Boys & Girls Club of Door County Holds Wrapping Party to Benefit Member Families

Classic games, new toys, warm coats and hats by the boxful were wrapped with care and affection by more than 20 volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club of Door County (BGCDC) recently. Manning the tables covered with brightly colored paper and ribbon, the group tackled wrapping hundreds of gifts for 63 families of club members. Delivery of the gifts took place on Dec. 16 with assistance from the Sturgeon Bay Police and Fire Departments.

“This tradition of selecting families in the most need has continued for five years,” explained Julie Davis, executive director of BGCDC. “It is because of the generosity of our community that we are able to expand the program a little each year. Just imagining the joy of a child receiving a fluffy stuffed animal, a puppet, an action figure, or new book, is very fulfilling. And we include practical winter clothing or basic needs items to make sure the kids are equipped to handle these cold months.”

Added to the heaping stack of items for wrapping were the cartons of toys collected by Sunflour Artisan Bakery, a close neighbor of the BGCDC Hatch Center. Owner Dave Patton offered cookies in exchange for a donation, resulting in another outpouring of playthings.

A $250 grant from Thrivent Financial covered the purchase of wrapping paper, tape and tags. Volunteers Liz and Ken Birnschein not only applied for and received the grant, they also organized a group of Door County ISE foreign exchange students to accompany them to the wrapping event. For more information visit bgcdoorcounty.org.