The Shadow
Dear Friends in the Alleghany Highlands,
As I come to the conclusion of my tenure as the 74th Highlands Christmas Mother, I cannot begin to express how very grateful, honored and humbled I am to have been asked to serve and guide this organization through this past Christmas season. It was an experience of love and kindness that I won’t soon forget. With my theme being Become That Someone, it is evident that you all have opened your hearts to your neighbors, becoming that someone who listens, holds hands, gives a hug, open your hearts, trying to help our neighbors. There was always that one additional person who wanted to provide that ‘just a little bit more’ to those in need.
I came in to the Christmas Mother program needing to create a working community in a short time. Phone calls were made, folks stepped up to the plate and a season begun. This year we were located at Christ United Methodist Church on Fudge St. Thank you Pastor Kropff, Sonya Milton and the Administrative Council. It took some time to coordinate our rooms, sorting the donations and storing the completed bags. CUMC opened their hearts, and doors to the Fellowship Hall for the collection and distribution of the gifts.
Organization is the key to any successful effort. My teams were just that, organized. “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it”. The office staff worked like a finely tooled machine, almost like a silent ballet knowing just the right thing to do at the right time. The Storeroom/packing team was a work of art, literally a color-coded wonder. As the process was followed it all worked from volunteers picking up a wish list to completion. One watched them in awe at the skills shown.
We are very thankful for the loan of the grocery carts with which we could bring the gifts out to the applicants. The Men of Mission, the Boy’s Home Boys, and Key Club students from Alleghany HS along with members of the Alleghany Sheriff’s Department and Covington Police department were invaluable in bringing the gifts outside. We even had a tent during the rainy days, thank you!
This year we were blessed to assist 1212 individuals including 647 adults, 432 children and 133 teens making up a total of 430 families served.
And we couldn’t have done any of it without the most generous donations from organizations, businesses, churches, the YMCA, Toys for Tots and the Dream Team and schools. We are all part of a greater whole, and greater because of that ‘whole’. When an organization asked what could they donate, they listened and donated they did. Boxes and boxes worth: books, pajamas, personal care items, dental care, toys, and towel sets. All were given with open arms and received with grateful hearts.
There are individuals who provided guidance, a lending ear, suggestions, ideas, and most valued experience. Sincere and heartfelt thanks go to my wonderful and proficient team, Dusty Woodward and Libby Mynes for taking the lead in the application process with their very able volunteers, Patsy Snead and her office staff, Libby Mynes and Josephine O’Rourke and the volunteer shoppers, Dawn Smith, the gal who could find a bargain anywhere, Diane Hicks, who ‘scoured’ the stores for cleansing supplies and paper goods, Brenda Linkenhoker, who made sure the adopted folks were well taken care of, Debbie Umstead, whose team at St. Joseph’s made sure the teen bags were overflowing with great gifts, Denise Pillow, who coordinated the daily volunteers so we had enough at any given time, Carol Claytor and Dawn Nagy for stepping up to provide accurate accounting for each applicant, Gavin Dressler, Jerry Clark, Greg Howard, Channel 7’s Natalie Faunce, Jessica Gibson and M. Ray Allen for the communication opportunities and news coverage, Alleghany Printing for assisting with printing needs of the program, to all the Ministers who came with a prayer and wisdom to get us thru the day, and Floyd Harrison for such lovely rides in the local parades. Each one who was there, with guidance, friendship, and trust that I could Become That Someone for our community. And most of all to my husband Mark Asma, and our children and grandchildren for the help offered behind the scenes and up front. I couldn’t have done this without you all!
I wish everyone a healthy and Happy New Year.
With sincere thanks,
Mary K. Asma
Covington, VA
