Dec. 28, 2022
By John Bailey
Santa’s elves have nothing on the Catawba County United Way Teen Christmas volunteers.
Every year, this group of more than 30 individuals shop for, organize and prepare Christmas bags for hundreds of teens (ages 13-17) in Catawba County. They are distributed during the annual Christmas Bureau – a collaborative effort by local agencies and organizations to provide toys, food, clothing and coats to children and teenagers in need of assistance during the Christmas season.
In 2020, that number for teens was 373. In 2021 that number was 412, and for this year’s Christmas Bureau, the number was 474 teens.
“It’s just an amazing community effort every year that makes this outreach possible,” Rose Arant, Catawba County United Way Teen Christmas volunteer coordinator said.
This year each teen received a new shirt, pants and tee shirt plus two teen toys, such as ear buds, a basketball or a fishing rod. Teens also receive either a bath/body or art basket as requested. This year Teen Christmas provided 256 baskets.
“We accomplish all of this through donations from our community including churches, Rotaries, businesses, industry and individuals,” Arant said.
Baskets were made by The Catawba Valley Newcomers Club, First Methodist, St. Luke’s United Methodist, First Presbyterian, Lake Hickory Rotary and many individuals. Teens serving in high school clubs in eight Catawba County Schools also built baskets.
This was the 4th year of preparing special Catawba County Library packages for teens. They contained information about library services and Animal Bites cord protectors.
Another Teen Christmas partner is Shurtape Technologies, LLC.
The Hickory-based company provided funds for additional special gifts which included bicycles, Echo Dots, Squishmallows, star projectors, movie boxes and skateboards. These items were given to parents during the Christmas Bureau distribution days this December using a “blind draw” ticket raffle. Winning parents could choose a gift for their teen. This enabled one in four teens to receive a special surprise gift at Christmas.
Catawba County United Way Executive Director Mark Bumgarner said the real joy for him each Christmas Bureau (held this year at the Hickory Metro Center), is seeing so many community partners working together to support local families.
“Catawba County United Way sponsors Teen Christmas, to ensure teens receive gifts so that along with The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program and Toys for Tots we can meet the needs of all families,” Bumgarner said. “Hickory Soup Kitchen provides food gift cards. The Hickory Fire Department provides bikes for the children.
“Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry supports us all by assisting with applications, Safe Kids Catawba County provides child safety seat checks and so many more volunteers come together to make this work. This does not happen anywhere else, and I want our community to know just how special it is. My friends, that’s the spirt of Christmas.”
To learn more about the Catawba County United Way Teen Christmas program call 828-327-6851.