PAINESVILLE-Lake County school children in Painesville, Perry, Mentor and Madison area have gotten into the giving spirit of Christmas over the past month and a half. Students have helped decorate and fill boxes with items needed at the county’s homeless shelter, Project Hope.
Coordinating the wish list drive for the season is Cheryl McAndrews, a Painesville Township mother of five and busy volunteer at the shelter. She is one of many who have responded to the need to spread holiday love and gifts to people in need.
McAndrews said that the response when calling the area schools for help is overwhelming.
"It started out small with my contacting just a few schools in November. The boxes were all donated by Giant Eagle in Painesville Township. The kids in the schools and those who come to my house decorated the boxes with hand created art," McAndrews said.
McAndrews’ home has also been the center of activity for groups of neighbor children during each week this month. Most of the youth attend LaMuth Middle School with her children. On Saturday, Dec. 13 after a sleepover, the group ate breakfast, then dove right into decorating dozens of boxes.
"We have the 8
"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. We’ve had lots of volunteers and teachers contacted to help with the Project Hope Christmas gift boxes. The plan is to continue working to bring items of need to the shelter through the whole year. So we will be filling baskets in January as well," McAndrews said.
The words such as giving, love, hope, peace, respect, helping, sharing and spirit along with art designs grace all the colorful gift boxes setting at the McAndrews home this week. McAndrews said her family was helped several years ago by being able to move into a home built by Habitat for Humanity volunteers. She gave hundreds of hours to Habitat for Humanity to qualify as a homebuyer.
"We are buying this home with a mortgage we can afford. I decided working for the shelter is a way to give back to the community. I decided to get others, especially youth involved with helping people in need and down on their luck. The homeless shelter is a place of great need. This is just a small way I and my children plus many others can help," McAndrews said.
Hale Road Elementary School children made up 24 boxes in November when the drive began. Perry Elementary School has filled over a dozen boxes with tied blankets and other items.
"Madison’s Crossroads Community Church members are helping get word out to the Madison district schools to do more tied blankets and fill boxes in January. Andrews-Osborne School in Willoughby has 41 boxes to decorate with the students’ families helping fill with needed items," McAndrews said.
Many of the boxes already filled will be delivered to the homeless shelter this weekend and others go out on Christmas Day, she said.
"I even got my mom, Leslie Barnes to help write 400 inspirational words which were hot glued to the boxes. By the time we get done with this Christmas effort there will be over 60 filled boxes for the shelter residents. My goal is to get a school a week in 2009 to continue with packing boxes with the needed clothing and personal items for the shelter," McAndrews said
"One person can get the word out, but it takes an army of children and adults to do an endeavor like we are undertaking," she said.
On Christmas Day the McAndrews family will help serve lunch to families and individuals at the shelter. One of Cheryl and John McAndrews’ triplets, daughter Sandra summed up the family’s reason for spending Christmas Day at the shelter. "We appreciate what we get and want to give back some of the spirit to others. My friends have helped out with doing up about 30 decorated boxes," Sandra said.
The busy Painesville mother and volunteer said that more volunteers are needed to help the shelter staff. Sponsors are also being sought to supply food for the holiday meal and weeks ahead.
To find out how to help at Project Hope shelter on Freedom Road in Painesville, call 440-354-6417.
