Editor, The Herald:

There is a time about Thanksgiving that the Cumberland Christmas Mother Committee always panics-where will we get the money for this, who will give us presents for the children, what do you mean we have another application, and many other doubts and fears, BUT, as in years past, many of you came to our rescue. We were able to meet the many requests that we received. Yes, we did turn away some who lived outside of Cumberland, and we did not give out any Wii's or Ipads, but we could help 216 families with 518 children with things for Christmas.

It would take most of the paper to thank each of you personally and then we would surely leave out someone who did some special act, so we won't try. We just want to say thank you to every person who helped in any way from the smallest donor to the recipients who remembered to say 'thank you' to the volunteers on the day we gave out gifts.

We do want to thank our volunteers who gave many hours to help sort, organize and distribute the gifts to the families. We appreciate every merchant who collected gifts or money for us or gave us a donation. To the children who collected mittens, hats, gloves or gave toys-thank you. To those of you who wrote checks or took angels to buy gifts for, again, thank you. For the stockings, dolls, underwear, socks and other items collected by churches, schools and organizations, we say 'thank you'. Together each of you helped to make this project successful this year.

With your support, we were able to provide a nice gift, some smaller gifts, a reading book, a game, coloring crayons and books, stuffed stockings, handmade dolls, mittens, hats, socks underwear and an outfit of clothing for the children. Seventy senior citizens received laundry bags filled with gift cards, stamps, trinkets, pens, note pads and food. There was a lovely Christmas luncheon for some of these senior citizens hosted by some of our committee and Payne Memorial Church.

We have to commend the Cumberland School System as our largest donor organization. The teachers paid to wear jeans on Friday's, staff gave gifts and clothing for over 100 children, students collected new games and many donated money or extra gifts. At the elementary school, students collected change for Children Making a Change. All the teachers and students seemed to enjoy the projects as much as the committee enjoyed the help with our program.

To each person who donated to the Cumberland Christmas Mother in any way, thank you so very much. As one parent said in a Thank You note after receiving a gift “Thanks to the Christmas Mother Program for providing a Christmas my son will never forget.” This thank you and many more go to each of you, for it takes a community of caring people to make this project a success.

We prepare all year for this event and can take donations at any time during the year. Our contact number is 805-492-3561.

Cumberland Christmas

Mother Committee