Above: Joyce Valvo & Brenda Matuszkiewicz, from Five Star Bank, trim a tree for Project Christmas Left: Project Christmas head Shirley Morton

PROJECT CHRISTMAS
A COMMUNITY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS
(12/5/2008)
By Gerlind Dubey

In the early days of the Ellicottville School district which encompasses Ellicottville, Great Valley, Humphrey and Mansfield, a tradition was started that not only united the entire school staff but the community as well. At that time school Nurse Betty Westfall created Project Christmas, to ensure that the 12 needy children in the school and their families had a Merry Christmas by providing gifts and food collected through donations from the community.

It was in 1970 that current head of the project Shirley Morton, at that time ECS secretary took over Project Christmas. Shirley retired from ECS in 2000; however she continues to lead Project Christmas for the School, not an easy undertaking as the amount of needy families is on an up rise. In an interview with Special-E-Fects Shirley related that “This is not a small project last year we had 92 needy students this year we have 138 students from 64 families”. Shirley went on to say” The town itself is so generous and our kind neighbors from Ohio and Canada are also very generous, so I think we will accomplish our mission.” Project Christmas also takes special care that 25 senior citizens are not forgotten over the Holiday’s.

Volunteers as well donations are the lifeblood of “Project Christmas”; This past Tuesday Christmas trees were placed in the Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, the Five Star Bank, M&T Bank, in Ellicottville and at Eddy’s Restaurant in Great Valley; the trees are decorated with red and green tags that hold the gender and age of a needy child in the Ellicottville School District. This year the tags represent 138 needy school kids that will not have a gift to open unless we, the community help.
Fill the void by removing a tag, buy and wrap a gift and then place it back under the tree. Santa and the folks from ECS will take care of the rest. The volunteers for Project Christmas will insure a Merry Christmas for the 64 families of these children by providing all the fixings for a proper Christmas Dinner.

Shirley related that the enormous job of packing the goods is completed the week before Christmas and is quite a sight to behold; with volunteers scurrying to make sure all is ready to go to the families on the list. Then comes the day when students, and staff join together in giving of themselves; delivering the goods to the needy families. Volunteering for delivery has become tradition to many ECS alumni who return yearly to be part of this special event.
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Non-perishable food may be dropped off at the Ellicottville Central School office.
Shirley Morton is the grandmother of Patrick Morton; the young man fell out of a tree stand the first day of Deer hunting season. The horrible accident caused him to suffer a stroke and then lapse into a coma. Though it’s been a rough go, we are glad to announce that Patrick is on the mend and with time and physical therapy is expected to make a full recovery. A benefit will be held at the Great Valley Fire Hall tomorrow Saturday, Dec. 6th.