THE TREE WITH a PURPOSE

By Kathy Rambo

The time is near when Christmas trees will highlight every nook and cranny of the landscape. Some are decorated to the hilt, with not a branch spared enhancement. Others tastefully marry natural foliage with thoughtful ornamentation. Then, there are those, such as The Giving Tree in Symphony Village, that do their best work with no bling at all. That’s because, if by early December the branches are bare, it means that local needy families will be having a very merry Christmas.

Symphony Village, a 55+ Active Community in Centreville, MD, has been sponsoring a “Giving Tree” since 2005. Initially conceived as a way to provide sneakers and books to needy children at Centreville Elementary, it became the charity focus of the aptly named Sneakers group at Symphony Village. Their dual purpose of providing shoes and books to area children has today been absorbed by the charity arm of the Symphony Village Outreach Group. 

The scope of the program has expanded and now includes the six feeder schools that flow into Queen Anne’s County High School; Kennard Elementary, Sudlersville Elementary, Church Hill Elementary, Centreville Elementary, Sudlersville Middle, and Centreville Middle. The Outreach group contacts the school counselor at each location and tasks them with providing a particular number of needy families. Parents are asked to specify whether or not a coat or blanket is needed, and sizes for each child. A hoodie, shirt, jeans or sweats, boots or sneakers, and three “wishes” are designated for each recipient. 

Terri McConnell, a former teacher and Symphony Village resident, is the driving force behind the execution of the Tree. She, along with many other volunteers, complete the arduous task of coordinating all of the information from the schools into a fine-tuned identification system worthy of NASA! The names of the children are sorted into family groups, wishes and needs identified, and an ornament for each item with all of the needed information is created. The ornaments are color coded, separating the coats and blankets from the other gifts. There are never any names attached. The ornament will include the item, size and color if pertinent, and gender of the child, as well as letters and numbers that indicate the family to which this child belongs. Once the trees have been “decorated,” three schools on one tree and three on another, Villagers are free to select as many ornaments as they like and purchase the gift indicated. They are also encouraged to include an age appropriate book along with the gift. 

If coats or blankets have been selected, they are brought to Symphony’s Clubhouse before Thanksgiving so that they can be distributed to children before Christmas, ensuring they have a warm jacket before the December chill. Each year, the other gifts are due in early December. The Clubhouse lobby becomes a gigantic present depository. The following day, the Symphony Village Outreach elves begin the task of sorting the gifts. Any child not having a gift is taken care of by an elf swiftly dispatched to the Outlets to secure a present with funds from the Outreach Group reserves. The gifts are transported to the schools for delivery to families only after every gift is accounted for. A blank tag for parents to fill out indicating the gifts are from them is included with each. If there are additional funds provided by donations, a $50 gift card is secured for each family.

In addition, Rose Clark, a member of the Kent Island Fireman’s Auxiliary provides a Christmas basket for each family. The large tub with rope handles includes a canned ham, pumpkin pie, potatoes, loaves of bread, and cereal along with other items that will feed a family during the holidays.

Besides the busy elves at Symphony Village, there are several other charitable groups working to make Christmas merry for Queen Anne’s County area families. The Christmas Angel is a charity that has roots throughout the country. The QAC Christmas Angels is a local nonprofit that provides Christmas gifts to more than 1,000 needy children in our Queen Anne’s County communities. Many area churches and social organizations; St. Peter’s, Our Mother of Sorrows, St Paul’s, and Centreville Methodist, among others, have Angel Trees decorated with similar paper ornaments listing items to donate to fulfill requests for individual children. Givers visit the trees and select an ornament with an anonymous child to adopt. They then fulfill the wish list and return the gifts to a designated drop off point prior to Christmas. QAC Christmas Angels even has a Facebook page where you can leave a message with your email and they will send you information about becoming a Christmas Angel! In October, the Kent Island Elks Lodge holds a yearly Charity Auction and Adopt-an-Angel event benefiting The Christmas Angel.

At least two local churches, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Centreville Methodist Church, broaden their scope of giving by participating in Operation Christmas Child, a Samaritan’s Purse project. Each participant fills one or more shoeboxes with school supplies, hygiene items, and small fun toys. These are then collected and distributed to more than 100 countries and territories around the world.

As we slide into the holiday season, there will be many opportunities to join in the spirit of giving. You may want to check out some of the above mentioned charities, or forge your own path of sharing with others. Donate to the local food pantry, take an elderly neighbor Christmas shopping, offer to babysit so a harried young mother might do some unencumbered Santa shopping; it all counts! Giving to others can become the precious gift that you give to yourself this holiday season.

Kathy Rambo is a retired Baltimore County elementary teacher with three children and two grandchildren. My husband and I moved to Centreville four years ago and we are loving life on the shore!