It’s a wrap!

Helping Hands started in September preparing for a season of giving.

Christmas has come and gone and we are now looking toward the new year of 2019.

Helping Hands has experienced an awesome year of not only giving but receiving.

It is wonderful to know that there are still people who genuinely care about others and are willing to express that in the form of giving.

We greatly appreciate the monetary gifts and the toys purchased by so many, that help make it possible for gifts to be given to children and seniors during the Christmas season.

Thank you to the numerous organizations, churches, businesses and individuals who adopted children and seniors and purchased gifts for them.

Once again we say thank you to the doctors and staff of Atrium Health who make it possible for children to receive brand new bicycles; to the men of First Lutheran Church of Albemarle who take children shopping for new clothing; and to the Albemarle Police and Fire Department who take children and parents out to eat and shopping.

These are our honorable mentions; however, this in no way negates the fact that other organizations, businesses, churches and individuals adopted children and seniors and purchased gifts for them.

We are much appreciative of what was done to make Christmas bright for the children and seniors. It is truly not an understatement to say that Helping Hands could not do what it does without all of these people.

We say a very special thank you to Tim Pressley, coordinator of the local Toys for Tots program, and his wife, Debbie, who work so very hard to make sure that every child has something for Christmas.

Not only do they purchase toys but they also collect the toys donated by so many; they organize the toys and they get them to the various groups that are distributing to parents for their children.

Tim and Debbie are commended for the many hours spent doing what they do.

We also thank the other veteran Marines who worked with the Toys for Tots initiative.

Thank you to the various businesses and organizations who worked with Toys for Tots to make this happen.

We salute the 12 volunteers who gave not only their time and energy to help make all that Helping Hands does possible; but collectively they also put in over 76 hours of hard work.

They are truly a vital asset. Volunteers give of their time only to give back to the community by organizing gifts, help with distributing the gifts, organizing the bikes and help with bike distribution.

This year Helping Hands assisted 843 children and 156 seniors.

While every child and every senior did not get adopted, we were still able to assist the remaining children and seniors with something for Christmas.

Happy New Year to all! See you next Christmas.

Anita Owens Scott,
coordinator,
Helping Hands