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More than 650 sign up for ‘Christmas’
‘Angels’ should be here next week
Published Monday, November 9, 2009
Christmas is less than two months away, and starting next Monday, Covington County residents can do their part to help bring holiday cheer to more than 600 children in the area.
Andalusia Community Christmas is a project that provides gifts to children from low-income and other needy families, thanks to the generosity of members of the community. The event originally began as a small-scale project of the Kiwanis Club, but has grown to encompass a variety of civic clubs and other community organizations.
Larry Avery, chairman of Andalusia Community Christmas, said more than 630 children registered Saturday to participate in this year’s event. Children eligible to participate in the program must come from a family that has demonstrable need, and who lives in either the Andalusia, Straughn, Red Level or Pleasant Home school districts.
“I’m guessing that by the time our list is finalized, we’ll probably have somewhere between 660 and 670 children signed up,” he said. “We’ll be about 40-50 higher than last year, I’d say.”
This year, registration was held at each of the four participating schools, and at approximately the same time. This is the second straight year the event has had one-day-only registration, and Avery said it again worked well.
“We probably had about 30 volunteers who worked to make sure registration was a success,” he said. “At Andalusia Middle School alone, we had more than 400 children sign up.”
Avery said Andalusia Community Christmas volunteers are currently in the process of transcribing the children’s gift requests onto paper angels, which should be available at local businesses as early as next Monday. Those who patronize the businesses are invited to take one or more angels home, and are then responsible for purchasing those gifts.
The evening of Fri., Dec. 18, the gifts will be handed out to the children at a community Christmas party at the Kiwanis Building.
Avery said Andalusia Community Christmas is a wonderful event that shows the generosity of those who live in Andalusia and the surrounding community.
“It takes a lot of volunteers to make this event a success,” he said. “But this event would be a complete failure if we didn’t have the support of the community. The community has always been very generous in helping these kids have a Merry Christmas, and I’m sure our citizens will be just as giving this year.”
Anyone who would like more information about Community Christmas or would like to still register his or her child to receive a gift can call the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce at 222-2030 or Sav-A-Life at 222-0644. Andalusia Community Christmas, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) organization and all donations are tax-deductible.
Donations may be sent to Andalusia Community Christmas, Inc., P.O. Box 1525, Andalusia, AL 36420.
Comments
Posted by Blondie (anonymous) on November 10, 2009 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am glad that this is done, but what is so sad is that the ones that abuse this! Some of the parents that go and sign up, know that they are better off than some of the ones that dont get to sign up, and use this for there benefit.
Dont abuse something good like this! You better be thankful for what you do have,
Posted by biscuitsandhoovergravy (anonymous) on November 10, 2009 at 6:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would hate to stand before my Maker and have to try and explain taking advantage of something like this.
Posted by lulubell (anonymous) on November 11, 2009 at 9:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My income bracket has always been to high according to some.
I live on fixed income with now 2 teenage son's. I do know of one person that lives with a parent but does not claim her as a source of income and she gets loads of help for her and her children. Don't the Community Christmas folks check this out.
Posted by pavilionjd66 (anonymous) on November 11, 2009 at 10:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it is great to have something like this. I also think that if these people want the community to give, they need to give back. If you are too sorry to get a job and support your kids and you want the communtiy to suppoert them, you need to show your appreciation by donating your time by helping clean up the town. And believe me it needs it. Start by cleaning your own yard and work to the streets. Especially those drunks that manage to find beer money, but no christmas money. I am sure that the good people who give those gifts could find some work around their own homes that you people could do as payment. If you can't support your children, give them to someone who can. They didn't ask to be here.
Posted by workingman (anonymous) on November 12, 2009 at 9:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a great program for those in need but, the ones that are truly in need do not ask for any type of help. Last year we donated about 100 shirts for boys and girls. When they were handed out I saw only 7 cars that were in disrepair, the rest of them were 2007 and up. "YES!" there were several suv's and three lincoln's and four new cadies. These people did not need help they just wanted some one eles to pay so they did not have to. This is between them and thier GOD not me and my GOD.
