Searching for a holiday giving boost

Cheney Outreach Christmas Gifts for Cheney Kids volunteer coordinator Sally Shamp says there are several changes with this year's 13th annual drive to collect presents for local youth. What's uncertain is what those changes may mean.

"Some are good, some we don't know yet," Shamp said.

One of the major changes has Shamp and other toy drive volunteers concerned. That is the lack of gifts sitting in the collection boxes at 23 area businesses, churches and other organizations.

That may be simply an issue of timing. Shamp said they used to get many gifts dropped off on the day after Thanksgiving - Black Friday - as well as over that weekend, one of the biggest retail weekends of the year.

But with Black Friday sales events beginning earlier and earlier - some stores opened Thanksgiving evening - Shamp wonders if the retail creep might also be affecting other areas.

"Stores say so," she said. "There were just a very few things left in boxes as of yesterday (Nov. 30)."

The concern is magnified a bit because there is a shorter donation timeframe this year, just three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year's distribution took place four days before Christmas, enabling last-minute gift shoppers to pitch in.

This year's distribution is Dec. 19, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., at the Wren Pierson Community Center.

"The 19th is six whole days before Christmas," Shamp said.

But Cheney residents are incredibly generous when it comes to supporting local charities, Shamp said. In 2010, enough gifts were donated to give up to five presents each to 208 children. After a brief decline, 197 children received several gifts in 2013.

Gifts should be for children from infants to 18 years old, and placed unwrapped in the collection box. Outreach volunteers suggest a price range of $15 – $25, and encourage donors to also purchase gifts for teenagers as well as smaller children, as teens often make up 50 percent of sign ups.

Gift ideas include books, sports balls, coats, blankets, gloves and scarves, MP3 players, toys, stuffed animals, games, skateboards and scooters (if found at discounted prices), bicycle and skateboard helmets and accessories, crafts, CDs/DVDs along with cologne for teenage boys and perfume for teenage girls.

Shamp and the other volunteers don't want people to focus just on teen gifts and not shop for gifts for children of all ages, or feel limited by the suggested price range. If someone wants to contribute, but can only afford less expensive gifts, Shamp said those are wonderful, and can be combined to create larger gift ideas.

"Small gifts add up," she said.

Shamp said there are good things happening with Christmas Gifts for Cheney Kids as well. The organization lost one of its more active volunteers, Nadine Arevalo, when her husband, Eastern Washington University President Dr. Rodolfo Arevalo, retired this past summer.

Shamp said they have met with new EWU President Dr. Mary Cullinan and are very encouraged about the university's continued participation in the drive, with Culllinan hosting a donation box and Cheney Outreach information at a reception Dec. 3. There are also more businesses with boxes this year such as Bank of America, which last year donated gifts.

After performing her famous drive-promoting jingle "Here Comes Cheney Claus" at the Nov. 20 Cheney Kiwanis meeting, Shamp said a woman who works at Mint Condition Dental came up and asked for a collection box. With so many boxes available, Shamp hopes Cheney residents will take time to fill them.

"Now that we've weathered the crowds of Black Friday, let's go out again and remember our neighbors," she said.

Donations and sign ups take place through Dec. 17. Sign ups are at Cheney Outreach, 616 Third St., in the lower/east portion of the Wren Pierson Community Center, 235-9800.

Sign ups are limited to Cheney-area families. Parents need to bring proof of residence - a utility bill for instance - income, photo ID and a family Social Security card.

Monetary donations are also accepted, with checks made to Cheney Outreach and the phrase "Christmas Gifts" on the memo line and dropped off or mailed to Cheney Outreach, P.O. Box 444, Cheney, WA 99004.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].