STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK
The Secret Santa Project was top secret during the past two years, with those involved sworn to secrecy.
This year the wraps came off as nearly a hundred women gathered at the Senior Connection to indulge in a few holiday treats while tossing greenbacks in a basket to make Christmas a little brighter for valley youth.
Half of the money raised on behalf of Santa will be given to the Blaine County School District to be used for 56 homeless students. The rest will be given to Sun Valley Realtors for their holiday baskets.
“It’s overwhelming seeing the number of people who turn out to support something like this,” said Jeanne Mowlds, one of those behind the event.
“The spirit and generosity of this community is just wonderful,” said Leslie Silva, who contributed a variety of hummus dips to the smorgasbord of quiches, Grand Marnier brownies and other cookies.
Marie Gallo started the Secret Santa Party three years ago with a small gathering at her home north of Hailey. She used the money contributed to pay off layaways for unsuspecting families at King’s variety store.
It was a year-long endeavor for the woman who grew up in Belgium. Those who played poker and other games at her house soon realized they never got to leave with their winnings—everything went into the Secret Santa fund.
“I was doing this in California, paying for one or two layaways, and I asked, ‘Do you think we could do this in Sun Valley?’ ” Gallo reiterated, as partygoers sipped Poinsettas concocted with champagne, cranberry juice and orange liqueur.
“As you know, King’s is no more, so I thought it was over. But Miss Jeanne (Mowlds) said, ‘Do you know we have homeless kids here?’ And I thought, ‘What?! Homeless kids here in Sun Valley, Idaho?’ ” she added.
Debi Gutknecht said the school district identified three children who were considered homeless when she became student services director nine years ago. The increase—to 56 of the 3,400 students in the district —mirrors a nationwide trend, ironically fueled in large part by a booming economy that is making rentals hard to find and pricey, even in places like Boise.
There are 7,800 students categorized as homeless in Idaho.
Some of the students live in cars and family motor homes, Gutknecht said. Some are living in motels and others with relatives and family friends.
“A lot of people move here with great hopes and, when it doesn’t go as planned, they need help,” she said. “Some lose their home because of long-term illness or after losing a job.”
The school district, which receives only $900 from the government to take care of all its homeless students, makes sure every student who is identified as homeless receives a free breakfast and lunch. Those who have been attending Hemingway Elementary School but whose families have moved to Hailey or Bellevue are provided bus passes so they continue at Hemingway.
The Blaine County Educational Foundation’s Can-Do fund provides them with tennis shoes for gym, as well as counseling, and even yearbooks at the end of the year so they don’t miss out on some of the extras that their classmates get.
Kristy Heitzman, who heads up the Blaine County Education Foundation, said tending to the needs of homeless students is near to her heart since her family lived with others for a couple years while she was growing up in Texas.
One time, she recalled, she and her sister slept for awhile in an attic.
“Kids bullied me some, threw food at me, so I spent lunch in the bathroom,” she recalled “I felt isolation, loneliness, depression, kind of lost. My self-esteem was gone. So, I’m grateful that there’s a system that ensures everyone is taken care of. And we couldn’t do it without the generosity of our community.”
Those who took part in the event seemed happy to be able to help.
Amanda Ornelas said the Sun Valley Realtors are preparing Holiday Baskets of warm clothes and boots, toys and holiday food for about 700 children in more than 200 families. The baskets, full of Legos, soccer balls and My Little Pony dolls, will be distributed Dec. 16.
Motorcyclists collected toys with their Toy Run, and supporters of Little River Preschool placed Giving Trees around the valley. But donations are “a little slow,” she said.
Those who want to make donations can call 208-726-7764 or go to www.svrealtorsgive.org.