Tribune Staff Reports
Jackson County Sertoma Club members and their families gathered Wednesday night to wrap presents for delivery Christmas Eve morning.
The boxes of dolls, board games, footballs and more are all part of the club’s annual Christmas Miracle, a community project that grew from humble beginnings to now serving more than 700 Jackson County children each Christmas.
“The project started more than 40 years ago, with Sertoman Ralph Michael speaking with perhaps a dozen or so children in need, learning what they’d like for Christmas,” John Fox of Sertoma said. “Ralph would replay those requests on the local radio station, then known as WJCD, and listeners responded with matching gifts or money to buy those gifts.”
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Since then, the project steadily grew to match the need in the community. Likewise, Sertoma member Chuck Seybold said, the community responded to help the 20 or so club members meet that growing demand.
“Without the community pitching in to help buy toys, contribute money, help wrap the gifts and help deliver the gifts, it would be hard for the club to handle it all,” Seybold said.
Individuals volunteer for the project as do church groups, school groups, businesses and industries, Miracle co-chair Ryan Begley said.
“And the Jackson County Sheriff’s Posse and Pershing Township Volunteer Fire Department provides a great service by taking on many of the rural deliveries,” Seybold added.
Seybold’s wife, Phyllis, pitches in, too, cutting out the hundreds of angels that adorn Sertoma Christmas Angel Trees at the Jackson County Public Library Seymour Branch, the Jackson County Visitor Center and Shoe Sensation in Seymour.
Each angel includes a child’s name, their age and two choices of toys. You can help the program by picking up an angel or two from a tree, buying the gifts and then returning them, unwrapped, to Sertoma Christmas Miracle Headquarters in Suite 209 at the Shops of Seymour, 357 Tanger Blvd.
Fox, a co-chair of the project, said so far that 186 households have been approved for gifts for 507 children. The deadline to apply is Tuesday. Fox and his wife, Pam, staff Christmas Miracle Headquarters during day-time operations.
“We expect we’ll go over 700 again,” Pam Fox said of the number of children who will receive new toys for Christmas.
Last year, Sertoma Christmas Miracle served 311 families and 755 children.
Applications remain available in Seymour at the Jackson County Health Department, WIC office, Seymour City Hall, Jackson County Department of Child Services and Human Services Inc.
They also are available at all branches of the Jackson County Public Library, all participating agencies of the Jackson County United Way, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department in Brownstown during regular business hours and Bundy Brothers in Medora.
Applications for toys and monetary donations may be sent to Sertoma at P.O. Box 841, Seymour, IN 47274. Applications and donations also may be dropped off at the headquarters.
Children who are 12 years of age and younger may apply. They must live in Jackson County and be home on Christmas Eve morning in order to receive delivery of the gifts.
All applications must be signed by the parent or legal guardian. Sertoma participates in the Charity Tracker network to avoid duplication of services.
“It helps us stretch our donors’ dollars,” Fox said.
The Sertoma Angel Trees are at the Jackson County Public Library, Shoe Sensation and Jackson County Visitor Center, all in eymour.
Angels include a child’s first name, sex, age and toy choice printed on each one. People can pick up an angel, purchase the gift listed and deliver the unwrapped gift to the headquarters.
Hours of operation are from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
Sertoma members and their families and friends gathered at the headquarters Wednesday night to wrap toys.
Greg O’Brien and his daughter, Allison, 17, were among them.
“I like giving back to my community,” Greg O’Brien said while assembling a bicycle. He and his wife, Chris, have passed that sense of giving back to their children, Caleb and Allison.
“For years, I did this on my own, but when the kids got old enough, I brought them, and with that first time they were hooked,” he added. “Allison texted me today to make sure we didn’t miss it tonight. Over the years we’ve had both of the kids pick an angel and buy a present for them. It’s helped them realize how fortunate they’ve been.”
On Christmas Eve morning, about 150 people will be needed to deliver the gifts in a timely manner. That starts at 7:30 a.m., and coffee, juice and doughnuts will be available for people before they pick up their boxes of toys to deliver.
The Seybolds look forward to delivery day.
“It’s all about the children, of course,” said Phyllis Seybold, who’s been volunteering with the program for 20 years. She was accompanied Wednesday night by two of her grandchildren, Avery Warren, 8, and Mallory Minton, 14.
“If we’re lucky enough, we get to see the children receiving their toys,” she added of delivery day. “Just the look on their face, for one thing, makes it all worthwhile. They are very appreciative of their gifts, and the parents are also very appreciative. You really get a sense of how much Christmas Miracle is helping out.”
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Applications for the 2018 Sertoma Christmas Miracle are available in Seymour at the Jackson County Health Department, WIC office, Seymour City Hall, Jackson County Department of Child Services and Human Services Inc. They also are available at all branches of the Jackson County Public Library, all participating agencies of the Jackson County United Way, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department in Brownstown during regular business hours and Bundy Brothers in Medora.
Applications must be received by Dec. 18. They may be sent to Sertoma at P.O. Box 841, Seymour, IN 47274 or dropped off at the headquarters in Suite 209 at Shops at Seymour, 357 Tanger Blvd.
Children who are 12 years of age and younger may apply. They must live in Jackson County and be home on Christmas Eve morning in order to receive delivery of the gifts. All applications must be signed by the parent or legal guardian.
The Sertoma Angel Trees also will be taken down Dec. 18. They are at the Jackson County Public Library, Shoe Sensation and Jackson County Visitor Center, all in Seymour.
Angels are available for choosing with a child’s first name, sex, age and toy choice printed on each one. People can pick up an angel, purchase the gift listed and deliver the unwrapped gift to the headquarters.
Hours of operation are from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
For information, call 812-498-2275.
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