Posted by SouthernAttitude1 (anonymous) on November 12, 2009 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
workingman, you are right about people who truly need help not asking. I think that has a lot to do with pride and not greed.
Posted by biscuitsandhoovergravy (anonymous) on November 12, 2009 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Workingman, you speak the truth!
Go to one of these handouts and take a good look at who shows up. It will be the same crowd that shows up at every giveaway. The people who DESERVE to be helped will not be there in numbers. They wont be there because they will be at their minimum wage job trying to make a working living. Trying to pay their bills, support their kids, trying to make ends meet and keep their pride and dignity.
They dont drive new cars and suv's, they dont wear new nice clothes and jewelry. They are'nt the ones you stand behind in the grocery store with a buggy fulla expensive meats and groceries with their gubment supplied food stamp card in hand. They dont have a carton of smokes and a coupla cases of beer in another buggy to be paid for with a wad of cash. They dont ride the roads all day looking for some skank to impregnate or some punkass wannabe rapper to get a rock to smoke.
Do I sound bitter and angry...yeah I probably do. My Momma raised me and my siblings on a little of nuthin by working herself to death at menial jobs. Never got a handout, never expected one. She could stretch a dollar tighter than Joan River's forehead. We were poor...but not in the way that matters. I am so thankful my folks instilled in us what self sufficiency and pride in oneself is worth. I am so tired of supporting those too damn sorry to help themselves.
Posted by Blondie (anonymous) on November 12, 2009 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It isnt just with this that things like this are happening!!
This just shows you how people have been "handed"things out to them for so long that they dont know how to work to get it for them selves! They expect a hand out for every thing.
BUT LET ME SAY THIS THOUGH!! This is for the kids, not the parents!! Dont make these kids pay for what their parents dont care enough to do for them. Also NOT ALL PARENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE of this!! They are were they really need this, and it is the others that make it where they cant!! Think about when you walk up to that line and put your name in if you deserve it or not! Do you honestly deserve it?
These kids cant help the positions that they are placed in, so dont make them suffer at Christmas!
Posted by WAtidefan (anonymous) on November 12, 2009 at 3:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You see, that is where is always goes... it is for the children. Don't make them suffer because the parents are dishonest. Where do you think the adults learned to do this? From their parents. They grow up getting handout after handout with no one being required to do anything to earn it so they follow suite. Certainly not all. There are those who really need help but most of the time they don't ask for it. In my local area, a clothing store offered some families a "free" 50 dollar shopping spree for children. I do not know how they were selected. To the delight of the mothers, after they arrived, the store increased it to 100 dollars per family.
Imagine my outrage as one mother was shown on TV using her cell phone to call her sister to share the good news. It seems she could afford a cell phone but not clothes for her kids. It was a corporate decision but I'll bet the mom gets government assistance, as well.
Many times it is about priorities.
As someone else suggested, let the parents earn the gifts. Wonder how many would show up if some work were required?
Posted by lulubell (anonymous) on November 12, 2009 at 7:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
pavilionjd66 I have never ask for any help I was just going by what the lady told me that you had to be on food stamps or either draw afdc. When I said a fixed income I was talking about my disability check. No I don't drink alcoholic beverages and I clean up my yards from the house all the way up to the curbs. Before I became disabled to actually hold down a job I did give to the Community Christmas program also I would go by and take an Angel from one of the trees and I would buy for a child. Also I did volunteer work in and around our community. I helped people get their loved ones home from the service when they had a tragedy here at home and someones' home was destroyed fire I was there to help the families in need and when hurricanes and tornadoes struck many many families homes I was there for weeks at a time I was gone from my family. I also held a full time job (paying job). If it wasn't for the disability I would be back out in my community helping wherever my help might be needed. As far as the Community Christmas it is the best thing that could ever happen for less fortunate children than my own.
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