Santa and his elves may get credit for delivering gifts to children throughout the world, but in Red Bluff, CA, he relies on human helpers to spread Christmas cheer.
A festival that unites citizens and services in the spirit of the season
The Children’s Christmas Festival committee, in particular, brings together more than eight organizations to shower Red Bluff children with gifts. For several months, Jennifer Torres, Mike Pizzi, Heidi Mendenhall, and others have prepared for this beloved annual festival that unites local citizens and services with the warm spirit of the season.
The Children’s Christmas Festival traces back more than two decades, when the Red Bluff Kiwanis hosted the first event. In 2019, the festival served 500 children. During the height of COVID-19, without the ability to get needs-based recommendations from schools, the festival shifted away from a registration model to welcome every Red Bluff family. Participation rocketed up to 900 children in 2020, and more than 1,000 children attended in 2021.
An enrollment and recruitment manager at Northern California Child Development Incorporated (NCCDI.com) and the busy mother of six adult children, Jennifer Torres spearheads the Christmas Festival. Jenn began volunteering with the committee in 2017, when Orly Jackson – then the chair of the committee — invited her to come aboard. She especially enjoys shopping for the festival’s gifts for newborns through age 3.
Christmas cheer for families who want and need it
Jenn’s enthusiasm, event-planning expertise, and leadership have contributed to the event’s stunning growth in the last few years. “I wanted to make sure the families who really wanted it and needed it had access to some kind of Christmas cheer,” she explains. “You can’t just judge what you think people need; they need to make those choices for themselves. By keeping it open, we’re giving everybody the opportunity to come in and get something for their kids for Christmas.”
In 2021, 11- and 12-year-olds received a book, a $10 Walmart gift card, and, thanks to a generous donation through Empower Tehama (EmpowerTehama.org), one of 400 hoverboards. While families waited in line for these big-item gifts, they received cookies and bags of popcorn, books from Tehama Reads (Facebook.com/tehamareads), and bags of oranges from Tehama Together (TehamaTogether.org). The air buzzed with excitement as Disney Princesses Elsa and Anna greeted the crowd.
Along with Santa, real-life police officers are making connections and making sure kids are safe
Santa received letters from eager children and chatted with families in English and Spanish. Better still, real-life police officers called out holiday greetings. “The kids love seeing law enforcement,” Jenn says, “and having law enforcement out there in the community telling kids they are safe people to be with is one of the best things we can do for our kids. Their job is to make sure those kids are safe, and when they’re out there making those connections and relationships, it reinforces that.”
Mike Pizzi has been commander of the Red Bluff east police station since moving from southern California to “God’s country” in the North State in 2019. Mike loves partnering with the festival through ChiPs for Kids, an annual statewide toy drive run by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). As the father of three (ages 14, 12, and 10), he loves the delighted reactions of children receiving CHiPs toys at the Christmas festival. “I love the partnerships between all the community entities and with the community itself. I love seeing my own crew out there,” Mike says. “Ultimately, police work is about community service, and this is a very tangible outlet to serve the community. And of course, seeing the smiling kids — whoever doesn’t like that is not human.”
Strengthening the network of support and service for the community
Strengthening the network of support and service for the communityBehind its tangible gifts, the festival generates several greater gifts for the community, says First5 Tehama (First5Tehama.org) Executive Director Heidi Mendenhall. First of all, families can learn about local supports and services in a fun and engaging environment. The festival also allows the agencies that provide these supports and services to collaborate in a unique way, developing personal connections that strengthen the network available to the county.
“There are times when we [community-based agencies] need each other, and to be able to have a person in another agency just a phone call away is incredibly beneficial for the children and families we serve,” Heidi says. As she raises her two daughters (ages 4 and 8) in the same county she grew up in, Heidi relishes the opportunity to see her work directly impacting the community she loves.
While Heidi, Mike, and Jenn play key roles in bringing the festival to life, they are quick to point to the many others who play critical roles. Jenn particularly thanks Karen Schaefer for opening the community center for the event. The team also thanks community members who attend, donate toys, or give the gift of their time. “There are so many volunteers who show up,” Mike says, “and everybody works hard for as long as they’re here. There is no one who stops running around all day. It’s super cool to see people give of themselves all day. That warms my heart.”
To join those making a difference in Tehama County through the Children’s Christmas Festival, contact Heidi at hmendenhall@first5tehama.org.
Posted in: Be The Change
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