It is going to be an exciting year for us with many changes in our program. The Santa Claus Fund is starting its 44th season, and the volunteers are ready to get started.
The team has grown in numbers over the last five years. We were a small group of about 15 people five years ago, but today, we number 33. That speaks volumes for this program, in that it has such a strong following.
These men and women come from all walks of life. Most of us are retired, but some are homemakers with young children in school.
All of our volunteers remain very focused and dedicated to our mission. Those who have followed us in the past already know our mission is “To Put a Smile on a Child Christmas Morning.”
The people arrive each morning in rain, sleet or snow, almost like the postal service. We make the process fun and keep it light. These are wonderful people to work with and I wanted our readers to know that the Santa Claus Fund is in good hands.
The North Pole Annex has moved to a new home this year. I am very excited about that, and I want to thank Access Self Storage Center in Topsham for hosting us this year. They came to our rescue when we needed a new home. It’s a new facility with a climate controlled environment and the security required to operate our program. Thank you to Sam and her staff for becoming part of our team.
Our mailing address remains the same. Mail letters of request and donations to The Santa Claus Fund Inc., P.O. Box 278, Brunswick, ME 04011.
Our telephone number has changed. It is now 207-319- 9317. We also have voice mail for the first time. So if you call and the line is busy, you can leave a message. After hours, you can leave a message and we will get back to you the next day.
We are trying to improve our service and we think this change will help.
The Santa Claus Fund will operate this year from Monday, Nov. 28, until Friday, Dec. 16. That’s three additional days compared to 2010. All requests for assistance must be received on or before Dec. 16.
Please help us by making sure your letters arrive on time. We will work right up to whatever time it takes to pick and pack your gift boxes as long as we get your letters on or before Dec. 16.
We will start distributing gift packages on Dec. 20. There is a new distribution point for Brunswick, Topsham, Bailey and Orr’s Island, Harpswell and Durham residents. You will pick up your boxes this year at the Brunswick Elks Lodge, 179 Park Row, just behind the gazebo on the Mall.
Other distribution points, the Bath Elks Lodge, Bowdoinham Town Hall and Richmond town office, did not change.
If you need assistance this year to make your family’s Christmas brighter, just follow these few instructions:
First, those seeking assistance must be a legal resident living in our service area. There are no exceptions.
Second, letters of request must include a parent or guardian’s name, address and telephone number so we contact an adult if we have any questions. We cannot process requests that only list a post office box as the address.
Third, we need the names of the children and their genders so we can, for example, tell if the name Alex refers to a boy or a girl.
Letters of request also must include each child’s age, including their date of birth. That date of birth is often left out, but it is very important that it be included.
After mailing letters of request to The Santa Claus Fund Inc., P.O. Box 278, Brunswick, ME 04011. A few days later, call us at 207-319- 9317 to get a box number. If your request has been approved, you will be provided with a box number, a time and a place to pick up your boxes.
Following these instructions will expedite requests, so we can get them processed and packed for distribution. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Most important, if you would like to help us help these families, you can make a tax-deductible donation to the Santa Claus Fund Inc., P.O. Box 278, Brunswick, ME 04011.
If you would prefer to donate toys, games, mittens, hats, or a gift card, you can do so by stopping by either the Bath Elks Lodge on Lambard Street or the Brunswick Elks Lodge at 179 Park Row. You will be given a written receipt for your donation at each location. Just ring the doorbell and someone will assist you.
When we receive a donation, we will publish it in the paper each day. If you would like to donate in memory of a loved one, we will publish that information as you wish. It will be our pleasure.
Each year I always have a wish list and this year is no exception. We start each year looking for knit hats, mittens and scarves. Last year, the response was fantastic. I know I thanked you last year, but my knitters deserve another thank you.
We always depend on this group for their extraordinary skills and their generosity. It’s their time and their money that create these items.
Each year we hear from teachers about students who don’t have mittens. We try to fill that need, but we depend on you. If you can help, give us a call at 207-319-9317. We will even pick them up if you need a way to get mittens to our drop-off locations.
You may or not know that we use a hundred rolls of packing tape each year. That costs a lot of money.
We use the wide clear plastic tape that fits a metal dispenser. It can be any brand, Scotch, 3M, or generic brands like Staples, Walmart, etc. You could help us stretch our limited funds by donating rolls of tape in lieu of money or toys. I know it doesn’t sound like a Christmas present, but it is part of the process of getting the gifts to the families. We could really use your help in this matter. Thank you in advance.
Our service area changed last year. We cover Bath, West Bath, Woolwich, Phippsburg, Popham, Sebasco, Five islands, Brunswick, Harpswell, Bailey Island, Great Island, Orr’s Island, Cundy’s Harbor, Topsham, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Richmond, Litchfield and Durham.
Even with a smaller service area, we still provided gifts to 530 children in 2010. That was with an abbreviated season due to construction on the building we used as our North Pole Annex.
This year we will operate three extra days, which will likely mean more requests. This year the need is greater and the requests will be higher. We will need your help to “Put a Smile on a Child Christmas Morning.”
It feels great to be back and to be able to convey to you our daily progress. I do have some special stories to talk about in our next few reports. Look for the latest Santa Claus Fund news in Monday’s edition of The Times Record.
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