Bath Christmas Mother Program well underway

Hot Springs, va. – Thanksgiving is not here yet, but the Bath Christmas Mother Program is well underway. The program is looking for help from those who want to adopt individuals and families and provide gifts to make the holidays happier. The need is great as there are approximately 270 individuals to be adopted. Kim Brown is the 2012 Bath County Christmas Mother.

“We do have a few special requests that have just recently come in,” says Brown. “We have a request for a small wood stove, bookshelves and a sewing machine. Gently used winter coats are always needed. Those need to be in really good condition, but they don’t have to be new.”

With help from the community, the Christmas Mother Program provides food, fuel assistance and items to help those in need.

“We have a food box available at the nursing home or you can give me call and I’ll come pick up any donations that you have,” says Brown. “We also have a sock box at the courthouse. We’re accepting donations of socks, either pairs or packages of socks. Thank you to Valley Elementary for requesting toiletry items. Millboro Elementary, they have a food drive going on for the Christmas Mother Program and the SCA at the high school is also doing that drive. And Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Altizer are working with their classes to build things for the Christmas Mother and I appreciate that. Ms. Hodge and her culinary students will be cooking a lunch for us.”

The Christmas Mother Program is in its 20th year. The goal is to help every family that needs assistance, especially children and the elderly. You can help by adopting an individual or a family or you can make a monetary donation to help provide food, fuel assistance and needed items. Or you can donate items. The program accepts gently used items as long as they are in good condition. And you can also help in the Christmas Mother Shop by wrapping gifts and preparing food baskets. The shop opens November 28 in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Hot Springs. It’s open weekdays until December 7.

“It is starting to get busy, but it is enjoyably busy,” says Brown. “I have lots of help. The past Christmas Mothers are wonderful and generous with their time. And the volunteers are right there with me. So we are working through this process together and it’s truly a community effort and it’s a wonderful community effort.”

For more information contact the Bath County Christmas Mother, Kim Brown at 540-679-9759.