Dear Editor,
The Springfield Santa Claus Club would like to thank the many individuals and businesses that helped make the 2023 season another successful one.
The generosity and caring is especially appreciated again this past season. Because of your generosity, the Santa Claus Club was able to again help make the holidays a lot brighter and warmer for many children and seniors. This year we supplied outerwear and gifts for 104 families/241 kids, as well as gifts for 182 senior citizens.
Santa had the outerwear giveaway in October for youth, and in December we were able to do the gift giveaway for both the children and seniors. The gifts are based on the needs and wishes of youth of the Springfield School District and seniors of our community. This was completed even though we were packing and cleaning for the move to the new location of the Family Center.
Also, a special thank you to Trisha Paradis, Family Center executive director, and the center’s volunteers for a great job working in conjunction with us for supplying the holiday meal boxes that were requested by families. Thank you to the Family Center for providing space for us to do what we do.
2023 is the fifth year I have been the director of the Santa Claus Club. I am thrilled at what has been accomplished by the wonderful community members and the wonderful volunteers we had helping in one way or another. The 2023 season may be over, but Santa’s elves continue the work year round.
If you would like to get involved in any capacity, we can always use the help. Give me a call or text message at 802-591-7230, a message on my Facebook page, or email me at jeanpatoine1950@gmail.com. We have lost a couple volunteers, but luckily we had five more step up in their places. We can never have enough volunteers. The more people helping makes the job so much easier.
Over the last years especially, I have been told that people didn’t know anything about the Santa Claus Club and what we do. This has come from both the people who need help as well as those that wish to help. Please feel free to contact me if I can bring our “mission” to light.
Thank you one and all for your support through this holiday season. We wish you and yours a very happy and healthy 2024.
Sincerely,
Jean Patoine, Director
Springfield Santa Claus Club