Christmas in July No. 12 and COVID-19

I would love to say that Christmas in July No. 12 went off without a hitch.

Actually, COVID-19 entered the scene and had the Christmas Coordinator Elves to meet in a small group of less than 10 as we wore masks to make decisions about the event. We had to rethink, rework and dig our heels in a little deeper to pull it off. The amazing Christmas Elves have been at this for 12 years and we were not about to be stopped now.

Items to be given away were reduced and a different way of getting things to our 110 families this year was developed. Not one person or church said that we didn’t need to do this, even with COVID-19. Some of our churches who normally helped were not able to due to the lack of attendance of in house worship. We hope to have them rejoin us next year. Some sent money in place of their usual gifts to Christmas in July. Donations were made from certain businesses who had never helped before. Everyone showed up and showed out for our friends in need from Calhoun and Gordon County. The Christmas Elves want every student to have a better start to school.

With fewer elves present during the week prior to Christmas in July, all gifts were still sorted and divided by the needs of our families. There were 280 children and 188 adults who were helped within the 110 families who were submitted to CIJ No. 12. Every elf stepped up, stepped out and went beyond the expectations. The Christmas Elves were even able to give some extra school supplies and toothbrushes to each school system.

A special thanks for Georgette Hunt and Amanda Schutz, social workers for Gordon County Schools and Calhoun City Schools, respectively. They arranged for the pick-up of Christmas for our families to be distributed by the social workers/advocates prior to the school year.

We especially thank Calhoun First Baptist Church for allowing us to enter their sanitized Christian Life Center and work as usual to prepare for Christmas. Elves worked in masks, remained socially distanced and sanitized work surfaces after work was through. The Christmas Elves complied with all CDC rules as we worked together at CFBC.

We appreciate Amerigroup for again donating a $500 grant to help us purchase school supplies.

We appreciate these churches/church affiliated groups who continued to help despite COVID_19:

Barrett Road Church of God, Becomers Sunday School class at CFBC, Calhoun Community Church, Calhoun First Assembly of God, Calhoun First Baptist Church, Calhoun First Presbyterian Church, Calhoun Seventh

Day Adventist Church, Calhoun First United Methodist Church, Echota Baptist WOM, Heart and Soul (this community singing group had left us funds to start CIJ No. 12 when they disbanded the group), Lydia Circle from CFPC, Men of CFPC, Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, New Echota United Methodist Church, Plainville Independent Methodist Church, Reeves Baptist Church, Salem Baptist Church’s WOM, St. Clement’s Catholic Church and St. Vincent de Paul, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church and West Union Baptist Church. We thank these business elves:

CVS, Food City, House Office Supply, Office Depot, Shaw (D4/D5/D7), Walmart and Walmart Health.

The community resource elves and other agencies who also helped are:

Amerigroup, Calhoun City Schools, Calhoun Gordon County Retired Educators Association, CareSource, Coosawattee Masonic Lodge, Family Connection of Gordon County, Family Resource Center, Gordon Child Advocacy Center, Gordon County Schools and Tolbert Elementary School.

This year, we must also thank those many individuals who have supported CIJ with monetary support or needed supplies. We will not name them because we do not want to exclude anyone. Every one of you are very important to us.

Christmas in July No 12 Coordinator Elves:

Sandi Dillard, Vickie Spence, and Mary Sterling from CFBC, Jan Drexler from St. Vincent de Paul of St. Clements Catholic Church, Anne Barton and Judy McEntyre from CFUMC, Heather Moss, director of Family Connection of Gordon County, Pam Treglown from Plainville Independent Methodist Church and Rosellen Burns from NEUMC.

Sincerely,