MONROE - If a little child is going to lead us this holiday season, let it be Cadance Baumgartner.
Five-year-old Cadance of Warren, Ill., was excited about her father, Aaron Baumgartner, dropping off a donation of used clothes and toys - many of them hers - at the Green County Human Services Department Thursday, according to her mother, Tonya Baumgartner.
"I wanted other kids to have them for Christmas," said Cadance, who missed the delivery because she had to go to school.
Jeannie Blumer, economic support supervisor, said it is the largest donation of items, especially of children's clothes, that she has seen in her 31 years with the department.
"It's an unbelievable gift," she added.
Wrapped in about 40 large, black plastic trash bags, the donation, toys and clothes of all sizes, filled a 15- by 10-foot trailer to the roof.
"We're going to find homes for all these things," Blumer said.
Janelle Keizer, the Green County Homelessness Prevention Coalition coordinator, said she knows of specific families in the community who need clothing immediately, and they will be some of the first to benefit from Cadance's donation.
"But there is no way to know how many families will be helped by all this," she added.
Almost immediately after delivery, Keizer and a volunteer began unbagging and sorting the clothing. By 11 a.m., they had emptied only 17 bags and had at least eight large conference tables in the auditorium of the Government Services Building full of clothes, shoes, bedding and curtains.
Bags of toys sitting in a corner, alongside a doll house, a toddler's desk, a drum set, riding toys, and a stroller, hadn't even been touched yet.
Keizer and Blumer began wondering where they were going to put everything. Blumer asks that people call the Human Services offices before bringing in donations, because space is definitely limited now. She can make arrangements for other drop-off points.
"It's a good problem to have," Keizer said.
Tonya Baumgartner contacted Blumer the evening before Thanksgiving to inform her of the coming donation.
"She had a very large donation her daughter wanted to make, who wanted other kids to enjoy them, especially with Christmas coming," Blumer said. "She said, 'You need to understand how much we have - more than a truck load of things.'"
"This is an amazing gift from a 5-year-old girl," Blumer added. "This reminds us what Christmas should be about. She is grateful for what she had and wanted to help others."
Tonya Baumgartner said she explained to Cadance the idea of donating items they no longer used to other people and how some families can't afford presents at Christmas time.
"Once she wrapped her brain around it, once we had a plan, we went on a sorting frenzy," she said.
Cadance not only sorted her toys to add to the donation pile, she pushed her family members to sort their items also, including her father.
"She said, 'Daddy, have you sorted your closet yet?' and I said, 'I'm doing it now,'" Aaron Baumgartner said with a laugh.
Tonya said Cadance is an only child and the only grandchild on both sides of the family, and the family, including Tonya's sister and mother who live with them, saves everything. She felt the items were too nice to throw away, and she didn't have time to go through them for a garage sale, but she wanted the items to go to families in need. Her boss at RR Donnelley in Monroe, where she has worked for eight years, recommended calling Blumer about donating the items.
The estimated value of the used items at garage sale prices? According to Blumer and the Baumgartners, somewhere between "way over $1,500" to "at least $3,000."
Cadance had only one thing to say if she could speak to the children who will receive the things she gave away this year.
"You're welcome," she said.
Five-year-old Cadance of Warren, Ill., was excited about her father, Aaron Baumgartner, dropping off a donation of used clothes and toys - many of them hers - at the Green County Human Services Department Thursday, according to her mother, Tonya Baumgartner.
"I wanted other kids to have them for Christmas," said Cadance, who missed the delivery because she had to go to school.
Jeannie Blumer, economic support supervisor, said it is the largest donation of items, especially of children's clothes, that she has seen in her 31 years with the department.
"It's an unbelievable gift," she added.
Wrapped in about 40 large, black plastic trash bags, the donation, toys and clothes of all sizes, filled a 15- by 10-foot trailer to the roof.
"We're going to find homes for all these things," Blumer said.
Janelle Keizer, the Green County Homelessness Prevention Coalition coordinator, said she knows of specific families in the community who need clothing immediately, and they will be some of the first to benefit from Cadance's donation.
"But there is no way to know how many families will be helped by all this," she added.
Almost immediately after delivery, Keizer and a volunteer began unbagging and sorting the clothing. By 11 a.m., they had emptied only 17 bags and had at least eight large conference tables in the auditorium of the Government Services Building full of clothes, shoes, bedding and curtains.
Bags of toys sitting in a corner, alongside a doll house, a toddler's desk, a drum set, riding toys, and a stroller, hadn't even been touched yet.
Keizer and Blumer began wondering where they were going to put everything. Blumer asks that people call the Human Services offices before bringing in donations, because space is definitely limited now. She can make arrangements for other drop-off points.
"It's a good problem to have," Keizer said.
Tonya Baumgartner contacted Blumer the evening before Thanksgiving to inform her of the coming donation.
"She had a very large donation her daughter wanted to make, who wanted other kids to enjoy them, especially with Christmas coming," Blumer said. "She said, 'You need to understand how much we have - more than a truck load of things.'"
"This is an amazing gift from a 5-year-old girl," Blumer added. "This reminds us what Christmas should be about. She is grateful for what she had and wanted to help others."
Tonya Baumgartner said she explained to Cadance the idea of donating items they no longer used to other people and how some families can't afford presents at Christmas time.
"Once she wrapped her brain around it, once we had a plan, we went on a sorting frenzy," she said.
Cadance not only sorted her toys to add to the donation pile, she pushed her family members to sort their items also, including her father.
"She said, 'Daddy, have you sorted your closet yet?' and I said, 'I'm doing it now,'" Aaron Baumgartner said with a laugh.
Tonya said Cadance is an only child and the only grandchild on both sides of the family, and the family, including Tonya's sister and mother who live with them, saves everything. She felt the items were too nice to throw away, and she didn't have time to go through them for a garage sale, but she wanted the items to go to families in need. Her boss at RR Donnelley in Monroe, where she has worked for eight years, recommended calling Blumer about donating the items.
The estimated value of the used items at garage sale prices? According to Blumer and the Baumgartners, somewhere between "way over $1,500" to "at least $3,000."
Cadance had only one thing to say if she could speak to the children who will receive the things she gave away this year.
"You're welcome," she said.