Chamber Spotlight: Kids’ Christmas needs volunteer help!

The Manchester Mirror is partnering with the Manchester Chamber of Commerce to highlight a different Chamber of Commerce activity each week! This week we are spotlighting The Kids’ Christmas Project, sponsored by chamber members the Manchester Lions Club. Visit https://48158.com/ for information on joining the Chamber.

You may never have heard about the Kids’ Christmas project, but it’s been a Manchester tradition for many years — harking back to the Optimist (subsequently Civic) Club, then to the Kiwanis assisted by the Lions, and now solely directed by the Manchester Lions Club in conjunction with Manchester Family Service.

“We’ve kept it quiet to preserve the privacy and dignity of our recipients,” said Barry Allen, of the Lions Club. “But by being too quiet, we make it very difficult to find the host of volunteers that is needed to perform this community service.” This year, the Lions Club decided to be more forthright to make the event more open, while still remaining secure for its clients.

On Saturday, December 11, volunteers will meet at the Riverside School cafeteria, where at 9 am, families will arrive for the Kids Christmas shopping event. Upon arrival, children will be assigned a seating area at one of the many tables, and provided breakfast treats and beverages. Manchester Family Service provides a list of eligible families and the kids who will be checked in. Volunteers will give each child a ‘shopping pass,’ or voucher, which they will use in selected Manchester businesses to purchase gifts for their siblings and parents. Adult sponsors will pair up with individual children and prepare to take them shopping. As the kids shop, their transactions are recorded by the merchant; the Lions Club will stop by later to pay each shopper’s cost for the gifts.

After shopping, the children return to Riverside, where they will wrap all the gifts they have found at the various businesses, and at 11 am pizzas will arrive, donated by Ollie’s. The highlight of the day, of course is the arrival of Santa, who will draw the names of each participating child and they will get to select toys for themselves. Most of the toys are the result of the Manchester Fire Department’s Toy’s For Tots program, so please support them. (Collection spot is at Old National Bank).

The event wraps up at about noon or shortly thereafter. The children take their Christmas presents home, and the volunteers clean up the cafeteria so no one could even tell anyone had been there.

“Special thanks to all of our volunteers and donations, especially Worth Repeating, the Manchester Fire Department, Masonic lodge and Lions club, Ollie’s, and Manchester Family Service,” Allen said.

“Last year COVID significantly reduced our number of volunteers, so some sponsors had to take multiple children,” adds Allen. “We definitely need to beat the bushes to get volunteers. Last year, we had 24 kids and just a handful of volunteers who each left with a carload of children.” There is no cost to volunteer. If you would like to help out, call or text Barry Allen, 734-904-4694 or email at pdg.barryrallen@gmail.com.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.