Gift Project

The 2011 Gift Project is right around the corner!  Monday November 7th, under the Gift Project tab for applications for assistance as well as our volunteer sign up forms to be open. The applications for assistance will close at the Hoss Foundation's discression, so if you are siging up a family, please do not wait.  Those of you signing up to volunteer for the shopping, wrapping, or adopting of a family will be able to sign up until two weeks before the shopping event, Saturday December 10th.  Please keep checking our website for dates, times, and locations of our shoping and wrapping party!

During Christmas last year, Nathen and I were staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Morgantown. It was a stressful time because our son was in the hospital and we were away from home. The Hoss Foundation showed us that even though we weren't spending the holidays at home, Christmas could still come to us with cheer. The Foundation touched our hearts and made an impact on how Christmas wasn't just about gifts but about sharing, and they provided us a sense of relief during that stressful time. It was like Santa had come.

Millie Davis (delivery #1)

I was assigned four deliveries in the Fairmont area. All along, even before I made phone contact with any of the recipients, I wondered what I would say...and how I would say things. So after some silent practice I called my first recipient, Millie, and told her, "Hi, my name is Allen...and I'm a volunteer for the Hoss Foundation." I asked her what day and time would be convenient for me to deliver the gifts. She told me Thursday would be fine, as long as I made it there before 4:30 p.m.

When Denise Matlick and her family visited the home of her adoptive family, the father was waiting at the door. He was the only one home since he wanted the gifts to be a surprise from Santa Claus for his seven- and eight-year-old sons. After hiding the gifts in the basement, the father politely expressed his appreciation for their generosity. Denise asked him if he went to church; however, he told her he was unable to attend since he worked on Sundays. She then invited him and his family to the service on Christmas Eve at Chestnut Ridge Church.

Natalie Hill and her family delivered gifts to the grandparents’ home, and were greeted at the door by the grandparents and the father of the family for whom they had shopped. Conversation came easy and it was a time of joy and excitement for everyone. The Hills noted that the family members were humble and thankful that someone had thought of them during the holiday season in their time of need. Natalie shared with the family that anything is possible through God, and she invited the family to the Christmas Eve service at Chestnut Ridge Church.