Thumbs Up! Christmas 2017

If you celebrate Christmas — and especially if you have young children — the family room may very well be a big mess right now. If it is, don’t be in a hurry to pick up the ribbons and bows. Take a few minutes to let it soak in. Enjoy the moments. Precious memories of tomorrow are being created today. Don’t miss them.

As Christmas approaches, its spirit and inspiration are felt in the weeks ahead. One event that has taken place in December every year since 2009 is full of H.E.A.R.T. Hands Extended Across Reaching Together distributes high-quality athletic shoes to children in the Dougherty County School System. Teachers, who know their students well, recommend children who need shoes. The goal is to provide those shoes for comfort as well as to promote physical fitness. The added benefits are seen in the children’s attitudes and an improvement in overall performance in the classroom. H.E.A.R.T. began in 1980 with a small group of Procter & Gamble volunteers who simply wanted to help others. There were clothing and food giveaways, but once the Shoes from the Heart started, the project has grown annually and has become the organization;s largest project of the year. After collecting money all through the year, shoes averaging $75 in value are distributed just before Christmas. Thus far, more than 6,000 pairs of shoes have been given to kids from families that simply cannot otherwise afford them. As for the volunteers, they do it because it improves their lives — the lives of the giver and the receiver.

Speaking of gifts from the heart. … The two annual shopping trips sponsored by Albany law enforcement are truly carried out in the spirit of Christmas. Dollars are set aside as they come in from fund raisers, individuals and/or business contributions. When December rolls around, the Albany Police Department along with the Albany Fraternal Order of the Police and the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office take children on a Christmas shopping trip. Depending upon the available funds as well as the number of children recommended for the special trips, each child has a dollar amount he or she can spend. In the company of a volunteer, the children are allowed to spend “their” money on themselves, their siblings, parents, grandparents or any other special person. Kmart partners with law enforcement and welcomes the groups to the store. The magic of Christmas could be found on the faces of both officers and children as they roamed the isles picking out gifts. Because of the generosity of a few, a total of 130 children had a Christmas filled with joy.

Although December is rarely cold in this part of the state, the words “warmth and Christmas” seem a natural pair. In the recent blanket drive sponsored primarily by the Albany Recreation and Parks Department and WBZN 105.5 FM, an amazing thing happened. ARPD Recreation Supervisor Tee Taylor’s wish was for at least 1,500 blankets for senior citizens, a number equal to last year’s donation. When contacted after the drive and distribution were completed, Taylor said, “We quit counting at 3,000. It is amazing how this community responded to ‘Stay Warm for the Holidays’ this year.” Yes, it is.

As Albany and Southwest Georgia move toward the one-year anniversary of the devastation left from the January storms, look for a way to keep the abundance of Christmas spirit, so very evident in December, alive into the new year. People always need food, clothing and shelter. Heating (or cooling) bills come every month. Children outgrow and wear out shoes at an astounding pace. School supplies need replenishing mid-school year. Buy a couple of blankets or toys (or both) on clearance and put them away for the next collection. For readers fortunate enough to need to make a donation for tax purposes, consider giving it to a local program. One person can make a difference right here at home, and that one person can be you.