Good cause, Great effect: The Joy of Giving gears up

Photo by QUENTIN ROUX, Staff

Instrumental in raising the bulk of the funds on behalf of the Island Country Club for the Joy of Giving fundraiser are Patty DiComo, Bob Mehmet, Wes Blackwell, Nicki Davis (Joy of Giving founder) and Carol Lee.

Tears of happiness as opposed to tears of disappointment. That’s what’s set to happen when about 1,000 underprivileged area children open gifts galore when Christmas rolls around on Dec. 25.

This issue, particularly against the backdrop of people tightening their belts in the current economic climate, is naturally money.

But, with rock-solid support from the Island Country Club, as well as generous Islanders and the unfailing efforts of bike-ride organizer Ernie Bordon, The Joy of Giving organizer Nicki Davis believes her annual mission will again be a success.

A success, that is, for the 20th year in a row.

Davis put it plain and simply: “This is a charity-wide island,” she said.

She and her dedicated band of helpers move into high gear every time Thanksgiving rolls around to raise money for a charity that enables parents of underprivileged area children to buy them Christmas gifts.

And that includes quite a few children on Marco Island, too.

The youngsters are selected case-by-case from local schools by negotiation with teachers.

The project culminates Dec. 13 at the Kmart at Freedom Square near the U.S. 41 and Collier Boulevard intersection.

From 8 a.m. onward, parents will receive vouchers to the tune of about $75 a child.

On the way out, they’ll receive turkeys as part of the Island Country Club Charitable Foundation’s double donation whammy.

Inside the store, no money changes hands, and a small army of volunteers assists with the administrative side.

The project originated at Marco’s former Coldwell Banker Florida real estate office, when agent Davis suggested that instead of buying each other presents, staff members could pool money to help a needy family with three children. The children’s mother was single and suffered from multiple sclerosis.

Fellow agents immediately embraced the idea and unloaded a sackful of presents on the family — and a tradition was born.

In the early days, Davis and her helpers would quiz parents about their children’s wishes, buy and wrap the presents, and deliver them.

“Then we thought, why not let the parents themselves do the shopping?” Davis said. “So that while their children experienced the joy of receiving, the parents in turn would experience the joy of giving.”

One kicker that catches her heart every year is that many of the children simply want a good pair of shoes and some clothes.

But, no question about it, they always receive a few toys, or bikes, or dolls as well ... just like other kids.

The Joy of Giving

Mission: To raise at least $100,000 to enable parents of about 1,000 underprivileged area children to buy them Christmas presents. The children are nominated by a panel of teachers from schools that include Tommie Barfield Elementary, Manatee Elementary and Middle, Lely Elementary and Middle, Shadowlawn and Avalon. Eligible children will also be sought through the Center for Abused Women and the Victims’ Advocate Program on Marco Island.

Want to help? To donate, send a check payable to The Joy of Giving, to Nicki Davis, 317 Nassau Court, Marco Island, FL 34145; or stop in at M&I Bank, where a special account once again has been set up.

Tax consideration: Donations are tax-deductible because of the charity’s 501C-3 status. Donors are given receipts for their tax purposes.

Security: No money is given to parents. Instead, they use vouchers, and the purchases are paid for by Davis and her volunteers at the check-outs.