Rotary makes Christmas bright for more than 500 local needy families
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Published: December 28, 2011
More than 500 boxes were packed and ready to go early Christmas Eve morning for delivery by a generous community – a lot of community, according to Rick Cook, co-chair of the Rotary Club of Santa Paula Christmas Basket program.
Cook said the packing effort Thursday went well with a record number of volunteers on hand at the Community Center to pack up potatoes, beans, rice, produce and canned goods among other food items, boxes that would just need toys and chickens, the latter the last item handed out during the Saturday deliveries.
Said Cook on Saturday, “We had at least 25 percent more people helping especially today, we had a whole, whole bunch of people,” whose many hands made labor light and quick.
Fire Chief Rick Araiza who worked as co-chair of the program with Cook didn’t report any problems for the 503 baskets delivered by numerous trucks throughout the city to pre-screened needy families, routes carefully prepared each year by Norm Wilkinson.
And speaking of preparation Past Rotary President Ginger Gherardi and a cadre of volunteers helped make sure that each of the more than 1,300 children – a list that included 132 babies – had a toy that was age and gender appropriate.
The effort included Thursday shopping trips to Kmart and CVS, both located in Santa Paula.
“We had a lot of Rotarians shopping,” and Gherardi said all were pleased to be shopping locally for the holidays especially with a discount from Kmart and some cash back from CVS.
In addition, Mattel had also donated some toys to the Christmas Basket program.
“There was a shortage this year of dolls and sports balls, we sure could have used more… but as it was we had about 10 full, and I mean full, shopping carts,” that brought astonished stares and remarks at Kmart as items from “cart after cart” were being rung up.
As always the Rotary Christmas Basket program was a community effort: “Our Future Farmers of America kids got the majority of the canned goods and our Santa Paula High School cheerleaders helped us with toys… it’s a big effort that requires a lot of help,” including Rotarian efforts such as Mike Mobley – the 2011 Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year – supervising area youth assembling boxes for Christmas goodies.
“It’s done,” although Gherardi admitted that ultimately the baskets could have contained more toys, but “Hopefully, next year” they will.
Split between the 500 baskets were 4,500 pounds of chicken, 5,000 pounds of potatoes, 5,000 pounds of rice and beans, 1,000 pounds of apples, oranges, and onions, canned food, mangos and more.
And each basket will contain a toy specially picked for each child in the household based on gender and age.
In all more than 16,000 pounds - eight tons! - of merchandise was distributed early Christmas Eve morning by Rotarians and their community helpers.
It’s not too early to give to the 2012 Rotary Club Christmas Basket program.
There is plenty of space for Rotarians to store donated toys until next Christmas — think of contributing now! And monetary contributions can be given to any club member or mailed to the Rotary Club at P.O. Box 809, Santa Paula, CA 93061 (checks payable to Santa Paula Rotary Christmas Basket Fund). You may also access the Rotary website at www.santapaularotary.org.
