Editor, Gazette-Journal: Heartfelt gratitude just doesn’t seem enough for the multitudes that year after year come together to make the Mathews County Christmas Store a reality. For over 45 years, a small dedicated group of volunteers and community members come together to keep the holiday spirit alive and well. This December, 156 volunteers put in over 500 service hours, along with the Piankatank Ruritan, Rotary Club of Mathews, Kingston Parish, Central United Methodist, Spring Hill Baptist, the Mathews Sheriff’s Office and Dispatch, Mathews County Building and Maintenance, MHS Beta Club, YMCA, Lions Club, MHS Class of ’64, American Legion Post 83, MVFD, MYC, M&M, Bay Quilters, Toys4Tots, and Hanes4Good. Through the generosity of time, talents and treasure, we were able to create holiday shopping magic for 609 members of our special Mathews community. My sincere thanks to the elves that toil all year long in support of this event—Lauren Oden, Charlene Brown, Wendy Turner and Dana ...