MANSFIELD, Ohio – If there was a single local site that encapsulated the holiday spirit, it may have been inside Crossroads Community Church on Tuesday night.
More than $100,000 in gifts, which were distributed to nearly 1,000 Richland County children Wednesday and Thursday, packed the church, showcasing the partnerships and generosity of several local businesses and residents as they supported the Richland County Children’s Auxiliary Christmas Project.
In total, the annual project helped 933 children have a better Christmas season.
Darlene Rudrick, GO Missions Coordinator at Crossroads and Christmas Project distribution organizer, said this was the church’s 11th year participating in the project.
“It’s really pretty amazing – every year there are special stories or special needs we hear about that get met,” she said. “And this is the first year in the 11 years that we’ve been involved that, because of some independent groups that stepped up and individuals, every child in the program that asked for a bike got a bike.”
In total – including tricycles – 157 bicycles were donated, Rudrick added.
“That was thanks to an individual here at Crossroads who purchased a large number of bikes, the Richland Young Professionals, (Trent and Angie Dawson of) Mr. Rooter, and then donors who bought bikes,” she said. “A lot of kids, their bikes were purchased for them by individuals.”
On Nov. 30, Richland Young Professionals teamed with Richland Bank, Shelby Bicycle Days, and the Ontario Walmart to donate 51 bicycles to the project.
Emily Keinath, Richland Young Professionals Treasurer, said being at Crossroads on Tuesday evening was “humbling.”
“Two weeks ago, we all felt good about the bikes we were able to purchase and give to the kids this Christmas … then (this) happened,” she said. “You realize that we were just a small portion of everything they have done.”
She also said it took “so many” people to make it all happen, which was evident by seeing the sanctuary, several classrooms, and hallways filled with toys, beds, and clothing.
“Everyone involved in the program, especially Darlene, have put so much time in to make every child and family feel special from the coffee and cookies to the handmade name tags on the bags,” she said. “They say it takes a village to raise a child and it became apparent last night how true that is.
“Richland County is a pretty good ‘village’ to be a part of.”
Richland County Children’s Auxiliary Executive Director Julie Kleshinski said the auxiliary “loves” partnerships with other local organizations.
“We have probably 100 different donors who assist us,” she said. “So in addition to customers at the mall who take our tags (at the Giving Tree), we have many local corporations whose employees band together to meet the needs of a child for Christmas.”
The auxiliary started 18 years ago with its first Christmas Project to meet the needs of children affiliated with Richland County Children Services. In its initial year, Kleshinski said, the organization helped around 40 children.
According to its website, the Richland County Children’s Auxiliary assists nearly 1,000 children each Christmas by coordinating donors to provide those in need with clothing and toys. Participants are referred by local social service case workers.
“It seems like donors are being particularly generous in what they provide for these kids,” Kleshinski said.
The Christmas Project is a culmination of more than 8,000 volunteer hours and more than 400 volunteers.
One of those volunteers was Richland Bank Marketing Director Kristie Massa, who also sponsored a child. She shared similar sentiments as Keinath about being in the church Tuesday.
“The feeling of awe about the generosity of our community just comes over you when you see that sanctuary just filled with so many presents,” she said. “It really gives you the full feeling of Christmas and fills you with Christmas spirit.”
Massa said she always makes sure she has money set aside to sponsor a child.
“It’s kind of one of our traditions now,” she said, adding that her husband, Zach, helps her pick out presents. “It goes right to the core of the Christmas spirit. It’s all about giving and not receiving and helping someone else out – even if I might never see them.”
In addition to the bikes and many other gifts, Kleshinski said she added the question “Does this child have a bed?” to the forms parents and guardians filled out this year.
“I can’t answer whether every child who circled ‘no’ received a bed, but I know there were a lot of donors who were really touched by that and went way above and beyond to purchase a bed for the child,” she said.
Rudrick said 31 beds, including cribs, toddler beds, and twin beds, were donated.
“It’s that picture of what each of us can do if we just do it together,” she said. “There are so many pieces that come together to make that whole big picture.
“There were ladies who have been all year knitting hats, scarves, and gloves. Then there are people who have saved, and we have young kids who save their allowances so they can shop for a child, and the impact that makes in families when they can teach their own children what it means to give and not just receive at Christmas time.”
There is, however, a smaller picture, Rudrick said.
“That’s a child, that’s a person – each individual of those 930 children,” she said. “To bring it back down to that individual child, who is in a situation not of their own making, who are living through some brokenness and hard times, it’s about more to us than the gifts.
“It’s about the love and the care and being Christ-like to each child.”
Of the 933 children, Crossroads sponsors 500.
Children are referred exclusively to the auxiliary program through Richland County Children Services, Kinship Navigator Program, the Community Health Access Project, Help Me Grow, Parent Aide, Friendly House, and Richland Newhope.
“We have professional social service caseworkers in the home who verify the financial need of each family and our criteria that a child would not have any Christmas gifts without some assistance,” Kleshinski said. “We ask that these families not participate in multiple programs.”
She added that the general public can not apply for the program.
For information about the Richland County Children’s Auxiliary and its programs or its store – the New Store – visit thenewstore.org.
