Submitted
The kickoff for "Christmas Magic" has begun.
This is a local program where we make up gift bags for veterans, the elderly and house-bound folks who will have no one else to remember them at Christmas.
This program receives no funds through United Way, etc. It is completely local and made to happen by Hays area residents watching out for one another.
Our elves deliver to people in apartments, individual homes, assisted living and nursing homes.
This year, our sixth, we will be delivering 120 bags.
To get our numbers we contact the various agencies who assist our veterans and shut-ins, LINK staff and our local nursing homes and they give us their numbers. So far, with God's help, we have been able to meet the numbers given to us each year.
Our gift bags are filled with full sized item such as Pantene 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner, Vaseline Hand & Body Lotion, a deck of playing cards, a stress ball, a large-print word search book, cookies, candy canes, a bottle of body wash, a back scratcher, etc.
You can sponsor a bag for a donation of $25 per bag. (The actual value of each bag is just under $45.)
If you choose to sponsor a bag you can attach a Christmas card to the bag with a greeting from yourself or your family.
Our group makes absolutely no money on this program, nor do we charge any administrative costs to be taken from monies donated. In fact, we kick off the program each year with a $500 donation. We also cover the cost of the treat bags we give to our Scout volunteers and the cost of all correspondence.
This year the gift bags will be given out on the 23rd of December and with projected shipping delays, time is of the essence.
Our projected total cost this year is $5,900. Thanks to donations we had left from last year and a very generous donation we received this year, we only need to raise $4,600 more.
We are registered with the state of Kansas as a non-profit, but we do not have a tax-exempt number. (The cost of getting one would be nearly as much as our annual budget.)
Please open your hearts to making Christmas merry for a forgotten one.
You can send your donations to:
Christmas Magic
c/o Commerce Bank
2200 Vine Street
Hays, KS 67601
Or you can just drop by Commerce and make a donation.