By ALISHA MCDARRIS
Record Herald Writer
Courtesy of the Record Herald; Printed 12.16.12
TIPP CITY – In 2008, Tammie Rafferty of Tipp City wrapped presents in her living room with a handful of friends and family for 10 kids who would be spending Christmas in Cincinnati Children’s residential mental hospital with no friends and family to warm their hearts and lift their spirits.
This year, Rafferty is expecting over 100 friends and strangers to show up and wrap more than 2,000 gifts at Project Believe’s fifth annual wrap party.
Rafferty started Project Believe after her daughter spent more than a year in the hospital and witnessed all of the children in her unit in foster care or with no families who had no choice but to spend Christmas alone.
“It was heart-wrenching for me,” Rafferty said.
That’s when she decided to ensure that these children would not spend another holiday alone and without the joy that Christmas brings.
Project Believe provides gifts of blankets, small toys, pajamas, and handmade hats and scarves, most of which are donated by people and organizations who support Rafferty’s cause, to children who would otherwise receive nothing on Christmas morning.
The past five years Rafferty and a team of volunteers have delivered the bags of wrapped presents to Cincinnati Children’s, but this year, thanks to the suggestion of a nurse acquaintance, 30 additional children at the Marsh Foundation in Van Wert will receive presents. The Marsh Foundation is a residential treatment facility for children and youth. Between the two facilities, 65 children will be receiving gifts this year from Project Believe.
“There is no one to be the voice for these kids,” Rafferty explained. “If I didn’t do it, no one would.”
The gift-wrapping party will take place at CrossRoads Christian Fellowship in Tipp City on Monday, Dec. 17 at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to come, armed with extra wrapping paper, tape and scissors if they can spare them, and be involved in touching the lives of children who might not otherwise experience the love of others on Christmas.
Rafferty recalled a 12-year old boy who received his hat and scarf one year, donned them proudly, and proclaimed that he felt rich, like a king.
“That’s why I do it. I want them all to feel like kings and queens,” Rafferty said.
Most of this year’s gifts of socks, underwear, toiletry sets and more have already been donated by people and organizations like Ginghamsburg United Methodist’s preschool department and Good Samaritan Hospital’s ER staff, but Rafferty said she never turns away gift or monetary donations that can be used to bless more kids in the future.
“We still need everything because we just keep growing. I’m really excited about how big it’s getting,” Rafferty said. There will be door prizes donated from several downtown vendors and Project Believe T-shirts on sale, too.
Throughout the year Rafferty also hands out Valentines, Easter baskets, back to school supplies, and simply offers her time and affection.
To donate items like puzzles, art supplies, small toys and handmade scarves, call Rafferty at (937) 266-3074 or make a check out to Project Believe, 435 S. First St., Tipp City, OH 45371. Updates and ways you can help can be found on their website, www.projectbelieve.net.
“There should never be any kids alone – especially on Christmas,” Rafferty said.
###
