A Hartford Tradition
December 6, 2009
Dear Louie,
This coming weekend, beginning on Friday will mark the 22nd year during which Dorothy and I will participate in the Hartford Christmas Committee. This annual event is by now an established function of a committee of about 35 to 40 volunteers who meet, collect, and distribute gifts and dinner monies for the less fortunate of our community; during and for the Christmas Holiday. It all began when the need was recognized by a group of about six or eight individuals who became aware of the ongoing need of many in the community and decided that with a little organization and planning Christmas could be better for those in need. An organized and publicized method of collection of gifts and cash was set up and has continued to this date. What began with help to fifty or sixty families now demonstrates how interested and generous folks can help increasing numbers of unemployed or needy families. This year the need is near-record high. Last year the committees helped about 800 persons and 171 families. The members of the families are all supplied with from one to four gifts per recipient and a family meal on Christmas.
On Friday ten or so of the older retired menfolk set up the hall at the Hartford Town Hall. Set up means to assemble 175 boxes, donated over the years by Broan Manufacturing Co. These boxes are large, from 36" cubes to lesser 30" by 24" by 24" rectangular containers. Each is identified with a number indicating the family; to each is attached a want list and the selected items from the want list are placed in the box. When all wants are filled the contents are placed in large garbage bags, identified, and await pickup on Monday. The process of filling the boxes takes place over Saturday and Sunday and the source of the gifts comes from the Gifting Trees which are placed in various churches, banks, the Schauer Center, the Rec Center, and some industries. The gifting trees have requests attached to their limbs and the requests are filled by generous donors who make real attempts to fill the individual requests. The "H" Club of Hartford High donates $3000 to $4000 each year, proceeds from their sales of popcorn, candy, and soda; and other items. The students then go to Kmart, Walmart, and Hahns, purchase items for teens,s and bring truckloads to the center on Friday. These huge loads are then distributed to teens on the want lists.
On Saturday, after the gifts begin to arrive, the team of sorters, about 15 women and a few men go to work sorting into the designated family boxes. this process takes all of Saturday, Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon. By five o'clock, the hall is filled with all boxes overflowing with specific gifts and family add ons. Another table is occupied by a team of women who fill envelopes into which are placed the meal tabs and some money gift tags for gas, other gifts, and in some cases such things as diapers, medical supplies of specific nature, and other items. And so after almost thirty hours, a total of about three hundred man-hours, the day of gifting takes place on Monday, beginning at 8 a.m. and ending with a few latecomers at 4 p.m. Then a clean-up of two hours and we quit.
On Monday the line of recipients snakes in and around the gathering space at the Town Hall; about 250 to 300 people will pick up the 200 or so large filled bags and meal ticket items. My job has been, for 20 years to keep order and pass out candy, and jokes to the long line which snakes through the process, keeping everyone happy and laughing as I say Merry Christmas in Spanish. Still haven't learned Felice Navidates or something like it.
Many are returnees, some looking at the floor, some frowning, embarrassed, trying not to make eye contact but not quite succeeding. I try to see that each and everyone has more dignity leaving than coming, and by in large, I succeed. I well recall how as a kid in sixth grade we had nothing but a hot meal at Christmas when my Mother was in the tubercular Sanatorium. That was a tough year in the Algiers household. We made it, and it made a lasting memory.
I wrote this to record the process and to make all aware of one great reason why we have never gone south before Christmas Day. Sort of stuck in tradition, a Hartford tradition. The world is large, home is small, but family and residents live on.
Have a Merry Christmas, and Keep the Faith.
Jim A./ Dorothy A.