag. In previous years, we only did a $5 card. So, it was a leap of faith to go $10. They donated 25 cards worth $250. Very generous of them. I had to purchase 25 more.
A man who was helping me (Jorge) took $50 out of his wallet and paid for five cards. It touched me so much, it brought tears to my eyes. I can’t thank McDonalds enough.
I announced at my church that I needed 50 dozen homemade cookies a few days before Christmas. We also sent out emails to other churches and friends.
Zion Lutheran and the Methodist Church really came though. I received 80 dozen cookies.
I filled 50 bags and the extras I put into ziplock bags and gave them out for dessert at the Christmas day dinner.
Another friend of mine made a generous cash donation and bought all the bottled water. Also, her granddaughter baked eight dozen cookies.
My son and granddaughter set up an assembly line and filled all the bags.
People in our community are so generous with this project. This bag of goodies is the only gift so many of these people receive. One man said “Wow, a new pair of socks!” I’ll keep doing it as long as I can. Thank you all so much!
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