2010 Christmas Outreach
posted on: 12 - 12 - 2010Our annual Christmas outreach was featured in the courier news today! The outreach, held on December 11th 2010, benefited over 300 families in need.
Church spreads holiday love, cheer to Central Jersey's less fortunate
By JEFF GRANT • STAFF WRITER
The toys didn't even begin to tell the story.
The smiles and wide-eyed looks from children and parents who attended the Church of the Hills' fifth annual holiday party for the underprivileged and hurting not only expressed thankfulness but hope, said Peggy Byrnes, the event's organizer.
Nearly 300 packed the church hall for a day of songs, a play, lunch and handing out of gifts to guests, who included troubled, hurting and less-fortunate youngsters and adults from several schools and social agencies stretching from Newark to Franklin (Somerset).
The gathering was completed by a brief appearance from former church member and New York Giants two-time Super Bowl champion Lee Rouson of Flanders, now an associate pastor at a church in Harlem.
"I love it," said the onetime fullback, who played from 1985 through 1991 and was part of teams that won titles in 1986 and 1990. "This is family to me."
The day was coordinated by Leading Ladies, a women's group headed by Byrnes within the Route 206 church.
In years past, the toys had been provided through the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots program, but Byrnes said this year a shortage of donations left Tots unable to help. Undaunted, church members pitched in to buy dozens of gifts. "Everyone rallied together," Byrnes said.
Several items, including bicycles and skateboards, were given away during drawings. But every child and adult left with something, Byrnes said.
Mobin Chadaha, a staff member for Alternatives, a social service agency in Raritan Borough that brought nine families to the event, said the gifts, and the entire day, were a blessing. "It's not easy nowadays," Chadaha said.
Amanda Stramzenbach, 20, of Franklin, a resident of Franklin House, a transitional housing facility run by Alternatives, watched with her daughter, Julianna, 1. "I feel a little touched," Stramzenbach said. "It's very nice."
Most of the gifts were $5 games from Walmart, said Katie Byrnes, 20, Peggy's daughter. But she and other church members hoped it was the love and kindness that their guests would remember when they returned to their surroundings, many of which offer daily reminders of a hard life.
"This is not a thing they'll forget easily," Katie said.
LeKeshea Brooks-Wertz, a social worker for 17th St. School in Newark, said the event taught her group a lesson in compassion. "We try to show the kids that it's important to do for others," she said.