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 A Message from our President
Dear Team Leaders:
Well, another holiday season has come to a close and it is time to once again congratulate YOU, our Team Leaders on a job well done. Thanks to the expansion of our program to Fredericksburg, we have been able to increase the number of Christmas visits to thirty-six, with more to come in the new year.
Just a gentle reminder to all Team Leaders that your Team Leader reports are now due. Click here to access the Report Form.
HOLIDAY PROJECT TO PARTICIPATE IN GIVE BACK: A FAMILY VOLUNTEER DAY
Looking ahead into the New Year, we are pleased to participate with Volunteer Fairfax in GIve Back: A Family Volunteer Day. This event, to be held at George Mason University on Martin Luther King Day, is designed to teach children the importance of volunteering. Holiday Project volunteers will make Valentines and distribute them to local nursing homes. Volunteers are needed to help with making and distributing the Valentines during February. Interested? E-mail me at Holidayprojectdc@hotmail.com.
Stay tuned to Facebook and Twitter, as well as our newsletter, for updates in the upcoming year!
Robin Wiley
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THE LATEST NEWS:
BULLOCKS RECEIVE BESSIE BISHOP MEMORIAL AWARD Long time Team Leaders, Milton and Frances Bullock were recognized this December as recipients of the Bessie Bishop Memorial Award. Established in 2007, the award recognizes outstanding contributions to The Holiday Project's success. The Bullocks have been active in The Holiday Project for over twenty years, serving as Team Leaders for Hadley Memorial Hospital in the District.
HOLIDAY PROJECT HOLDS RECORD NUMBER OF VISITS IN DECEMBER
The Holiday Project of the National Capital Area had a banner year, visiting thirty-five facilities in the greater Washington DC metro area, Fredericksburg and Delaware. A special welcome to our new Team Leaders in Fredericksburg who made this expansion possible.
DONATIONS OF PERSONAL CARE ITEMS UP
Donations of personal care items were up this year, thanks largely to an article appearing in the Washington Post. A special thank you to students and faculty at TJ Woodson High School in Fairfax and King of Kings Lutheran Church, also in Fairfax, for their efforts in the collection of these items. Donations of cards and calendars were up as well. Thank you to everyone who donated or made cards this year.
HOLIDAY PROJECT RAISES $640 AT TAKOMA PARK ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR
The Holiday Project raised $640 at the Takoma Park Alternative Gift Fair in our first year of participation. The Fair was founded in 1999 and is based upon the notion that sometimes, the most thoughtful gift you can give is a donation to charity in someone’s honor. Family members and friends are touched to know that the gift they have just received will have a very real and meaningful impact on people and communities in need. Please let us know if your church or community organization hosts an alternative gift fair or similar event so we can help The Holiday Project continue to spread good cheer, not only during the holiday season, but throughout the year.
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If you have not already done so, be sure to “Like” our Facebook page, and sign up to “follow us” on Twitter.
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Holiday Project Holds Record Number of Visits over Thanksgiving Weekend
The Holiday Project of the National Capital Area held a record number of visits over Thanksgiving weekend, including two in Fredericksburg and one in Delaware. Close to three hundred visitors participated in the visits, putting the GIVING in Thanksgiving, and spreading holiday cheer to patients at six different facilities. Congratulations to all of the Team Leaders and visitors who made these visits a success.
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Consider Supporting The Holiday Project Financially
Please think about making a donation to The Holiday Project. Just ten dollars buys a dozen of the holiday gifts we distribute. Each year, we spend $3,000-$5,000, primarily on gifts and visit supplies. Almost all of our funding comes from individual donations, from people like you ... people who have participated with us and have experienced the value of our program.
Donate Now!
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How do I know if I want to be a Team Leader?
Anyone can be a Team Leader. The Guidelines are easy to follow. You will make a difference -- it’s guaranteed -- with those you visit, with other volunteers and with yourself! Give it a try.
If you have not been a Team Leader, consider joining us for a Visit first. You’ll see how easy it is to organize and how much benefit everyone gets. See our Visit List.
Interested? Email holidayprojectdc@hotmail.com to let us know.
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 AARP Virginia and The Holiday Project Team Up
AARP Virginia has selected The Holiday Project of the National Capital Area as a CreateTheGood featured project for 2011. Through this project, AARP Virginia is supporting The Holiday Project in Fredericksburg, with a goal to expand to additional cities in 2012. Read the Press Release.
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Happy Holidays from The Holiday Project!
Did you know that there is a holiday in every month? As more and more people move to institutionalized living facilities, it has become even more important to spend time with them. In order to do that, we need volunteers to be Team Leaders, for every holiday during the year.
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Use our NEW Team Leader Checklist
Schedule Your Visit
We post Visits to this website on an ongoing basis. Remember, the earlier your Visit is posted, the more visitors you are likely to receive. Go to the Visit List to see the information we include and email it to sallycooneyanderson@yahoo.com
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Report Your Results
Whenever you organize a Visit, please take a moment to Report your Visit Results. We need this information for fundraising, including the annual United Way application.
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Ask Singers to Join You
Everyone loves holiday songs. Consider contacting a local choral group and inviting them to join you.
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Write in our Guest Book
Our Guest Book is one of the best ways we can let people know about the value of what we do. Please share an experience of participating with The Holiday Project by sending an email to sallycooneyanderson@yahoo.com
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What if Children Arrive?
Some facilities have age restrictions for visitors. If children too young to visit arrive, please try to accommodate them. Ask if they can remain in the lobby area with their families. There are often residents who can come to the lobby for the Visit. In addition, these families can be greeters for everyone who enters and leaves the facility. They can also sing holiday songs.
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National Update
Go to www.holiday-project.org
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Facility Restrictions
When you call the facility to set up your Visit or even on the day of your Visit, you may discover that visitors can no longer go room-to-room. Even if you are told this and that children are not allowed, please do your Visit anyway. Residents will really appreciate that you came.
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