This year, 150 families and 84 seniors will have a gift to open on Christmas morning, thanks to the generosity of the Bradford community.
That’s how many recipients received gifts at The Era’s Less Fortunate (ELF) Fund’s distribution day on Friday, according to Ed Hayden, ELF Fund president.
This year’s distribution headquarters were located in the former Goodwill store at 75 Forman St. This is the third consecutive year that Varischetti & Sons of Brockway donated use of the space.
The ELF Fund is an organization that matches volunteer gift buyers with needy children and seniors in the Bradford Area School District.
New this year, local churches with the Bradford Ministerium put together stockings to give child recipients.
Among the groups that volunteered in the stocking project were the Church of the Ascension, Rew United Methodist Church, West Branch United Methodist Church, the First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Bradford Alliance Church, the Church of the Nazarene and the Bradford Area Christian Academy.
Hayden explained that many churches used to fill shoeboxes at Christmastime, but many are shying away from that and were looking for another way to serve others during the holiday.
They collected small toys and other stocking stuffers for children aged 0 to 17, brought their collections to ELF Fund headquarters and stuffed stockings provided by The ELF Fund, one stocking per child.
Beth Rosler, pastor of the Rew United Methodist Church, said the volunteers packed about 320 stockings.
The stocking project “helps families with something that is a holiday tradition for everyone,” Rosler explained.
Despite the small size of a stocking, “It can take a lot to fill a stocking,” she said, describing the financial burden it can be on families who are already struggling.
Rosler added that several children were among the volunteers who helped fill stockings.
“They seemed to have fun,” she said, noting, “You can make a service project fun.”
Rosler is hopeful the ministerium will be able to make the stockings an annual project.
Hayden noted that each senior and family got a bag of essentials that included household and hygiene products.
ELF board member Rhonda Gray, who helps organize the essentials bags, likes that the bags “make sure everyone gets a little extra.”
She explained that during the holidays, extra expenses put a strain on everyone’s budget, and “The necessary things get put on hold.”
Also, Santa’s Helpers in Erie donated boxes and boxes of handcrafted wooden toys that were divided among the children. Santa’s Helpers is a group of retirees in Erie who work all year in their woodshop to make items for groups such as The ELF Fund.
On distribution day, two inmates from the camp at the Federal Correctional Institution at McKean helped carry gifts to recipients’ cars.
“It was enjoyable and a pleasure,” said Fred Tucker, one of the men from FCI-McKean who helped carry gifts.
Many people received gifts from The ELF Fund this year, but the numbers were down from past years.
Hayden said the number of families who signed up this year are down 40-50 families, but he doesn’t know why.
“One can only hope that 50 families didn’t need us,” he said.
Hayden noted The ELF Fund donated some extra toys to the 911 Toy Express program, which is run by the Bradford City fire and police departments.
For all the volunteers with The ELF Fund, it’s a joy to spread Christmas cheer with those who are facing a rough holiday season. It’s more fun when everyone can take part in the holiday.
As Gray said, “I just love what I do. I love giving.”
