Christmas Shopping in September--Just trying to get a jump on our Christmas Party for the kids...
Note: Party updates and news will be added to the bottom of this article, so we can all keep track of what is going on as we count down to the big party!!
Please take a second and read how our party went last year...it will make you feel good...
Here is one shot from last year...this year we will increase the size of the party to over 150 kids
You will notice that there are a lot of happy kids and moms...and this year, it appears that the party will be at least three times as big, have better stuff for the kids, have a bigger variety of drinks for moms to sip on, have more helpers, create an elf's outfit for Sonia, who was Santa's helper last year and also make from scratch a new 'Papa Noel" suit.
We do this because we live in a town where there is high unemployment, sometimes up to 48% "underemployment", where, if the breadwinner does land a job for the day, it pays at most $15.00 for the whole day!!!
At Christmas, it is common for a child to receive only a piece of fruit or a home-made trinket as their total number of gifts for the holiday. Don't think that they don't know that other kids get tons of stuff--they do...they already know that they are stuck in the "cycle of poverty".
So...this year we are going to do a lot more for more kids--and we need your help!!!
Here are some pictures of us buying some of the gifts that Papa Noel will be giving out this year...and this is just a drop in the bucket!!!
We laid out the goodies that we got for the kids today, and believe me, it is a drop in the bucket...
Here is what else we want to do for the kids this year:
A lot more toys and a better selection of Christmas candy...
A nicer selection of things to drink for the mothers who will be spending a lot of time with us...it's pretty hot that time of year...
A new Papa Noel suit, because last year's is unavailable...
A new elf suit for Sonia, who is Santa's helper...
A bunch of "Santa Hats" for all the people who we will be pressing into service as "Santa"s helpers"..
Little "gift bags" for the kids, instead of the sandwich baggies we used last year.
A lot more individual photos of each kid getting a gift and posing with Papa Noel...these families have no cameras, and are still looking at the few group shots that I distributed to each family last year. This year, we want to do better.
OK Folks...here's the pitch!!! We are not asking anyone to bust the budget...In fact, if everyone only sent the price of a Starbuck's cup of coffee, we would be flying!!!
And it's easy!!! PayPal works best...just type in our email address after you get to Paypal.com bobnrox@gmail.com
If you don't have Paypal, you can always send a check or cash-(go on take a chance!) to our bank in Oregon.
Address:
Evergreen Federal Bank
1329 NE Sixth Street
Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
Attn: Tara Lopez--
Hedges Kids Party Ecuador
So Folks...thanks for your good deed in advance...we will keep you up to date all the way...
Bob & Roxanne
Folks...you are already making a difference!!! A few of you kindly jumped on your PayPal account and quit drinking Starbucks for a couple of days...and Viola! It gave us renewed energy to run out and get more soccer balls, dolls, little girl dress up stuff, and 48 pairs olf kid's sunglasses...but that's not all...
We purchased 10 Santa Hats for the helpers, and a beautiful Santa beard and wig at a costume store. The price for the purchase of a Santa suit was just way too much, so off we went to the material store to buy the ingredients...here I am with Santa in the bag...
There is more material than we need for Papa Noel, because we could not find any green elf stuff for Sonia to wear, so we are going to dress her up as Mama Noela...now you only get one guess as to which costume she will be wearing...two out of three is a good guess, too... 
We are just getting this show started, and it would be just perfect if we heard from a bunch more of all you good folks...
Bob & Roxanne
Holy Cow!!! You folks out there are simply wonderful!!! Your generosity is letting us begin to think that we can take our Christmas Party for the kids from sort of hokey, to slightly elegant...
It appears that we are well on the way to being able to purchase a decent gift for each kid...
Last year Papa Noel and his helper elf, had to be in the hot sun, and all the kids waiting, stood in it, too.
We had priced decorations and scenery material in the hope of making a little "Santa's workshop", and locating it under our main house on the first story recreation area. At first, we decided that it was just a little too expensive, but now, a portion of this area can now be decorated, and we plan to have Papa Noel have a large chair with which to receive the kids, while Sonia, his Mama Noela, will retrieve age-sex appropriate gifts from the adjacent downstairs room. This will allow us to have a large room where we organize the gifts for easy viewing by the "helpers"
In addition, if things keep going well, I plan to photograph each child sitting or standing with Santa, and then will give each family a Kodak glossy enlargement.
And...we are already feeling that we will be able to select some really cool candy for the kid's gift bags, and not just have to make do with the lower cost items.
So folks you are making a difference!!!
Bob & Roxanne
We met up with a Gringo couple that we've become friends with, and the first thing he said was "before I forget", and handed me a twenty saying that they were going to fore-go 5 Starbucks coffees for the kid's party...
When we were shopping for the kids presents, I noticed the folded twenty in my shirt pocket, so decided to make this picture to show just where the bucks go...
Everyone in South America is crazy over soccer (futbol), and these balls will provide lots of good fun and exercise for five more families this year...so thanks mucho...
Post a Comment
Reader Comments