The Shadow
Brenda Hyler Lindsay of Iron Gate has been named the 2009 Alleghany Highlands Christmas Mother.
Lindsay has been married to her husband Jerry Lindsay, a conductor for CSX Transportation, for 36 years. The couple has two children, Melinda, 21, a senior Agriculture major at Virginia Tech and Josh, 17, a senior at Alleghany High School.
She is the daughter of the late Charles and Thelma Hyler of Iron Gate.
Lindsay has been the administrator and director of nursing for Mountain Regional Hospice for 14 years. Prior to that, she was employed at Alleghany Regional Hospital as a clinical supervisor. She received her degree in nursing from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College.
She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad, served as secretary on the board of directors for the Virginia Association of Hospices, Public Policy chairman for the State Association of Hospice, serves as zoning administrator for the town of Iron Gate and is an American Red Cross nurse.
When she was asked by the Christmas Mother Committee to serve as Christmas Mother, Lindsay said, “I was shocked. No one has been from Clifton Forge before. It was unexpected.”
Although the Christmas Mother Program has served the eastern reaches of the Alleghany Highlands for several years, Lindsay is the first Christmas Mother from eastern Alleghany County.
Lindsay’s theme for this year is “Christmas Through My Mother’s Eyes.”
In her vision for this year’s program, she said, “My parents were rich with love. Regardless of how little we had financially as we were growing up, each Christmas everyone had to have three things according to their rules. Santa made sure that we each received a new toy, an article of clothing, and our favorite food for Christmas dinner.”
Lindsay’s mother Thelma continued the tradition of fixing each family member their favorite food at Christmas until her death in March.
During their family Christmas celebrations, Lindsay said her mother would always tell them to, “Stop and feel the peace of Christmas.”
“She always wanted us to take advantage of a time to slow down and give thanks for what we were blessed to have,” Lindsay said and added, “We had no worries because we had each other and we had a wonderful meal, and of course, our three presents.”
“I would like to give each child that same feeling inside their home,” Lindsay said.
She hopes to provide each child with a new toy, an article of clothing that they need or want, and their favorite fruit or candy. She also wishes to provide a Christmas ham or turkey dinner with all of the trimmings for each family.
“I would like to provide our adults with a household need, an article of clothing they need or want and their favorite fruit or candy treat,” Lindsay said.
Reflecting on her mother’s words, Lindsay said, “Christmas should be about peace – even if it can only be felt for a day.”
“I do think Christmas is about the children,” she added. “I’m passionate about wanting children to have good Christmas memories.”
Lindsay is appealing to the residents of the Alleghany Highlands community to give of themselves. “Regardless of where you are in life, thank God for what you have. After you look at what you have, see what you can give to others.”
Each Christmas Mother is asked to think of a special project. For Lindsay, it is getting children a new hoodie for cold weather. “I see so many children without coats,” she noted.
She also wishes to give every infant up to age three a warm blanket.
The Christmas Mother program is a 501(c) organization. Donations to the program are tax-deductible.
Again this year, the Christmas Mother Shop will be located at Christ United Methodist Church on the corner of Highland Avenue and Fudge Street in Covington.
Applications for the Christmas Mother program will be accepted at the following dates and locations:
Christ United Methodist Church: Monday, Nov. 16 from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 12 noon until 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Iron Gate Town Hall, Iron Gate: Thursday, Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. until 12 noon.
Clifton Forge Baptist Church, Clifton Forge: Thursday, Nov. 19 from 12:30 until 6 p.m.
The Christmas Mother Shop will be open for donations Monday, Nov. 30 through Saturday, Dec. 12 from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (excluding Sunday, Dec. 5).
Teen nights will be held Dec. 3 and 10 from 6 until 8 p.m.
Pick-up days at the Christmas Mother Shop will be Dec. 15-17, 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily.
The Christmas Mother’s Wish List for 2009 includes items for wishes and items that cannot be purchased with food stamps.
“I am asking church groups, school clubs and other organizations to ‘feel the peace at Christmas’ by donating items that will allow others to have a good meal, to be warm and to experience a Christmas wish.”
Lindsay is asking all kindergartners to donate two cans of milk “to remind them that milk is important.”
Children are in need of new or gently used clothing, new or used toys and books in good condition; bicycles, socks, diapers, baby wipes and pull-ups and any new or gently used electric games, new hoodies in any size.
For the entire family, canned vegetables, fruits, meats and soups, non-perishable foods in unbreakable packages; hot chocolate, instant coffee, jello, cranberry sauce, canned Crisco, macaroni, salt, pepper, tea bags, fruit juice, personal care and toiletry items; napkins, paper towels, laundry and dish detergent, household cleaners, trash bags, pots and pans, linens, bath towels, crock pots, small kitchen appliances, furniture, baby beds, high chairs, strollers and play pens.
For teens, there is a need for shampoo and conditioner, body soap, mouthwash, low cut socks, gum, candy bars, Kool-Aid sticks, chap stick, new hoodies in all sizes, acne creams, make-up products for girls and body wash products (Axe, Old Spice) for boys, fingernail files and clippers, nail polish and teen jewelry.
For the elderly, sweat suits are also needed as well as socks, candy, small radios and clocks for the bedside, large print puzzle books, pencils and jig-saw puzzles.
Monetary donations can be sent to The Christmas Mother Program, P.O. Box 242, Covington, Va. 24426. The Christmas Mother Shop’s telephone number is 962-9077.
Members of the Christmas Mother core staff include:
Shop managers, Brenda Lemons, Michelle Wright, Staci Morgan and Sandra Young; treasurer: Gwen Withrow; secretaries, Brenda Lemons, Tammy Aldridge, and Kay Simmons; new room managers Anne Marie Herr, Virginia Montgomery; used clothing manager, Tammy Oliver; and household manager, Teresa Klemmer.
Food manager, Denise Pillow; shopping coordinator, Dianne Garcia; volunteer lunch coordinator, Bonny Lockhart; volunteer coordinators, Daphne Livesay and Jewel Hannah; teen night coordinators, Steve and Kathy Wilson; Men of Mission, Kayo Johnson; scrapbook, Melinda Lindsay, Lisa Upperton and Sarah Williamson.
