by Deb Cupples | Joy lit up the faces of hundreds of children last week as lawyers from the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association (EJCBA) gave Christmas gifts to an entire elementary school.
Words like "inspiring" and "uplifting" do not adequately describe the event.
More than 400 students at Rawlings Elementary in Gainesville received gifts from EJCBA members and other donors, based on wish lists the children had written to Santa Clause. (The EJCBA is a voluntary bar comprised of lawyers from Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy, and Union Counties in Florida.)
Comfortable in a suit of any sort, Gainesville Attorney Carl Schwait gave each child a personal greeting and a collection of gifts.
[Photo right: Schwait (red suit) with a small Head Start class; EJCBA "elves" Elizabeth Collins (R) and Judge-elect Denise Ferrero (L, foreground).]
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The event took months to organize, and one result was the literal truckload of gifts shown in the photo below.
Some donors sent checks. Some chose to do the shopping.
Shoppers picked up bags, each containing a child's wish list, name, grade level, and instructions to fill the bag with gifts whose combined value was $45 - $50 (to promote parity).
Some shoppers "adopted" children (agreed to fund the gifts); others shopped for so many children that they'll need reimbursement from the EJCBA.
Monetary donations have not yet covered all the gifts, but the EJCBA is hoping that more donors will open their hearts and checkbooks. If you'd like to help, send a check to: EJCBA, PO Box 127, Gainesville Florida, 32602-0127. Please write "Holiday Project" on the check's memo line.
Eight Circuit State Attorney Bill Cervone allowed the EJCBA to store and organize gifts in his building.
During the weekend before delivery, gift bags filled the State Attorney's conference room (photo right), break room, and several hallways.
Though I am an EJCBA member, I did not do the heavy lifting. I merely helped a bit at the end -- which gave me the opportunity to observe the people who actually did organize the Holiday Gift Project.
All Holiday Gift Committee members, including chair Margaret Stack (EJCBA's president) and president-elect Becky O'Neill, spent spare time shopping for dozens of children and preparing for the event.
As well as doing massive shopping, Committee members Lua Mellman and Elizabeth Collins created a data base and an intricate system for making sure that every child received gifts. These ladies didn't stop at checking the lists twice.
Rawlings' principal Emery Bishop and school staff spent much of the day before Santa's arrival loading the truck at the State Attorney's office and unloading the truck at the school.
Rawlings' staff and teachers devoted after-school time to checking lists and bags, which were color coded by grade level [photo left].
Mostly, the main event took place in Rawlings' multi-purpose room, where students gathered -- one grade level at a time.
Ms. Stack, Santa's chief elf, led groups of students in a chorus of Jingle Bells: the only effective way to bring Santa out. [Photo below: Ms. Stack (far right), Emery Bishop (back, left).]
Other members of the legal community joined Santa at Rawlings to help pass out gifts, including
local attorneys Nancy Baldwin, Sherrie Galambos and Liz McKillop, along with Judge-elect Denise Ferrero.
Administrators, faculty and staff from UF's law school pitched in to help shop for children and raise donations.
The children's reactions were a blend of surprise and sheer elation. Many children applauded even when their classmates received gifts, excited by their friends' good fortune.
It certainly was a day to remember -- as much for the lawyers as for the children.
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Photo left: Carl Schwait with Committee members Elizabeth Collins and Liz McKillop. Being a tad camera shy, Ms. Mellman declined to be in the photo.
The Gainesville Sun has a great photo, article, and video clip.
Remember: the EJCBA still needs donations to cover the holiday project. Please send your check (with "holiday project" on the memo line) to:
EJCBA
PO Box 127
Gainesville, Florida, 32602-0127
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