Letters from the community…

Dear Spirit of Christmas –

I had visitors the Saturday before Christmas who came knocking on my door early in the morning just as promised.  It was truly your helpers laden with boxes of food and bags of gifts.  The children were sleeping in that morning so I had your helpers bring them in and hide them so the children would not see them.  I wanted to see their eyes on Christmas Morning when they awoke to unexpected packages under our small Christmas tree decorated with handmade ornaments and the huge stocking that you brought hanging.   Your helpers cooperated much to their disappointment – they understood.
Thank you for a beautiful Christmas Morning.  The Spirit of Christmas will live on in my children’s memory.  No matter how hard I had worked, being a single mother is not easy.  And you made our Christmas so bright!  I will never forget that knock on the door that Saturday morning only to find Santa himself standing there delivering the Spirit of Christmas to my family.

With love from a Single Parent

Dear Delivery Guys –

You brought much relief and delight to our apartment this Christmas with the packages and food that you delivered.  I know those 4 flights of stairs are tough to climb, But you did it!  The fresh milk and eggs along with the ham were such a bright spot. And then you supplied my cupboards with enough food for days to come.  The fresh baked cookies were delicious as was the oranges.  We can always use nice big towels and the filled stocking was fun to open with a box of candy as well.  Such a wonderful Christmas!

 Both of us are unable to leave the apartment now but can manage on our own.  We have wonderful neighbors and are thankful for them.  But to get such an abundance of food sure makes for some pleasant and tasty meals this winter.

Thank you for all you do and for taking the time to be of service to the elderly.

Two Older Folk still in Love

(It was told that as the Lions left, the couple stood at the door waving with tears in their eyes,)

Dear Lions –

The Christmas Season witnessed the Damascus Lions joining together to make another Holiday Giving Project a memorable one in the eyes of 31 families that included 51 children and 52 adults.  You spent hours, close to 400 hours, that is, on the project.  Your ten teams loaded their sleighs with 4 boxes of food and bags of gifts for each family.  And in those bags were gifts for each child that a Lion had selected and purchased out of his own pocket. Also was an outfit for each child that the four member shopping team had purchased at Kohl’s.  And bless Kohl’s; they gave a 20% discount on everything including the 60 towels and washcloths that you purchased for each family. 

And your friends, the Goldstein’s, came laden with homemade goodies packaged so seasonably.  The dinner rolls, I am told, were donated by a Lion as were the boxes that you packed everything into.   And the big stocking that was stuffed full had dental items donated by Richard J. Schoeb Dental Office.

I understand Lion elves were out and about town collecting money for the project and did a great job!  And the food drives was conducted by Rocky Hill and John T. Baker Middle Schools and Damascus High School and produced approximately 8000 items. One of your Lions worked really diligently at the onset, calling and profiling each family.  Another Lion provided space to store the canned goods until it was ready to pack.

Your members work very well in coordinating everything and working to make the project a successful one.

Thank to all the Lions! To their Partners- In- Service who shopped, wrapped, and help deliver I say thank you.  And to the families, you, too, are special just like your Lion member. Everyone got involved in some facet of the project and that is how you make it such a successful project…

You are truly “Everyday Heroes”! for serving to make your community, Damascus, a better place to live!

Happy New Year!
Santa