Tag: Christmas shopping
Seldovia’s Santa Shop Serving Youth Around the World
by Jenny Chissus
The Santa Shop is a great way for infants to high school students to go shopping on their own for their friends and family. Due to the fact that we are off the road system and there are limited opportunities for shopping, the Santa Shop has been a way for our youth to buy (they name their price on each donated item that they purchase) gifts on their own, have them wrapped and ready for Christmas! This been a tradition in Seldovia since at least 2006 when Laurel started it as Director of the Seldovia Boys and Girls Club. When asking Laurel about it, she wasn’t sure if it had a previous “life” in Seldovia, but I personally don’t remember having this opportunity for young shoppers before that time – at least since we moved here in 2002.
The Santa Shop is open for just a few hours from 3:00pm to 5:00pm on Friday the 13th of December. It is held in the Susan B English cafeteria and once 5:00pm rolls around, the gifts will be gathered up so don’t be late! Make sure your young family members get a chance to buy something special on their own this year! The left over items are often donated for distribution in the Christmas food boxes for local families or to pack in the Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes each year.
Regarding the monies earned from the sale of the donated items, each year seems to be different. Early on, the money went to the Boys & Girls Club, then one year it went towards the monies raised by the Winters for a farm in Africa. The Santa Shop has also supported Good Vibes (a Seldovia after school activities program for young kids) and funds have also been used to purchase items for the Christmas Child Shoeboxes. This year it has yet to be determined where the proceeds will go. When asked about this, Laurel replied “I was considering possibly the Alaska Red Cross to help some of the villages that have had natural disasters recently.”
This is such a charitable event, donating unused or “in like-new condition” items for local kids to shop, and additionally supporting children locally and internationally from our community of Seldovia! When I asked Laurel what items tend to FLY off the shelves, she mentioned: “Kids love pretty things for their moms, fun things for their siblings, and guy things for their dads. We just ask that the donations be quality items in good condition. Gift wrap, bows and ribbon are in short supply this year, so we could definitely use some of those if people have any spare items around.”
If you would like to donate items (including wrapping paper, tissue, bows or cards) – please take them to Tina at the front desk upstairs at SVT, and if you want to be a part of the event and volunteer to help kids shop or to wrap gifts – you are so welcome to come and help on Friday! Thanks for showing your Christmas Spirit of Generosity!
Seldovia Time
