With the holiday season approaching, we’re all looking for ways to persevere with a smile. As usual, the tireless, generous staff and volunteers at the South Sound YMCA have a variety of ways to both give and receive.
Volunteers, members, and staff spend weeks preparing for the annual Holiday Celebration event which hosts up to 700 people. This year’s celebration takes place at the Downtown branch on Friday, December 2, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome and the event is free.
On arrival, families will receive a hand-made tote bag created by volunteer Carolee Johnson. This year alone she’s turned more than 500 yards of fabric into 500 bags, all decorated with small “Made with Love” tags.
Once registered, children are presented with an old-fashioned ticket and escorted by Santa’s Helpers to the Kid’s Santa Gift Shop. There they choose a gift for their family and wrap it on-site. These gifts are compiled from donations of new or very gently used items donated from the community and assembled into gorgeous baskets, boxes, and bundles of household items, candles, mugs, wreaths, and decorations.
Proudly bearing their handiwork, the children then proceed to a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. After having photos taken by a professional photographer, each child receives a wrapped, age-appropriate gift of their very own and a printed copy of their photo with Saint Nick. These Santa Gifts are also donations, many of which come from the YMCA’s lobby Giving Tree’s.
While this is going on, the adults are invited to choose from the Giving Room’s selection of free housewares, small appliances, lamps, games, puzzles, toys, books, CD’s, and DVD’s. The quantity allowed will be determined by the total number of donations…which is where the community comes in.
Between now and Friday, November 30 bring all of your gently used, gift-worthy donations to the Downtown or Briggs YMCA. Wish List items sought are vases, picture frames, holiday decorations, candles, baskets, dad gifts (flashlights, tool kits), jewelry, board games, books, music, kitchen items, toys, and winter wear (scarves, mittens, hats, and gloves). Unlike previous years, no clothing donations will be accepted.
If you need ideas, both the Downtown and Briggs branches have Giving Trees in the lobby with tags indicating the items requested.
Cash or gift cards received will be used by event staff to fill in gift areas as needed to insure every age group is covered. Can’t donate material goods? The South Sound YMCA can use your nimble fingers to wrap Santa Gifts before or escort children through the process on the night of the event.
So much of this celebration comes thanks to devoted volunteers. Event organizer Carolee’s husband Jerome offers his photography services while Santa and Mrs. Claus are members of the Advisory Board. Locally, Starbucks and Puget Sound Energy provide volunteers for the event as well.
Carolee loves prepping for and serving at the celebration. “It brings a lot of people together, it’s such a happy event!” she says. Barb Kuenstler agrees, “Everybody’s welcome. We don’t want any child to go without a gift. We’ve had some real sad cases come in but ever since we’ve started this event our members have been very, very generous.”
Kuenstler continues, “I thoroughly enjoy being involved. I even harass my family and the advisory board to put a box in their house year round for donations. We really want the stuff gone but anything left over gets carried on to next year.”
The Holiday Celebration simply hopes to make Christmas happier for everyone. Flyers are sent home through Weekend Food Bags to low-income students in the Olympia School District and North Thurston Public Schools and details are posted on the South Sound YMCA’s Facebook page.
Whether you give or receive, come enjoy the best of the season with friends and family. You—and your community—will be glad you did.
Call the Downtown branch at 360-357-6609 or visit 510 Franklin Street SE with questions. Or drop by either branch to check out the Giving Tree or drop off gifts or donations.