OCEAN PINES — Ocean Pines Association staff’s annual holiday giving this year helped feed 20 local families and collected donations for several local nonprofits and charitable organizations.
Michelle Lane-Ross, administrative assistant for the General Manager, helped organize staff donations at Ocean Pines’ central office.
She said the Association traditionally donates holiday dinners to 10 local families in need. However, in working with the Worcester County Health Department this year, she said they found seven families in the immediate area, and another 13 in Worcester County.
“We thought we couldn’t just leave 10 families without a holiday meal, so we decided to adopt all 20 families,” Lane-Ross said. “It was quite an undertaking, but all employees pitched in. Each department was assigned a certain item and they all delivered.”
Lane-Ross also helped organize an “angel tree” in the administration building, where each angel-shaped ornament represents a gift suggestion for a local family in need.
Once again, the Association worked with the Health Department.
“It was a single mom with three daughters. Between staff and the Ocean Pines community, we supplied many gifts for the family. I don’t think they will be disappointed on Christmas morning,” Lane-Ross said.
“Every day I would see food being delivered by staff and watching our lobby fill with gifts around the tree and would feel so excited,” Lane-Ross continued. “[On Wednesday] morning, all the items were picked up and I was just so joyful to see that we all came together to make this happen for those less fortunate. I always say that no matter how bad you think things are for yourself or your family, there is always someone else worse off and I am just thrilled that we could help.”
Aquatics Director Kathleen Cook organized a similar angel tree at the Sports Core Pool, sponsoring three families through a local church.
“It went well, as always,” Cook said. “We live in a community that is so loving and generous.”
Cook said the angel tree program means a lot to her and was something she first did in high school.
“It helped us truly understand how blessed we were and allowed us to see that wasn’t the case for everyone,” she said.
Cook took the concept to a former supervisor several years ago, and it became an annual tradition for the Aquatics Department.
“Once I presented it to my boss, it was agreed that we would develop a similar program,” Cook said. “Now, I get to watch parents take angels with their children, and they are teaching their children the same lessons that we learned in high school.
“I am so humble for the phenomenal support that this community gives to this program,” she added.
Jessica Conaway, an administrative assistant for the Recreation and Parks Department, collaborated with two local charitable campaigns. The department for several years has helped the “Be a Santa to a Senior” program run by Home Instead Senior Care.
“This countrywide program brightens local seniors’ hearts by giving them a gift they otherwise wouldn’t have,” Conaway said. “Crystal Heiser, coordinator of this program, said that this year almost 800 local seniors received gifts, with close to 200 coming from Ocean Pines area ‘Santas.’
“This cause is important because these seniors are asking for essentials – not for what they want,” she continued. “And most of the ‘Santas’ that take a tag will tuck in a special treat or item that wasn’t asked for to make the giving more personal.”
Conaway and the Recreation and Parks Department also collected donations for Believe in Tomorrow’s Children’s House by the Sea.
“This program allows families with critically ill children the opportunity to get away, relax, and reconnect together in the midst of a child’s treatment and recovery,” Conaway said. “Donating items such as toys, books and puzzles helps the children feel more normal, at ease and relaxed while they are here at the beach. Wayne Littleton, the coordinator of this program, is very appreciative of the donations the Ocean Pines community gives during the holiday season.”