Winterfest is This Saturday

Yesterday George (my nephew Phil’s father-in-law), Lisa and I helped Jackie (my sister) pack Christmas gifts from one room into two other rooms at a high school in Parkland in preparation for tomorrow’s Winterfest event. I may end up there this morning, too, but won’t know for a while. There are supposed to be additional volunteers there this morning, but since there’s some snow on the ground (not a lot, and it’s melting), it’s possible that all of the volunteers who committed to showing up won’t. So I’m “on call”.

Winterfest is an annual event which local companies can contribute to to help out our 500 neediest neighbors in the Pierce County  school districts (as decided by the school districts–they have their fingers on the pulse of low/no income families because of kids who federally-mandated get free lunches;attendance is by invitation only). People and companies donate brand new hats, coats, gloves, socks, sweatshirts, hoodies and toys (or money so Jackie from Heritage Band and Trudy from the LeMay Foundation can go buy them) so the families can stop by and get warm clothing and a gift for each family member. Santa is in attendance, there are readers for the kids who are waiting for their parents to reappear after they finish shopping (surreptitiously) downstairs, there is face-painting, some throwing games, and other things to keep the kids busy while parents shop. It’s a four-hour event.

There are volunteers galore to watch the kids and walk them through the maze of activities, gift wrappers, toy restocking folks, bilingual translators…everything that’s needed to make the day a good one for the families who come to Winterfest. There are smiles, tears of gratitude, hugs, and thank yous. It’s a really great feeling to volunteer there, as a result. We probably get as much as we give.

The first year I volunteered as a greeter; the next year as a book reader. The past two years I’ve been Jackie’s “on call SUV” in case the amount of gifts starts getting too low toward the end. She calls (the parking lot is full; there is no way to be there full time), I drive over, and we go to Toys R Us or somewhere else, quickly load another several shopping carts full of gifts, and return.

Gifts are replenished every hour between the arrival of families. (Family arrivals are scheduled so volunteers have time to replace the gifts taken with new ones so the selection is always very good.)

If you’re a local area company that would like to donate money, toys, coats, mitts, hats or gloves for next year’s Winterfest event (or any year thereafter), here’s a  link you can follow to do that: http://www.plu.edu/service/winterfest/

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