Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana and several volunteers in the Region came together for the annual Christmas to Remember holiday celebration. Kids throughout Northwest Indiana from local Clubs came to the Dean & Barbara White Center for one of the most iconic Christmas parties of the season.
CEO Mike Jessen circles this date on his calendar every year, as it’s one of his favorite events put on by the organization.
“This is the sixth year that we’ve had the Christmas to Remember event and it gets bigger every year,” Jessen said. “We’re transporting the kids from 10 of our Clubs to come together to open presents, eat pizza, meet Santa Claus, and write thank you cards to our donors who help make this possible.”
The Dean & Barbara White Center hosted more than 200 volunteers, 500 kids, and more than 3,000 gifts in total for the event. With this Christmas to Remember event, Boys & Girls Clubs focused on meeting the wants and needs of every individual.
“We want to do everything we can to help out the kids and understand where they are,” Jessen said. “Every kid is different. Some of them might ask for life necessities such as socks or shoes. Other kids might ask for heartwarming requests, where they might ask for a gift to give to their parents or siblings. We call it the Christmas to Remember event because our goal is to make sure these kids can walk away with a positive memory that they’ll remember for a long time.”
Centier Bank and Werner Christmas Wonderland were the primary sponsors of this year’s event. Felita Hopkins, assistant branch manager at the Gary-Miller location for Centier Bank, is touched to see the kids having a great time during the holiday celebration.
“It’s a blessing and very emotional to see it all from behind the scenes as the kids are opening the gifts,” Hopkins said. “We have the Angel Tree at work, so we give our gifts to the corporate center to take to the children. Having the opportunity to see them up close as they open up their presents is beautiful.”
Paige Conquest, mortgage loan officer for Centier Bank, never takes for granted the time to make moments like this last for a lifetime with these kids.
“I had a lot of friends who benefited from the service provided by Boys & Girls Clubs growing up,” Conquest said. “I was able to see firsthand what a positive impact it had on them. It's special for me to now be a part of that, especially for an event like this one.”
The event consisted of three volunteers playing the role of Santa Claus, with each one on a different basketball court. One Kris Kringle volunteer, Anthony Olivarez, was accompanied by Mrs. Claus and one of his elves as they spoke with the kids about their Christmas wishes.
“It’s pretty cool to give back and see the kids light up with smiles on their faces,” Olivarez said. “I hope that all the kids are being good, always trying their best, and spreading the holiday cheer with their loved ones.”
Maceo Rainey, a volunteer from Ivy Tech Community College, played the role of Santa Claus as well. The most prestigious part of this event is seeing how this celebration coincides with what is seen in several Northwest Indiana communities.
“The great thing about this area is that we are always nurturing spirits and showing commitment to the community,” Rainey said. “This is what Northwest Indiana is known for. We care about one another and strive to build positive communities.”
Christmas to Remember was truly an unforgettable night once again for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana. While it may have taken a Herculean effort to piece it together, this is an event that exemplifies what the organization is all about.
“This is one of our two hallmark events that express what our mission is all about,” Jessen said. “We’ll take any opportunity we can to do what’s best for the kids and we have a great team that made it happen this year.”
The other signature event of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana is the Youth of the Year event, which takes place just before the spring season. Jessen is looking forward to another great turnout for that event to complement the impressive showing at the Christmas to Remember.
For more information on Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, you can visit bgcgreaternwi.org.