Myrick Hall at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lake Orion was filled to the brim with Christmas gifts last week as volunteers from AngelFISH sorted, packed and wrapped donations for local needy kids.
Approximately 200 donors ? individuals, churches, businesses and schools ? provided gifts for more than 260 children, ranging from infants to 17-year-olds, in Oxford, Addison and Orion townships.
‘We had more donors this year step forward than we’ve ever had in the past,? said AngelFISH coordinator Elizabeth Ballard, who spent 30 years teaching at Daniel Axford and Oxford Elementary. ‘We probably have 30 percent more donors this year than we’ve ever had before.?
Piles of dolls, trucks, action figures, stuffed animals, coloring books and crayons, gloves, hats, jackets, reading books, even a brand new bicycle lined the floor and overflowed tables.
‘I can’t believe it,? Ballard said. ‘We were really concerned when we started in September thinking our donors were going to be affected by the downturn in the economy, too.?
An Oxford couple decided to donate despite the husband’s recent job loss. The wife told Ballard, ‘Even though he’s going to lose his job we still have more than those you’re helping this year.?
Now in its seventh year, the AngelFISH program, run by Oxford/Orion FISH, gives generous folks the opportunity to ‘adopt? kids in need for the holiday season, so no child wakes up Christmas morning and finds nothing under the tree. ? CJC