By JEFFREY HASTINGS, InDepthNH.org
MANCHESTER, NH – Hurricane winds and flooding rains didn’t stop the Ancient Order of Hibernians from delivering gifts for over 40 Manchester children just in time for Christmas. Manchester firefighters also got in the act with their red sleigh as well as Families in Transition.
Hibernian funds were raised throughout the year by members of AOH at an annual golf tournament, and by providing traffic control at road races run by Millenium Running.
Names of families that may need a little extra help with Christmas are gathered from Manchester schools and social services. This year with the funds that were raised AOH was able to shop for 42 children from 17 different families.
Manchester firefighters filled their red sleigh and made deliveries filling the Wish Lists of Manchester children.
This year10 families with a total of 23 children got a helping hand from the members of Manchester Professional Firefighters local 856, Local 3820 who raised funds through each of the Stations enabling them to purchase each child some gifts that they had asked Santa for.
For over 30 years Hibernian members shop from lists that have been provided, gather the gifts as well as providing essential items such as clothing for the children. The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians group meets the night before the deliveries and wraps all the gifts in preparation for volunteers to make the deliveries.
The gifts were loaded into a U-haul and brought to Sweeney Post where members of AOH sorted the items out for the 17 families and loaded them into vehicles to make the deliveries.
One by one AOH members pulled up in front of the residences and brought large bags of gifts to the parents. The gifts are delivered just before Christmas so the parents can put them under the tree from Santa at the appropriate time. Each AOH family also was provided a turkey and all the items needed for holiday dinner by Families In Transition.
Recipients of the deliveries expressed such emotion as they saw the number of gifts arriving.
©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news