The Spirit of the Season core group began to meet in September to organize and implement all necessary to see to the needs of folks in south county this Christmas.
The folks were registered, the Wish Trees went up, donations garnered and food donated and we had Val’s Pet Shop in which to hold the event. All seemed to be going well and then I got so sick I couldn’t do a thing.
That’s when the miracle happened. All our volunteers gathered and made sure we had the best Spirit of the Season ever.
I cannot begin to express my gratitude, most especially to Phyllis Kelsey, for going all out to make sure that the children received the community gifts and families were given a turkey dinner with all the fixings … and did a yeoman’s job in organizing and keeping all going smoothly.
Also, I publicly wish to thank everyone who helped this year and pray to heaven I didn’t leave anyone off the list. My apologies if I did.
Here is a list of community angels: The aforementioned Phyllis Kelsey, Sandy Tucker, JoAnn Harmon, Lyn Kerr-Hansen, Pastor Voris Brumfield and the Middletown Community United Methodist Church, Bonnie Thompson, Kathleen and Kelly Connors, Mary Jo Gawley, Mary Rose Pott, Carolyn Tobin, Susan Watts, Wansley Adam, Jeanne Netherwood, Daniel Frost, Clay Stewart, Nanette Marian and hubby, Mary Copeland, Ned Munger, John Sullivan, Joe Butler, Marti McCarthy, Stephen Hebert, Clover Dairy and Hettie and Jim Hendrickson, Cindy Weber and the students of Loconoma High School, Linda DeDominic, Laura Pimentel, Walt Gafvert, Jill Gibbs, Lorna Cruz and the folks at Calpine, Glen Herman, Donna Crofoot and the folks at Twin Pine Casino, Grinder’s Steep, Cheryl Tom’s family, Vet Connect, Christine Bougas, Troop 315, Wendy Gattoni and the Middletown schools, FFA Middletown, Store 24, Tri-Counties Bank, WestAmerica Bank, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Mulligan’s in Hidden Valley Lake, HVL Realty, Val’s Pet Shop, Food’s Etc., Hardester’s Markets, Lake County Milers, Bettye McKinstry, Gary Graves, Nancy Ray, Jan Solari, Middletown Senior Center, and Lorrie Gray and the Hunger Task Force.
I thank all the donors: church groups, businesses, service groups and individuals and families who generously support Spirit of the Season. We simply could not carry on this grass roots community holiday program without your donations.
A list of those donors will be forthcoming. I simply wanted to offer thanks on behalf of all who had a sweeter Christmas because the Spirit of Season is alive and well in our small town.
We are blessed to live in a place who knows how to come together to take care of the fragile, vulnerable or needy.
I’m reminded of the quote from Paula D’Arcy, “God comes to us disguised as our life.” At times help comes to those in need and sometimes when you want to do your heartfelt best and cannot, but other angels step up and do God’s work.
Hedy Montoya is the Spirit of the Season coordinator. She lives in Middletown, Calif.
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