Volunteers are needed for sorting, piling and wrapping presents at the Douglas County Fairgrounds Pavilion Building. Project Santa Claus will go into full swing from Dec. 16 through 21. The pavilion will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day of the week except Sunday. There is no schedule, no sign up sheet, just show up. There will be two evening “wrap sessions” on Dec. 19 and 20, and the pavilion will stay open until at least 8 p.m. on those nights.
“We provide the materials,” said head elf, Dave Nelson of the Carson Valley Kiwanis, “All you need is a cheerful spirit and we'll put you to work.”
Project Santa Claus is the collaborative effort of many civic organizations. Kiwanis assumed the mantle to orchestrate the project last year when the long-serving head of the Project, Marilyn Malkmus, went into retirement.
“Marilyn was and is the heart and soul of Project Santa Claus, her shoes are too big to fill, but we're sure going to try,” Nelson said. “The Rotarians, the Soroptomists, Sertoma, The Lions, The Masons, The Boy Scouts, The Girl Scouts, The honor society from the middle school, Kiwanis, they're all out here. Everyone is pitching in.”
The Project Santa Claus program helps provide Christmas gifts to Douglas County children in need, who are pre-qualified through Douglas Social Services, Washoe Tribal Services, The Family Support Council, CASA or the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Last year more than 800 children were helped by Project Santa Claus and this year sign ups are on track to hit the same figure. Anyone can sponsor a child by simply choosing a name from any of the Angel Trees that have been set up in the Valley.
Nelson said that elves are needed to sort and wrap and handle any number of other projects to get presents ready in time.
“You can help for an hour or a day, children 10 and up can help too. We preheat the building but there is always coffee, hot chocolate and hot cider available as well,” he said. “So grab your neighbors and come on down. It's really a wonderful, festive environment.”
Bike donations are also needed, good quality used bikes that can be cleaned and repaired. If you have a bike to donate, drop them off at the Gardnervile Ranchos General Improvement District office on Mitch Drive or at the Town of Gardnerville Maintenance Yard at 1369 Highway 395. For more information call Gary Dove 265-9443. All the bikes that are received for Project Santa Claus are cleaned up and repaired by the young people at the China Springs and Aurora Pines Youth Facilities.
Project Santa Claus also accepts cash donations, the money is used to buy books or last minute gift items that need to be purchased.
“We have official Project Santa Claus shoppers that go out during the final week to purchase items for us,” Nelson said. “It's really amazing the number of people in the Valley that help with this project, but then it is a huge project.”
Contributions are tax deductible as Project Santa Claus is an IRS 501 (c)(3) organization ID No. 88-0258742. Mail donations to PSC, PO Box 3031, Gardnerville, NV, 89410.
Angel Tree locations Topaz Lodge & Casino - 1979 Highway 395 Carson Valley Medical Center - 1107 Highway 395
R & T Cleaners - 1389 Lampe Drive
Scolari's Food & Drug - 1335 Highway 395
Raley's Supermarket - 1363 Highway 395
Sharkey's - 1440 Highway 395
Tumblewind - 1600 Esmeralda
Taylor-York Salon - 1662 Highway 395
Bently Biofuels Outpost - 1350 Buckeye Road
Pulse Gym - 885 Mahogany Drive
CV Computer -1402 Unit A Highway 395
Wrapped gifts need to be returned by Thursday.
For more information, Nancy Hollenbach, 783-1821.
“We provide the materials,” said head elf, Dave Nelson of the Carson Valley Kiwanis, “All you need is a cheerful spirit and we'll put you to work.”
Project Santa Claus is the collaborative effort of many civic organizations. Kiwanis assumed the mantle to orchestrate the project last year when the long-serving head of the Project, Marilyn Malkmus, went into retirement.
“Marilyn was and is the heart and soul of Project Santa Claus, her shoes are too big to fill, but we're sure going to try,” Nelson said. “The Rotarians, the Soroptomists, Sertoma, The Lions, The Masons, The Boy Scouts, The Girl Scouts, The honor society from the middle school, Kiwanis, they're all out here. Everyone is pitching in.”
The Project Santa Claus program helps provide Christmas gifts to Douglas County children in need, who are pre-qualified through Douglas Social Services, Washoe Tribal Services, The Family Support Council, CASA or the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Last year more than 800 children were helped by Project Santa Claus and this year sign ups are on track to hit the same figure. Anyone can sponsor a child by simply choosing a name from any of the Angel Trees that have been set up in the Valley.
Nelson said that elves are needed to sort and wrap and handle any number of other projects to get presents ready in time.
“You can help for an hour or a day, children 10 and up can help too. We preheat the building but there is always coffee, hot chocolate and hot cider available as well,” he said. “So grab your neighbors and come on down. It's really a wonderful, festive environment.”
Bike donations are also needed, good quality used bikes that can be cleaned and repaired. If you have a bike to donate, drop them off at the Gardnervile Ranchos General Improvement District office on Mitch Drive or at the Town of Gardnerville Maintenance Yard at 1369 Highway 395. For more information call Gary Dove 265-9443. All the bikes that are received for Project Santa Claus are cleaned up and repaired by the young people at the China Springs and Aurora Pines Youth Facilities.
Project Santa Claus also accepts cash donations, the money is used to buy books or last minute gift items that need to be purchased.
“We have official Project Santa Claus shoppers that go out during the final week to purchase items for us,” Nelson said. “It's really amazing the number of people in the Valley that help with this project, but then it is a huge project.”
Contributions are tax deductible as Project Santa Claus is an IRS 501 (c)(3) organization ID No. 88-0258742. Mail donations to PSC, PO Box 3031, Gardnerville, NV, 89410.
Angel Tree locations Topaz Lodge & Casino - 1979 Highway 395 Carson Valley Medical Center - 1107 Highway 395
R & T Cleaners - 1389 Lampe Drive
Scolari's Food & Drug - 1335 Highway 395
Raley's Supermarket - 1363 Highway 395
Sharkey's - 1440 Highway 395
Tumblewind - 1600 Esmeralda
Taylor-York Salon - 1662 Highway 395
Bently Biofuels Outpost - 1350 Buckeye Road
Pulse Gym - 885 Mahogany Drive
CV Computer -1402 Unit A Highway 395
Wrapped gifts need to be returned by Thursday.
For more information, Nancy Hollenbach, 783-1821.
No comments:
Post a Comment