I've alway believed that you support your local businesses and here's the why!
First, they have been collecting toys, bikes, food since Thanksgiving for our little community. Second, they don't even ask for a thank you or recognition; they just want kids to have a GREAT Christmas (but I'm going to give them recognition ). Third, they united and delivered everything last Sunday to BATSTO CHURCH! Santa's Elves live right here in our community! What an awesome town to live in!
On Sunday, our church family gathered early in time to accept all of these deliveries. NJ STATE PARK POLICE brought a trailer full of toys and bikes to be distributed, 2162 toys to be exact (not including bikes). Thank you to Felicia and Angel for counting them all. BOONDOCKS MARKET AND GRILL (GO BUY LUNCH OR DINNER THERE) loaded up a trailer, supplied by a another local resident, and delivered over 24 bikes and boxes (and boxes) of helmets and toys. We received 44 bikes this Christmas. NESCO LIQUOR STORE (GIVE THEM YOUR BUSINESS) delivered BOXES (and boxes) of toys and bikes! NESCO ALL SPORTMEN HUNTING CLUB delivered BOXES (and boxes) of toys and bikes! Local residents were dropping off brand new clothing, bags of toys, things for teenagers (things that they like) and food...ALL DAY LONG! IT was an amazing SUNDAY and if you didn't come to see for yourselves you wouldn't believe all these people (residents), coming together, in action to make CHRISTMAS WISHES COME TRUE! I truly believe in miracles and goodness. If you missed it this year...mark it on your calendar for next year. SEEING GOODNESS makes your heart burst! Spreads joy and happiness too! I'm so thankful to be part of such an important mission.
Behind the scenes there are so many other businesses and organizations that make Christmas complete for the kids in our town. I'm going to try not to forget any of them! Thank you to teachers, parents, church members and residents of Mullica Township for picking tags from our GIVING TREE and buying some personal items (clothes, socks, something special) for each child (we marry in the random toys delivered on Sunday to give each child a trashbag - TRASHBAG - full of Christmas Cheer). DOLLAR GENERAL in ELWOOD (on the WHP) delivered many BOXES FULL of toys for our kids. THANK YOU SO MUCH DOLLAR GENERAL - GO SHOP THERE! The MULLICA TOWNSHIP PTA supplied gift cards for teenagers. Most teens got 2 if not 3 gift cards! Amazing! JOIN THE PTA! VOLUNTEER WITH THE PTA! Mullica Township Education Association had money donated to shop for kids whose tags were not taken. They were able to purchase a couple of personal items for each student to add to their bag of toys. Community members, AA AUTO SALVAGE, donated a check to put towards the giving tree, with that we were able to buy a LARGE BOYS BIKE and adult helmet to be given to a family who has no transportation. All three of their children received bikes, mom and dad were so very thankful. This gave them transportation! I know I'm forgetting others to thank...it's not my intention (it's this 50 + year old brain).
It didn't stop there...CHURCH ELVES ASSEMBLED and worked HARD for DAYS! Friday night was our final pick up by very grateful families. These special people gave A LOT OF TIME and spent days and nights sorting and bagging wishes for kids! They know who they are and they are very much appreciated. I will not give them shout outs here (they don't want to be acknowledged... YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE but THANK YOU to all the ELVES (ANGELS) that worked hard all week, a week before Christmas, YOU worked hard for STRANGERS! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! It made a difference for so many people! It would not have gotten done without YOU ALL!
