By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
A number of organizations in Sitka have been busy this week, gathering toys and food, and fundraising for families facing challenging times – or perhaps might be overlooked – during the Christmas season.
“This is a hard time of year for a lot of people,” said Salvation Army Maj. Sabrina Tumey. “I know the carols say ‘it’s the most wonderful time of year,’ but it’s actually very hard for a lot of folks.”
The Salvation Army distributes food baskets and gifts for children that were collected by the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots.
And Sitkans donate presents for children and adults through two separate gift-tree programs, one run by the United Methodist Church and the other by the Sitka Fire Department/Office of Children’s Services. Residents select “ornaments” (actually tags) from the gift trees at the fire hall and Wells Fargo Bank. A tag has a brief description of the intended gift recipient, such as “girl, age 8,” or “adult male,” and the ornament holder buys the appropriate gift, which will be delivered by the gift tree sponsor.
Social service and nonprofit organizations supply names for the Methodist Church’s Giving Tree program. The Alaska Office of Children’s Services provides the list of kids needing gifts from the Fire Hall giving tree.
The needs are great, even in a small town like Sitka, Tumey said.
“We in our sweet little community have suffered loss just in the last couple of days and throughout the year,” the Salvation Army official said. “It’s been hard for a lot of beautiful people – but when we come together and we try to love each other we can maybe make it just a little better.”
Giving Tree organizer Julia Smith, who has volunteered in the project for more than two decades, said the names of 184 people are on the list for this year’s distributions from the tree at Wells Fargo. She said her list covers recipients from the SAFV Shelter, Head Start, Sitka long-term care, Pioneers Home and Youth Advocates of Sitka.
“We were very, very fortunate,” Smith said. “Every year we are, and we were again this year, so that every single person has a gift. We are so, so, so appreciative of the community, the outpouring of support that we get every year for this project.”
Smith and Tumey said they are always gratified to hear how families incorporate giving into their holiday activities, with contributions through the giving trees, bell ringing for the Salvation Army, and donating to Toys for Tots.
“Families have told me this year that this is a great activity for them, to teach their children about giving,” Smith said.
Tumey said, “We have really lovely people and some folks who travel here for the holidays – they did kettles and bell ringing in other places, and want to do that here.”
Sam Pointer, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps League-Robert B. Johnstone Detachment of Sitka, said the response to the Toys for Tots this year was “overwhelming,” with boxes filled up at about 10 businesses, banks and grocery stores around town.
The organization works every year with the Salvation Army to ensure those in need receive gifts. Toys are not wrapped when delivered to the kids’ families, which allows the parents to wrap them, put in stockings or place under the tree.
Pointer said the response was so immediate that some boxes were full of toys in the first week and had to be emptied regularly in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
He said he didn’t know how many gifts were donated, but they ran the gamut, as usual, with gift cards a popular option for some age groups. He said he was grateful for the response from the community.
“We had a big donation from a couple of retailers the day we put the boxes out and that got us off to a great start. Some of the boxes filled up before the last day – last Saturday, and we were picking up boxes in between because some of them we had to empty and take back to fill them again. The response was very good – it was overwhelming.”
Pointer took over the local collection program in recent years, but credited Marine Corps veterans Bernie Gurule and the late Nels Lawson “for getting it up and running long before I got here.”
“Those guys did great work,” Pointer said.
Although the donation programs in the businesses have ended, financial contributions may still be made through the Salvation Army and the national Toys for Tots program.
The name of every child in the foster care program was on the Fire Hall tree. Chief Craig Warren said fire department volunteers and staff members participate, as well as any number of people who walk in, take a tag and turn the gift and tag in to the Office of Children’s Services.
The Salvation Army has bell ringers at kettles at several locations through town collecting cash donations in the organizations’ main fundraiser of the year. The money stays in town, and goes toward such services as the soup kitchen, food pantry, and help with heating oil and utility payments.
“We feed people and provide help to people all year round,” Tumey said. “We always ask God to provide enough: enough strength, enough resources, enough joy so that it works. And He is very faithful and makes that happen. And this community makes it happen.”
