MONROE - Volunteering for the annual Christmas Stocking project, funded by the Monroe Woman's Club, has become a multi-generational tradition for several local families.
The club distributes food boxes to families, as well as clothes, toys, shoes and boots to children in need in the Monroe school district as part of the annual program.
Mary Schmidt and Kathy Bartelt, both Girl Scout leaders in Monroe and long-time project volunteers, involved their troops and daughters in the project years ago.
Both women say they are now seeing three generations of volunteers come to help.
"The girls who were helping at age 7 are now mothers, and bring their own daughters," said Schmidt, who is organizing the collection and decoration of 500 food boxes this year.
Bartelt volunteers as a shopper for the clothes and toys. Her 26-year-old twin daughters, Samatha and Rachel, also will serve as shoppers this year.
She and her daughters each volunteered to shop for two families, because of the increased need this year.
"I imagine there are more families in need this year, and some parents not working full-time," she said.
Bartelt said her daughters helped when they were younger, offering advice on children toys and teen-age fashion.
"We buy things that parents can't normally afford at Christmas, and they'll get something they can enjoy or need," she said.
Bartelt said the shopping excursion takes only an hour of her time, and the items are paid for by the Monroe Woman's Club, which solicits donations each year to help fund the program. An envelope is included inside today's edition of The Monroe Times for anyone wishing to send a monetary donation. Donations can be sent to 901 16th Ave., Monroe.
Schmidt brought her troop of 25 girls into the box decorating part of the project in 1987, and one of her three daughters, Melisa, 32, still volunteers with her.
Daughters Michele and Samantha live out of town. "But I bet if I called and asked them to come, they would," she said. "Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout."
Bartelt's granddaughter, Olivia Isely, 7, will be one of the young Girl Scouts involved in decorating boxes this year, said Schmidt.
"Kids actually look forward to it," she said. "It's a tradition when that time comes."
The 500 food boxes is an increase of 50 from last year, and almost eight times more than it was 30 years ago. In 2008, 300 families received help from the Christmas Stocking, and 270 families in 2007.
Girl Scouts and their leaders decorated only 65 boxes for the Christmas Stocking in 1979, according to Christie Strait, Monroe, Green County Historical Society president.
"When we did boxes at St. John's (United Church of Christ), we must have done at least 80, when we started as Juniors. That was in 1982," said Strait, a Girl Scout leader at the time.
As the number of needy families has grown through the years, so has the number of volunteers.
A total of about 1,000 people get involved in the various jobs for the Christmas Stocking projects, according to Schmidt.
"The neat part is, everybody has their job and it just comes together," she said. "Many hands make it go pretty fast."
Not all volunteers are connected to the Girl Scouts. Project World students, Boy Scouts and community members are helping, too.
Schmidt brought in her nephew, Hans Schmidt, 22, to help load and unload boxes when he was just 16.
And her son-in-law, Jason Kjerstad, starts collecting apple boxes from grocery stores in September. He manages to fit the 500 boxes in his garage, until the first Monday in December, the dedicated day to decorate them.
The boxes are reinforced with tape, covered and decorated at the United Methodist Church, and then transported across town to Dearth Motors on 8th Street, where they are stored until filled with food by another set of volunteers. Christmas Stocking food boxes and gifts are delivered before Christmas.
Christmas Stocking food boxes will be covered and decorated from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at the United Methodist Church in Monroe. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help for any amount of time during those hours.
The club distributes food boxes to families, as well as clothes, toys, shoes and boots to children in need in the Monroe school district as part of the annual program.
Mary Schmidt and Kathy Bartelt, both Girl Scout leaders in Monroe and long-time project volunteers, involved their troops and daughters in the project years ago.
Both women say they are now seeing three generations of volunteers come to help.
"The girls who were helping at age 7 are now mothers, and bring their own daughters," said Schmidt, who is organizing the collection and decoration of 500 food boxes this year.
Bartelt volunteers as a shopper for the clothes and toys. Her 26-year-old twin daughters, Samatha and Rachel, also will serve as shoppers this year.
She and her daughters each volunteered to shop for two families, because of the increased need this year.
"I imagine there are more families in need this year, and some parents not working full-time," she said.
Bartelt said her daughters helped when they were younger, offering advice on children toys and teen-age fashion.
"We buy things that parents can't normally afford at Christmas, and they'll get something they can enjoy or need," she said.
Bartelt said the shopping excursion takes only an hour of her time, and the items are paid for by the Monroe Woman's Club, which solicits donations each year to help fund the program. An envelope is included inside today's edition of The Monroe Times for anyone wishing to send a monetary donation. Donations can be sent to 901 16th Ave., Monroe.
Schmidt brought her troop of 25 girls into the box decorating part of the project in 1987, and one of her three daughters, Melisa, 32, still volunteers with her.
Daughters Michele and Samantha live out of town. "But I bet if I called and asked them to come, they would," she said. "Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout."
Bartelt's granddaughter, Olivia Isely, 7, will be one of the young Girl Scouts involved in decorating boxes this year, said Schmidt.
"Kids actually look forward to it," she said. "It's a tradition when that time comes."
The 500 food boxes is an increase of 50 from last year, and almost eight times more than it was 30 years ago. In 2008, 300 families received help from the Christmas Stocking, and 270 families in 2007.
Girl Scouts and their leaders decorated only 65 boxes for the Christmas Stocking in 1979, according to Christie Strait, Monroe, Green County Historical Society president.
"When we did boxes at St. John's (United Church of Christ), we must have done at least 80, when we started as Juniors. That was in 1982," said Strait, a Girl Scout leader at the time.
As the number of needy families has grown through the years, so has the number of volunteers.
A total of about 1,000 people get involved in the various jobs for the Christmas Stocking projects, according to Schmidt.
"The neat part is, everybody has their job and it just comes together," she said. "Many hands make it go pretty fast."
Not all volunteers are connected to the Girl Scouts. Project World students, Boy Scouts and community members are helping, too.
Schmidt brought in her nephew, Hans Schmidt, 22, to help load and unload boxes when he was just 16.
And her son-in-law, Jason Kjerstad, starts collecting apple boxes from grocery stores in September. He manages to fit the 500 boxes in his garage, until the first Monday in December, the dedicated day to decorate them.
The boxes are reinforced with tape, covered and decorated at the United Methodist Church, and then transported across town to Dearth Motors on 8th Street, where they are stored until filled with food by another set of volunteers. Christmas Stocking food boxes and gifts are delivered before Christmas.
Christmas Stocking food boxes will be covered and decorated from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at the United Methodist Church in Monroe. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help for any amount of time during those hours.