In 1972, the Sertoma Club of Seymour came up with a new Christmas project called Christmas Miracle.
Chairman Ralph Michael reported in December that year the response to the project was very gratifying. In one case, a family consisting of parents, two boys and two girls asked the committee to find a family that wasn’t going to have as nice of a Christmas so they could buy gifts for their less-fortunate counterparts.
On Dec. 11 that year, Sertoma members went to the local radio station to answer phones and make arrangements to pick up gifts and deliver them on the morning of Christmas Eve.
Over time, the group evolved into the Sertoma Club of Jackson County and began providing a better Christmas for kids all around the county.
On Saturday, the annual effort once again will culminate with delivery day, as volunteers will gather at Suite 211 at Shops at Seymour to pick up boxes from Christmas Miracle Headquarters and deliver them around the county.
During the club’s wrapping party Wednesday night, Christmas Miracle co-chairman John Fox said 166 families and 432 kids had filled out applications. They had until this past Sunday to get those turned in.
“We have gone past 600 (in the past), but I don’t think we’ll hit it this year,” Fox said. “We’re down a little bit, lower than we have been.”
The positives are local industries again came up big time with toy drives, people have taken tags off of the Angel Trees, bought the items and dropped them off at the headquarters and all of the wrapping times were filled to make sure everything is ready to be delivered in a timely fashion on Saturday morning.
This year, Fox said the industry toy drives were moved up a week. The big three industries that contribute are Valeo North America Inc., Nippon Steel Pipe America Inc. and Aisin USA Mfg. Inc., all in Seymour.
“That has worked very well,” Fox said of doing the drives earlier. “That’s probably 40% of our toys. Valeo is probably our oldest relationship, I’d say. Valeo alone was 405.”
A lot of toys and clothing also came from the Angel Trees, which again were set up at the Jackson County Public Library, Jackson County Visitor Center and Shoe Sensation, all in Seymour.
“They are coming in very well. We’re in pretty good shape on gifts,” Fox said, noting if people want an angel, they better get it as soon as possible while they are available and get the unwrapped items turned in at the headquarters.
One group wrapped gifts on Dec. 6, but Fox said wrapping started in earnest on Dec. 12. That has been done every day except Sunday and will wrap up Thursday.
He said it was a good problem to have all of the wrapping times filled.
“We usually turn some groups down, so we talk them into delivery,” he said, smiling.
That’s what Sertoma needs most at this point: People to show up at 7 a.m. Saturday to help deliver. The sheriff’s posse, local fire departments, individuals, couples, families and groups always help with delivery, and anyone is welcome.
“We run out by 7:15. That’s the best feeling in the world,” Fox said with another smile.
As boxes go out the door at the headquarters, blankets are placed on top. This year, Trinity Lutheran High School and Immanuel Lutheran School, both in Seymour, collected more than 700 blankets for Christmas Miracle.
Fox said each year, there also is a group that buys bicycles and a couple who buys coats for kids.
“We could not get done without the community. It just wouldn’t happen,” he said of the various ways people support the effort.
The club only has about 20 members, and they start organizing Christmas Miracle in July.
“We’re trying to help out the community,” club member Doug Kiste said. “We do the hearing aids for children. We do scholarships on honor day. There are certain requests that come in, a family is over here and they’ve got this need and we’ll try to accommodate. We’re just a civic club in Jackson County.”
Christmas Miracle takes the most work, Kiste said, but it’s worth the effort.
“We have a big heart for children,” he said. “Not every kid is loved, not every kid is fed, not every kid is clothed or has a warm place. We’re just trying to make it a little happier for them.”
Anyone interested in joining Sertoma can attend a meeting. The club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at Schwätzer’s German Restaurant, 113 Indianapolis Ave., Seymour.