The Shadow
Dear Friends,
As the Christmas season and 2025 draw to a close and we approach the New Year with joy and anticipation, I would like to take a moment to express my thanks to our community.
In reflecting on the Alleghany Highlands Christmas Mother Program 2025 season, I am filled with deep gratitude for the many donors, supporters, and volunteers, with whom I was proud to serve. Many more than can be mentioned within this letter tirelessly served countless hours, filled with great love for their neighbors. A tremendous number of donors generously gave from their hearts, serving a variety of their neighbors’ needs. More still supported the program in myriad ways, from toy drives and blanket drives to allowing us to hang fliers or borrow equipment. Together, these volunteers, donors, and supporters, each playing a unique role, wove a beautiful tapestry of neighborly, Christian love in our community that was a miraculous beauty to behold. To simply be a part of it was humbling and awe-inspiring.
Above all, I would like to thank our Lord, who shows His devotion to this program year in and year out. God’s touch is always felt and seen, often in unexpected ways, but He is undeniably there, and without His hand, grace, favors, and strength, we could not serve our neighbors as well as we do each year. In that same vein, I thank our community for the many prayers over the program this year and always.
As we close this season, please take a moment to pause and reflect on how blessed we are to live in this giving, close-knit, caring, and loving community. In a busy, fast-paced world that has forgotten their neighbors, the Alleghany Highlands not only remembers their neighbors but serves them as we would serve Christ himself. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for serving Christ as Your Neighbor this Christmas.
With gratitude,
Rachael Thompson
2025 Alleghany Highlands Christmas Mother
