CHRISTMAS EFFORT PREPARES FOR DELIVERY
Pandemic has brought changes, but tradition continues
Imagine an early Christmas Eve morning. Anticipation for the next day’s festivities looms in the air. It’s chilly outside, but everyone is warm with excitement and cheer. A long line of cars extends outside the Ukiah Valley Christmas Effort warehouse, each filled with joyful volunteers.
They wait eagerly while each car is filled with presents and surprises to be specially delivered to families in need. Gifts are sent to households around the area, providing a simple yet priceless contribution to the holiday season.
The Christmas Effort is a local non-profit organization with an origin dating back to 1945. After returning to school from winter break, a group of teachers noticed that some students became quiet while discussing their holidays. Resolved that each and every child deserves presents, food, and health on Christmas, they began collecting donations from locals to give the students. Each year, the project grew more and more, until it eventually gained enough momentum to become its own non-profit.
This year, the Ukiah Valley Christmas Effort is back in full swing, ready to tackle the gloom of 2020. Although the non-profit has faced numerous challenges this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, Sheryl Graves, its president, is thrilled to be continuing the tradition this Christmas Eve.
“Families need this. The community needs this,” Graves explains. “There’s more need now than ever.”
Of course, that’s not to say that the Christmas Effort hasn’t had to make substantial changes to the planning and execution of the event.
“Because of the pandemic, we have to be very controlled in
what we’re doing and how we’re doing it, for our volunteers’ sake,” she says.
One of the primary changes made to the project is the donation process. Normally, the Christmas Effort opens a temporary warehouse, where volunteers gather to plan, wrap gifts, and donate toys.
“Normally, we have very specific hours we’re open, and we want people to come by,” Graves reports. “But this year, because of safety concerns… we just won’t be able to do that.”
The 2020 Christmas Effort is based at Pomolita Middle School, but not in the traditionally crowded environment of the project. Instead, only a few volunteers will be at the school at any given moment. This is a huge contrast to typical attendance, where as many as 40 volunteers contribute each night.
Graves says, rather than asking for toy donations or hours in the warehouse, “We’re asking for monetary donations primarily this year.”
Money donated to the Christmas Effort will go toward buying gift cards for recipient families. Under usual circumstances, two to three gifts are purchased for each child individually; however, the non-profit is operating in anything but usual circumstances. In place of toys, gift cards to small restaurants, toy stores, and other establishments were deemed a safe and useful alternative.
“It’s not what we would choose.” Graves admits. T he Christmas Effor t plans to deliver presents to 425 families this Christmas Eve nevertheless. “Because that’s such a large number, some of the gift cards are for large businesses, but we’re trying to purchase gift cards to our local small businesses, so we can give back to our community. But that means we’re not really asking for toy donations this year. We’ll be happy to store them for next year, but for this year we aren’t doing a toy drive.”
In addition to a gift card, young children will be given a couple special presents.
“We are including, for the babies and elementary kids, a book blanket. We have a benefactor that donated money specifically for us to buy books for our children.” Graves gives special thanks to Tom and Lucinda Segar, who supplied the funds. “Being able to put books in a kid’s hands the best.” (See article on page 6 for more information about the book donation project.)
Despite fundamental changes to the Christmas Effort in the wake of a pandemic, Graves believes that the spirit of the holiday will thrive this year.
“Our community is, I would say, so fully supportive of Ukiah Valley Christmas Effort. It amazes me every year. Our community really wants our kids to have a memorable Christmas and to feel that bit of family togetherness, and that’s really what we’re promoting.”
To get involved with the Ukiah Valley Christmas Effort, call (707) 2729627. If you would like to donate to the cause via mail, write a check to the organization and send it to P.O. Box 801 in Ukiah. Their Facebook page will post important updates soon. The Christmas Effort is still searching for volunteers to deliver gifts on the morning of Christmas Eve, an event that will be completely contactless.
During the holidays, and especially during a difficult year such as this, organizations such as the Christmas Effort bring joy to the world and keep our community cheery.