Well, it’s that time again. Christmas is right around the corner and we are starting Operation Green Santa again this year.
For those newbies on the board, I will explain what Operation Green Santa is. We know that families with Lyme have a difficult time trying to meet all their medical expenses, work, and take care of their sick ones. Christmas is the time for giving, helping, sharing, caring and opening up our hearts and our wallets to others in need.
For many years' past, we have helped our LymeNet families that were strapped financially with Christmas for their children. This will be our 12th year of assisting LymeNet families so they can enjoy the holidays and have presents under the tree for their kids.
We have had FANTASTIC turnouts over the past years! The spirit of Christmas was certainly in the air on Lymenet. We had many, many Green Santa's behind the scenes shopping and shipping those special items to the families in need of some extra help.
Here is how this program works - For those who have fallen on hard times because of this disease, and who are part of the LymeNet family, please don’t feel bashful or awkward asking for our help. That’s why we developed this project. We are here to help each other!
FAMILIES NEEDING HELP
For families in need, here is the information I need from you when you e-mail me. First, in the subject header let me know it has something to do with Operation Green Santa. Please include your LymeNet screen name. My e-mail address is: [email protected].
The information you give me is confidential and will only be shared with the Santa that is helping to shop for your child/children. I know it is scary giving this information out to me, but, so far we have not had any problems and I will do my best to ensure we don’t have any problems in the future.
1. I need the parents’ first and last name and shipping address.
2. I need the child/children’s first name, age, male or female, favorite color, hobbies, interests, and clothing sizes. The more information you give me regarding your child, the better we can shop. If your child has a special request of a particular item, we will try to fill it.
3. We will NOT wrap the gifts, so, parents can look the items over and make sure they are appropriate for their child/children. Parents will be responsible for wrapping the gifts. The packages will come in the parents’ name to the shipping address they provided to me.
4. If I should e-mail you needing more information, please get back to me as soon as possible, as our Santa's usually can’t wait to get started shopping. We had a lot of shop-a-holics last year!!! (GRIN)
5. The only thing we ask from you is PLEASE send a thank-you card to the Santa's that shop for your child. Unless your Green Santa wants to remain anonymous, the return address will be on the packages you receive. A small note of thanks to our Green Santa's gives them that warm and fuzzy feeling, and helps to keep this volunteer project running.
6. You don’t ever need to tell your children that you didn’t buy the gifts. They will never know unless you chose to tell them.
7. THE CUT OFF DATE FOR REQUESTING OUR HELP IS DECEMBER 10th. That way we have time to complete all needs and have time to ship before the holidays.
TO THE SECRECT SANTAS
Those of you that helped last year or prior years, I thank you again for all of your assistance and help. You guys made this project the success it has become!!!
Okay, here is what I need from the Green Santa's -
Each year we give each child one large to medium size gift as well as a shoe-box filled with goodies. Remember to put something in the subject heading, so I know it has to do with Operation Green Santa/Christmas. Please include your email address and screen name so we have two different ways to contact you.
IDEAS FOR THE SHOE BOX – dependent upon age of child/children of course. Hair accessories, jewelry, Barbie dolls, trucks/cars/ candy, gum, hair brushes, make-up, small books, watches, nail polish, bath-n-body sample bottles, stickers, small bottles of cologne, trading cards, gift certificates etc. I think you get the idea. Put as many things as you can in your shoe- box. Make sure the items are appropriate for the age of the child/children.
MEDIUM TO LARGE GIFT – This gift should be between $15.00 - $25.00 item. Ideas may be given by parent as well as size, hobbies, interests etc. This item could be clothing, stuffed animal, books, gift certificates, etc. Over the years, we have been able to give several medium to large items to the kids because of the overwhelming response of our generous Santas. Hopefully this year we will be able to do the same.
Green Santa's you can go ahead and e-mail me. Let me know if you prefer to fill a shoe-box, a medium/large present, or both and if you would like 1 child or more. REMEMBER – Don’t wrap your gifts. Make sure to put your return address on the boxes, unless you would like to remain anonymous.
When I have a parent with a child/children request, I will contact you and give you a child/children to buy for. After you shop and have sent the package, please let me know it was shipped, so I can mark the child/children off my list and know they have been taken care of.
Ho Ho Ho and Merry Christmas!! Remember, we are spreading Holiday Cheer!!
From the Green Santa
Posts: 494 | From Michigan, USA | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
Hurray! It's Julie again!!! I've been so busy with our church's Operation Christmas Child and with moving, that I totally forgot about Green Santa!
Thanks for doing this again!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96238 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
Thanks for your help keeping this post noticed!!!
Julie
Posts: 494 | From Michigan, USA | Registered: Jul 2002
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littlebit27
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 24477
posted
Hey all, it's been a while! My kids were helped by Green Santas at the beginning of my lyme journey when I really needed it so I would like to pay it forward! I'm pming you!
-------------------- Not everything in life that can be counted counts and not every thing that counts can be counted...Albert Einstein Posts: 208 | From Northeast | Registered: Aug 2010
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posted
Hi Julie, 2013 has been a hectic year, so I haven't done much but read on LymeNet. Even though I haven't been very involved, I'd like to be a Green Santa again, if it's not too late.
Can't shop and ship but can manage gift cards. Let me know if you need me. Thanks for all your time and energy organizing this project.
Posts: 4638 | From South Carolina | Registered: Mar 2001
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Julie
Posts: 494 | From Michigan, USA | Registered: Jul 2002
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kam
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 3410
posted
I rec'd a card and some cash from someone on this site.
I keep hoping my brain will work well enough to look up the pen name and let them know I got it.
But, so far my brain has not been working well enough.
I do hope it works well enough soon. I thank you whoever it was that sent it.
I don't know when it got here. I am not always able to check my mail box so go several days before checking mail.
Posts: 15927 | From Became too sick to work or do household chores in 2001. | Registered: Dec 2002
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lax mom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 38743
posted
I hope it's ok if the Green Santas shop online and ship directly from the store's website.
posted
OK.. I think I can get out to do some shopping next week. I hope so!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96238 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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kreynolds
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15117
posted
Julie & Green Santas,
We just wanted to reach out and thank all of you for offering so much help to families like ours. The past years have been extremely trying and has taken a tole on us in many ways which has sometimes caused us to step back.
Sending love and holiday wishes from our home to all of yours!
Katie & Roy
-------------------- Diagnosed CDC + 6/2007
Quest: + IGG Bands 18,23,39,41,58,66 and 93.
Quest: + IGM Bands 23,39
Quest: + Bartonella (B.Henselea & B. Quintana),+ Babesia, and + Mycoplasma and Lyme-Induced Addisons Disease
+ Biofilm blood test 12/2010 Posts: 1185 | From New York | Registered: Apr 2008
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