HAYA thanks Jacobson/Quinn Toy Project volunteers

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Gail Innis

What a very Merry Christmas it is for 159 households and their 421 happy children throughout the greater Holly School District area who were recipients of gifts from 2011 Jacobson/Quinn Toy Project.

On behalf of the Holly Area Youth Assistance (HAYA), I thank all who gave so generously of their hearts, time, money and resources coming together as a community-based team to organize this year’s Toy Project. I extend HAYA’s gratitude to the all businesses, churches and faith communities, school groups, civic groups, youth organizations, government offices, private and community agencies, families, and individual volunteers of all ages, too numerous to name, that all united in carrying the Spirit of Christmas. Thank you for your generous monetary donations, help in identifying the needy families, gift giving, hosting gift donation boxes and money collection canisters, gathering the gift donations, sorting toys by age groups, wrapping the gifts, delivering gifts, and preparing food to feed hard working volunteers.

Thank you to Barb Myers, Chairperson of the Toy Project Committee, for organizing the many tasks and volunteers. Thanks also to Cathy Disbrow of Holly Area Schools Transportation Department, for her expertise of mapping the delivery routes again this year. Special thanks to Karyn Willis, HAYA Office Secretary, whose behind the scenes work made wrapping and delivery possible!  She dedicated endless hours fielding the countless Toy Project phone calls and emails inquiries, while compiling the applicants’ information database, so that she could generate information cards, reports, and labels essential to conducting the entire Toy Project.  In addition to these tasks, while doing her regular office duties, she processed several Toy Project mailings and ‘thank you’ letters.

HAYA is grateful for our civic group partners, Davisburg Rotary Club and Holly Kiwanis Club. For years, these caring groups have delivered food baskets and grocery gift cards/certificates to many of the same needy families that we served. The mutual collaboration between our groups helps to assure that families have a nice Christmas dinner.

HAYA is especially appreciative of the ongoing funding sponsorship provided by its sponsors: Holly Area School District, the Townships of Groveland, Holly, Rose and Springfield, the Village of Holly and the Oakland County Circuit Court – Family Division (through its budgeted funds from the Oakland County Board of Commissioners).  Without HAYA’s sponsors, the organization would not be here to help so many children, youth and their families, all year around with its various programs, ‘striving to strengthen youth and families through community involvement.’

From all of us at Holly Area Youth Assistance, we wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year!

Gail Innis, MA, LPC
Youth Assistance Caseworker