Share the Spirit Hosts HOPE Student’s Christmas Party

Karen Voepel,, Leah Comer and Chana Reed

Project HOPE students were treated to a Christmas Party at their Lincoln School headquarters this past Thursday, December 10^th, complete with a baked ham dinner, presents and holiday decorations, courtesy of the Share the Spirit Foundation and the Yada Yada Sisters Group.

HOPE Center Director, Lori Hammer with Students

Kids lined up in the gym, first to receive tickets corresponding to a table filled with presents and then for their dinner, served by the Yada Yada Sisters, HOPE staff and volunteers from the HOPE Coalition.  Approximately 130 students were served the meal.

Serving the Dinner

Karen Voepel, Share the Spirit President explained, “We did this the first time about four years ago when we gave a tree with all the ornaments and gifts to about 100 kids.” She added that all the kids are given hats crocheted by Leah Comer, “She supplies all the labor and skills, and we provide the yarn,” Voepel said, adding that the Foundation pays for the presents that will be given out at the end of the evening.

Other events on the Share the Spirit agenda included a visit on Saturday to the Enchanted Forest in Lamar, partnering with Healthy Places to distribute hats and gloves to the first 100 kids and some adults and a visit to Little People’s School is planned to donate about a dozen pairs of shoes. She said the Foundation Shoe Cruiser made a visit to the Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community in Las Animas where 25 persons also received shoes.

The Foundation doesn’t concentrate only on southeast Colorado, but has interests throughout the nation as Voepel explained, “We’ll take some time off and regroup after the winter and start again in March. We’ll be in North Carolina for our outreach programs and next fall we have October 8^th set as our big Share the Spirit fundraising event that will be held at Amache Studio.”

The Yada Yada Sisters who volunteered their time for the Christmas party dinner as well as the monthly Young HOPE prevention meetings are:  Myra McDermed, Sharon Allen,  Linda Springer, Barbara Gentz,  Teresa Madrid,   Connie Jacobsen and Gail Schroeder

By Russ Baldwin