ST. MARYS — Project Gifts for Elk County, an annual community effort that helps hundreds of children in need at Christmastime, will go back to its in-person traditional distribution process Saturday, Dec. 18.
In 2020, the effort was held via drive-thru due to the pandemic, said Secretary Vern Kreckel, still serving more than 400 children in Elk County. They are hoping for that number this year as well.
Distribution locations are switched on an annual basis, he said. The West End Fire Hall in Ridgway is first in line this year, followed by the Project Gifts facility on Depot Street, then the Johnsonburg Municipal building.
Schools in Elk County provide Project Gifts with the names of children in need, and sign-ups are completed in mid-November.
Toy collections begin in October, said Kreckel, and at the end of November, club members conduct county-wide pickups, hitting 32 sites this year.
American Legion Post 511 in Dagus Mines coordinated with many organizations, and donated a large number of toys.
Project Gifts volunteers frame “Thank You” messages and give them to each toy-pickup location for contributing, Kreckel noted.
Despite the pandemic, the need during the holiday season has stayed the same. Project Gifts, which has been around since the 1980s, is very grateful to all of its donors, he said.
The project, truly a community initiative, includes Rotary Club members, as well as several other volunteers, including police officers and high school students.
Also per the tradition, Elk County Catholic and St. Marys Area high school students, as well as a Cursillos Catholic group, help to wrap the presents for the children each year at the Project Gifts facility on Depot Street. This is a great learning experience for students to help children in need, said Kreckel.
It’s a special experience returning to the in-person distribution as well, he said, since it’s nice that the children get the full experience of going into the building and seeing Santa and Mrs. Claus.
