ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, December 14, 1996 TAG: 9612160045
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: TOM ANGLEBERGER SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
"My kids get what they probably would not get," said a grateful shopper at the Montgomery County Christmas Store on Friday.
This is the simple principle on which the Christmas Store operates - giving thousands of area children a Christmas their parents could not afford.
When the Christmas Store closes its doors later today, it will have distributed more than 7,000 toys and 40,000 pieces of clothing to underprivileged children. And 1,400 families will have received everything they need for a traditional Christmas dinner.
The store's massive effort this year has involved 2,000 volunteers, working to make sure that families with low incomes have a merry Christmas. Many are individuals who just want to help, others are with organizations, fraternities or businesses that wanted to make a special effort this Christmas.
Even Virginia Tech's football team pitched in to make the store run smoothly. When team members showed up, they signed Hokie sweatshirts so some parents would have an extra special present for their children.
"It's what Christmas is all about," said Jack Cromer, who along with his wife, Fredda, volunteers for the store. They begin working as early as September and October on the big task of ordering all the food for the store.
"It makes me feel like I'm giving something back," said Patsy Dillon-Long, one of the store's toy buyers. "It could have been me coming through here if my parents hadn't been so fortunate."
She and many of the other buyers for the store will begin shopping in January for next year's store.
"The community is behind this," said Joyce Hendricks, a longtime volunteer with the store who is its public relations coordinator. She also helps out buying the store's infant clothing.
Not only do people volunteer in the store, but others organize food drives or collect needed items and donations, she said.
One group, Virginia Tech's Marching Virginians, collected 20,000 cans of food. Wade's Supermarkets, a local grocery chain, offered to bake a dozen rolls for each family, which amounts to almost 17,000 rolls. Other groups collect money and make donations to the store.
In all, $112,000 was collected for this year's operation. Hendricks said 93 percent of this money is spent on purchasing new items, with the remaining 6 percent being spent on overhead.
She says the money is stretched almost double, because the buyers watch so closely for sales and bargains and because the local stores are willing to cooperate with the store.
Much of the store's funding came from individual donations. One area girl became the talk of the store after she heard about the store on the radio and brought in two week's worth of allowance.
"Our biggest emphasis is children," said Hendricks. "Generally, a
child will walk out with at least one full outfit, a coat, socks and
underwear. We try to make sure every child who comes to this store
either has a coat at home or gets a coat."
Parents can also choose presents from a large selection of new toys and gifts. The store's toy buyers have made sure
they have toys and games for young children as well as sports
equipment and cameras for teen-agers. This year, thanks to help from a Boy Scout working on his Eagle Scout badge, the store had a collection of children's car seats to offer parents.
Senior citizens have a special area, too, with new clothes selected
just for them.
Families can also select from quality used toys and clothing. This gives the adults a chance to find some clothing for themselves as well as extra toys for the children. Seniors can also select toys for grandchildren.
All 1,400 families were helped through the store during just 31/2 days this week, with the last families shopping today. As soon as possible, the store must be emptied and all remaining items stored.
If you missed a chance to volunteer while the store was open, you can still help with packing up and cleaning out the store. Volunteers are needed Monday between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. to put the finishing touches on another successful year for the Christmas Store.
LENGTH: Medium: 77 linesby CNB