Saint Mary’s Gifts for Winona grateful for Winona’s generosity

You’ll never see the little girl tightly clutching what she knows — even through the wrapping paper — is her new Barbie.

And you’ll never feel the quick, heartfelt hug from the woman who is so thankful for a package from a stranger.

Yet, without even knowing those you are helping, you graciously shared your blessings this holiday season. We are overwhelmed and gratefully humbled by your anonymous generosity.

The Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona program, in its ninth year, was once again able to provide gifts for our less fortunate neighbors because of you.

More than 1,400 packages were caringly wrapped this year.

Though you never heard the thank-yous, I hope you know how much your new boots, grocery cards, and toys mean to these families.

Because of you, these families have been given presents for their trees and hope in their hearts. For the ninth year in a row, our community has made sure that no one goes home empty handed.

As we count our blessings for the past and upcoming years, we should also remember those less fortunate whose material blessings are just a little harder to come by this year. We hope and pray that 2011 will have many wonderful things in store for these families.

The Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona volunteers will say an extra special thanks to all of you, including:

• the program’s additional partners, Winona Radio, Winona Post and Winona Volunteer Services;
• the many shoppers, wrappers, data-entry volunteers, sorters and organizers, who put in long hours without complaint;
• the many sponsoring businesses, schools, churches and organizations who helped groups of 10 or more;

• every individual who took a tag off of a tree or donated money;
• Walmart for its generous donation; and our friends at Cars & Credit who always make sure there are no tags left.
• the Winona Public Library, Walmart, Scrapper’s Haven, the three Severson-Sinclair stations, the Winona Post and Security State Bank for sponsoring giving trees;
• referral agencies who provided support;
• the staff and patrons of the Valéncia Arts Center for allowing us to take over the building for one of the gift distributions, and Frances at the Resource Center in St. Charles for helping to distribute gifts;
• and the area media for helping spread the word about this program and how to help.

We continue to be very blessed to be part of such a caring community.

Deb Nahrgang, on behalf of the Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona program