The Norwell Boys Basketball team helped wrap Karing for Kids Christmas gifts this past Saturday. Numerous pictures were taken as they wrapped the gifts at Markle Church of Christ. Many of the pictures were taken with the O'Reilly family who has overseen the annual Karing for Kids Christmas Angel Tree Project since 2004, the year their daughter Jennifer O'Reilly was killed in an automobile accident.
The O’Reillys participated in their first Karing for Kids Angel Tree Project the Christmas before. Since 2004, the O’Reilly family has headed the project as a labor of love in Jennifer’s memory.
Rhonda said her daughter was only 16, a sophomore at Norwell High School, when the accident occurred. She said the family’s love for Jennifer is their motivation to help as many children and families as they can. “Sharing the love of Jesus is our purpose,” she said. “We hope that by being able to provide families in need with Christmas gifts, school supplies, and clothing (through Jennifer’s Closet), they will know the love Jesus has for all people.”
The Christmas Angel Tree Project, which started with the distribution of 10 gifts to eight children in 2003, has mushroomed beyond the dream of anyone involved with the project at that time.
The project spread throughout Wells County from 2003 to 2007. During those years, Mrs. O’Reilly said each child received 10 gifts. When children in Huntington County were added in 2008, the number of gifts per child dropped to eight to meet the demand. Each child receives two sets of jeans and shirts, pajamas, socks and underwear, a winter coat, tennis shoes, and two toys or “fun” items, depending on the age of the child.
Mrs. O’Reilly reports that approximately 225 volunteers wrapped gifts this past Friday and 100 showed up on Saturday. “We had approximately 100 volunteers throughout the week help sort and check in gifts,” she said. She said the approximate 100 people who helped deliver the gifts on Sunday were accompanied by 29 Santas.
Mrs. O’Reilly said she and husband Tim organized the project by themselves until a few years ago. “In 2007, as numbers continued to grow, we decided it was time to form a committee, and now there are 22 people on our team. In 2009 we became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. This allows us to apply for grants, and all donations are tax deductable. We operate completely through donations.”
The Karing for Kids committee also conducts a school supply project, a place called Jennifer’s Closet, where families can come and select good children’s clothing that has been donated. Mrs. O’Reilly said a place bigger than the one being used on the family property is needed. Funds are being raised either to purchase land to construct a building for storage and events and to house Jennifer’s Closet or to purchase a building in downtown Markle to renovate for those purposes.
More information about these projects can be found on the “Karing for Kids” website: www.karingforkids.us.
Angel Tree Stats
2003 - 8 children
2004 - 80 children
2005 – 176 children
2006 – 168 children
2007 – 276 children
2008 – 468 children
2009 – 652 children (5,216 gifts)
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