Holiday festival organizers seek volunteers

Organizers of the annual Bonita Springs Holiday Festival are looking for volunteers and donations to make the Dec. 6 community party possible. It's a plea that has paid off each holiday season for the past decade.

"Every year we ask for these things and every year they happen," said organizer Brenda Judah.

The afternoon of entertainment, children's gifts, food and games at Riverside Park is free. That means everything has to be donated. Everything from money to new bicycles to manpower is needed.

Donations also are needed for the Adopt-A-Family portion of the event. The names of local families and individuals in need of holiday help are provided to Judah through the Bonita Assistance Office. Donations help pay for gift certificates that can be used to purchase food and gifts. Several families are adopted each year.

For many, like volunteer Nancy Williams, Adopt-A-Family is the best part of the festival. Even though the identity of the recipients is not disclosed, Williams likes knowing their holidays have been made better.

"Last year I did a few different things, like I helped out with the bounce house and with food, mostly," Williams recalled. "But I just have something in my heart for these families, so that's what I'm helping with this year."

Judah also is looking for donations to help pay for 20 tons of snow that will be trucked in from somewhere much colder than Southwest Florida. It's three times the amount of snow she's ordered in past years.

"Last year at any given time there were 500 kids or more in the park and the snow was the place most of them wanted to be," she said. "We wanted to make it bigger so we can have separate areas for the younger kids and the older ones."

While the event isn't sponsored by Anchor Christian Church, many in its congregation have agreed to help. And, the church is accepting donations for the festival. Checks can be made out to Anchor Christian Church with a notation that the contribution is for the Holiday Festival. Checks can be mailed to Anchor Christian Church, P.O. Box 508, Bonita Springs, Florida, 34133.

For information on getting involved with the festival or making a donation, contact Judah at 992-7400 or e-mail her at judahshiloh@comcast.net.

Contact Staff Writer Karie Partington at 213-6065 or kjpartington@naplesnews.com