MARYSVILLE Once again, Santa got a big boost this year from generous citizens.
More than 1,500 kids had a merrier Christmas thanks to the efforts of hundreds of local volunteers and contributors to Operation Marysville Community Christmas.
Over three days last week, parents of the less fortunate got a chance to help make the holidays a bit brighter for their kids at the temporary toy store in downtown Marysville where thousands of donated toys were laid out for them to choose from. Volunteers guided patrons of the Marysville Community Food Bank around the treasure, where parents could help themselves to a choice of toys and stocking stuffers for their kids.
The longstanding tradition continued despite the loss of leader Lillie Lein, with organizers reaching out to local schools in Marysville and Lakewood to help staff the operation. That was a double-barreled blessing to Bonnie Ramsey, OMCC co-chairperson. She made a conscious effort to involve a new generation to fill the void left by Robo-Santa Lein, who prepared for Christmas the year-round. Ramsey called local schools and told them OMCC was a great community service opportunity for the teens, who experience a huge amount of growth in just a few hours, according to co-chair Sue Kendall. She noted one girl told her at the start of her shift that she was shy and didnt want to have to deal with people; could she just wrap presents or help organize toys by gender and age group. Later that day Kendall said she saw the adolescent helping a patron without being asked. She really came out of her shell, and all on her own, Kendall said. Ramsey saw the same thing, time and again.
A lot of teens come and the first day they dont want to help people; they just want to wrap presents, Ramsey noted. Then they start helping people and then they get excited.
She noted that the helpers included some special needs kids from Marysville-Pilchuck High School, who had a blast as they helped distribute the presents.
Once they get into it, they really like it, Ramsey said. I think its important for them to realize how important community service is.
The toys were largely collected through the ubiquitous red barrels placed around town to collect donations of food and toys for the Marysville Community Food Bank. Many other businesses and individuals also contributed, often at the last minute, according to Ramsey.
Theres a lot more businesses in Marysville that started bringing these, she said, motioning to tables covered with toys, games, and other childrens things. We didnt even know they were collecting.
The volunteers were working diligently to keep the children safe while making sure their trees had plenty of presents underneath. This year saw a huge number of toy recalls, where manufacturers found defects in workmanship, materials or design paint with lead was the biggest culprit. Ramsey said her corps of volunteers kept in touch with the major toy chains and distributors to stay abreast of the latest recalls. Banned items were quickly weeded from the pile, but it became a logistics nightmare as well-meaning citizens turned up with many donations that had not been vetted by safety experts.
It was a lot to go through the recalls, Ramsey said.
For the teens, it was a great opportunity, albeit a new one, to pitch in for a good cause. Austin Schulz is a 16-year-old who attends Lakewood High School. Schulz has a huge tattoo on his right arm and a metal ring piercing his lower lip, and he doesnt dress like a boy scout either. But his mother is one of the volunteers and so he came down to give her a hand.
Its fun, Schulz said.
Lakewood sophomore Emily Schneider was there too, running the child care center at the front of the medical office housing the toy store. Like Schulz, her mother was a volunteer. She said it was fun to help baby sit the kids while their parents shopped for them. She wasnt getting school credit for her time, just the chance to help others.
Most of the people are very appreciative of the operation, and it was fun working with the special needs students from M-PHS, she added. She was surprised at how many toys there were.
I like to help, Schneider said. It feels good to help other people.
Later in the week students from Totem Middle School came down to wrap presents.
Volunteer Leslie Buell and her husband Doug were also front and center this year. She said in past years they worked behind the scenes, boxing presents and such but they both vowed to be more visible this year in memory of Lein, a long-time city employee who passed away last summer.
I really enjoyed it. It was fun meeting all the different people. I had a really good time, Buell said. I found it really rewarding.