Editor, Gazette-Journal:

The presents began appearing in our hallways early this season, as civic groups, churches, Sunday school classes and individual citizens shopped and wrapped gifts for families they had "adopted" this Christmas. In all, 30 families were recipients of this very generous outpouring of support and kindness by the people of Mathews County.

Peggy Hudgins, the Christmas Store manager, lead volunteer and board member for our agency, ran another successful program this year. There were 304 adults and 181 children who shopped in the 2011 Mathews Social Services Christmas Store; 33 children also shopped for their parents in the Elf Shoppe. Contributions from this program are from all spectrums of the community and also included a generous donation from the William and Catharine Owens Foundation.

A total of 83 volunteers spent 743 hours working for this year’s Christmas Store. That work included shopping (since last December), pricing, moving, set u...